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uwmspeccoll · 3 years ago

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Celebrating Women’s History Month

VALERIE MARTINEZ

This past week, the UWM Creative Writing Program hosted visiting author, poet, librettist, editor, translator, and educator, Valerie Martínez, for a craft talk and reading from her second book-length poem, Count, published in 2021 by the University of Arizona Press. During the event, the author signed a copy of Count for the UWM Golda Meir Library, where it is now preserved in Special Collections along with two of her other publications with signed presentations to the library. The cover art for Count is titled “River Oats Volume One” by Basia Irland.

The other books in the collection are Martínez’s first two poetry collections: World to World, also published by the University of Arizona Press in 2004, and Absence, Luminescent, published by Four Way Books in 1999. Her first poetry collection, Absence, Luminescence, was the recipient of the Larry Levis Prize, selected by Jean Valentine, and Martínez was subsequently awarded a Greenwall Grant from the Academy of American Poets. Her second collection, World to World, explores similar themes to that of her first, early trauma and the self in relation to the world, through a more mature and confident lens. World to World, as well as her most recent publication, Count, were both published as a part of the Camino del Sol Latinx Literary Series, edited by fellow author and educator, Rigoberto González. The award-winning and critically acclaimed series of poetry, fiction, and essays has been publishing emerging and established voices in Latinx literature since its founding in 1994 by writer and poet, Ray González.

Count stands apart from Martínez’s other works as it flows as a singular poem for a total of 43 pages. Martínez uses this uninterrupted formatting to harrowingly “count” down the days to our extinction due to global human climate disruption in her eco-poetic style. A “collage,” as Valerie calls it, Count references several climate activists’ performances and installation art pieces, and draws on Native American stories and ideals to point out the abuse people are inflicting on the natural world. In poem 14 above, Martínez references “Barbed Hula,” a 2001 video installation by Israeli artist Sigalit Landau, and in poem 29 the author references a multichannel video installation by South Korean artist Kimsooja, “A Needle Woman.” By writing this book-length poem in couplets and juxtaposing Biblical tales with Native American ideals and stories, the author calls attention to the lack of balance people have with nature. Martínez dedicates her poem to her six young nieces and nephews, who pop up throughout, stating that the writing process was a labor of love as well as a call to action for readers of all ages,

For Peter, Alexandra, Sierra, Niall, Serafina, Río, José Ramón III, and Annelisa— as we try to live on the edge of great balance, for you for yours, for theirs

During her craft talk, Martínez says, “it is unfair to leave this [climate disruption] situation to be fixed by our youth.” A statement the author backs up with her long resume in education and in community outreach programs.

Martínez spent 23 years as a professor of literature and creative writing, teaching at a multitude of colleges/universities⁠ (University of Arizona, Ursinus College, New Mexico Highlands University, University of New Mexico, College of Santa Fe, University of Miami, and the Institute for American Indian Arts (IAIA)), ending her career in academe as Director of Interdisciplinary Studies at the College of Santa Fe in 2009. A native of Santa Fe, New Mexico, Martínez got involved in the field of community art in 2007, heading many community development programs as Executive Director of Littleglobe (Santa Fe). She later became the founding director of Artful Life, which is dedicated to transformational change in Santa Fe communities through the beauty and power of creative collaboration. Artful Life was chosen in August of 2021 to be the lead consultant to the city and county of Santa Fe, New Mexico, through their 12-month Culture, History, Art, Reconciliation, and Truth (CHART) community engagement program. Valerie Martínez was the poet laureate of Santa Fe, from 2008-2010, and has authored five books of poetry and two book length poem publications, so far, as well as a book of translations.

Valerie Martínez’s Count serves as an outline to reconnecting with the natural world, perfectly fitting 2022’s Women’s History Month theme, “Women Providing Healing, Promoting Hope.”

Author portrait from: Artful Life

View more Women’s History Month posts.

–Isabelle, Special Collections Undergraduate Writing Intern

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blouisparadise · 5 years ago

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Upon request, here is a rec list of bottom Louis fics that are more plot-heavy in nature. We tried to choose fics that had a plot beyond Louis and Harry’s relationship. Happy reading!

1) Once Upon A Dream | Explicit | 33319 words | Sequel

Louis is psychic and gets caught in the middle of a murder investigation led by FBI Special Agent Harry Styles.

2) Boiling Blood Will Circulate | Explicit | 42420 words

The wait isn’t long before something starts rustling in the bushes. Harry takes aim, squeezes the trigger, body moving unconsciously. They’re motions he’s done a thousand times before, and his body knows how to do it without the input of his brain now. It’s what makes him such a good shot.

He misses. The shot misses.

Something howls in the woods, a pretty clear indication that Harry hit it, but there’s no telltale sounds of a big body dropping, no animal charging out at him to take him out before he can finish the job.

Something does turn and run, though. “Fuck,” Harry spits out, scrambling to his feet and slinging the rifle back over his shoulder, giving chase. He’s not going to lose this hunt.

The trail of blood goes on longer than Harry thought it would. He doesn’t know how long he runs for, but his muscles are burning, chest heaving with exertion, until the trail just - goes dead. No more blood, just like that.

“Fuck,” Harry says.

3) The Fairy Ring | Explicit | 46170 words

A medieval fantasy AU in which Harry is a prince in disguise and Louis is the king of the faeries.

4) Tied Down | Explicit | 48551 words

The most interesting case in Liam and Niall's careers falls directly into their laps, courtesy of an epic fuck-up of one Harry Styles, partner to the almost-infamous drug dealer Louis Tomlinson. The investigation yields an unexpected yet satisfactory outcome for Liam and Niall. For Harry and Louis, however, things are far more complicated.

5) Now That This Old World Is Ending | Explicit | 49184 words

Needing a good distraction from his broken heart, Louis Tomlinson goes on a camping trip with his friends to Northern England. However, a different kind of distraction arises when his friends disappear from their camp. Hellbent on finding them, Louis soon discovers that the area has been taken over by a cult and teams up with a resentful archer with fire in his eyes and blood on his hands.

Far Cry inspired AU.

6) It's A Long Way Down | Explicit | 52658 words

It’s June 2013, and the legalization of gay marriage is the most discussed political issue in the country. As a member of parliament Louis Tomlinson has decided to do everything under his power to keep marriage between a man and a woman. Little does he know a boy with green eyes and pink lips from his past is on a mission to change his mind.

7) We’ve Got the World in Our Hands | Explicit | 54964 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users.

A mutants/superpowers AU. Louis and his friends attend the Cowell Institute for General Education and Mutant Training in London; when Louis meets Harry, the newest student at the Cowell Institute, he immediately recruits Harry to help play matchmaker for his friend Zayn. Harry and Louis are so caught up in meddling in Zayn's love life, though, that they don't notice that their own friendship is progressing into something more. Meanwhile, an ominous threat up north grows slowly until suddenly, no mutant - or human - is safe.

8) Somethin’ Bout You | Explicit | 59855 words

Of all the government agents in the world, Louis had to go and land the most charming one.

9) Like Real People Do | Explicit | 64175 words

Louis didn’t ask for a lot of things. He didn’t ask for his entire family to die in a car crash that may or may not have been his fault. He didn’t ask to get powers out of that accident, either, powers that eventually led him into a two-year relationship with a man who was far more than met the eye. But one night, he chose to ask for a replacement to a broken camera from someone he hadn’t spoken to in a year and a half. He did ask for that. And that kind of led to everything else.

10) We’ll Cast Some Light (You’ll Be Alright) | Not Rated | 74409 words

There’s a standard procedure for this. Scan, track, kill. But with a solar eclipse and a Greater Demon with unfinished business looming, the path to keeping England safe from harm becomes complicated and shadowed by mystery and secrets. For Harry and his team, times have never been harder, especially when a few old friends turned foes show up. Harry is left with just over forty days to overcome the hurdle of tension between them and reconcile their past, and figure out just what Louis is hiding from him before it’s too late.

11) Waiting On You | Explicit | 76584 words

“Vampires,” Louis says with disgust, glaring over at the vampire who is noisily slurping from the woman’s neck nearby.

Zayn gives the neat fang marks on Louis’ neck a meaningful look.

“Can’t live with them, can’t live without them,” Louis finishes, ignoring Zayn when he rolls his eyes.

Louis takes a long sip of his milkshake, presses his fingers against the marks on his neck, and definitely doesn’t think about the vampire who left them there.

12) Through Struggles, To The Stars | Explicit | 80582 words

Louis is a Starfleet captain trying to find his place in the universe. Harry is a prince just trying to do what's right.

13) Cameras Flashing | Explicit | 81773 words

With his breakout single platinum three times over and his second album still selling out in stores around the world, Louis Tomlinson has made it to the top. However, his position as Pop Heartthrob of the Decade is threatened by the edgier, more artistic Zayn, who happens to be releasing an album a week after Louis’ upcoming third. Louis needs something groundbreaking- scandalous, even- to push past him in the charts. Much to Louis’ dismay, his PR team calls in The Sexpert.

Consulting with PR firm Shady, Lane and Associates pays the bills so that Harry Styles can spend his down time doing what he really loves: poring over data. On weekends and late into the evenings, he researches gender, presentation, and sexual orientation, analysing the longitudinal study that is his father’s life’s work. That is, until his newest client, the popstar with the fascinating secret, drags him off his couch and frighteningly close to the spotlight.

As the album’s release date approaches, will Tomlinson and Styles be able to pull off the most risky PR scheme of the millennium and beat Zayn in sales or will the heat of their feelings for each other compromise everything?

14) And Down the Long and Silent Street | Mature | 86090 words

Wherein Louis and Harry are on the opposite ends of the social ladder, but their paths still cross on the filthy streets Louis calls his home. The odds are staked against them from the beginning, and even more when Louis' past finally catches up with him.

15) A Taste Of Desire | Explicit | 104414 words

A Victorian ABO where Harry is the owner of the most successful cotton mill in Manchester, and Louis is an opinionated social activist about to disrupt Harry’s world.

16) Saving Symphony Hall | Mature | 124766 words

Note: This fic is locked and can only be read by AO3 users. This fic is also a sequel to this fic, so you probably want to read that fic first.

“I think I have an idea,” Louis said. Slowly, and reluctantly, but with a growing sense of the inevitable. “God damnit, I think I have a really good idea.”

“Oh christ, that's the problem-solving face,” Babs said. “Last time we saw that face, he sold a company.”

“Wait, what?” Zayn asked.

“Right place, right time,” Louis said. “Also, fuck my life,”

“What?” Zayn repeated. Niall patted his hand.

“I usually just roll with whatever Louis is about to do,” he said. “It’s better for us all.”

“That’s the attitude,” said Louis, “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, I need to do some research. Zayn, give me your number. I’m gonna save our symphony.”

17) Tainted Saints And Velvet Vices | Mature | 126057 words

A self-fulfilling Hogwarts AU in which Louis is new to seventh year and Harry is the resident devil-may-care Slytherin set to make his entire experience a living misery. Due to less than favourable circumstances they're forced to forge an unwilling, tentative relationship for their own survival. Repressed emotions, decidedly unromantic ballroom dancing, Triwizard Tournament tasks, creative jinxes and twilight flying above the Forbidden Forest ensue.

18) Run Like the Devil | Explicit | 138095 words

Note: This fic has BH mentions.

Supernatural AU. Louis hunts demons; Harry's the strangest demon he's ever met, and he keeps fucking meeting him.

19) You Are The Blood | Explicit | 175151 words

Note: This fic has BH mentions.

A seventh-year Hogwarts AU in which Niall gets all the girls, Liam goes on a journey of self-discovery, Zayn falls in love, Harry wants something more, and Louis tries to figure out once and for all why he, a Muggleborn, was sorted into Slytherin.

20) Collision | Not Rated | 209473 words

Mythology/Fairytale!AU in which Louis is a dainty fairy with a temper who wants to be intimidating and Harry hurts people. Naturally, they hate each other.

Check out our other fic rec lists by category here and by title here.

#fic recs #bottom louis #top harry #larry #blp #blp fic recs #plot-heavy

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qqueenofhades · 4 years ago

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love your crusade answers! do you have any book or article recs for those of us interested in the muslim perspective/general medieval middle eastern history? (also, given your astounding history-based answers: are there any periods or facets of history you wish you were asked more about on here?)

Absolutely!

First off, I answered this ask the other week, which had a long list of book/article recs for medieval Muslims in Europe/Latin Christendom, Christian perspectives on them, and the cultural context and conflict embedded in those exchanges (as well as a second list with recs for work on historical queer Muslims). In the list below, I’ve tried to focus on the medieval Middle East and Islamic world outside the crusades, including the Islamic golden age, although there are a few books that cover the Muslim sources/views on the crusades. I’ve noted before that I don’t usually recommend books on the crusades that I haven’t read myself (especially popular histories), so all the volumes dealing with the crusades are either ones that I have read, they’re written by scholars whose other work I’m familiar with, or they’re recommended by people that I have met or otherwise trust. Most of these are academic in nature, and a few of the articles will require institutional logins for full text (alas). Some of them are also written for a more general audience, but yes, mostly academic.

So:

Jack Tannous, The Making of the Medieval Middle East: Religion, Society, and Simple Believers (Princeton: Princeton University Press, 2018)

Carole Hillenbrand, ed., The Crusades: Muslim Perspectives (London: Routledge, 2000)

Niall Christie, Muslims and Crusaders: Christianity’s Wars in the Middle East, 1095-1382, From the Islamic Sources (London: Routledge, 2020)

Nicholas Morton, The Field of Blood: The Battle for Aleppo and the Remaking of the Medieval Middle East (New York: Basic Books, 2018)

Piers D. Mitchell and Andrew Millard, ‘Migration to the Medieval Middle East with the Crusades’, American Journal of Physical Anthropology 140 (2009), 518-25.

Forzia Bora, Writing History in the Medieval Islamic World: The Value of Chronicles as Archives (London: I.B. Tauris, 2018)

Howard R. Turner, Science in Medieval Islam: An Illustrated Introduction (Austin: University of Texas Press, 2010)

Amira K. Bennison, The Great Caliphs: The Golden Age of the Abbasid Empire (New Haven: Yale University Press, 2014)

Ahmed Renim, Habib Tiliouine, and Richard J. Estes, ‘The Islamic Golden Age: A Story of the Triumph of Islamic Civilization’ in The State of Social Progress of Islamic Societies (Springer, 2016), pp. 25-52. (This last one also has a fairly long bibliography with extra recs, which you can access in the free part of the article, hooray!)

As far as the history questions I get: I feel as if the most popular categories are about what you would expect -- i.e. women, queer people, social and cultural conditions, “Bad Old Medieval Times” stereotypes, Game of Thrones History TM, and now questions related to The Old Guard/Joe and Nicky/the medieval Mediterranean, the crusades, Muslim-Christian relations, vel sim. All of which I’m happy to answer, since they’re often things that coincide with my real-life research interests, give me a chance to expand my own bibliographic lists and reading resources, and are often what draw people to the medieval world in the first place. Since I have obviously had many, many rants on the use and misuse of the “medieval” in modern culture, whether in media or politics or as a rhetorical category or whatever, I am in full support of anything that stimulates people to think critically about this and interrogate those distorted depictions (because, as I’m sure everybody has noticed, they drive me UP THE WALL). Basically, if you’re going to social media to learn history, which can be highly questionable but is nonetheless how a lot of it (often wildly wrong) gets absorbed and transmitted, I’d prefer that people come to me, an actual historian with a PhD in the subject, rather than just whatever crazy-ass Tumblr History TM take is making the rounds now (and many of which I have had to debunk in the past.)

This is useful for me because I very much enjoy educating people about history, as you might expect for an academic who has (dubiously) decided to attempt to do this for a living. While I’m still in the seemingly endless lacuna between teaching jobs, it helps me to feel like I’m making a positive contribution and being helpful somehow. I like to think that my answers are, for the most part, comprehensive and useful, and provide a starting point to enable someone to do further research on their own, which is at the core of what we essentially want to teach. Because I have had so many people telling me that they either learned a ton of history from DVLA, or were inspired to go do their own research as a result, I think that was clearly an effective teaching tool (hey, it takes all kinds, and fic is obviously a much more painless way to absorb information rather than a complicated and technical academic text). I do still want to scrape together enough spoons to compile an actual study guide/historical appendix/reference list for it, since I know that is something that people have expressed interest in, so we’ll see if that happens eventually. But yes, I WANT you all to go out and learn research skills and apply that to your reading and find it interesting and to be able to process complex information in a sophisticated way! It’s a helpful skill for all of life, not just history, and is especially useful in our current moment.

....anyway, soapboxing aside, I’m usually happy to answer whatever I get asked, provided that I know at least a little about it and/or am able to dig up resources and look like I know. I obviously have my areas of interests and specialties, and people who follow my blog often have at least a tangential interest in those things too. I will likewise know more about certain subject areas than others, since no historian can possibly know everything, but I will do my best.

#history #medieval history #the old guard meta #for reference #hacash #ask

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seigephoenix · 4 years ago

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For the Skyrim OCs. Could you do 2, 10, and 15 for Aurelia? She seems like she's just done with Skyrim.

Oh she is. Completely 100% done with Skyrim and its too cold weather. (I got the cloak mod for Skyrim just for her)

2. How educated is your oc?

She's well educated, as befitting her family's social status. Not nobility but high ranking military. She didn't go to a college or higher institute of learning as she went right into the military when she came of age, but she had to learn and learn quick to get anywhere in the army. She picks up on things quickly.

Did their parents teach them, did they have a tutor or were they apprenticed to a master, or did they attend a university?

Aurelia's parents sent their children to actual schools and hired tutors for any interests that she and Niall had outside of school. Aurelia studied under a master smith in Cyrodil to learn the craft.

What university? What are they educated in? How long did their education take? (Learned skills like blacksmithing count here too!)

It took Aurelia about 7 years to truly work up the muscle, stamina, and skill for blacksmithing. Many people told her she should find another 'hobby' because she was too small to be a proper blacksmith. And that just fueled her pettiness and stubbornness to master it.

10. How trustworthy is your oc?

Once Aurelia gives her word she won't go back on it. The only exception is if you lied to her about your intentions. She finds out you were using her for evil? Good luck to you then because nothing will stop her until she finds you and shows you what happens when you double cross her.

Would they ever change opposing factions?

Not really. Aurelia is a member of the Army and by extension got an honorary membership into the Companions (later on). That's about all for her.

15. Does your oc have a horse/other mount?

She does get one later on! A lovely draft horse that she names Stormbringer. She found him during a terrible storm being attacked by a dragon.

A pet? How did they get this animal?

No pets in Skyrim. Roskar told her she didn't need one as she can barely keep herself out of trouble. (He's right but she hates to hear it).

If they were given the animal, do they have the money to maintain it? How careful/careless are they with their animal?

Aurelia did have a cat back in Cyrodil. She loved that stubborn fat bastard. He hated anyone else and sometimes her. She'd befriended him as he was being cornered by skeevers and nursed him back to health. His name was Stinky Bastard because he would bite and scratch if she tried to pet him. And the name stuck even after he warmed up to her.

She gave him to her family to watch over while she was gone. Her mother has turned Stinky into a lap cat and he's living that spoiled house cat life.

What do they do with their pets while adventuring, especially on dangerous quests?

Aurelia would leave Stinky in the soldier quarters with approval as he kept the vermin out. While she is in Skyrim her mother looks after Stinky.

#tes: skyrim #skyrim #dragonborn #oc: aurelia tullius #oc questions

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starfoxrry · 6 years ago

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soooo no one tagged me to do this but i’m gonna do it anygays bc :O

1. Big White Lie (263k) by acrayonsmile (ao3)

You’re not running on three hours of sleep.

You don’t have a headache.

You’re not an omega.

You’re Louis Tomlinson: Beta.

Louis has been pretending to be something he’s not for as long as he can remember. Will the pack find out before it’s too late to fix him?

2. Cold Little Heart (194k) by @seduced-by-curls

Louis is a soft omega with an abusive past and an alpha child A few months after getting a divorce, Louis meets Harry, an ex-military alpha wolf that offers him something -odd.

In exchange for teaching him how to cook, Harry will babysit his son, Abraham Louis really could use the help.

3. Now In A Minute (150k) by @avocadolouie

13 feels like yesterday for many people, but for Louis it actually was.

More than anything in the world, Louis Tomlinson dreams of growing up. Simply skipping over all of the awkward, embarrassing years of teenage existence and getting on with life. Real life.

So when thirteen-year-old Louis wakes up in the body of his thirty-year-old self, he expected everything in his adult life to be picture perfect. And maybe it is. He has it all…or so it seems.

Except his favorite person and lifelong best mate, Harry Styles, is totally missing from the equation and Louis doesn’t understand why. He has a lot of catching up to do and as adult life turns out to be more than what he bargained for, Louis can’t help wondering why a life that seemed so perfect, feels so empty.

Or the 13 going on 30 au that should have been done years ago.

4. Apples Always Fall (As I Do For You) (54k) by @rainbowsandgucci

Louis is staying at his Aunt’s farm in a small town in Minnesota for four months. To deal with the boredom that sets in a week into his stay, he starts working at the local apple orchard, owned by twenty six year old Harry Styles.

Louis quickly finds himself falling in love with the orchard, and he finds a family in Harry’s friends Niall, Liam, and Zayn.

He also starts to fall in love with Harry.

Falling in love with him turns out to be the easy part.

5. Only You Can Be My Alpha (194k) by @wubwubnparmaham

The one where Louis is banished from his tribe, and lands himself in Harry’s instead. The alluring Pack Alpha makes Louis question his nature and he doesn’t know how he feels about that. But you can’t fight destiny.

6. Where You Lay (86k) by @ham-palpert

When Louis’s upcoming heat threatens his success at his new dream job, he asks the best (and only) person he can think of to help him through it: his best mates’ best mate, Harry Styles. Harry reluctantly accepts, and together the two navigate a strange friends with benefits relationship that quickly turns complicated.

7. Tangled Up In You (45k) @missandrogyny

Harry blinks once. And blinks again. And says, his voice dangerous: “Niall, did you get me a mail-order bride?”

Because what the actual fuck. It kind of looks like Niall’s just purchased a person. For Harry.

Niall blinks back at him for a few moments, before throwing his head back and howling with laughter. Harry throws a pillow at him. Hard. “No, what the fuck, Harry.”

“A prostitute then?” Harry also doesn't want a prostitute.

“Of course not!”

“A stripper?”

“No!”

Damn, he’s running out of ideas. He settles for launching another pillow at Niall’s head. Niall bats it away easily, still laughing. “Stop!”

“What did you get me, then?!” Niall must hear the tinge of hysteria in his voice, because he’s pulling himself together, trying to stop himself from laughing.

There’s still a big grin on his face, though, when he says, “I got you a professional cuddler.”

A professional…what. “What?”

8. Have You Coming Back Again (31k) by @crazyupsetter

It’s five o’clock in the morning. Louis has a lecture at half eight. He could be using this time to study or to do his readings or to go to the gym, but - well. He doesn’t have any exams coming up, he’s not going to his seminar today anyway and he hates the gym.

Instead he’s using this time to fuck with Harry Styles’ poor little brain.

Louis jogs across the street and jabs the key into the car door. It opens easily, not that he was expecting anything else. He copied the key for a reason, after all.

He’s got Harry’s schedule memorized, more because the guy keeps following him around than anything, so he doesn’t bother looking around before climbing behind the wheel and setting his bag on the passenger seat. It’s a Monday, which means that Harry doesn’t even get out of bed before noon unless he’s planning on harassing Louis.

9. All The Right Moves (32k) by @cherrystreet

This is the third game in a row that Harry has been distracted by the noisy boy in the stands, five rows back.

There’s really no reason that he should feel compelled to stare into the audience as frequently as he is, but he can’t help it. This boy is a nuisance. And he’s loud. Even from basketball court with nine other players running by him, shoes squeaking on the shiny hardwood floor, and thousands of cheering college students, Harry can hear this boy nearly shrieking, his laugh more like a cackle than anything.

It’s seriously obnoxious.

10. Worth Dying For (44k) by @crazyupsetter

“You’ve got to be kidding me,” Louis says, leaning back in his chair and crossing his arms over his chest. In the center of the table, a set of three glossy photos stares up at him, mocking him.

“A security detail is non-negotiable, Louis, you know this,” his mum reminds him, tapping the middle photo with two fingers.

Louis doesn’t look back down at the pictures, gesturing towards them wildly, over-dramatically. “This is not a security detail!” he protests. “This is a lanky college student. In what world do you hire someone like this kid to protect me?”

11. Another Day Gettin' Into Trouble (25k) by @crazyupsetter

Harry’s drunk when the idea occurs to him. He’s also a pop star, so sometimes his drunk ideas turn into actual things instead of just ideas. The clone-a-willy kit is one of them.

In Harry’s defense, when he first thinks about it his intention is just to buy the kit and give it to Louis to make his own dildo with, because that’s what he wants anyway, right? To have a penis filling him up?

Then he realizes that it would be weird if Louis made a copy of his own dick to fuck himself with. It’d be super weird. Louis fucking himself? That’s a weird idea. Harry’s pretty sure Louis wouldn’t like that.

Clearly the only solution here is to use his own dick for the mold.

12. A Sea Without Water, A Compass Without Direction (84k) by sincerely_inge (AO3)

”Tell me, Louis,” Captain Styles said, leaning forward a little. ”D’you think I’m an idiot?”

”I—what?” Louis asked, surprised by the blunt question. He had expected something different, something along the lines of how he learned music, or how he ended up as a prisoner on the other ship.

”Do you think I’m an idiot?” The captain repeated, putting emphasis on each word as though Louis couldn’t understand him otherwise.

”Of course not,” Louis said, shaking his head. He’d be a fool for thinking such a thing, and an even bigger fool for saying it out loud. ”Captain.”

Captain Styles nodded slowly, leaning back in his chair and folding his hands in his lap. ”Then why did you lie to me?”

”L-Lie?”

”Out on the deck. You lied to me,” he said. He held up his hand, three fingers up. ”Three lies total. I hate liars.”

13. I Know How To Whisk (But Teach Me Anyway) (32k) by @2tiedships2

Louis scrunched his eyebrows in confusion. “I don’t understand. Unmated alphas don’t just go into a rut out of nowhere. Unless…”

Louis grabbed onto Niall’s arm in desperation. “Am I a homewrecker? Does Harry have a mate? Oh my God, was he not flirting? Did the change in his scent not have anything to do with my smell yesterday? Did I just make that up!?”

Louis let go of Niall and dropped his face in his hands. “I knew it was too good to be true.”

“You’re an idiot,” Niall stated. Louis looked up to find Niall rolling his eyes. He snapped his laptop closed and moved to stand up. “I need to get some work done. Why don’t you stay here and think back to ABO dynamics 101.”

With that Niall hopped off the couch and headed to his room. He stopped and turned to Louis before he made it to the hall and said, “Oh, and Lou. You may want to reconsider your outlook on soulmates.”

Louis yelled after him. “Soulmates aren’t a thing, Niall!”

Or the one in which banana bread just might make Louis change his mind about soulmates.

14. The Compulsion to Find Love (140k) by @toomanylarrytears

The most prestigious English third-level institution, Candling University, accepts omega students for the first time and Louis Tomlinson applies with bright eyes and brighter ambitions. There he encounters personal obstacles, traditional mindsets and a beautiful boy who inverts every prejudice Louis has ever known.

15. Let Me Feel Your Heartbeat (34k) by @angelichl

Harry is 98% sure Louis hates him. So he feels like his bewilderment is justified when the omega offers to help him through his rut.

16. For Reasons Wretched And Divine (94k) by indiaalphawhiskey (AO3)

Ten years ago, Harry Styles was just a nerdy kid with one friend and a debilitating crush on the captain of his school’s football team. He thought the stars were smiling down on him the day he and Louis Tomlinson were paired for their end-of-term Literature project. But because Harry’s life is decidedly not a fairytale, the budding friendship quickly leads to the least happy ending of all time.

Now, Harry Styles is a household name. Barely twenty-seven with two Grammy nominations to his name, the singer-songwriter is poised to take the music industry by storm with his highly anticipated third album. So, what happens when the best producer in the business is also the only person Harry’s vowed never to speak to again?

An AU in two parts. Two boys, two stories, and hopefully, two chances at love.

17. Friendly Neighborhood Spideypool (18k) by @shitucute

“Don’t fuck with me, I’m not in the mood.” Louis’ got the urge to punch him in the face, but he knows deep down that if anything it’ll just add fuel to Harry’s innuendo fire.

“You know I only fuck you, not with you. There’s a difference. It’s slight but still there.” He’s joking, but it’s sincere in a way that only Deadpool could make it. It gives Louis a strange mix of emotions, his body doesn’t know whether to fill with butterflies or to knee Deadpool in the balls again for insinuating them fucking.

or, Harry is Deadpool and Louis is Spider-Man and they’ve got way too much history

18. Strawberries & Cigarettes (74k) by @dimpled-halo

Harry looks up and immediately freezes. Next to Ms. Archie stands the boy from just the other day. The boy with the leather jacket and chipped black nails, that might or might not be sketched in the very book Harry has just placed on the table in front of him. The leather jacket is missing today, probably because they aren’t allowed as part of their required uniform attire, but Harry can still see the fading black nail polish on his nails, and eyeliner around his eyes. Harry’s mouth goes a little dry. This boy is so intriguing to him.

“Ye-yes, Ms. Archie?” Harry tries to play it cool, but he’s almost positive that his cheeks are burning red, and he’s relieved neither of them can tell how fast his heart is beating in his chest.

The boy seems to also recognize Harry, because his lips curve into a knowing smirk.

“Harry is at the top of his class. He’s your best bet at getting familiar with things around here.” She explains.

Louis nods, his smirk still very prominent on his face. “Thank you Ms. Archie. I’ll be sure to take advantage of young Harold here.”

Summary: Two stories, eleven years, and the two boys that never stopped loving each other.

19. Mark my word (we gon’ be alright) (35k) by harioandlouigi

“He’s always known that there would come a time when Harry would bond with some beautiful, quiet omega, and they would have lots of curly-haired pups and live happily ever after.

Knowing it and living it are two very different things, though. Watching the object of your affection desperately search for a mate and completely disregard you as an option is all sorts of painful, but it is what it is, and Louis is just going to have to learn to live with that.”

Or, an A/B/O AU featuring an oblivious Harry as the pack leader, a pining Louis as his second-in-command, and an entourage of friends and family who are a little too good at keeping their mouths shut.

20. Let’s Fall in Love in a Place You Want to Stay (134k) by @harryventura

A George of the Jungle / Tarzan AU where Louis is a model who meets Wild Man Harry in the Congo. He was raised by apes and barely speaks a word of English and turns Louis’ life upside down

21. Why Cant It Be Like That (63k) by @taggiecb

Louis Tomlinson, head of his local hospital’s charity fund, suddenly finds himself in the heart of the Royal family when his mother marries the third son of the reigning monarch. Such an upset in lifestyle brings a lot of changes for Louis, one of them being the need for a stylist.

Enter Harry Styles, a cutting edge fashion stylist who loves his job and prides himself on his passion. The first time he sees Louis Tomlinson on the cover of a tabloid he wants to dress him, style him, make him as beautiful as Harry knows he could be. When he’s hired to do just that, he knows this will be a perfect partnership. That is, until he actually meets the man.

A fashion AU with a royal twist, where Louis doesn’t need a stylist, Harry’s thrilled to have a real life Barbie doll, and they’re both very wrong about each other.

22. blind from this sweet, sweet craving (31k) by @missandrogyny

"So, I guess we'll go?" Louis asks later, when Harry has calmed down and eaten his weight in Chinese food. He plays with this chopsticks, spearing another piece of chicken and pops it in his mouth. "I mean, I wouldn't mind. We could make it an adventure."

Harry observes him, watches him seated across from him on their old living room carpet, with a container of food on his lap. He's fidgeting, avoiding meeting Harry's gaze–he probably knows that Harry's mad at him for ruining the one chance they had to get out of this situation. And he's not wrong, Harry is definitely very mad. Harry wants to strangle him and castrate him and smack him upside the head.

But he's also Harry's best friend, and despite everything, despite all the fuck-ups and the plot twists and everything just not playing out the way it should, he'd still rather be stuck in this situation with Louis than any of the other boys. He's got Harry's back, and in a weird, abstract way, he knows they'll be able to get out of this situation, together.

Harry sighs. "We're going," he says resignedly, his shoulders slumping.

Oh well. There are definitely worse ways to spend the weekend than pretending to be engaged to his best friend.

23. led by your beating heart (29k) by @missandrogyny

Nick leans over. "Oh," he says, his voice smug. "Who is that?"

Harry just blinks at his phone. "Um," he manages to stammer out.

"Who's that, Harry?" Nick asks again, but this time he raises his eyebrows and smirks. Harry knows Nick is just teasing, and that he's not really looking for new Harry Styles gossip, but, um. He might have found something. Accidentally.

Harry opens his mouth to speak, but all that comes out is another 'um'. He really needs to work on translating his thoughts into words. But then it probably wouldn't be any helpful right now, would it? His mind is as blank as a newly erased etch-a-sketch.

"Oh," Nick says again, this time gleefully, seemingly having picked up on Harry's distress. "Looks like we've got a story here! Are you going to call or delete her number?"

Her number. So Nick thinks it's a girl. Well, Harry can't blame him: 'Lou' is kind of an androgynous nickname. His stylist's name is Lou.

But this Lou, well, Louis, he's kind of, really, really not a girl. He's really pretty though, which, is something.

(Or: AU where Harry's in One Direction, Louis isn't, and they reconnect over a game of 'Call or Delete'.)

24. Queen Of Arizella (197k - wip) by @seduced-by-curls

Stealing from Royalty is punishable by death.

Louis starts over, doing his best to keep his hands at his sides but he is hungry and he tries stealing from the wrong Royal.

Harry is King of Arizella, he needs a Queen and who better than an omega on the run from death? Louis will learn to become the perfect Queen -the perfect fake Queen, but only for a few months.

A fake lover, a fake Queen, but a real bond.

i tag: @bottomlouis @iconichalo @tinytommoson @oioilarrie @chaoticsue @babyy-honey and anyone who wants to do it just say i tag u

#m #my rec

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ifyoulikedhl · 6 years ago

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if you liked: pray for some sweet simplicity by delsicle

main tropes: Alpha/Beta/Omega dynamics, world-building, enemies to lovers, secret relationship basics: motorcycle racing is an alpha-only sport. louis’ a top racer who’s been hiding his gender this entire time.

then you may like:

Cameras Flashing by juliusschmidt (81k)

I’ve Always Liked the Fireworks by QuickedWeen (12k)

When alphas and omegas reach the age of twenty-one they are required to attend a Proving Day ceremony. Omegas watch as alphas do their best to compete in events, show off their skills, and prove how good a mate they can really be.

The whole thing is a bit ridiculous, but Louis Tomlinson has always dreamed of finding his mate. He's got two unsuccessful Sheffield Proving Days under his belt and decides to go for the much more competitive one in Manchester. His goal is to play his best, leave it all out on the pitch, and hope that one of the omegas watching just happens to be his mate.

Introduction to Dynamics by juliusschmidt (29k)

Louis Tomlinson is the outspoken omega in the 'Introduction to Dynamics' course Harry wishes he didn't have to take. He's nearly certain to present as a beta, after all. Things will be simple for him.

Saving Symphony Hall by HelloAmHere (124k)

“I think I have an idea,” Louis said. Slowly, and reluctantly, but with a growing sense of the inevitable. “God damnit, I think I have a really good idea.”

“Oh christ, that's the problem-solving face,” Babs said. “Last time we saw that face, he sold a company.”

“Wait, what?” Zayn asked.

“Right place, right time,” Louis said. “Also, fuck my life,”

“What?” Zayn repeated. Niall patted his hand.

“I usually just roll with whatever Louis is about to do,” he said. “It’s better for us all.”

“That’s the attitude,” said Louis, “I’ll tell you tomorrow. Tonight, I need to do some research. Zayn, give me your number. I’m gonna save our symphony.”

The Compulsion to Find Love by Toomanytears (140k)

disclaimer: all recommendations are subjective and reflect only the blog owners’ opinions.

more ‘if you liked’ posts / more ‘if you liked: pray for some sweet simplicity’ posts / request a rec

#larry fic rec #larry stylinson #larry fanfiction #one direction #hlsource #requested #iyl: ours #fic: pray for some sweet simplicity

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ficrections · 6 years ago

Text

Fics that have been anonymously recced to me to shout out to my followers. I have not read them yet but I am eagerly awaiting my chance. Please always heed the tags and take care of yourself.

Satellite by suspendrs /@suspendrs

Chapters: 2/2 Fandom: One Direction (Band) Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Liam Payne, Niall Horan, Gemma Styles, Anne Cox, Robin Twist, Jay Tomlinson, Lottie Tomlinson, fizzy tomlinson, Phoebe Tomlinson, Daisy Tomlinson Additional Tags: Rich Harry, Homeless Louis, uhh, idek what to tag this, nothing happens in this fic, it's basically just a character study in 100k words of Fluff, there's a lot of family stuff, a lot of wealth and poverty talk, a Lot of character building, I really don't know Summary:

“It’s been three years since I’ve had a proper hot meal,” Louis says finally. “I have no idea where my family is, or if any of them are even still alive. The only reason I’ve been able to keep myself alive for as long as I have is because I keep to myself, stay guarded, stay hidden. It’s the only way I know how to live,” he says.

Harry wants to cry, but he tries to put on a brave face when Louis finally meets his eyes. “You’re safe here. You don’t have to be so guarded around me,” Harry says quietly, earnestly.

“That’s very sweet of you,” Louis says, putting his fork down. “But yes I do. Especially around you.”

Or, Harry finds out that someone's been living in his house without him knowing, but instead of kicking him out, he falls in love with him.

The Compulsion To Find Love by Toomanytears/ @toomanylarrytears

Chapters: 33/33 Fandom: One Direction (Band) Rating: Explicit Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings Relationships: Harry Styles/Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik/Liam Payne Characters: Harry Styles, Louis Tomlinson, Zayn Malik, Niall Horan, Liam Payne, Original Characters Additional Tags: Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Non-Traditional Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe - College/University, Worldbuilding, Omega Louis, Bigotry & Prejudice, Alpha Harry, Light Angst, First Meetings, Getting to Know Each Other, Awkward Flirting, Sexual Tension, Fluff and Angst, Angst with a Happy Ending, Domestic Fluff, Top Harry, Bottom Louis, Eventual Smut, Explicit Sexual Content, Slow Burn, Mating Cycles/In Heat, Mating Bond, Mating Bites, Mating Rituals, Possibly the slowest slow burn in the history of slow burns, Forgive Me, Like if you're in it for the steamy sex you'll have to read 120k of awkward flirting first Summary:

#anonymous

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alongtidesoflight · 6 years ago

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💅💋🐇💐 😊 For Rox, Thelen, Hafiz, Amir and Katara (👀)

i see you there ghostie,,,,,,, trying to sneakily slot thelen in 👀

soon bby,,,,,,,, soon,,,,,,,, keep that thirst at bay for a little while longer,,,,

💅 What are some things they have strong opinions about?

for rox it’s definitely poverty. she spent most of her childhood barely able to scrape by and she’s generally the first to step in when she witnesses a poor person being mistreated. there’s a lot more stuff she’s itching to fix but poverty is the first point on her list.

with hafiz, it depends on when you ask him. for him it’s just not worth the hassle to get upset over things he most likely can’t change anyway. but then there’s days on which his wife gets mistreated, or someone throws a couple of slurs at him, and all the negativity he usually keeps an arm’s length away from him comes crashing down on him, and on t h o s e days, you’ll sure as hell hear him voice his opinions.

amir has several strong opinions, mainly on the synths of the commonwealth and how the institute mostly refuses to share their knowledge with the surface. he’d never share those views with anyone, though, unless it’s a person he’s very close with. if they stay awake for too long together, niall might just wish he’d have put in some earplugs before going to bed.

this might probably be a given here…… but katara has very strong opinions about the qun and how the qunari treat their mages. of course she can’t say anything about that before she becomes the inquisitor, or else she’d risk her own safety. once her ass is firmly planted on that throne, though, there’s no holding her back.

💋 What traits do they like in other people? What traits do they not like?

rox absolutely loves herself a person with a good sense of humor. if they know how to turn a bad situation around and brighten the mood, she’s a 100% sold. what she c a n’ t stand is people who are needlessly uptight or unwilling to rethink their narrow worldview. she loses interest in them the moment they open their mouth.

hafiz likes uncomplicated, care-free people who prefer to stay out of other people’s businesses. there’s enough shit going on out there already, no reason to add onto all those grievances. it’s kinda needless to say that he dislikes people that are confrontational without any tangible reason.

amir l i v e s for analytical and resourceful people. someone knows how to hold an intelligent and civilized conversation, he’s glued to their lips. disorganized and uncommunicative people who don’t care for what he has to say quickly become yesterday’s news, though.

katara values boldness. people who don’t shy away from taking action and voicing their opinion. the ones who don’t hide who they truly are in the face of a threat. dishonesty and cowardice are big dealbreakers for her, and forgiveness doesn’t come easy to her.

🐇 What animal would they say best represents them?

for rox, it’s definitely a coyote. a little trickster that mostly prowls through the nights, independent but also not without a strong connection to her pack. also, willing to hiss at everyone who gets too close to erick.

hafiz would claim it’s a panther. a big intimidating cat that’s actually…… far sweeter than you’d imagine it to be. also just about as needy for head pets, but of course he wouldn’t ever admit that. also, he’s a b s o l u t e l y ready to strike if the need arises, don’t get him there.

for amir it would probably be an owl, since they’re associated with knowledge. if you put him in front of something he’s interested in, he’ll spend hours studying it, even if it means pulling an all-nighter. someone definitely has joked about his eyes going all wide like an owl’s when they walked in on him in the morning, still stood in the place they left him in.

katara doesn’t really like comparing herself to an animal, since most humans do this to her already and she sees absolutely no joy in it. the next one to call her an oxman gets a firebolt to their face.

💐 Do they collect anything? What’s their most prized possession?

rox still carries the rosary her mom gave her when she was still a child around. she’s been struggling a lot with her faith lately, but for some reason she just can’t let go of the rosary. most of the time she wears it on her wrist now.

likewise, hafiz still carries amir’s ID tags with him. of course that’s because for the longest time he’s unaware amir has actually been brought back by the institute. but even after they meet each other again, he refuses to put them away.

contrary to that, amir has no prized possessions. he barely even remembers his family or the time before the war. he also doesn’t collect anything of sentimental value, unless you count the ten thousand schematics and blueprints he comes up with and never uses. those are neatly stashed away in his desk and he probably forgot about them already.

katara doesn’t really have a most prized possession other than the badge blackwall gave her and she’s pretty much in denial about how much it actually means to her. she also collects interesting artifacts she finds around thedas, not because she wants to study them, but because it reminds her of all the adventures she’s been on.

😊 What do they consider to be their best quality? What actually is their best quality?

rox is quick to mention her charisma whenever she’s asked about this, but actually it’s her compassion. one thing she uses in order to get where she wants to be, the other she uses to do good. it’s an easy choice, really.

hafiz would probably go for his ability to remain calm in situations that leave others scrambling, but in truth it’s his open-mindedness and approachability. keeping his cool in a situation that’s already escalated is slightly inferior to keeping the situation from escalating in the first place.

amir considers his best ability the fact that he’s always able to think logically without taking his feelings into consideration. it’s his intelligence and kindness, though. the guy is practically a walking, talking encyclopedia but instead of letting it get to his head, he rather uses his knowledge to do good.

katara definitely considers her many strengths her best quality. people can throw daggers and an infinite amount of pressure her way, and she won’t bat an eye. as it’s so often the case with her, she’s in denial of her true strength though, and that’s her absolute willingness to shield others from harm. “i’m only doing this because i have to.” no, katara. you’re doing this because you like these people and we all know it.

thanks for the ask ghostie!! and i’m sorry for leaving out the tasty bits of thelen there, you’ve almost made it through the wait, i promise! all the questions can be found here.

#ask #this was a bitch to type up i think i've been sitting here for f i v e hours legit #oc: amir #oc: hafiz #oc: katara #oc: roxie

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antoine-roquentin · 7 years ago

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As is fitting for the New York Times, everybody labelled a “free thinker” in this article is one or two degrees of separation from billionaire dark money.

Lets start with the author. Bari Weiss made her fame leading a campus crusade against pro-Palestinian professors, as well as Arab professors in general, during her time at Columbia University. Weiss received heavy promotion from a number of dark money-financed groups tied to pro-Israel causes, especially Campus Watch, a project run by Daniel Pipes under the auspices of his Middle East Forum group. MEF has received tens of millions of dollars in funding from groups like Donors Capital Fund/Donors Trust (Koch Brothers), Abstraction Fund (Sears-Roebuck heiress), The Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation (Rockwell Automation heir), the Shillman Foundation (Cognex Corp), and the Snider Foundation (Spectacor, owner of Philly sports teams, also financier of the Atlas Shrugged films). MEF in turn acts as a sort of go-between fund for pro-Israel groups like CAMERA, David Horowitz Freedom Center, the Gatestone Institute, and the Center for Security Policy, targeting donor money to these groups and allowing them to operate. Campus Watch was a particularly odious project, producing “dossiers” of the pro-Palestine activity of professors at campuses across the world and allowing targeted harassment and smears of them. After Columbia Professor Rashid Khalidi’s dossier was published, for instance, he received a number of threatening phone calls, including one that he recorded where the caller cited Campus Watch. Weiss’ career was largely built off the attention she received from this episode.

Sitting at her dinner table are two major media personalities, Dave Rubin and Sam Harris, whose podcasts see a heavy rotation of guests associated with think tanks, charities, and organizations awash in dark money. They don’t tend to work for these organizations, but they do speak on their behalf from time to time. Rubin for instance does monthly interviews for Learn Liberty, a project of the Institute for Humane Studies at George Mason University. The university is practically owned by the Koch Brothers, who have given tens of millions of dollars to it. Until recently, Charles Koch was the IHS’ chairman of the board of directors, and it hosted the Charles G. Koch Summer Fellow Program, which placed interested students at right wing think tanks like the Cato Institute, the Competitive Enterprise Institute, and the National Taxpayers Union Foundation. It’s unknown how much money Rubin makes off this arrangement. Some of Rubin’s dark money guests include the aforementioned David Horowitz and his apprentice Ben Shapiro, the Freedom Center being a major dark money think tank in its own right, Christina Hoff Sommers, Dinesh D’Souza, and Ayaan Hirsi Ali of the neocon American Enterprise Institute, which exerted strong influence over the George W Bush Administration, Douglas Murray of the neocon Henry Jackson Society and author of Neoconservatism: Why We Need It, Maajid Nawaz of Quilliam, funded largely by Islamophobic billionaires and UK counter-intelligence, Dennis Prager, who writes for publications owned by Horowitz and Pipes, Lauren Southern of The Rebel Media, also funded by Pipes’ ME Forum, and Tommy Robinson of Quilliam, The Rebel Media, and even the Shillman Foundation directly.

Harris ran his own slush fund of sorts, Project Reason, that solicited donations for pro-Atheist work but really just funded his PhD. He recently became a dark money donor himself with his $20,000 donation to Quilliam. Quilliam employs numerous people who worked with Pipes and dark money Islamophobe Frank Gaffney, like managing director Haras Rafiq and senior researcher Usama Hasan. It also works closely with the Henry Jackson Society. Quilliam’s employees Ghaffar Hussain and Raheem Kassam have worked for both simultaneously. Its major backer since UK counterintelligence stopped sending it money in 2011 is the John Templeton Foundation, criticized heavily in 2007 for the religious bent of its scientific funding by Harris. Harris’ podcast also has a number of dark money guests: Michael Weiss and Douglas Murray (thrice) from HJS has been on, James Kirchick of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies and Brookings Institute, Maajid Nawaz of Quilliam, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, Charles Murray, Anne Applebaum (twice) and David Frum (thrice) of the American Enterprise Institute, Fareed Zakaria of the New America Foundation, Ben Shapiro of the David Horowitz Freedom Center, Niall Ferguson of the Hoover Institution (and husband of Ayaan Hirsi Ali), Robin Hanson from the George Mason (Koch) University, Eliezer Yudkowsky who accidentally created the Dark Enlightenment, and Elon Musk’s lapdog Max Tegmark (twice).

The third guest at the table, Eric Weinstein, is famous largely because the aforementioned people started talking about him and his brother. He’s been on Harris’ show twice, his brother once, and his brother was on Rubin’s show. He also works for Thiel Capital, run by dark money baron and Dark Enlightenment patron Peter Thiel.

Really, I’ve already got this much and I’m not even past the second paragraph. And when we scroll down the article, we get a number of names already mentioned: Douglas Murray, Maajid Nawaz, Ayaan Hirsi Ali, and even a full photograph of Christina Hoff Sommers. All of these people are making big money from billionaires and then pretending like they’re being harangued and silenced and collecting money from patreon type gigs.

Nowadays Ms. Soh has a column for Playboy and picks up work as a freelance writer. But that hardly pays the bills. She’s planning to start a podcast soon and, like many members of the I.D.W., has a Patreon Account where “patrons” can support her work. These donations can add up. Mr. Rubin says his show makes at least $30,000 a month. And Mr. Peterson says he pulls in some $80,000 in fan donations each month.

Somehow I doubt that work “hardly pays the bills”. And do we need another podcast?

The organizations that fund these people all have certain characteristics in common. A commitment to some form of Libertarian economics, pro-Israeli politics, a strong Islamophobic bent, and fear of being in the spotlight. The donors build up a layer of protection around themselves by shuffling money through front groups, like the Koch Brothers’ Donors Trust/Donors Capital Fund. Not only do they pay for academic work through think tanks, they also donate to certain universities heavily to bias research in their favour, which can then be cited by their think tanks and other publications. They also generally stay away from direct involvement in political campaigns. Instead, they tell politicians when they donate to pay attention to the dictates emanating from certain think tanks, which in turn determine the policy of those politicians. The Federalist Society, for instance, has prepared virtually every judge nominated by the Republican Party under both Trump and Bush. They act in coordinated fashion, which is why Bari Weiss had access to these people, why they had a flashy website nobody had ever heard of up for the article’s publication, and why Weiss already had an interview lined up on the TV show of a former Republican congressman and the daughter of a former Secretary of State before her article was published. As usual in the halls of media orthodoxy, where everything is the opposite of what it actually is, “free thought” is a giant corporate PR campaign in which everyone stays on message.

If you want to read about a few of these foundations, see here and click around on here and here.

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unactive-1d · 6 years ago

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my favourite fics in ao3

Ziam

Ninety-Eight Percent

“This is the best thing that’s ever happened to me,” Niall chokes out, actual tears welling in his eyes. Liam hates him. A lot.

“This website is bullshit,” Liam grumbles. “Niall this can’t be real. How am I ninety-eight percent compatible with Louis Tomlinson?”

In which Louis is Liam's soulmate and Liam is really not amused.

Ziam Twitcam

The fans want some real life Ziam action

As He Moves

Zayn thought he wanted to know where Liam worked. Apparently he thought wrong.

Only Place I Call Home

Liam works at a coffee shop; Zayn is a homeless street performer who plays just outside the shop. Sometimes Liam brings Zayn coffee and donuts and in exchange Zayn sings for him.

Wrong Side of Love

Zayn and Liam wake up in each other's bodies.

Burning Away From Inside

They're a little too dysfunctional to be considered superheroes, but they do their best.

Connected

Fed up with Zayn and Liam skirting around how they feel about each other, the rest of the band devise a plan to get them to own up to their feelings.

(Or, Zayn and Liam are oblivious and annoying, the rest of the band can't handle it anymore, and handcuffs were probably not intended to be used this way.)

What We Become

“Nervous?”

“No.”

“It’s okay if you are,” Harry says seriously. “I mean, I know I would be. Like, if there was ever a date that was destined to go bad, it’s probably this one. Werewolf goes on date with the son of a werewolf hunter, who’s also training to be a werewolf hunter when he’s older, while another pack of werewolves are practically massacring the town, and no one has no idea how to stop them. It's not a question of what could go wrong. It's a question of what could possibly go right, and I'm willing to bet the answer to that is nothing."

Floating On The Water

Liam just wants to get through his last summer working at Malik Resort before University without incident. Of course, life is never that easy, and he ends up getting roped into giving the bosses son, Zayn, swimming lessons. That wouldn't be so bad, if Zayn didn't happen to hate him so much.

Tunnel Vision

In which Zayn is an award-winning popstar with a knack for getting himself in trouble, and Liam is the bodyguard he didn’t want to hire who has a few problems with staying professional.

Not Happening

Zayn and Liam are roommates. They hate each other. (Most of the time.)

Lover Dearest

"First rule, babe," Zayn says, leaning down. His lips slide over Liam's jaw, barely there, just a soft pressure, fleeting and gone as soon as it came. "Never trust a vampire."

He's grinning as he climbs off Liam, heading for the door. Liam watches him go, thinking that he's wrong. The first rule should be to not fall in love with one.

Larry

Learning to Eat

Celebrity chef Louis Tomlinson has a problem. He’s opening his first restaurant in 9 weeks, and he has yet to hire a pastry chef- apparently people think he’s ‘standoffish’ and ‘rude’ and ‘quick to temper’. Whatever. He ends up saddled with an annoying, happy-go lucky rookie who also happens to be obnoxiously good looking. His tv presenter and pop star best friends only add to the drama, and for fucks sake would everyone please stop quoting Julia Child?!

Kitchen AU where Harry helps Louis re-learn how to eat. (METAPHORICALLY)

we are honey and the bee

It isn’t his fault though, it is entirely the fault of whichever gods thought it would be a good idea to taunt Louis by dangling a curly haired boy in front of him with a mouth that can’t possibly be as soft as it looks, a mouth that requires further inspection with Louis’ own mouth. Unfortunately, Louis absolutely cannot do that, because it would go against all rules and guidelines in the Golden Handbook of Nanny and Employee Etiquette that he’s pretty sure exists.

au where harry plays rugby at uni, louis needs to hire a nanny, and life is one big cliche.

Turning From Praise (Punk!Harry Christian!Louis)

Louis has had a strict Christian upbringing that he never realized he resented until he meets Harry Styles, a boy who lives to rebel and doesn’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. But the better he gets to know Harry, the more he begins to realize that maybe Harry does care. And maybe “the children who God forgot” are closer to God than the devout will ever be.

if you need a loving hand

Harry and Louis are just two friends who bought a coffee shop and went into business together. They definitely probably do not have feelings for each other.

Follow Me Down This Time

Harry first noticed Louis in his second term at Hogwarts, and despite three years of inventing ways to stumble across Louis, he's never managed to actually work up the courage to speak to him. Also known as, self-indulgent Hogwarts AU, because every fandom needs Hogwarts AUs.

if you'll be my star, i'll be your sky

Louis smiles in the smuggest, most infuriating way, like he knows every thought filtering through Harry’s mind. He probably does.

“I thought you were a student, yeah,” Louis says, voice quieter now, leaving Harry to lean over the baluster somewhat to hear. “But I hoped you weren't.”

(or, Harry Potter AU where Harry takes a teaching post at Hogwarts and gets a little more than he expected when he meets the fit Transfiguration professor, Louis, who looks oddly familiar... Featuring Messrs. Horan, Malik, and Payne as well, along with some familiar faces from the HPverse)

At Least We're Breathing

(Just another mental institution fic!)

Fairly quickly, it becomes obvious to Harry why almost all of them are there; Liam can't control how much he eats-and then can't keep it down-. Niall doesn't talk, Harry himself has tried to end his own life, and Zayn isn't always...Zayn.

Then there's Louis, who no one really knows what he's in for, and Harry isn't even sure he belongs, but maybe he's glad he's there anyway.

Take A Bite Outta Me

Louis truly resents the implication that he is basically Harry’s own version of Bella goddamn Swan, because seriously, no. Just no. But the issue is that even this stupid Meyeresque revelation has done absolutely nothing to dampen his attraction to this weirdly charming vampire man who dresses in 8000 pound coats and hangs around in dilapidated buildings with his merry band of ethical bloodsuckers.

Louis is a slightly inept vampire hunter. Harry is a slightly unique vampire. They meet

Lego House

Louis didn't know what to think when he woke up with a needle in his arm and an unconscious man across the room. He didn't know what to think when he could hear everything. He didn't know what to think when he picked up four boys on his way out. Maybe, just maybe, they could get away.

or where Louis has heightened senses, Harry is basically a shape shifter, Liam can manipulate the air, Zayn can influence people's emotions, and Niall has healing powers. And crazy stuff happens as they wander through the woods.

Title is "Lego House" by Ed Sheeran

Two To Rule

Prince Louis is an intellectual interested in philosophy and human interaction; Prince Harry feeds off of power and wealth because it's all he's been raised to yearn for. Their arranged marriage will be the downfall of them both.

In Dreams

AU. When Harry moves to a new city, his new flat come with a number of sweet, anonymous gifts and surprises that brighten his days. Could it be a friendly ghost? Another friendly presence in his new building is his tattooed neighbor, Louis, who seems determined to put a smile back on his face.

yellow lamps on blackened skies

Louis is the best baker in his apartment building until his new neighbour shows up and threatens his position (and his dignity). It turns out that actually, he might have a competitive streak.

Like Master, Like Pet

In which Louis's cat apparently wants to date Harry's frog, intense studying of eyebrows is a thing, pillows can turn into flamingos, and a lot of really lame-ass jokes are made.

feel the chemicals burn in my bloodstream

“Alright, alright. No need to bite,” Harry says, holding his hands above his head in a general gesture of surrender.

Louis quirks an eyebrow and his foot nudges Harry’s as he moves to sit straight. “If that’s what you think biting is, you’ve got another thing coming, Styles.”

Harry blinks at him before he feels his face flush and inside the marrows of his bones there’s pulses of heat, pulses of fire spreading through him. “Is that a threat, your Highness?”

“That’s a promise,” Louis answers just as the car halts to a stop. “One I intend to keep.”

Harry is a journalist with a lot of secrets and Louis is the future king of the United Kingdom; they live together for 60 days.

With the Rising Sun

This idea bloomed after seeing a post of 19-year-old Harry with a picture of younger Louis and I just really wanted to make something where Harry was older.

Louis had been living in NYC for two years now while studying at NYU, and was probably the least social 21-year-old ever. Somehow he got roped into his sister's brilliant idea of getting her college best friend to help him branch out and meet people. Only there was one problem — Harry Styles is like the hottest thing on two legs and Louis' not ready to see a much older version of the boy who filled his fantasies as a teenager.

the value of this moment lives in metaphor

Louis and Harry are best friends and absolutely nothing more. It’s a bit strange that, suddenly, everyone thinks they’re dating.

Or the one where they’re all teachers at a high school and students are more invested in their lives than normally expected.

Baby Heaven's in your Eyes

They couldn’t be more different if they tried. Louis Tomlinson is 17 years old and in his last year of the most prestigious private school in Doncaster. If there’s one thing that completely annoys him, it’s that there is a poor community college right across the street.

Harry Styles is 19 years old, and (once again) in his last year of college. He goes to community college in Doncaster. He never shows up to classes and if he actually bothers to, he’s either high or drunk; sometimes both. His skin is littered with tattoos and if there’s one thing he absolutely hates, it’s the snobby students attending the private school right across from his.

Or a sixth form!AU where Harry is the fucked up bad boy with too many problems, Louis is the perfect rich boy with too much money and their schools are right across from each other. They meet at a party and that’s the last (and maybe the only) thing they need.

put the stars in our eyes

Louis goes to bed having ordered a nineteen year-old husband.

Louis is set to inherit the family farm after the death of his father, but after finding out that he needs to be married in order to do so, purchasing a nineteen year-old, mail-order husband named Harry Styles seems to be the easiest answer.

Zouis

Bruised

Louis accidentally gives Zayn a black eye and it sets off the weirdest year of his life. Set in New Jersey.

Chéri

growing up AU: In which Louis lives far away, but visits every winter; and Zayn falls just a bit more in love each year.

like any real love it's ever-changing

"Do you think if I repeat 'this isn't happening' for long enough it'll make it true?" Louis asks.

The cat—Zayn—moves its tail. Louis doesn't know what that means.

"I have no idea what that means," Louis says.

Zayn turns into a cat. Louis figures some things out.

if not the happiest, surely the luckiest

AU. reform boarding school for the obscenely wealthy, essentially. zayn is new and louis is hot shit.

high hopes

i know it's crazy to believe in silly things, but it's not that easy

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architectnews · 3 years ago

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Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford

Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford, England Architecture, Halls of Residence Design Photos

Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford

24 November 2021

Design: Niall McLaughlin Architects

Location: Woodstock Rd, Oxford, England, UK

Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford

photos courtesy of Brick Awards

Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford

Named after the late former Principal of Somerville College, the Catherine Hughes building provides 68 study bedrooms for undergraduates, plus a new graduate reading room on the ground floor. It is a multi-storey structure constructed in the college’s old service yard between the Penrose building and the single-storey old school house.

Designed by Niall McLaughlin Architects, this high-quality accommodation is positioned at the fulcrum of the curve on Walton Street. It has therefore become an integral part of the street scene that complements nearby buildings, which includes the recently refurbished Grade II listed Wolfson building and the large-scale Radcliffe Observatory Quarter development. The design recognises the changing nature of Walton street by addressing both the sensitive character of the Jericho Conversation Area in which the college sits and the institutional feel of other neighbouring structures.

The scheme reacts to these contrasting scales with the larger 5 storey volume set towards the centre of the site and the smaller 4 storey blocks addressing Walton Street and the College Quad. However, it simultaneously possesses a character of its own as an ambitious and modern building with enjoyable internal spaces and a communal feel. The result is a valuable addition to the college and also a welcome addition to the existing urban grain. Meanwhile, the picture windows in the graduate reading room respond positively to Walton Street and offer passing members of the public a window into college life.

A cross-laminated timber frame was ultimately used to form the structure of the building. This offered a low-carbon alternative to concrete as well as providing significant cost and programme savings. The external walls were constructed using traditional hand-laid brickwork. The selection of Reigate Purple bricks was carefully considered. Its red tones reflect the neighbouring buildings, with the articulated brickwork elements around generous windows providing a rhythm to the façade. Framed setbacks at third floor level also provide variety to the roof line whilst emphasising the building’s alignment with key levels on the adjacent Penrose Building.

Internally, the study bedrooms are arranged into clusters with kitchens and circulation spaces creating focal points for socialising. The rooms themselves have an open layout and generous windows that allow abundant natural light to flood in. Students were impressed by the modern facilities and airy and comfortable ambiance, which provides an ideal environment for both study and rest.

The Catherine Hughes Building was a substantial investment for Somerville College. However, it enabled the college to fulfil its promise to offer every undergraduate a room on its central site for the duration of their studies. This not only brought the community closer together; it also gave Somerville an advantage over other colleges that use satellite sites to house their students.

The project was delivered on time and on budget by Oxford-based construction firm Beard.

Judges’ Comments – Ian Wilson

A joy to behold, stands in a varied street scape proudly designed and built to make it feature well on its own merits.

Planning

The structure succeeds in delivering everything that it sought to do from the outset, well thought student accommodation. The site was difficult at it is a compact area that is bordered by a variety of differing methods of construction from concrete Arup buildings to the Penrose building and a single storey school as it’s near neighbour. The Catherine Hughes Building is original and honest to itself.

Design

A very creative design, care taken to acknowledge rooms north facing by the introduction of more windows to these areas.

The full potential of the site has been exploited without overbearing upon other adjacent structures. The design allows the street elevation to be opened to passers by, a very novel feature as opposed to the traditional quads that minimise outside windows. The brick is a fine choice of Ibstock Reigate Purple and NHL mortar extremely well laid.

Construction

The quality of the brickwork was a very pleasant surprise, the entry images do the building no justice whatsoever. One must assume that the photographs were taken prior to completion and do not reflect the presented item. The pointing detail is exquisite and displays a high level of pride.

Overall this is an extremely well constructed structure, it is one that all involved must be proud. The use of a CLT (cross laminated timber frame) is rather unusual but it allowed internal finishes to progress unaffected by the elements thus allowing the masonry envelope to come off the critical path programme. Net result a well performed brick structure.

Overall

A good British brick, Natural Hydraulic Lime mortar coupled with a good design and excellent craftsmen . They all go to produce a lovely building of which everyone involved must be justifiably proud.

This beautifully crafted block of student accommodation for Somerville College stands close to a bend on the east side of Walton Street in Jericho. Unlike the older college buildings to the north, which are hidden to passing pedestrians behind high stone walls, the Catherine Hughes Building sits confidently on the rear edge of the pavement, inviting close inspection of the building itself and the possibility of a glimpse into the world of academia.

The west elevation sets the style for the whole building with the side elevations, facing north and south, continuing the theme. Stepped reveals frame the recessed full height fenestration, their lightness and articulation contrasting with the solidity of the flanking monolithic brick towers.

The building is undoubtedly a positive contribution to the street scene. Its use of traditional brickwork, in a setting with a mixture of stone, concrete and glass facades nearby, also respects its immediate and much older brick-built neighbour on the Somerville site.

Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford images / information from the Brick Awards

Previously on e-architect:

Somerville College Student Accommodation Somerville College Student Accommodation Oxford

Somerville College Dining Hall Architecture Competition Somerville College Dining Hall Competition by RIBA

Phone: +44 1865 270600

Address: Woodstock Rd, Oxford, OX2 6HD, United Kingdom

New Oxford Architecture

Contemporary Oxford Architecture

Oxford Architecture Designs – chronological list

Oxford Architecture

Oxford Architecture Walking Tours

Recent Oxford College building designs on e-architect:

Exeter College Library Architects: Nex— image courtesy of architecture office Exeter College Library

St Catherine’s College Building, Manor Road Architects: Purcell image courtesy of architecture office St. Catherine’s College in Oxford

6 Pavilions – University College Oxford Design: Belsize Architects image courtesy of architecture office 6 Pavilions – University College Oxford

St Antony’s College Gateway Building Design: Bennetts Associates St Antony’s College Building Oxford

St. John’s College Building Design: MJP Architects St. John’s College Oxford – The Kendrew Quadrangle

University Buildings

Oxford Building Designs

Keble College Building Rick Mather Architects Keble College Building

The Shulman Auditorium, Queen’s College Oxford Berman Guedes Stretton The Shulman Auditorium Oxford

Comments / photos for the Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford design by Niall McLaughlin Architects page welcome

The post Catherine Hughes Building Somerville College Oxford appeared first on e-architect.

#e-architect

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gordonwilliamsweb · 3 years ago

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A Covid Test Costing More Than a Tesla? It Happened in Texas.

When covid-19 struck last year, Travis Warner’s company became busier than ever. He installs internet and video systems, and with people suddenly working from home, service calls surged.

He and his employees took precautions like wearing masks and physically distancing, but visiting clients’ homes daily meant a high risk of covid exposure.

“It was just like dodging bullets every week,” Warner said.

In June 2020, an employee tested positive. That sent Warner and his wife on their own hunt for a test.

Because of limited testing availability at the time, they drove 30 minutes from their home in Dallas to a free-standing emergency room in Lewisville, Texas. They received PCR diagnostic tests and rapid antigen tests.

When all their results came back negative, it was a huge relief, Warner said. He eagerly got back to work.

Then the bill came.

The Patient: Travis Warner, 36, is self-employed and bought coverage from Molina Healthcare off the insurance marketplace.

Medical Service: Two covid tests: a diagnostic PCR test, which typically takes a few days to process and is quite accurate, and a rapid antigen test, which is less accurate but produces results in minutes.

Total Bill: $56,384, including $54,000 for the PCR test and the balance for the antigen test and an ER facility fee. Molina’s negotiated rate for both tests and the facility fee totaled $16,915.20, which the insurer paid in full.

Service Provider: SignatureCare Emergency Center in Lewisville, one of more than a dozen free-standing ERs the company owns across Texas.

What Gives: Throughout the pandemic, stories of shockingly high prices for covid tests have abounded. A recent report from an insurance trade association noted that “price gouging by certain providers continues to be a widespread problem.”

But Warner’s PCR bill of $54,000 is nearly eight times the most notable charge previously reported, at $7,000 — and his insurer paid more than double that highest reported charge. Health policy experts KHN interviewed called Warner’s bill “astronomical” and “one of the most egregious” they’d seen.

Yet it’s perfectly legal. For covid tests — like much else in American health care — there is no cap to what providers can charge, said Loren Adler, associate director of the USC-Brookings Schaeffer Initiative for Health Policy.

Covid testing has been in a special category, however. When the pandemic hit, lawmakers worried people might avoid necessary testing for fear of the cost. So they passed bills that required insurers to pay for covid tests without copays or cost sharing for the patient.

For in-network providers, insurers can negotiate prices for the tests, and for out-of-network providers, they’re generally required to pay whatever price the providers list publicly on their websites. The free-standing ER was out of network for Warner’s plan.

While the policy was intended to help patients, health experts say, it has unintentionally given providers leeway to charge arbitrary, sometimes absurd prices, knowing that insurers are required to pay and that patients, who won’t be billed, are unlikely to complain.

“People are going to charge what they think they can get away with,” said Niall Brennan, president and CEO of the Health Care Cost Institute, a nonprofit that studies health care prices. “Even a perfectly well-intentioned provision like this can be hijacked by certain unscrupulous providers for nefarious purposes.”

A report from KFF published earlier this year found that hospital charges for covid tests ranged from $20 to $1,419, not including physician or facility fees, which can often be higher than the cost of the tests themselves. About half the test charges were below $200, the report noted, but 1 in 5 were over $300.

“We observed a broad range of COVID-19 testing prices, even within the same hospital system,” the authors wrote.

Realistically, the cost of a covid test should be in the double digits, Brennan said. “Low triple digits if we’re being generous.”

Medicare pays $100 for a test, and at-home tests are sold for as little as $24 for an antigen test or $119 for a PCR test.

Warner’s charges were fully covered by his insurance.

But insurance policy premiums reflect how much is paid to providers. “If the insurance company is paying astronomical sums of money for your care, that means in turn that you are going to be paying higher premiums,” Adler said.

Taxpayers, who subsidize marketplace insurance plans, also face a greater burden when premiums increase. Even those with employer-sponsored health coverage feel the pain. Research shows that each increase of $1 in an employer’s health costs is associated with a 52-cent cut to an employee’s overall compensation.

Even before the pandemic, wide variability in the prices for common procedures like cesarean sections and blood tests had been driving up the cost of health care, Brennan said. These discrepancies “happen every single day, millions of times a day.”

Resolution: When Warner saw that his insurance company had paid the bill, he first thought: “At least I’m not liable for anything.”

But the absurdity of the $54,000 charge gnawed at him. His wife, who’d received the same tests the same day at the same place, was billed $2,000. She has a separate insurance policy, which settled the claim for less than $1,000.

Warner called his insurer to see if someone could explain the charge. After a game of phone tag with the ER and the ER’s billing firm, and several months of waiting, Warner received another letter from his insurer. It said they’d audited the claim and taken back the money they had paid the ER.

In a statement to KHN, a spokesperson for Molina Healthcare wrote, “This matter was a provider billing error which Molina identified and corrected.”

SignatureCare Emergency Centers, which issued the $54,000 charge, said it would not comment on a specific patient’s bill. However, in a statement, it said its billing error rate is less than 2% and that it has a “robust audit process” to flag errors. At the height of the pandemic, SignatureCare ERs faced “unprecedented demands” and processed thousands of records a day, the company said.

SignatureCare’s website now lists the charge for covid tests as $175.

The Takeaway: Covid testing should be free to consumers during the public health emergency (currently extended through mid-October, and likely to be renewed for an additional 90 days). Warner did his insurer a big favor by looking carefully at his bill, even though he didn’t owe anything.

Insurers are supposed to have systems that flag billing errors and prevent overpayment. This includes authorization requirements before services are rendered and audits after claims are filed.

But “there’s a question of how well they work,” Adler said. “In this case, it’s lucky [Warner] noticed.”

At least one estimate says 3% to 10% of health care spending in the U.S. is lost to overpayment, including cases of fraud, waste and abuse.

Unfortunately, that means the onus is often on the patient.

You should always read your bill carefully, experts say. If the cost seems inappropriate, call your insurer and ask them to double-check and explain it to you.

It’s not your job, experts agree, but in the long run, fewer overpayments will save money for you and others in the American health care system.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!

KHN (Kaiser Health News) is a national newsroom that produces in-depth journalism about health issues. Together with Policy Analysis and Polling, KHN is one of the three major operating programs at KFF (Kaiser Family Foundation). KFF is an endowed nonprofit organization providing information on health issues to the nation.

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

A Covid Test Costing More Than a Tesla? It Happened in Texas. published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

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stephenmccull · 3 years ago

Text

A Covid Test Costing More Than a Tesla? It Happened in Texas.

When covid-19 struck last year, Travis Warner’s company became busier than ever. He installs internet and video systems, and with people suddenly working from home, service calls surged.

He and his employees took precautions like wearing masks and physically distancing, but visiting clients’ homes daily meant a high risk of covid exposure.

“It was just like dodging bullets every week,” Warner said.

In June 2020, an employee tested positive. That sent Warner and his wife on their own hunt for a test.

When all their results came back negative, it was a huge relief, Warner said. He eagerly got back to work.

Then the bill came.

The Patient: Travis Warner, 36, is self-employed and bought coverage from Molina Healthcare off the insurance marketplace.

Service Provider: SignatureCare Emergency Center in Lewisville, one of more than a dozen free-standing ERs the company owns across Texas.

“We observed a broad range of COVID-19 testing prices, even within the same hospital system,” the authors wrote.

Realistically, the cost of a covid test should be in the double digits, Brennan said. “Low triple digits if we’re being generous.”

Medicare pays $100 for a test, and at-home tests are sold for as little as $24 for an antigen test or $119 for a PCR test.

Warner’s charges were fully covered by his insurance.

Resolution: When Warner saw that his insurance company had paid the bill, he first thought: “At least I’m not liable for anything.”

In a statement to KHN, a spokesperson for Molina Healthcare wrote, “This matter was a provider billing error which Molina identified and corrected.”

SignatureCare’s website now lists the charge for covid tests as $175.

Insurers are supposed to have systems that flag billing errors and prevent overpayment. This includes authorization requirements before services are rendered and audits after claims are filed.

But “there’s a question of how well they work,” Adler said. “In this case, it’s lucky [Warner] noticed.”

At least one estimate says 3% to 10% of health care spending in the U.S. is lost to overpayment, including cases of fraud, waste and abuse.

Unfortunately, that means the onus is often on the patient.

You should always read your bill carefully, experts say. If the cost seems inappropriate, call your insurer and ask them to double-check and explain it to you.

It’s not your job, experts agree, but in the long run, fewer overpayments will save money for you and others in the American health care system.

Bill of the Month is a crowdsourced investigation by KHN and NPR that dissects and explains medical bills. Do you have an interesting medical bill you want to share with us? Tell us about it!

USE OUR CONTENT

This story can be republished for free (details).

A Covid Test Costing More Than a Tesla? It Happened in Texas. published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

0 notes

louis-sottficrec · 7 years ago

Text

The Full Works

I wanted to dedicate a post completely to fics that I have saved in my iBooks and that read like a published full book. They deserved their own little space!

Escapade by dolce_piccante, 146k.

I don’t even know where to start with this fic. It is my absolute, no doubt, number 1 fic. You must have heard from it everywhere. It is incredibly well written and absorbs you from word one. Have a cuppa and get yourself ready for the greatest love story of all time. The summary doesn’t do it justice, but I added it anyway.

Summary: In the grand scheme of things, finding a date for a wedding should be no problem for Louis Tomlinson. He's rich. He's handsome. He's reasonably well behaved. But when the wedding is for his lifelong best friend (and former boyfriend), and is happening in under a month, finding a date for the ceremony and accompanying festivities becomes more of an adventure than he ever could have planned for.

Relief Next to Me by dolce_piccante, 333k.

Take it from me, everything this author writes in incredible. This story is my number two, but ever challenging Escapade for the number 1 spot. Especially the ending of this story is the most beautiful ending you have ever read and it’ll have you sobbing right until the last word. The sobbing might also already commence in the middle of the story. Happy tears, sad tears, confused tears and thankful tears all made an appearance when I read this. It is again a long one, but see it as a book and you will be immersed in the story before you know it. (Note: Don’t start this when you have a lot of other things to do, like I did, everything else seems unnecessary once you have started. Or do, and have the time of your life. There’s always resits right?)

Summary: AU. What happens when a baker and a graphic designer meet via a very specific Craigslist post? Fate, friendship, food, and maybe more.

Behavioural Ecology by Turtlekz, 81k.

I don’t even know where to begin with this one. This fic holds a special place in my heart for reasons unbeknownst (even) to me. It pulled me in from the first page and I’ve reread it countless times, enjoying it again and again. I even started to study the history of chimpanzees and the project that it centers around. It is a semi true story as regards to the place where they work and the kind of work they do there. I won’t explain too much, you just have to read it.

Summary: Louis Tomlinson is a primatologist working with the Jane Goodall Institute for primate conservation; and Harry Styles is the photojournalist sent from National Geographic to write a piece promoting awareness about the endangered species. They meet, and love is never, ever simple, as we know. Featuring Eli the chimpanzee, bickering humans, storytelling, and five men who come to gain an understanding of what it means to be human; all stationed in the Republic of the Congo.

These Inconvenient Fireworks by Wontsitstill.

This fic/book is incredible. It is well-written, so funny and you feel like you really get to know the characters. The story made me laugh out loud, wipe away tears, cringe at certain people’s obliviousness (I’m looking at you here, Zayn.) and feel the love that creates itself between the characters. In short, open it, read it, love it. Note: It is not on AO3, so please ask me for the epub!

Summary: Future AU in which nobody tries out for X Factor but the boys end up finding one other eventually anyway. Louis is a jaded bastard who owns a cat named Duchess and teaches drama to teenagers, Harry is an idealistic aspiring photographer/part-time footy coach, Zayn teaches English lit and wears leather jackets, Liam saves people from burning buildings, and Niall is Niall.

Dancing In The Dark by Clairdeloune, 74k.

I can’t express in words how much I loved this. Maybe because it also hits a little close to home in some parts. Read it and you’ll hopefully love it as much as I did. It is tagged as canon divergence and I feel like that is the correct category for it. Also, get ready for Slow Burn and through that a little bit of angst.

Summary: 'Harry takes a deep breath and then slowly lets it out. He lifts his head and meets Louis’ eyes again. “Do you think they could—” Harry stops, swallows dryly; Louis tilts his head to the side, silently urging him to go on. “Do you think they could forgive that someone, then? At some point?” Louis just looks at him for a moment, quiet, contemplating. “I think maybe, in some ways, they already have,” he says finally, his voice soft.

Or: Harry comes out and it brings more than he's expected.'

Into the Blue by Zarah5, 117k.

Another, and for now the last, classic and once, again, more than worth reading. I actually only read this a few weeks ago, but completely fell in love with the characters and the storyline. I really liked the way there were certain turns in the story you would not expect and maybe not like at first. However, moving through the story and reaching the end of it, it felt like every turn made sense and kept the story going forwards. In short, I loved it.

Summary: AU. In which Louis is Harry's scuba instructor and quite happy to provide the requested special treatment, pun fully intended. It can't be all that difficult to convince Harry that they're on the same page, right? Also, Niall and Liam may or may not be dating, and Zayn is surrounded by emotionally stunted idiots. He bears it with dignity.

Love Is A Rebellious Bird by 100percentsassy and gloria_andrews, 134k.

Stunning work, beautifully written and an interesting plot.

Summary: AU in which the boys still make music. Louis is the concertmaster of the London Symphony Orchestra, Harry is the New! and Exciting! interim conductor/ex-cello prodigy who "has made Mozart cool again" according to Esquire Magazine (Louis hates him immediately, which is definitely why he internet stalked him in his dark bedroom late at night that one time), and Niall is the best. Zayn and Liam are around too. Don't hum Bolero.

#fic rec #my fic rec list #fic rec list #larry fic rec #hl #the full works

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aleesblog · 4 years ago

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Gerald Stern Journal of Neural Transmission supplement 2020

Gerald Stern was a doyen of clinical neurology of international repute who made numerous significant contributions to neurology and the field of movement disorders. His early life and career in neurology have been documented in other published eulogies (Lees 2018a, b; Quinn 2019; Lees and Ockelford 2019)—we would urge you to read these as they tell a compelling story of his upbringing, his entry in to medicine, and the start of his love affair with clinical neurology that contains object lessons for those about to embark on a similar voyage. For those of you who never met Gerald or heard him speak and have not read any of his numerous publications, you should indulge yourselves by reading one of his later works (Stern 2011) or the Stanley Fahn Lecture presented at the MDS meeting in 2010 in Bue- nos Aries which you can watch on YouTube (Stern 2010) and an interview carried out by Niall Quinn (Quinn 2010) following that presentation. Then, you will realise what a master of the English language he was, his intellect, his ability to dissect and analyse complex areas of neurology, and how he used his wit and humour to entertain an audience. Gerald showed boundless enthusiasm for clinical neurol- ogy and was beloved by his patients who adored the time and patience which he showed in trying to understand their problems and to treat them to the best of his ability. Such was the respect of his patients that two apparently penniless, little old ladies left him substantial legacies with which he funded his research. Famed for his tact and diplomacy and courteous manner, he was sought out by the rich, the famous, Kings, Presidents, and Popes for his clinical skills. Asked why he preferred to practice private medicine rather than aim for a chair of neurology, he responded in typical fashion ‘My dear boy, I couldn’t possibly afford to be a professor’. A pioneer and a non-conformist—some would say rebel—he was involved in the earliest studies of L-dopa in Parkinson’s disease and subsequently in the introduction of dopamine agonist drugs, notably apomorphine and bromocriptine. Probably, he would have been most proud of his contribution to the introduction of the MAO-B inhibitor deprenyl in to the treatment of Parkinson’s disease, which included being his own guinea pig for testing the safety and effect of the drug—unthinkable in the modern era. Less well known is Gerald’s love of science and laboratory-based research which was fostered by periods in his early career that he spent in USA and in Paris. He must have been one of very few clinicians who subscribed to and read Nature and Science on a regular basis. Enthused by articles that stimulated his imagination, he would be immediately on the telephone to discuss the details of the experiments or he would buttonhole people at meetings and have long conversations which showed the depth of his knowledge and his deep understanding of the relevance to clinical neurology. He would enthuse and even cajole his basic science colleagues in to action to exploit these latest ideas and to translate them in to practical solutions for his patient population. Gerald always described himself as ‘a simple clinician’, but those who worked with him found that he was far from that and including him in the basic science team raised novel ideas and concepts that his lateral thinking brought to the table.Gerald was involved in early studies on the function of the substantia nigra and sub-thalamic nucleus inducing electrolytic lesions in primates under the tutelage of Fred Mettler at Columbia University in New York. This formed the basis of his MD thesis which he wrote sitting on a bidet in a former bordello in Paris. He later forged long-term relationships with Professor Merton Sandler at Queen Charlottes Hospital, London studying catecholamine metabolism and, subsequently, the actions and metabolism of deprenyl. He then became fascinated by the potential for curing Parkinson’s disease through the use of foetal cell transplantation and in many respects was a pioneer in this field enabled by another long-term relationship with Professor Harry Bradford at Imperial College London. One of us (PJ) has personal experience of how Gerald never let an unsolved problem rest. One of his earliest studies, in 1963, was in to the cause of nigro-pallidal degeneration in horses induced by the ingestion of the yellow star thistle. Gerald tried unsuccessfully to induce the same degenerative process in both rodents and primates convinced that there was a specific toxin in the plant that had relevance to human disease. Some 30 years later, when MPTP was first coming to prominence, he related these studies to me, and after reading his paper, I was sufficiently convinced by Gerald’s enthusiasm to go back to the problem. Together with a Swiss phytochemist, toxic components of the plant extracts were identified as sesquiterpene lactones (Cheng et al. 1992)—although it still remains a mystery as to why only horses are affected. In his professional life, Gerald Stern was, by nature, a quiet, generous, and unselfish man who gave his time freely to others and was never one to seek the limelight. In fact, many will remember him because of the patronage which he showed to young neurologists and scientists encouraging them to greater things through his enthusiasm for the field. A gift that is not as common today and for which we are poorer. One of us (PJ) will be forever grateful for the support and encouragement that he received from Gerald in the early part of his career—everything from listening my woes to constructive criticism of my work to bombarding me with ideas to ensuring that I took the right path to achieve my ambitions. He was a father figure to many, but never took the credit for doing so much to advance the field of movement disorders in the UK and on an international basis. Perhaps,in these young people, he recognised something of himself and saw their struggles as the ones which he himself had had to overcome. One or two final quotations personify Gerald and his personality. ‘Surround yourself with clever young people who are more industrious, more imaginative, more intelligent than yourself’ and ‘Be nice to old ladies’. Rest in peace dear friend! References Cheng CH, Costall B, Hamburger M, Hostettmann K, Naylor RJ, Wang Y, Jenner P (1992) Toxic effects of solstitialin A 13-acetate and cynaropicrin from Centaurea solstitialis L. (Asteraceae) in cell cultures of foetal rat brain. Neuropharmacology 31:271–277 Lees AJ (2018a) In memoriam: Gerald Malcom Stern (October 9, 1930–September 9, 2018). Mov Disord 33:1831–1833 Lees, AJ (2018b) Munk’s Roll vol. XII, Royal College of Physicians, London. https://history.rcplondon.ac.uk/inspiring-physicians/geral d-malcolm-stern. Accessed Feb 2020 Lees AJ, Ockelford J (eds) (2019) Remembering Gerald Stern. Virginia Keiley Benefaction, London Quinn N (2010) Interview with Gerald Stern, Buenos Aries, MDS Archives. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EST-Otslc8g. Accessed Feb 2020 Quinn N (2019) Gerald Malcolm Stern: 9th October 1930–9th Septem- ber 2018. Mov Disord Clin Pract 6:9–10 Stern G (2010) Stanley Fahn Lecture, MDS Meeting, Buenos Aries. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0_MZWVK3mE. Accessed Feb 2020 Stern G (2011) Why catechol? Mov Disord 26:24–26 Publisher’s Note Springer Nature remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims in published maps and institutional affiliations.

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