#restaurant Encamp

[communitymanagerandorra]

Bon Nadal a tots els nostres amics i clients, gràcies @lluis_1966 i @_sandra_1979 per les vostres fotos.

La Cirera Restaurant Braseria Encamp La Cirera🍒 nova direcció i gastronomia renovada.

Autèntica brasa de llenya. Possiblement un dels millors restaurants d'Encamp.

I ara tots els divendres i dissabtes vine a fer la 1a. Copa a La Cirera 🍒 Bar lounge.

#loungeclub #copes #drinks #brasa #churrasco #bbq #carne #churras #picanha #gastronomia #foodie #churrasqueiro #brasas #foodblogger #ｂｂｑ #bbqlovers #bbqporn #bbqlife #bbqchicken #bbqtime #bbqribs #bbqfood #bbqbrisket #bbqbeef #bbqhouse #bbqtonight #bbqsauce #bbqlovers #bbqmeat

[literaryvein-reblogs]

some words for worldbuilding (pt. 1)

Air

billow, breath, bubble, draft, effervescence, fumes, puff, vapor

Arena

aquarium, bazaar, coliseum, field, hall, mecca, stage

Building

abbey, architecture, armory, asylum, bakery, bar, booth, cathedral, club, construction, court, department store, dock, edifice, emergency room, factory, food court, fort/fortress, framework, garrison, greasy spoon, hacienda, hangout, headquarters, hotel, inn, institute/institution, jetty, laboratory, mansion, mental hospital, monastery, mosque, museum, nursing home, office, pavilion, penitentiary, plant, prison, rampart, repository, ruins, sanctuary, shrine, skyscraper, stockade, storeroom, structure, temple, theater/theatre, treasury, warehouse, wharf

City

capital, metropolis, town, village

Furniture

altar, banister, bench, booth, bunk, cabinet, chair, couch, crib, davenport, dresser, furnishings, futon, jetty, lectern, partition, perch, platform, pulpit, rail/railing, screen, secretary, stand, wardrobe

Geographic division

area, county, desert, dynasty, kingdom, outskirts, quarter, sector, suburb, territory, tract, zone

Habitat

abode, ecosystem, environmentalist, habitat/habitation, harbor, home, land, nest, paradise, premises, refuge, settlement, tent

Habitat, human: accommodations, apartment, barracks, cabin, castle, condominium, convent, domesticity, dungeon, element, encampment, estate, grange, hacienda, home, house, housing, hut, jail, lodging, madhouse, monastery, neighborhood, old country, palace, prison, reservation, resort, sanctuary, shanty, suite, vacancy, villa

Habitat, rural: barn, burrow, conservatory, desert, farm, forest, grange, jungle, sanctuary, wilderness/wilds, wood/woods

Land

abyss, avalanche, bank, bay, bed, bluff, campus, cape, cavern, cliff, compost, cove, crevice/crevasse, dirt, downgrade, dune, elevation, estuary, expanse, field, fossil, garden, glacier, gorge, green, ground, gulf, harbor, hillock, inlet, knoll, landscape, lawn, lot, marshy, menagerie, mine, moat, mound, mountainous, nature, outlook, park, patio, pit, plateau, plaza, porch, prairie, projection, property, quagmire, ravine, ridge, savanna, shelf, soil, stack, table, trench, tundra, valley, well, wood/woods, yard

Nation

country, home, land, nationality, soil, state

Personal item

adornment, amulet, beads, best-seller, briefcase, cache, cargo, charm, contraceptive, disguise, effects, equipment, favorite, gem, glasses, handbag, jewelry, knickknack, luggage, marionette, memorabilia, necklace, novelty, object d’art, odds-on-favorite, paraphernalia, pledge, possession, pride, puppet, purse, resources, ring, souvenir, stuff, supplies, sustenance, thing/things, trappings, trifle, valuable

Planet

cosmos, Earth, galaxy, moon, planet, sphere, world

Region

capital, commonwealth, quarter, region, settlement, suburb

Room

alcove, attic, bath, bedroom, boutique, cellar, den, enclosure, foyer, gin mill, hall, lavatory, loft, outhouse, parlor, restaurant, saloon, shop, stage, store, tenement, theater/theatre, vestibule

Shape

angular, beaten, billowy, checkered, concave, conical/conic, crescent, curly, deformed, elliptical, flat, gnarled, kinky, misshapen, obtuse, round, shapeless, spiral, straight

Vehicle

camper, conveyance, motorcade, transport

Vehicle, air: aircraft, armada, blimp, dirigible, helicopter, shuttle, UFO

Vehicle, land: ambulance, bicycle, car, cherry-picker, dolly, excavator, model, traffic, truck

Vehicle, water: armada, boat, craft, fleet, sailboat, yacht

Water

abyss, aqueduct, basin, beach, blackball, brook, cape, channel, condensation, creek, deep, estuary, fountain, gulf, heading, inlet, lake, oasis, pond, promontory, reservoir, sea, spray, strait, tide, wash, wave, whirlpool

NOTE

The above are concepts classified according to subject and usage. It not only helps writers and thinkers to organize their ideas but leads them from those very ideas to the words that can best express them.

It was, in part, created to turn an idea into a specific word. By linking together the main entries that share similar concepts, the index makes possible creative semantic connections between words in our language, stimulating thought and broadening vocabulary. Writing Resources PDFs

Source ⚜ Writing Basics & Refreshers ⚜ On Vocabulary

[fatehbaz]

Y’know about notorious housing costs and homelessness situation in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Los Angeles, the Pacific coast of the US? In 2023, Portland and San Francisco are both moving forward with major multi-million-dollar projects to outlaw “street camping” while opening “city-run mass encampments.”

The mayor, 14 April 2023:

San Francisco is site of arguably one of worst situations in the US, where thousands units are completely inaccessible, and people pay over $2000 a month to live in closets or dorm-style high-density shared rooms, and upscale coffee shops and restaurants require phone apps or payment receipts for people to access restrooms. The W!!pedia page “Homelessness in the San Francisco Bay Area” is over 120,000 bytes in size and 12,000 words in length.

In April 2023, the city announces its grand plan: A “five-year plan” costing $600 million to “cut the number of unsheltered homeless in halve” in five years. So not a plan to put people in homes, but just to get them off the street, qualifying them as part of the strange designation of “the sheltered homeless” (they will still be homeless, but they won’t be “on the streets,” and will be “sheltered” by a city shelter or camp).

Get them out of sight, put them out of the way on an island or something:

In 2022, the city estimated that over 20,000 people are homeless in a calendar year.

And that’s only within the formal city limits of San Francisco and doesn’t include the rest of the Bay Area (which contains millions more people in Oakland, San Jose, Richmond, etc.) 

The rest of the Pacific coast?

In late 2022, Portland, its mayor, and its city council announced a major initiative to ban and outlaw “street camping”. Portland will simultaneously by opening “city-run encampments” or  “sanctioned mass homeless camps.” In early 2023, Portland begins this project:

March 2023:

Hmm.

One of the most popular homeless related questions on Q/uora, as if were a “valid question” about how “you must earn your existence through work”, and not a sickening disregard for life:

Hmm.

Like:

[eretzyisrael]

by Seth Mandel

Yesterday was the anniversary of only one thing: the mass murder and rape of Jews. The demonstrations, therefore, fell into two categories: for and against. In the “for” category was one led by a familiar face: Nerdeen Kiswani, who took a break from trying to set Jews on fire to celebrate others who set Jews on fire. “Oct. 7 was a prison break and all the atrocity propaganda that we saw that came out of it was lies,” Kiswani sermonized, an imitation Father Coughlin for the Tik Tok generation.

The one confusing part of Kiswani’s rant was that she suggested the 1,200 innocent civilians “maybe” murdered on that day were killed by Israeli helicopters, which in Kiswani’s mind should make the IDF the good guys.

But Kiswani is bound to become coherent eventually, because she’ll have lots of practice. It’s clear she sees this as her calling, and the New York Times agrees. “Ms. Kiswani bills herself as part of a bolder, new generation of Palestinian American activists who are calling for what she says earlier generations also wanted, but feared to say in public: the replacement of the state of Israel with a state called Palestine, covering all the land from the Jordan River to the Mediterranean Sea,” the paper wrote in a flattering profile of the fair Lady Genocide.

The Times is just trying to be evenhanded. While on the one hand, it writes, Kiswani calls for the destruction of Mideast Jewry from the river to the sea, on the other, “Ms. Kiswani insists she is not antisemitic.” Well, OK, if she insists, I guess we have to take her at her word, the way the world took Hitler at his word he wouldn’t invade his neighbors.

Kiswani may have started Her Struggle on campus years ago, but her very professionalized caravan of mouth-frothing human Halloween displays left that all behind a long time ago. She’s an example of what coddled campus radicals turn into.

The Nazi Youth eventually grew up, too. So what happens when this generation of lost campus Jew-baiters grows up?

Even more than that, what will it take for them to hold the public’s attention? After all, we get acclimated to circumstances pretty quickly. Tent encampments designed to bar Jews from public spaces seemed pretty shocking a year ago. But Ivy League administrators ensured that it became normalized. It’s been nearly a year since Paul Kessler, a Jewish Californian, was killed by a pro-Palestinian protester not far from Los Angeles on a street corner. People seem to have gotten over that.

The tent isn’t the point of the tentifada. The point is the violence, the normalization of second-class citizenship for Jews, the loyalty oaths, the street mobs outside Jewish-owned restaurants smashing windows. It’s the evil energy that can’t be re-corked. How will American institutions inoculate themselves against what has been released into the air? Unless you’re focused on that, you’re still fighting the last war.

[cursedonyx]

hi !! I recently discovered your page, and I really like your work :)) If you’re still taking requests, I was wondering if you could maybe do headcannons of what Sebastian and Ominis would do for their s/o’s birthday?

Thank you so much! That's so nice of you to say 💚💚💚thanks too for the ask, happy to oblige!

Sebastian Sallow

Sebastian would want to make his partner's birthday a memorable experience in which you both have fun. He'd likely wake you up earlier than normal and begin your day with an energetic session of clumsily enthusiastic lovemaking before rushing off to make you breakfast. He'd be eager for you to finish eating quickly because he's got a full day of fun things planned for you.

'Fun things' with Sebastian normally means some kind of mischief, and he'll take you exploring in a cave or forest somewhere and conveniently pick up the trail of some kind of nefarious bullshit. You can't help but catch the grin on his lips that he's trying to suppress as you begin to follow clues leading you towards what sounds like an Ashwinder encampment.

To your surprise when you get there, it's actually a cute little picnic set up with all your favourite foods, comfy pillows to recline against and floating candles giving the secluded little area a romantic aura.

Sebastian is ridiculously pleased with himself for setting this all up and absolutely melts when you praise him for it. You cuddle up together and enjoy the picnic, then he presents you with your gifts and cuddles you while you unwrap them, warmed by your delight. He knows you well enough by now to know exactly what you wanted.

He reads to you from your favourite books while you enjoy the cake he got you, then takes you to Hogsmeade where he's planned another surprise for you - a huge party in the Three Broomsticks with all your friends, where you drink and celebrate until Sirona kicks you all out at four in the morning. Seb doesn't actually drink much though, he's on hand to make sure you're safe and having a good time. He'll carry you home in his arms and hum softly until you fall asleep.

Ominis Gaunt

Ominis would be up with the dawn to prepare you your favourite breakfast and bring it to you in bed, gently teasing out the tangles of your hair as you enjoy it. He'd then present you with your first gift of the day, a small and thoughtful token that he's clearly spent a lot of time thinking about. He'd pamper you all morning long, rubbing your shoulders and massaging your hands, basically any excuse to touch you until you're so relaxed you feel like jelly.

Ominis would hand you another little present, another carefully considered and thoughtful gift that holds deep meaning for you both. You'd take an outing somewhere quiet and still, perhaps a walk through a forest or flower garden, or you'd take tea and cake down by the lake, and he'd give you another little present. He'll do this all through the day, handing you little, thoughtful things that are more meaningful than expensive or showy (though he does splash out - nothing's too expensive for you).

After a day of gentle, quiet activities just for the two of you, Ominis treats you to an expensive dinner at the fanciest restaurant he can manage, and he hires out the whole place just for the two of you. There's a string quartet playing your favourite music, the menu is all your favourite things, and your favourite person is sitting opposite you, loving how much you're enjoying all he's done for you.

Everything Ominis does for you is thoughtful, intimate, and private. When you get home, he treats you one last time, showing you just how much he adores you by worshiping every inch of you before you fall asleep in each other's arms.

Masterlist

[cervinelich]

please please please vote locally

These posters and ones like it are littering the corners of every intersection in AZ and they are so deceptive it is driving me NUTS. Pay attention to stuff like this!!

Prop 138 for AZ wants to lower the amount tipped workers make from $3 less than the minimum wage to 25% less than the minimum wage, AND it wants to add this to the AZ constitution to make it harder to change in the future. This is so that tipped workers don't keep up with inflation wage increases. Other signs for this prop say things like "Save Local Restaurants!" and "Keep Our Restaurants in Business!" and it is so fucking scummy.

Prop 312 in AZ wants to give property owners the right to either sue the government or declare tax deductions for "lack of enforcement of public nuisance laws" - in simple terms, they want to pressure the government to make harsher laws against the homeless, and pressure police to crack down on encampments.

I know what you're thinking. "Voting against this won't solve the existing problems, though. Tipped workers still make less than minimum wage and homeless people are still criminalized." I agree! Both of those things need to be fixed long-term.

However, we can't refuse to materially improve a real person's current living conditions in pursuit of higher values. We need people to be stable enough to make change. Disenfranchising the lower class is THE way that they prevent us from being able to actively fight back.

PAY ATTENTION TO WHAT IS HAPPENING AT A LOCAL LEVEL.

[vague-humanoid]

This is a hopeful moment for the whole left-liberal coalition. The vibes, for once, are good. Almost every leftist I know is excited about Harris and thinks Trump is beatable. With a newly united party behind her, there are only so many ways Harris can screw it up, but one seems all too plausible: She could select Pennsylvania Governor Josh Shapiro as her running mate.

On paper, it’s understandable why Shapiro is among the leading candidates reportedly being vetted by Harris. Like nearly all of the veep contenders, he’s a white male governor with a centrist reputation. At 51, he’s even younger than Harris and a fresh face, having only held his current job for 18 months. He has already shown himself to be a more than capable administrator, generating a lot of good publicity for repairing a damaged section of Interstate 95 within two weeks. Most importantly, Pennsylvania is the most valuable swing state in play, worth 19 electoral votes, and Shapiro is very popular there.

Unfortunately, Shapiro also stands out among the current field of potential running mates as being egregiously bad on Palestine. It’s not just that he, like many Democrats, is an outspoken supporter of Israel—though he certainly is, having championed Israel’s war against Hamas consistently and without any apparent concern for Palestinian civilians. Shapiro has, moreover, done far more than most Democrats to attack pro-Palestine antiwar demonstrators, in ways that call into question his basic commitment to First Amendment rights.

In his previous role as Pennsylvania attorney general, Shapiro championed the state’s constitutionally dubious anti-BDS (boycott, divestment, sanctions) law against Ben & Jerry’s after the ice cream maker refused to license its product for sale in Israeli settlements. “BDS is rooted in antisemitism,” Shapiro wrote in a statement in 2021, as he condemned a company named for its two Jewish American founders. “The stated goal of this amorphous movement is the removal of Jewish citizens from the region and I strongly oppose their efforts.”

As governor, Shapiro’s particular animus against pro-Palestine activism has only grown more apparent and troubling. Last December, he played an active role in the GOP-orchestrated sacking of University of Pennsylvania President Liz Magill. During a visit to Goldie, the popular Philadelphia restaurant co-owned by the Israeli-born celebrity chef Michael Solomonov, Shapiro condemned Magill’s testimony on alleged antisemitism on the Ivy League campus before Representative Elise Stefanik, the MAGA right’s grand inquisitor. “That was an unacceptable statement from the president of Penn,” Shapiro said, referring to Magill’s unwillingness to accept Stefanik’s slippery framing on what constitutes antisemitism. “Frankly, I thought her comments were absolutely shameful. It should not be hard to condemn genocide.” Magill resigned four days after her testimony and three days after Shapiro’s statement, legitimizing the GOP’s wider assault on academic freedom, which would be repeated successfully against Harvard President Claudine Gay weeks later.

In April, Shapiro’s office baselessly claimed that a peaceful pro-Palestine encampment on the Penn campus threatened student safety. “If the universities in accordance with their policies can’t guarantee the safety and security and well-being of the students, then I think it is incumbent upon a local mayor or local governor or local town councilor, whoever is the local leadership there, to step in and enforce the law,” Shapiro told Politico at the time. In May, he urged Penn to shut down the encampment completely. “The University of Pennsylvania has an obligation to their safety,” he said, once again alluding to nonexistent threats to the physical well-being of Jewish students. “It is past time for the university to act, to address this, to disband the encampment, and to restore order and safety on campus.” The university complied; one day and 33 arrests later, Shapiro’s office said Penn “made the right decision.”

[weaselle]

bigger better Neighborhood for sims

so i took my small neighborhood i made a while back, and i put it on a much bigger lot and improved it and filled it out bigger and better and oh my gods i am pretty pleased with it if i do say so myself

It should be useable as a multi-family apartment lot when the new For Rent pack comes out

Actually, it should be usable as almost any kind of lot -- retail, cafe, residential, park, gym... would need a tiny bit of work to run as a restaurant but you could do it -- i even left a small city block with a debug shell to delete on it ready for you to build your own little something there

It has an insane amount of detail and things for your sim to do. the park in the middle has a community theater with a karaoke set up on the stage so people will actually watch performances. There's an apartment building with 2 two bedroom apartments, a studio apartment over the bookstore/cafe, and a small house with a garage. And a run down block with a small homeless encampment.

all the buildings are built out with details down to a plunger and a non-functional garbage can in every bathroom. I even made a little crosswalk signal for the two busiest crosswalks

I particularly like the little block i built my corner store on -- the convenience store has a bunch of vending machines, and a coffee pot behind the counter, so sims will go in and get a cup of coffee and buy things from the vending machines. There's a laundromat next to it with a bus stop out front and above that there's a little clothing boutique and a photography studio

On the bad end of town there's an unbuilt block with some construction stuff and everything a homeless sim needs to live outdoors. And then across the street from that there's a seedy warehouse/tenant house building with a cool little food-truck bar situation and a chain-link fence basketball court area

here look at some pics (helix369 on the gallery for this and other builds)

[like ten more pics below the cut]

i didn't even get to the house or the cafe or the gym or anything, but this is so long already :P

[starlightrows]

13 — Reassignment

Hiding In Plain Sight

← Previous - Next →

Pairing: Commander Wolffe x reader

Word Count: 4.8k

Warnings: separation anxiety, phone sex, oral sex (described), fluffy fluffy feelings

Summary: A devastating battle makes history in the development of the Clone War resulting in all medics behind reassigned to help with with casualties

Tall columns made of jade green stone, massive arches and domes with painted murals and golden filigree. The People’s House of Leadership and Commerce they call it. Wolffe would call it a palace. That is the view through the cockpit as Slush makes the descent towards your destination.

General Plo was sent to discuss a new trade ordinance with the council of Denarian Prime in place of Senator Padiya of Dorin. General Plo and the 104th were to be welcomed to this massive structure with open arms to stay while discussing terms and providing protection for General Plo, though you could not fathom a reason he would need protecting in a place like this.

“I’ve never seen anything like it” Cinder says, as the team steps off of the ship.

“It’s architecturally similar to some of the justice buildings on Naboo and Adarondaria” General Plo comments “But the pure jade is striking and beautiful”

“I’m adding this to the list of top 5 missions we’ve been on” Slush says, grinning ear to ear.

“I hope these are some lengthy trade negotiations” you say “I think we could use a little luxury”

Just then a group of about ten people, all quite tall and visually stunning, wearing robes of ivory, silvery blue, and pastel green; arrive to greet you.

“Greetings honored friends” says the woman that appears to be leading the group “My name is Lo’o, I speak for the council and welcome you to Denarian Prime”

“Lo’o, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance. I am Jedi Master Plo Koon” General Ploo gives a respectful bow. “This is the 104th Battalion, my second in command Wolffe” General Plo gestures to the group.

“Welcome, 104th Battalion” Lo’o smiles, she makes a gesture to the people standing with her. Two of them step forward holding platters of torn bread and oil. They pass General Plo and offer it to the men standing behind him. Some of the men are slightly confused, not knowing if they’re supposed to accept the offering or what to do with it. But you know, you’ve seen similar customs.

You smile and thank the man offering the bead, taking a piece of the torn bread and dipping it in the oil. You place the bread in your mouth and let him move on to the next person in the group. They catch on quickly and follow your lead.

Lo’o leads the group onward towards the palace before you. People walk freely in and out of the space, sit on the steps and speak in a language that seems to flow from their tongues like water in a stream. Many of them steal glances at your squad as you pass, curiosity you think, their eyes are interested not judgmental.

Wolffe walks beside you as you are led into a massive foyer, just as elaborate and beautiful as the exterior of the building.

“And I thought the senate building on Coruscant was amazing… this is incredible” he’s smiling, a small impressed and enamored smile.

“I had no idea you were so fascinated by architecture Commander” you smile, knowing full well how much he enjoyed studying structures like this.

He gives you a side glance, seeing you smirking and enjoying the beautiful facades and statues as well.

“We’ve had something like that before, the oil and bread” he says lowly “but I can’t remember where”

“Yes, at that little spot Rigga recommended” you say quietly “I’m surprised you remember it”

Wolffe hums in acknowledgment. In truth, he remembers every place the two of you have visited together. Every planet, every level of Coruscant, every shop, restaurant, village, and encampment.

Lo’o and her attendants guide the battalion through the great halls, giving a tour of what is essentially the most ornate community center you’ve ever seen. Open parlors and libraries where people sit together, tables laden with food for anyone to eat, store rooms full of tools and clothing people take and give and borrow and exchange. Your cynical mind wonders what’s the catch? Who suffers for all of this to be possible? If the answer is no one, then why is this not done everywhere?

Lo’o invites everyone to join her in a more private meeting space so that council can convene and negotiations can begin. You’re just about to join them when Wolffe’s com link begins beeping. He steps away from the group to answer it, normally you’d just continue on with the group and await the information with the rest of the battalion. But you’re pulled up short when you hear your own name and rank being mentioned.

“Of course she’s here with us” Wolffe says, eyebrows furrowed in what could either be concentration or frustration.

You stand just out of sight of the hologram, if they wanted to speak to you directly, they would have com’d you.

“There’s a transport landing in the next few minutes to take her” says the voice on the other end, a clone’s voice but with no image you can’t distinguish if it’s someone you know personally.

“You couldn’t have given us any more warning? We’re on deployment, she belongs with us” Wolffe says through gritted teeth “What am I supposed to do without a medic?”

“We’re sending a replacement to relieve her,” the voice replied.

“I did not authorize a reassignment” He snaps

“No commander, you did not, this goes above your authority” the voice on the other end sounds annoyed and inpatient. Almost like this communication is not the only one they’re going to have to make with a similar message, and Wolffe is taking up too much of their precious time. “Those are our orders, sir”

“Fine” Wolffe ends the transmission. He stands there for a moment glaring at a water basin. His own reflection glares back at him. He still doesn’t like to look at his own face, he closes his eyes and turns away.

“Wolffe?” You say lightly

He turned quickly, he didn’t even know you were standing there. He tries to think of something to say, a way to talk both of you out of what is about to happen. He frowns and shakes his head.

“Wait here, I will be right back” he says

“Commander—“ you try to pry

“Wait here” he says again, walking past you to go into the meeting room.

You’re a doctor and a soldier. You’re good at shutting off worry and fear when you need to. But you can’t seem to do that right now. There’s no threat or enemy in front of you to blast at. There is no brother in arms or friend of the cause to save from an injury. Just this looming bit of news that has shaken and angered Commander Wolffe, that you have to stand there and wait to receive.

He comes back a few moments later and close the door behind him.

“What’s going on?” You ask him, trying to be as simple and direct as possible.

“You’re being reassigned.” he says.

“What? Why?” You’re stunned. You’ve been reassigned more times that you can count. Mostly because you were always on temporary assignment anyway. But this is different. This is your squad. Your family.

“The occupation on Atraken” he says.

“That’s a cold war zone. That occupation has been ongoing for over a year. Who ordered this?” Anger is rising in you. “I’m being shipped off to a stalemate? A mutually assured destruction and disaster waiting to happen?”

“The disaster has already happened,” he explains.

That makes you shut up. If the armistice has been broken, you aren’t being sent to a cold war’s front line, you’re being sent to an intensive care unit in a hot zone.

“How many?” You ask, gravely. “How many people are dead already?”

“Millions” he says “All medical officers ranking executive down to sergeant are being called in to help the wounded who managed to escape the planet”

“Gods” you shake your head “What about the squad? What about all of the squads about to have no medical personnel?”

“Apparently, newly minted medics and anyone under the rank of Sergeant are being reassigned or getting their first orders for deployment to take your places” Wolffe frowns “There’s a transport on its way here to pick you up, and we better be out there when it lands”

You follow him back down the beautiful corridor you just came from. You try to take in all of this beauty and opulence while you can, it will be the last lovely thing you see for a long time. Anxiety begins to build in your chest, as the sunlit entrance to the building quickly approaches.

“Commander I—” you don’t know what to say, not here in public for anyone to see or hear. This might be the last time you see him for a very long time. This might be the last time you see him, period.

“I will fight for you to have your place back with us” he says before you can even get the words out of your mouth “Duty comes first, we both understand that. But you’re one of us. You belong with us. When this crisis is over, I will see you returned to us”

Just then a Republic transport ship touches down on the landing pad. You turn away from the ship towards Wolffe “Tell the lads goodbye for me” you try to keep the quiver from your voice. You’re battling yourself here. You want to tell him you love him. You may never see him again. You could die on this deployment. He could die while you’re away. The war could stretch on forever and displace you from each other. What if you never get another chance to say it? “Wolffe I—“

“Ah, the fabled Captain of the Wolf pack” a voice comes from behind you. And that’s it. The opportunity is gone. Your face shifts to serious and professional, you turn to face the voice.

You don’t recognize this person. He’s a small, puggish looking man. Wearing a clean and crisp civilian soldier’s uniform and no armor.

“And who are you?” Wolffe asks gruffly.

“Doctor Roy Farangian” he says “And you must be Commander Wolffe, your reputation precedes you” he gives Wolffe a once over, and looks somewhat unimpressed.

“How do you figure?” Wolffe asks, barely keeping the snarl out of his voice.

“Well I… you see… I” clearly whatever Doctor Roy Faragian had been thinking about Wolffe, he didn’t have the courage to actually speak it out loud.

“That’s what I thought. Stand at attention Corporal, while I see the Captain off” he brushes past his newest recruit and expects you to follow. You make no effort to regard your irritating replacement, and follow a step behind him.

“Load up Captain, we’re on a schedule” the pilot calls down from the cockpit

Wolffe places a hand on your shoulder, “We see each other again” he says “I promise”

“Try not to let the lads kill him” you force a smile “Send me a com, I’ll reply when I can spare the time”

“I will” he says

“Times up Captain, we have to go” the pilot says

“Goodbye, Commander” you say as the door closes and the ship begins to take off.

“Goodbye Captain” he says to himself. He swallows the lump in his throat as he watches the ship carry you away. He doesn’t linger, he needs to make sure this shiny new doctor knows his place and the team is informed.

But when he turns he doesn’t see the Corporal standing at attention as he had instructed. Instead he’s examining one of the statues adorning the water feature in the walkway with a disapproving and distasteful look.

“Corporal” he barks, startling the young doctor “I ordered you to stand at attention”

He scrambles to stand back at attention, but makes no statement of apology. Wolffe rolls his eyes and shakes his head in frustration.

“Alright. Here’s how it’s going to be. You will collect your things and load them onto our ship. Then you will follow me back to where the squad is being quartered by our hosts. When, and only when, I say so you will be formally introduced and briefed on our mission here. Is that clear?”

“Why can’t you just brief me on it now?”

“Corporal the correct answer to my question of ‘is that clear’ is yes sir or no sir” he snaps “And you will address me as Commander or sir to show your respect and compliance to the authority of my rank. Is that clear?”

The corporals face twitches a bit, it’s clear he has never had to take orders or address anyone with higher status as him “Yes sir”

“Good. Now move”

—————

General Plo’s meeting lasted several hours, and concluded with a feast open to all. Wolffe privately pulled the squadron aside and introduced Corporal Faragian, who immediately requested to be called Doctor Faragian.

“Where’s the Captain?” Boost asked, not even acknowledging Roy.

“All medics have been called to assist with the fallout of Atraken” Wolffe explains

“So why’s he not being deployed there too?” Comet asks, arms crossed.

“Allow me to rephrase. All medics ranking higher than sergeant have been called to assist” Wolffe corrects himself

“Ah, so we just get the shinies and the unambitious” Sinker surmises

“I’ll have you know—“ Roy tries to cut in

“No one asked for your opinion on the matter” Slush interrupts him

“Alright that’s enough” Wolffe barks “We’re still guests here for the time being. Be polite, represent the republic well, and be ready to leave the second General Plo gives the others. Understood?”

The men chorus “Yes sir” except for Roy who stands there with an offended and disappointed look on his face.

“Dismissed,” Wolffe says, turning away and heading off to find General Plo. But Slush catches up with him before he can accomplish his goal.

“Commander” he falls in step with Wolffe

“I don’t want to talk about it,” Wolffe says, before Slush has a chance to say anything.

“This is hardly the time or place to talk about that, I was going to ask you about the Corporal” Slush says under his breath

“What about him?” Wolffe asks, somewhat embarrassed about assuming what Slush was going to say. Slush is no fool, he knows better than to say something about yours and Wolffe’s private relationship.

“If he's gonna stay with us, for any amount of time, he has to actually be able to keep up and follow orders. It might be a good idea to make him run a gauntlet drill when we get back to our cruiser” Slush suggests

“Even if he fails the drill, we won’t be able to get rid of him. Over a thousand medics have been pulled from their deployment to render aid… we’re getting whatever is left” Wolffe says gruffly “Regardless, keep an eye on him while we’re here. Make sure he doesn’t embarrass us, and test him when we’re back on the cruiser”

“Yes sir” Slush nods “And sir, we will get our Captain back”

Wolffe finds that he is unable to enjoy all of the delicious food being offered to him at this banquet. You should be here. Laughing and talking with the locals like you always do. Playing games with the children. Learning their stories and giving them your own stories in return. You should be making mmm’s and aahh's at the food and drinks. And adding things to your lists of things he loves.

He isn’t the only member of the squad bothered by your absence. At the feast things are quiet to start, except for Roy who chews with his mouth open and never seems to stop talking, even when no one is listening. Eventually Slush begins speaking over Roy’s blathering and things feel slightly more normal, as the men begin to laugh and talk.

General Plo ends the night early, thanking Lo’o for the hospitality of her people, their acceptance of trade terms, and promising to visit again soon with goods and delicacies from Kel Dor. After the ship has been loaded and taken off, General Plo pulls Wolffe aside.

“I feel that the team has become unbalanced and uneasy from our sudden change in roster” he points out “Remember to check in with your own feelings on the situation, listen to them, accept them, and allow them to pass. If our new medic is truly not a good fit, speak to me directly and we will get things sorted out”

“Thank you General, your wisdom and guidance is always appreciated and helpful” Wolffe says with a nod. And he means it. As much as he wants to hate this new medic, he knows that he must set a good example by not being biased towards him. But at the same time, he does command the battalion, and he will not tolerate disrespect if it continues.

——————

Slush was right. Doctor Roy Faragian may be a doctor of medicine. But he is no field medic, and almost definitely should not be holding the rank of Corporal. He failed 7 out of the 9 tests in the gauntlet drill, he regularly taps out during daily physical training with the squad, slows the group down in team training exercises either because he moves slowly and noisily or because he keeps stopping the drill to ask needless questions.

By the end of the second month following your departure Wolffe has a near permanent tension headache and a fuse shorter than his little finger. On this particular day he called a training exercise early because he just could not stand to hear him talk or fail so boisterously anymore. He assigned him a double shift of guard duty, told the lads not to disturb him unless absolutely necessary and went back to his quarters.

He takes off his armor and lays down on his bed in just his fatigues. He’s had a hard time sleeping lately. You’d become such a fixed thing in his life, even if you didn’t actually have sex or even sleep over in his bed every night, you at least would see him and talk to him everyday. He’s sent you a few com’s here and there while you’ve been gone and he’s gotten some short hand responses. All can be accessed or intercepted so it’s not like they could be honest anyway. But he misses you fiercely.

He can’t get you out of his head today. What are you thinking? What are you doing? Are you safe? Are you being treated well? Do you think about him? Do you miss him? Do you miss him the same way he misses you? He loves you. He loves you so much it hurts his chest and makes his ribcage ache. Do you love him? Do you love him as much as he loves you?

Just then his com begins to beep, he picks it up and sees it’s an anonymous chain code. Annoyed by the interruption, he considers not answering it, but duty gets the better of him and he answers anyway.

“This is Commander Wolffe. Identify yourself” he answers formally.

“Hello Commander” comes your voice. Sweet and clear as day. Not a crackling, interference riddled holo recording. This is your true voice on the other end of the com line. Before he can stop himself your name tumbles from his lips, excited and questioning to make sure it’s really you.

“Of course it’s me! I hope you’re not getting late night calls from other service members Commander” you tease him

“To be fair, it’s not late night here at the moment” he quips, putting a hand behind his head and keeping the com near his mouth so you can hear him and he can hear you.

“Fair enough” you laugh a little “So how are you?”

“You want the truth or the sugar coat?” He asks, already starting to feel more relaxed just from hearing your voice.

“The truth, obviously” you laugh.

“This rookie medic they sent us to fill in for you is driving me up the walls” he admits.

“Because he’s too green or because you don’t like him?” You ask.

“Both” he chuckles “Oh you’d hate him. He’s a weakling. Can’t run. Can’t shoot. Can’t fight. He takes forever to stitch a wound. Doesn’t believe in physical therapy. And for whatever reason he maintains an arrogant and disrespectful personality. Insisting we call him Doctor”

“Gross” you giggle “Has he never seen combat?”

“Not a day in his life” Wolffe sighs “Part of me wants to be sent to a combat zone, just to get some actual experience on this kid, but I’m not about to let anyone on our team get killed just so Greenie can get some credibility as a soldier”

“If he’s as bad as you say, I’m sure the lads are giving him a hard time as well” you chuckle, just thinking of your team and the things they might say.

“You have no idea. I’m sure it’s ever worse when I’m not there” he smiles

“Good. I would be worried if they were all being buddy buddy and not giving the shiny a hard time” you say “But aside from that, how have you been?”

“I’ve been worse” he shrugs, not an untrue statement. He doesn’t really want to talk. He’d rather hear your voice. “How are you?”

“I’m okay today” you tell him “Things…. Things were bad when I got here. It felt never ending. I understand why everyone was called in, there wasn’t enough of us as it was… but things have gotten better now”

“You sound well rested. Your last communication you were slurring words worse than a shiny on shore leave” he chuckles

“I wasn’t on shift today, so I slept all day long. The first full 8 hours I’ve gotten in weeks. So even though it’s the middle of the night now, I’m wide awake and well rested” you explain “I haven’t been this clear headed in over two months… Do you know what the first thing I thought of was?”

“Tell me”

“You” Your voice hangs in the air. You are hundreds of thousands of light years apart from each other right now, but he could swear your lips are right by his ear.

“Mmmm” he hums “Tell me more”

“There’s a supply closet that’s nearly empty here on this base” you mention “I keep thinking, it’s far away from barracks and patient rooms. You could practically fire a blaster in there, and no one would know”

“And why would I care about an empty supply closet? Hm?”

“Because I know you Commander” you purr “I know what you sound like when I stroke your cock. I know how you like to groan when you push yourself into my pussy. I know that sound you make when you cum”

Wolffe feels a wave of warm arousal travel from the crown of his head down the entire length of his body and settle in a knot in his belly. He closes his eyes, thinking about this far away secluded supply room, and you beckoning him forward into it.

“Is that what you do in that supply closet? Stroke my cock? Bend over for me so I could push myself into you?” He asks, putting a hand on his own chest and letting it drift down towards his stirring hard on.

“Maybe” you tease “Maybe I’d press you up against a wall and get down on my knees for you. Maybe I’d take off your armor piece by piece and pull down your fatigues”

His breath deepens, the warmth in his belly is starting to feel hot as he begins to stiffen in his undershorts.

“I’d drag my nose over your hip. Dig my nails into your thighs” you describe, picturing this scene you’ve painted in your mind “I’d start so gentle… it’s no fun if there’s no build up” you purr

He palms himself over his undershorts, he imagines it’s your hands and instead of his own. A low groan works its way out of his chest. An assurance to you that you’ve got his full attention and he’s following your lead.

“I know exactly how I would do it, every movement, every sound” you grin, seeing him laying on his bed and touching himself to your voice in your minds eye “My hand stroking you where my mouth just can’t reach”

He can’t stand his own teasing. He pulls down his undershorts, freeing his flushed cock to curve upwards towards his belly. With a palmful of spit he’s hastily given himself for some small degree of aid in giving himself pleasure the way you would if you were here, he begins stroking himself.

“Mmm… tell me more… tell me” he groans, making full strokes.

“I can feel where you’d have your hands in my hair Wolffe… guiding my head down on you, helping me take you deeper” you feel yourself getting a little aroused too picturing this fantasy “Stars my mouth would be so full, my lips stretched wide around you… fuck your cock’s so big”

His hand moves without direction or conscious thought from him, he’s too preoccupied picturing the sounds you’d be making gagging around his length. Drooling on yourself a little. He’s getting close, it’s been so long, and he’s been so pent up.

“Where are you gonna cum Wolffe” you ask in a voice sweeter than syrup. “On my face? On my tits? You wanna hold my mouth open and cum on my tongue?”

“nuuhhh fuck” he groans. A tremor shoots down his legs and makes his whole body tense as hot cum splatters onto his naval. His mind is as still and clear as water on a lake with no wake or breeze.

You listen through the com device as he lets out the most satisfying deep breath. The relief and relaxation it provides him, gives you peace.

After a moment or two, he opens his eyes and uses a towel to clean himself up a little. He catches himself wishing it was your tongue… what he really wishes is for you to just be here.

“Thank you” he says “Nothing in the galaxy could have helped me guess this was how my evening started” he chuckles. Your laugh in response makes his heart ache painfully.

“I’d be lying if I said I didn’t plan this to some degree. Any moment I’m not working, I’m thinking about you” you admit “maybe not sucking you off in a broom closet specifically… but you know what I mean”

“I’ve been thinking about you too. We were on a planet the other week. White sand beaches. Crystalline water, warm like a bath. The people there were so… you would have loved meeting them” he recalls.

“That sounds amazing. Maybe we’ll get to go back there someday” you say dreamily “I love swimming”

“I wish you had been there” he says “Not even that we needed a medic worth their salt… I just… missed you”

“You miss me?” You smile, wishing you could see his face right now

“Mhm” he swallows hard. He wishes he could be having this conversation in person… but he won’t hold out again, he won’t have his opportunity ripped away from him a second time “I miss you a lot… I wish we had gotten a proper goodbye”

“It all happened so fast… I hardly knew what was happening before the door closed in front of me” you try to explain “There was a lot I wish I had gotten to say”

His heart skips a beat and he almost feels woozy for a second “What would you have said?”

There is a breath of silence. Dead air that hangs heavy between you. You close your eyes, pinching them shut against the reality that you have to admit this from billions of miles away from each other.

“Wolffe I’ve never met anyone like you… I’ve never met anyone who makes me feel the things you make me feel…” you get a little choked up “I wish I was there with you right now… I wish the war was over so we could have a chance—”

He interrupts you, speaking your name so softly. He can picture your face. Your eyes, your nose, your smile. Every hair on your head and fleck on your skin. “I love you”

A couple tears spill from your eyes “I love you” you whisper back

“I promised you I would make sure you got to come back to us” he says “I will make good on that promise, I swear”

You sniffle and make yourself laugh a little “I know you will”

“I love you” he repeats, feeling a immense weight being lifted from his chest as he says it “I love you so much”

Tag List: @maulslittlemeowmeow @lucyysthings @justanothersadperson93 @lackofhonor @paige6768 @thefact0rygirl @ttzamara @nekotaetae @littledragonlady

[kycken]

Wakasa knows how to cook one thing to absolute perfection: Tonjiru (pork & vegetable miso soup).

He used to squat at other people's places- Mainly unsavory types, or was essentially homeless. He still knows many homeless encampments in underground malls, parks, abandoned buildings, and older neighborhoods within the Kanto region- He keeps in touch with these communities because they helped him survive when he was a kid, so he drops in to make sure they have food, drinks beer with them sometimes, and also asks about local news and gossip about gang activities that they've noticed.

Tonjiru is a comfort food alone, but it has a special meaning to Wakasa due to who taught him the recipe: an eccentric restaurant owner who claimed to be a 'simple cook' and ran his business from 10PM into the wee hours of the morning. He was mysterious, never talked about himself much, but had a kind heart and always provided an ear to listen seriously to his customers' woes. He only ever asked for enough yen to cover the cost of the tonjiru ingredients.

[chicago-geniza]

Tomorrow is my birthday and I am working all day but will visit the encampment then take myself for чучвара at the Kyrgyz restaurant

[trickstermoonjuice]

Boise State University has hired snipers In response to unarmed students* suggesting* that they protest a genocide The university has threatened the students with legal action so- They have set up their own "PEOPLES UNIVERSITY" several blocks away near The Capitol.This is fucking fascism- The students didn't even protest yet, and the snipers were already called This is ridiculous where is the Free Speech?!?! Boise State students cannot protest on campus or they will be shot, it seems.

I am so fucking proud to know the people that have set this up- it takes big balls to do something like this in Idaho this isn't Portland this isn't California this is the' Forgotten Southern State' Idaho is conservative, religious, and ass backwards- these kids have the biggest balls I've ever seen. The restaurants I work at and several other businesses around the encampment are supporting them we brought them fries and donuts Burgers -but what they really need is bodies so if you see this and you are in Idaho please come join these kids on Jefferson Street fuck these fascist

[oranges-and-peaches]

a list of all the fics i've uploaded to ao3 and snippets

it's no use going back to yesterday (i was a different person then) - splintered

“I hurt her?” The words come out without me even thinking about it. If I wasn’t sure about going crazy before I sure am now, because out of all the things Jeb could’ve said, I wasn’t expecting that.

blend blend - jazzpunk

She’s having fun! Sure, she isn’t really allowed in the hot tub by the orders of her sister, but she doesn’t need to be in there! Yeah, she's a little bummed out by the fact that her sister took both of the guys for herself and took her aside to not so nicely tell her to back off, but that doesn’t matter. She's just happy to have been invited for once!

rabbit pie day - too many cooks

she wishes she could cry. she wishes she could do anything else except smile. but she can't. she no longer wants to be here. katie had been so excited to be in a show and on tv. she didn't anticipate the freedom of her sense of self being taken away. she's not allowed to moved if there isn't a camera on her. is this a curse? it sure seems like it; feels like it. she never felt this much pain in her life. it's not physical, no. It's mental.

apocalyptic creep - the walking dead, original

He was just minding his business! Really! He was! It's not like he was trying to creep on her! After the chaos his most recent encampment had ended in, he had been on his own. Seeing the woman approaching the area he was camping out in had scared him. He quietly retreated back into the building, as to not be seen. With slow movements, he made his way from the roof to the ground floor, wanting to keep a closer eye on this mysterious woman.

drip - original

The sounds in this damned lighthouse are going to drive her crazy in her last moments. The dripping from the waterlogged walls and ceiling along with the wet stuttering of her own breaths are not what she wanted to hear.

This was not how she imagined this situation would go. This is not how she imagined she would die.

I've got problems(sung like the mother mother song) - original

Oh.

I don't think she's here to help me.

That was the last thought I had before the thing squeezed its hand and everything went black.

dog days are over - gravity falls, alice in borderland

Still, Dipper tries to think reasonably about why everyone on the street would be gone. Maybe they had to evacuate? He walks down the neighborhoods surrounding his and knocks and rings bells on every door he can. When absolutely no one answers he decides to check the rest of town. He thinks about what might be open at this time of night. He goes and checks the restaurant and grocery store. Dipper even goes to the museum but can’t find anyone. Maybe it was an emergency evacuation?

With no one around he decides to go back home. At least being there will bring him some comfort.

silence is fear - the backrooms, liminal spaces

Very Unsettling. That's the only way to describe this place. He'd been sitting here for god knows how long, scared to move on. He isn't even sure why he's scared; there's nothing really jumping out to him. Maybe that's why he's feeling so paranoid. The fact that everything seems normal but he knows that it isn't.

[eretzyisrael]

by Daniel Greenfield

The mob besieging the synagogue on Pico Boulevard past which a children’s parade had recently passed to celebrate the Lag Baomer interregnum between the biblical Passover and Pentecost came accompanied by all the infrastructure developed over the years of leftist riots.

The younger leftist thugs wore ski goggles and masks, carried skateboards and metal water bottles, ‘legal’ weapons typically seen during Antifa clashes, and some were likely among those who had previously terrorized Jewish students at the UCLA terror encampment. And it did not take much time before they were assaulting Jewish community members in the neighborhood.

The terrorist supporters had brought their own legal aid with them in the form of the sneering ‘observers’ from the National Lawyers Guild, a Communist Cold War era organization, in their caps and shirts. They also had human shields in the form of activists in black face masks holding up handwritten signs claiming that they were Jewish and opposed to the Jewish State.

A handful of women (who were by far the minority) circulated between the Jewish community members and the LAPD officers and the terrorist supporters to also provide cover for the repeated terrorist assaults in the ‘chicks out front’ doctrine from the Marxist riots of the 1960s.

In a small scale recreation of the Gaza war in the middle of Los Angeles, Muslim teenagers and men masked in keffiyahs gathered near an alley and launched sorties, attacking Jewish community members, then using bear spray to cover their retreat, hiding behind the women, the leftist activists and the ‘Jewish’ opponents of Israel who turned around and played victim.

The stakes might be smaller but here was Hamas, here were the Jewish targets, and here also was the support infrastructure of leftists activists, lawyers and ‘journalists’ covering for them.

The whole Islamic terrorist strategy of Jihadists masking up, attacking and then hiding behind human shields was playing out on a normal street between two synagogues, a tailor shop, a dress shop, a watch repair place, and several restaurants.

The microcosm of clashes outside the synagogue became a citywide and then a national story. Public officials were forced to condemn it, but the media, led by the LA Times, whitewashed the attacks, quoted officials from CAIR, whose leaders had celebrated the Oct 7 atrocities by Hamas, and then editorialized against security for synagogues and a terror mask ban.

By the time the LA Times, the rest of the media and the leftist allies of the Islamic thugs were done, attacking a synagogue and assaulting Jewish community members had become a virtue.

Much as the only person to face serious charges after the Hamas encampment at UCLA terrorized Jewish students was a Jewish high school student, so too the only person arrested by the police when terrorist supporters attacked a synagogue was a Jewish community member.

The ‘Israel’ model was playing out the same way in L.A. And it can play out this way anywhere.

That is the most important lesson of the assault on a previously unknown synagogue in a neighborhood that most people ignore while passing between Santa Monica and Downtown LA.

[wolfliving]

New York City real estate, 02024 AD

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/06/nyregion/pharmacies-vacant-drugstores-retail.html?smtyp=cur&smid=bsky-nytimes

An empty Duane Reade, steps from Wall Street, darkens a landmark office building.

A former Walgreens in a condo in Murray Hill has been closed for over seven years.

A boarded-up Rite Aid in Astoria has attracted a homeless encampment in its parking lot.

They’re all examples of zombie pharmacies, the city’s living dead.

Scores of chain drugstores that once anchored shopping hubs across New York City remain shuttered even as much of the city’s storefront real estate has bounced back from the Covid-19 pandemic. Many could stay that way for years to come, because of ironclad leases, the difficulty of finding new tenants for the sprawling spaces and seismic shifts in the drugstore business, brokers and industry analysts said.

The result is over a million square feet of prime real estate collecting dust in some of the busiest commercial districts, according to a new analysis of the city’s pharmacy market. And critics say the stores have become neighborhood eyesores that attract illegal activity and detract from nearby businesses.

(...)

The pandemic forced many New York landlords to reduce rent and consider different tenants, which benefited many businesses, especially restaurants and cafes, services like nail salons and, for a time, a run of illicit smoke shops, he said.

But big pharmacies have gone in reverse. In 2014, after years of aggressive openings, the major drugstore chains had 656 locations in New York City, according to the Center for an Urban Future, a nonprofit think tank that tracks retail. Now there are fewer than 370, according to Live XYZ.

The industry has changed drastically in recent years, said George Hill, an analyst at Deutsche Bank who covers pharmacies. Pharmacies are now being reimbursed at lower rates for drug sales, which make up three-quarters of store revenue, while online shopping has cut into sales of convenience items like toothpaste and deodorant.

A major retail trade group had cited a surge in theft as a major contributor to store closures, but later admitted that its analysis was overstated. That perception, however, has been costly.

The most common reason is a concept called “dark rent.”

Pharmacy companies are seeking to cut their losses by shuttering unprofitable stores that have high labor costs, Mr. Hill said, but in most cases they are obligated to continue paying the rent long after the store closes, or goes dark.

Most of the pharmacies that have closed in recent years were signed to 10-, 15- or even 20-year leases, at rents that often exceed today’s rates, brokers said.

In these cases, a landlord has almost no incentive to seek a new tenant, allowing the store to sit empty for months or years, said Aric Trakhtenberg, an associate director at Newmark, a real estate firm....

[letterscene]

we went out to an eastern mediterranean restaurant (the one that gave the encampment our catering order for free the first day) and they were playing olympic trampolines