#longest shutdown ever

[gu6chan]

man........ i start thinking about my black butler days and a new rp blog of this one comes calling back to me like the devil

[robertreich]

10 Worst Things About The Trump Presidency

Donald Trump left office with the lowest approval rating of any president ever. But some people now seem to be suffering from amnesia.

Let me jog your memory. Here are 10 Worst Things About the Trump Presidency — in no particular order.

#1. Trump fueled division and sparked a record uptick in hate crimes.

#2. Murder went way up under Trump. He presided over the largest ever single-year increase in homicides in 2020. A number of factors might have contributed to that, but a big one is…

#3. Gun sales broke records under Trump, who has bragged about how he “did nothing” to restrict guns as president in spite of…

#4. Under Trump, America suffered more than 1,700 mass shootings.

#5. Trump said there were "very fine people" among the neo-Nazis in Charlottesville.

I’m halfway to ten. If you think I’m missing something big, leave it in the comments.

#6. Trump allied himself with the Proud Boys, a violent hate group who helped orchestrate the Jan 6 Capitol attack.

#7. Trump’s not wrong when he says…

TRUMP: I got rid of Roe v. Wade.

It is entirely because of Trump’s judicial appointments that 1 in 3 American women of childbearing age now lives in states with abortion bans.

#8. One of Trump’s Supreme Court justices was Brett Kavanaugh, a man accused of sexual assault by multiple women.

#9. Trump’s White House interfered in the FBI’s investigation of Brett Kavanaugh’s alleged sexual assaults.

And now: #10. Trump has been convicted of committing 34 felonies while in office. The criminally false business filings he got convicted for in New York? All of them were committed while he was president.

I’m sorry, did I say the 10 Worst Things About the Trump Presidency? I meant 15.

#11. Trump’s failed pandemic response is estimated to have led to hundreds of thousands of needless deaths. By the time Trump left office, roughly 3,000 Americans were dying of covid every day. That’s a 9/11-scale mass casualty event every single day. How did Trump screw up so badly?

#12. Trump’s White House discarded the pandemic response playbook that had been assembled by the Obama administration.

#13. Trump disbanded the National Security Council’s pandemic response team.

#14. Trump repeatedly lied about the danger of covid, saying it was no worse than the flu or that it would go away on its own.

But behind closed doors, Trump admitted he knew covid was deadly.

#15. Trump promoted fake covid cures like hydroxychloroquine and even injecting people with disinfectants.

After Trump’s “disinfectant” remarks, poison control centers received a spike in emergency calls.

That’s fifteen things. Should I keep going? Ok, I’ll keep going. The 20 Worst Things About the Trump Presidency.

#16. Trump presided over a net loss of 2.9 million American jobs — the worst recorded jobs numbers of any U.S. president in history.

#17. Trump profited off the presidency, making an estimated $160 million from foreign countries while he was president.

#18. Trump also billed the Secret Service over $1 million for the privilege of staying at his golf clubs and other properties while they protected him. That’s your money!

#19. Trump caused the longest government shutdown in U.S. history when he didn’t get funding for his border wall, which he said Mexico was going to pay for.  

#20. Under Trump, the national debt increased by about 40% — more than in any other four-year presidential term — largely because of his tax cuts for the rich and big corporations.

You didn’t really think I was stopping at 20, did you? We’re going to 25 —

#21. Trump separated more than 5,000 children from their parents at the border, with no plan to ever reunite them, putting babies in cages.

#22. The Muslim Ban. Yes, Trump really did try to ban Muslims from entering the country.

#23. Trump sparked international outrage by moving the American Embassy in Israel to Jerusalem while closing the U.S. mission to Palestine.

#24. Trump tasked his son-in-law Jared Kushner with drafting a potential Middle East “peace plan” with zero Palestinian input.

#25. And finally, Trump recognized Israel’s occupation of the Goh-lahn Heights, which is considered illegal under international law.

So there you have it, folks: The 25 Worst — Wait a minute. Wait a minute. Did I mention the impeachments? We’ve got to do the impeachments. Let’s go to 30.

#26. Trump broke the law by trying to withhold nearly $400 million of U.S. aid for Ukraine in an effort to extort a personal political favor from Ukraine’s Pres. Zelensky. Trump wanted Zelensky to interfere in the 2020 election by announcing an investigation into the Bidens. Delaying this aid to Ukraine weakened Ukraine and strengthened Russia.

#27. Trump personally attacked and ruined the careers of everyone who stood in the way of his illegal Ukraine scheme, including Ambassador Marie Yovanovitch and Lt. Colonel Alexander Vindman.

#28. To cover up the scheme, Trump ordered the White House and State Department to defy congressional subpoenas.

#29. For these reasons, on December 18, 2019, Trump became the third U.S. president to be impeached. He was charged with Abuse of Power and Obstruction of Congress.

#30. Even while he was being investigated for trying to get Ukraine to interfere in the U.S. election, Trump publicly called for China to interfere in the election.

So those are the 30 Worst Things —

I’ll go to 35.

#31. Long before Election Day, Trump started making false claims that the election would be rigged.

#32. After losing, Trump falsely claimed the election was stolen, even though his own inner circle, including his campaign manager, White House lawyers, and his own Justice Department and attorney general told him it was not.

#33. Trump kept telling his Big Lie even after more than 60 legal challenges to the election were struck down in court, many by Trump-appointed judges.

#34. Trump ordered the Department of Justice to falsely claim that the election “was corrupt.”

#35. Trump and his allies used threats to pressure state leaders in Arizona and Georgia to falsify the election results.

We may go to 40.

#36. When none of the previous schemes worked, Trump and his allies produced fake electoral votes cast by fake electors in multiple swing states. His former White House chief of staff and Rudy Giuliani are among the many members of his inner circle who have been criminally indicted for this scheme.

#37. Trump tried to bully Vice President Pence into obstructing the certification of the election.

#38. Trump invited a mob to the Capitol on Jan 6 with his “be there, will be wild” tweet.

#39. Sworn testimony alleges that when Trump was warned that members of the crowd were carrying deadly weapons, he ordered security metal detectors to be taken down.

#40. Knowing the crowd had deadly weapons, he ordered them to go to the Capitol and…

TRUMP: …fight like hell.

#41 — Yes, yes, I know, bear with me.

Trump betrayed his oath to defend the nation by doing nothing to stop the Jan 6 violence. Instead, according to witness testimony, he sat and watched TV for hours.

#42. On January 13, 2021, Trump became the only president ever to be impeached twice. This time he was charged with incitement of insurrection. It was a bipartisan vote.

#43. The majority of senators — 57 out of 100 — voted to convict Trump, including 7 Republican senators.

So that’s the two impeachments and the Big Lie, but wait, we haven’t dealt with Russia, right? So we’re going to 50.

#44. In a likely obstruction of justice, Trump pressured then FBI Director James Comey to stop the FBI’s investigation into Trump’s National Security Adviser, Michael Flynn. This was documented in the Mueller report.

#45. When Comey didn’t bend to Trump’s will, Trump fired him.

#46. Trump tried to shut down the Mueller investigation by ordering White House Counsel Don McGann to fire Mueller. McGann refused because that would be criminal obstruction of justice.

#47. When news got out that Trump tried to fire Mueller, Trump repeatedly told McGann to lie — to Mueller, to press, to public — and even create a false document to conceal Trump’s attempt to fire Mueller.

#48. Trump ordered his staff not to turn over emails showing Don Jr. had set up a meeting at Trump Tower before the 2016 election with representatives of the Russian government.

#49. Trump convinced Michael Cohen to lie to Congress about Trump’s plans to build a Trump Tower in Moscow, and Cohen served prison time for lying to Congress.

#50. Trump was not charged for criminal obstruction of justice because it’s the Justice Department’s policy not to indict a sitting president, but more than a thousand former federal prosecutors who served under both Republicans and Democrats, signed a letter declaring there was more than enough evidence to prosecute Trump.

So those are the 50 Worst Things About the Trump Presidency. Now I could go on…

And I will! The 75 Worst Things About the Trump Presidency.

#51. Trump said he’d hire only the best people, but…

His campaign chair was convicted of multiple crimes.

So was one of his closest associates.

His deputy campaign chair pleaded guilty to crimes.

So did his personal lawyer

His National Security Adviser

The Chief Financial Officer of his business

A campaign foreign policy adviser

And one of his campaign fundraisers.

They all committed crimes, and Trump pardoned most of them.

#52. Trump said he’d drain the Washington swamp. But he appointed more billionaires, CEOs, and Wall Street moguls to his administration than any administration in history

#53. Trump intervened to get his son-in-law, Jared Kushner top-secret clearance after he was denied over concerns about foreign influence.

#54. Trump hosted a Russian Foreign Minister to the Oval Office, where Trump revealed top-secret intelligence.

Oh, and Trump’s economic policies!

#55 Trump promised that the average American family would see a $4,000 pay raise because of his tax cuts for the wealthy and big corporations. How’d that work out? Did you get a $4,000 raise? Of course not! Nobody did!

#56. Trump vowed to protect American jobs, but offshoring increased and manufacturing fell.

#57. Trump said he would fix America’s infrastructure, but it never happened. He announced so many failed “infrastructure weeks” they became a running joke.

#58. Trump said he would be “the voice” of American workers, but he filled the National Labor Relations Board with anti-union flacks who made it harder for workers to unionize.

#59. Trump’s Labor Department made it easier for bosses to get out of paying workers overtime, which cheated 8 million workers of extra pay.

#60. Trump repeatedly suggested he might serve more than two terms in violation of the Constitution — and continues to do so.

#61. Trump called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries.

#62. Trump tried to terminate DACA, which protects immigrants brought to the U.S. as children. Luckily this was struck down by the courts.

#63. Trump called climate change a “hoax.”

#64. Trump pulled out of the Paris Climate Agreement.

#65. Trump rolled back more than 100 environmental protections.

#66. Every budget Trump proposed included cuts to Social Security and Medicare.

#67. Trump tried (and failed) to repeal the Affordable Care Act, which would have resulted in 20 million Americans losing insurance. And striking down the ACA’s protections for the roughly 130 million people with pre-existing conditions could have driven up their insurance premiums or led to a loss of coverage.

#68. Trump made it easier for employers to remove birth control coverage from insurance plans.

#69. By the end of Trump’s term, the number of people lacking health insurance had risen by 3 million.

#70. Trump lied. Constantly. He made 30,573 false or misleading claims while president — an average of 21 a day, according to Washington Post fact-checkers.

#71. Trump allegedly took hundreds of classified documents on his way out of the White House, reportedly including nuclear secrets, which he then left unsecured in various parts of Mar-a-Lago, including a bathroom. He was even caught on tape showing them off to people.

#72. Trump seriously discussed the idea of nuking a hurricane.

#73. When Hurricane Maria hit Puerto Rico, Trump delayed $20 billion of aid and allowed Puerto Rico to be without power for 181 days.

#74. Trump suggested withholding federal aid for California wildfire recovery and said the solution was to “clean” the “floors” of the forest.

#75. Trump pulled out of the Iran deal, placing Iran on a path to developing nuclear weapons.

Honestly, there’s so much more, from exchanging “love letters” with North Korea’s brutal dictator to publicly denigrating a Gold Star military widow and making her cry, to the way he attacked journalists, to late night tweet binges.

Look, I can understand why a lot of people want to block all of this out of their memories. But we cannot afford to forget just how terrible Trump’s time in the White House was for this nation.

And we sure as hell can’t afford to put him back there.

[beauty-funny-trippy]

Republican Dysfunction is not just an opinion. It's real, and it's measurable. Republicans in the House of Representatives have a repeated history of dysfunction, causing long government shutdowns.

Of course, the President and the Senate have their part to play in shutdowns. But it can't be a coincidence that of all the days that the U.S. government has shut down over the last 40+ years, 93% of those days started when Republicans were in control of the House of Representatives. (source)

In fact, the three longest government shutdowns in U.S. history all started during a time when Republicans were in control of the House of Representatives. The last one (during the Trump administration) was the longest and most expensive in U.S. history. It cost Americans $5 billion. (source)

Unbelievably, this worst-ever, 35 day government shutdown started when the House, the Senate, and the Presidency were all under Republican control! They couldn't even agree among themselves long enough to pass a budget to keep the government running.

So how did it finally end? It was only after Democrats were given control of the House that they, together with outcries from the American public, were able to get Trump to give up his tyranny of extortion and get the government running again.

And it's not just shutdowns. Of the 11 recessions in the modern era, 10 have begun under Republican presidents. Also job growth has been significantly greater under Democratic presidents than Republican presidents since the early 1980s, and the national debt got worse under Trump than Biden. (source)

Economists warn that Trump (who, due to his incompetence, has had to declare bankruptcy SIX times) will balloon the national debt, just like he did before, with even more tax breaks for billionaires and huge corporations, and ruin the economy with his massive tariffs.

And we're the only ones that can stop him.

[hisyntha]

Carbonite Heart

WARNING: just agnst and sadness because I’m in my feels

AN: UGH ok finally done and honestly, crying my eyes out as we speak. I hope you all enjoy this as much as I enjoyed writing it. It’s a bit long and I did go word for word ( bits were altered) as the episode for “The Last Battle” but other than that TOOK FOREVER. This is probably the longest oneshot I’ve ever written, but I’m also thinking about doing a part 2 if yall want more haha! My friend definitely was shook there wasn’t more so lol.

P.S. this was supposed to be cut in half to make two parts but I made into one, so you’re welcome.

Words: 5966

Pairing Old Rex x F!reader

“W-where are we?” Rex groaned, his eyes fluttering open as he shifted from the spot where he sat. His head throbbed, and his vision swam, blurring the dim surroundings. He glanced down, his brows furrowing as he noticed his hands bound tightly in front of him.

“Well done, B1-268.”

The cold, mechanical voice sent a chill down Rex’s spine. His head snapped up, and his heart nearly stopped as he locked eyes with a tactical droid. His gaze darted across the room, taking in the surrounding battle droids, all standing at attention.

“No… the war…” His breath hitched, his pulse racing as the echoes of blasters and explosions roared in his mind. “I-it’s not over.” Panic surged through him as he struggled to think, to plan, to escape.

“Rex,” a voice called from beside him, sharp and grounding. “Rex! It’s okay.”

“Cody?” Rex rasped, turning toward the voice. He blinked, reality sinking in. “Kanan! I—I’m sorry. I thought you were someone else.”

“It’s fine,” Kanan said, his voice calm but focused. “I need you here now.” He paused, tilting his head as though listening to something distant. “I think the commander is a super tactical droid.”

Rex’s eyes snapped to the droid standing at the center of the room, its calculating gaze sweeping over them. The droid’s deep green paint was dulled and chipped, streaked with patches of rust, and the gold accents painted on, tarnished sheen—a testament to the years it had spent abandoned on Agamar since the Clone Wars.

“Damnit, you’re right,” Rex muttered, his jaw tightening.

“Is that bad?” Ezra asked, leaning forward, his expression uncertain but worried.

“Really bad,” Rex replied grimly, keeping his focus on the droid.

The droid stood, pacing before them with deliberate movements before stopping and turning its gaze back down toward them.

“Near the end of the war, Separatist droids significantly outnumbered Republic units. By my calculations, our probability of being defeated was only twenty-three point six percent,” the droid explained, its voice cold.

“After Order 66, the whole droid army was given a shutdown command,” Rex retorted. “How are you even operating?”

“The Jedi betrayal ended the war for most of the galaxy,” the droid replied. “But here on Agamar, I assumed it was a Republic trick and prevented the shutdown command.” If the droid could smirk, Rex was certain it would. The faint hint of pride in its voice, as it boasted about outsmarting the shutdown and keeping its forces operational for so long, made Rex’s jaw tighten.

“Well, it doesn’t matter how it ended—the war is over,” Rex practically growled at the droid. “Let us go!”

“Negative, Captain,” the droid replied coolly, striding back toward the commander’s chair. It picked up Rex’s helmet, turning it in its metal grip as if studying it. “I calculate that this will be my only opportunity to end the Clone Wars as I originally planned—with a victory for the Separatist Alliance.”

“What do you want us to do? Surrender?” Rex’s brows furrowed, his teeth clenched tightly.

“On the contrary,” the droid said, its tone tinged with an eerie sense of satisfaction. “I want you to fight. To prove, once and for all, whose tactical strategy was superior.”

“Count me out,” Zeb suddenly interjected, turning his nose up. “I’m not playing some stupid war game.”

“That is correct, Lasat,” the tactical droid responded, its glowing eyes swiveling to Zeb. “Your species was not involved in the Clone Wars. Therefore, you will serve as the hostage your allies must rescue. The ‘Jedi Rescue’ scenario is based on 132 battles I have analyzed.”

“Yeah, we’ve done it a few times,” Ezra said, a hint of cocky pride creeping into his voice. The droid then looks to Ezra before looking at Kanan

“Jedi, is this your padawan?” the tactical droid asked.

“Most of the time,” Kanan replied, leaning forward slightly. Though the mask he wore hid his eyes, Ezra could feel the burn of his glare, making him shrink back slightly.

“Good,” the droid continued. “A complete set of Republic opponents will make this, authentic.”

“No, it won’t!” Rex barked, pulling against the restraints holding his wrists. “We’re not fighting!”

The droid paused, tilting its head before gesturing to another battle droid. Without a word, the subordinate droid turned and exited the room, the door sliding open and then hissing shut behind it. Rex’s eyes narrowed as he glared at the tactical droid with unrelenting fury.

“Maybe this will change your mind,” the droid said, turning as the door opened once again. The same battle droid returned, pushing something into the room. At first, it seemed unremarkable—a block of metal on a repulsor sled. But when the battle droid pressed a button on its side, the block tilted upright, revealing its contents.

Rex’s breath hitched, his eyes widening as he froze in place. A carbonite slab hovered inches above the floor, its surface cold and gray, and within it, a figure. Her. Frozen in time. Her features were etched perfectly, suspended in stillness, and yet even encased in carbonite, she looked radiant. Rex’s chest tightened, and he suddenly couldn’t find the air to breathe. He tried to lunge forward, to fight, to do something, but the battle droid behind him shoved him roughly back into his place.

“This Jedi was a worthy opponent,” the tactical droid said, almost wistfully. “I was… displeased to put her in carbonite. But I calculated she might prove useful one day.” It lifted a metallic hand and mimed placing it on her shoulder, its eerie imitation of affection sending a fresh wave of anger through Rex. “If you will not fight, then you will be terminated.”

“Let her go!” Rex roared, straining against his restraints again, only to be forced back down.

“I’ll fight your Clone War,” Ezra piped up suddenly, drawing all eyes to him.

“Ezra,” Kanan snapped, his voice sharp.

“What?” Ezra shot back. “You two talk about the Clone Wars all the time—the good, the bad. I want to help you win this last battle.” He turned to Rex, determination burning in his expression. “Besides, whoever she is,” he gestured to the carbonite block, “she seems pretty important to you.”

Rex’s gaze shifted from Ezra back to the frozen figure. Guilt and sorrow churned in his chest. For so long, he’d believed she was gone, lost to Order 66. And yet here she was—trapped, for years.

Kanan let out a heavy sigh. “It might be easier to fight them head-on than to get out of this situation.”

“Fine,” Rex growled, glaring at the tactical droid. “Fine. We’ll do it.”

“If we win, the Lasat and the lady go free,” Ezra interjected. “And we get all the proton bombs in the hangar.”

The tactical droid tilted its head thoughtfully before nodding. “I accept your terms.” With a gesture, he ordered his battle droids to move Zeb and the carbonite-encased Jedi out of the room. As they obeyed, the tactical droid dropped the clone helmet it had been holding, letting it clatter to the floor with a hollow, echoing sound.

———

Rex, Kanan, and Ezra exited the hangar, moving across the battlefield to a point where they had enough space for a fair engagement. The distant sound of clanking metal echoed as the battle droid army repositioned itself. Just as the trio stopped, the tactical droid’s voice boomed over the PA system.

“The objective of this battle is simple,” the droid announced. “You must fight your way back to my command center and capture it to free your friends.”

The PA clicked off, leaving a tense silence behind as Kanan turned to Rex, his expression unusually grave.

“Rex,” Kanan began softly, his tone laced with sorrow, “I think I know who that Jedi was. I only met her a handful of times, but…”

“It’s okay,” Rex replied quietly, his voice tight as he tucked his helmet under his arm. He didn’t meet Kanan’s gaze, focusing instead on the battlefield ahead.

Kanan nodded, sensing Rex’s reluctance to dwell on it, and straightened his shoulders. “Since you have more battlefield experience than either of us, you’ll lead.”

Rex inhaled deeply, trying to shake the storm of emotions swirling inside him. He needed to focus. To free her. To make sure she was okay, but doubt gnawed at him. Could she have survived after so many years in carbonite? The thought twisted in his gut, but he pushed it aside. There was no time for doubt now.

“Alright,” Rex said, clearing his throat as he straightened his stance. His tone was firm and commanding. “Our first goal is to get inside the hangar. That tactical droid is programmed to kill, and he’s got the numbers and firepower to back it up. Our only chance is to hit him hard, fast, and put him on the defensive.”

“How many droids do you think he has?” Ezra asked, his voice tinged with unease.

The tactical droid’s voice interrupted them once again: “The final battle will begin now.”

Blaster fire erupted from the distant lines, forcing the trio into motion.

“He’s got a lot of droids!” Kanan called out, igniting his lightsaber and stepping into a defensive stance as the bolts began flying toward them.

“We’ve gotta scatter them!” Rex yelled, pulling his helmet over his head as he drew his blaster. “Sword and shield maneuver!”

“The what?” Ezra asked, mimicking Kanan’s stance igniting his lightsaber.

“We block, he fires!” Kanan explained quickly, deflecting a flurry of blaster bolts with practiced precision.

“Duck!” Rex shouted, pulling a proton bomb from his belt and hurling it toward the advancing droid army. The explosion scattered debris and droid parts in every direction, briefly disrupting their ranks.

“Again!” Rex called, lobbing another bomb into the chaos before opening fire with his pistols. “That’ll scatter them—everybody move forward!”

Kanan and Ezra moved in sync, their sabers slicing through the droids with ease as they advanced.

“Stay together!” Rex barked, his voice sharp as he caught Ezra glancing back at him. The young Jedi hesitated, then quickly fell into formation, keeping pace with the group.

When the first wave of droids was finally cleared, they ducked behind a set of crates for cover. Ezra peered around cautiously, scanning the area.

“Looks clear. Let’s go,” Ezra said, moving to step out—but Rex’s hand shot out, gripping his arm and pulling him back.

“Wait,” Rex muttered, frowning under his helmet as he leaned around the edge of the crate. “That’s not how it normally goes.”

“What do you mean?” Ezra asked, confused.

“Droids usually keep coming—wave after wave,” Rex explained, his brows furrowed in suspicion.

“Well, that tactical droid’s had plenty of time to plan this,” Kanan pointed out. “Remember, he wants to win.”

“Winning means that much to him?” Ezra asked, surprised.

“Yeah, means a lot to his programming,” Rex replied, his voice quieter now. “But it means a lot to my programming, too.”

Ezra raised a brow, Rex’s choice of words catching him off guard. “Your… programming?” he asked hesitantly.

“We clones were bred for combat,” Rex said, his tone heavy with sorrow. “For most of us, there was no other way of life. With a few exceptions, it’s all we’ve ever known.”

Kanan reached over and placed a hand on Rex’s shoulder, grounding him. “We should move,” the Jedi said gently, breaking the moment.

Rex nodded, snapping himself out of his thoughts. “Right, Commander,” he said automatically, before correcting himself. “I—I mean, Kanan.”

With that, the trio pressed on, moving deeper into the hangar. The stillness of the droid ranks only made Rex more wary. Somewhere in the back of his mind, the image of her frozen in carbonite lingered, fueling his resolve to see this through to the end. More droids poured from the door ahead, their blasters lighting up the dim hangar. Above, destroyer droids rolled into position, their shields flaring to life as they rained fire down from the walkways.

“Ezra, get back!” Kanan shouted, urgency thick in his voice.

Blaster bolts hissed past as Kanan and Rex dove behind a stack of crates for cover. Ezra darted in another direction, slipping out of sight just before a fresh wave of droids charged in.

Rex cursed under his breath, peering over the crates. A volley of bolts forced him to duck again, frustration etched on his face. “Where’s Ezra?” he barked, anger rising. “Damn it, we’re being pinned down! We need to move—now!”

Before Kanan could stop him, Rex sprang up from their cover, his voice a ferocious roar as he stormed into the open.

"Rex, no!" Kanan yelled, reaching out to grab him, but his hand grasped only air as Rex charged into the open.

A blaster bolt struck Rex's upper arm, the searing heat slicing through his armor. He staggered, clutching the wound for a brief moment as pain flared through his body, but sheer determination kept him moving. Teeth gritted, he powered forward, fury fueling each step.

Kanan had no choice but to follow, igniting his lightsaber as he sprinted after Rex. The green blade flashed, deflecting incoming blaster fire with precision as bolts rained down from every direction.

Above them, the metal walkway groaned ominously, the supports straining under the weight of the destroyer droids perched on it. Suddenly, the creaking gave way to a thunderous crash. The walkway collapsed, smashing into the droid forces below and sending debris, sparks, and smoke billowing into the air. The hangar reverberated with the sound of destruction as silence briefly fell over the battlefield, save for the settling of shattered metal.

“Well, that went as planned… more or less,” Ezra’s voice called out, full of pride, as he emerged from the rubble, brushing himself off. He jogged toward Kanan and Rex, a satisfied grin on his face. “I make a pretty good spoiler, huh?”

“No!” Rex snapped, his voice thunderous as he rounded on the young Jedi. He loomed over Ezra, his fury palpable. “A good soldier follows orders! That plan relied on timing and execution—and you took too long!”

Ezra took a step back, his grin fading as Rex advanced on him, his blasters still clutched tightly in his hands.

“But Chopper—” Ezra started, his voice defensive.

“This isn’t a game!” Rex shouted, his voice cracking with raw emotion. His grip on his blasters tightened, his knuckles white. “This is life and death! I can’t—” He faltered, inhaling sharply, his voice lowering into a pained growl. “I will not lose her again. Every move you make affects the rest of us. If we’re going to do this, we’ll do it with strategy and discipline.”

Ezra stood frozen, guilt flickering across his face as Rex turned on his heel, his rigid posture radiating anger and determination. Blood from the grazing wound on his arm stained the edge of his armor, but Rex didn’t seem to notice—or didn’t care. Without another word, the clone pushed forward, leading them through the corridor ahead.

“It’s not you,” Kanan said softly, placing a calming hand on Ezra’s shoulder. “He needs to finish this battle his way. There’s… a lot you won’t understand right now. But in time, you will.”

Ezra glanced at Kanan, uncertainty in his eyes, before nodding. Without another word, Kanan moved after Rex, his calm, steady presence a contrast to the storm raging within the clone. After a moment’s hesitation, Ezra followed, keeping close behind as they advanced deeper into the corridor.

———

Rex blasted through a cluster of droids blocking the corridor, his determination driving him forward with relentless force. The blaster bolts from his pistols cut a path through the metal ranks, his focus razor-sharp. Tossing a smoke bomb into the advancing droid forces, Rex barely broke stride as the thick cloud hindered their visibility, allowing him to fire as he pushed ahead.

Kanan and Ezra followed closely, their lightsabers cutting down any remaining droids that Rex left in his wake. Finally, they reached the command center. Without hesitation, Rex burst through the door and immediately fired, disarming the tactical droid with a single, well-placed shot that sent the weapon skidding across the floor.

Rex tore off his helmet and tossed it aside as he stormed forward. His blaster was already leveled, its barrel pressed firmly against the tactical droid’s neck. His voice was low, almost a growl, as a grim, satisfied grin spread across his face. “Looks like we win,” he sneered.

“Negative, Captain,” the tactical droid replied evenly, its voice devoid of fear. Its hand rose in motion, gesturing to a battle droid standing behind it. The droid raised its weapon, aiming squarely at Zeb, who stood restrained to the side of the room.

Rex’s jaw tightened, his teeth grinding audibly as his muscles tensed. A snarl escaped his throat, his blaster never wavering from the tactical droid’s neck.

For a fleeting moment, his eyes flicked to the carbonite block standing nearby, his hardened expression faltering. There she was, preserved in perfect stillness, her face a haunting reminder of everything he thought he’d lost. The weight of her presence bore down on him, threatening to shatter the walls he’d so carefully built to contain his feelings.

But Rex couldn’t afford to falter now. He forced his focus back on the tactical droid, his grip tightening on the blaster as the standoff reached its boiling point.

“Rex,” Ezra said, stepping forward and gripping his shoulder, “we didn’t win because of skill. These droids are ancient—practically falling apart.” He gently moved Rex back, positioning himself between him and the tactical droid. “If they weren’t, we’d be dead right now.”

Rex hesitated, his anger fading as Ezra’s words sank in. He glanced at the young Jedi, then gave a brief, reluctant nod.

“The boy is correct,” the tactical droid interjected. “The droid army would have prevailed during the Clone Wars had it not been for our shutdown. Technically, we were victorious.”

“No,” Ezra countered sharply. “You didn’t win either. The Jedi were wiped out, the clones were decommissioned, and the droid army was shut down. If neither side won… then who did?” He frowned, his gaze dropping as he tried to piece it together.

“The Empire,” Zeb said from across the room.

Ezra’s eyes widened. “Wait… yeah. Zeb, how did you figure that out?”

Zeb tilted his head toward the window, his bound hands pointing as best they could. “Because they’re here.”

The group turned as the distant hum of engines grew deafening. A fleet of Imperial ships descended toward the command center, their ominous silhouettes blotting out the sky.

Rex moved quickly to the window, his fists clenched. He huffed in frustration, shoving his blaster into its holster. His gaze flicked back to the carbonite block, his thoughts distant as the others continued to debate their next move. Their voices faded into the background as his steps slowed. Rex approached the block, his expression softening, pain etched in every line of his face. He reached out, his fingers lightly grazing the cold surface, tracing her frozen cheek. Tears burned his eyes, but he blinked them away.

“Droid,” Rex barked, his voice echoing across the command room. He pointed to a nearby battle droid. “Turn this thing on.”

The battle droid hesitated, glancing toward its commander. The tactical droid gave a slight wave of approval, and the battle droid moved to comply. Rex stepped back, his heart pounding as he waited. He stood motionless, his heart pounding in his chest as the carbonite block began to warm. A faint hiss escaped the edges as the metal encasing her slowly melted away, the once-solid barrier softening to reveal her form within. His breath hitched when her body began to shift, slumping forward. Instinctively, he stepped closer, catching her before she could collapse.

Her weight was slight in his arms, too still, too lifeless. Panic clawed at him as he lowered her gently to the floor, cradling her fragile frame. His gloved hand brushed the damp hair away from her face, his voice breaking as he whispered, “Come on… don’t do this to me.”

For a moment, he pressed his ear to her chest, listening desperately for any sign of life. The silence was deafening. Her skin was pale, clammy against his fingertips. His grip tightened as he pulled her closer, his voice trembling. “Breathe. Please—breathe.”

Then, a loud, rasping gasp broke the quiet. Her chest heaved, her body convulsing as if she were fighting to wrench herself free from invisible chains. Her eyes snapped open, wide with fear, her pupils darting wildly in search of something familiar. Her back arched sharply, and her trembling hands clawed at Rex’s chest plate, gripping the cool durasteel like it was her only anchor.

“It’s okay,” Rex murmured, his tone urgent yet soothing. “I’ve got you. You’re safe.”

She blinked rapidly, her vision unfocused and clouded by the aftereffects of her imprisonment. Her lips parted, but no words came, only shallow, erratic breaths as if the very air around her was unfamiliar. Her body shook violently, chills coursing through her as cold sweat beaded on her forehead.

“I—can’t see,” she gasped, her voice weak, barely audible. Panic laced her words, and her head jerked to the side, as though she were trying to orient herself in the dark.

Rex adjusted his hold, his arms wrapping protectively around her trembling frame. “You’ve been in carbonite,” he explained, his voice steady despite the storm of emotions within him. “The blindness—it’s temporary. Just focus on breathing. I’m here.”

She pressed her forehead against his chest, her grip tightening as her breathing began to slow, though the tremors in her body remained. Rex’s heart ached at the sight of her. He shifted slightly, shielding her from the chaos around them, as if to create a bubble of calm amidst the turmoil.

“It’s going to be okay,” he promised, his voice low and firm. “You’re back now. I won’t let anything happen to you.”

Her shaking eased ever so slightly, though she still clung to him as if letting go would send her spiraling back into the void.

“Guys, I’m happy for the reunion, but we’ve got to go!” Ezra shouted from across the command center, his voice tinged with urgency. “We’ve got walkers inbound!”

Rex snapped his head toward the window, his eyes narrowing as he spotted two Imperial ships descending, their ramps releasing the hulking forms of four AT-AT walkers. The machines landed heavily, their imposing silhouettes framed against the chaotic sky.

He didn’t hesitate. Tightening his grip, Rex hoisted her into his arms, cradling her protectively. She stirred weakly, her fingers gripping his armor as she buried her face into his chest.

“Hold on tight,” he rasped, his voice soft but commanding. He adjusted his hold to ensure she was secure, then turned toward the exit, following the Jedi as they moved with urgency. “Got a plan for how we’re getting out of here?”

Ezra slowed his pace slightly to jog alongside Rex. “Yeah, we’ve got one,” he said, glancing at the soldier and his unconscious cargo. “We’re gonna set up a few proton bombs at the hangar entrance. Me and Kanan will deflect the droids’ blaster fire to trigger them. Once we’ve got an opening, we run straight to the ships chopper found, take off, and then it’s home sweet home.” He flashed a cocky grin, clearly trying to lighten the mood despite the dire situation.

Rex grunted, his focus elsewhere. “Sounds… workable,” he muttered, though it was clear his mind wasn’t entirely on the plan. He glanced down at her face, pale and drawn, and his grip tightened. He wasn’t in the mood to debate whose idea it was or how risky it might be. Right now, his only priority was keeping her safe.

As the sound of the walkers’ thudding steps grew louder, Rex shifted his focus back to the task at hand. “Just make sure those bombs work,” he said grimly, his voice edged with steel.

Ezra nodded, his smirk fading as the weight of the situation settled in. “Don’t worry. We’ve got this.”

When they reached the hangar, the droids were already in motion, carefully positioning the proton bombs at key points near the entrance. Once their task was complete, they fell back into formation, awaiting further orders. Kanan and Ezra moved to their positions, igniting their lightsabers in unison. The hum of the blades cut through the tension as they stood ready, watching the walkers lumber closer with every heavy step.

Rex, however, didn’t stop to strategize. He headed straight for one of the ships Chopper had prepped for takeoff, his steps quick and purposeful. Inside, he gently placed Y/N into one of the seats, her body still weak and trembling. His hands moved to strap her into the harness, ensuring she was secure.

As he leaned back to assess her, her hand suddenly reached up, surprising him. Her cold fingers brushed against his jaw, cupping his face as she tilted her head slightly.

“Rex,” she murmured softly, her voice barely above a whisper. Her half-lidded eyes squinted, slowly adjusting to the harsh, artificial lighting of the ship’s interior. Her fingertips grazed his beard, pausing as her brows furrowed slightly. “You… stopped shaving your face?”

For a moment, Rex was caught off guard, the tension in his chest loosening ever so slightly. A small chuckle escaped him, low and warm. “Yeah, guess I did,” he said, his voice gentler now. “Been a while since I had time to worry about that.”

Her lips twitched, forming the ghost of a smile as her thumb brushed over the coarse hair. “It suits you,” she murmured, her voice faint but sincere, before her hand dropped back to her lap, too weak to hold itself up any longer.

Rex’s smile faded slightly as he watched her struggle to keep her eyes open, her exhaustion taking over. He placed a hand over hers, giving it a reassuring squeeze. “You just rest now,” he said softly. “I’ll get us out of here.”

He stood, taking one last glance at her before turning back to the chaos outside. His face hardened once more as he headed for the exit, his hand instinctively moving to his holstered blaster.

“Kanan, Ezra,” Rex barked as he rejoined the others, his voice sharp. “How much longer?”

“Just waiting for the walkers to get in range,” Kanan called back, his lightsaber held steady in front of him. “Once they’re close enough, we’ll trigger the chain reaction.”

“They’re almost there!” Ezra added, a bead of sweat rolling down his temple as the sound of metallic footsteps grew louder and louder.

Rex nodded grimly, positioning himself to cover their retreat. “Let’s make this count.”

Ezra nodded to Rex, his jaw tightening as he peered around Kanan to watch the walkers draw closer. The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation as the massive machines loomed ever nearer. Every second felt like an eternity until, finally, Ezra yelled, “Now!”

Blaster fire erupted, filling the hangar with deafening noise. Kanan and Ezra moved in perfect synchrony, their lightsabers spinning and flashing as they deflected the droids’ shots. Each redirected bolt struck the proton bombs precisely, and within moments, the first explosion tore through the hangar. The blast set off a violent chain reaction, flames erupting and consuming everything in their wake.

“Move!” Kanan shouted, and the group bolted toward the ships.

Rex sprinted up the ramp and into the cockpit, dropping into the pilot’s chair without hesitation. His hands moved swiftly across the controls, flipping switches and igniting the engines. As the ship roared to life, the blast doors buckled under the explosions, sending thick clouds of smoke flooding into the hangar. The haze obscured everything, making it nearly impossible to see as Rex maneuvered the ship toward the exit.

Behind them, the droid-piloted ships scrambled to take off, their engines sputtering as they too tried to escape the chaos. The looming silhouettes of the walkers appeared briefly through the smoke, their massive forms shifting as they fired wildly in an attempt to stop the fleeing ships.

“BT-628! Flank right! Flank right!” Rex roared into the comms, his voice urgent as he spotted one of the droid ships veering dangerously close to a walker.

But it was too late. The ship clipped the leg of the walker with a loud, grating screech of metal, spinning out of control. For a moment, it hung in the air, engines stalling, before crashing to the ground in a fiery explosion.

“Damn it!” Rex growled, his knuckles white as he gripped the controls. Smoke filled the viewports, and alarms blared in the cockpit as he fought to keep their own ship steady.

“Hang on!” he barked, his voice cutting through the chaos. With a sharp turn, he steered the ship hard to the left, narrowly avoiding another walker as it fired blindly into the smoke. The engines roared as Rex pushed them to their limits, breaking through the haze just in time to see the Imperial fleet looming ahead.

He gritted his teeth, hands steady on the controls as he calculated their trajectory. “We’re not stopping now,” he muttered, pushing the ship into a steep climb. The engines strained, the ship shuddering under the pressure, but Rex didn’t relent.

With a final burst of speed, they punched through the fleet’s outer perimeter, narrowly dodging a volley of laser fire as they soared into open space.

The cockpit fell quiet for a moment, save for the hum of the engines. Rex exhaled slowly, his grip loosening on the controls. He glanced over his shoulder toward the passenger compartment, his mind immediately returning to the figure strapped into the seat.

———

Rex leaned over the holographic table, his brows furrowed as his hand absently stroked his thick white beard. He tried to keep himself busy, to focus on the glowing display before him, but it was no use. His mind kept circling back to Y/N. She was finally back. When he brought her to Atollon, he’d left her in the care of the small medical team the Rebels could spare. He let out a sigh, pinching the bridge of his nose before stepping away from the table.

“Everything okay?” Kanan’s voice pulled him from his thoughts.

“That easy to tell?” Rex asked, turning toward the Jedi. His gaze lingered on Kanan’s sightless eyes and the scar that crossed his face.

“Well, it’s kinda hard to ignore,” Kanan said, crossing his arms. His blind gaze seemed to pierce through Rex, as if seeing something no one else could. “You know, she’d love to see you.” His voice softened.

“I know. I—” Rex’s throat tightened at the thought. Since bringing her here, he’d stayed away. Afraid. He wasn’t the same clone she remembered. He was older now, and the years had left their mark on him in more ways than one.

“She’s handling things well, if that’s what you’re worried about,” Kanan said, one brow raised.

Rex held back a grunt. He hated how the Jedi always seemed to read his thoughts, even though he knew Kanan couldn’t actually hear them.

“It’s not that…” Rex mumbled, his gaze dropping to the ground as his fists clenched at his sides. “I knew she’d handle waking up years later well enough. And I’m sure she’s still trying to wrap her head around the Jedi being gone… but… things between us are going to be more than different.”

Kanan stepped forward, placing a hand on Rex’s shoulder. His expression softened, a faint smile tugging at his lips.

“You’re overthinking it, Rex,” he said gently. “A lot has changed for everyone, but that doesn’t mean she’d turn you away.”

Rex hesitated, his eyes meeting Kanan’s sightless gaze. The Jedi’s words echoed in his mind, each one carrying more weight than he wanted to admit. After a moment, he let out a breath and gave a small nod.

“Okay,” Rex said softly. “Okay… I’ll go see her.”

Rex’s legs moved before his mind could catch up, his thoughts still racing. Overthinking wouldn’t stop—not now, not ever. As he approached the tent marking the medical area, he came to a halt before the flaps. His lips pressed into a thin line, and his fists clenched and unclenched at his sides. Finally, with a deep breath, he lifted the flap and stepped inside.

The moment his eyes landed on her, it felt like all the air had been sucked from his lungs. Even now, after everything, she was breathtaking. When her head turned toward him, he caught the faint sparkle in her eyes—the one he thought he’d never see again.

“Comm— Y/N,” Rex stammered, correcting himself quickly as he stepped closer to the cot where she sat. The silence between them stretched, heavy and tense, as his gaze darted between her face and the thin sheets draped over her.

“Commander Rex,” she greeted softly, shifting her weight to sit up straighter. Her voice, though weak, carried a warmth that immediately reached him. “I hear it’s been… a long time.”

“It—it has been,” Rex replied just as softly, his voice thick with emotion.

“You’ve aged,” she observed with a faint smile, her tone gentle, not teasing.

“You haven’t changed a day,” Rex replied, his voice barely above a whisper. A weak, sorrowful smile flickered across his lips as his eyes traced the contours of her face. But his expression quickly fell. “I’m sorry for not coming after you sooner. If I had known—” His words tumbled out, frantic, like he was trying to purge years of guilt.

“How could you have known?” she interrupted gently, her voice steady but soothing as she reached out and took his hand. “What happened to me was before Order 66. Rescuing me wasn’t an option after that. Don’t blame yourself for what you couldn’t control.”

Her reassuring smile was like a balm to his frayed nerves, though her words still weighed heavily on him. He clasped her hand tightly, afraid that if he let go, she might disappear again. Slowly, he sat down on the edge of the cot, his grip on her hand firm, as if anchoring them both to the moment.

“I still should have been there,” he mumbled, his gaze shifting from their joined hands to her eyes.

“I’m here now,” she said softly, placing her other hand over his and brushing her thumb across the back of his hand in a soothing motion. “That’s all that matters.”

Rex fell silent, savoring the warmth of her touch. Deep down, he knew the dynamic of their relationship had already changed, and the thought pained him. But for now, he was content. She was here, alive, and that was enough.

Before he realized it, she had pushed herself up from beneath the sheets and wrapped her arms tightly around him. His breath hitched as he instinctively pulled her closer, his head resting against her shoulder. Her warmth, her presence, was overwhelming, and he buried his face into her as tears pricked at his eyes.

“I missed you,” he whispered, his voice cracking under the weight of his emotions.

“I missed you too,” she murmured, holding him just as tightly.

And in that moment, the weight of years and regrets seemed to fade, if only for a little while.

[sapphicscister]

I'm 6 chapters into the most self-indulgent Wandario bullshit I've ever made (the target audience is literally just me), so I'm not sure if I actually wanna publish this... BUT, I cannot stop thinking about this one part I did in chapter 4, so I'll release this snippet just because.

For context, Rio's got a Superman fixation.

-----

The subway rattled along the tracks, the overhead lights casting a dull glow over the passengers. Wanda leaned against the pole, arms crossed, lost in thought. That was, until something bright caught her eye.

She nudged Rio’s arm. “Hey, look at that guy’s shirt.”

Rio followed her gaze and immediately perked up. Across the subway car, a young man in his early twenties was leaning against the doors, wearing a Superman shirt. Bold blue, red, and yellow standing out among the sea of muted colors.

Rio’s face lit up. Without hesitation, she stood.

Wanda’s stomach dropped. “Rio… what are you doing?”

But Rio was already making her way across the car with her usual self-assured stride.

“Oh my god,” Wanda muttered, hurrying after her.

By the time Wanda caught up, Rio had cornered the guy, who was now looking up at her with wide eyes, clearly flustered.

“Hi, I like your shirt,” Rio said with a friendly smile.

The guy blinked a few times, his brain visibly buffering. “Uh- hi. Thank you,” he stammered. His gaze flickered over Rio’s face, then briefly down before he quickly looked away. “I, uh- I like yours too.”

Rio glanced down at herself, frowning slightly. She was wearing nothing but a plain black t-shirt. “I don’t really like mine,” she said. Then, with complete sincerity, she asked, “Can we trade?”

Wanda’s eyes widened. “Oh my god…”

The guy looked like he was experiencing a full system shutdown, but then… he nodded aggressively.

Wanda’s soul left her body. “No- no, no, no, Rio-”

But before she could intervene, Rio simply peeled her shirt off in the middle of the subway car.

There was an immediate shift in the air. A few people gasped. Others pointedly looked away. One guy in the corner pulled out his phone like this was just another day in New York.

The poor guy was now somehow more red-faced as he scrambled to yank off his own Superman shirt. He handed it over without a second thought.

Rio grinned, grabbing it from him. “Thank you!” She pulled it on over her head like nothing had happened and turned to walk away.

Wanda pinched the bridge of her nose. “Rio,” she hissed, following after her, “you cannot just take people’s clothes!”

Rio tilted her head, genuinely confused. “But it was a trade. He liked my shirt too.”

Wanda exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. “Honey, no,” she said tiredly. “He just wanted to see your tits.”

Rio blinked, processing that. Then, with total seriousness, she asked, “Why?”

Wanda let out the world’s longest sigh.

Luckily, the subway screeched to a stop, and the doors slid open. Without another word, Wanda grabbed Rio’s wrist and dragged her out of the car before anyone could gawk at them any longer.

[collinrobinsonsglasses]

anon since this is my first time doing this but i’m fucking devastated after the news. i have a weirdly specific scenario in mind with izzy x gn reader where reader panics/overloads sometimes if the crew get too loud tg or unexpected canon fire etc but is usually able to hide it from the crew. maybe they’ve been stressed or on edge lately and they kinda shutdown infront of the crew. and izzy comes over annoyed at first but when he sees reader not responding he takes charge and emotional hurt/comfort essentially. idk if this is too formulaic so take creative liberty!

Izzy Hands x Reader (GN)

Masterlist

I loved this suggestion, and I hope it was what you're looking for. This is a shorter one. Lots of fluff and Izzy comfort.

Silence is Golden

This week on The Revenge felt like the longest and most exhausting since you first set sail with Stede Bonnet. The crew battled through multiple storms, tirelessly navigating the turbulent seas, constantly soaked to the bone. You had always been more sensitive than your crewmates. The sound of cannon fire made you want to seek refuge below deck, the sensation of your soaked clothes clinging to your skin felt unbearable, and it was impossible to ever get a moment alone on such a small ship. While you imagined that everyone experienced these feelings to some extent, for you, it often felt overwhelming. You had never shared this with anyone, striving to fit in and appear as a capable pirate. However, after this demanding week, everything began to weigh heavily on you. 

For that reason, relief washed over you when Captain Bonnet proposed that everyone take a vacation, emphasizing the importance of leisure. You yearned for some solitude, a chance to gaze at the waves and unwind for the first time in a week. Your hopes were swiftly dashed when Frenchie and Wee John enthusiastically began playing with the explosives. Realizing it was their vacation too, you silently moved further down the beach, not wanting to complain and spoil their fun. The explosions reverberated, rattling your head, and your body urged you to flee from the deafening sound. However, you found yourself sitting on a rock further down the beach, attempting to coax yourself into calming down. Perched on the rock, your right leg shook, fingers gently tracing the contours of a shell you discovered on the beach, all the while yearning for the explosions to cease. 

To add to everything, Buttons joined you on your rock, enthusiastically listing off every sea animal imaginable. At this point, you experienced a mental shutdown, unable to escape the sensory overload – it felt as if your brain had flicked a switch off. The following hours slipped away rapidly, leaving you in a dazed state that was far from relaxing. As everyone returned to the ship, preparing to set sail once more, exhaustion weighed heavily on you. Descending to sit on the stairs, you rested your head on your knees, not having the energy to help your crewmates on deck. 

Realization hit you suddenly, as Izzy’s raised voice echoed in front of you, though the words remained indecipherable. Lifting your gaze towards him, you observed the frustration etched across his face before his words finally sharpened into focus. 

“You’ve had an entire fucking day to do nothing,” Izzy sneered. “Get your ass to work. You’re acting like the rest of these lazy twats today.” 

You fixed your gaze on Izzy as he addressed you, your heart quickening its pace. Bowing your head back onto your knees, you attempted to curl into a tighter ball, wishing in that moment to vanish. Izzy’s words resonated, and you couldn’t help but acknowledge the truth in them. The realization of your own laziness brought a pang of guilt washing over you. The entire day spent doing nothing hadn’t brought you peace, but instead left you feeling worse than before. In the past weeks, you had grown closer to Izzy, sensing he tolerated you more than others. Now, you feared this display might change the dynamic between you. 

You felt the tender warmth of his hand as it gently scratched your head, his fingers moving through your hair in a soothing and affectionate manner. Then your arm was gently grasped, coaxing you to rise from your seated position. Placing both hands on the back of your shoulders, he guided you below deck and eventually to his cabin. Izzy’s unexpectedly gentle demeanor toward you caught you off guard; it wasn’t what you had expected. 

“Sit there,” he instructed, gesturing to the small bed in the corner of his room. “I’ll be back once we’re sailing away from this stupid fucking island.” 

The door closed, leaving you in solitude amid the quiet of Izzy’s cabin, comfortably seated on his bed. As you breathed in, the hush within Izzy’s quarters contrasted with the bustling activity above deck. Reclining on Izzy’s bed, you focused on your breath, and after a few minutes, a sense of relief gradually washed over you. It seemed like you hadn’t been alone for weeks, and you savorted the silence within the cabin. After a while, Izzy returned, his presence prompting you to sit back up on the edge of his bed as he stood before you. Contrary to Izzy’s typical expression of anger, you noticed concern on his face instead. 

“What’s wrong?” Izzy inquired softly, kneeling down to meet your gaze. 

“Just overwhelmed,” you whispered back, avoiding eye contact and feeling a twinge of embarrassment admitting this to one of the most renowned pirates in history. “Haven’t had decent sleep all week and the explosions were too loud. I sort of shut down. It’s stupid.” 

Izzy joined you on his bed, and for a moment, he seemed to contemplate. Then, you felt his arm wrap around your shoulder. “It’s not stupid. Everyone needs peace and quiet sometimes. Especially being around these fucking idiots all of the time.” 

“Pirates shouldn’t panic at the sound of cannon fire, Iz,” you replied, not convinced by his words. 

“Pirates shouldn’t be afraid of spiders, yet Blackbeard is terrified of them. Anyone questioning your status as a pirate can fuck off. You’re one of the hardest working people on this crew,” Izzy retorted, his tone resolute. “That's why I like you.” 

“Thanks, Izzy,” you replied quietly, a smile gracing your lips. You had always enjoyed Izzy’s company and sensed he had a stronger connection with you than with the others, so hearing him express that he liked you was nice. It didn’t appear to be an easy thing for him to admit. You reached down toward his hand, squeezing it for a moment. “I’m feeling better than before. Your room feels very safe.” 

“You’re always welcome in here,” Izzy said, a hint of bashfulness in his tone. “If you're feeling overwhelmed or need a break, just tell me, and I’ll fuck off.”

“No, I don’t mind if you stay,” you whispered, a warm feeling spreading in your chest. “You feel very safe too.” Letting your head rest on Izzy’s shoulder, you noticed a smile stretching across his face from the corner of your eye. Both of you sat there for a while, absorbing the silence, enjoying each other’s close company.

[w1tchcr4ftt]

My big old ramble abt dandys world ichor

Dandy needs the tapes to keep his ichor corruption at bay, I like to think he needs something inside the tapes that can combat ichor corruption

Toons are biologically engineered using ichor and other assorted materials, this is implying ichor can be classified as living

This also means ichor is like a blood to toons

Main toons contain more ichor than regulars and are more prone to corruption and other issues, thus the true reasons for the handlers (The regular ones being helping them out around gardenview with guests and stuff)

Ichor is transmitted via touch, once you come in contact with it, you are prone to corruption depending on the amt

Twisteds are fully corrupted scrapped toons who were left for research purposes, so when gardenview closed down, they managed to get out

Main toons were extremely well kept and hard to replicate therefore the reason they are so hard to come across as twisteds

The current toons have been around the longest out of any group of toons, due to gardenview believing they perfected their saftey against ichor

Twisteds are semi-conscious, some more coherent than others, but they do all feel and overwhelming violent agression towards the toons and living humans

The toons go on ichor runs to drain excess ichor, the reason for the corruption

Due to Dandy's corruption, he has lost most of his care for the others

There has only ever been one Dandy, he has never been replicated or replaced, thus why you only encounter him in a Dandy run

The only toon he still truely and fully cares for is Pebble, considering they were made to be together forever

Twisteds appearance alterations take at least a couple weeks to fully take effect, and it effects some worse than others (most notably the mains)

Dandys use of tapes most likely only works on him, and hes trying to figure out how to fully reverse the effects

Despite the ichor corruption causing the shutdown of gardenview, the toons still carry on with what they can (Vee runs her show, Dandy runs his shop, shelly studies dinosaurs, etc)

I DID IT!!!

Took me like 35 minutes but it was worth it!!!

Note that this is all hc and speculation, so if anything is proven wrong completely its fine!

(Ill just make it an au)

[the-golden-gates-system]

72 hours without Talker... this is the longest they have ever been out of front. We had to call out of work again because there is no way we could answer the phone for 6 hours straight.

I really hate this verbal shutdown. Last time we had a verbal shutdown this long was middle school after some major trauma happened

[alonestuckinthestars]

Meltdowns and shutdowns

For the longest time I've been trying to figure out what meltdowns and shutdowns look like for me now as an adult and I think I'm starting to get somewhere with more clarity lmfao.

Meltdowns

I used to have very angry and intense outward meltdowns as a kid and even well into my teens, and I can recall a few other instances of just crying meltdowns. Because of the flack I've gotten from my angry meltdowns I feel like I internalized them over time, and now at moments where I /would/ have had outward meltdowns before instead I keep it all in.

There's a specific tension build up in my chest, my blood is boiling and my eyes may well up in frustration. My mind is stuck on whatever situation triggered it, often something minor or insignificant to everyone else, and I would want to scream, cry, kick stuff, be destructive to myself and others, in all the ways. When I was a kid I'd do it, but now none of it gets externalized and instead I curl up in a ball and spiral until I can calm down. If someone interacts with me when it happens though, I'll be snappy, and if they get snappy back, all hell breaks loose.

Luckily this doesn't happen often anymore and if it does, I live alone so I don't have anyone to poke at me to the point of blowing up.

Shutdowns

I think my shutdowns are the specific moments I always thought were depression, because when they start I feel completely hopeless and desperate, like life is so fucking hard and not worth living, like nothing will ever get better, just completely miserable. I'm extremely distressed. Gradually these thoughts stop and I just get completely numb and it's hard to even think.

I get severely exhausted, exhaustion that is so deep in my body it hurts and feels like my body is rotting. The sensation is so BAD I just want to sleep. I lie down in bed and just scroll mindlessly until sometimes I can't even stand to read/watch/listen to anything anymore, at which point I drop the phone and can't stand myself or anything anymore.

I'm someone that talks a lot to myself at home and in these moments I'm just quiet. Speaking is difficult and would take too much energy out of me.

This usually resolves within a few hours or a day, and very suddenly too. Like a switch gets flipped, and suddenly I feel positive and like myself again.

[solarishashernoseinabook]

4 8 23 for writers

Thank you!

4. Share a sentence or paragraph from your writing that you’re really proud of (explain why, if you like) Ah, thank you, you've given me an excuse to talk about a line I like :D From my second-ever RA fic, Built With My Own Two Hands, which features Will having retired after a leg injury forces him to move around with a crutch:

Slowly Will learned that the world was not designed for anyone who was not perfectly normal. Everything that made Castle Araluen defensible – twisting, narrow staircases, heavy wood doors that were hard as rock, and high towers – also made it very hard on his leg.

I wrote this during a very introspective time of my life. I'd been suspecting for a long time that I was autistic, but wasn't entirely sure. During this time, I realised that I have fairly significant sensory issues - I can't actually tune out noise, and I never actually stop feeling my clothes - and that stimming helps a lot. I learned that certain sounds affect me more than others, and finally realised that I go into shutdowns when I get into sensory overload. Through the college program I was in, I made a couple of friends who were disabled as well - one who was deaf, one with ADHD, one with chronic migraines - and saw how our college failed, over and over, to accommodate them. And because I didn't have a diagnosis, I wasn't entitled to even the paltry accommodations I wanted (wearing foam earplugs during tests). That first line was me expressing my frustration with the world. If you're not perfectly normal in every way, the world doesn't stop for you, and wonders why you're not keeping up.

I channelled a lot more of those frustrations into The Royal Ranger, but this fic was the first time I actually expressed any of them

8. Is what you like to write the same as what you like to read? Pretty much yeah! My absolute favourite thing to read is found family fluff, which is also my favourite thing to write :D

23. What’s the story idea you’ve had in your head for the longest? I'll go with the one that I've gone the longest without writing: an AU based off the song The Log Driver's Waltz. It's entirely self-indulgent and appeals to exactly one person: me. Making it the absolute pinnacle of fan writing.....or, at least, it will be when I get around to writing it :"D

Link to the ask game if you want to play!

[sunmoonmac]

FYI

Patriann Tsaum

I’ve been critical of a Trump presidency for more than a decade now, and am growing ever more exhausted from the experience.

But to be fair, President Trump wasn’t that bad, other than when he incited an insurrection against the government,

Mismanaged a pandemic that killed over a million Americans,

Called neo-Nazis “very fine people,”

Separated children from their families,

Lost those children in the bureaucracy,

Tear-gassed peaceful protesters on Lafayette Square so he could hold a photo op holding a bible in front of a church,

Tried to block all Muslims from entering the country,

Got impeached,

Got impeached again,

Had the worst jobs record of any president in modern history,

Pressured Ukraine to dig dirt on Joe Biden,

Fired the FBI director for investigating his ties to Russia,

Bragged about firing the FBI director on TV,

Took Vladimir Putin’s word over the US intelligence community,

Diverted military funding to build his wall,

Caused the longest government shutdown in US history,

Called Black Lives Matter a “symbol of hate,”

Lied over 30,000 times,

Banned transgender people from serving in the military,

Ejected reporters from the White House briefing room who asked tough questions,

Vetoed the defense funding bill because it renamed military bases named for Confederate soldiers,

Refused to release his tax returns,

Increased the national debt by nearly $8 trillion,

Had three of the highest annual trade deficits in U.S. history,

Called veterans and soldiers who died in combat losers and suckers,

Coddled the leader of Saudi Arabia after he ordered the execution and dismembering of a US-based journalist,

Refused to concede the 2020 election,

Hired his unqualified daughter and son-in-law to work in the White House,

Walked out of an interview with Lesley Stahl,

Suggested that people should inject bleach into their bodies to fight COVID,

Abandoned our allies the Kurds to Turkey,

Pushed through massive tax cuts for the wealthiest but balked at helping working Americans,

Incited anti-lockdown protestors in several states at the height of the pandemic,

Withdrew the US from the Paris climate accords,

Withdrew the US from the Iranian nuclear deal,

Withdrew the US from the Trans Pacific Partnership which was designed to block China’s advances,

Insulted his own Cabinet members on Twitter,

Pushed the leader of Montenegro out of the way during a photo op,

Failed to reiterate US commitment to defending NATO allies,

Called Haiti and African nations “shithole” countries,

Called the city of Baltimore the “worst in the nation,”

Claimed that he single handedly brought back the phrase “Merry Christmas” even though it hadn’t gone anywhere,

Forced his Cabinet members to praise him publicly like some cult leader,

Believed he should be awarded the Nobel Peace Prize,

Berated and belittled his hand-picked Attorney General when he recused himself from the Russia probe,

Suggested the US should buy Greenland,

Colluded with Mitch McConnell to push through federal judges and two Supreme Court justices, after supporting efforts to prevent his predecessor from appointing judges,

Repeatedly called the media “enemies of the people,”

Claimed that if we tested fewer people for COVID we’d have fewer cases,

Violated the emoluments clause,

Thought that Nambia was a country,

Told Bob Woodward in private that the coronavirus was a big deal but then downplayed it in public,

Called his exceedingly faithful vice president a “p---y” for following the Constitution,

Nearly got us into a war with Iran after threatening them by tweet,

Nominated a corrupt head of the EPA,

Nominated a corrupt head of HHS,

Nominated a corrupt head of the Interior Department,

Nominated a corrupt head of the USDA,

Praised dictators and authoritarians around the world while criticizing allies,

Refused to allow the presidential transition to begin,

Insulted war hero John McCain – even after his death,

Spent an obscene amount of time playing golf after criticizing Barack Obama for playing (far less) golf while president,

Falsely claimed that he won the 2016 popular vote,

Called the Muslim mayor of London a “stone cold loser,”

Falsely claimed that he turned down being Time’s Man of the Year,

Considered firing special counsel Robert Mueller on several occasions,

Mocked wearing face masks to guard against transmitting COVID,

Locked Congress out of its constitutional duty to confirm Cabinet officials by hiring acting ones,

Used a racist dog whistle by calling COVID the “China virus,”

Hired and associated with numerous shady figures that were eventually convicted of federal offenses including his campaign manager and national security adviser,

Pardoned several of his shady associates,

Gave the Presidential Medal of Freedom to two congressman who amplified his bat shit crazy conspiracy theories,

Got into telephone fight with the leader of Australia(!),

Had a Secretary of State who called him a moron,

Forced his press secretary to claim without merit that his was the largest inauguration crowd in history,

Botched the COVID vaccine rollout,

Tweeted so much dangerous propaganda that Twitter eventually banned him,

Charged the Secret Service jacked-up rates at his properties,

Constantly interrupted Joe Biden in their first presidential debate,

Claimed that COVID would “magically” disappear,

Called a U.S. Senator “Pocahontas,”

Used his Twitter account to blast Nordstrom when it stopped selling Ivanka’s merchandise,

Opened up millions of pristine federal lands to development and drilling,

Got into a losing tariff war with China that forced US taxpayers to bail out farmers,

Claimed that his losing tariff war was a win for the US,

Ignored or didn’t even take part in daily intelligence briefings,

Blew off honoring American war dead in France because it was raining,

Redesigned Air Force One to look like the Trump Shuttle,

Got played by Kim Jung Un and his “love letters,”

Threatened to go after social media companies in clear violation of the Constitution,

Botched the response to Hurricane Maria in Puerto Rico,

Threw paper towels at Puerto Ricans when he finally visited them,

Pressured the governor and secretary of state of Georgia to “find” him votes,

Thought that the Virgin islands had a President,

Drew on a map with a Sharpie to justify his inaccurate tweet that Alabama was threatened by a hurricane,

Allowed White House staff to use personal email accounts for official businesses after blasting Hillary Clinton for doing the same thing,

Rolled back regulations that protected the public from mercury and asbestos,

Pushed regulators to waste time studying snake-oil remedies for COVID,

Rolled back regulations that stopped coal companies from dumping waste into rivers,

Held blatant campaign rallies at the White House,

Tried to take away millions of Americans’ health insurance because the law was named for a Black man,

Refused to attend his successors’ inauguration,

Nominated the worst Education Secretary in history,

Threatened judges who didn’t do what he wanted,

Attacked Dr. Anthony Fauci,

Promised that Mexico would pay for the wall (it didn’t),

Allowed political hacks to overrule government scientists on major reports on climate change and other issues,

Struggled navigating a ramp after claiming his opponent was feeble,

Called an African-American Congresswoman “low IQ,”

Threatened to withhold federal aid from states and cities with Democratic leaders,

Went ahead with rallies filled with maskless supporters in the middle of a pandemic,

Claimed that legitimate investigations of his wrongdoing were “witch hunts,”

Seemed to demonstrate a belief that there were airports during the American Revolution,

Demanded “total loyalty” from the FBI director,

Praised a conspiracy theory that Democrats are Satanic pedophiles,

Completely gutted the Voice of America,

Placed a political hack in charge of the Postal Service,

Claimed without evidence that the Obama administration bugged Trump Tower,

Suggested that the US should allow more people from places like Norway into the country,

Suggested that COVID wasn’t that bad because he recovered with the help of top government doctors and treatments not available to the public,

Overturned energy conservation standards that even industry supported,

Reduced the number of refugees the US accepts,

Insulted various members of Congress and the media with infantile nicknames,

Gave Rush Limbaugh a Presidential medal of Freedom at the State of the Union address,

Named as head of federal personnel a 29-year old who’d previously been fired from the White House for allegations of financial improprieties,

Eliminated the White House office of pandemic response,

Used soldiers as campaign props,

Fired any advisor who made the mistake of disagreeing with him,

Demanded the Pentagon throw him a Soviet-style military parade,

Hired a shit ton of white nationalists,

Politicized the civil service,

Did absolutely nothing after Russia hacked the U.S. government,

Falsely said the Boy Scouts called him to say his bizarre Jamboree speech was the best speech ever given to the Scouts,

Claimed that Black people would overrun the suburbs if Biden won,

Insulted reporters of color,

Insulted women reporters, insulted women reporters of color,

Suggested he was fine with China’s oppression of the Uighurs,

Attacked the Supreme Court when it ruled against him,

Summoned Pennsylvania state legislative leaders to the White House, to pressure them to overturn the election,

Spent countless hours every day watching Fox News,

Refused to allow his administration to comply with Congressional subpoenas,

Hired Rudy Giuliani as his lawyer,

Tried to punish Amazon because the Jeff Bezos-owned Washington Post wrote negative stories about him,

Acted as if the Attorney General of the United States was his personal attorney,

Attempted to get the federal government to defend him in a libel lawsuit from a women who accused him of sexual assault,

Held private meetings with Vladimir Putin without staff present,

Didn’t disclose his private meetings with Vladimir Putin so that the US had to find out via Russian media,

Stopped holding press briefings for months at a time,

“Ordered” US companies to leave China even though he has no such power,

Led a political party that couldn’t even be bothered to draft a policy platform,

Claimed preposterously that Article II of the Constitution gave him absolute powers,

Tried to pressure the U.K. to hold the British Open at his golf course,

Suggested that the government nuke hurricanes,

Suggested that wind turbines cause cancer,

Said that he had a special aptitude for science,

Fired the head of election cyber security after he said that the 2020 election was secure,

Blurted out classified information to Russian officials,

Tried to force the G7 to hold their meeting at his failing golf resort in Florida,

Fired the acting attorney general when she refused to go along with his unconstitutional Muslim travel ban,

Hired Stephen Miller,

Openly discussed national security issues in the dining room at Mar-a-Lago where everyone could hear them,

Interfered with plans to relocate the FBI because a new development there might compete with his hotel,

Abandoned Iraqi refugees who’d helped the U.S. during the war,

Tried to get Russia back into the G7,

Held a COVID super spreader event in the Rose Garden,

Seemed to believe that Frederick Douglass is still alive,

Lost 60 election fraud cases in court including before judges he had nominated,

Falsely claimed that factories were reopening when they weren’t,

Shamelessly exploited terror attacks in Europe to justify his anti-immigrant policies,

Still hasn’t come up with a healthcare plan,

Still hasn’t come up with an infrastructure plan despite repeated “Infrastructure Weeks,”

Forced Secret Service agents to drive him around Walter Reed while contagious with COVID,

Told the Proud Boys to “stand back and stand by,”

Screwed up the Census wording,

Withdrew the U.S. from the World Health Organization in the middle of a pandemic,

Did so few of his duties that his press staff were forced to state on his daily schedule: “President Trump will work from early in the morning until late in the evening. He will make many calls and have many meetings,”

Allowed his staff to repeatedly violate the Hatch Act,

Seemed not to know that Abraham Lincoln was a Republican,

Stood before sacred CIA wall of heroes and bragged about his election win,

Constantly claimed he was treated worse than any president, (which presumably includes four that were assassinated, and his predecessor whose legitimacy and birthplace were challenged by a racist reality TV show star named Donald Trump),

Claimed Andrew Jackson could’ve stopped the Civil War even though he died 16 years before it happened,

Said that any opinion poll showing him behind was fake,

Claimed that other countries laughed at us before he became president when several world leaders were literally laughing at him,

Claimed that the military was out of ammunition before he became President,

Created a commission to whitewash American history,

Retweeted anti-Islam videos from one of the most racist people in Britain,

Claimed ludicrously that the Pulse nightclub shooting wouldn’t have happened if someone there had a gun even though there was an armed security guard there,

Hired a senior staffer who cited the non-existent "Bowling Green Massacre" as a reason to ban Muslims,

Had a press secretary who claimed that Nazi Germany never used chemical weapons even though every sane human being knows they used gas to kill millions of Jews and others,

Bilked the Secret Service for higher than market rates when they had to stay at Trump properties,

Apparently sold pardons on his way out of the White House,

Stripped protective status from 59,000 Haitians,

Falsely claimed Biden wanted to de-fund the police,

Said that the head of the CDC didn’t know what he was talking about,

Tried to rescind protection from DREAMers,

Gave himself an A+ for his handling of the pandemic,

Tried to start a boycott of Goodyear tires due to an Internet hoax,

Said U.S. rates of COVID would be lower if you didn’t count blue states,

Deported U.S. veterans who served their country but were undocumented,

Claimed he did more for African Americans than any president since Lincoln,

Touted a “super-duper” secret “hydrosonic” missile, which may or may not be a new “hypersonic” missile, or may not exist at all,

Retweeted a gif calling Biden a pedophile,

Forced through security clearances for his family,

Suggested that police officers should rough up suspects,

Suggested that Biden was on performance-enhancing drugs,

Tried to stop transgender students from being able to use school bathrooms in line with their gender identification,

Suggested the US not accept COVID patients from a cruise ship because it would make US numbers look higher,

Nominated a climate change skeptic to chair the committee advising the White House on environmental policy,

Retweeted a video doctored to look like Biden had played a song called “Fuck tha Police” at a campaign event,

Hugged a disturbingly large number of U.S. flags,

Accused Democrats of “treason” for not applauding his State of the Union address,

Claimed that the FBI failed to capture the Parkland school shooter,

because they were “spending too much time” on Russia,

Mocked the testimony of Dr Christine Blasey Ford when she accused Brett Kavanaugh of sexual assault,

Obsessed over low-flow toilets,

Ordered the re-release of more COVID vaccines when there weren’t any to release,

Called for the construction of a bizarre garden of heroes with statutes of famous dead Americans as well as at least one Canadian (Alex Trebek),

Hijacked Washington’s July 4th celebrations to give a partisan speech,

Took advice from the MyPillow guy,

Claimed that migrants seeking a better life in the US were dangerous caravans of drug dealers and rapists,

Said nothing when Vladimir Putin poisoned a leading opposition figure,

Never seemed to heed the advice of his wife’s “Be Best” campaign,

Falsely claimed that mail-in voting is fraudulent, though he, (himself), votes by mail.

Announced a precipitous withdrawal of troops from Syria which not only handed Russia and ISIS a win but also prompted his defense secretary to resign in protest,

Insulted the leader of Canada,

Insulted the leader of France,

Insulted the leader of Britain,

Insulted the leader of Germany,

Insulted the leader of Sweden (Sweden!!),

Falsely claimed credit for getting NATO members to increase their share of dues,

Blew off two Asia summits even though they were held virtually,

Continued lying about spending lots of time at Ground Zero with 9/11 responders,

Said that the Japanese would sit back and watch their “Sony televisions” if the US were ever attacked,

Left a NATO summit early in a huff,

Stared directly into an eclipse even though everyone over the age of 5 knows not to do that,

Called himself a very stable genius despite significant evidence to the contrary,

Refused to commit to a peaceful transfer of power and kept his promise,

and a whole bunch of other things I can’t remember at the moment.

All documented - - I welcome anyone to show me proof that any one of these did not happen and I will, without argument, correct The Record Book of What Trump Did!

[sl33py-g4m3r]

I feel really dumb~~~

all this crap about not being able to install linux on my windows computer cause of a windows update somehow bricking secure booting into linux (eshim verification error; something has gone horribly wrong) "system shutdown"

for the longest time I didn't know how to fix it and now feel really dumb; but also really relieved that I have my gaming computer running linux again~~!!

and my function keys ACTUALLY WORK~~~!!!

how did I not realize this sooner tho? all I had to do was go into the BIOS settings by spamming escape, going to setup for the bios, going to security, scrolling all the way down to where secure boot was buried, and turn that off... I turned fast boot off too cause I didn't know what it did or does, I just assume it tries to help you boot into windows faster.

pardon me for yelling but; HOW DID I NOT EVER NOTICE THAT OR THINK TO DO THAT??? I thought it was a more serious problem~~ unless secure boot is more important than I think it is.....

I FEEL STUPID BUT AM ALSO REALLY EXCITED AND HYPED TO BE ABLE TO RUN LINUX ON THIS MACHINE AGAIN~~~~!!!!! I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BE ABLE TO RUN LINUX ON HERE EVER AGAIN~~~!!

and in protest I will never run windows on this machine ever again~~~

also for some reason on my machine's bios hitting the escape key before boot starts a menu where you can choose where you want to boot from, instead of the setup easy mode thing where you change the boot order of stuff, tho you can do that but idk if it actually works or not.... cause hitting escape takes you to the boot menu, then setup to enter the BIOS instead of taking you immediately to the bios.... :/ I don't get it.... it used to go straight to the BIOS i thought~~

suck it microsoft~~~~

it is late plz help me, lol

seriously I was fully expecting the install to fail with secure boot off. stuff had failed so often that I just expected it to fail, but when the disk booted and I begun the install.... I didn't expect it to boot at all cause I didn't know that was the problem.... pleasantly surprised when debian actually boots and works fine~~~

BACK ON LINUX BABY~~~~~~ LET'S GOOOOOOO~~~~~~

[heavierthanlaila]

5 - 37 - 40

5. what made you start your blog?

this is a funny story actually. back in january 2012, i was looking for some pictures on google image and i stumbled upon a pic i liked so i opened the link and it was blog about reading on tumblr. i had NO idea what the heck tumblr was or how blogs work but i decided to create an account here and i've been stuck ever since. man i can't believe it has been this long tbh. this is the second longest consistent relationship i have in my life (after my best and oldest friend).

37. share a secret

hmmmmmmm.. im worried that this loneliness won't go away and i'll forever be trapped in my solitude. i'm scared my solitude will hinder me from experiencing life to the fullest.

40. any bad habits?

oh yeah i tend to shutdown a lot and be afraid of expressing myself fully. i tend to give up on myself more than i should. i tend to expect from ppl what i know i can offer so i always end up disappointed. i tend to hold myself back bc im too scared of facing this world on my own.

[beauty-funny-trippy]

Republican Dysfunction is not just an opinion. It's real, and it's measurable. Republicans in the House of Representatives have a repeated history of dysfunction, causing long government shutdowns.

Of course, the President and the Senate have their part to play in shutdowns. But it can't be a coincidence that of all the days that the U.S. government has shut down over the last 40+ years, 93% of those days started when Republicans were in control of the House of Representatives. (source)

It can't be a coincidence that the three longest government shutdowns in U.S. history all started during a time when Republicans were in control of the House of Representatives. The last one (during the Trump administration) was the longest and most expensive in U.S. history. It cost Americans $5 billion. (source)

Unbelievably, this worst-ever, 35 day government shutdown started when the House, the Senate and the Presidency were all under Republican control! They couldn't even agree among themselves long enough to pass a budget to keep the government running.

This was during the first influx of MAGA Republicans to Congress (and the Presidency). When you add MAGAs to the mix, you get Republican Dysfunction on steroids! It's like trying to put out a grease fire with gasoline.

So how did it finally end? It was only after Democrats were given control of the House that they, together with outcries from the American public, were able to get Trump to give up his tyranny of extortion and get the government running again.

You know, with absolute certainty, that Trump really wants to be America's first dictator. But we're not gonna give him that opportunity, are we, folks?

[amor-est-potestas]

Autism Asks

How old were you when you found out you were autistic?

Do you have any other autistic people in your family? Or are you the only one?

Do you have any comorbidities? Or just autism?

Are you LGBTQIA+?

What do you wish more people knew about autism?

Have you ever been in a relationship?

Do you find it hard to make friends?

If you have any, what are your special interests?

What was your first special interest?

What are your most common stims?

If you could give any advice to your younger self, what would it be?

Do you headcanon any characters as autistic? If you want, tell us why you headcanon them as autistic.

Tell us an autistic person that you really look up to.

Are you currently in school?

Have you ever received any accommodations for your autism in either school or work?

Do you have any autistic friends?

Do you own any stim toys? Which is your favorite?

Do you find it easier to get along with other autistic people?

What kinds of things are sensory hell for you?

What kinds of things are good sensory wise?

How open are you usually when it comes to being autistic?

Would you say you're proud to be autistic?

What's the longest you've ever has a special interest for?

Do you have meltdowns?

What about shutdowns?

Do you avoid eye contact?

Do you have any vocal stims or echolalia?

How long do your special interests usually last for?

Are your friends and/or family accepting of your autism?

Favorite canon autistic character?

Do you have a comfort item? If you feel comfortable with it, then show it to us.

What are your safe foods?

Foods you are sensitive to (maybe because of bad texture for instance)?

Do you enjoy hugs? Or are they sensory hell?

Have you ever used a weighted blanket?

Do you have routines that you have to follow? What's in your routine?

Do you enjoy holidays or are they sensory hell to you?

How good are you at detecting sarcasm?

What's the most comfortable/sensory friendly outfit you own?

Do you collect anything related to your special interest?

If you date people then would you prefer to date other autistic people?

Tell us something about your special interest.

If you could have any item related to your special interest what would it be?

Who are your favorite autistic bloggers? Say something nice about them.

Favorite autistic celebrity?

Are you generally a loud or quiet person?

Do you happy flap?

What is your favorite special interest related item you own? Show it to us if you want.

What's something you find hard to do because of autism?

[newstfionline]

Saturday, September 30, 2023

Amid GOP confusion, U.S. braces for ‘first-ever shutdown about nothing’ (Washington Post) In 1995 and 1996, the federal government shut down as House Republicans and the Clinton administration clashed over spending cuts. In 2013, the government shut down because of a partisan disagreement over President Barack Obama’s Affordable Care Act. In 2018, Democrats bucked President Donald Trump’s demands to fund a U.S.-Mexico border wall, leading to the longest shutdown in U.S. history. “We are truly heading for the first-ever shutdown about nothing,” said Michael Strain, director of economic policy studies at the American Enterprise Institute, a right-leaning think tank. Strain has started referring to the current GOP House-led impasse as “the ‘Seinfeld’ shutdown,” a reference to the popular sitcom widely known as “a show about nothing.” “The weirdest thing about it is that the Republicans don’t have any demands. What do they want? What is it that they’re going to shut the government down for? We simply don’t know.” Budget experts and historians say the current impasse stands out for its lack of a clear policy disagreement. With only two days left before the federal government shuts down and millions of Americans stop getting paid, members of Congress are frustrated and worried.

Heavy rains bring flash floods to New York City (NYT) Gov. Kathy Hochul of New York declared a state of emergency today as heavy rainfall pounded New York City and the surrounding region, causing flash floods. Entire subway lines were shut down, major roadways turned into lakes and children were moved to the upper floors of flooded schools. Hochul described the storm as a “life-threatening rainfall event,” urging New Yorkers to stay home and warning those who live in basements to brace for the worst. “Plan your escape route,” she said. “Don’t wait until water is over your knees before you leave. Don’t wait until it’s too late.”

Number of migrants crossing Panama’s Darien Gap surpasses 400,000 to record high (Reuters) The number of people crossing the perilous Darien Gap linking Panama and Colombia has hit a record high of 400,000 in the year to September, official data showed, as migration to the United States intensified despite efforts to curb the flow. More than half of those migrants were children and babies, Panama’s security ministry said in a statement, adding that September alone saw the number of crossings increase by a fifth compared to the previous month. Most of the migrants traversing the dangerous stretch of jungle are Venezuelans, with others from Ecuador, Haiti and other countries, Panama’s security ministry has said.

Cuba warns of worsening blackouts as fuel crisis bites (Reuters) Power blackouts in Cuba are expected to increase significantly due to a lack of fuel, officials warned in a nationwide TV broadcast, worsening the country's plight as it deals with food and medicine shortages. Local governments have already begun announcing restrictions on power usage at state-run companies and other entities, including moves to postpone sporting events and university classes. The officials suggested citizens could expect blackouts of up to eight to 10 hours per day starting in October outside of Havana, where residents are usually spared power outages. The Communist-run island has been mired in crisis and plagued by blackouts and shortages of food, medicine and fuel since the pandemic. Gross domestic product is 8% below 2020 levels and goods production 40% below, according to the government.

Who’s Gaining Ground in Ukraine? No One. (NYT) Despite nine months of bloody fighting, less than 500 square miles of territory have changed hands since the start of the year. Both sides started the year with lofty ambitions: Russia wanted to capture the eastern Donbas region, while Ukraine aimed to split Russian forces with an attack in the south. Neither offensive has gone to plan. The front line, after months of grueling combat and heavy casualties, remains largely unchanged. Across the front line, every mile of territory has been a grinding fight, with no repeat of the rapid breakthrough that Kyiv managed in Kharkiv in September last year, when Russia’s defenses collapsed after a surprise Ukrainian counterattack. Russia and Ukraine have faced similar challenges this year. Both sides are fighting for positions that have remained largely entrenched for months, or even years in some parts of eastern Ukraine. Seasoned troops and commanders who were killed earlier in the war have been replaced with new recruits who often lack sufficient training.

More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s population flees as separatist government says it will dissolve (AP) More than 70% of Nagorno-Karabakh’s original population has fled to Armenia as the region’s separatist government said it will dissolve itself and the unrecognized republic inside Azerbaijan will cease to exist by year’s end after a three-decade bid for independence. By Friday morning 84,770 people had left Nagorno-Karabakh, according to Armenian officials, continuing a mass exodus from the region of ethnic Armenians that began Sunday. The region’s population was around 120,000 before the exodus began. The moves came after Azerbaijan carried out a lightning offensive last week to reclaim full control over the breakaway region and demanded that Armenian troops in Nagorno-Karabakh disarm and the separatist government disband. During the three decades of conflict in the region, Azerbaijan and separatists inside Nagorno-Karabakh, alongside allies in Armenia, have accused the other of targeted attacks, massacres and other atrocities, leaving people on both sides deeply suspicious and fearful.

Blast hits prophet’s birthday celebration in Pakistan, killing at least 31 (Washington Post) At least 31 people were killed and more than 60 injured in a blast targeting a Pakistani procession to mark the birthday of prophet Muhammad on Friday, local police official Azam Khan said, as authorities cautioned that the death toll was likely to rise. The attack hit a rally in the district of Mastung in the southwestern Pakistani province of Baluchistan. Jan Achakzai, information minister of the provincial government, said the bombing amounted to one of the worst attacks in recent memory in the province, which is regularly struck by smaller blasts and targeted killings.

Sikh Separatism Is a Nonissue in India, Except as a Political Boogeyman (NYT) During his first trip to India as Canada’s prime minister in 2018, Justin Trudeau made a visit to the northern state of Punjab, where he got a photo op in full Punjabi dress at the Golden Temple, the holiest site of the Sikh religion. He also got, courtesy of the Indian government, an earful of grievances—and a list of India’s most-wanted men on Canadian soil. The killing this summer of one man on that list, Hardeep Singh Nijjar, has turned into a diplomatic war between India and Canada. Mr. Trudeau claimed this month that Indian agents had orchestrated the assassination inside Canada. India rejected the assertion and accused Canada of ignoring its warnings that Canadian Sikh extremists like Mr. Nijjar were plotting violence in Punjab in hopes of making the state into a separate Sikh nation. But there is little support in Punjab for a secessionist cause that peaked in deadly violence decades ago and was snuffed out. For Mr. Modi, the amplification of the separatist threat provides an important political narrative ahead of a national election early next year. It furthers his image as a strongman leader who will go to any extent to protect his nation. It has prompted even some of his staunchest critics to rally around him in the face of Canada’s accusation.

Chinese property giant Evergrande’s slow implosion nears crunch time (Washington Post) It’s been a terrible week in Chinese real estate giant Evergrande’s battle to shake its reputation as the Lehman Brothers of China’s struggling economy—a comparison it has been trying to avoid since 2021, when it defaulted on $330 billion in debt and sent shock waves through global markets. It started with confirmation Sunday that the developer couldn’t raise funds after saying it needed to “reassess” its restructuring plans amid an investigation by Chinese regulators—news that led to the biggest sell-off in Chinese property stocks in nine months on Monday. Then, on Thursday, the group and two of its major subsidiaries suspended trading after Bloomberg reported that its billionaire chairman, Xu Jiayin, was being held under “residential surveillance” by Chinese police. The fall from grace of Xu and his company—he was by some estimates China’s richest businessperson in 2017—tracks the rapidly declining health of the Chinese property sector, which accounts for nearly a quarter of economic growth in the world’s second-largest economy.

Singapore’s population grows 5% as foreign workers return post-pandemic (Reuters) Singapore’s population grew 5% in a year as foreign workers returned to the city-state following the pandemic, data released on Friday showed. There were 5.9 million people in Singapore as of June, up from 5.6 million in June last year. Of these, 61% were Singaporeans, 9% were permanent residents and 30% were foreigners working or studying in the country. The bulk of the population increase came from foreign employment, with 162,000 foreign workers coming to Singapore from June 2022 to June this year. In 2020 and 2021, the population shrank as hundreds of thousands of foreign workers left amid strict Covid-19 lockdowns and travel restrictions.

Sudan’s diaspora sends home aid as world’s attention drifts (Washington Post) The indoor basketball court at a Northern Virginia fitness center echoes with a familiar chorus of cheers and groans punctuated by a blaring buzzer. Gihad Salih watches from the sidelines as two teams face off. The event, a fundraiser on an August weekend for local Sudanese aid organizations, feels a long way from the corpse-strewn streets of Khartoum, where some of his extended family remain. The casual tournament—Slam Dunk for Sudan—is one of many grass-roots humanitarian fundraisers Sudanese immigrants and their descendants in the West have led since the war began. From North America to Australia, Sudanese people have raised money for emergency medicines, food and rent; lobbied officials to ease entry for refugees; and crowdsourced information about road safety, medical care and getting money into the country. With the conflict grinding into its sixth month, many Sudanese people and their supporters around the world are growing frustrated as the East African nation struggles for its share of international relief budgets and to remain on the global aid agenda. The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, has received 27 percent, or $266 million, of the $1 billion it requested for its emergency response. “Despite the urgency of the crisis,” the agency warned in early August, “funding has trickled in.”

Turning Jokes Into Reality (NYT) Mehran’s Steak House in New York City boasts an almost-perfect Google review rating with over 90 reviews, as well as a fully-booked, months-long waitlist, making it one of Manhattan’s most desirable dinner attractions. Unfortunately for any diners seeking a night at the exclusive restaurant, the steakhouse, well, didn’t actually exist—up until last weekend. You see, it’s very easy to create Google Maps listings. You can pick a name for a spot, upload a few details, and rename your house to whatever you want—which is what a few friends living at a four-story “hacker house” in Manhattan did, naming the building after a member of their group named Mehran, who would cook a top sirloin from time to time for house dinners. They padded out the listing with sarcastic rave reviews, eventually setting up a website and phone number to grow out the elaborate joke. Last Saturday, that joke became a reality. The friends rented out an event space, set up a menu, and invited dozens of people from their waiting list of over 900. They served up a four-course menu crowned with a ribeye steak to the unsuspecting guests for the low, low price of $114 (before tax, tip, and drinks).