#joint defense privilege

[andrewjbernhard]

The Common Interest Privilege Against Disclosure – A Quick Legal Note

This note discusses the common interests privilege - a unique legal derivative of the attorney-client and work-product privilege from disclosure of information and documents under subpoena or discovery.

This note discusses the common interests privilege – a unique legal derivative of the attorney-client and work-product privilege from disclosure of information and documents under subpoena or discovery. The common interests privilege, also known as the joint defense privilege or pooled information privilege, is an exception to waiver of confidentiality after disclosure to technical third parties.…

[mariasont]

can you do a story where hotch accidentally calls Y/N by her middle name and the rest of the bau are like "👁️👄👁️ who's (insert name)?" and then a cute or fluffy moment happens where Y/N's like "oh yeah only hotch calls me that" PLS PLS PLSSSS

SECRET NICKNAMES - A.H

a/n: the emojis are so accurate im crying you know that’s exactly how they reacted 😭 but loved loved loved writing this one. slightly self indulgent because my middle name is grace <3

masterlist

pairings: aaron hotchner x fem!reader

warnings: just sticky sweet fluff & morgan being an instigator but what’s new!!

wc: 0.9k

It had been a long day. The conference room was a mess. It kind of resembled a battlefield of ideas and failed theories. Evidence photos lay in uneven stacks, some forgotten at the edges of the table while others remained underlined with question marks and red ink. The faint scratch of a pen and the occasional sigh were the only sounds. It was late, and exhaustion was beginning to creep in. Eyes drooped, postures sagged, but no one had yet dared to suggest calling it a night yet. 

You leaned back slowly, your chair tilting just enough to let you stretch your arms above your head. The weariness in your muscles felt almost tangible, meshing into every joint like a weight you let go of. Across from you, Hotch stood still as a statue, his arms crossed and gaze cutting through the evidence board.

"Alright, enough for tonight," he finally said firmly. "We'll reconvene tomorrow at 7:00 a.m. sharp."

The team didn't need to be told twice, practically jumping to their feet. Papers were scooped up, pens clicked shut, and chairs scraped back as everyone made their way out. But before you could slip away, Hotch's voice rang out, cutting cleanly through the room.

"Grace, can I see you for a moment?"

The team froze mid-movement. Morgan glanced over one shoulder, one brow raised, while Garcia’s head popped up from where she was stacking papers, lips parting in confusion. Reid, already halfway to the door, paused and turned, tilting his head like he was trying to solve a puzzle he didn’t have all the pieces to.

JJ blinked, mouth “Grace?” to herself, clearly trying to place the name.

Emily squinted slightly before giving voice to what everyone was thinking. “Who’s Grace?”

You blinked, your brain scrambling for an explanation as your eyes darted to Hotch, who seemed oblivious to the chaos he had just cause. Typical man.

Clearing your throat, you forced a sheepish smile.

“That would be me,” you admitted, lifting a hand awkwardly. “Grace is my middle name. Surprise!”

The room remained suspiciously quiet, and you could practically feel the questions they all were about to voice.

“Hotch calls me that sometimes,” you added quickly, somehow able to keep your voice semi-light despite the burn in your cheeks. “It’s not a big deal.”

“Oh, this is interesting,” Morgan said, leisurely sinking back into his chair with folded arms.

JJ squinted. “Is this some sort of secret nickname situation?”

Emily raised a brow. “Does this happen often? Hotch calling you Grace?”

“So, Grace,” Morgan drawled, clearly enjoying himself. “Care to explain why Hotch gets to call you that? Special privileges or—,”

“Don’t finish that sentence,” you cut in, your voice cracked and it was unfortunately too loud to come off as anything but defensive. “Like I said, it’s not a big deal. He just—he just does sometimes, okay?”

“Oh it’s a big deal,” Garcia cut in dramatically. “What else don’t we know about you two?”

“Alright, enough.” Hotch cut in finally, shaking his head. “I told you all to go home. So go.”

Morgan made it halfway to the door before turning back.

“Y’know Hotch, if you wanted us out so bad, you could’ve just said it earlier. No need for the theatrics. We get it—‘Grace’ needs your undivided attention.”

Garcia gasped. “Morgan, you can’t just say that!”

But the damage was done, and the team left in a flurry of giggles and teasing comments, leaving you standing there, flustered and glaring at Hotch.

The second the door closed, you whirled around and smacked his shoulder.

“What was that for?”

“You know what that was for,” you said, crossing your arms. “Calling me Grace in front of them? Do you want me to be interrogated?”

His faint smile broke through. “It wasn’t intentional.

You shot him another glare which only served to turn that smile of his into a full blown laugh.

“I’m sorry, honey,” he said, corners of his eyes crinkling. “I wasn’t thinking—it’s the sleep deprevation.”

Before you could respond, he reached out, gently grabbing your face and smooshing your cheeks together. You were sure you resembled a fish, brows drawn, trying to remain scowling at him, but the position made it hard.

“Truce?” he murmured, leaning down to kiss you.

Your resolve crumbled the second his lips touched yours (It always did). The warmth of his touch practically seemed into your skin, and your muscles melted against him like butter in the sun. When he pulled back you stared up at him, dazed and breathless, trying to remember why you were mad.

“That was—,” You cleared your throat, fighting to ridiculous smile threatening to appear. “You can’t just do that to avoid getting in trouble.”

“Did it work?”

You huffed, crossing your arms. “I’ll think about it.”

You narrowed your eyes at him, pretending to weigh your options with the seriousness of someone deciding on a life-or-death matter.

“Alright,” you said slowly, drawing out each word. “I’ve thought about it.”

Grasping the lapels of his suit jacket, you pulled him down to you, pressing your lips to his in a kiss that left no room for argument. When you pulled back, his smirk was still in place but his eyes were softer now and filled with something you couldn’t quite place.

“But don’t think this gets you off the hook next time.”

He chuckled. “Noted.”

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[mercutio-the-velaryon]

A Close Reading of Viktor's 'ascended' Form

Disclaimer: These are very jumbled thoughts but I've been trying to articulate this for a while so I'm just baring it to the public flaws and all.

I am being dead serious when I say that Melvik is a lens of viewing that serves to recentre Mel as a major character and reassert her value in the hextech trio dynamic. I will be utilsing this lens to analyse Viktor's choice to make his 'perfected' beings carry Mel's attributes.

Immediately, I will preface by saying, that although I read Jayce and Viktor's relationship as romantic, this choice has nothing to do with Jayce, at least, not in relation to feelings of romantic jealousy or romantic insecurity.

So, what does it mean when Viktor wears Mel's white and gold? I think it shows that he views Mel as the epitome of Piltover priivilege and the personification of the social barrier he could not supercede through hard work and picking himself up by his own bootstraps.

The scene above where Mel seems to be singularly be imploring Jayce to militarise Hextech as defensive action is essential to understanding why Viktor views her this way.

In this sequence, Mel is originally conversing with Viktor and Jayce on an equal physical level until she presents her ideal plan of action then she stands straight and focuses more on convincing Jayce rather than Viktor. This is not an attempt to be cruel or malicious, though it very well be an expression of her irritation because in Mel's eyes Viktor's reasonable protest seems like a juvenile outburst. As a Noxian and a Medarda Mel is accustomed to war and bloodshed she does not want the carnage of such an event to bring Piltover to ruin. However, she is also painstakingly aware that losing a war would be a death sentence. The stakes are life and death, and I believe based on what I understand of Mel's character that she would not attempt to bypass Viktor's opposition in more normal circumstances. She respects him to an extent but not more than she respects her position, her legacy and not more than she fears the consequences of losing a war.

Additionally, I view the way she stands and directs attention at Jayce as a demonstration of how she is by nature of the social system always above him. That she and Jayce, are classist as is everyone conditioned and socialised in this system, and for them as citizens of Piltover, as members of the bourgeoisie, and the council their dismissal of Viktor is not that active of a choice, its a reflex, its a manifestation of their biases. Which is terrible in its own right. Viktor discovers in this scene, that Jayce can and will go over his head despite hextech being a joint creation because his social positioning is just higher than his is. It always was and it always will be. These are unchangeable factors and immovable dynamics.

That is to say, that I think Mel's show of power in this scene, her long-term investment in hextech as well as very likely witnessing her political maneuvers from a distance during his time as Heimerdinger's assistant has cemented Mel in Viktor's mind as the paragon of Piltover privilege.

I like to imagine this reaction to Mel's powers "the arcane stirs within you" as a twisted delight. Magic is a natural force, its wild and uncharted and its presence in Mel has this undoing effect, it perplexes her, to use it she physically exerts herself, it makes her bare her teeth. It's a side of Mel, Viktor would have never witnessed, in her struggle with this he finds a glimmer of kindredness that briefly enthralls him.

When he creates his ideal form, a white and gold, sleek and slim faceless robot with a gentle elegent gait and manner of movement and is seeking to conform the entire world to it, know that Viktor in his mind is equalising both himself and the rest of the world to what he considers the apex of privilege, therefore ridding the world of social hierarchy, difference and struggle.

The grand irony of this act is that he ends up bypassing the autonomy of literally everyone by subjecting them to this much like Mel bypassed him. Meaning, he hasn't rid the world of this hierarchy at all, he's put all these people beneath him and robbed them of choice and freedom.

Separate Melvik spiel:

Mel and Viktor's inherent relationship to each other through nature, disposition and as narrative foils is just so meticulous I can no longer genuinely view Arcane as a text without noticing the absence of an established personal dynamic between them. The groundwork for a romance is embedded in the text, their relation to each other is already by itself canonically quite romantic, all of their qualities and attributes are either contrasting or is eerily similar, everything about them serves to say something about the other within the constraints of the Arcane narrative (I doubt this will continue in game and in the follow up series). His admiration of her is tainted by his resentfulness at her position and the way she's wielded it. So many characters in media have kissed for less than that.

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Joshua Keating at Vox:

Today, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was back in a very familiar building. Not only was he making his fourth address to a joint session of Congress — breaking Winston Churchill’s record for foreign leaders — he’s also been a presence in the building’s halls since serving as a diplomat in the early 1980s. Since he made his first speech to Congress in 1996, Netanyahu has been almost as much a fixture of politics in America as in Israel.

Things felt different today. It’s not just that Netanyahu is a controversial figure, one who drew thousands of protesters onto the streets of Washington. That’s not new; Netanyahu’s 2011 speech to Congress was interrupted by a pro-Palestinian protester in the chamber. What is new is that he has become an increasingly marginalized one. Even a few weeks ago, when Netanyahu’s speech was announced, it had the makings of a marquee political event. Today, it was overshadowed by President Joe Biden’s highly anticipated Wednesday night speech to address his decision to drop out of the presidential election. Dozens of lawmakers — around half of Congress’s Democrats — skipped Netanyahu’s speech altogether.

Soon-to-retire Maryland Sen. Ben Cardin’s presence behind Netanyahu on the rostrum attested to how much of a partisan figure Netanyahu has become. Vice President Kamala Harris, Senate President Pro Tempore Patty Murray, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, one of whom would normally have been in that seat, all declined the role. Netanyahu, who has been Israel’s prime minister for 17 of the last 30 years, has done more than anyone to make support for the country an increasingly partisan issue in the United States, in part through actions like his speech to Congress in 2015. That time, he was invited by congressional Republicans to lobby against the Iran nuclear deal then being negotiated by the Obama administration in what was considered a remarkably partisan speech for a foreign leader. In today’s address, by contrast, Netanyahu made little news. It was a speech that gave little indication of a plan to end the war in Gaza, and likely undermined diplomatic efforts underway to do so. It was a notably defensive speech for Netanyahu, devoted more to refuting criticism of Israel than to charting a way forward out of the morass it has found itself in. Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called it “by far the worst presentation of any foreign dignitary invited and honored with the privilege of addressing the Congress of the United States.”

What Netanyahu said — and what he’s doing

Netanyahu recounted the horrors of Hamas’s October 7 attacks and vowed to the families of hostages currently being held in Gaza that he “would not rest until all their loved ones are home.” Not all of those families may be inclined to take him at his word. Many of them are calling for the prime minister to accept a ceasefire deal to secure the hostages’ release, but today Netanyahu vowed that “Israel will fight until we destroy Hamas’s military capabilities and its rule in Gaza and bring all our hostages home,” adding, “That’s what total victory means and we will settle for nothing less.” Netanyahu also said, as he has in several previous remarks, that “[Israel] must retain overriding control [in Gaza] to ensure that Gaza never again poses a security threat to Israel” — a demand likely to be a nonstarter for any ceasefire deal. Despite that, Netanyahu has said in recent days that a ceasefire deal may be near, and the deal currently being negotiated is likely to be the focus of the prime minister’s meeting at the White House with Biden on Thursday. The Biden administration has tended not to respond directly to Netanyahu’s public statements on the deal, and this time was no exception. Asked if Netanyahu’s remarks made that deal less likely, a senior US administration official told reporters on Wednesday afternoon, “We were in the Situation Room doing some other stuff, so I have not seen the speech.”

[...]

How to lose friends and influence

Netanyahu praised President Biden for his “half a century of friendship to Israel” and noted that the president describes himself as a “proud Zionist.” But that only served to highlight the shrinking number of Democratic politicians who would publicly describe themselves that way. Polls have consistently shown a deep partisan divide opening up over sympathy toward Israel. He also thanked former president and current Republican nominee Donald Trump for actions in support of Israel during his presidency, including recognizing Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights and moving the US embassy to Jerusalem. Netanyahu will be traveling to Florida to meet with Trump (and possibly celebrate the birthday of his son, who lives in Miami). Still, while Trump has not exactly turned on Israel, he has clearly soured somewhat on Netanyahu, who he is still angry at for congratulating Biden on his election victory in 2020. It doesn’t seem like a coincidence that Trump posted a friendly letter from Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas on the day he announced the Netanyahu meeting.

Yesterday’s joint address to Congress from war criminal Benjamin Netanyahu is further proof that his support is restricted to hard-line pro-Israeli supporters in the USA.

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-MI) had the right response to his grotesquely hateful speech with the “War Criminal” sign.

[crispbake]

jonhshi headcanons you say?

- kenshi pinches johnny. a lot. as a joke, as a corrective action when johnny's being odd about something, for no reason at all. it's like the urge to bite, but... pinch.

- in return johnny gets to be a biter. not even just in bed, everywhere (except for around other people). johnny's the type to just give into the urge to gently gnaw on kenshi and kenshi lets him. lovingly.

- johnny is wildly defensive of kenshi. kenshi asked that johnny just not joke about his blindness for a while, and johnny was happy to do so. that also included, apparently, johnny snarling at anyone who DOES make blind jokes at kenshi's expense.

- they're t4t and tism4tism.

- they're also, even though it doesn't have a term yet, both disabled. kenshi being blind obviously, and johnny i actually headcanon as being hypermobile. very hypermobile. and there's really only so much being very very strong can do when you're that hypermobile and your joints are determined to get weird, so johnny probably does have occasional pain flare-up days. they'll stay inside and take care of each other

- or, if the responsibilities that day are unavoidable, johnny will take a cane or crutch with him to town, and kenshi wil tag along, returning the favor of biting anyone who makes a joke at johnny's expense (that johnny obviously isn't okay with)

- kenshi is scary dog privileges

- johnny, when he's the guard, is creepy cat privileges (i made that up but there's no better way to describe it)

- to expand on johnny being hypermobile- no grown-ass man in his late 20s is hitting the splits that fucking easily, painlessly, without prior stretching. he's just death dropping in some of his animations. and i just don't think he has a stretching routine for that. it's his party trick, something he can just *do*.

- kenshi finds johnny's flexibility wildly hot

- (when it's not causing him pain, ofc)

- kenshi's tattoos weren't done himself but at some point johnny unlocks the lore that kenshi apprenticed under one of the tattoo artists in the yakuza, and actually graduated to full artist before he left the yakuza. kenshi is a seasoned tattoo artist

- johnny jokes about opening a flower shop across from him so they can be just like the stories. kenshi doesn't understand the reference.

-they have an actual conversation at one point about the after-- once kenshi has completed his quest, and johnny's career is fully winding down. the plan is to get a flat above a storefront, and turn the storefront into a tattoo shop.

- kenshi wears sleeveless turtleneck compression shirts when working out and johnny fans himself like a victorian maiden every time

- (last one i prommy) johnny once wore a clownish formal outfit to the gala celebrating the success of the ninja mime movie. to this very day, kenshi maintains that one was his favorite outfit johnny's ever worn on the red carpet.

i am going to respond to every single one of these damnit

THE PINCHING/BITING IS SO ACCURATE. like i cannot explain what it is about it but that’s just so them. they do different things but it’s the same concept ghdjdkwkw

YES! johnny is super defensive of kenshi not because he thinks he needs to be, he knows kenshi can hold his own, but because he cares about him too much. i’m sure at first when it was still raw johnny never made any comments but i’m sure it reaches a point where kenshi starts joking about it himself and assures johnny he’s come to terms with it. but if anyone else makes a comment OOOH it’s over for them.

i rlly do love trans headcannons for them. whether it’s t4t or one of them is trans while the other is cis i do not care i eat that up every time. I ALSO FOR SURE SEE TISM4TISM!! johnny has the hyper fixations/knows random facts autism while kenshi has the not really sure how to handle your emotions autism. i think he gets overstimulated too which is also from his other senses being heightened once vision was gone.

I NEVER THOUGHT ABOUT HIM BEING HYPERMOBILE BUT IT MAKES TOTAL SENSE! he’s doing the splits on the battlefield i mean come on?!?!??!? (i saw you mentioned this later on LMFAO see u get it)

yes 100% johnny gets scary dog privileges cause of kenshi. too many fans in his face? kenshi doesn’t even EYES for god’s sake and i’m sure a look in their direction will scare them off at least somewhat. and johnny is for sure creepy cat. it’s like “can i come over and be weird and offputting” literally him.

oh yeah the flexibility while it has its downsides for sure comes in handy sometimes. (in bed) i know kenshi is manhandling him into wild positions and johnny loves it. so does kenshi of course.

I’VE POSTED ABOUT THE FACT THAT I DO THINK KENSHI HAS AN INTEREST IN TATTOOS THAT ARENT HIS OWN! he could definitely tattoo johnny i just know he has steady hands and it would come out so awesome.

kenshi not getting the flowershop thing is so real johnny definitely then went off on a long tangent explaining it. i feel like they could just be grocery shopping and something gets johnny going and he goes off on a long spiel as they’re walking around, i’m sure this is an often occurrence. kenshi loves listening to him talk but again, the heightened senses, he probably does occasionally need to rest his head so he kisses johnny to shut him up LMFAO (and it always works that man is so easily distracted)

TATTOO SHOP DOWNSTAIRS FLOWER SHOP UPSTAIRS!

oh yeah johnny loves the compression shirts for sure kenshi looks good in anything. but he does wild for kenshi in short sleeves. he doesn’t wear them super often to cover up his tattoos but when he does goddamn. johnny feels like the luckiest man in the world.

JOHNNY IN A CLOWN THEMED FORMAL OUTFIT FOR THE NINJA MIME PREMIERE MIGHT JUST BE MY FAVORITE ONE OF THESE LMAO. saved the best for last. johnny for sure wears eccentric and colorful outfits on the red carpet. i mean have you seen his MK skins? this man has style he isn’t playing around.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED :)

[victusinveritas]

Advice from a friend on Facebook (The Unofficial Captain):

"Here’s words from a retired officer

Op-ed: Hold Fast: A recently retired senior naval Officer’s take on the recent turmoil in our armed forces.

I take my retired privilege again to speak out on issues that are important to me. The views expressed here are my own and increasingly do not reflect the policies of the Navy or the Department of Defense.

On Friday, two of our nation’s finest military leaders—General Charles Q. Brown and Admiral Lisa Franchetti—were summarily dismissed. These were not pencil-pushing brass; they were proven warfighters, leaders with unshakable dedication to service at the highest levels.

They were not fired because of job performance. Both had distinguished careers. Under Admiral Franchetti’s leadership, the Navy’s performance in the Red Sea proved that our surface anti-air warfare capabilities are not only effective against scores of asymmetric threats but also that our investment in surface ballistic missile defense was worth every dollar.

Some may point to mishaps under Franchetti’s tenure, but those critics ignore a glaring inconsistency: Why was the Army Chief of Staff not also dismissed, despite overseeing more mishaps with greater loss of life over the same time period? Again, the answer is simple: this was never about job performance.

We have now entered a new phase of this administration—one that prioritizes ideological purity over competence. It is a purge, a systematic effort to rid the military of those who do not fit the administration’s narrow and dangerous vision of military strength: one that is hyper-masculine, racially homogenous, and blindly obedient.

To be even more direct—General Brown was dismissed because he is Black and had the audacity to discuss how his blackness led to struggles in his life. Admiral Franchetti was dismissed because she is a woman and had the audacity to speak in support of women’s roles in the modern armed forces.

The administration’s defenders will argue these leaders were too focused on “DEI, not lethality.” Yet, they conveniently ignore that the Army and Air Force had the exact same diversity programs as the Navy. They ignore that the Army had a higher percentage of transgender service members than the Navy. They ignore that as recently as last fall, the Army Chief of Staff publicly stated, “Without diversity, a homogeneous team of soldiers would lack the resilience, perspective, and growth offered by teammates from different backgrounds.”

And yet, he remains while Franchetti is dismissed.

“But they serve at the pleasure of the President, he can decide who he wants!”, is something I’ve heard throughout. That is not what is being questioned here. Nobody denies the President has this right. The real question is, “Why does the president’s pleasure align with racism and misogyny?” Of the 8 serving joint chiefs, why were only the female and black members dismissed? Why was the female 3-star general who acts as Chief of Staff for SECDEF fired, but none of the male 3-stars? It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to see the pattern.

Further, the firing of the top JAG officers is equally disconcerting. As the SECDEF said this morning, he fired them because he didn’t want lawyers who would “attempt to be roadblocks”. This is an abrogation of the rule of law. It is a chilling sign that controversial and possibly illegal activities are forthcoming and the administration does not want lawyers who will stand in the way of their plans

These firings mark a turning point. Loyalty is no longer measured by allegiance to the Constitution but to the administration’s ideology. Stray from it, and you risk your career—or worse. That the Administration has nominated for CJCS Air Force Lieutenant General Dan Caine, an under qualified officer in need of a waiver, undercuts the meritocracy argument. That this officer said to President Trump, in Trump’s own words, “I love you, Sir…I would kill for you…” confirms that ideological purity is our new threshold.

This is not just outrageous; it is immoral. It is un-American.

Many have chosen to resign rather than serve under these conditions. That, of course, is exactly what this administration wants—a strategic purge designed to drive out those who believe in the rule of law and replace them with those who will obey without question.

But I urge my fellow service members: Do not give them what they want.

Which brings me to the question I’ve been asked over and over: What do we do?

I have two words for you:

Hold. Fast.

Remember your oath. Remember what it means to serve this nation, not a political faction. But be smart. Protect yourselves.

How to Stay Safe While Standing Your Ground

1. Stay Under the Radar

• Avoid public criticism, especially in official channels or on social media. Assume anything you say online can and will be traced back to you. This includes Reddit. Could people diss out who you are based on what you’ve shared here?

• In public, maintain a neutral—or if necessary, mildly supportive—demeanor.

• Remove bumper stickers, yard signs, or anything that identifies your political leanings. Your spouse and family should also be cautious about social media.

2. Choose Your Allies Carefully

• There are like-minded people in the ranks, but trust must be earned. The walls have ears.

• Be discreet in conversations. Small, non-committal statements can help gauge where others stand before you reveal your own views.

3. Document and Observe

• The purge of JAG officers and Inspectors General is no coincidence; it is a deliberate attempt to remove oversight and silence whistleblowers.

• If you witness illegal actions or corruption, document everything carefully.

• If necessary, leak information to trusted external channels—investigative journalists, oversight committees, or trusted Congresspersons.

4. Stay Informed and Resilient

• Propaganda thrives in the absence of truth. Read critically and verify information.

• Maintain morale by finding purpose in small victories and supporting fellow shipmates.

• Stay physically and mentally prepared for the challenges ahead.

The Line That Must Never Be Crossed

I remain hopeful that we will never reach the point where service members are ordered to carry out unlawful or immoral directives. I pray that our leadership will intervene before that line is crossed.

But history has shown that hope alone is not enough. If that day ever comes, we will need men and women in uniform who stand for the rule of law, not the rule of fear.

To them, I say again: Hold fast."

[thehollowprince]

I've mentioned before how everything they've done with/for the High Republic in the Star Wars franchise would have worked (at least on paper) pretty well as a setting for the Sequel Trilogy rather than that nostalgia filled quagmire that we got. By which, of course, I mean that we should transpose it all to take place after the Original Trilogy, thereby not boxing it in and having most of it not make sense in the grand scheme of Star Wars. This is my idea of what a first movie in this "new trilogy" would look like.

Context...

Takes place a century after Return of the Jedi

Relatively peaceful since the various Imperial Remnants have been brought under control

Outer Rim occasionally terrorized by space pirates known as the Nihil

The Jedi have managed to rebuild and flourish, while also not being as politically tied to the Rebulic/Senate

Main/Important Characters...

Poe Dameron - pilot and commander in the RDC

Finbar "Finn" Sunveil - a newly Knighted Jedi

Rey San Tekka - scion of the San Tekka family

Marchion Ro - the leader of the Nihil; Evereni

Lorna Dee - a Nihil warlord; Twi'lek

Lina Soh - Supreme Chancellor of the Republic

BB-8 - Poe's astromech droid

References

Great Hyperspace Disaster (Light of the Jedi)

Republic Fair on Valo (The Rising Storm)

Obviously, a disclaimer. I am creating this with the full benefit of hindsight and the works of others at my disposal. And also, no disrespect is meant to fans of the High Republic characters as I shift them out of the spotlight.

But without further ado...

EPISODE I: For Light and Life

The Legacy Run breaks up in hyperspace, flinging debris and parts of the ship across the Outer Rim at near light speed, causing untold damage

A joint task force of the RDC (Republic Defense Coalition) and Jedi respond to the planet Hetzal, an agricultural world where most of the debris is heading, saving the planet from destruction

The task force also manages to save survivors of the Legacy Run in the debris

[this is where we meet Poe and Finn]

While an investigation is opened into what caused the Great Hyperspace Disaster, Finn and Poe are pulled to look into a missing person's case

Meet Lor San Tekka [Max von Sydow] - this missing person is his granddaughter

Rey San Tekka isn't really missing - she ran away from her sheltered/privileged life to seek adventure, finding it with the Nihil, specifically Marchion Ro

[She doesn't know the true motives of the Nihil]

Rey is also a "Skywalker" - someone who can use the Force to chart new paths through hyperspace

She's been using her gifts to chart Paths for the Nihil raids, though she doesn't know that's what they're being used for

Rey overhears Marchion Ro talking with other Nihil about the successful raid and no survivors and she realizes she's been duped

[They also mention almost hitting a ship in hyperspace (the Legacy Run), inadvertently causing the GHD]

She tries to escape but is caught by Lorna Dee

The Supreme Chancellor is meeting with delegates and Senators and members of the Jedi Council, who assure her that the GHD has been contained and they're looking into it

Lina Soh passes these assurances on to the Republic and let's the galaxy know that the Republic Fair on Valo is still happening - a centennial of the restoration of the Republic

Finn and Poe arrive at the planet Grizal, following Rey's trail, unaware that its a Nihil stronghold

They're shot down and crash in the jungle

The Nihil hunt them until they're cornered, with Rey swooping in at the last minute to save them

[Marchion Ro had let her go]

The trio fight off the Nihil and escape in a stolen ship, jumping to hyperspace

Before they have a chance to really rest, Rey tells them they need to get to Valo immediately; the Nihil are planning on attacking the Republic Fair

On Valo, the Fair is starting

Neither Poe nor Finn can get through to Valo [communications have been sabotaged], so they contact Starlight Beacon and ask that any and all available personnel report to Valo immediately

The Nihil attack during Chancellor Soh's speech

Chaos ensues, with battles taking place on the planet, in the skies, and in space

The trio arrive and split up, Poe getting to a Skyhawk interceptor to join the fight in the skies while Finn and Rey make their way to the ground.

Rey has an idea on how to stop the Nihil, but she needs access to a communications array

Poe rallies the other starfighters to fight off the Nihil ships and stop their bombardment of the city

Finn and Rey meet up with Chancellor Soh and her guard, including a Jedi Master, who have been helping civilians

Soh spares a few guards to accompany Finn and Rey

As they make their way to the communications tower to restore power and enact her plan, they're ambushed by a group of Nihil led by Lorna Dee herself

Epic fight between Finn and Dee, who has an electrosword or electrohammer or something

Rey manages to restore power to the tower and immediately enacts her own code sequence, causing the Nihil ships to crash into each other or to the ground

Finn beats Lorna, and she is arrested

Republic reinforcements from Starlight Beacon and nearby systems arrive, and they manage to drive off or capture the remaining Nihil

Lorna Dee managed to escape custody

The Republic is victorious, though sustaining heavy casualties; the Chancellor herself was injured

As order is restored and aid is doled out, a speech is made to remind everyone that "We are all the Republic!"

"For Light and Life!" - the Jedi ignite their lightsabers

Mid or post credit scene of Marchion Ro congratulating Lorna Dee on not only escaping Republic custody but returning with such a gift - a Jedi Knight (not Finn)

And there we have it.

Obviously, this is just a bullet list of major events and the order I think they should happen in. Just because I think these ideas worked together on paper doesn't mean that it would have worked out on screen, but sadly, that's something we'll never know. I'm just sad that they invented all this cool stuff for Star Wars and it's relegated to books and comics where it doesn't get a fraction of the audience.

[zerosecurity]

Akira Ransomware Breaches Over 250 Global Entities, Rakes in $42 Million

A joint cybersecurity advisory issued by CISA, FBI, Europol, and the Dutch NCSC-NL has uncovered the staggering scale of the Akira ransomware campaign. Since early 2023, the nefarious Akira operators have compromised more than 250 organizations worldwide, extorting a whopping $42 million in ransom payments. Akira's Prolific Targeting Across Industries The Akira ransomware group has been actively infiltrating entities across diverse sectors, including education, finance, and real estate. Staying true to the double extortion playbook, the threat actors exfiltrate sensitive data before encrypting the victims' systems, amplifying the pressure for a ransom payment. Early Akira versions, coded in C++, appended the .akira extension to encrypted files. However, from August 2023 onward, certain attacks deployed Megazord, a Rust-based variant that encrypts data with the .powerranges extension. Investigations reveal the perpetrators interchangeably using both Akira and Megazord, including the updated Akira_v2. Initial Access and Privilege Escalation The cybercriminals exploit various entry points, such as unprotected VPNs, Cisco vulnerabilities (CVE-2020-3259 and CVE-2023-20269), RDP exposures, spear phishing, and stolen credentials. Post-compromise, they create rogue domain accounts, like itadm, to elevate privileges, leveraging techniques like Kerberoasting and credential scraping with Mimikatz and LaZagne. Disabling Security Controls and Lateral Movement To evade detection and facilitate lateral movement, Akira operators disable security software using tools like PowerTool to terminate antivirus processes and exploit vulnerabilities. They employ various tools for reconnaissance, data exfiltration (FileZilla, WinRAR, WinSCP, RClone), and C2 communication (AnyDesk, Cloudflare Tunnel, RustDesk, Ngrok). Sophisticated Encryption The advisory highlights Akira's "sophisticated hybrid encryption scheme" combining ChaCha20 stream cipher with RSA public-key cryptography for efficient and secure encryption tailored to file types and sizes. As the Akira ransomware campaign continues to wreak havoc, the joint advisory provides crucial indicators of compromise (IoCs) to help organizations bolster their defenses against this formidable threat. Read the full article

[priafey]

i realized this sounds insane if i don't elaborate. so here.

taken from Chapter 4 of "Killing Hope" by William Blum

alt text below the cut

By early 1950, the United States had provided the Philippines with over $200 million of military equipment and supplies, a remarkable sum for that time, and was in addition to the construction of various military facilities. The Joint US Military Advisory Group (JUS-MAG) reorganized the Philippine intelligence capability and defense department, put its chosen man, Ramon Magsaysay, at its head, and formed the Philippine army into battalion combat teams trained for counter-insurgency warfare. The Philippines was to be a laboratory experiment for this unconventional type of combat. The methods and the terminology, such as "search-and-destroy" and "pacification", were later to become infamous in Vietnam.

By September, when Lt. Col. Edward G. Lansdale arrived in the Philippines, the civil war had all the markings of a long, drawn-out affair, with victory not in sight for either side. Ostensibly, Lansdale was just another American military adviser attached to JUSMAG, but in actuality he was the head of CIA clandestine and paramilitary operations in the country. His apparent success in the Philippines was to make him a recognized authority in counter-insurgency.

In his later reminiscences about this period in his life, Lansdale relates his surprise at hearing from informed Filipino civilian friends about how repressive the Quirino government was, that its atrocities matched those of (or attributed to) the Huks, that the government was "rotten with corruption" (down to the policeman in the street, Lansdale observed on his own), that Quirino himself had been elected the previous year through "extensive fraud", and that "the Huks were right", they were the "wave of the future", and violence was the only way for the people to get a government of their own. (The police, wrote a correspondent for the Saturday Evening Post, were "bands of uniformed thieves and rapists, more feared than bandits … the army was little better.")

Lansdale was undeterred. He had come to do a job. Accordingly, he told himself that if the Huks took over there would only be another form of injustice by another privileged few, backed by even crueller force. By the next chapter, he had convinced himself that he was working on the side of those committed to "defend human liberty in the Philippines”.

As a former advertising man, Lansdale was no stranger to the use of market research, motivation techniques, media, and deception. In CIA parlance, such arts fall under the heading of "psychological warfare". To this end, Lansdale fashioned a unit called the Civil Affairs Office. Its activities were based on the premise one both new and suspect to most American military officers that a popular guerrilla army cannot be defeated by force alone.

Lansdale's team conducted a careful study of the superstitions of the Filipino peasants living in Huk areas: their lore, taboos, and myths were examined for clues to the appropriate appeals that could wean them from supporting the insurgents. In one operation, Lansdale's men flew over these areas in a small plane hidden by a cloud cover and broadcast in Tagalog mysterious curses on any villagers who dared to give the Huks food or shelter. The tactic reportedly succeeded into starving some Huk units into surrender.

Another Lansdale-initiated "psywar" operation played on the superstitious dread in the Philippine countryside of the asuang, a mythical vampire. A psywar squad entered a town and planted rumors that an asuang lived in the neighboring hill where the Huks were based, a location from which government forces were anxious to have them out. Two nights later, after giving the rumors time to circulate among Huk sympathizers in the town and make their way up the hill, the psywar squad laid an ambush for the rebels along a trail used by them. When a Huk patrol passed, the ambushers silently snatched the last man, punctured his neck vampire-fashion with two holes, held his body by the heels until the blood drained out, and put the corpse back on the trail. When the Huks, as superstitious as any other Filipinos, discovered the bloodless comrade, they fled from the region.

[darkmaga-returns]

1. Ambrose Evans-Pritchard:

Donald Trump’s demand for a $500 billion (£400 billion) “payback” from Ukraine goes far beyond US control over the country’s critical minerals. It covers everything from ports and infrastructure to oil and gas, and the larger resource base of the country. The terms of the contract that landed at Volodymyr Zelensky’s office a week ago amount to the US economic colonization of Ukraine, in legal perpetuity. It implies a burden of reparations that cannot possibly be achieved. The document has caused consternation and panic in Kyiv. The Telegraph has obtained a draft of the pre-decisional contract, marked “Privileged & Confidential’ and dated Feb 7 2025. It states that the US and Ukraine should form a joint investment fund to ensure that “hostile parties to the conflict do not benefit from the reconstruction of Ukraine”. The agreement covers the “economic value associated with resources of Ukraine”, including “mineral resources, oil and gas resources, ports, other infrastructure (as agreed)”, leaving it unclear what else might be encompassed. “This agreement shall be governed by New York law, without regard to conflict of laws principles,” it states. (Source: telegraph.co.uk)

2. Wolfgang Munchau:

The outlines of a peace deal are emerging: no Nato membership for Ukraine; a frontier that respects the current military situation; a demilitarized zone around the new frontier; and, I presume, a return of Russia’s frozen assets, and a gradual lifting of the sanctions. Trump even wants Russia back in the G7…. The Ukraine war must end because Ukraine has lost. It’s as simple as that. Russia has shifted to a war economy, and outproduces the West in military gear and ammunition by a large margin. There’s no way it can lose now. A Ukrainian victory would have required the US and Europe to have taken different policy decisions early on: a complete oil and gas embargo on day one, a total cut-off of all Russian banks from international financial networks, an immediate increase in defense industrial investments, and a readiness to make sacrifices. Ukraine needed brave supporters. It got cheerleaders instead. (Sources: eurointelligence.com, unherd.com, italics mine)

[rockerb0y]

@neuroslayyer: "Can't believe you got us kicked out." she mutters as if she weren't also complicit in the rabble-rousing. There's plenty of other bars and joints in Night City so it's not an issue. Yet five shots in hell breaks loose. It was that last shot she had nearly choked on. In a blur there had been yelling, smashed glass and within the blink of an eye she was pounding a fist into some gonk's stupid face (almost in sync to the rhythm of the music); hopped up on booze and adrenaline — a dangerous combo. With bloodied, busted knuckles, she had been pulled off the poor bastard. The chaos that had nearly turned into a wildfire quickly extinguished. When all was said and done, the craving for vivacious night life had dissipated like the feral excitement burning in her veins. She leans against him, flushed cheek resting against his bicep. Watching the roving neon signs and lit up buildings pass through the window of the metro brings about a dizziness. Gaze focuses instead on her hands. Damn, she's broken a couple of nails — a manicure that had been fresh, barely worn beyond a day. "What the fuck got you so worked over? Know you have attitude problems but holy shit."

     DESPITE  the overarching newness of the cloned body, congenital truculence had been inherited from digitalized state without dilution. complexion was now blemished and marred,  adorning fresh contusions and abrasions from a triumphant altercation at ' six shots '. to bleed his own blood was an unexpected privilege, as was the satisfaction of the first punch's connection with the ganger's jaw.

     no longer was  the hand  culpable for his pugnacity, its voice silenced in perpetuity during the body's creation and clinical commitment to compatibility. wrath was now entirely his own to concretize and employ, further augmented by the alcohol and over fifty years' worth of dormancy. not much reason was needed to instigate a  brawl  but what was gleaned from the nearby company was considered adequate, even with the inevitability of  eviction  afterwards.

     ❝  gonk had it coming. said you had a pretty mouth and not-so-subtly implied how he was gonna make the  most  of it. not too far off from what i was thinkin' myself, actually. also thought  dick-chin  wasn't using his mouth to its  full  potential and i was right.  ❞   inorganic digits unfurled and flexed in tandem with their reference,   ❝  got to test out my state-of-the art chrome right then 'n there.  ❞

     although the exact remarks weren't retold verbatim, there was  ample  faith in her ability to supplement the  vulgar  verbiage. explicit harassment in night city was as expected as it was scorned, particularly when it was largely dictated by certain superficial attributes. the dichotomy between her gender and his own had made itself  unavoidably  apparent during his tenancy in the relic; the conflict at the bar was just the most recent example — only this time, his reestablished agency facilitated a more  impactful  form of retaliation.

     gaze gravitated lower to follow hers and likewise gauge the condition of the mercenary's fingers, right hand horizontally supporting hers from beneath to lift them higher for examination. the pad of his thumb  delicately  swiped near each broken nail, noting their jagged edges jointly with abused knuckles. participation in the melee was untethered to any doubt of her skillset or faculty for self-defense; rather, it was rooted in the  phantom  remnants of their connection after they were sundered. an affront against her was one against him, and vice versa.

   ❝  guess your nails aren't as  durable, though, huh ?  fuck, what a rip-off. can't even handle a little horseplay.  ❞   soreness didn't hamper his head from shaking in disbelief.   ❝  should bill the other guy for property damage — after he shells out for trauma team's platinum rate, i mean. got a good look when i pulled you off of him and he's sure as shit gonna need it if he wants open airways anytime soon.  ❞

[sandibebop]

"

WASHINGTON — For those who may have crossed President Donald Trump, the message is sinking in: Payback is coming, and coming fast.

John Bolton, a former White House national security adviser who wrote a damning book about Trump's first term, lost the Secret Service detail assigned to protect him from assassination threats from Iran.

Also losing his detail was Anthony Fauci, the public health scientist whom Trump called a "disaster" over his handling of the Covid-19 pandemic and who has been a target of far-right anger ever since. (Fauci has hired his own private security team in response.)

A portrait of Mark Milley, the former Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman who broke with Trump over a photo-op at a church during the George Floyd racial justice protests, was abruptly removed from the walls of the Pentagon. Defense officials said they have no idea who ordered it taken down or why.

And Trump yanked the security clearances of dozens of former national security officials who'd signed a letter during the 2020 campaign opining that emails from a laptop belonging to Joe Biden's son Hunter had the "classic earmarks of a Russian information operation."

All that happened within days of Trump's inauguration — and in some cases, hours.

A question that loomed over Trump's 2024 campaign was whether he'd use presidential powers for retribution against his perceived political foes. For some, the answer has arrived.

"There are plenty of early warning signs that confirm the worst fears of people who were concerned about a second Trump administration and what it would mean for the rule of law," David Laufman, a former senior Justice Department official under Republican and Democratic administrations, said in an interview. "The real question remains what checks and balances will there be to prevent the creeping establishment of an authoritarian state in the United States."

The White House did not respond to a question about whether Trump personally ordered these actions to be taken, or whether the motive was reprisal. Talking to reporters in recent days, Trump defended canceling Secret Service details for Fauci, Bolton and others.

"I thought he was a very dumb person," Trump said of Bolton, adding that the government can't pay for people's Secret Service protection in perpetuity. (Ex-presidents receive lifetime security details.)

"When you work for government, at some point your security detail comes off," he told reporters. "And you know, you can't have them forever."

A White House spokesman, meanwhile, said the former national security officials deserved to lose their security clearances.

"By abusing their previous positions in government, these individuals helped sell a public relations fraud to the American people," said Brian Hughes, a spokesperson for the White House National Security Council. "They greatly damaged the credibility of the Intelligence Community by using their privileges to interfere in a presidential election. President Trump's action is restoring the credibility of our nation's institutions."

Trump's comments on whether he'd engage in retaliatory acts can give an observer whiplash. In an interview last month with NBC News' "Meet the Press" moderator Kristen Welker, Trump was asked if he would look to punish his predecessor, President Joe Biden.

"I'm not looking to go back into the past," he said. "I'm looking to make our country successful. Retribution will be through success."

He is plainly aggrieved, though, about the way he believes he's been treated by the courts, prosecutors and Democratic officials.

In an Oval Office interview with Fox News host Sean Hannity last week, Trump said: "I went through four years of hell by this scum that we had to deal with. I went through four years of hell. I spent millions of dollars in legal fees and I won, but I did it the hard way. It's really hard to say that they shouldn't have to go through it also. It is very hard to say that."

The Trump administration's moves thus far impose varying levels of hardship for those on the receiving end. Milley's portrait had been unveiled 10 days before Trump's swearing-in. Its abrupt disappearance from a wall dedicated to the Joint Chiefs of Staff may serve as a warning to future chiefs that they, too, can be erased from Pentagon history if they fall out of favor with the commander in chief.

Bolton said he's taking private safety measures now that he's lost his Secret Service detail. In 2022, the Justice Department charged a member of Iran's feared Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in a plot to murder Bolton, likely in retaliation for the Trump administration's killing of an Iranian general two years earlier.

Biden first provided Bolton with a security detail in December 2021, and it had been renewed every six months since then — most recently last month, Bolton told NBC News.

"This is part of the retribution campaign," Bolton said.

"It doesn't really matter to him [Trump] the level of seriousness," he added. "Each thing he can do makes him feel a little bit better."

Members of the U.S. intelligence community told him in the days before Trump's swearing-in that the threat of assassination remained unchanged and had not gone away, he said.

"They are playing with his life, not merely damaging his professional opportunities, but they're putting a man's life at risk in order to punish him for criticizing Donald Trump," said Rosa Brooks, a former senior Defense Department official in the Obama administration and a co-leader of the Democracy Futures Project hosted by the Brennan Center for Justice.

Should Iran harm Bolton in some way, that could compel the U.S. to respond militarily, escalating tensions and drawing the two nations closer to war.

Denying security clearances to those who co-signed the Hunter Biden letter can create financial distress for some who are now in the private sector and need them to fulfill government contracts.

One person whose security clearance was taken away said in an interview, "They are now being hurt financially — and also the country is being hurt — because these are people with decades of experience who continue to serve the government after they retire."

"There's no legitimate policy purpose that this serves," this person continued, speaking on condition of anonymity. "From the standpoint of freedom of speech and our rights as U.S. citizens, we have every right to warn the American people that the Russians continue to engage in these information operations to influence American politics and elections."

Still, it's not clear how much thought the new administration gave in announcing the punishment. Mark Zaid, an attorney who represents some who signed the letter, said in an interview that most of the people no longer possess a security clearance.

The executive order that pulled the the security clearances also covered Bolton, saying his was being taken away for publishing "sensitive information drawn from his time in government" in his memoir "The Room Where It Happened."

Bolton said he doesn't know if he even had a security clearance to lose.

"For me it has no effect at all," he said.

[mukelaniot]

REFLECTIONS ON MY COMMUNITY BLOCK: A 4TH YEAR OCCUPATIONAL THERAPY STUDENT PERSPECTIVE

As I write what I believe is my last blog of the year, possibly and hopefully the last blog I will ever write as a student, I reflect on my journey in my community block. For the past 5 weeks, I have had the pleasure and the privilege to serve the Cator Manor Community and the people at the Denis Hurley Center. I have to say, I am filled with gratitude to have been exposed to such a community. Not only has it helped shape me as a student, but it has also helped teach me invaluable lessons that I believe will be useful to me as a future health practitioner.

Serving the Cator Manor community, an under-resourced community with most of the people falling in the lower socio-economic status, I encountered and worked with people with various health challenges including, but not limited to hand injuries, strokes, people in need of wheelchairs, and children with ASD. While working in this community, I came to realize that contrary to my preconceived assumptions about community practice, even though the people come from the same community and share similar cultural backgrounds, each of them has their own story. By understanding that, I believe I was then able to fulfill our roles of promoting health and well-being (AOTA,2020), and ensuring people can participate in occupations meaningful to them. Through collaboration with other healthcare practitioners in the clinic, which included, but was not limited to, having joint sessions with physiotherapists, we did our part in fulfilling the aim of holistic care through the Multidisciplinary approach, which optimized outcomes for our clients (Bonder & Dal Santo, 2018). 

Personally, throughout this blog, my favorite task was running group sessions. With the occasional assistance from my colleague, I ran the Women's Support Group, to create a haven for women to share their struggles while creating a community that fosters a sense of universality, and empowerment (Change, 2023). In the Substance Abuse group, I witnessed the power of community support as group members actively supported each other in their recovery journey (Baker, 2024). I learned to utilize the group members who are further along in their recovery road to encourage others by sharing their stories and coping strategies. These 2 projects, I hold dear and am passionate about, as I have personally witnessed a lot of people in need of such groups in my own community, which includes family members of my own.  In a local high school, my colleagues and I ran groups that allowed us to target the youth through mental health promotions, education, and addressing underlying issues at an early age.

However, my journey was not without challenges. At some point during my community block, a colleague and I had a traumatic experience where we were mugged of our personal belongings. It was very hard as we had to go back to that same community. Matters did not get any better when I ran into the of my victimizers in the community at some point, which triggered me as I felt unsafe, frustrated, and frankly, quite vengeful. This led to feelings of PTSD, as I felt unsafe when serving the individuals in the DHC, as I was constantly on edge and in a defensive mode as if someone were to attack me at any time. After realizing how this was impacting how I was serving the community, I started to reconsider the idea of seeking therapy. So, I digest…

Anyway, I am proud to report that throughout this block and academic year, I discovered my ability to be resilient, and to rise above adversity.  As I come a step closer to concluding my training as a student, I plan to take these lessons and acquire the tools I learned along the way to continue to strive to carry the values of Occupational therapy to communities I have yet to serve.

REFERENCES

American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA). (2020). Occupational therapy practice framework: Domain and process (4th ed.). AOTA Press.

Baker, S. (2024, March 1). The Importance of Building a Community in Addiction Recovery. Iron Bridge Recovery Center. https://ironbridgerecovery.com/articles/the-importance-of-building-a-community-in-addiction-recovery/

Bonder, B. R., & Dal Santo, J. (2018). Occupational therapy in community-based practice settings. Jones & Bartlett Learning

Change, A. of. (2023, October 16). Empowerment in Social Work: Techniques and Importance. Agents of Change Social Work Test Prep. https://agentsofchangeprep.com/blog/empowerment-in-social-work-techniques-and-importance/

[getlegalattorney]

Special Benefits for Newlyweds - GetLegal

What are the Special Benefits for Newlyweds?

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

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

The Legal Benefits of Marriage

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

Employment benefits—health insurance, bereavement leave and family leave

Family benefits:

Adoption rights and joint foster care rights

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

Government benefits:

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

Medicare

Disability benefits

VA benefits and public assistance

Tax and estate planning benefits:

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

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

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

Medical and death benefits:

The right to visit your spouse in the hospital

The right to make medical decisions for an incapacitated spouse

The right to participate in burial and funeral arrangements

Consumer benefits—discounts to families or couples

The Validation of Same Sex Marriage

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

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

Common Law Marriage

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

Domestic Partnership

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

[sindri42]

So I know this is about unhinged video game strategies, but actually this is important to do in real life.

If somebody is attacking you, especially if they're bigger and better armed than you, they probably have some sort of plan for the attack, an idea in mind for how things will go that leads to them getting whatever they want and you getting hurt in the process. If you let them carry out their plan, you're gonna have a bad day. Your number one priority in a real fight is making sure things don't go the way your attacker wants them to.

And a lot of people, even aggressive types who use violence to get their way, unless they have a lot of experience in real combat, don't react very quickly to changing circumstances. If things go in an unexpected direction, they hesitate, they try to back off and get a moment to think about it before they come back and start getting things back on track.

So if you immediately attack, viciously and with neither hesitation nor mercy, when they expected you to cower like a good little victim or take a defensive stance while you think up a proper counter-strategy? You have a very good chance of fucking them up enough to escape, or disarm them and reverse the situation, or even win outright. Unrelenting violence immediately is more valuable in self-defense than a perfect strategy that comes a minute too late.

Honor is not a concern when they're the one who attacked you. Decorum and dignity are for polite society and go away as soon as violence begins. Mercy is a privilege that only the strong can afford. Grab whatever is at hand to shove into their soft parts, bend joints around the wrong way, if they fall down kick as hard as you can or stomp on vital parts, rip their throat out with your teeth if nothing is stopping you.

In my experience, the fastest way to learn what an enemy can do is seeing what it lets you get away with.

[discoveryesq]

What is a Privilege Log?

What is a privilege log? Other #lawyers have told me it’s a list of privileged documents. No.

At least not if you expect it to be used and accepted by the courts, government agencies, etc. Most require a lot more detail.

Most of the privilege logs I create must:

* Specify if the documents are wholly or partially privileged

* If partially privileged we must redact and specify the redactions are complete

* Specify the privilege type noting that multiple may apply to one document ie) attorney-client privilege, attorney work product, joint defense/ common interest

* Identify the privilege source / the attorney(s)

* We must identify the action giving rise to each privilege type

* For attorney-client we must specify if the lawyer provided advice, if someone requested advice from them, if it was prepared at the request of an attorney, is relaying legal advice, providing info needed to render or request legal advice, transmitted for the purpose of giving or receiving legal advice, etc etc

* If it’s work product we must research and specify the related litigation and if it’s prepared in anticipation of litigation or in the course of the litigation

* Must flag common interest and joint defense privilege scenarios and what entity has the common interest or joint defense agreement

* Specify the document type

* Specify in detail (but not giving away the privileged info) the subject matter of the privileged document

Some may call that making a list; I am not one of those individuals. I hope you like this discovery info as I’m planning to do more with my writing on the subject.