#but like they’re the only one in your town that your insurance covers so tough shit

[sad0nion]

Man finding a PCP as a fat person is so hard because you try different doctors and it’s like:

Fatphobic

Fatphobic and thinks I’m faking my pain

Fatphobic

Fatphobic

Slightly less Fatphobic! The office is an administrative nightmare

Fatphobic

like please I just need someone to go to for yearly check ups and to refill my meds please stop telling me to ‘just exercise’ ffs

[365daysofsasuhina]

[ 365 Days of SasuHina || Day Three Hundred Sixty-Four: What You See ] [ Uchiha Sasuke, Hyūga Hinata ] [ SasuHina, vulgarity, death, smoking ] [ Verse: Oil and Blood ] [ AO3 Link ]

Appearances can be deceiving.

For instance...Hinata had a teacher back in middle school who, for all intents and purposes, seemed a nice enough man. An active part of the community, well-liked by his students, and a staple part of the school in which he taught. He was lenient with those who needed it, and tough on those who he knew could do better.

But during her last year, when she was no longer in his class, a rather startling discovery was made.

On the run from another province, he was accused of murdering several middle school girls at his previous school. But with the help of underground cosmetic mods, he had his face changed enough to escape notice, starting a new life on the other side of the country where he could once again begin stalking students.

Thankfully he never had the chance - he was caught when a substitute for another teacher managed to recognize him despite the mods. He was arrested, and later imprisoned for his crimes.

From then on, Hinata knew better than to trust what face people put forward. What you see isn’t always true.

Which is what makes her newest...friend? so intriguing.

Since stumbling upon the half-dead man in an alleyway, Hinata has been unable to escape one Uchiha Sasuke: a member of the infamous yakuza currently overseen by his father. Having been beaten and stripped of his (rather expensive) mods, it was Hinata who, on an insomnia walk, hefted him from the refuse and took him to a doctor she knew.

And that was only the beginning of a bond that saw her kidnapped, nearly involved in a gunfight, and then marked as a target by the Uchiha group’s biggest rivals: the Senju.

Since then, it’s been Sasuke’s self-imposed mission to keep the woman safe as repayment for her kindness, and also for his failing to protect her when he first attempted to fulfill his debt to her.

Which means that outside work and her time spent at home...Hinata has been stuck with a rather interesting bodyguard.

Sasuke doesn’t hide what he is. Be it his mods, his tattoos, his smoking or his sometimes coarse language, he doesn’t shy from his title of gangster. He knows that what his family does is unlawful. Dangerous and harmful, even. But he does have at least one code of conduct: repay his debts.

Having someone like him in the presence of someone like Hinata makes a very strange pair indeed.

You see, Hinata’s father runs the largest Japan-based medical mod company. She was once heiress...before daring to call out his hypocrisy. She now lives in a tiny apartment in a rather...questionable part of town. Which is how she found Sasuke. And she works for a mod insurance claim company. Which, admittedly, she hates. But she does do her part of under-the-table dealing to help those who truly need it find underground care.

Hence her knowing the good doctor.

But it goes without saying that the pair of them going, well...anywhere together tends to draw some very confused gazes. After all, most wonder what on earth such a sweet looking young woman could ever be doing running around with someone like him.

Sure, Hinata hasn’t ever hurt anyone - in fact she herself has been the victim of violence more than once. But she does technically break the law rather often, given her redirection of insurance claims to illegal operations that go beneath the government radar. Sure, she does so for morally-just reasons...but it’s still illegal.

She wonders what people would think if they knew: that such a sweet, trustworthy, likeable face has been lying to her employer and her government for years now, costing them mountains of money with every customer or patient she reroutes into the less-than-legal channels.

Sure, it’s nothing compared to Sasuke’s repsheet, but...still, worse than most would assume just looking at her.

And the same, she feels, goes for Sasuke.

During their time together, she’s observed him as carefully as she can, not wanting to be caught snooping. It’s something she’s always been rather good at. Her eyes are pale enough that most people don’t notice them slid to their corners to watch them. Sasuke, so often, just seems so...normal. He drinks coffee with heavy cream (but no sugar - he doesn’t like bitter, but nor can he stand sweet). He’s taken to feeding the stray cats around her apartment building. She saw him completely interrupt traffic to help an elderly neighbor of hers cross to the proper street from her window on his way to see her once.

Sure, he might do bad things...but he isn’t a bad person.

After all, he’s doing what he’s doing for her out of a sense of honor. He could just flip her the bird and leave her to defend herself from the Senju, helpless. Maybe it’s wholly for himself, for upholding his code of ethics...but it doesn’t feel that shallow.

He doesn’t just stand around looking tough. He talks to her, argues with her, and even jokes with her...though his humor is bone dry. There’s been many a moment when she’s forgotten why he’s around. They bicker and banter like...friends.

...she’s almost forgotten what it’s like to have friends. High school was rather lonely, and her shuffle right into a dead-end job and a micro apartment didn’t really lend itself to making them. Sure, she and the doctor get on fairly well, but...they’ve only ever seen one another for business. Technically that’s the reason Sasuke’s around, but...it just feels...different.

...so maybe she’s not as annoyed by his playing knight as she was when it all first started.

“Now what are you doing?”

“Hm?”

Chin in a hand, Sasuke juts it slightly toward her. “You’ve been staring at your HUD for like fifteen minutes. I can’t see it, but I can tell.”

At his accusation, Hinata goes a light pink. “...uh…”

“Watching porn in public?”

“W-w-what?! No!” Her voice jumps several octaves, drawing the glances of other patrons. They’re currently seated in an outdoor section at the front of a cafe having coffee. Sasuke insisted he needed to refuel, and she never minds a cup herself.

He gives a cheeky, lazy grin, posture still lax. “Then what are you doing?”

“I’m...playing a game.”

“Oh? A game that involves staring at your HUD?”

“It’s...not the most interactive, sure. It’s more of a daily click sort of...t-thing.”

“Ah, gotcha. So you’re not really a gamer girl.”

At that, her lips purse in a pout. “Hey, I play games at home. This is just more...maintenance.”

“Sounds exciting.”

“It’s...cute. You collect cats.”

Immediately, something lightens in his expression, and his posture becomes a bit more attentive. “...oh yeah?”

She doesn’t miss all that, but suppresses a smile, not wanting to drive him off the subject. “Mhm. It’s an older game, Neko Atsume. People used to play it on their phones.”

Sasuke hums in acknowledgement...and something tells her he’s already on his HUD looking it up. She knows already how fond he is of cats. See the above mentioned strays he’s pseudo-adopted. “Sounds...boring, but cats are all right, I guess.”

“Like I said, it’s mostly a daily click sort of thing. You check to see what cats are around, w-what they’ve left you, if they took treats…”

His eyes flicker, and though she can’t see his HUD herself, she already knows what he’s looking at. “...huh.”

“Want to play?”

“I might. If I get bored enough.”

She just gently rolls her eyes.

...a week later, he approaches her with a scowl, and she actually braces herself for some kind of argument.

“What have you done?”

“I...w-what?”

“That stupid...cat game!”

She blinks.

“The whole damn syndicate is playing it now! I can’t stop checking it! We almost missed a raid because the wrong people got distracted!”

Before Hinata can stop it, a snort escapes her, both hands coming to cover her nose and mouth. Eyes go wide. “I...I’m sorry…?”

“I can’t believe this…”

“Sasuke-san, I...I didn’t mean to -?”

“I know,” he snaps, cutting her off...which she’s gotten used to. “...don’t introduce me to any more games. Got it?”

“O...okay.”

“Wasting all my goddamn time,” he mutters, lighting a cigarette and taking a frustrated drag. He gives her a halfhearted glare when she can no longer suppress her giggles. “If the Uchiha Yakuza falls it’s all gonna be your fault, I hope you know that. You and your damn cats.”

“I’m sorryyy!”

“No you’re not!”

“Yes I am!”

“Then why’re you laughing?”

She can’t reply, too caught up in her amusement.

To anyone looking on, they’d see a scowling, tattooed, heavily-modded man they’d immediately peg as a bad guy.

But Hinata knows better.

                                                             .oOo.

     More of the cyberpunk AU! Not really anything plot-drive this time: more introspection about appearance, which DOES play a fairly big role in both their characters, and their world at large. With the ability to modify your looks, you can really put any face forward - literally. While neither of them have any real appearance mods (though Sasuke does have his eye mods), they still have traits that don't match their exterior!      ...I'd...say more but it's very late. And ohhh man...just one more day to go. I hope y'all are ready for me to get super sappy on you tomorrow xD But for now, it's bedtime. Thanks for reading~

[harrypark-blog2]

Safe And Reliable Connecticut Car Shipping Services

Rely on Routerunnersautotransport to put you in the driver’s seat with fast, convenient, and trusted transportation of your vehicle from online to your front door. Routerunnersautotransport is a Cox Automotive brand, which owns Autotrader and Kelley Blue Book. As some of the nation’s most recognized and trusted brands, we work closely together to deliver car owners an easy shopping and delivery experience.

If you are looking for a much slower pace of life, then Connecticut might just be the place where you can find it. There are rolling hills, small and medium-sized towns and just a more serene sense of place here. In fact, many people opt to relocate here from the major cities in the northeast hub with good reason: the state, on the whole, is very family-oriented and provides clean and wholesome living. Whether you are planning a visit to Quaker country to glimpse life in yesteryear or want to peruse the various towns in search of some place to possibly live, you’ll want to have your trusty vehicle with you to explore.

Car Shipping Companies Near Me

Looking for auto transport companies near you in Connecticut? States are closer together in the northeast, making a nearby transport not as tough on your car. However, if you plan to move outside of the Northeast, Connecticut may feel like a lifetime away from everywhere. No matter how close or far away you need a vehicle moved, we are here to help with a team of professional drivers. Head to A1 Auto Transport to compare brokerages and carriers with trucks in your area right now.

Tips For Using Connecticut Car Transport Companies

Since many people use their vehicles to move to Connecticut from the city, there are several options to keep in mind when it comes to Connecticut car transport.

Get     the most affordable means of transport possible: Since you don’t have far     to go, there’s no sense paying a ton of money to ship your car, trucks,     vans or SUV. If you are coming right from the city, then look for an     affordable Connecticut car shipping company that can get the job done in a     timely fashion. Go to online auto transport review sites, and read BBB     accredited reviews of the business you're researching.

Gather     all pertinent information: Since you are hoping for a fairly quick     transaction, make sure that all of your papers are in order for your     Connecticut automobile shipping order. From the title of your car to a     copy of your insurance and driver’s license, if you have everything you     need ahead of time, the process will be just that much faster to get your     automobile on the carrier.

Scout     the area for depots: If you don’t want to pay the extra dollars for delivery     to your front door – a luxury you may just want to go ahead and pay for –     then you need to scout the region for the nearest auto shipping depot, so     that you can quickly retrieve your vehicle from the carriers.

Connecticut vehicle shipping is one of your best options if you plan to travel to the state in the near future. Additionally, it is great for those that are relocating to the area and need one less thing on their to-do lists. If you have plenty of other stuff to move, Connecticut auto transport will ensure that your car gets delivered to you in a timely fashion while you take care of all other aspects of your moves.

Visit the Connecticut Department of Transportation website for more information on shipping your automobile to Connecticut.

Long Distance Auto Transport to/from Connecticut

Long distance auto transport can be arranged using an open or enclosed carrier, from your doorstep to your exact destination, or between terminals. Driving your car to and from a terminal and opting for an open carrier will reduce costs. On the other hand, door to door shipping is more convenient, and enclosed carriers are faster and protect vehicles from external factors during transport.

Another thing to consider is how close you current and your new homes are to a major city or highway. Shipping your car to a small town or to an obscure location may increase the price. In this case, transporting it to a terminal for you to pick it up from can be a better option.

International Auto Transport from/to Connecticut

Besides the actual shipping, A1 Auto Transport can also deal with customs, arrange for a ship to take your car overseas, and have a carrier pick it up from the harbor when it arrives in the other country.

As a side note, beware of import taxes before you decide on international auto transportation. Some countries try to discourage car imports by raising taxes to an unreasonable level. You should check how much you’ll have to pay before shipping the car.

After you’ve confirmed the price is within your budget, call our office to discuss the shipment. There are also a few documents you’ll have to prepare which will be explained by our staff over the phone.

Cheap Car Transportation Options in Connecticut

Auto transportation doesn’t have to be expensive if you take a extra few steps before and during the booking process. Before calling any one company, do a background check to see who you’re working with.

Especially for long distance transportation, larger companies will be able to keep costs low due to a solid system established over the years. Companies with a small fleet of carriers will not be able to reach every part of the US as easily, so they might have to increase the price to take on your shipment.

As a side note, you should always be aware of scammers. They’re as present in our business as in any other, and you can usually detect them through their unusually low prices, large down payments, and poor websites.

After choosing a company, call and ask for their rates. Request an open carrier, as this is usually the cheapest option, and see if there are any terminals near your ideal pickup and drop off locations. Finally, our company also has several discounts and seasonal offerings. You can take advantage of them if you meet our criteria.

Shipping Luxury and Classic Cars in Connecticut

Enclosed car shipping is definitely the best option if you want to make sure your Connecticut luxury or classic car is completely protected. Even though it might be more expensive than contracting an open carrier, vehicles are safer from prying eyes, weather conditions, scratches, dirt, or debris in a well-equipped covered truck.

As a bonus, shipping your antique or vintage cars is done much faster with an enclosed carrier than with an open one, as it usually houses fewer vehicles and therefore requires fewer stops, long routes, etc.

Connecticut Special Discounts

Any senior or student that chooses our auto transport services for his/her vehicles benefits from a preferential price. Military members enjoy special discounts as well. Other clients that do not fit these criteria can enjoy the seasonal offers that A1 Auto Transport presents from time to time.

Auto Transport Safety Measures in Connecticut

Regardless of your choice of open or enclosed auto transportation, the most that can happen to your car while it’s being moved are a couple bumps or scratches.

If it’s going to be traveling on an open trailer, it will be exposed to the elements, road debris, etc. However, this is not different from the way it’s expose when you drive it each day.

But unlike when you drive it, on an auto carrier its mileage doesn’t increase and there’s no chance of a flat tire or of something breaking. Beams and the surrounding automobiles also offer partial protection against weather conditions.

A-1 Auto Transport ships worldwide. Click Here or call 1-800-452-2880 to get a free, no obligation to buy, price quote for your shipment.

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How to Request a Price Estimate

We recommend either using our ‘Get an instant quote’ form or calling us directly to receive a price estimate. Both versions only take a few minutes. Make sure you complete all the fields if you’re going to use our form and explain your request in detail if you’ll call us directly.

Despite having a large fleet of carriers, we may be booked completely in the short term, especially during the high season (summer). So, if you want to book our services, the sooner you do so the better. Call now to make sure we’re available on the date you need us.

Connecticut Auto Transport Companies Directory

Apple Towing

This company has been providing regional auto transport logistics in the Hartford area for many years, for those that need a simple move locally but don’t have the time nor the resources to take care of it on their own. A trusted company in the area with friendly drivers.

602 Tolland St, East Hartford, CT

860-289-0665

Apple Towing

Capo Auto, LLC

Capo Auto offers quality hauling services of automobiles, motorcycles and boats in and around the Hartford, CT area. For those that need a car moved from one area to the next or need localized auto transport might opt for a quote from this long-standing company in the Hartford area. Open air or enclosed auto transport options to help with relocation of different vehicles. Licensed, bonded and insured.

115 Park Ave, East Hartford, CT

860-289-1144

Cape Auto LLC

AA Car Shipping Auto Transporting

If you are shipping in and around the New Haven area, then AA Car Shipping can help to take care of your auto transport needs. Offering a wide range of transport options, this allows you to work with a company that you can trust to get your vehicle from one point to the next — both local and nationwide auto shippers throughout the United States. They usually have competitive pricing rates, seasonal discounts, and military specials. Call or email them today for a free quote online at their website.

1 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511

805-285-5077

Registering a Vehicle in Connecticut

A vehicle needs to be registered, so you can use it freely in Connecticut. It does not matter if you are new to Connecticut, or if you own a brand new vehicle. There is an easy registration process for your first time in the state.

A valid vehicle insurance is one of the requirements you need to meet to register the vehicle in Connecticut's DMV.

You have about 60 days to complete the transfer of your old car registration to Connecticut's DMV if you are coming from a different state.

Prior to your registration, new Connecticut residents must have the VIN verified and pass the emissions test at the testing area. There are few a exemptions, which entirely depend on the vehicle you are bringing.

After you have completed the initial process, you need to see the local DMV office and prepare the following requirements:

Vehicle's     Registration Certificate,

VIN     inspection report,

Current     Connecticut insurance ID card,

Any     acceptable ID (Valid ID, DL, Military Identification Card),

Pay     any applicable fees.

Reminder: You need to be sure you do not have parking tickets or overdue taxes or a record stating your registration was previously suspended.

Once you have become a new Connecticut resident, you will be given 30 days to complete the transfer process from your previous state to a license issued by Connecticut.

Registering a Used or New Vehicle in Connecticut

As part of CT's compliance, you need to comply with the state's criteria to register the vehicle in CT.

Your vehicle's registration will not be processed due to these reasons:

Your     car registration was suspended.

You     have unpaid tax duties.

You     have records of unpaid parking fees.

Your     vehicle did not pass the CT emission tests.

Used or Brand New Vehicles

You must perform the following before the registration process:

Bring     your vehicle to an emission evaluation facility to perform the test.

OR

Complete     the VIN verification process at a station to see if the vehicle may be     exempted from an emission test.

After your vehicle passed the test or completed the verification of VIN, see your local service office or Connecticut's DMV office along with the following documents:

 This      ID card may be requested by the insurance company and your name needs to      be on it.

Purchasing a Vehicle (Private Individual)

When you purchase a vehicle, the information below may apply, especially if it comes from a private individual:

If the     last owner discontinued the registration and has surrendered the plates,     the buyer needs to register the car and request the title to be     transferred under the buyer's name before he can drive it.

In     case the last owner discontinued the registration and has not surrendered     the plates, there is no issue using the vehicle. The title must be     endorsed and the car needs to be listed under the new owner immediately.

If the     last owner was not able to register the vehicle for some time, and an     emissions test is required, the buyer needs to get in touch with the DMV     office to apply for a tentative registration for a vehicle inspection and     complete the registration.

Leased Vehicles

When you are about to register a leased car, observe the similar steps listed above which are applicable to used/new vehicle registration. Additional information listed below is also needed:

The     leasing license from the CT DMV.

Original     copy of the POA document (duplicate copy is not accepted) which states who     is authorized to sign papers on behalf of the leasing office.

Reminder: A CT insurance ID card can be listed under the leasing office or in the new owner's name. If the vehicle is going to be used for test driving, the insurance card should be listed under the leasing office.

The leasing office's address and name should be included on the form. (Application for a Certificate of Title and Registration). The POA needs to sign the document.

Expired CT Registered Vehicles

Upon the expiration of the vehicle's registration, the owner needs to renew its registration. If it has not been renewed for more than two years, the owner needs to visit the nearest local CT DMV office with the following details:

Present     your registration renewal notification and the license plate information.

Connecticut's     DL.

The     vehicle needs to have no compliance issues, like unpaid property taxes,     parking tickets, and emission test requirements.

Payment     for registration and a late fee of 10 US dollars. If the vehicle     registration has expired more than 2 years ago, you must complete a form     to secure a document which will include the title and original     registration of the vehicle. The new owner is required to place the new plates     on his car.

Tentative Vehicle Registration

You may secure a tentative registration if your vehicle's registration has ended (especially when it needs an emissions test or safety evaluation).

You must observe similar steps listed above when you need to register a used or new vehicle. However, you must indicate you are applying for temporary vehicle registration documentation for the vehicle inspection purpose.

Reminder: Temporary registration cannot be renewed. Therefore, you must complete the emissions test or safety inspection at least in 10 days upon receipt of the registration document.

Connecticut's registration fees: The car registration fee in the state differs based on vehicle type.

Regular fees are:

For     passenger cars: 80 US dollars valid for two years.

Business     vehicle: Starts at 47 US dollars for one year (price differs depending on     a vehicle's weight)

Motorcycles:     42 US dollars valid for two years.

Trailers     (for personal): 19 US dollars valid for two years.

Snowmobiles:     20 US dollars valid for two years.

Electric     automobiles: 38 US dollars valid for two years.

Other additional fees also include:

Clean     Air Fund Fee: 10 US dollars.

Parks     Fee is 5 US dollars per year.

Environment     (Reduction of Gas Fee): 5 US dollars

Late     Charge: 10 US dollars.

Municipality     or Contractor’s processing fee: Maximum of 8 US dollars.

New residents are required to pay:

Emissions     testing fee: 20 US dollars.

Vehicle     Identification Number evaluation fee: 10 US dollars (cars which are     exempted from the emissions test).

Military personnel's vehicle registration in Connecticut: A military member who is on active duty may register a vehicle when out of CT and will be exempted from paying certain fees.

Registering Out-of-State Vehicles

Generally, you may register a vehicle if you’re out of state via mail.

You need to include:

Recent     US military identification card.

Recent     CT insurance identification card (should either be listed under the     leasing company's name or your name).

An     Application for a Title Certificate and Registration form.

Federal     Odometer document (if the vehicle was sold from a dealership).

A paid     invoice or Deed of Sale (if the vehicle was newly purchased).

A     Waiver for Registration Fee application form (for those on active duty in     US Military Armed Forces.

For a     new vehicle, an original document stating the manufacturer's origin, which     is assigned to the owner.

For     pre-owned vehicles, an out of state document, including the new owner's     details.

An     Vehicle Identification Number Form from outside the state (needs to be     acknowledged by a law enforcement representative).

Reminder: When registering a pre-owned vehicle, it needs to pass an emissions test at the testing facility before registration, unless there is an exemption.

Fee exemptions for military vehicles: A military member who is on active duty is exempted from these charges:

Renewal     and new registration fees.

Tentative     plate charge.

Safety     plate fees.

Clean     Air Fund fee.

Replacing a lost CT vehicle registration: Once a CT vehicle registration is lost, damaged or stolen, a duplicate copy may be requested either via mail or in person.

[kat09me]

Life of a single mom.

My story begins when I was just 18,…

I am the youngest daughter of four daughters, yet I am the one who is really independent and wanted to have a job and live on my own.

I remember when I was in high school i argued with my teacher in Values Education Subject regarding how the western people live compare to us Filipino people. Because the way most Filipino lives, even if they have their own jobs and family we still live with our parents’ house “extended family living”. It’s not that I don’t want to live with my parents, but I feel like i am more successful when I live my own, have a carrier and can buy things out of my own pocket.

So when I turned 17, my parents asked me to quit college because they’re unable to pay for my tuition. Nor have enough funds for travelling back and forth from our house to school, vice versa ‘cause by the way I live from a different city which is 40 minutes to an hour away from school.

When I turned 18, I was really eager to work so I can help my family. Then, there was this open position in a small beauty store. I applied and was able to get hired as an assistant secretary. I was happy and proud even if my pay that time is only fifty pesos per day ($1 USD). Each day my father would come and visit me at the store and sit in front of my table smiling. He looks so proud of me. Cause even if I am unable to finish my college he can see that I am happy and contented with what I have.

But things changed. A year after i worked there, my father past away due to Heart Enlargement. My heart was really broken and my life changed. I quit working because each time i go to work I remember each day he visits me at work and smile at me. It’s like i can still see him in front of me smiling and my tears just wont go away. Then a friend of my father offered me a good deal. He asked me if I would like to pursue my college. And I was thinking, I am still in first year college and first semester when i quit. It would take me a long time before I can get a job help my family and have my own place. So I have decided to take to take a short cut. I took up a vocational or just a training course for a call center training. I took it for only a month. I was happy and feel ready to take a step in applying. But unfortunately some of the call centers I applied for they require at least 72 units subject taken in college which means i should have taken up to 2 years in college. I was discouraged. I begin to go out all night, come home the next day being drunk, sleep all day and go out at night. That was my daily routine for a year. I was really devastated that the only man I really love and the only person that really makes me special left me. (It was a sudden heart attack and he was in the mountains when it happened.) I keep drinking, hang out with friends and my mom and I always had a fight because of what I am doing with my life.

But after a year, I started to feel tired in going out. I began to realize that i needed to get a job and get my goal. I then made a decision to go to my eldest sister place in Manila and work there. I worked as a sales representative for a huge clothing line in a mall. But it didn’t work out for me for some reason. So I quit and went back home. Then worked as a secretary for a water refilling station for more than a year, then quit and tried my luck in call center industry this time. I was very happy I got hired. It was a sales account and I was able to pass the interview. I worked in that call center in my city for like a year. Then got an opportunity offered in a bigger city from a friend of mine. I took advantage of it but it didn’t work out, i met someone in Bacolod and he helped me in applying to a bigger Call center in that city.

So there it is, I worked there for almost two years. But I keep coming back home and visit my mom twice a month. Even if it will take me 4-5 hours bus ride. Then I met the love of my life. I was really happy and feel so ready to settle down and have kids. (Even if i was told by the doctor when I was nineteen that i won’t get pregnant because I have problem with my uterus).

We were so in love and I even told myself that he will be the one I am going to marry and spend the rest of my life with. So I have decided to quit my job and move back home since he is from my home town. I started working in another call center in a neighbouring city where I studied high school and college. But I keep getting sick and the decided to quit and find opportunities in my home town. My boyfriend and I were living together for a year when my mom noticed something. My hips are getting bigger, I started craving some foods. Specially apple-mango. That was the time we realized I was 3 months pregnant. We were so stress because that time i don’t have job, my boyfriend doesn’t have job either. We were so contented with what we had and were not even ready of having a child.

But then I wanted to keep it. I was twenty five then and I know I am emotionally ready to become a mother, even if I am not financially ready. We decided to keep our baby.

Our daughter was born September 11, 2012. I started working again in a call center in our home town when our daughter was just four months old. We were so happy together, contented with what we had. I started working at home when our daughter turned nine months old. But when our baby turned two years old, it seems that everything changed. We always had a fight, to the extend he would hurt me physically and mentally. Even if we had fights years ago,.. those fights we had were not that physical. But things changed this time. It’s like almost every day we have fight. He even just sleep downstairs of the apartment where we rented out because we want to have a family of our own. Live life of our own as a family. But then everything seems hell each day. December of 2015, after his birthday. When we had a very huge fight and we called it quits.

Me and daughter lived in the same apartment after he left for like a year or two. When my mom wanted me to move back in with them so it’ll be easier for her to watch over my daughter. And so I moved back in. Things are really tough being a single mother. You pay your own bills, take care of my baby’s needs, cook for the both of us, feed her, work for the both of us. I was really used of having her father with us cause even though he was not working, he can just look after our baby and cook for us even if we eat pretty late because he was too lousy and just laying down all the time.

I know I had to be strong for us to survive. Luckily I had jobs that was able to cover our expenses and can let me but things that we need for the both of us. My daughter is in a private school, I was able to give her a good education and helped my family at the same time.

I was happy and felt contented with our lives. Fast forward 2019 of February, I was able to start a small business while I was working.

But tragedy happened, due to the fact that it is really expensive to get a franchise for a rental van here in our country, I was not able to get a franchise but my rental van is already is business. It happened when my driver got caught near the airport and my van got impounded. I was really short of funds because I have no savings at all, since I paid it to serve as a down payment for my van. I was running errands from one city to another city, from island to another island trying to process the release of my van and I was not able to work because I kept on travelling and I had to make loans and more loans. 2 months pass, I found a job where I thought I could earn more because I managed a team of agents working at home for a credit repair company based in the US. At first it was all good. Seems everything was working fine. They paid our first week of work that was included in the cut off pay. But when the next invoice was sent to them, they told us that there funds has been frozen from the bank due to sending funds here in the Philippines. And they promised that after a week it’ll be released, they just need to send some documents to prove that they employed us outsourcely.

We’ve been waiting for six weeks, no pay at all. And they decided to cut as off. They said that they will have to settle those three invoices for six weeks of work we sent them before we continue working. But then days and weeks pass, they didn’t pay us. All of the teams working for them were not paid. And bills keeps filling up, loan sharks have been in our doorsteps almost every day and still nothing. I have been crying almost every day because the person that I owed money from posted me on social media to defame me.

I even thought that if killing myself would make everything silent cause I think my insurance would be enough to cover for my loans, then I’ll do it. But I just can’t afford to leave my daughter. She’s the reason why i work hard, she’s the reason why i am contented not having someone in my life, she’s the reason why all these years I have survived.

So instead of crying and crying, i opened my bible and read;

October 11, 2019, I ready Colossians 3:1-25. What catches my attention was really the first part.

Colossians 3:1-3 ”If then you were raised with Christ, seek those things which are above, where Christ is, sitting at the right hand of God. Set your mind on things above, not on things on the earth. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

I began to realize that I was too busy with getting my goal. Looking at those earthly things that I wanted to have for me and my child. For me to help my family. And I forgot to even thank Him each day, asked for His guidance and even pray.

Life is full of trials, it doesn’t matter if your single, married, single parent, or divorced. But it is up to us on how we handle those things that tried to pull us down. I know I am in the midst of trouble now, but i know He is by my side throughout this situation…

God has prepared a price after this dark and rough road I am now,…

[welcometothepenumbra]

JUNO STEEL AND THE DRAGON’S DEN (PART ONE)

SOUND: RAIN. TRAIN ARRIVES, CREAKS TO A STOP. DOOR CLANKS OPEN.

CONDUCTOR: Ah, good evening, Traveler. And welcome… to The Penumbra. Take your seat, please, take your seat.

MUSIC: STARTS.

SOUND: DOOR CLANKS SHUT.

The junction lies just ahead, Traveler. If you'll allow me just a moment.

SOUND: TRAIN WHISTLE.

(CHUCKLES) Well, next stop? Hyperion City.

SOUND: TRAIN MOVING.

The Proctor’s final words have haunted Detective Steel ever since she died on her devious riddle. “A place of heroes, as far as the stars but as close as the heart of every child.” And apparently, the home of Ramses O’Flaherty, in some way. But where is that home, you ask? Well, Detective Steel is just about to find out. It’s unfortunate that he didn’t do earlier – if he had, perhaps nobody would have had to die.

SOUND: TRAIN BRAKES. DOOR CLANKS OPEN, RAIN.

Our next stop: Juno Steel and the Dragon’s Den.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

***

MUSIC: STARTS.

JUNO (NARRATOR): An election makes a lot of noise – and, after months of the rallies and speeches and the fights in the street, it’s nice to escape to the quiet of the Martian desert for a while. Because the history of politics in Hyperion City is loud: a bunch of corporations in a bidding war over the Mayor’s office, with enough money changing hands that it’s not a question of whether your candidate’s in some big corporation’s pocket, just – whether this pocket is cozier than the last one.

My name’s Juno Steel. I’m a private eye, and I never thought I’d be helping one of those corporations’ candidates win, but… Ramses O’Flaherty seems like the first politician in a century who might care about people more than profit margins.

And even if he is funded by Northstar Entertainment, a company that mostly sells kids’ movies and cheap T-shirts? Compared to his competition, Ramses sounds like a saint.

VOICE (FROM RADIO): In a move that analysts have been calling “inevitable,” Nadia Bellevue announced this morning that she will be dropping out of the Hyperion City mayoral race, citing poor polls and a drop in Armada Firearms and Fine Liquors’ stock price over the last fiscal quarter. That leaves only Ramses O’Flaherty and current mayor Pilot Pereyra on the ballot when the citizens of Hyperion vote just five weeks from today. Mayor Pereyra had this to say about their opponent:

PILOT PEREYRA (FROM RADIO): Ramses who? (LAUGHS) Yeah, yeah, I’ve heard of Ramses. And I mean, he seems like a good guy. You don’t get as far as he has, doing all that philanthropy, and kids’ movies, and whatever without having some good rub off on you. And I respect that, to a point.

RITA: Ooooooh, Mista Steel, are we there yet? I can’t wait another second!

JUNO: Shh! I’m tryin’ to listen!

MUSIC: ENDS.

PEREYRA: But the fact is that Hyperion’s a tough town, and it needs a firm hand. And all this junk I keep hearing about police reform, criminal rehabilitation? We don’t have time for that. In a city this covered in crime, we need the HCPD more than ever, and we need someone who knows what they’re doing more than ever. So, leave it to the Pilot, eh? I’ve gotten us this far, haven’t I?

RITA: Mista Steeeeel? Are we there yet? Are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet, are we there yet—

PEREYRA (IN BACKGROUND): And let me tell you, guys like Ramses… they think they know everything.

JUNO: How the hell am I supposed to answer that? I don’t even know where we’re going!

PEREYRA (IN BACKGROUND): But as soon as it gets time to actually do something?

RITA: Oh come on, that riddle was so easy, boss! You gotta know!

PEREYRA (IN BACKGROUND): All that talk shows exactly what it was: just talk.

JUNO: Hey, driver? Just turn the damn radio off. My secretary’s decided she’s all the audio entertainment I need.

SOUND: RADIO CLICKS OFF.

Why did you come along, again? You have the day off, Rita.

RITA: And that’s why I came! You’d understand if you’d solved the riddle, boss. It’s so easy: “A place in the heart of every child”? You don’t have to be a detective to solve that.

JUNO: Brain’s full of about six hundred other mysteries, Rita. Who’s tryin’ to kill off Ramses O’Flaherty, for example. So just knock it off, and tell me where—

RITA: Nuh-uh-uh, no way, boss. I ain’t tellin’ you until you figure it out yourself– WHOAMYGOD WE’RE ALMOST THERE!

JUNO: Just tell me where we’re going!

RITA: I can’t take another second boss I feel like I’m gonna burst! Just figure it out already!

JUNO: Is that a gate?

RITA: C’mon, I’m gonna EXPLODE! Pleaeaeaeaease?

JUNO: “Northstar presents”– what the hell?

RITA: It’s Polaris Park boss! Oh gosh oh gosh I can’t wait! I’m so excited!!!

JUNO: Polaris… that Northstar amusement park?

RITA: Mista Steel, you gotta be kiddin’ me! Did someone kill all’a the magic inside’a you or somethin’?

JUNO: Yes.

RITA: Polaris Park! The Place That Fun Calls Home, TM! You gotta know about Polaris Park!

JUNO: I try not to pay too much attention to Northstar movies, Rita.

RITA: Act tough all you want, boss; they might be kids’ stories, but they got all kinds’a things for adults, like jokes, and deep themes, and sometimes advice, like how to kill an evil goat-wizard if you meet one and—

JUNO: Not kids’ stories. Just Northstar. (SIGHS) Let’s get this over with.

RITA: Boss? Is everything—

SOUND: CAR DOOR OPENS. CARNIVAL NOISES IN BACKGROUND.

(GASPS) We’re here we’re here we’re here we’re here!!

JUNO (NARRATOR): Polaris Park was, I’ll admit, a masterpiece. The greatest minds in the solar system had come together to build ‘The Place That Fun Calls Home, TM,’ and the faces of the people we passed said they’d succeeded. They were smiling, every one of them, kids clambering all over their parents with sticky fingers and… stickier voices.

It made my stomach turn. Places like this have always given me the creeps. What people forget is that manipulation is always manipulation, whether you’re being duped into a big debt or a big smile.

RITA: Oh, oh! There’s Orion’s Tower, they sell all kinds’a belts, Mista Steel – also insurance for some reason – and that ride is the Frozen Spinner, they make you put on real mittens before you get on and everything, and that’s—

JUNO (NARRATOR): We walked down the park’s main drag, surrounded on all sides by bright buildings and cartoon robots and foot-long ice cream bars. I was ready to go home by the fourth step in.

That wasn’t on the menu, though. Before we left the parking lot, our driver gave me an entry pass and a letter which said, in Ramses’ rushed handwriting: “Keep an eye out for Lorenzo Vega.”

Whoever the hell that was. Thanks a lot, O’Flaherty. Just tryin’ to save your life over here, no big deal, really.

RITA: I wanna go on a ride! No! I wanna have a hot dog! No! I wanna go on two rides, and have two hot dogs, just for me!

JUNO: Rita, we’re here to work.

RITA: Come ooooooooon, boss! What job could you possibly have to do here?

JUNO: That’s what I’m trying to figure out. Ramses gets a lot of his campaign funds from Northstar. If someone wanted to really hit him where it hurts, they could try to strike here… or dig up some dirt here, at least. Security Office might not be a bad place to start.

RITA: Well… if Ramses sent you here, that must mean security ain’t caught ‘em yet, whoever they are. We probably won’t find anything there.

JUNO: Not a bad point. Might be worth snooping around a little on our own first.

RITA: And while we’re at it, I was just thinkin’… a good place to snoop… might be… on… a ride?

JUNO: You’re really not gonna drop this, are you?

RITA: Never.

JUNO: Alright, alright. One ride. Then we get to work—

RITA: Got it Mista Steel okay thanks byeeeeeee!

SOUND: RUNNING FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING.

JUNO: Rita! …Lousy theme park. Lousy rides…

JUNO (NARRATOR): At the end of the street stood a mountain. A big, red, craggy thing with molten lava holograms flowing down its sides. It was the centerpiece of Polaris Park, and everyone on Mars knew what it was called.

RITA: Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak.

Mista Steel, I’m gonna ride that ride six hundred times today.

JUNO: Good luck with that. Sign over here says it’s closed for repairs.

RITA: What over what says it’s WHAT?!

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

Oh, you gotta be kiddin’ me, it can’t be closed! Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak is the whole reason to go to Polaris Park! It’s got everything, Mista Steel, music and big drops and real fast and everyone’s favorite chainmail warrior Andromeda and—

SOUND: CROWD SCREAMS.

JUNO: That’s coming from the Dragon’s Peak, isn’t it?

RITA: Y– yeah. But maybe, it– maybe it’s just some people havin’ fun, y’know? Screamin’ on the rollercoaster and—

SOUND: SEVERAL SETS OF RUNNING FOOTSTEPS.

VOICE 1: Oh God, it’s horrible, it’s horrible! They’re all dead!

JUNO: Sounds real fun. Rita?

RITA: I’m comin’, boss!

JUNO (NARRATOR): I shoved us through the crowd, up the long line to the Dragon’s Peak, until it all stopped at a wall of security two guards thick. The park cops had big grins across their faces, but the smiles were all a little too uniform and a little too green to be real. Whatever they were keeping us from wasn’t gonna be pretty.

VOICE 2: I’m so sorry, sir, but you can’t come through here.

JUNO: Pretty sure I could if you’d get that club out of my gut.

RITA: Mista Steel…

VOICE 2: No, I mean, um… visitors do not have access—

JUNO: I work for your boss. Let me through.

VOICE 2: I’m… fairly certain that I work for my boss?

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

VOICE 3: Is there a problem over here?

VOICE 2: Uhhh… I… uhhhhh…

JUNO: No problem, I was just giving Officer Dental-Plan over here some orders from the top. Who are you?

VOICE 3: The top.

JUNO (NARRATOR): The woman in front of me was equal parts strong jaw, sharp eyes, and grit. Her badge said ‘Chief of Security,’ her eyes said that she didn’t have time for this, and her smile said that Northstar customer service training really was the best on Mars. The only times people smile that genuinely at me are right before they hit me.

But she didn’t. Instead she turned to her toadie and asked:

VOICE 3: Who is this guy and why isn’t he out of my park yet?

JUNO: Ramses O’Flaherty sent me. I have a hall pass, I promise.

SOUND: PAPER RUSTLING.

VOICE 3: Ramses?

(SIGHS) Of course he did. Let him through, Rick.

VOICE 2 (RICK): But—

VOICE 3: Did I ask?

RICK: Of… course not.

Have a fun-filled day.

JUNO: You don’t sound so happy to see us, Chief.

VOICE 3: Simple reason for that. I’m not.

My name’s Yasmin Swift. I’m chief of security here at Polaris Park.

JUNO: Juno Steel. And this is my secretary, Rita—

RITA: (HIGH-PITCHED GASPING)

JUNO: Who’s… maybe… deflating?

RITA: Why, hello there, Ms. Swift. I like coffee, and squid cream.

JUNO: Rita, what the hell—?

VOICE 3 (YASMIN SWIFT): Breakfast, huh? I’m more of a dinner gal myself.

RITA: (GIGGLING) Oh, Yasmin!

SWIFT: I’m sorry to rain on your day at the park, but, Ramses had pretty bad timing, sending you here this morning. We’ve had a little bit of an… accident. Come on, I’ll show you.

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

RITA: (GIGGLING)

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

JUNO: …Rita? …What was that?

RITA: She’s preeeeeetty.

JUNO: (SIGHS) I don’t have time for this. I do not have time for this. Come on.

RITA: (GIGGLING)

SOUND: DOOR CLOSES. CARNIVAL NOISES FADE.

JUNO: (SNIFFS) The hell is that smell? I thought all the food carts were back on the main path, but… it smells like jerky or something in here.

SWIFT: Yeah, about that. If you’re at all squeamish, I’m gonna recommend you close your eyes now.

JUNO: Oh, no.

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

RITA: OH MY GOSH, THOSE POOR PEOPLE GOT COOKED!

JUNO (NARRATOR): We found them in the loading area for the ride, sitting in a cart on a track facing a dark tunnel. The cart was looking nice and toasted around the edges, and inside it sat three charbroiled shapes that probably used to be people.

SWIFT: I’m guessing this isn’t how you expected to spend your day.

JUNO: I generally try to assume the worst, but somehow the galaxy keeps finding ways to surprise me.

RITA: Who are those people? We gotta help ‘em, don’t we?

SWIFT: That’s sweet, doll, but I think they’re a little past help. This was bound to happen one day. I’ve been saying that to Vega for years.

RITA: Oh, it’s just too horrible! Somebody hold me!

JUNO: Oof!

RITA: (MUTTERING) Not you, boss!

JUNO: Bound to happen, you said?

SWIFT: You know anything about this ride, Juno?

RITA: No, he doesn’t. Mista Steel said all the magic’s dead inside of him.

JUNO: Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak is a roller coaster that tells a story about Chainmail Warrior Andromeda trying to find her way home through Lion Village, has to go through Draco’s mountain for some reason, almost gets roasted, doesn’t end up going home. Just like all her other stories.

RITA: Wha—? But you said– you didn’t know anything about it—

JUNO: I said I didn’t want to know anything about Northstar’s junk. But sometimes not wanting to listen to stuff just makes you listen harder. No offense, Swift.

SWIFT: Hey, to each their own. We don’t all have to enjoy the story, even if it is a modern classic and you’re a moron for not liking it. Want to take a guess where the barbecue went down? Because I have a theory or two.

JUNO: I’m guessing the part where Andromeda gets almost-roasted dropped a word.

SWIFT: The ride’s needed repairs for years, if you ask me. The carts on this thing barely outpace the fire by half a second. All it’d take is for one of the brakes to flip early and, boom. Instant fricassee.

JUNO: Why was anyone on it if the ride was closed, though?

SWIFT: One of the carts started acting up yesterday, so I shut the whole thing down this morning, sent the engineers in, and then… this happened. On their test ride, I’d guess. With a bunch of guests watching from the line, too.

RITA: There are people who get to test roller coasters for their jobs?! Lucky!

JUNO: Rita, are we even looking at the same crime scene right now?

SWIFT: Crime scene? Honestly, Juno, negligence is the only crime I’m seeing here. (SIGHS) Why don’t you take in the park for a little while and I’ll find you later? HQ’s gonna have me behind red tape for a long time. They didn’t like me shutting down the ride for a few hours this morning, and I doubt they’ll like closing it for good.

RITA: You’re closing the Dragon’s Peak?! You can’t do that! That’s the reason everyone comes to Polaris Park! And also I never got to ride it!

SWIFT: Security’s got to be my number one concern, doll. Should’ve shut this ride down years ago.

SOUND: MECHANICAL, RHYTHMIC NOISES.

VOICE 4: Over my soggy corpse, Yasmin.

JUNO (NARRATOR): There was a man walking toward us on two metal legs ending in rusty boots, and his nametag said “Doctor Lorenzo Vega, Head of Resmirks and Developgrins.” Despite the title, he looked like he hadn’t smiled in about a century: age and anger had carved deep enough wrinkles into his face that I could barely make out his eyes, but from what I could see they looked about as greasy and mean as the rest of him.

VOICE 4 (LORENZO VEGA): Yasmin. I see your attempted murder continues apace.

RITA: Murder?! Not my Yasmin!

SWIFT: He doesn’t mean the engineers, doll.

VEGA: I don’t. If anyone mourns my staff it will be their own fault for leaving someone behind to mourn them. Marriage, children, friends… the Northstar work ethic has rotted off the bone. No, it’s not my staff I’m concerned about. Sir, I’d like you to arrest this woman, for the attempted murder of Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak.

JUNO: That’s, uh… He knows you can’t murder something that’s not alive, right?

VEGA: For all of Polaris Park, then.

JUNO: Yeah, also, not alive. You… a little confused, doctor?

VEGA: Perhaps not murder, in that case. But much is on the line here, detective. My life’s work, and probably someone else’s, somewhere, if you care about that kind of thing. This park won’t last a month without that ride.

SWIFT: Maybe so, doctor, but the park doesn’t stand much of a chance if its star attraction’s deep-frying guests, either.

VEGA: You’d best zip up your ego, Yasmin. Your ignorance is showing.

JUNO & RITA: (IN UNISON) Eww.

VEGA: The Dragon’s Peak could not have burned my engineers for one very simple reason: there is no fire on this ride.

SWIFT: I hope you’ll give Dr. Vega the benefit of the doubt here, Juno. This might not be very Northstar behavior he’s demonstrating, but he’s a good guy at heart. Probably. If you’re willing to dig down a few hundred meters.

VEGA: Attempting to turn them against me. It won’t work for two reasons, Yasmin. First: I am naturally charismatic, and second: Ramses sent these two for me.

JUNO: Ramse– what?

VEGA: I received the message earlier – direct orders that I’d receive a private investigator to do whatever I say for one full day. Ramses spoils me so. Now tell me: what is your name?

JUNO: You expect me to buy that Ramses gave me to you without even telling you my name?

VEGA: I don’t need you to buy it, detective. Only lease it. (CHUCKLES)

JUNO: What the hell are you even saying?

SWIFT: Look, do you have those orders on you, Vega?

VEGA: Of course not. Do you carry all of your mail everywhere you go?

RITA: I mean, it should all fit on your comms pretty easily—

JUNO: —yeah, Swift, he actually has a pretty good point.

RITA: Oh. Nevermind. Forgot who he was talkin’ to.

VEGA: These deaths cannot have been caused by a malfunction, because the Dragon’s Peak couldn’t burn a fly, and I should know: I built it. Sabotage, detective. This must be sabotage. And you are going to prove it.

JUNO: Sabotage… that’s a pretty serious claim. Should be worth looking into, Swift.

RITA: Really, boss?

SWIFT: Worth looking into? We’ll see about that. Hey, doctor? Can you prove the ride doesn’t generate real fire? Do you have the plans anywhere?

VEGA: Of course I do. And it’s written into the most reliable storage available to humankind.

RITA: Oh, I always wanted to see the plans to the ride! Might be some nice readin’ for bedtime or snacktime or—

VEGA: My cranial fluid.

RITA: Actually nevermind, not gonna take that anywhere near my bed or snacks.

VEGA: I have the plans memorized. In here, no prying eyes can see them.

SWIFT: Welcome to our argument for the past two years, Juno. I say this is a deathtrap; Vega says it isn’t. I try to close it down; Vega tattles to the managers of Polaris Park, they have a tantrum about ticket sales, and then the thing’s back on its rails again. This could’ve been avoided. It could’ve been avoided twenty times over.

JUNO: But, I mean… come on, doc. You can’t really expect us to just take your word for it, right?

VEGA: I can expect that, actually… but I’m beginning to suspect I’ll be disappointed if I do.

(GRUNTS) There’s one other place I stored the plans for the ride: in its brain. Follow me.

SOUND: MECHANICAL STEPS.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Vega led us over to a monitor on a stand overlooking the ride’s track. He flicked the monitor awake, tapped out a hundred-digit password in a second and a half, and we were in.

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS.

VEGA: The full ride is too complicated for any human mind other than my own to control it, so I designed it to handle all its own functions. Completely automated. The computer has uplinks throughout the track that my engineers can use to access and interact with all data gathered while the ride runs: power levels, terminal activation logs, security feeds of every room, roaming snack bar—

JUNO: Wait, wait, hang on. What? You have security footage for every room in this ride?

SWIFT: Yeah, doctor. This is the first I’m hearing of it, too.

VEGA: The security footage wouldn’t be very secure if I gave it out to every Tom, Dick, and Yasmin who asked for it.

SWIFT: I’m your Chief of Security!

VEGA: Then I’m sure I told you at some point. I don’t bother remembering details like that.

SWIFT: If I knew that, do you really think I’d have waited this long to shut down your stupid ride?

JUNO: Just bring up the footage already, doc. If you’re so sure the ride’s innocent, your video should prove it.

VEGA: (SIGHS)

SOUND: KEYBOARD CLICKING.

I’ll have you know that the last time someone ordered me around like that, they died.

RITA: You– killed someone?!

VEGA: Of course not. The two events were unrelated. It just means I have terrible associations with being told what to do that you should be sensitive to.

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEP.

What? The footage!

SWIFT: What is it now?

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS.

VEGA: The data! It’s– it’s disappearing!

JUNO: Disappearing?

SOUND: MORE BEEPS.

VEGA: Self-deleting! This is impossible! My baby! My giant, metal, highly-intelligent baby!

JUNO: How long has this been going on?

SOUND: KEYBOARD CLICKING.

VEGA: How should I know? I don’t check! If it’s flawless, there’s no point in checking, because there are no flaws to check for!

SWIFT: Well, what do you call this, then?

SOUND: BEEP.

RITA: It looks like it just ate another video.

SOUND: BEEP.

And that musta been dessert.

VEGA: It’s gone. The schematics, all the footage from the past ride, and assorted footage from the past week. Gone.

SWIFT: Deleted? And you didn’t even do anything?

VEGA: What do you think I was doing?

SWIFT: Deleting it, maybe. Covering your precious baby’s tracks.

VEGA: You—!

SOUND: KEYBOARD CLICKING. MACHINE POWERING DOWN.

JUNO: What are you doing now?

VEGA: Shutting down the ride.

There. Everything but the audio cues and lighting, off. And now, Detective Whoever-you-are, you’re going to go in there and figure out who’s harmed my creation. Who has attempted to murder Andromeda and the Dragon’s Peak!

RITA: He… is?

VEGA: Ramses gave orders that you are do to whatever I say, didn’t he?

JUNO: I don’t know. Did he?

SWIFT: Hang on, doctor. If you think I’m going to let anyone run an investigation in my park without my say-so—

VEGA: Then you go with him. Someone has to take care of my ride. I don’t care who.

JUNO (NARRATOR): I remembered that letter that Ramses’s driver had given me: “Keep an eye out for Lorenzo Vega.”

If Ramses was suspicious of Vega, this might be the only chance I had to figure out why. Especially if he was trying to push the blame onto someone else.

SWIFT: I’m sure Detective Steel has better things to do than—

JUNO: I’ll go along. Rita, you stay out here and enjoy the park.

RITA: Nuh-uh, boss! If you think I’m lettin’ you take a behind-the-scenes tour without me, you’ve got another thing comin’!

JUNO: Rita—

RITA: No buts!

Now come on, Yaaaaasmiiiiin. Do you wanna show me all the spookiest parts of the ride?

SWIFT: If… that’s what we’re doing, I guess I don’t mind doing it with you.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS DEPARTING.

Y’know, you don’t have to hold my hand so tight, doll…

RITA: (GIGGLES) Yeah, I do.

SOUND: METAL STEPS.

VEGA: Just a minute before you go, detective.

JUNO: Yeah, yeah, you want me to keep an eye on her. I heard you the first time.

VEGA: It’s not that. What did she just call you? Detective Steel, was it?

JUNO: Juno Steel, private eye. Finding it kinda hard to believe Ramses didn’t tell you that.

VEGA: He did… it just didn’t sound familiar until I’d heard it.

JUNO: Y’don’t say.

VEGA: Steel… why does that sound familiar…?

JUNO: Uh… probably because you build your rides with it?

VEGA: No, no, that isn’t it. I was thinking about that name just this morning… but why?

JUNO: Okay, well, have fun figuring that out, doc. I’m gonna go get murdered by your ride now. Bye.

SOUND: FOOTSTEPS.

VEGA: (DISTANT) Steel… hmmm… Juno Steel…

JUNO (NARRATOR): We walked along the tracks for a while because riding the cart seemed dangerous. After all, the last couple of people to do that were currently being scraped out of their seats with a spatula. After walking through the first tunnel, we found ourselves, weirdly, outside – in a big green plain, surrounded by stone huts and yawning lions lounging in the grass.

SOUND: DISTANT ROARS.

RITA: Oh my gosh, look at all this stuff! It’s gonna take forever to explore all this! Hold my hand, Yasmin, I’m worried I’m gonna get lost!

SWIFT: I’m already holding your hand.

SOUND: TRUMPET BLARING FROM SPEAKERS.

RITA: (GASPS) What was that?!

SWIFT: Just the ride going through its cycles. Vega said he left the audio on – he’ll take any chance to show off.

NARRATOR VOICE (OVER SPEAKERS): And so, after years of searching for a way back home to Polaris, Andromeda the Chainmail Warrior found herself in the Lion Village, where it was said a portal to her home opened once every thousand years.

SWIFT: If we want to get onto the main track without a cart, you’re going to need a retinal scan from a high-ranking employee. Just give me a second.

JUNO: Rita, what’s your read on Vega?

RITA: Huh? Oh, I ain’t barely read any of him, boss. I been a little distracted today. (GIGGLES)

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS.

JUNO: Yeah, I can tell. Come on, doesn’t it seem a little convenient to you?

RITA: Hmmm?

JUNO: Vega gets warned for years that someone’s gonna die on this ride; then, someone dies on this ride, and who does he send into the deathtrap but the people sent to watch him, and, the woman that’s been trying to shut him down for years? This is gonna be dangerous… whatever roasted those engineers could get us too, and with him at the controls, this one might not be an accident.

Rita, are you even listening?

RITA: I mean, yeah, it seems convenient, boss. But you’re the detective and this is my day off, so you figure it out, alright?

JUNO: (GROWLS)

SOUND: BEEP.

SWIFT: Alright, we’re in. Should be the last lock.

SOUND: MECHANICAL DOOR CREAKS OPEN.

NARRATOR: And so, after years of searching for a way back home to Polaris, Andromeda the Chainmail Warrior—

JUNO (NARRATOR): The door led us into one of the lion’s huts. The lion it belonged to was musclebound and gray-maned and sitting on his haunches next to everyone’s favorite chainmail warrior, Andromeda.

NARRATOR (IN BACKGROUND): —found herself in the Lion Village, where it was said a portal to her home opened once every thousand years.

RITA: (GASPS) Andromeda!

NARRATOR: “Andromeda!” said Leo, the lion-chief. “Our portal opens in one short hour, and then only for a few minutes. But if you want to use it, you will have to pay. On that peak lives the dragon, Draco, with all of his treasure. Bring me a treasure from Draco’s hoard, and you will have your way home!”

RITA: She’s real! I always knew she was real! Mom said, and Mista Steel said, and even I said sometimes – but I always knew, Andromeda was real, even when I knew that was impossible, and, and, and, and—

JUNO: Real, huh?

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BUZZING.

RITA: Oh. It’s a hologram. I knew that. Mostly.

SWIFT: Everything here’s a combination of robotics, practical effects, and holograms, doll. Here, touch Chief Leo if you want. A mechanical skeleton covered in real lion fur, grown in a real lab.

RITA: Wow, he’s so soft. Can we see him roar? And maybe pounce on Mista Steel?

SWIFT: You can’t turn on the robotics without turning on the carts, too: they run on the same power source.

JUNO: Sounds and lights on the same breaker? Robots and carts– this doesn’t exactly sound up to code.

RITA: I don’t know what you’re talkin’ about, boss, that’s basically how I got the office hooked up.

SWIFT: I think being unsafe is part of the thrill for Vega. He’s good with holograms, but he doesn’t like them. He says they’re cheating. Anything safe is cheating with that guy.

Hope you’ve got hiking shoes on: this next part’s supposed to be the mountain, and the doctor went for authenticity.

SOUND: GATE CREAKS OPEN.

RITA: Ohh, it’s so dark and spooky in here – how do we know where to go?

SWIFT: I haven’t been on these tracks since my first trainings, but I’ve ridden it enough times to know the way. Just stick close to me, sweetheart, and you’ll be fine.

RITA: Hmmmmmmm.

NARRATOR: Andromeda said:

ANDROMEDA: You’re making a terrible mistake, Leo. Anger Draco, and all the lions will pay for it.

NARRATOR: But Chief Leo only laughed, and called her a fool. And so Andromeda climbed the mountain with a heavy heart.

JUNO: So what’s up with you and Vega, anyway? Hell of a feud the two of you got going on.

SWIFT: How do you mean?

JUNO: I know you’ve got safety reasons for wanting this tilt-a-whirl closed, but he seems to think it’s personal. Granted, he seems to think most things are personal, but still…

SWIFT: Just… different eras of Northstar butting heads. Call it a family squabble.

Vega’s old school – from back in the days when Northstar was just a little movie studio over in Hyperion City. Used to work on building fancy new cameras, now he works on ways to shoot people through a block of ice without hurting the ice. Back then, Northstar was cutthroat: scrappy little movie studio with scrappy little ideas. Great tech, great talent, but no investors. It meant everyone who worked there was… out for blood.

JUNO: And they had plenty of ways to get it, I hear.

SWIFT: Yeah, actually. How did you—

JUNO: —doesn’t matter. You said you’re different. What’s the new era of Northstar like?

RITA: Yeah, Yasmin! Tell us aaaaaall about you. Every teensy weensy little thing.

SWIFT: Either of you have any kids?

JUNO: Eugh.

RITA: No, but I’m… very suggestible.

SWIFT: Well, I do. A little lady, only five years old. Too young to remember the war. Too young to remember all the stuff humanity showed it could do to itself. And when I think about her growing up in a galaxy capable of all that… (SIGHS) Let me just put it this way: the old Northstar was all about making something great. But now? Most of us now… we just want to make something good. Something that the kids can look up to. Heroes that’ll risk it all for what actually matters… not some dumb new camera.

JUNO: You sound like Ramses now.

SWIFT: O’Flaherty might be an old-timer, but I always felt like he was one of us. (CHUCKLES) Call me a sap if you want, but… I think my Esta’s better off with Andromeda around. And I’d do anything for her.

RITA: That’s so beautiful and perfect.

SWIFT: Definitely makes getting up for work a little easier. It’s leaving her in the morning that’s the hard part.

(CLEARS THROAT) Uh, just be ready. Next part gets a little loud.

SOUND: DOOR SLIDES OPEN.

NARRATOR: Then, at long last, Andromeda arrived at the Dragon’s Peak!

SOUND: THUNDERCLAP, RAIN.

RITA: Ahh!! What was that?!

JUNO: It’s just the stupid ride.

SWIFT: The noise was, but… did either of you see that?

JUNO: See what?

SWIFT: In the lightning, that—

SOUND: THUNDER.

NARRATOR: Then, at long last—

SWIFT: There’s someone up by Draco’s lair!

NARRATOR (IN BACKGROUND): —Andromeda arrived—

JUNO: What? I don’t see anything—

RITA: Yasmin, save me!

NARRATOR (IN BACKGROUND): —at the Dragon’s Peak!

SWIFT: You two, keep up with me! If someone really is sabotaging my park, I’m not gonna let them get away with it!

SOUND: RUNNING FOOTSTEPS.

JUNO: Swift! Swift!!

NARRATOR (IN BACKGROUND): Then, at long last—

SOUND: THUNDER.

NARRATOR (IN BACKGROUND): —Andromeda arrived at the Dragon’s Peak!

JUNO: Yeah, yeah, we get it! Come on, Rita, let’s go!

RITA: Okay, boss!

JUNO (NARRATOR): While we ran, I held onto Rita as best I could, but I couldn’t save her from her own clumsy feet…

RITA: Oh!

JUNO (NARRATOR): …or, uh, mine.

JUNO: Oof!

RITA: Get offa me, Mista Steel, get offa me! I wanted this day to go like this with someone but it sure ain’t you!

JUNO: Damn it, where did Swift go?

RITA: That’s what I said! She was followin’ the tracks, so hurry, boss, hurry!

JUNO & RITA: (PANTING)

JUNO (NARRATOR): So we ran up the rest of the way into the Dragon’s Peak. A set of big stone doors parted, and a set of big glowing eyes stared down at us.

SOUND: HEAVY SCRAPING.

NARRATOR: And there, in all his rage and glory, stood Draco, the mighty dragon!

RITA: OH NO OH NO! PLEASE DON’T KILL ME MISTA DRAGON DON’T KILL ME– oh hey would you look at that he listened.

JUNO: Huh. …He did.

SOUND: SLOW FOOTSTEPS.

RITA: Careful there, boss! You don’t know what that dragon might do! They’re tricky! Probably.

JUNO: They’re not real, Rita.

SOUND: ECHOEY CLANKS.

This is just another robot puppet, like the lion at the bottom of the hill. Deactivated like everything else. …It looks like the track hugs the wall for a while – come on. Swift can’t have gotten that far ahead yet.

SOUND: DEEP WHIRRING, MACHINE POWERING UP.

What the hell?

SOUND: METAL SQUEAKING.

MUSIC: STARTS.

RITA: M-m-mista Steel! The– the dragon, i-it’s—

JUNO: —moving, I can see that!

NARRATOR: Andromeda grabbed a sparkling crown as Draco unleashed its fiery breath!

SOUND: ROAR, FLAME CRACKLING.

RITA: Boss!! That’s SO much fire! And boy, is it hot!

JUNO: Step back! Hopefully that’ll be the last of—

JUNO & RITA: (YELP)

SOUND: ROAR.

RITA: Mista Steel! It’s coming closer!

JUNO: And faster than I’d like, too. Rita, there’s a control panel on the wall by the tracks. Do you think you could hack into it?

RITA: Okay, boss!

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS.

The password– I was watchin’ Dr. Vega’s hands when he was puttin’ the password in—

SOUND: ERROR BEEP.

Oh no, oh no!

JUNO: Rita, we’re running out of time, here!

RITA: It’s like a billion-digit password, boss, you’re gonna have to buy me some time!

JUNO (NARRATOR): So I did what I do best: I bought time.

SOUND: BLASTER SHOTS. METAL CREAKING.

RITA: Did it work?

JUNO: Made its head snap back a little, but it’s coming back. It’s getting kinda warm in here, Rita!

RITA: You think I can’t feel that?!

SOUND: BEEPING. ERROR BEEP.

Arrrggghhh!

JUNO (NARRATOR): The fire was close. We were backed up onto the tracks, now, and I swore I could feel the huge workings of the mechanical dragon rumbling in the walls and the floor.

Or… was that the dragon?

SOUND: SUCCESS BEEP.

RITA: There! I got us into the terminal, boss.

JUNO (NARRATOR): And suddenly it hit me. I put my hand into the fire…

SOUND: ROAR, FLAMES CRACKLING.

RITA: Now I just gotta– Mista Steel, what are you doin’?! It’s gonna roast you alive!

JUNO (NARRATOR): But it didn’t. I was fine – the fire was just hot air and holograms. The rumbling, though… that got bigger. And then, I remembered what was on the same circuit as the robots.

SOUND: WHEELS CLACKING ON TRACKS.

JUNO: The cart.

RITA: The what?

Hey, let go’a me, you– oooooaaahh!

SOUND: THUD.

JUNO: Oof!

RITA: Ah!

SOUND: CLACKING GROWS LOUDER. DULL CRASH, CLACKING STOPS.

MUSIC: ENDS.

NARRATOR: And there, in all his rage and glory, stood Draco, the mighty dragon!

SOUND: RAIN.

RITA: That rollercoaster cart… almost splattered us, boss!

JUNO: Yeah. It got real close, didn’t it.

SOUND: ROAR.

NARRATOR: Andromeda grabbed a sparkling crown as Draco unleashed its fiery breath!

SOUND: CLACKING STARTS AGAIN, FADES OUT.

RITA: And now– it’s… gone.

JUNO: Sticks around just long enough for you to think you’ll get roasted, but there’s never any real danger.

It’s not fire. Just like Vega said.

RITA: But… then how did those engineers get all burnt up?

JUNO: I don’t know.

Rita, didn’t Vega say the computer kept a log of whoever accessed it last?

RITA: I think so.

JUNO: Check the log, then. Hurry!

RITA: Okay, okay, I don’t see what the rush is. First, I just gotta deactivate the carts…

SOUND: ELECTRONIC BEEPS. POWERING DOWN NOISE.

There. Now I’ll check the logs…

SOUND: KEYBOARD CLICKING.

It… doesn’t say who used it, but… it says it was in the next room. D’you think it’s whoever Yasmin saw?!

JUNO (NARRATOR): Aaaaaaand that’s when I figured it out.

JUNO: Turn on the security footage for that room.

RITA: Mista Steel—

JUNO: Now, Rita!

RITA: Oh, alright, alright…

(GASPS) N– no… The one who activated the carts– was– Yasmin?!

JUNO (NARRATOR): Yasmin Swift. Security Chief of Polaris Park. The camera feed showed her inspecting the cart that failed to crush us, and I saw Draco’s controls up on the terminal in front of her. Vega was right. Swift had been briefed on the security footage before, and in fact, she knew how to use it better than he did. She proved that about two seconds later when she deactivated the camera we were watching her through.

SOUND: BEEP.

JUNO: What the…? Rita, bring it back!

SOUND: KEYBOARD CLICKING.

RITA: I’m tryin’, boss!

SOUND: BEEPS.

But… it’s just… deleted! Everything that camera’s recorded in the past twenty-four hours is gone!

JUNO: So we have no proof. Great.

SOUND: DOOR OPENS.

SWIFT: Oh…! You’re alright!

JUNO: You sound surprised.

SWIFT: Relieved is more like it. I’m glad you two are so hardy. Surviving what even our engineers couldn’t… I could’ve sworn you’d be charcoal briquettes by now.

RITA: Y-y-y– Yasmin…

MUSIC: STARTS.

SWIFT: What’s the matter, sweetheart? Aren’t you happy to see me?

JUNO (NARRATOR): If she knew we knew, she wasn’t saying a thing; and unfortunately, it was going to have to stay that way.

She knew this ride better than we did. If we let her run wild in here, I’m sure she’d know a hundred ways to roast us, crush us, and fun us straight into our graves. But we couldn’t take her into custody yet, either, because we didn’t have any evidence, and unless she slipped up right in front of us, we’d never get it.

So for now, the safest place was just where I didn’t want to be.

SWIFT: Did you see anyone come through here? I was chasing after someone, but they slipped away…

You two alright? You look a little pale.

JUNO: I’m ready to keep goin’ if you are.

RITA: What?!

JUNO: If you want to go back, Rita, I’ll bring you back first. But we still have a saboteur to catch. And I’m staying in here until I catch ‘em.

SWIFT: Like a dog with a bone, Juno. I like it. What do you say, doll? Coming with?

RITA: I– I…

Yeah. I’m n-not gonna leave you alone, Mista Steel. Not again.

SWIFT: Alright then. Let’s go, ladies.

JUNO (NARRATOR): Yasmin Swift had gotten me, with that strong jaw and that bright smile. It costs nearly twenty creds to get a bottle of water in this stupid theme park, but the smiles, they say, are always free.

Ma wouldn’t’ve agreed. Good old Sarah Steel always said that there was only one thing in life that came free – and that was death.

SWIFT: Keep your eyes peeled. We don’t want to let the murderer get away.

JUNO (NARRATOR): And from the look of things, the alternative was getting more expensive by the minute.

MUSIC: ENDS.

***

SOUND: TRAIN MOVING, MUSIC.

CONDUCTOR: If you've enjoyed this tale, please consider donating to The Penumbra on Patreon. Our artists work tirelessly to bring you these stories, and if you have the means, we hope you will support our efforts. Every dollar helps. You can find that page at patreon.com/thepenumbrapodcast. If you support us on Patreon at the $10 level or higher, you'll receive access to commentary tracks like this one, from actors Kate Jones, Joshua Ilon, and Sarah Gazdowicz:

SOUND: TRAIN STOPS, DOOR SLIDES OPEN, RAIN.

SARAH: …to be manipulative, but I don’t think that that is true. I think that she thinks Rita is very cute.

KATE: How—

SARAH: And—

KATE: —can you not?

SARAH: I don’t– I don’t know.

JOSHUA: You have to be around her all the time. [unintelligible mumbling – speak up, Joshua]

KATE: Alright.

JOSHUA: No that’s what we’ve seen! We’ve seen what overexposure to Rita does. That’s what this episode has shown us, more. It’s-it’s beginning– before and after. It’s ‘oh, that’s charming!’ and then, now ‘I can’t get rid of it.’

SARAH: No, but you couldn’t live without Rita.

JOSHUA: No, you couldn’t.

SARAH: You can’t. Rita’s one of a kind.

JOSHUA: Yeah. You can drown in too much water, though…

SOUND: DOOR SLIDES SHUT.

CONDUCTOR: You can also support The Penumbra by liking us on Facebook, following us on Twitter @thepenumbrapod, following us on Tumblr @thepenumbrapodcast, telling your friends about us, telling your friends to tell their friends about us, and especially by rating and reviewing our podcast on iTunes. Every rating, comment, and kind word spreads our stories further and inspires us to keep creating more and better tales to come.

We would like to give special thanks to all who support us on Patreon, but especially to Lynné Herman, Gray, Jaimie Gunter, and the Princess and the Scrivener for their incredibly generous contributions per episode. Thank you.

This tale, Juno Steel and the Dragon’s Den, was told by the following people: Joshua Ilon as Juno Steel, Kate Jones as Rita, Sarah Gazdowicz as Yasmin Swift, Bob Mussett as Lorenzo Vega, Simon Moody as Mayor Pilot Pereyra, and M. Sutherland as the narrator.

On staff at The Penumbra: Kevin Vibert is our lead writer and recording engineer. Sophie Kaner is our director and sound designer. Grahame Turner is our script editor. Noah Simes is our production manager. Alice Chung is our designer and financial manager. Original music by Ryan Vibert. Promotional art by Mikaela Buckley.

The Penumbra is created and produced by Sophie Kaner and Kevin Vibert.

I'm afraid this is the end of the line for today, dear Traveler. We hope you will ride with The Penumbra again soon.

ALL SOUNDS: FADE OUT.

[beatricetate89-blog]

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Alternative car insurance in Maryland can cost around $1,900 a year or 23% more than the national average. However, the best Maryland insurance rates are with GEICO. This insurance company offers great discounts for a reliable job, great coverage options, good coverage rates and quality coverage. GEICO offers good rates with good coverage online, and excellent customer service. You could save $611 per year if you sign up for a GEICO mobile app, an annual discount, which includes coverage for your phone and navigation during the day, and a discount for paying your bills on time. Maryland is one of the states with no-fault car insurance laws. This means that accidents and claims on your life are fully covered by your insurance. As long as you have your coverage, you are responsible for paying for any injury or damage you cause. The state minimums are 30/60/25 and your own insurance must cover any damage you cause. When you buy a car insurance policy, you agree, on behalf of the.

Shopping around for car insurance in Baltimore could save you $582, which is enough to buy:

Shopping around for car insurance in Baltimore could save you $582, which is enough to buy: Although Baltimore s rates are $1,633 for the full term length, car insurance between the ages of 25 and 55 is slightly higher than average. Baltimore has higher than average car insurance prices, with more than 40 providers offering discounts to make sure your rates are as cheap as possible. Read our guide below to help you navigate these and other Baltimore prices. Auto insurance companies in Baltimore offer discounts to those who have a DUI on their driving record and avoid getting a DUI by maintaining a clean driving record. Beware, though, that an insurance company may offer a discount if you are using your car exclusively for business purposes and you ve been on the road more than 90 days in the past when you were involved in an accident. As a business owner in Baltimore, you might be eligible for the following discounts on car insurance: At Insurance.com, we re ready to shop for Baltimore insurance. Contact an independent agent in the Trusted Choice network today to get your free rate quotes. On average, it.

Car insurance discounts in Maryland

Car insurance discounts in Maryland, like State Farm and Progressive, are often based on policy types and coverage amounts. So, if you’re looking for the cheapest car insurance in Maryland, or your premium may not be competitive for free, try shopping around and getting multiple quotes from a few popular carriers before hitting the road. If you’re facing a large rate increase you want to know just how inexpensive your car insurance will be. CarInsuranceComparison.com was created because we wanted to make it easy for anyone to compare car insurance online - from many different companies! Disclaimer: CarInsuranceComparison.com strives to present the most up-to-date and comprehensive information on saving money on car insurance possible. This information may be different than what you see when you visit an insurance provider, insurance agency, or insurance company website. All insurance rates, products, and services are presented without warranty and guarantee. When evaluating rates, please verify directly with your insurance company or.

[readyfleettruckparking-blog]

New Post has been published on https://fleetconcepts.com/trucking/are-you-looking-for-local-trucking-companies/

Are You Looking for Local Trucking Companies?

Things to Consider Before Working With Local Trucking Companies

Before selecting local trucking companies, consumers should focus on a couple of critical facts. In doing so, there is a good chance that they’ll inevitably conserve a significant amount of cash, as well as feel even more confident that their goods will deliver in such a way that lowers the threat of damage.

One mistake that far too many consumers make is not taking the necessary time to conduct the correct research. With both desktop computers as well as mobile accessibility to high-speed internet, clients can determine possible issues beforehand.

Clients additionally need to understand that determining a local committed truck firm is not as difficult as what some people make it out to be. Thinking about that individuals throughout the nation have total accessibility to a nationwide listing of trucking companies, they can swiftly as well as conveniently determine those that offer the kind of solutions they require that are near their geographical place. This listing is commonly broken down by those two variables, along with others, such as years in the organization, locations of competence, prices, and more.

This same information is offered by reviewing a trucking magazine. Today, there is a host of magazines explicitly released to aid customers in making the right decisions. Some firms release their publications. As a result, a client thinking about working with a local devoted truck firm can subscribe to a publication or borrow one as a method of obtaining understanding.

Regardless of the source, the ultimate objective is to obtain as much information concerning various trucking companies as feasible. That helps people to narrow their selections to only one top company.

Along with that, it is normal for a trucking magazine to give clients with interesting short articles that cover numerous topics, such as “top 10” lists, “sophisticated technology and equipment made use of today by specialist trucking companies,” as well as a bunch of others.

Regardless of whether you require local or long-distance trucking services, MGA International can assist. We are a well-respected as well as a trusted resource for all kinds of transportation demands. To get more information regarding our services, we invite you to visit our site. If you prepare to obtain your carrying scheduled or you have questions, please contact us by phone at your best ease.

Huge Trucking Companies vs. Smaller Trucking Companies

I have been at this job for years now. When I speak to others concerning the distinction between larger trucking companies vs. smaller sized ones, it always comes down to a driver’s individual experience with different business.

Len Dubois Trucking is a local midsize trucking business running regarding 65 company and owner-operator trucks. We are not a big national trucking company with places throughout Canada, and we’re more extensive than a ten truck carrier. We’re huge enough to be affordable to any individual, use experienced drivers and also provide security, and small enough that I recognize and communicate with the whole group, consisting of truck drivers as well as owner-operators.

Advantages of Smaller Local Trucking Companies

Local trucking companies have some benefits in offering a more affordable compensation package. We have some specialized customers that can pay greater. And also, we can get comments straight from our drivers concerning our compensation competitiveness. It’s tough to obtain quality comments when you have hundreds of drivers. Overhead, as well as repaired costs, are likewise reduced for local trucking companies.

We offer a family feel. Life takes place. We collaborate with our drivers to obtain them when they need to be in for family responsibilities. We understand our drivers, as well as know the operations and also dispatch people. More prominent companies often can’t or won’t do that.

I’m not bashing more prominent companies. As a result of they’re dimension and also scale, they require to run their systems tight. Exemptions mostly can not be fit as a result of their size. Everybody is an interchangeable cog in the wheel.

I have driven in on the weekend to satisfy dispatchers and solved getting a driver residence for a family emergency as well as still cover customer responsibilities. We’re small sufficient to obtain him back readily as well as big enough to have the drivers and also operations talent to place everything together. We comprehend your value to the group.

Autonomous Semis Could Influence Local Trucking Companies

Self-driving cars could be striking the roadways in the following 5 to one decade. Now the conversation is changing to how it’s going to influence work within the trucking sector.

In Central Factor, Oregon Self-driving automobiles could be hitting the highways in the following five to ten years. Currently, the discussion is shifting to exactly how it’s mosting likely to impact jobs within the trucking market. TP Trucking in Central Details states it’s ready to adapt to innovation, yet they still require drivers behind the wheel.

For explanation, self-driving autos do not have a driver inside, while autonomous vehicles navigate from a computer system or digitally, but still have a driver inside.

Today 3 local trucking companies informed NewsWatch12 an absence of qualified drivers is the most significant issue within their sector right now.

“Now, the more youthful generation doesn’t wish to remain in a truck; they don’t wish to be away from residence. So the kids aren’t thinking about becoming truck drivers,” states David Hopkins, the Logistics Manager of TP Trucking.

While self-driving vehicles can pose an additional danger to this industry, the local companies state they still need drivers for safety and security reasons. TP Trucking says the computer will do the majority of the driving in an independent semi-truck, as well as the truck driver is always there for oversight.

“What happens when a self-governing trucks’ computer suddenly goes down, and the truck is driving? That’s one of the factors to have a specific there,” states Hopkins.

Siskiyou Transportation Inc. says we will not be seeing autonomous trucks for some time because the public isn’t entirely on board yet.

“A lot of that is just going to be convincing the public that this is a safe mode,” states Mark Gibson, Head of Siskiyou Transportation Inc.

Specialist Transportation Solutions Inc. in Central Factor states independent semis will be an outstanding job boost for smaller firms like their own.

“It will probably in the short-term benefit our business because it will be easier to find drivers,” says Nick Hewitt, Owner of Professional Transportation Services Inc.

COVID-19 Impact on Local Trucking Companies

With the COVID-19 episode maintaining many individuals in your home, there is one local profession that has seen service grab: trucking companies.

Generally, a much more singular job than most, it’s not a surprise that truckers have been much less impacted by coronavirus than others.

“To me, it’s just going as regular, which is nice,” claimed David Bellows, a truck driver of 30 years that drives for Graphics Arts Express in Oregon. You have to relocate the products, obtain points where they must go, which’s most likely to proceed.”

Because of that, business has been steady, according to a set of operations supervisors for local trucking companies.

“Our volume usually obtains larger at the end of the month,” said Jim Hopkins of Video Arts Express, “but it did increase in some locations. We manage several of the delicatessens products for Walmart as well as cold store, which’s doubled by two times as long as firms attempt to be successful.”

“Specialized shipment items have decreased, but we have seen a little uptick as well as are remaining active carrying meat,” claimed Mike Fox at Anderson Trucking in Forreston. “I think we’ll remain busy since I don’t foresee the demand for shipping beef, pork, or chicken going away anytime soon.”

Graphics Arts Express has operated out of Oregon considering that 1951, and Hopkins has been the manager of the procedure since 2000. He claimed he has yet to come across a truck driver that has been unreliable regarding supplying a load someplace, and also credit reports that with a various mentality than many other occupations.

“I always try and assume that truck drivers have a somewhat different mindset because we service our very own so often. The federal government does not subsidize us for anything, so if we don’t obtain loads to carry or individuals cancel products, or we do not make distributions, we do not earn money. There’s no insurance policy, so you have to figure it out on your own a way to get by.”

Anderson Trucking has run out of Forreston for more than five decades, as well as Fox has been the operations manager for the last five years. Anderson delivers all around the Midwest, mostly in Illinois, Wisconsin, Indiana, and also Ohio.

Both Hopkins, as well as Fox, have talked with their truck drivers regarding precautions they encounter to maintain themselves safe. Several locations they provide to have also set up brand-new procedures as well as treatments for that very same factor.

Bellows usually supplies to Rockford, Rochelle, Dixon, and Sterling, after serving as an Over The Road truck driver for many years. As well as despite his mainly local course, he states he’s knowledgeable great deals of these same preventative measures companies try to be as risk-free as possible.

Local Trucking Solutions: A Leader Amongst Local Trucking Companies

When you require freight to be delivered to several places throughout a town, you need to pick from among the most effective local trucking companies.

For instance, a nationwide foodservice company might need a local trucking business to make prompt shipments to a variety of dining establishments as well as food stores throughout an entire state. They will need to count on a local network to disperse the goods to each location reliably. No matter what sort of freight you are transporting, you require to pick just the most reputable of local trucking companies to take care of deliveries to businesses across a local area.

Fast and also trustworthy local delivery is critical regardless of the market. Consequently, local trucking companies should have the ability to give trusted hauling solution on any range to meet your needs. Get in touch with us at Fleet Concepts today to get more information regarding our solutions and what collections us above various other local trucking companies when it involves making your local shipments on schedule.

Why We Offer Better Service than Most Local Trucking Companies

Fleet Concepts is the biggest privately had freight transportation firm in the United States focused on serving the posting, newspaper distribution, as well as paper products markets.

We developed our track record in the sector on providing timely, dependable freight transportation solutions at a fair rate. We understand precisely how vital that is in a paper distributor in addition to for any type of local trucking company. Clients anticipate receiving their news seven days a week as well as year-round. We understand that you have the same expectations from any of the companies that you hire.

Best Local Trucking Companies

Our experience as one of the leading firms in the newspaper distribution market is also what makes us among the most effective local trucking companies since papers have to provide to numerous small companies all over the USA. Our network of local trucks is currently in place in cities throughout the nation to serve your local freight requirements no matter your industry. This prep work gives us a more competitive advantage that other local businesses can’t match. Our dimension also makes it to make sure that we can bargain much better gas discount rates as well as have a more trusted local trucking fleet – as well as we pass those advantages on to our consumers.

You don’t need to contract with numerous small local trucking companies to make sure that your local deliveries take place on time. When you collaborate with Fleet Concepts, you have a well established local freight delivery network at your solution.

More About Our Local Trucking Solutions

Regardless of your industry, fast and reliable local delivery is crucial to expanding your organization. Call us today to find out more concerning our solutions and exactly how we outpace various other local trucking companies when it involves your deliveries.

[ericvick]

many in US struggle to pay rent. Their stories.

The National Multifamily Housing Council found a 12 percentage point decrease in the share of apartment households that paid their rent through April 5.

Last weekend, Apartment List surveyed 4,129 people and asked whether they were able to pay their mortgage or rent on April 1. The result: 1 in 4 renters/homeowners did not pay it in full, and of the those people who were unable to make their payment, 45 percent of renters and 44 percent of homeowners reached an agreement with their landlords or lenders to defer or reduce their payments.

Most state and local governments are putting evictions on pause as states prepare to pay unemployment and the federal government prepares to send stimulus checks. So for most, April’s knock won’t come with a notice to get out.

A roof over the head is one of the most basic needs in life. Without money for rent, how can the other bills get paid? And while many will get a reprieve in April, eventually the rent comes due, whether or not the restaurant, plant, or construction site reopens when the COVID-19 threat lessens.

Here are some of the stories of Americans trying to make the rent, this month and beyond:

At 21 years old, Jade Brooks pulls in her family’s only full-time salary, working at a hospital switchboard.

Brooks’s mother just lost her job at a health insurance company ­­— a casualty of the plummeting economy. She’s found part-time work at the hospital, but between them, they make only $400 weekly after taxes and insurance, Brooks said. Their rent is $1,810.

During sleepless nights, Brooks worries most about her 8-year-old cousin, who lives with them.

“I don’t want her to grow up in a homeless shelter, having to sleep in a bunk bed with other people, asking why we have to stand in a long line to get a room to sleep in, why we have to stand in a long line to get food, why she can’t invite her friends over,’’ Brooks said. “It’s hard to explain that to an 8-year-old.’’

— Michael Casey, Boston

Itza Sanchez knows she can’t make her $400 rent for April. She’s praying to the Virgin of Guadalupe that she doesn’t get kicked out of her Richmond, Va., mobile-home park.

Sanchez made her money searching for and recycling scrap metal and selling tamales in a heavily Hispanic neighborhood. Fear of getting sick has stopped both income streams.

A single mother of two who emigrated from Honduras to the United States 14 years ago, Sanchez’s 7-year-old daughter and 11-year-old son have been eating lunches delivered to the neighborhood by schools and depending on churches for other meals.

“I’m basically penniless,’’ Sanchez, 39, said in Spanish.

She hasn’t heard from the landlord about what will happen if the rent isn’t paid. So she keeps praying.

“May she help us. May the Virgin put her love over us and help us.’’

— Regina Garcia Cano, Washington

Andrea Larson made $70,000 a year curating wine lists and suggesting pairings to customers at 5th & Taylor. But the popular Nashville restaurant closed its dining area, and working as a sommelier isn’t something Larson can do from home.

The first unemployment check was $275 for a week. Larson said she was humiliated but applied for food stamps.

“I’m screwed financially,’’ Larson said. “If I do pay my rent, it’s going to eat into my food money.’’

Larson, 42, moved from a high-rise downtown apartment to a house in east Nashville four months ago. Rent was cheaper. She planned to pay off debt and start saving. Instead, she called credit card companies and said she couldn’t pay the minimum.

Larson’s restaurant offered a few shifts answering phones for takeout, but she figures it’s not worth the risk of getting COVID-19.

“I do wine, and nobody wants to hear about wine right now,’’ she said. ‘‘They just want to chug it.’’

— Travis Loller, Nashville

Roushaunda Williams was able to scrimp and use credit card cash advances to pay the $1,850 rent for April for her two-bedroom Uptown Chicago apartment.

But the rent comes due again in 30 days. Can she afford a smaller apartment in her building if one’s available? Should she move in with friends if they’ll let her?

“April 1 isn’t even here yet, and I’m already working on what I’m going to do for May 1,’’ Williams, 52, said.

Before being laid off, she made drinks and chatted with people from around the world for 20 years as a bartender at the Palmer House Hilton Hotel in the heart of Chicago’s downtown Loop.

Her income depended on tips — in the best times, she’d make $70,000 to $100,000 annually. Now, she’s on unemployment for the first time and searching for work.

— Kathleen Foody, Chicago

Tnia Morgan shares her Baltimore County, Md., town house with her 18-year-old pregnant daughter and 18-year-old nephew. And they all spend a lot more time together since Morgan was laid off March 6 from her job serving food at a hotel banquet hall.

Morgan’s landlord told her to take her time with the rent, but it isn’t the only bill piling up. She ticks them off: car payment, car insurance, cellphone, Internet, water, gas, and electricity. And she always has to buy food, so tough choices are ahead, especially until unemployment benefits kick in.

Morgan, 39, has checked on getting food stamps and looked for work at stores and warehouses with no luck.

She appreciates her landlord’s kindness this month, but she knows he needs her rent money to pay his bills.

“If I don’t pay the rent, it falls on him,’’ Morgan said. “We can’t be evicted right now, but eventually they’re going to want their money.’’

— Michael Kunzelman, Silver Spring, Md.

Bartender Luke Blaine was laid off when the downtown Phoenix restaurant Fez closed, but he’s not too worried about rent — yet.

He shares his small adobe-style home and backyard garden of tomatoes, beets, squash, radish, lettuce, and eggplants with his boyfriend, Kyle Schomer. Schomer still has his job in technology and works from home.

Blaine, 30, figures unemployment will kick in. His car is paid for, and he owes little beyond a small credit card balance.

Blaine credits his thrifty nature to his family. And that’s whom he worries about most these days. His mother and sister are nurses in Illinois, not far from hard-hit Chicago.

“It definitely is nerve-racking having your family on the front line,’’ Blaine said.

— Anita Snow, Phoenix

Ruqayyah Bailey’s life had balance — so important with her autism — before coronavirus.

She was going to college and was a part-time cafe cashier. She couldn’t wait for the Special Olympics in March, to run and compete in the long jump and shot put.

But the virus closed the cafe, canceled the meet, and ended the community college’s personal instruction.

Bailey, 30, of St. Louis County, was dipping into savings for food and other necessities, so she’s moved back in with her mother. She hopes it’s temporary and she can get back to her apartment, with its $400 monthly rent.

“I had to suspend my Internet and my cable,’’ Bailey said of her apartment. “It’s tough because I’m so used to being there in my own little space.’’

— Jim Salter, St. Louis

Jason W. Still was let go from his job as a cook, and he’s found one small benefit: He hasn’t spent as much money since he’s inside most days.

Still and his wife — who works in packaging for a marijuana dispenser in Spokane, Wash., — should be able to make April’s rent as they wait to see what he’ll get in unemployment and from the federal government.

Still, 30, worked at a high-end restaurant and just finished the last classes for his bachelor’s degree. Now he’s applying for graduate school to study environmental economics and public policy.

In unemployment, he has a lot of time on his hands. “I’ve seen corners of my house that I didn’t know existed.’’

— Anita Snow, Phoenix

It’s a lousy choice, but an easy one for personal trainer and apparel designer Sakai Harrison — food in the refrigerator over April rent for his Brooklyn apartment.

Harrison, 27, moved from Atlanta to see whether he could succeed in the toughest place in the world. And he was on his way, with 20 clients training one on one.

Then his gym shut down with the rest of the city. And the $1,595 rent is due.

“The way I see it, the whole world is on pause,’’ Harrison said. “I’d rather allocate my money towards my actual survival, which would be food.’’

An acquaintance is letting Harrison use a basement as a makeshift gym. It has dumbbells, a bench, and a punching bag left by a previous tenant. Harrison wears disposable gloves and keeps his distance. A few clients keep coming, but not as many as before.

“My clients are like my family, for the most part, especially in New York, because I’m here alone,’’ he said.

— Aaron Morrison, New York

Tinisha Dixon was homeless before she moved into her current apartment and is now struggling to make the rent.

She said she was about to start a new job at the State Road and Tollway Authority. But the job was put on hold, thanks to the virus.

The rent bill of $1,115 is due whether she’s working or not. It covers the apartment near downtown Atlanta she shares with her partner and their five kids. Dixon, 26, said she’s trying to braid hair, and her partner has sought work as a security guard.

Dixon’s landlord had gone to court to evict the family before the coronavirus. Now she worries not making April’s payment will strengthen that case.

“Are we going to be out on the street when this is over?’’ she said. ‘‘Because this is what we’ve been fighting for this whole time, not being back out on the street.’’

— Sudhin Thanawala, Atlanta

With help from friends and a nonprofit, Jas Wheeler can pay April’s rent. But Wheeler and their partner just bought a house down the road in Vergennes, Vt., and the first mortgage payment is due in May.

“I am just really just trying to pray,’’ said Wheeler, who hopes to see unemployment checks soon but worries the system is overwhelmed with so many people out of work.

Wheeler was laid off from a bakery. The 30-year-old thought about a grocery store job, but they don’t want to risk exposure to the coronavirus. So for now, they’ll wait to see whether the bakery reopens.

“I would rather just get an unemployment check and ride it out … I’m really thinking at the end of all this whenever that is, I’ll be happy to get any job that I can get.’’

— Michael Casey, Boston

Neal Miller is refusing to pay April’s rent, to make a point.

Miller’s last stable job was as an adjunct professor at Loyola University in Chicago. He recently was working temporary jobs, until that dried up, thanks to the virus.

Miller, 38, shares a house on the west side of Chicago with four others and pays $400 of the $1,500 monthly rent.

Miller and his roommates decided to join leaders of Chicago activist groups calling for a rent strike amid the virus outbreak.

“We wrote a letter, sort of stated our situation,’’ Miller said. “We’re still waiting to hear back. We’re not sure if that’s a good sign or if that lack of response means we’ll be hearing from a lawyer.’’

– Kathleen Foody, Chicago

Subscribe to the Globe’s free real estate newsletter — our weekly digest on buying, selling, and design — at pages.email.bostonglobe.com/AddressSignUp. Follow us on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter @globehomes.

[chicagotinyhouse]

Please help people in need

Micki Denis prepares the bed in the car she lives in at Lake Washington United Methodist Church’s parking lot in Kirkland, Wash., on Sunday, Oct. 13, 2019.  Lindsey Wasson, for the Deseret News SALT LAKE CITY — When Micki Denis first moved to Seattle, she tried to find a studio apartment she could afford — nothing fancy, just a warm room for sleeping and a small kitchen so she could have her son over for dinner. Instead, the mother of five and grandmother of 14 is sleeping in her car, a 2007 Toyota FJ Cruiser. She is not alone. Each night, Denis shares a parking lot outside a Methodist church with as many as 50 cars, vans and trucks, some housing entire families. In the morning, kids spill out and go into the church to get ready for school. But Denis — the 64-year-old cousin of U.S. Senator Marco Rubio and sister of a Nevada state senator — wakes up each day in disbelief that this is her life now. She lived in nice homes for decades, until her divorce in 2003. From 2005-07, she served a mission in Florida and El Salvador for The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Just last summer, she traveled around Europe. Coming from Utah, where despite rising rental costs Denis could live on a variety of part-time jobs — like being an interpreter for a school district and a cafeteria cashier at her church’s Salt Lake Temple — she was shocked by the Seattle-area housing market. She found a part-time job to supplement a pension and Social Security, but it’s not enough. “I thought I could get something for about $700, a nice studio, but I can’t. I don’t know what’s going on here,” Denis said. What’s going on is that low- to moderate-income Americans who don’t own their own homes are being hammered by skyrocketing rents, stagnant wages and a shortage of affordable housing. Applicants for subsidized housing face years on a waiting list. Those in need of emergency shelter find beds are often full while people sleep in the streets. No state has an adequate supply of affordable rental housing, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, which recently released a report that examined the increasing gap between wages and rent. The coalition found that rental costs are rising faster than wages, and that, on average, a worker earning the federal minimum wage would have to work 103 hours a week to afford a one-bedroom apartment. In some communities, it’s worse than that. In King County, where Denis now lives, a worker needs an income of more than $62,000 to afford a one-bedroom apartment, compared to $46,548 for all of Washington state, the report said. This has driven Denis and thousands of other Americans to live in their vehicles, many of them from vulnerable groups like children and seniors. This solves one problem but creates others — like where to park at night and how to maintain hygiene. Cities and municipalities where they stay face unsavory choices. Should they accommodate the “vehicular homeless” with relaxed laws and safe parking lots, or try to legislate them away? California is considering legislation that would require its largest cities to provide parking for people living in their vehicles. But in the meantime, faith groups and nonprofits are stepping up to help, even when neighbors say “not on my street.” ‘Completely un-affordable’ As darkness envelops the parking lot at Lake Washington United Methodist Church in Kirkland, Washington, a suburb of Seattle, Denis prepares for another cold evening near Crissy Norton, a mother of three who has two vehicles in which to house her family. Norton, who is 26, is here at the church’s “safe lot” with her common-law husband, Matt, and their girls, who are 6, 3 and 1. They sleep in two vehicles: a Honda they own and a Ford F-150 truck they borrowed from a friend. They also have a Volkswagen Jetta that doesn’t run, but is good for storing clothes, blankets and toys. The family’s troubles began when Matt lost his job just before Christmas in 2017. “We struggled for a year to pay rent with odd jobs, but finding him one was tough. Last Christmas, we finally couldn’t do it and got evicted. We stayed with some friends in the winter, but come summer, we had to leave, and since then, it has been truck living,” Crissy Norton said. The family’s struggles, however, have been a little easier thanks to a ministry of Lake Washington United Methodist Church, a 200-member congregation that decided in 2011 to put its often-empty parking lot to good use. The church established a “Safe Parking” zone where people can sleep in their vehicles without fear of being harassed, interrogated or ordered to move. Volunteers come to the church early in the morning so school-aged children can come inside and get ready for school, and again in the evening, so “guests” can use bathroom facilities and the church’s kitchen and phone. The guests also have access to a refrigerator and Wi-Fi. They are welcome to join church activities but don’t have to do so. Karina O’Malley, a church member and volunteer who oversees the program, said the church started small, with six parking spaces, but as the program has grown, they’ve had up to 50 vehicles parked overnight. The demand exists, she says, because rent prices in the county are “completely unaffordable.” Moreover, the gap between wages and rent is expected to worsen in the coming years, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition. “The median-wage worker in eight of the nation’s 10 largest occupations, including retail salespersons, fast food workers, personal care aides, customer service representatives, and office clerks, do not earn enough to afford a modest one-bedroom rental home,” the coalition’s report says, adding, “The number of low-wage jobs is expected to grow significantly in the next 10 years.” This means that many people like Denis, despite having a steady income and a job, either can’t afford to rent a place, or if they could, would have nothing left over for utilities and food. And sleeping in a car is more appealing to some people than going to a homeless shelter. Some are uncomfortable with the stigma; others don’t want to abide by a shelter’s schedule or prefer the privacy of their car. Moreover, deciding to live in a car provides people with few options a sense of autonomy. “There’s a tiny minority who say I’m choosing to live in my car because that’s the only solution that works for me at this point. But most of these folks are desperately trying to get back into housing,” O’Malley, at Lake Washington UMC, said. “Folks don’t have a lot of great options, but there’s a sense of dignity that comes with saying what you’re doing is your choice.” A painful secret Denis, a native of Cuba who came to the U.S. with her parents when she was 5, had no experience renting for most of her life. From age 18 through 50, she had always lived in homes that she owned. Her five children, ages 33 to 45, are well off enough to help, but Denis doesn’t want to impose, which is why she hasn’t told them where she’s living been living since the middle of July. She said she figures she’ll need help when she is in her 70s or older and doesn’t want to tap that reservoir of goodwill while she’s still healthy and able to work. “I haven’t asked my children for help. I haven’t told a soul,” she said, adding that even her brother, a Nevada state senator and former LDS bishop, doesn’t know. “I want to fix this problem on my own,” she said, her voice breaking. Denis traveled Europe cheaply between April and October of last year, staying in hostels and LDS temple housing, and so when she returned to the U.S. for a grandchild’s baptism, she thought she could live equally well here while maintaining her mobility. But that hasn’t been the case, at least not in the Pacific Northwest. “Even if I pay $1,100 (in rent), that leaves me with hardly anything for gas, for food, for insurance. And the housing that I could afford is in places that aren’t nice. I can’t do that. I’m safer here,” she said. Denis is working as a cashier, so she has a place to go during the day. She has a membership at the YMCA, where she goes to swim, do yoga and shower, and she also spends time at the local library. At night, she stretches out on a foam mattress in the back of her Toyota and covers herself with a down comforter. Since she’s a half-inch shy of 5 feet tall, sleeping in the car isn’t so bad, Denis said, except for when she needs to go to the bathroom at night. The church provides port-a-potties, but she doesn’t like to leave her car at night, especially now that it’s cold. (When it’s 32 degrees or colder, the church lets people sleep inside, but it hasn’t gotten that cold yet this fall.) That said, she knows she has it better than some of her parking-lot neighbors. “There are women here who never leave their car,” she said. What cities can do At the other end of the spectrum is Bob Wells, founder of the Cheap RV Living website and its corresponding YouTube channel, which has 339,000 subscribers. Wells, the author of “How to Live in a Car, Van or RV,” promotes what he calls “nomadic tribalism in a car, van or RV,” and his followers include people trying to get out of debt and those who embrace a minimalist lifestyle. Because Wells is so well-known, he’s been approached by some government officials about how cities and towns can best address the challenges presented by vehicle dwellers, the most pressing of which is where they can park and where they can dispose of waste. He urges cities to build a cooperative relationship with vehicle dwellers, provide parking and portable restroom facilities, and even a place where people can go to get temporary work. Such things would produce big results for a little money. “They’re going to have happier residents, and they’re not going to be dumping their tanks or sleeping outside people’s homes.” But some cities are doubling down on enforcement to try to get the car dwellers to go elsewhere. In July, police in Fort Collins, Colorado, issued tow notices and tickets to more than two dozen people camping in their cars, the Coloradoan reported. And San Diego has enacted a new “vehicle habitation ordinance” that prohibits people from sleeping in their cars near residences and schools. At the same time, however, the city has expanded a Safe Parking Program that it operates in conjunction with Jewish Family Service of San Diego. Pamela C. Twiss, a professor at California University of Pennsylvania and co-author of “The Homelessness Industry, a Critique of U.S. Social Policy,” said she applauds cities and faith groups that are expanding safe parking. “A car is obviously not a suitable home, but using a car for sheer survival shouldn’t be criminalized,” Twiss said. “People have to have ways to survive, and we don’t have enough shelter spaces for those who need emergency shelter.” She also noted that there is a multiyear waiting list for subsidized housing in much of the the U.S. “We’re only serving about one-quarter of those who are eligible on an income-basis,” which means that three-quarters of people who qualify for government assistance won’t get it, Twiss said. And there aren’t enough emergency shelters, either. The National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty estimates that there are 286,203 emergency shelter beds available for the 553,000 people who need them. ‘Not a solution’ Teresa Smith, founder and CEO of a San Diego nonprofit that helps the homeless, said groups that offer safe parking often are approached by people who are living in their cars happily but need a place to park for a few days. “I can’t tell you how many calls we get from people who want to urban camp,” she said. Smith’s organization, Dreams for Change, runs two safe-parking lots with a capacity of 30 to 35 vehicles, but they’re always full, and there’s a waiting list, so they can only accept people with the most urgent need, she said. Also, Dreams for Change only accepts people who are actively looking for housing. “This is not a lifestyle for them; it’s a transition, and their goal is to move back into housing.” Conversely, at Lake Washington United Methodist, the safe-parking lot is open to people to anyone living in a vehicle, whether or not they’re looking for housing. Crissy Norton, the mother of three, has been actively searching and just found out last week that she and her husband have qualified for traditional shelter. She hopes to be in apartment with her children within a few weeks. Denis, however, remains uncertain of her plans. Unwilling to ask her family for help and reluctant to move from Seattle, she believes her car is her only option right now. Hers is a situation that an increasing number of seniors are facing, said Smith at Dreams for Change. Smith said that 15-20% of the people living in their cars on Dreams for Change lots are 58 and older, and 20% are families with kids. And while most safe parking programs are on the West Coast, she said she has been contacted by people in North Carolina, Tennessee, Pennsylvania and Colorado about how they can start similar programs there. “It’s clearly not just a California issue. The problem is growing, very much so,” Smith said, adding that safe-parking lots are “not a solution, by any means.” “But they’re at least something that helps.” And Denis and Norton said it’s been good to be surrounded by other people in the same situation, and they’ve made friends there. In fact, for other people contemplating turning their car into a residence, Norton says it’s critically important to have a community of support. “Don’t do it alone,” she said. “Make friends. Never, ever let yourself be alone.”   Over and over I keep hearing discouraging stories like this throughout our state and others. Chicago Tiny House needs your help to provide housing to those that need it. We are desperately looking for help from those that want to make a difference. If you would like to make a difference please let us know, we are looking for individuals to organize a winter welfare check unit as well as people to help with fundraising and direction of our organization. Make a difference in someone's life today and join Chicago Tiny House's mission to help people in need.   Read the full article

[genderrise3-blog]

Thoughts about Mental Health and a call for community

Observations/ Reflections

by Jenn P.  |   on July 9th, 2018  | 

So…how are you? You doing ok? Hanging in there?

Things are tough right now, aren’t they? Tense. Tiring. Overwhelming. Scary.

The American political climate is beyond divisive at this point; it’s hostile and turbulent. Even the 4th of July felt a little different this year, didn’t it? I look around and it feels like people are having a harder time than usual. I know it to be true because of my job.

Anyway, if you’re reading this– I hope you are doing okay and taking care of yourself.

****

I’m late to discuss it, but I’m still feeling sad about Anthony Bourdain’s death. He was more than a chef, a traveler, a reporter, a TV personality, an author– he was a cultural anthropologist–opening windows to worlds most of us will never see. He introduced us not to the fanciest places around the globe, but the authentic spots run by real working people, and he was always a joy and a wonder to watch. He seemed like the kind of person who didn’t waste a second of life, even in the midst of what we can only assume was immeasurable pain.

It’s been interesting how his and Kate Spade’s deaths by suicide have opened up a much-needed conversation about mental health. Anthony Bourdain certainly inspired me to be a bolder traveler, eater and cook, but it’s in my professional work where I’ve felt his greatest impact.

Anthony Bourdain demonstrated a lot of the qualities found in a really good therapist; he was extraordinarily open-minded, completely nonjudgmental, empathic, down-to-earth, respectful of cultural norms and practices, naturally curious and one hell of a good listener. He never pulled away from people who were different than him; he moved toward them, pulled up a stool at the table and said, “Teach me”.

Sharing a meal with someone is an intimate act; it’s a way we connect, bond and share with others. Food, to me, has always felt like a universal love language. No matter where we are or where we grew up, we all have memories associated with food and how it connects to our families, our cultures and ourselves.  And that was always the take-away message I got from Bourdain’s programs. Watching him try exotic international cuisine was intriguing and seductive, but it always seemed like a metaphor for the real point he was trying to make.

We’re all connected.

Sorry if that’s a little woo-woo for ya, but after ten years of community-based social work, I know it in my bones to be true. Over the years I’ve had conversations with hundreds of people who are by nearly every measure different than myself, and the experience has changed my life. There have been people who walked in my office you’d think I’d have nothing in common with– people with cultural or educational or financial backgrounds that are completely opposite of mine, people with histories dealing drugs, or working in sex industries, or gang involvement– and yet–we always ALWAYS find similarities in the ways that we think or feel.

It’s not because I’m some enlightened, revolutionary person who can talk to anyone or just naturally get along with everyone. I’m not and I don’t. It’s because all people fundamentally want the same things out of life– something to do, someone to love, a sense of purpose, a feeling of safety. We’re all so much more similar than we are different. It’s been proven to me literally hundreds and hundreds of times.

In therapy, the connection doesn’t always happen right away. Some people are harder to engage in treatment than others, and like Bourdain, many times my way in has been with food. My friends and family all know I’m obsessed with food, and so do the majority of my clients at this point. If someone is having a particularly difficult time getting started in therapy, I’ll often ask my favorite back-pocket question: “How would you describe dinner at your house growing up?” because it opens up an entire world to discover. Who was at the table? Who was missing? Was there a table? What did your family eat? Who passed down the recipes? What is the culture that influenced the dishes? Who made the meal? Who served it? Was there enough?

Like Bourdain said (in his Parts Unknown episode on Queens)– when someone shows you what they eat, they’re showing you who they are, where they come from, what makes them happy.

Several of my clients shared their feelings about the two suicides in their sessions. One person scheduled an emergency visit because she found them so triggering. Recent violent events and the U.S.’s divisive political climate also have people anxious, disheartened and upset (myself included). One client very articulately expressed his worries for the future– that he’s disturbed by what he described as “a shift away from the community”, that people feel more isolated and alone, and aren’t engaging with one another kindly the way they should.

Then he said something that I think all the time: “People aren’t able to see how connected they really are, so they disconnect out of fear.”

Isn’t that so true?

***

I’m trying to find my voice in the bigger conversation about mental health. I’ve seen a ton of posts the last few weeks about reaching out for help, calling suicide-prevention hotlines, finding a psychiatrist or therapist, dropping the stigma and finding mental health services. This will likely not be a huge problem if you have private insurance, but if you don’t– if you have Medicaid or Medicare or will have to cover the costs on a sliding scale–pick up the phone and start dialing because let me tell you, these services are getting harder and harder for people to find, and it scares me. As a mental health professional, I don’t worry as much about stigma limiting people from finding treatment. I worry about the availability of services.

I work in a community mental health clinic and we are packed to the rafters. We have nearly 50 therapists on board, and need way more hands on deck. We do not have enough office space to accommodate our current patients; we often joke about needing to build another floor. The intake line never stops ringing. I have a roster of almost 65 people, frequently do ten sessions a day and am asked every week to squeeze in more. Plenty of clinics have closed (my previous counseling center closed down after 30 years when the building they were in went co-op). Many facilities have wait lists of two weeks, three weeks, a month. Our clinic finds space right away for everyone who calls for an appointment, but our staff is stretched tight. Most skilled therapists eventually go into private practice because you can determine your own pace and the pay is better. A month ago I stepped down from my role as a supervisor because keeping a watchful eye on my own clients while also being peripherally responsible for my seven supervisees’ massive caseloads was truly stressing me out.

We are in the midst of an enormous opioid crisis– people are literally dying trying to manage their pain–but just try to get someone into a detox. There is no “holding a bed” or “making a referral” for that process (not if they have Medicaid, anyway). You send them to the hospital at the crack of dawn because beds are first-come, first-served, and even then, there’s a good chance there isn’t one available. Try again tomorrow!

Hospitals are so full they sometimes release patients who are still manic. If clients relapse or decompensate, I say a prayer and amp up our session visits, knowing it could be months before I can effectively refer them to a higher level of treatment. Many times individuals who require intensive psychiatric care find themselves homeless or in prison. There are not enough long-term psychiatric treatment options available. The biggest psychiatric hospitals in this country are our jails.

And I’m talking about New York City. We have more mental health professionals and more resources than anyone. I cannot begin to fathom what it’s like to find services in small towns. It’s not nearly enough. It’s a very, very big problem.

Well, super!!! Thanks Jenn, for that uplifting message! Now what are we supposed to do?

Here are a few things:

ADVOCATE FOR REFORM: Admittedly, in social work school I was always more interested in clinical practice than policy, but now I see just how critical it is to see things from the macro perspective, not just the micro (I sound soooo social-worky right now)

*Join Mental Health America’s Advocacy Network to receive email alerts about upcoming national campaigns to protect America’s mental health through legislative advocacy.

* Connect with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which provides mental health support to millions and leads important awareness campaigns like the #StigmaFree pledge and advocacy and lobbying efforts to help promote mental well-being across the nation.

GET INFORMED. There are so many amazing resources available on the internet providing coping tools and general information about mental illness.

*The Mighty: The Mighty is a terrific digital health community created to empower and connect people facing health challenges and disabilities. Their articles are informative and help decrease stigma around physical and mental illnesses.

*Mantherapy: Mantherapy uses a heavy dose of humor to help men learn skills for coping with trauma, depression, anxiety, anger and stress. This is a really wonderful resource.

*Jen_Wellness on Instagram: My grad school bestie has an amaaaaazing instagram account (that all my friends and family are now hooked on) where she shares insightful, helpful and beautifully written posts to help people gain important skills for grounding themselves and coping with life’s stressors. This is an account that should have a million followers.

*Resources when you can’t afford therapy

GET INVOLVED. Volunteer. Go to community-based events. So many people are so isolated. Volunteer at a senior center– especially one for LGBT seniors who are less likely to have children. Adopt a veteran, who might be isolated or in a hospital.

SEEK OUT COMMUNITY:  The highlight of my week is Wednesday from 12-1pm, when I run a support group for isolated adults. Everyone started out feeling anxious and uncomfortable talking to one another and for months it felt awkward as hell. But nearly three years in, members frequently call the group their “second family”. I try to teach them coping skills, but nowadays they’re too busy telling each other dirty jokes, planning lunch outings and howling with laughter to listen to me. Things get real and completely raw in that room, and I can’t express how powerful it is to watch them support, encourage, amuse and empower one another. People need each other. Check in with your people, meet new people, engage with people.

There’s a new yoga studio in my neighborhood that I keep meaning to check out called the Happie House, where they host free community potluck dinners every Friday night. How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be great if more businesses or even individuals pulled together events like this?

Can’t find it locally? Try checking in with The Big White Wall to connect with others virtually.

BE KIND TO EACH OTHER: Give others the benefit of the doubt. Reach out. Call. Hug. Shake hands. Make eye contact. When you’re checking out at the grocery store, take out your headphones and get off your phone, for fuck’s sake. Seems like no big deal, but I think maybe it is. We’re not seeing one another anymore. We’re all here together; let’s act like it.

Wave to your neighbors. Learn the name of the person who sells you your daily coffee.  Take care of yourself. Take care of others. Use your big strong heart to pour love on those around you and I’ll keep trying to do the same.

Jenn P.

30-something psychotherapist. Loves cooking, hosting parties, exploring new places. Texan by birth. New Yorker by choice. Likes to tell little stories. Pull up a chair; I'll tell you one.

Source: http://muchtomydelight.com/2018/07/thoughts-about-mental-health-and-a-call-for-community.html

[parkspring4-blog]

Thoughts about Mental Health and a call for community

Observations/ Reflections

by Jenn P.  |   on July 9th, 2018  | 

So…how are you? You doing ok? Hanging in there?

Things are tough right now, aren’t they? Tense. Tiring. Overwhelming. Scary.

The American political climate is beyond divisive at this point; it’s hostile and turbulent. Even the 4th of July felt a little different this year, didn’t it? I look around and it feels like people are having a harder time than usual. I know it to be true because of my job.

Anyway, if you’re reading this– I hope you are doing okay and taking care of yourself.

****

I’m late to discuss it, but I’m still feeling sad about Anthony Bourdain’s death. He was more than a chef, a traveler, a reporter, a TV personality, an author– he was a cultural anthropologist–opening windows to worlds most of us will never see. He introduced us not to the fanciest places around the globe, but the authentic spots run by real working people, and he was always a joy and a wonder to watch. He seemed like the kind of person who didn’t waste a second of life, even in the midst of what we can only assume was immeasurable pain.

It’s been interesting how his and Kate Spade’s deaths by suicide have opened up a much-needed conversation about mental health. Anthony Bourdain certainly inspired me to be a bolder traveler, eater and cook, but it’s in my professional work where I’ve felt his greatest impact.

Anthony Bourdain demonstrated a lot of the qualities found in a really good therapist; he was extraordinarily open-minded, completely nonjudgmental, empathic, down-to-earth, respectful of cultural norms and practices, naturally curious and one hell of a good listener. He never pulled away from people who were different than him; he moved toward them, pulled up a stool at the table and said, “Teach me”.

Sharing a meal with someone is an intimate act; it’s a way we connect, bond and share with others. Food, to me, has always felt like a universal love language. No matter where we are or where we grew up, we all have memories associated with food and how it connects to our families, our cultures and ourselves.  And that was always the take-away message I got from Bourdain’s programs. Watching him try exotic international cuisine was intriguing and seductive, but it always seemed like a metaphor for the real point he was trying to make.

We’re all connected.

Sorry if that’s a little woo-woo for ya, but after ten years of community-based social work, I know it in my bones to be true. Over the years I’ve had conversations with hundreds of people who are by nearly every measure different than myself, and the experience has changed my life. There have been people who walked in my office you’d think I’d have nothing in common with– people with cultural or educational or financial backgrounds that are completely opposite of mine, people with histories dealing drugs, or working in sex industries, or gang involvement– and yet–we always ALWAYS find similarities in the ways that we think or feel.

It’s not because I’m some enlightened, revolutionary person who can talk to anyone or just naturally get along with everyone. I’m not and I don’t. It’s because all people fundamentally want the same things out of life– something to do, someone to love, a sense of purpose, a feeling of safety. We’re all so much more similar than we are different. It’s been proven to me literally hundreds and hundreds of times.

In therapy, the connection doesn’t always happen right away. Some people are harder to engage in treatment than others, and like Bourdain, many times my way in has been with food. My friends and family all know I’m obsessed with food, and so do the majority of my clients at this point. If someone is having a particularly difficult time getting started in therapy, I’ll often ask my favorite back-pocket question: “How would you describe dinner at your house growing up?” because it opens up an entire world to discover. Who was at the table? Who was missing? Was there a table? What did your family eat? Who passed down the recipes? What is the culture that influenced the dishes? Who made the meal? Who served it? Was there enough?

Like Bourdain said (in his Parts Unknown episode on Queens)– when someone shows you what they eat, they’re showing you who they are, where they come from, what makes them happy.

Several of my clients shared their feelings about the two suicides in their sessions. One person scheduled an emergency visit because she found them so triggering. Recent violent events and the U.S.’s divisive political climate also have people anxious, disheartened and upset (myself included). One client very articulately expressed his worries for the future– that he’s disturbed by what he described as “a shift away from the community”, that people feel more isolated and alone, and aren’t engaging with one another kindly the way they should.

Then he said something that I think all the time: “People aren’t able to see how connected they really are, so they disconnect out of fear.”

Isn’t that so true?

***

I’m trying to find my voice in the bigger conversation about mental health. I’ve seen a ton of posts the last few weeks about reaching out for help, calling suicide-prevention hotlines, finding a psychiatrist or therapist, dropping the stigma and finding mental health services. This will likely not be a huge problem if you have private insurance, but if you don’t– if you have Medicaid or Medicare or will have to cover the costs on a sliding scale–pick up the phone and start dialing because let me tell you, these services are getting harder and harder for people to find, and it scares me. As a mental health professional, I don’t worry as much about stigma limiting people from finding treatment. I worry about the availability of services.

I work in a community mental health clinic and we are packed to the rafters. We have nearly 50 therapists on board, and need way more hands on deck. We do not have enough office space to accommodate our current patients; we often joke about needing to build another floor. The intake line never stops ringing. I have a roster of almost 65 people, frequently do ten sessions a day and am asked every week to squeeze in more. Plenty of clinics have closed (my previous counseling center closed down after 30 years when the building they were in went co-op). Many facilities have wait lists of two weeks, three weeks, a month. Our clinic finds space right away for everyone who calls for an appointment, but our staff is stretched tight. Most skilled therapists eventually go into private practice because you can determine your own pace and the pay is better. A month ago I stepped down from my role as a supervisor because keeping a watchful eye on my own clients while also being peripherally responsible for my seven supervisees’ massive caseloads was truly stressing me out.

We are in the midst of an enormous opioid crisis– people are literally dying trying to manage their pain–but just try to get someone into a detox. There is no “holding a bed” or “making a referral” for that process (not if they have Medicaid, anyway). You send them to the hospital at the crack of dawn because beds are first-come, first-served, and even then, there’s a good chance there isn’t one available. Try again tomorrow!

Hospitals are so full they sometimes release patients who are still manic. If clients relapse or decompensate, I say a prayer and amp up our session visits, knowing it could be months before I can effectively refer them to a higher level of treatment. Many times individuals who require intensive psychiatric care find themselves homeless or in prison. There are not enough long-term psychiatric treatment options available. The biggest psychiatric hospitals in this country are our jails.

And I’m talking about New York City. We have more mental health professionals and more resources than anyone. I cannot begin to fathom what it’s like to find services in small towns. It’s not nearly enough. It’s a very, very big problem.

Well, super!!! Thanks Jenn, for that uplifting message! Now what are we supposed to do?

Here are a few things:

ADVOCATE FOR REFORM: Admittedly, in social work school I was always more interested in clinical practice than policy, but now I see just how critical it is to see things from the macro perspective, not just the micro (I sound soooo social-worky right now)

*Join Mental Health America’s Advocacy Network to receive email alerts about upcoming national campaigns to protect America’s mental health through legislative advocacy.

* Connect with NAMI, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, which provides mental health support to millions and leads important awareness campaigns like the #StigmaFree pledge and advocacy and lobbying efforts to help promote mental well-being across the nation.

GET INFORMED. There are so many amazing resources available on the internet providing coping tools and general information about mental illness.

*The Mighty: The Mighty is a terrific digital health community created to empower and connect people facing health challenges and disabilities. Their articles are informative and help decrease stigma around physical and mental illnesses.

*Mantherapy: Mantherapy uses a heavy dose of humor to help men learn skills for coping with trauma, depression, anxiety, anger and stress. This is a really wonderful resource.

*Jen_Wellness on Instagram: My grad school bestie has an amaaaaazing instagram account (that all my friends and family are now hooked on) where she shares insightful, helpful and beautifully written posts to help people gain important skills for grounding themselves and coping with life’s stressors. This is an account that should have a million followers.

*Resources when you can’t afford therapy

GET INVOLVED. Volunteer. Go to community-based events. So many people are so isolated. Volunteer at a senior center– especially one for LGBT seniors who are less likely to have children. Adopt a veteran, who might be isolated or in a hospital.

SEEK OUT COMMUNITY:  The highlight of my week is Wednesday from 12-1pm, when I run a support group for isolated adults. Everyone started out feeling anxious and uncomfortable talking to one another and for months it felt awkward as hell. But nearly three years in, members frequently call the group their “second family”. I try to teach them coping skills, but nowadays they’re too busy telling each other dirty jokes, planning lunch outings and howling with laughter to listen to me. Things get real and completely raw in that room, and I can’t express how powerful it is to watch them support, encourage, amuse and empower one another. People need each other. Check in with your people, meet new people, engage with people.

There’s a new yoga studio in my neighborhood that I keep meaning to check out called the Happie House, where they host free community potluck dinners every Friday night. How cool is that? Wouldn’t it be great if more businesses or even individuals pulled together events like this?

Can’t find it locally? Try checking in with The Big White Wall to connect with others virtually.

BE KIND TO EACH OTHER: Give others the benefit of the doubt. Reach out. Call. Hug. Shake hands. Make eye contact. When you’re checking out at the grocery store, take out your headphones and get off your phone, for fuck’s sake. Seems like no big deal, but I think maybe it is. We’re not seeing one another anymore. We’re all here together; let’s act like it.

Wave to your neighbors. Learn the name of the person who sells you your daily coffee.  Take care of yourself. Take care of others. Use your big strong heart to pour love on those around you and I’ll keep trying to do the same.

Jenn P.

30-something psychotherapist. Loves cooking, hosting parties, exploring new places. Texan by birth. New Yorker by choice. Likes to tell little stories. Pull up a chair; I'll tell you one.

Source: http://muchtomydelight.com/2018/07/thoughts-about-mental-health-and-a-call-for-community.html

[deadmantalking117]

MO'MONEY!- MO'MONEY!- MO'MONEY!

I told you before.. Dr's gotta get their coin! Who can blame them.. it's an amazing thing to be a doctor. Years of study followed by years of 20 hour days. So people can throw up on your shoes. People's lives are in your hands.. you're wrong.. they die. You get to see why some Drs are frankly assholes. I've been lucky as hell.. relatively speaking. I've almost always had wonderful Drs. Do right now. Not a lemon in this bunch. But oh my.. there have been some! Some Drs are Drs for the same reason some religious people are religious.. they love to rule over peoples lives! They wanna be in charge of you! They get oh so offended by any questions! Do as I tell you! Or DIE! I had this one GI.. Dr. Pencil Mustache. Dr. Pencil Mustache was actually my real Drs partner. My Dr was out of town right then.. Dr. Pencil Mustache was covering. They decided I needed a colonoscopy right now.. so gallon of colon blow to clear the decks.. night spent on the toilet.. liquid fire.. you've heard this story before. For people like me who get frequent colonoscopies.. we get a little perk. We get knocked the hell out! For new patients.. they can't always do this because there's no record of how you react under anesthesia. Lot's of people have bad reactions to anesthesia so they just let you stay awake.. tough it out. By the time you realize how horrifyingly painful it is.. it's too late! You're on your side and there's 10 feet of camera shoved up your outhouse. If the Dr thinks this'll be a one time thing.. why take the extra chance of more drugs? But we frequent flyers.. get the good stuff! They're going to need us to do this every few years..dont forget they make bank off these test! Plus the whole.. keeping you alive thing. they know we do ok with the anesthesia so.. why not shut them up.. get this done quick and easy.. no whining! Being anesthetized is quiet honestly.. awesome! It's almost fun.. I'm laying there on my side.. Dr's looming over me.. holding the long camera tube thingy.. mask on..but you can tell.. he's giggling under there. "Put him out".. and the anesthesiologist pushes the plunger. Heres the fun part.. try really hard to stay awake! I haven't made it past 5 seconds yet. It's the perfect nap. You're instantly unconscious..an hour or so later.. you're awake.. feeling good. And strangely violated. I just know they make fun of my penis when I'm out. So while you're sleeping.. Dr is running his oh so long camcorder all the way to the end of the line! If you're interested.. draw an imaginary line.. Starting at the anus . Up the left side to just under your ribs.. then across your stomach to the right side.. down to under you belly button. Thats roughly the trip that this garden hose makes. But wait. There's more! Because technology is super awesome. This combination camera and pressure washer.. is also a biopsy taker! A little wire loop can wrap around polyps and burn it off then pull it out for testing. Cool right!? Well because of Dr Pencil Mustache. I found out that tearing out polyps in your colon with a burning wire.. hurts exactly as much as it sounds like! The pain is monsterous. I was put out.. but Dr Pencil Mustache would only use a little anesthesia.. cuz he was paying for it or something. Within seconds I was very wide awake! I was sure to let him know this.. but like I said..they're his drugs and he didn't like sharing. The anesthesiologist asks him.. should I put him back? This idiot says.. No... we're almost out.. only 2 more biopsies left! Then BURN! There's really no way to adequately describe the sensation.. bad.. leaps to mind. I screamed. The anesthesiologist says "Dr!?" Fine.. he says. Back under I went.. thank God. I'm already in the hospital.. so afterwards they wheel me back to my room.. and the next day Dr Pencil Mustache rolls in.. large and in charge! Doesn't say a word.. just turns off my t.v. and starts kinda yelling at me.. Dr: You've got serious disease! Me: I've been told that! Dr: you're intestines are in bad shape! Me: I believe you! So far.. this isn't really new information.. and why is this dude so cranky? Dr: you've gotta do this!.. take that!... eat this stuff!... you better listen to what I say! Me: ummm. Ok. Dr: I don't know why you're so sick!? Did you even know that there aren't as many nerves in the guts as there are elsewhere around your body? Me: there seems to be plenty actually. How many nerves does it take to feel bad? Maybe next time you take those out instead ! Two birds and all !? Dr: you need to get tougher! Eat better! Shape up! Me: (in my fantasy) I shoot him in the guts with my 20 guage.. then I yell. "Get tougher! Eat better! Suck it up! There's hardly any nerves in the gut! Why are you crying!" Aaaand scene! Actually most of that conversation happened.. he was off the chain rude. When my Dr got back two days later.. I complained.. he said he understood.. he actually got that a lot.. his partner was a brilliant technician but bad with people. Fortunately I wouldn't have deal with him anymore. My point is this.. You have to be you're own medical advocate. It's on you you keep looking until you find the right doctor. Don't settle for whichever one shows up first. Or by an ad in the phonebook. Finding the right doctor is the most important thing you can do. You are finding a person that you want to be responsible for keeping you alive. You really should put a little effort in to it. And it's actually really simple. Well except for the money part.. that's usually hard. Finding a doctor who will take your particular insurance.. have a reasonable copay... that's the hard part. But the biggest thing.. the easy thing. Find a person you like. Their personality, do they seem to like you? I know Drs are supposed to be aloof and not emotionally involved with their patients. But the best doctors actually do care... of course they care. Money, money, money. It's a big consideration.. because of my circumstances I've had doctors write off their copays.. so they could keep seeing me. I've had doctors write me off.. because I couldn't pay. I had this guy.. sent me a nice form letter.. says he can't treat me anymore.. because I owe 150 dollars in copays. It always seemed like he really liked me though.. I assumed that the business office just sent me the letter.. he likely never knew about it. You see.. a doctor's practice is a business. And business is booming. Lots of diseased maniacs like me. For now.. vote with your dollars. Don't settle for a doctor you don't like. It's too important of a relationship. This guy or girl doesn't have to be your new BFF. You don't have to spend hours together braiding hair.. and gossiping. You do have to be comfortable with this person.. you have to be able to be completely honest with them about everything. Thats a hell of a thing And if we could remove the money part from consideration.. it would be so much better for everyone. Your only thoughts should be.. is this a good doctor? Not.. Will he take a 3rd party post dated check?

[prorevenge]

Try to rip people off with shady flipped houses? Watch me flip your bank account.

So I don't think this is entirely pro, but this just happened and I'm quite pleased with myself. Sorry for how long it is, I'm a wordy person.

Background: my girlfriend and I have been trying to buy a house for a month or two. Housing market where we live is tough, we don't have a huge income, most houses sell within 24 hours, etc so it's been a struggle. About a month and a half ago we found a house that was PERFECT. In the neighborhood we wanted, 2 bed 2 bath, at the very top of our price range but still doable, etc etc. Best part is that it's beautifully renovated, new roof, everything is new and gorgeous! We put in an offer, but get outbid by someone else (which is crushing, if you have yet to experience that).

We mourn and then continue searching for other houses....until we get a call from our agent saying that the other buyers backed out and the seller is offering it to us first before putting it back on the market.

A quick important note here: the seller is the owner, but is also acting as his own real estate agent, and he runs his own business buying foreclosures and flipping them. This is important later.

Back to the rest of the story- We decide to go for it, but are skeptical because why would the other buyers back out on such a perfect house? We go to look at the house again, and the second time we notice some details we previously overlooked in our initial infatuation.

Almost all of the interior door hardware is put on incorrectly (door handles backwards, locks not measured correctly so unable to close, some door handles just plain don't work), when we really check out the master bathroom we notice that the shower floor feels spongy, like they didn't fill it underneath before putting the pan in, drawers don't open because of how pipe fittings were installed, etc. The list could go on much longer, but the point is we started to be concerned about the quality of the work- if that's just the simple exterior stuff, what about the stuff hidden behind the walls?

We decide to move forward anyways, knowing we can get a thorough inspection. Our real estate agent (who is a badass) put language into the purchase agreement giving us the standard "contingent on inspection" out, along with a written commitment from the seller via email to fix the issues we noted.

It's at this crucial juncture that our real estate agent learns some critical information, begrudgingly dragged from the seller at threat of litigation for failure to disclose: the other buyers actually backed out because THE SELLER DIDN'T GET PERMITS FOR ANY OF THE RENOVATIONS HE DID. Being new to this, and having zero experience with renovations or contractors or really anything house related, we weren't entirely sure what this meant but decided to use our 10 inspection days to learn fast and figure shit out.

We call around to all of the city people who handle permitting to see what the implications are of basically the entire house, including roof, all electrical wiring, and all plumbing, being unpermitted. They basically say to run the other direction. My google and reddit research turns up that it's kind of absurd to still ask full price for a house in this situation, so we go back to the seller and ask him whether he would consider getting the work permitted or dropping the price the amount it would cost us to get the work permitted.

He blows up, basically says we don't know anything because we're girls, don't we know what a hassle it would be to open up the walls to permit all of the wiring and plumbing, accuses us of trying to extort him, and tells us we're lucky he's even working with us. Okay. It is at this moment that I internally say fuck you and decide he's going to suffer some consequences.

At this point we still have ~8 days in our inspection period, so I start by doing some serious research and putting together all the pieces. Now knowing what an asshole this guy is, I'm seeing some earlier minor concerns in a new light. In our area there are two different seller disclosures- one that is thorough and awesome, and an "alternative" that is shitty and doesn't actually really require the seller to document or disclose much of anything. This seller used the alternative disclosure, and in hindsight it's because if he had used the awesome one he would have had to put down on paper all of the renovations that were done and simultaneously admit that they weren't done with permits.

Then I start investigating who did the work for him- turns out there is no record of the contractors he told us he used in the state, so that's shady. No record of licenses/anything for any of the contractors he said he worked with, which means there's not actually a solid record of who even did the renovations and whether they're actually contractors with the necessary training.

Next I look into the seller's business- like I said, he works as a real estate agent and also buys foreclosures to flip them and resell at massive profit. I notice he's got a habit of buying houses in poorer areas (largely communities of color), flipping them, and then selling them at much higher values than are reasonable. I pull permits on several of his other projects and lo and behold- this is not the first time he has apparently done a shit ton of work without permits.

At this point here's what I have: shady seller, doing tons of unpermitted work with contractors who might not actually be contractors or licensed to do the work, selling to a lot of buyers who are unlikely to fully understand the implications of buying a property that is almost entirely unpermitted.

For those who (like me two months ago) don't have a clear grasp of permitting, here's the short of it: you decide to do renovations, you go to the city to let them know, pull a permit (which is expensive), and then they have inspectors come out to make sure everything is up to code. Without permits you have no guarantee that any of the work is done to code, which (at least in the case of plumbing and wiring) can be a huge safety issue. In addition, if anything ever does happen as a result of that unpermitted work and your homeowner's insurance finds out it was unpermitted, they can refuse to cover any damages. Again, when you think about what could happen with some shady plumbing and wiring done by people who are not licensed contractors....and then to not have your insurance cover it...well, suffice to say I am now enraged not only on mine and my girlfriend's behalf, but also for the people who might drop their entire savings on a house they think is amazing and then they get completely screwed.

Armed with info on the lack of permits, lack of licensed contractors, and general grossness of the seller, my girlfriend gets in on the action. She goes and makes friends with ALL of the city people related to construction, code enforcement, and permitting. She works her way up through the ranks, going from the people who answer phones, to the inspectors, all the way up to the district supervisor.

She flawlessly pulls the "I'm so helpless, I don't know anything please tell me if this is a good idea, I don't have any family in town (true) and I'm just trying to make a sound investment in my future and in the community" card. Everyone eats it up and can't get enough and they're falling all over themselves trying to help her.

She lays out all of the information, explaining all of the work that we've seen that's been done, the seller's written confirmation via email of each of the renovations, concerns about the work being done by unlicensed fake contractors, etc. The city people get a justice boner on behalf of this poor young woman just trying to build a future and the shady older gentleman trying to exploit her, and promptly reassure her that they are going to do everything in their power to look into it, meanwhile she should back out of the purchase agreement.

The city people kept us updated on their plans, and we waited until the 10th day of our 10 day period to back out because it gave them more time to work.

At the end of it all, courtesy of public records and our new biffles in the city permitting and code offices, here's what happened:

The day we backed out and cancelled the agreement, the city levied a few small fines against the seller....fines that ended up totaling nearly 50k. AND, now any time an agent looks at the house listing, there are a whole lot of red flags that pop up that weren't there before. If the seller refuses to pay the fines, the city has said they may put a lien on the house.

I may have also conveniently and anonymously written a few blog posts about the seller and their business, which since they had close to zero internet presence are now in the top results if anyone googles them. Note that I said nothing untrue, and nothing I don't have written documentation to back up, so no real risk of libel. I've learned some things reading this blog!

This house that the seller had multiple offers on within 12 hours originally has now been sitting on the market untouched for weeks. Every time I see the posting still sitting there with no change it brings me joy- and hopefully our revenge plot will help prevent some unsuspecting buyer from getting screwed.

Bonus: My girlfriend and I are now a seller's worst nightmare when it comes to possibly shady renovations, and also have some great connections with city permitting and code people!

Edit: just want to note that the city people who helped us really were very kind and generous with their time. The whole "playing the damsel" bit that I wrote is how my gf and I jokingly talk about it, but realistically had the city people not been awesome to begin with they could have easily just ignored her/us . So, just wanted to publicly recognize the city workers for their greatness and their role in all this!

(source) (story by deleted)

[leftpress]

Despite Federal Law, Some Rural Hospitals Still Turn Away Women in Labor

| ProPublica: Articles and Investigations | March 3rd 2017

by Julie Lasson, for ProPublica,

This story was co-published with the Louisville Courier-Journal.

The young woman’s water broke late one morning in August 2014, as she stood in the bathroom of her home in rural Kentucky.

Her mother rushed her to the emergency room at Jewish Hospital Shelbyville. She signed a slip at the front desk, listing her chief complaint as “labor.”

But Jewish Hospital had closed its obstetrics department eight years earlier. “We don’t deliver babies here,” the nurse told the woman over the phone, not realizing that she was calling from inside the emergency room, a government inspection found.

With no help offered, the woman and her mother went to a nearby gas station and called 911. An ambulance took her to a hospital 24 miles away, where she delivered a baby girl via C-section.

Under the federal Emergency Medical Treatment and Labor Act, or EMTALA, eve...

ry U.S. hospital with an emergency room has a duty to treat patients who arrive in labor, caring for them at least until the delivery of the placenta after a baby is born.

But 30 years after EMTALA was passed, hospitals — particularly those in rural areas without obstetrics units — are still turning away women in labor.

A review of federal inspection reports shows that at least 20 rural hospitals around the country have been found in violation of EMTALA over the last five years — including Jewish Hospital Shelbyville. In several cases, women suffered serious complications after being turned away, or were misdiagnosed at facilities that lacked specialists in obstetrics.

A hospital in Willows, California, was cited and fined in October 2013 for not recognizing that 29-year-old Martha Guzman had preeclampsia, a dangerous pregnancy complication. Guzman suffered seizures later that night and was rushed to a different hospital, where she delivered a stillborn boy. She died the next day.

Some ERs not only denied treatment to women in labor, they also would not help them transfer elsewhere, records show. A woman turned away by Monroe County Hospital in Forsyth, Georgia, ended up calling 911 from outside the dialysis center across the street. Another woman, told there were no staff gynecologists at a Hartford, Kentucky hospital, called an ambulance from a grocery store parking lot.

It’s unknown how much such lapses contribute to the nation’s burgeoning rates of maternal mortality and serious pregnancy-related complications, but inadequate care and misdiagnoses clearly play some role, experts say.

Help Us Investigate Maternal Health

Do you know someone who died or nearly died in pregnancy, childbirth, or within a year after delivery? Please tell us your story.

EMTALA was passed primarily to ensure that emergency rooms couldn't refuse patients because they couldn't pay for services. Prompted by a catastrophic case in which a pregnant woman was turned away from two California hospitals that believed she had no insurance, the provisions outlined in EMTALA specific to labor reflected that a growing number of hospitals, especially in rural areas, had begun eliminating obstetrics departments because of high costs and a lack of doctors.

EMTALA has not reversed this trend. “The availability of OB services in rural areas has steadily declined since the beginning of EMTALA in 1985,” notes Dr. Todd Taylor, a longtime emergency room physician and EMTALA compliance consultant.

A study by The Walsh Center for Rural Health Analysis shows the portion of non-metropolitan counties without hospital-based obstetric services grew from 24 percent in 1985 to 44 percent in 2002, pointing to EMTALA as one reason why. Another study by the University of Minnesota Rural Health Research Center found that 7 percent of hospitals in nine states with large rural populations closed their obstetrics units between 2010 and 2014.

An official at the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said that the agency does not track whether hospitals drop obstetric services or if the number of EMTALA violations at hospitals without such services has grown.

The EMTALA violation at Jewish Hospital Shelbyville prompted CMS to cite the hospital for placing patients in “immediate jeopardy,” warning that if it did not swiftly fix the problems in its emergency room, it could lose Medicare funding.

“This was an existential threat,” said Dr. Peter Hasselbacher, who conducts research and writes about state health policy for his web site, the Kentucky Health Policy Institute. Government health programs cover over 75 percent of Jewish Hospital’s patients, he added.

The hospital, which is part of KentuckyOne Health, the state’s largest health system, says it has made the required changes.

“We are fully capable of dealing with obstetric emergencies at Jewish Hospital Shelbyville Emergency Department,” said Barbara Mackovic, Jewish Hospital Shelbyville’s senior manager of media relations. She said the hospital has the equipment and the board-certified personnel it needs to handle such cases and educates its employees on the law.

The hospital’s commitment to handling emergency deliveries hasn’t been tested, however. Since the case in August 2014, it has not delivered a baby, Mackovic said.

Dealing with emergency deliveries tests rural hospitals in several ways, experts say. These cases create tough decisions for all practitioners, but especially those who see a lower volume of patients and have less experience.

Active labor can be hard to diagnose unless it is obvious, and the process can take hours, said Dr. Shailey Prasad, an associate professor at the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health at the University of Minnesota. Doctors in rural communities who perform few deliveries should use simulations to maintain their skills so they’re ready when emergencies arise, he said.

Pregnant women in rural areas face a host of risk factors, including inadequate prenatal care, higher rates of tobacco and alcohol use during pregnancy, and fewer choices of providers and health care plans, according to the Center for Rural Health at the University of North Dakota. The American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says rural women experience slightly higher rates of hospitalizations due to complicated pregnancies.

Jennifer Boomer Trammell lives in remote Alpine, Texas (population 6,000). Last year, when she was pregnant with her second child, she saw the first obstetrician/gynecologist to come to town, but also traveled eight hours to Dallas for prenatal examinations starting at the 30-week mark of her pregnancy. She had complications so severe during the delivery of her first child, now three and a half years old, that she had to be medevaced to a hospital with a neonatal intensive care unit.

“It opened my eyes to how naive I was to give birth in a place like this,” she said. “I’m hyper-aware of how dangerous it could be.”

Jennifer, Neil and Abbott Trammell in Marfa, Texas. Jennifer was medevaced to a hospital with a neonatal ICU during Abbott’s delivery. (Jordann Tomasek, courtesy of Jennifer Boomer Trammell)

She stayed in Dallas three weeks before the birth of her second child and six weeks afterwards. “I just don’t want to take that risk,” she said back in July, when she was making arrangements.

Some rural hospitals singled out for EMTALA violations have since made concerted efforts to change their approach. Harlan County Health in Alma, Nebraska, was cited for an incident in 2011 when an emergency department staffer told the boyfriend of a woman in labor that the hospital didn’t do deliveries and didn’t have a maternity ward, prompting the couple to leave.

The hospital itself reported the problem and, in response to the citation, hired a consultant to update its policies, gave the staff a half day of training on EMTALA, and purchased new equipment to be more prepared for emergencies, said Manuela Wolf, now Harlan’s CEO. The hospital also has a telemedicine system that allows practitioners elsewhere to guide hospital staff members through deliveries via live stream. Harlan has delivered four babies since the incident.

But not all facilities have followed suit, even if staffers are well aware of EMTALA’s requirements.

Government inspectors cited East Texas Medical Center Carthage in Carthage, Texas, for a July 2012 incident in which a staffer told a woman in labor that the hospital didn’t have obstetric services or an obstetrician, and didn’t know where ambulances were stationed to transfer her elsewhere. She and her husband tried to drive themselves to another hospital, but their car broke down, the inspection report said. An ambulance took them to the facility, where she delivered by C-section, but the baby died shortly thereafter.

As part of their investigation, inspectors turned up an email from one Carthage staff member to another, noting this was not the first time the medical center had turned away an emergency delivery.

“That very scenario is why we have the EMTALA law, and this,” the staff member wrote, referring to the July 2012 case, “was an EMTALA violation.”

Officials at East Texas Medical Center Carthage did not respond to questions about these incidents.

Experts say hospitals need to do a better job of upholding their obligations to women in labor, even if they’ve closed their obstetric units.

“It is hard to u

[anthonybialy]

Moneyed Sanctimony

Don't you care about everyone suffering? Those inflicting sure do, which they make sure you know. Impossible sanctimony is the only thing liberals produce. Unfathomable debt may also count if the absence of money could be rendered tangible.

Giving fellow humans a drink is now a crime, according to more reasonable interpreters of Georgia's election law. Those who decided water while voting is the rights issue of our time presumably spend each Election Day ladling lifesaving fluid into the parched mouths of those banished to deserts for the sin of attempting to participate in democracy. One can't simply hydrate before spending an hour waiting to cast a ballot.

I'm sorry to disappoint by reading the rules. Of course, the actual harmless ban pertains to handing out anything with a political message to those in a voting queue, like, say, a taped-on label with a contender's name. Banning bribing near a voting booth used to be bipartisan. Those still posturing about Flint not having drinking water in a town run by politicians are too busy drowning in their outrage.

Cutting off sips is the greatest freakout from a bill filled with provocations for the self-righteous. Georgia merely standardized something invented as a right within the past silly year or so, namely being entitled to vote when you please. Everyone once cast on the same day back in ancient times of a couple years ago. Primitive society waited until contenders finished that whole campaign thing and everyone presented with the same information made semi-informed decisions. And we used magic pocket phones with slightly less memory.

It's racist to hope that the votes of minorities aren't diluted by fraud. Conversely, proclaiming black people can't acquire IDs needed to function in society is now considered the epitome of tolerance. There is certainly zero potential for electoral mischief with drop boxes and mail forms as long as everyone promises to behave. You must show your vaccination passport with private medical information everywhere except at your polling place.

Masks haven't stopped uttering claims about how fantastically they work any better than they have the virus. But you have to don one if you oppose others dying. Nanny goons got a nation muffling its words for over a year and the only clear message is it'll be yet another two weeks. It's your fault, naturally. Scientific collectivists insist everyone else not wearing them hard enough. Like every other mandatory infiltration, failure results from a few noncompliant citizens refusing to obey. Exceptions caused failed rules.

It's the apex of selfishness to notice making it tricky to breathe hasn't stopped the outbreak from raging. Statist enthusiasts used to have to speak to signal virtue. A Che t-shirt helps, but it might get occasionally laundered. Keep covering exhale holes to show who cares about fellow man. If masks and vaccinations each work so well, then there should be no concerns about mingling with free-breathing rabble.

Gun control is popular with people who think feelings stop criminals. You must be one of those ghouls who's okay with children dying. Those objecting can tell how sophisticated opposing arguments are by the way they pretend their foes are honorary demons who makes meth cocktails with baby blood.

Those who preach using caskets as pulpits never ponder that their desired measures might not stop lawbreakers, what with the breaking laws. Oh, and restrictions on a right actually increase crime thanks to hassling the innocent. Relatedly, those who wish both Twitter and the Constitution had edit functions make you justify owning something in the same way they don't think of how the virtuous might use those items. They don't map out consequences of raising taxes to help the economy, either, so at least they're consistent.

Life will be magical when the consciously pious get everything they want. Shrieking about the NRA profiting off killing kids is how the utterly sensible cope with frustration in the meantime. Those damning devices always forget to condemn the murderers. They're too busy neglecting to check if criminals using guns aren't thriving in, say, New York or California. Those two notoriously peaceful states are famous Wild West jurisdictions where the only gun law is that the fastest draw becomes the new sheriff.

Announcing their brave stances against racism and oppression is one way of creating unity. Taking the time to understand opposition would to them be conceding bigots have a point. The open-minded forget to open minds. I get why they believe what they do. I just think it's dumb. That stands in contrast to being told you're a secret Hitler Klansman for not believing America is systemically racist.

It's tough to think when a political philosophy is based upon emotion. Everyone should be cared for, you demonic insurance company shill. Calling health care a right then shrugging at rationing is how to cope. You've got some nerve not updating today's gender count.

Indulging in feelings mean not bothering to check what actually happens. People keep voting despite being carded, crime drops when gun ownership increases, and the economy prospers when it's not being drained to help participants. But sob stories will win the day if they ever become true.

[harrypark-blog2]

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International Auto Transport from/to Connecticut

Besides the actual shipping, A1 Auto Transport can also deal with customs, arrange for a ship to take your car overseas, and have a carrier pick it up from the harbor when it arrives in the other country.

As a side note, beware of import taxes before you decide on international auto transportation. Some countries try to discourage car imports by raising taxes to an unreasonable level. You should check how much you’ll have to pay before shipping the car.

After you’ve confirmed the price is within your budget, call our office to discuss the shipment. There are also a few documents you’ll have to prepare which will be explained by our staff over the phone.

Cheap Car Transportation Options in Connecticut

Auto transportation doesn’t have to be expensive if you take a extra few steps before and during the booking process. Before calling any one company, do a background check to see who you’re working with.

Especially for long distance transportation, larger companies will be able to keep costs low due to a solid system established over the years. Companies with a small fleet of carriers will not be able to reach every part of the US as easily, so they might have to increase the price to take on your shipment.

As a side note, you should always be aware of scammers. They’re as present in our business as in any other, and you can usually detect them through their unusually low prices, large down payments, and poor websites.

After choosing a company, call and ask for their rates. Request an open carrier, as this is usually the cheapest option, and see if there are any terminals near your ideal pickup and drop off locations. Finally, our company also has several discounts and seasonal offerings. You can take advantage of them if you meet our criteria.

Shipping Luxury and Classic Cars in Connecticut

Enclosed car shipping is definitely the best option if you want to make sure your Connecticut luxury or classic car is completely protected. Even though it might be more expensive than contracting an open carrier, vehicles are safer from prying eyes, weather conditions, scratches, dirt, or debris in a well-equipped covered truck.

As a bonus, shipping your antique or vintage cars is done much faster with an enclosed carrier than with an open one, as it usually houses fewer vehicles and therefore requires fewer stops, long routes, etc.

Connecticut Special Discounts

Any senior or student that chooses our auto transport services for his/her vehicles benefits from a preferential price. Military members enjoy special discounts as well. Other clients that do not fit these criteria can enjoy the seasonal offers that A1 Auto Transport presents from time to time.

Auto Transport Safety Measures in Connecticut

Regardless of your choice of open or enclosed auto transportation, the most that can happen to your car while it’s being moved are a couple bumps or scratches.

If it’s going to be traveling on an open trailer, it will be exposed to the elements, road debris, etc. However, this is not different from the way it’s expose when you drive it each day.

But unlike when you drive it, on an auto carrier its mileage doesn’t increase and there’s no chance of a flat tire or of something breaking. Beams and the surrounding automobiles also offer partial protection against weather conditions.

A-1 Auto Transport ships worldwide. Click Here or call 1-800-452-2880 to get a free, no obligation to buy, price quote for your shipment.

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How to Request a Price Estimate

We recommend either using our ‘Get an instant quote’ form or calling us directly to receive a price estimate. Both versions only take a few minutes. Make sure you complete all the fields if you’re going to use our form and explain your request in detail if you’ll call us directly.

Despite having a large fleet of carriers, we may be booked completely in the short term, especially during the high season (summer). So, if you want to book our services, the sooner you do so the better. Call now to make sure we’re available on the date you need us.

Connecticut Auto Transport Companies Directory

Apple Towing

This company has been providing regional auto transport logistics in the Hartford area for many years, for those that need a simple move locally but don’t have the time nor the resources to take care of it on their own. A trusted company in the area with friendly drivers.

602 Tolland St, East Hartford, CT

860-289-0665

Apple Towing

Capo Auto, LLC

Capo Auto offers quality hauling services of automobiles, motorcycles and boats in and around the Hartford, CT area. For those that need a car moved from one area to the next or need localized auto transport might opt for a quote from this long-standing company in the Hartford area. Open air or enclosed auto transport options to help with relocation of different vehicles. Licensed, bonded and insured.

115 Park Ave, East Hartford, CT

860-289-1144

Cape Auto LLC

AA Car Shipping Auto Transporting

If you are shipping in and around the New Haven area, then AA Car Shipping can help to take care of your auto transport needs. Offering a wide range of transport options, this allows you to work with a company that you can trust to get your vehicle from one point to the next — both local and nationwide auto shippers throughout the United States. They usually have competitive pricing rates, seasonal discounts, and military specials. Call or email them today for a free quote online at their website.

1 Long Wharf Drive, New Haven, CT 06511

805-285-5077

Registering a Vehicle in Connecticut

A vehicle needs to be registered, so you can use it freely in Connecticut. It does not matter if you are new to Connecticut, or if you own a brand new vehicle. There is an easy registration process for your first time in the state.

A valid vehicle insurance is one of the requirements you need to meet to register the vehicle in Connecticut's DMV.

You have about 60 days to complete the transfer of your old car registration to Connecticut's DMV if you are coming from a different state.

Prior to your registration, new Connecticut residents must have the VIN verified and pass the emissions test at the testing area. There are few a exemptions, which entirely depend on the vehicle you are bringing.

After you have completed the initial process, you need to see the local DMV office and prepare the following requirements:

·         Vehicle's Registration Certificate,

·         VIN inspection report,

·         Current Connecticut insurance ID card,

·         Any acceptable ID (Valid ID, DL, Military Identification Card),

·         Pay any applicable fees.

Reminder: You need to be sure you do not have parking tickets or overdue taxes or a record stating your registration was previously suspended.

Once you have become a new Connecticut resident, you will be given 30 days to complete the transfer process from your previous state to a license issued by Connecticut.

Registering a Used or New Vehicle in Connecticut

As part of CT's compliance, you need to comply with the state's criteria to register the vehicle in CT.

Your vehicle's registration will not be processed due to these reasons:

·         Your car registration was suspended.

·         You have unpaid tax duties.

·         You have records of unpaid parking fees.

·         Your vehicle did not pass the CT emission tests.

Used or Brand New Vehicles

You must perform the following before the registration process:

·         Bring your vehicle to an emission evaluation facility to perform the test.

OR

·         Complete the VIN verification process at a station to see if the vehicle may be exempted from an emission test.

After your vehicle passed the test or completed the verification of VIN, see your local service office or Connecticut's DMV office along with the following documents:

·         A duly completed Application form for Registration together with a Certificate of Ownership.

·         Certificate of Registration (if registering a pre-owned vehicle) and the present Title Certification.

·         A Sale Document.

·         A valid CT insurance ID card.

o    This ID card may be requested by the insurance company and your name needs to be on it.

·         Any valid identification card (Learner's permit, ID card, Driver's License).

·         Payment of registration fees.

Purchasing a Vehicle (Private Individual)

When you purchase a vehicle, the information below may apply, especially if it comes from a private individual:

·         If the last owner discontinued the registration and has surrendered the plates, the buyer needs to register the car and request the title to be transferred under the buyer's name before he can drive it.

·         In case the last owner discontinued the registration and has not surrendered the plates, there is no issue using the vehicle. The title must be endorsed and the car needs to be listed under the new owner immediately.

·         If the last owner was not able to register the vehicle for some time, and an emissions test is required, the buyer needs to get in touch with the DMV office to apply for a tentative registration for a vehicle inspection and complete the registration.

Leased Vehicles

When you are about to register a leased car, observe the similar steps listed above which are applicable to used/new vehicle registration. Additional information listed below is also needed:

·         The leasing license from the CT DMV.

·         Original copy of the POA document (duplicate copy is not accepted) which states who is authorized to sign papers on behalf of the leasing office.

Reminder: A CT insurance ID card can be listed under the leasing office or in the new owner's name. If the vehicle is going to be used for test driving, the insurance card should be listed under the leasing office.

The leasing office's address and name should be included on the form. (Application for a Certificate of Title and Registration). The POA needs to sign the document.

Expired CT Registered Vehicles

Upon the expiration of the vehicle's registration, the owner needs to renew its registration. If it has not been renewed for more than two years, the owner needs to visit the nearest local CT DMV office with the following details:

·         Present your registration renewal notification and the license plate information.

·         Connecticut's DL.

·         The vehicle needs to have no compliance issues, like unpaid property taxes, parking tickets, and emission test requirements.

·         Payment for registration and a late fee of 10 US dollars. If the vehicle registration has expired more than 2 years ago, you must complete a form to secure a document which will include the title and original registration of the vehicle. The new owner is required to place the new plates on his car.

Tentative Vehicle Registration

You may secure a tentative registration if your vehicle's registration has ended (especially when it needs an emissions test or safety evaluation).

You must observe similar steps listed above when you need to register a used or new vehicle. However, you must indicate you are applying for temporary vehicle registration documentation for the vehicle inspection purpose.

Reminder: Temporary registration cannot be renewed. Therefore, you must complete the emissions test or safety inspection at least in 10 days upon receipt of the registration document.

Connecticut's registration fees: The car registration fee in the state differs based on vehicle type.

Regular fees are:

·         For passenger cars: 80 US dollars valid for two years.

·         Business vehicle: Starts at 47 US dollars for one year (price differs depending on a vehicle's weight)

·         Motorcycles: 42 US dollars valid for two years.

·         Trailers (for personal): 19 US dollars valid for two years.

·         Snowmobiles: 20 US dollars valid for two years.

·         Electric automobiles: 38 US dollars valid for two years.

Other additional fees also include:

·         Clean Air Fund Fee: 10 US dollars.

·         Parks Fee is 5 US dollars per year.

·         Environment (Reduction of Gas Fee): 5 US dollars

·         Late Charge: 10 US dollars.

·         Municipality or Contractor’s processing fee: Maximum of 8 US dollars.

New residents are required to pay:

·         Emissions testing fee: 20 US dollars.

·         Vehicle Identification Number evaluation fee: 10 US dollars (cars which are exempted from the emissions test).

Military personnel's vehicle registration in Connecticut: A military member who is on active duty may register a vehicle when out of CT and will be exempted from paying certain fees.

Registering Out-of-State Vehicles

Generally, you may register a vehicle if you’re out of state via mail.

You need to include:

·         Recent US military identification card.

·         Recent CT insurance identification card (should either be listed under the leasing company's name or your name).

·         An Application for a Title Certificate and Registration form.

·         Federal Odometer document (if the vehicle was sold from a dealership).

·         A paid invoice or Deed of Sale (if the vehicle was newly purchased).

·         A Waiver for Registration Fee application form (for those on active duty in US Military Armed Forces.

·         For a new vehicle, an original document stating the manufacturer's origin, which is assigned to the owner.

·         For pre-owned vehicles, an out of state document, including the new owner's details.

·         An Vehicle Identification Number Form from outside the state (needs to be acknowledged by a law enforcement representative).

Reminder: When registering a pre-owned vehicle, it needs to pass an emissions test at the testing facility before registration, unless there is an exemption.

Fee exemptions for military vehicles: A military member who is on active duty is exempted from these charges:

·         Renewal and new registration fees.

·         Tentative plate charge.

·         Safety plate fees.

·         Clean Air Fund fee.

Replacing a lost CT vehicle registration: Once a CT vehicle registration is lost, damaged or stolen, a duplicate copy may be requested either via mail or in person.