#stop corporate capture act

[kp777]

By Olivia Rosane

Common Dreams

June 29, 2024

"I plan to introduce legislation to protect the government's policymaking ability that existed under Chevron that has worked for the last 40 years," Sen. Ed Markey said.

Following the Supreme Court's ruling on Friday overturning the so-called Chevron doctrine—which instructed courts to defer to federal agencies' reasonable interpretations of laws passed by Congress as they regulate everything from food safety to labor rights to climate pollution—progressive lawmakers vowed to take action to protect the power of these agencies to shield the public from toxic chemicals and unscrupulous employers.

Legislators expressed concerns about the impacts of the court's 6-3 ruling in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless, Inc. v. Department of Commerce, which ended a 40-year precedent established by Chevron v. Natural Resources Defense Council in 1984.

"Now, with this ill-advised decision, judges must no longer defer to the decisions about Americans' health, safety, and welfare made by agencies with technical and scientific expertise in their fields," Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said in a statement. "MAGA extremist Republicans and their big business cronies are rejoicing as they look forward to creating a regulatory black hole that destroys fundamental protections for every American in this country."

"This unhinged Supreme Court needs to stop legislating from the bench, and we must pass sweeping reform to hold them accountable."

"I plan to introduce legislation to protect the government's policymaking ability that existed under Chevron that has worked for the last 40 years," Markey said.

Progressive Caucus Chair Pramila Jayapal (D-Wash.) called the ruling "dangerous" and urged Congress to "immediately pass" the Stop Corporate Capture Act, which she introduced in March 2023.

In a statement Friday, Jayapal said the act was "the only bill that codifies Chevron deference, strengthens the federal-agency rulemaking process, and ensures that rulemaking is guided by the public interest—not what's good for wealthy corporations."

The act would codify Chevron by providing "statutory authority for the judicial principle that requires courts to defer to an agency's reasonable or permissible interpretation of a federal law when the law is silent or ambiguous."

In addition, it would:

Require anyone submitting a study as part of a comment period on a regulation to disclose who funded it;

Only allow federal agencies to take part in the negotiated rulemaking process;

Create an Office of the Public Advocate to increase public participation in the process of crafting regulations;

Make public companies that knowingly lie in the comment period on a proposed regulation liable for a fine of at least $250,000 for a first offense and at least $1 million for a second; and

Empower agencies to reissue rules that were rescinded under the Congressional Review Act.

The Coalition for Sensible Safeguards, a group of more than 160 organizations mobilizing for stronger public protections, also called on Congress to pass the Stop Corporate Capture Act.

"The bill is a comprehensive blueprint for modernizing, improving, and strengthening the regulatory system to better protect the public," the coalition wrote in response to Friday's ruling. "It would ensure greater public input into regulatory decisions, promote scientific integrity, and restore our government's ability to deliver results for workers, consumers, public health, and our environment."

Jayapal also called on Congress to "enact sweeping oversight measures to rein in corruption and billionaire influence at the Supreme Court, whose far-right extremist majority routinely flouts basic ethics, throws out precedent, and legislates from the bench to benefit the wealthiest and most powerful."

Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D-Mich.) similarly recommended congressional action to address court corruption. In a statement, she called the decision "a power grab for the corrupt Supreme Court who continues to do the bidding of greedy corporations."

"The MAGA Court just overruled 40 years of precedent that empowered federal agencies to hold powerful corporations accountable, protect our workplaces and public health, and ensure that we have clean water and air," Tlaib continued. "This unhinged Supreme Court needs to stop legislating from the bench, and we must pass sweeping reform to hold them accountable."

In the meantime, the Coalition for Sensible Safeguards said that the ruling did not strip regulatory bodies of their authority to pass new rules to protect the public and the environment.

"This decision is a gift to big corporations, making it easier for them to challenge rules to ensure clean air and water, safe workplace and products, and fair commercial and financial practices," said Public Citizen president and coalition co-chair Robert Weissman. "But the decision is no excuse for regulators to stop doing their jobs. They must continue to follow the law and uphold their missions to protect consumers, workers, and our environment."

[anonymousicecream]

Office (Hanni x M Reader)

Warning: Voyeurism, Public Sex, No Protection

You're the CEO of Park Corporation, a conglomerate based in South Korea. You're the youngest CEO ever in the history of the company, and this has bring several headlines for you. However, one thing that you manage to keep from the public is the relationship you're having with a very popular girl group idol.

The two of you met after you supervised a photoshoot of her promoting your company's products, and the two of you had a small chat and really hit it off. The two of you went on a date and 6 weeks after the date, the two of you started dating. It took another 2 months before you walked in on her masturbating, surprisingly to pictures of you. The two of you started giving each other oral pleasures that night before escalating into more adventurous stuffs by the next week. Today, you're just waiting for her in your office.

"OPPA!" Hanni screamed, rushing to you with arms wide open. You stood up from your seat, embracing her into your arms, hugging her. You then kiss her on the lips, before pulling away. "I miss you baby." You said. "Me too!" Hanni said, before adding, "So, what time will you be free?" "Well, I'll have to do some work but I'm sure we can leave at 4.30." You told her, and she nodded, settling on the couch as you continued working.

(Timeskip)

You continued working, staring at the screen but from the corner of your eye, you saw Hanni walk towards you, smirking. She then hopped onto you, sitting on your laps. "You know baby, there's this one thing I'd really like to do." Hanni said teasingly, grinding on your hips. "Oh yeah? What's that?" You ask, acting stupid as if you don't know what she wants. "Fuck me. Ruin me in your office baby, for all to see." She said, before leaning towards you, capturing your lips. You returned the kiss with the same intensity, moving your hands all over her back and ass. Your cock started hardening due to her intense grinding, which made her smirk, before she grabbed your pants, unbuttoning them. At the same time, you unbuttoned her pants, lowering it down, exposing her glistening pussy. You continued making out with her, as she took your cock out before she starts jerking your cock at a slow and painful pace.

It didn't take long before you felt like you're about to cum after having not having a release for the past two weeks, and you can't bear the feeling of cumming first without making Hanni cum, so you stopped her, lifting her up and setting her on your desk, sitting down, as you kneeled, breathing on her pussy, giving her a teasing look. Hanni's face contorted, seemingly enjoyed the mild stimulation her pussy received.

You wasted no time before you leaned in to kiss her thighs, each and every part of her thighs, as you moved your hands onto her tits, lifting her top up, exposing her perky nipples. As you start fondling with both nipples, you started sucking her pussy, exhanging between licking and sucking. It's not a surprise to say that you sucked her aggressively, making sure she reaches her climax as soon as possible. "Oh yeah, there baby, there." Hanni moaned, as you returned to her favorite spot, sucking it deeply as you started fingering her with two fingers.

Hanni reached her hands down onto your head, pushing your head deeper into her pussy. "YES that's it baby! Keep going, I'm close!" Hanni moaned, which was followed by her pussy clenching. You licked and fingered her faster, which took no time before......

"FUCKKKK!!!!" Hanni moaned as she squirted on your face. You opened your mouth, drinking her cum, as you continued sucking and licking on her pussy. "FUCK FUCK FUCK!" Hanni continued moaning. After she finished cumming, you got up, before taking off your clothes, lining your cock with her pussy. She gave you a subtle nod, before you thrusted into her. You gave her a short time to adjust to your size before you start thrusting in and out of her.

You started fondling her tits, as well as her pussy, to increase stimulation. At the same time, Hanni wrapped her legs around your hips, allowing you to get deeper. "Ahh yes that's it baby. Fuck me deep." Hanni instructed you, and you did so. You reduced your pace a bit, focusing on hitting every spot inside her pussy instead. It didn't take long before you hit something which made her clench. "FUCK!" She moaned, as you hit her g-spot. You started hitting her g-spot again, and again, but this time with added force and thrust, allowing her to receive extra stimulation. You leaned down to kiss her neck and collarbone, leaving VISIBLE hickeys, as she scratched your back. It didn't take long before......

"FUCKKKKK!!!" Hanni moaned, clenching her pussy, as she came, HARD. You continued thrusting into her, this time thrusting harder, to prolong her orgasm, and it did work. By the time she came down from her orgasm, you slowed your thrusts before eventually pulling out.

"Get up." You instructed her, and she obeyed. You guided her to the window, leaning her against the window, reaching your hands out to her mouth, and she knew what you want, smirking at you. She spat on your hand, before you start jerking your cock, as you lined your cock with her pussy before thrusting into her.

"Ah!" She moaned, but this time you didn't let her readjust, as you continued thrusting into her. You started kissing her neck from behind, as well as playing with her clit and tits, increasing stimulation. "Look at those faces. Those workers, who are working, not noticing what you're doing." You said into her, which turned her on due to the fact that the two of you can be caught any moment now.

This caused her to moan louder, even at some points groaning, fogging the window. You know that you're close, and so is she. So, you turned her around while still being inside her, before you grabbed her thighs, lifting her up. She wrapped her legs around your hips, as you made out with her. You walked to your chair, sitting down, before telling her, "Ride me." She nodded, before starting to ride you up and down.

You leaned down, wrapping your mouth into her tits, sucking it softly, in contrast to how she rode you. It didn't take long before she started adding variations, moving left and right as well as front and back, while being deep inside her, to make sure your cock hits all points in her pussy.

"I'm close." You told her, as she started riding harder. "Me too. Cum inside me." She said. You then started thrusting up towards her, making sure the two of you meet your thrusts. It took another few thrusts before....

"FUCKKKK... AHHHHH...." You groaned loudly, as you came inside her. "FUCKKKK BABY AHHHHH AHHH AHHH!!!" Hanni moaned as she felt you cum inside her, which also made her came with you. After the two of you finished cumming, you looked at her, in that post-sex afterglow, and you kissed her softly, as she fell asleep on you, still being inside her. You looked around and as you looked towards your door, you saw your secretary, mouth wide open, staring at you.

[bloodmoonmuses]

we're not really strangers | mark lee

genre: mark lee x reader, drabble (700 words), meditative prose, angst (?) inspired by the movie "all of us strangers" and mark's 'dirty smoothie' trailer for their upcoming album "dreamscape"

warnings: none!

summary: the love of your life, mark, appears out of thin air.

The edges of your vision are blurred with tears. You attempt to blink them back- to keep them at bay-  but they fall hastily as your pace quickens amidst the concrete jungle. You’re experiencing the type of vulnerability that can only exist before nine in the morning- when people ravage the polluted city, weaving in and out of the crowd as they hustle to work. You’ve missed your train, and now, in order to make it to the office on time, you’ll have to walk six blocks. The sky is abysmally gray, but it’s apt, you suppose. Your mind and body feels gray as well-  mushy, drab and bland in its quiet suffering. You curse your faulty alarm clock and rue the feeling of watching the train zip past right as you reach its closed doors. It’s enough to ruin your entire day. Probably your entire week. But nevertheless, the world moves onward. 

You jump into the mix, warm bodies making the sidewalk blush as they cross its mind. As a law-abiding citizen, you mind the traffic lights. When it says walk, you walk. When it says stop, you stop. There’s something comforting about being told what to do. Muscle memory pilots your pliant form. You come to a stop again, because the light tells you so. On the opposite side of the street, in the middle of about twenty or so people waiting to cross as well, you see a man with wired headphones nodding along to his music. In his hand is an iPod Touch. The light turns and suddenly, you’re passing one another. The man skips joyfully, taking big strides with his elegantly long legs. You make contact briefly, his shoulder brushing yours, before he disappears into the morning mist. 

When you return your attention ahead of you, there he is again, leaning against the crosswalk light. You look around in confusion. Had he not just crossed the street? Didn’t he just vanish into the chaos of his morning commute?

“What?” the man asks as you come to stand in front of him. “You’re staring.”

“I thought I just saw you-” your head whips around with such force, you’re afraid you’ve injured your neck. When you look behind you, the entire street is empty- everyone having evaporated without a single trace. 

The man is  wearing a corporate lanyard. His badge says Mark Lee. You’ve known him for a lifetime, suddenly.

“Hey. I said you’re staring.”

“What are you doing here, Mark?”

“Playing hooky with you, of course.” Mark grasps your freezing hand, encasing it in two of his own, and warms it with his breath. “Let’s get out of here. You’ll catch a cold.”

He walks you back to your apartment. You’re not sure how he knows how to get there. Or where he got a key from. He moves around your home with tenured expertise, blending into the domesticity as if he’d been a permanent fixture in it for many years. Years that have escaped you. Years, that when you look up one day, you realize have flown past you in a flash. He takes your favorite mug out of the cupboard, the one with glazed ladybugs painted on it.

“Mark,” you start.

“Shh. Don’t ruin it,” he says. 

“Ruin what?”

He makes you a cup of tea. Chamomile. Also your favorite. He places it wordlessly on your tiny dining room table, sitting across from you.

“This is the best idea I’ve had in a while,” Mark says. “I should skip work more often.” He leans over to kiss you, chastely, on the lips. He misses slightly, only capturing the corner of your mouth. He chuckles. 

“You’re acting like you’ve seen a ghost,” whispers Mark, still only inches away from your face. You kiss his nose, and the feeling is so familiar that it almost calms you completely. Then you remember: there’s a stranger in your house.

“Do I know you?” you inquire, scared of ‘ruining it’. All you do is ruin things. For once, you’d like to get out of your own way. 

Mark simply nods. “Of course you do.”

He kisses you once more, then stands to retrieve his iPod. When he returns, he sits next to you this time, placing an earbud into your left ear and the other in his right. Mark presses play, and a song you don’t recognize fills your ears like water. Mark rests his head on your shoulder, draping you in his sodden affection. Your heart feels impossibly heavy. You hope he’s real. 

“I love you,” Mark says.

“I love you too.” 

a/n: thanks for reading! feedback is always appreciated!

[autisticadvocacy]

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) condemns the United States Supreme Court ruling on two combined cases, Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo and Relentless v. Department of Commerce. The decision overturns a decades-old legal principle known as the Chevron Doctrine, which gives federal agencies the authority to reasonably interpret ambiguous laws when they create federal regulations. These regulations are made legally binding through a rulemaking process that is shaped by the public servants within federal agencies, the input of subject area experts across fields, and anyone who chooses to share their opinion. Instead, federal courts will now have the final say in circumstances where knowledge of highly specialized, complex, and technical issues is required. This ruling will weaken the regulatory authority of all federal agencies, including the Departments of Labor (DOL), Education (ED), Health and Human Services (HHS), the Social Security Administration (SSA), the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

Federal agencies create regulations or rules that fill in the gaps of laws intended to protect disability rights, civil rights laws, housing, healthcare, and more. The overturning of Chevron and the deference it gives to the courts will have devastating impacts on all marginalized people, including disabled people and particularly disabled people of color. Often, these rules concern subjects well outside of the scope of legal training, including, as Marissa Ditkowsky noted, drug safety evidentiary standards, eligibility criteria for public benefits, the threshold for disability discrimination, or guidance around worker protections. This change will lead to inconsistent and conflicting adjudication across the country, driving avoidable litigation, confusion, and decisions that do not work well for the people they affect. These harms will fall disproportionately on marginalized people, including the disability community. As the American Cancer Society explained in its amicus brief, “The resulting uncertainty would be extraordinarily destabilizing, not just to the Medicare and Medicaid programs but also – given the size of these programs – to the operational and financial stability of the country’s health care system as a whole.” The same can be said for programs within DOL, ED, SSA, and many other federal agencies. This decision is also undemocratic, moving crucial decisions out of a process where the public has an opportunity to weigh in and into the purview of the courts.

This decision invites challenges to the forty years of legal precedents relying on Chevron. While these cases and the existing Code of Federal Regulations are not automatically overturned by Loper and Relentless, many will be challenged in the months and years to come. Future regulations are also under threat. Agencies may be less ambitious in fulfilling their mandates, protecting the public, and using taxpayers’ resources well in the face of increased risk that courts will undo their work. The endangered regulations include the Home and Community Based Services (HCBS) Settings Rule, the final rule implementing Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the final rule implementing Title IX of the Education Amendments, and the final rule regarding section 1557 of the Affordable Care Act (ACA).

ASAN echoes the demands of the American Federation of Teachers (AFT): “Congress should urgently enact Chevron deference into law by passing the Stop Corporate Capture Act (H.R. 1507), a comprehensive blueprint for modernizing, improving and strengthening the regulatory system. That would ensure public input into regulatory decisions, promote scientific integrity and restore our government’s ability to help the workers and consumers it is meant to serve.”

ASAN will fight to safeguard federal agencies’ ability to protect the people we serve. We will continue to do what we always have: defend the rights, health, services, safety, and well-being of all people with disabilities.

Here are statements on this issue from our allies:

Democracy Forward

National Health Law Program (NHeLP)

National Education Association (NEA)

American Federation of Teachers (AFT)

The Autistic Self Advocacy Network (ASAN) is a national grassroots disability rights organization run by and for autistic people. We believe that the goal of autism advocacy should be a world in which autistic people enjoy equal access, rights, and opportunities. ASAN works to make sure autistic people are included in policy-making, so that laws and policies meet our community’s needs. Our members and supporters include autistic adults and youth, cross-disability advocates, and non-autistic family members, professionals, educators, and friends.

[angelofthenight]

Hello! Can you please write Ozymandias relationship headcanons with a female reader who works in his company and is not a superhero. The reader is also very soft, sweet and generous. Thank you 🫶

Adrian Veidt/Ozymandias (Watchmen): Headcanons

(Fem!Reader)

Warnings: None(?)

( I feel like this isn’t exactly what you asked for Anon but I hope you still like it! Usually after I write a character as a yandere it’s a little hard for me to write them as a healthy partner so this was a tad harder writing than it needed to be😭. Also these headcanons are a little different than what I usually write coz I’ve been experimenting a bit )

( Side note: when u guys make requests please specify if you want it yandere or not. Once I write for a character as a yandere I will typically always write them as one so it can get a little confusing for me if I can’t tell if a request wants it that way or not. Thank you for understanding! )

~

♡ You caught Adrian’s eye at a little company fair where the office workers would all make little pop up booths of their proposals for the business they’ve been working on as side projects

♡ Yours was a proposal for a charitable initiative

♡ All the stands Adrian stopped at were too bland and uninspiring, ideas that should not have taken these people a whole year to work on

♡ But your genuine passion for helping others and your innovative ideas immediately captured his attention, as well as your sincerity and knowledgeable wit

♡ And you were just so… sweet

♡ And your soft personality did leave him a little breathless

♡ Adrian has a steely demeanor and a relentless pursuit of his goals, so when he finds himself surprisingly drawn to your warmth and kindness, he initially resists the attraction; dismissing it as a distraction from his work

♡ Especially since of your position and status

♡ But he can’t help but find himself increasingly captivated by your ability to see the good in people, something he struggles with

♡ Your interactions start off as brief encounters in the office corridors or during company events

♡ He then finds himself seeking out opportunities to engage in conversation with you, often subconsciously finding excuses to be around you

♡ Despite your differences, Adrian respects your dedication to your work and your unwavering kindness towards others. He genuinely admires your ability to maintain your principles in a cutthroat corporate environment

♡ Over time, Adrian begins to let his guard down around you, revealing glimpses of vulnerability he rarely shows to anyone else

♡ He just can’t help but find solace in your presence, feeling a sense of peace he rarely experiences elsewhere

♡ Despite his reluctance to acknowledge his feelings, Adrian develops a strong fiercely protective instinct towards you

♡ He expresses his feelings through subtle gestures of affection, like bringing your favorite coffee to the office or leaving small gifts on your desk

♡ He wrestles with conflicting emotions as he grapples with his growing affection for you. On one hand, he fears that his feelings may compromise his focus and ambition. On the other hand, he finds himself unable to resist the pull of his heart

♡ Despite his reservations, Adrian eventually musters the courage to confess his feelings to you and he is so surprised and so relieved when you reciprocate

♡ Your relationship is a delicate balancing act between Adrian's demanding career and your personal lives

♡ Despite his busy schedule, he really prioritizes quality time with you, often scheduling romantic dinners or weekend getaways to unwind together

♡ Adrian loves hearing your opinions, he finds your insights refreshing and values your unique perspective on the world. And soon he begins to value your opinion more than others’ on all certain matters

♡ And later into the relationship you basically gradually become his business partner, thus meaning he literally respects, prefers, and utilizes your opinions above all of his other business partners. To him it’s not favoritism if you’re the only one with more insightful and considerate ideas

“sir, we should ship out the products tomorrow.”

“Hm…”

“I think we should ship them tonight.”

“I agree. It’s decided.”

-

“we should paint the walls a britannia blue”

“What do you think, darling?”

“I was thinking a more providence blue.”

“I like that more. We’re painting them providence blue.”

♡ Also being business partners makes the two of you basically play good cop and bad cop in pitch meetings

♡ He’s a really supportive partner, always encouraging you to pursue your passions and ambitions. He admires your dedication to your own goals and does everything in his power to help you succeed

♡ Being in a relationship with you challenges him to confront his own emotional barriers and vulnerabilities. He learns to communicate more openly and express his feelings, gradually letting go of his stoic facade

♡ But only with you, of course. His work persona and his attitude around you are like completely different people. It’s like he has a switch on his back that can go from “Adrian Veidt, Founder and Owner of Veidt Enterprises” to “(Y/n)’s boyfriend”

♡ Despite his reserved nature, your relationship is filled with moments of intimacy and connection from stolen kisses in the office elevator to quiet evenings curled up on the couch

♡ He cherishes your company more than anyone else’s and he often prefers you to be the one by his side for majority situations and activities. Your positivity and warm disposition simply just makes everything more enjoyable for him

♡ Even in his “alone time” he still prefers you to still be in the same room as him. Yeah, nobody gets it

♡ To him, your presence is the equivalent to a soothing water fountain or white noise

♡ Adrian's analytical mind compliments your emotional intuition, allowing you to tackle problems as a team

♡ He may not be the most overtly affectionate partner, but he shows his love in subtle yet meaningful ways. Whether it's leaving notes of encouragement on your desk or surprising you with tickets to a show you’ve been wanting to see

♡ Despite his occasional cold nature and his flaws (that grand ego beneath his surface), he’s your Prince Charming in your mind. Tall, blond, polite, beautiful, gentle with you, mindful of your feelings, always keeps his word

♡ Lots of hand kisses too

♡ The Crimebusters he still keeps in contact with all notice the effect you’ve had on him for the better

♡ Though they’d be lying if they said they weren’t flabbergasted at first seeing how his whole attitude shifts when interacting with you

♡ Because of his assertive confidence and authority, you make him make a lot of your phone-call appointments for the doctor or dentist

“Excuse me, she asked for no pickles.”

♡ Your side of the bedroom kind of stresses his organized self out because of your clutter so it’s often you find him attempting to clean it and tidy it up

*while fanning himself with his hand* “I feel like I can’t breathe on your side of the room”

♡ Despite your differences, his love for you is unwavering and unconditional. You may have your ups and downs, but at the end of the day, he knows he’s stronger with you than he could ever be apart from you

♡ In fact, he can’t even remember how he functioned in his day to day life before you stepped into the picture

♡ But he frankly doesn’t mind forgetting

[beardedmrbean]

Growing evidence makes this clearer by the day: Diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) does not help American institutions attain progress or profit.

It’s time for all institutions to get back to their basic duties and stop pushing extreme agendas on the American people. This is especially important for American corporations that have a fiduciary obligation to make decisions in the best financial interests of their shareholders.

A growing chorus of Americans recognizes the acute challenges of DEI. Even the co-founder and CEO of a prominent DEI consulting firm laments assuming the role of “moral authority” on the subject and regrets labeling people who disagree with DEI as “bad” people.

The controversy over DEI has also captured the attention of two well-known businessmen, Mark Cuban and Bill Ackman, both of whom have engaged in a tense exchange on X, formerly Twitter.

Cuban, the Dallas Mavericks owner and star of “Shark Tank,” wrote, “Diversity—means you expand the possible pool of candidates as widely as you can. Once you have identified the candidates, you hire the person you believe is the best.”

“That’s exactly what I thought until I did the work,” said Ackman, the founder of Pershing Square Capital Management and Democrat mega-donor. “I encourage you to do the same and revert. DEI is not about diversity, equity or inclusion. Trust me. I fell for the same trap you did.”

In the same post, Ackman explained that DEI is “a political advocacy movement on behalf of certain groups that are deemed oppressed under DEI’s own methodology.”

In simplest terms, what Ackman and others critical of DEI have identified is the inherently flawed nature of the ideology. By insisting that our institutions are irredeemable and cannot escape past wrongs or that people groups should be divided into two camps — oppressed and oppressor — the adherents of DEI are compelled to use the levers of those very same institutions to manipulate outcomes based on identity rather than merit. 

This conduct is dangerous when you consider its effects on our economy and our public corporations.

Good business is ultimately about producing a good product, not pushing an agenda. DEI unnecessarily complicates that winning American formula. Rather than focus on improving production and goods, companies are now choosing to divert resources and attention to internal race and identity-based policies that neither improve return on investment to shareholders nor result in better products for consumers. 

Corporations adopting policies that prioritize social engineering over corporate responsibility do not serve the interests of all Americans. Instead, they appease the extreme desires of a few, thereby eroding confidence in the ability and competency of our institutions. 

It is neither profitable for businesses nor sustainable for the American people.

Along the same lines, those in the financial services industry must understand that fiduciaries must have a single-minded purpose in the returns on their beneficiaries’ investments.

State and federal law have long recognized fiduciary duties for those who manage other people’s money. The Employee Retirement Income Security Act, for example, demands that a fiduciary “discharge that person’s duties with respect to the plan solely in the interests of the participants and beneficiaries, for the exclusive purpose of providing benefits to participants and their beneficiaries …”

As attorney general of Kentucky, I was one of 22 state attorneys general who signed a letter warning financial services companies that they may be violating their fiduciary responsibility to shareholders by agreeing to radical activism in their environmental proposals. I also issued a legal opinion outlining why government-sponsored racial discrimination and so-called “stakeholder capitalism” was unlawful.

We’ve collectively witnessed some of the consequences of extreme ideology taking priority over responsible corporate governance. After Bud Light’s infamous foray into the culture wars, its sales collapsed, forcing one of its executives to step down. We’ve also seen prominent fund managers like Vanguard drop ESG-driven investments — another ideological blunder at the corporate level — because they have not been profitable and have exposed their investors to greater losses.

DEI objectives have moved some of our business so far from their purpose that even those on the left like Ackman are compelled to speak out, underscoring that the adverse reaction to DEI is not a partisan issue. 

Most Americans want our corporate institutions to move away from extreme ideologies. It’s time to return to the American formula of producing great products and services, not pushing agendas.

Daniel Cameron is the former attorney general of Kentucky and the current CEO of the 1792 Exchange.

[callmearcturus]

1, 2, 7 and/or 8, 13

1. Describe your comfort zone—a typical you-fic.

2 and 8 and 13

Already answered.

7. Share a snippet from one of your favorite pieces of prose you’ve written and explain why you’re proud of it.

/laughs. Jake's POV chapter in KTOWL. I'll grab some excerpts. MASSIVE SPOILERS FOR ACT THREE OF KTOWL.

Ah, Striders. He was becoming uncommonly fond of them. And how could he not? In Abraxas, every vice and temptation flowed like water from a well, and Jake rarely considered any of them. All the designer drugs their apothecaries cooked up, and Jake stuck to good old dextroamphetamine and calmag.

But now that he'd gotten one Strider and glimpsed the other two? Jake wanted in a way he rarely wanted anything. His hands curled when he thought about the Umbral Executor. Oh, he carried a torch for him. Or, a knife, really. The very same Dirk had flung into Jake's shoulder was always on Jake's person, always in a tidy little sheath Jake had put together for it. He'd wear it over his heart if it wouldn't break the line of his shirts.

Not that the lovely accountant was forgotten. Truly, the manner in which he assumed he was forgotten was enough to keep him vivid in Jake's mind. Sorrow hung around him and clung to Jake in his wake, like a bruise he couldn't stop touching, like a sticky remnant that clung to his fingers no matter how much he washed. Sweet and sad, and Jake wanted to drive a knife through Caliborn's skull for the chance to see him smile.

Jake's POV chapter was all about showing off what an absolutely unhinged motherfucker he is, the specificity of him. And the specificity of Jake Abraxas English is so goddamn important for a lot of reasons, but mainly to make him feel as inhuman as possible. He's the head of a drug empire and sticks to his prescriptions. He got stabbed by Dirk and keeps the knife in a handmade sheaf as a sign of devotion. He thinks killing Caliborn would make Dave smile.

Jake hated losing, and picked his battles accordingly. That one, he kept folded up in his pocket, waiting for such a time when he might win. If only she'd realize his winning was to everyone's benefit.

But that was a matter for another night. For now, Jake mixed some of the botanical gin she always had on hand, cucumber, mint, and a splash of St Germain.

A little of this, a little of that, all captured in glass. Jake never drank, but there wasn't much difference between neon and cocktails. There wasn't much difference between neon and anything.

Jake never loses not just because he's a formidable foe and powerful presence Under the Table, but because he selects his fights like he's counting cards against the universe.

And "There wasn't much difference between neon and anything." Not only does Jake have a batshit way of looking at the world, but he applies the same ruleset to everything, from mixology to gunfights to corporate warfare.

"Isn't that rule one? Never put yourself in a position to lose." She came into view with proximity, melting out of the shadows. Her cane tapped very quietly against the dubiously-colored carpet.

"That is what I say, isn't it," Jake murmured, picking up the ball and starting it up again.

Again, specificity with how Jake phrases everything is-- I put TREMENDOUS effort into every word in every sentence. I wanted to foster this idea that Jake was Crafted. He was created by his grandmother to be this exact monster. So he mentions how he manipulates circumstances to always win earlier, then the same thing is said by the woman who created him, trying to imbue this... discomfort to his making.

Once, Rose had snippily asked if Jake had been grown in a vat for just this purpose, his purpose. He had smiled but had not laughed.

(CACKLES)

It was a special kind of fool who cheated his way into Jake's territory and then didn't even have the decency to have arms ready when Jake stepped into the trap.

The knife Dirk had gifted him just a few miles away in an alleyway in this very city seemed a fitting end for this absolute idiot. Drawing it silently, Jake quick-stepped across the plush (silent) rug that ran from the door to the desk.

There was no hesitation; if the troll looked up, he was done for. Jake kicked the back of the fellow's leg hard, buckling it. The troll let out one of those panicked trills, his hand slapping against the desk.

The muscle in that arm corded as he prepared to shove himself back up. Jake grabbed a fistful of hair— his horns were too short to be of any use here— and yanked him back.

The posture pole pressed firmly against Jake's thigh as he shoved the knife against the troll's throat. "Clementine, what a surprise! Have you done something to your hair? New cologne?"

Up to this point, the audience has mostly experienced Jake through Dirk's eyes, and there's always been an unspoken understanding that Jake would not kill Dirk. So when an intruder shows up and annoys Jake, I wanted his response to feel smart and certain and natural to him. I wanted the audience to understand that Jake is fucking dangerous.

"How much do you love him? Because some things you won't get back."

Jake watched Karkat realize his meaning, dark and bitter chocolate melting across Jake's tongue as comprehension dawned on Karkat's face.

Jake is a freak. He tells a guy he likes, who he's taken an immediate shine to, tells the guy "I'm gonna cut off your arm" and Karkat's dawning understanding does for Jake what any Abraxas designer drug does for the masses. He's a monster, and I love him.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Is antitrust anti-labor?

If you find the word “antitrust” has a dusty, old-fashioned feel, that’s only to be expected — after all, the word has its origins in the late 19th century, when the first billionaire was created: John D Rockefeller, who formed a “trust” with his oil industry competitors, through which they all agreed to stop competing with one another so they could concentrate on extracting more from their workers and their customers.

If you’d like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here’s a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

Trusts were an incredibly successful business structure. A bunch of competing companies would be sold to a new holding company (“the trust”), and the owners of those old standalone companies would get stock in this new trust. The trust would operate as a single entity, hiking prices and suppressing wages. If anyone tried fight the trust with a new, independent company, the trust could freeze them out, by selling goods below cost, or by doing exclusive deals with key suppliers and customers, or both. Once a trust sewed up an industry, no one could compete. The trust barons were rulers for life.

The first successful trust was Rockefeller’s Standard Oil, which amassed a 90% share of all US oil. Other “capitalists” got in on the game, forming the Cotton Seed Oil Trust (75% market share), the Sugar Trust (85%). Then came the Whiskey Trust and the Beef Trust. America was becoming a planned economy, run by a handful of unelected “industrialists” with lifetime appointments and the power to choose their successors.

A century after overthrowing the King, America had new kings: “kings over the production, transportation and sale of the necessities of life”. That’s how Senator John Sherman described the situation in 1890, when he was campaigning for the passage of the Sherman Act, the first “anti-trust” act. The Sherman Act wasn’t the first time American lawmakers tried to protect competition, but it was the first law passed after the failure of competition law led to the hijacking of the nation by people Sherman called the “autocrats of trade.”

https://marker.medium.com/we-should-not-endure-a-king-dfef34628153

The Sherman Act — and its successors, like the Clayton Act, are landmark laws in that they explicitly seek to protect workers and customers from corporate power. Antitrust is about making sure that no corporation gets so powerful that it’s too big to fail, nor too big to jail — that a company can’t get so big that it subverts the political process, capturing its own regulators:

https://doctorow.medium.com/small-government-fd5870a9462e

If American workers are derided as “temporarily embarrassed millionaires” who won’t join the fight against the rich because they assume they’ll soon join their ranks, then the American rich are “temporarily embarrassed aristocrats” who would welcome hereditary rule, provided they got to found one of the noble families. The goal of the American elite has always been to create a vast and durable dynasty, wealth so vast and well-insulated that even the most Habsburg-jawed failson can’t piss it away.

The American elite has always hated antitrust. In the 1980s, Ronald Reagan, abetted by Robert Bork and his co-conspirators at the Chicago School of Economics gutted antitrust through something called the “consumer welfare standard,” which ended anti-monopoly enforcement except in instances where price hikes could be directly and unarguably attributed to market power, which is, basically, never.

It’s been 40 years since Reagan took antitrust out behind the Lincoln Monument and shot it in the guts, and America has turned into the kind of aristocratic kleptocracy that Sherman railed against, where “great families” control the nation’s wealth and politics and even its Supreme Court judges:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/06/clarence-thomas/#harlan-crow

Anything that can’t go on forever will eventually stop. Monopoly threatens the living standards, health, freedom and prosperity of nearly every person in America. The undeniable enshittification of the country by its guillotine-ready finance ghouls, tech bros and pharma profiteers has led to a resurgence in antitrust, and a complete renewal of the @FTC and @JusticeATR:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2021/08/party-its-1979-og-antitrust-back-baby

Key to the new and vibrant FTC is Commissioner Alvaro Bedoya, who, along with Commissioner  Rebecca SlaughterFTC and Chairwoman Lina Khan, is part of the Democratic majority on the Commission. Bedoya has a background in tech and privacy and civil rights, and is a longtime advocate against predatory finance. He’s also a law professor and a sprightly scholarly writer.

Earlier this week, Bedoya gave a prepared speech for the Utah Project on Antitrust and Consumer Protection conference, entitled “Aiming at Dollars, Not Men.” It’s a banger:

https://www.ftc.gov/system/files/ftc_gov/pdf/bedoya-aiming-dollars-not-men.pdf

Criticisms of the new antitrust don’t just come from America’s oligarchs — the labor movement is skeptical of antitrust as well, and with good cause. Antitrust law prohibits collusion among businesses to raise prices, and at many junctures since the passage of the Sherman Act, judges have willfully perverted antitrust to punish labor organizers, treating workers demanding better working conditions as if they were Rockefeller and his cronies conspiring to raise prices.

This is the subject of Bedoya’s speech, whose transcript is painstakingly footnoted, and whose text makes it crystal clear that this is not what antitrust is for, and we should not tolerate its perversion in service to crushing worker power. The title comes from a 1914 remark by Democratic Congressman Thomas Konop, who said, of antitrust: “We are aiming at the gigantic trusts and combinations of capital and not at associations of men for the betterment of their condition. We are aiming at the dollars and not at men.”

Konop was arguing for the passage of the Clayton Act, a successor to the Sherman Act, which was passed in part because judges refused to enforce the Sherman Act according to its plain language and its legislative intent, and kept using it against workers. In 1892, two years after the Sherman Act’s passage, it was used to crush the New Orleans General Strike, an interracial uprising against labor exploitation from longshoremen to printers to carpenters to hearse drivers.

Bosses went to a federal judge asking for an injunction against the strike. Though the judge admitted that the Sherman Act was designed to fight “the evils of massed capital,” he still issued the injunction.

The Sherman Act was used to clobber the Pullman Porters union, which organized Black workers who served on the Pullman cars on America’s railroads. The workers struck in 1894, after a 25% wage-cut, and they complained that they could no longer afford to eat and feed their families, so George Pullman fired them all. The workers struck, led by Eugene Debs. Pullman argued that the strike violated the Sherman Act. The Supreme Court voted 9:0 for Pullman, ordered the strike called off, and put Debs in prison.

In 1902, mercury-sickened hatters in Danbury, CT demanded better working conditions — after just a few years on the job, hatters would be disabled for life with mercury poisoning, with such bad tremors they couldn’t even feed themselves. 250 hatters at the DE Loewe company tried to unionize. Loewe sued them under the Sherman Act, and went to the Supreme Court, who awarded Loewe $6.8m in today’s money, which allowed Loewe to seize his former workers’ homes.

This is what sent Congress back to the drawing board to pass the Clayton Act. Though the Sherman Act was clear that it was about trustbusting, the courts kept interpreting it as a charter for union-busting. The Clayton Act explicitly permits workers to form unions, call for boycotts, and to organize sympathy strikes.

They made all this abundantly clear: writing in language so plain that judges had to understand the legislative intent. And yet…judges still managed to misread the Clayton Act, using it to block 2,100 strikes in the 1920s. It appears that passing the Clayton Act did not save a single strike that would have been killed by the bad (and bad faith) Sherman Act precedents that led to the Clayton Act in the first place.

The extent to which greedy bosses used the Clayton Act to attack their workers is genuinely ghastly. Bedoya describes one coal strike, against the Red Jacket Coal Company of Mingo, WV. The mine’s profits had grown by 600%, but workers’ wages weren’t keeping up with inflation. The miners sought a raise of $0.10 on the $0.66 they got paid for ever carload of coal they mined. The company didn’t even pay the workers with real money — just “company scrip”: coupons that could only be spent at the company store. Red Jacket gave its workers a $0.09/car raise — and raised prices at the company store by $0.25/item.

The workers struck, Red Jacket sued. The Fourth Circuit refused to apply the Clayton Act, following a precedent from a case called Duplex Printing that held that the Clayton Act only applied to people who stood “in the proximate relation of employer and employee.”

Congress was pissed. They passed the Norris-LaGuardia Act of 1932, with LaGuardia spitting about judges who “willfully disobeyed the law…emasculating it, taking out the meaning intended by Congress, making the law absolutely destructive of Congress’s intent.” Norris-LaGuardia creates an antitrust exemption for labor that applies “regardless of whether the disputants stand in the proximate relation of employer and employee.” So, basically: “CONGRESS TO JUDGES, GET BENT.”

And yet, judges still found ways to use antitrust as a cudgel to beat up workers. In Columbia River Packers, the court held that fishermen weren’t protected by the exemption for workers, because they were selling “commodities” (e.g. fish) not their labor. Presumably, the fish just leapt into the boats without anyone doing any work.

The willingness of enforcers to misread antitrust continued down through the ages. In 1999, the FTC destroyed the hopes of the some of the country’s most abused workers: “independent” port truckers, who worked 80 hours/week and still couldn’t pay the bills. Truckers were only paid to move trailers around the ports, but they were required to do hours and hours of unpaid work — loading containers, hauling equipment for repair, all for free. The truckers tried to organize a union — and the FTC subpoenaed the organizers for an investigation of price-fixing.

But the problem wasn’t with the laws. It was with judges who set precedents that — as LaGuardia said, “willfully disobeyed the law…emasculating it, taking out the meaning intended by Congress, making the law absolutely destructive of Congress’s intent.”

Congress passed laws to strengthen workers and judges — temporarily embarrassed aristocrats — simply acted as if the law was intended to smash workers. But by 2016, judges had it figured out. That’s when jockeys at the Camarero racetrack in Canóvana, Puerto Rico went on strike, demanding pay parity with their mainland peers — Puerto Rican jockeys got $20 to risk their lives riding, a fifth of what riders on the mainland received.

Predictably, the horse owners and racetrack sued. The jockeys lost in the lower court, and the court ordered the jockeys to pay the owners and the track a million dollars. They even sued the jockeys’ spouses, so that they could go after their paychecks to get that million bucks.

The case went to the First Circuit appeals court and Judge Sandra Lynch said: you know what, it doesn’t matter if the jockeys are employers or contractors. It doesn’t matter if they sell a commodity or their labor. The jockeys have the right to strike, period. That’s what the Clayton Act says. She overturned the lower court and threw out the fines.

As Bedoya says, antitrust is “law written to rein in the oil trust, the sugar trust, the beef trust…the gigantic trusts and combinations of capital…dollars and not at men.” Congress made that plain, “not once, not twice, but three times, each time in a louder and clearer voice.”

Bedoya, part of the FTC’s Democratic majority, finishes: “Congress has made it clear that worker organizing and collective bargaining are not violations of the antitrust laws. When I vote, when I consider investigations and policy matters, that history will guide me.”

There's only three days left in the Kickstarter campaign for the audiobook of my next novel, a post-cyberpunk anti-finance finance thriller about Silicon Valley scams called Red Team Blues. Amazon's Audible refuses to carry my audiobooks because they're DRM free, but crowdfunding makes them possible.

[eydi-andrius]

Ugly Crying (Choso x Reader)

pairings: Choso x Reader

prompt: "Hey, come on now, you look ugly crying, *sighs* if I let you capture me this time, will you stop crying?" "Really? you would do that for me? that's surprisingly sweet" "Anything to stop you from ugly crying, it's pathetic" "I take it back"

cw/tw: just normal jjk battle but other than that none

a/n: Special thanks to @akmwrites, these prompts provided a handful of inspiration for a writing break hehe I changed a bit of the prompts to fit the theme for JJK. Hope you all like it! 🥰

This was one of the Mischievous Villains and Irritated Heroes drabbles from my masterlist.

(P.S. I will update the masterlist tomorrow)

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Bored. It has been a while since you started fighting this human-like curse. But he only wore the same expression. As if your very best on a fight was a nuisance to him.

It started last month. You have met him wandering around the market. Looking so human. Acting so human as he asked the prices of the goods and checking the freshness of vegetables and fruits.

You tailed him, made sure to put a barrier, before he did a sharp turn on a narrow path and in there he confronted you if you were following him. Instead of replying, you started attacking. There is no way to convince a curse so why even start a conversation.

However, he always, somehow, was able to run away before you could finish a fight.

He would stop midway the battle, as if someone was communicating with him inside his head, then he would vanish. He was even able to break the barrier you set up, all the time.

That wonders you a lot because only the most capable curses could do something like that. Yet, your fights always ended up with him running away instead of killing you.

Meanwhile, no matter how strong your attacks were, he just looks the same. He seems bored. If he wore a suit, the best way to describe his expression was a corporate slave who was doing the work for money. Exhausted, tired and lifeless.

There are a couple of times his eyes widen in surprise though. And that makes you happy because you feel seen. His eyes usually turn bigger if you do an incredible curse technique. You felt seen and recognized. However, eventually, his face will go back to how it started. Bored.

You truly do not know if his intention was to insult you but it was working quite well.

Especially on this particular day and fight. You happen to meet him by chance, in the area where they sell antiques and there's a rare number of customers that visit everyday.

Without hesitation, you put up a barrier and started the attack. He immediately jumped back completely evading your quick move.

He seems faster and his reflexes more accurate. There is no delay on how fast he jumps around to avoid your attacks.

Since meeting him, you have practiced everyday and you always imagine how this day would end. Finally, killing or capturing this curse who called himself Choso.

He jumped around the whole time without attacking but no matter how new your move or if you surprised him, his face never wavers nor his eyes widened in shock. He was stoic and bored.

After some time of chasing around like cat and mouse, you realized that he obviously was playing with you. Your limbs were shaking from accumulating rage and anger as you tightened your position, preparing for twice powerful cursed technique.

You breathe in, deeply, preparing your whole body to a stance for an attack. Your mouth slowly turning into "O" and your eyes sharpening with renewed strength. With a yell, you run full force towards him. Much faster, much greater than before. You are moving forward towards his direction….3…2…and BAM!

A loud bang echoed in all corners of the barrier. It was so loud to the point that you would have suspected that there must be a bomb that went off in the middle of the war. But there wasn't.

In fact, It seems like it was you who made that booming sound.

No. It was your body hitting the ground, full force, when you tripped at the debris, casually lodging in the middle of the street.

Eyes swimming with black and white spots, you tried to blink them away. Your face hurts, your nose aching from the impact. There was a sound of falling liquid captured by your ringing ears. Only for you to see and realize that your nose was bleeding. You tried to clean them up with your hands, only for you to smear it more in your hands and in your face.

"Are you okay?" You looked up when you heard his concerned voice. His brow furrowed, which was akin to worry. He was sitting from afar but closer than he had been throughout the fight.

The image of your enemy unscatched and imagining your face bleeding from your own clumsiness had made a tear escape your eyes and run down your cheeks. You made a choked sound before you let the dam go and bawled your heart out.

Your family has always been worried about you. Despite being gifted as a sorcerer, they always pushed you to lead the business side of the family.

You always find the idea silly and dumb. Who would force one of their promising sorcerers in the family to do mortal business instead? That's absurd.

But the very idea of that silly little suggestion had hit you like a truck today. It was so obvious but you choose to remain oblivious.

You were too soft to be a sorcerer.

You had the power, the promise but you were just simply unfit to be one.

Because you cry a lot.

Of course, tears were no sign of weakness. But gods, you just cry a lot, especially when you are embarrassed.

"Hey, come on now, you look ugly crying. If I let you capture me this time, will you stop crying?"

Choso finally spoke after witnessing your utter failure and embarrassing breakdown. He gave out a deep sigh and offered you a clean, white handkerchief.

"Really? You would do that for me? that's surprisingly sweet."

Without hesitation, you grabbed his handkerchief and mumbled a quiet thank you. You wiped your tears first before blowing your nose.

Somehow, the air of hostility shifted to neutral ground.

"Anything to stop you from ugly crying..…you look pathetic for a sorcerer your grade."

He was supposed to quietly mumble that, probably a thought that was intended to be left unsaid, but his mistake was making you hear that loud and clear.

And the way he eyed you? He was appraising your skills and maybe your credibility too. What an asshole!

"I'll take it back! I will kill you!"

This was the war cry you screamed at the top of your lungs before the fight restarted again. But this time, you meant to hurt him. To end him!

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

The fight ended with Choso winning. He brought your tired, battered and sleeping body to Shoko.

Good thing his brother, Yuji, was there and he greeted him with a smile but it quickly turned into a frown when he and his friends, Megumi and Nobura, realized that he was carrying your bloody body in his arms.

No serious trauma or injury. Just like he predicted and intended as he used his cursed techniques to protect you from your immature usage of cursed energy. He realized that when you are mad, you forget all of your training and just attack as strongly as you could. Not thinking that your own curse energy can destroy your body when you are out of focus. It surprised him a lot that a child who came from a family of cursed users was oblivious to her own strength.

He deep sighed as Shoko confirmed that you will be fine. Perhaps in a lot of pain but you can take it.

He was just planning to tease you a bit since you looked so naive for not realizing that he was no enemy but an ally.

He surmised that he must have overdone it.

What can he say though? You were so adorable when annoyed. Just like a cute puppy when being teased.

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

You woke up, groggily and in pain, on a soft bed and the sterile smell of Shoko's clinic.

It was Yuji who walked towards you and sat at the chair beside your bed to ask you if you were feeling well once the dizzy spell of sleep went away.

All you did was blink at him and you saw from your peripheral that Shoko gave him a glass of water.

He helped you up and he tipped the glass slowly so you could drink it. He mumbled the word "slowly, careful" as the cold water quenched your dried lips, mouth and throat. It feels like an oasis in the middle of the desert.

Once satisfied, he put down the glass and helped you to sit up and lean on the headboard of the bed.

"I am glad you are okay now. Thank God my brother found you!" He grinned and you smiled at him. His energy renewed any fatigue you felt from sleeping, maybe for days.

"Is your brother in here? I'd like to thank him then."

You do not know what happened to the fight. Your memories were still foggy and a bit puzzling. It hurts whenever you try to remember anything that day. Maybe Yuji's brother could help you with all the questions inside your confused brain.

"He went out to buy fruits. I think he will be back so— "

Yuji was cut off when the door creaked and it slowly opened.

"Oh! Speaking of who! Brother, she's awake!"

He looked at the person slowly entering the door so you focused your whole attention to this brother Yuji was talking about.

It was his sleeve you first noticed, it was loose and light tanned. He had huge hands as he held the door handle and pushed the door.

Your eyes traveled from his hands, to his arm, upto his shoulders until the door opened wide enough to reveal his pale face with a blood mark which extends from both sides of his face across the bridge of his nose. His dark purple eyes and slightly thin eyebrow was sporting his usual "bored" look. His long stringy hair tied into two high ponytails that jut upward and outward was familiar.

That was the first time you have heard of Yuji having a brother. A curse on top of that.

The human-like curse you were trying to kill for weeks. That was him. He was an ally. He is related to Yuji.

The moment he drank in your surprised face, he can't help but give you a devilish smile.

[darkmaga-retard]

By Sharon Zhang / Truthout

The Israeli military has admitted that one of its own airstrikes is likely responsible for killing three Israeli captives whose bodies were recovered from Gaza last year, confirming what Hamas officials had said about the hostages’ deaths at the time.

In a release on Sunday, the Israeli military said that an investigation into the deaths of the three captives found there was a “high probability” that they were killed by an Israeli strike carried out on November 10. This finding is based on the location of their bodies in relation to that of the strike and analysis of the strike itself. The military claims the strike targeted and killed a Hamas commander.

Two of the captives were soldiers, Corporal Nick Beiser and Sergeant Ron Sherman. The military also recovered the body of Eliya Toledano. They were all captured amid the October 7 attack, and their bodies were recovered in December.

At the time, Israeli forces told the captives’ families that they were killed by Hamas. But the results of the investigation confirms Hamas’s assertion that they were killed by the Israeli military.

Israeli forces have killed numerous hostages amid their genocide in Gaza, and released hostages have said that their top fear while in captivity was that they would be killed by Israeli strikes.

In December, Israeli forces shot and killed three Israeli captives who were traveling together in northern Gaza. Though the captives were shirtless and waving a white flag, Israeli soldiers opened fire on them. The military later claimed that the soldiers acted correctly to the best of their understanding, as they interpreted the captives’ cries for help as a ruse.

These captives could have been alive today if Israel had agreed to ceasefire agreements early on. Just days after Israel’s genocidal assault of Gaza commenced, Hamas had offered to release all of the captives if the Israeli military didn’t enter Gaza, former political adviser and leader of an advocacy organization for the captives’ families Haim Rubinstein told Times of Israel earlier this year.

Since then, Israel has rejected ceasefire deal after ceasefire deal, with Israeli leaders openly expressing their contempt for the very idea of stopping their genocide in Gaza at any point. There is widespread unrest among Israelis for the government’s failure to secure a hostage release, but Israeli leaders’ actions in the ceasefire negotiations have made it clear that a hostage release is not a top priority for them.

Just earlier this month, Israeli media reported that three captives whose bodies were recently recovered from Gaza were actually slated for release in a ceasefire deal discussed in July. But Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu effectively single handedly killed that deal, introducing a number of last-minute demands that he knew Hamas and other countries’ negotiators would reject — like a permanent Israeli occupation of Gaza’s border with Egypt.

Additionally, Israeli media have reported this week that Netanyahu is reportedly considering dismissing his defense minister Yoav Gallant and replacing him with a political leader whose party has helped cement Netanyahu’s power amid the genocide. Gallant has been a critic of Netanyahu, and recently called for a ceasefire after being in favor of the genocidal invasion last year.

[tsukimefuku]

❅ Sand and Snow | Chapter 1

ALL CHAPTERS HERE.

In the city of Odate, Akita, there have been multiple deaths in the past few weeks. The first-grade sorcerer Nanami Kento is sent out to investigate the snowy city, not knowing that it would be his last mission as a Jujutsu High student. OR: Why Nanami left Jujutsu High to become a corporate 9/5 slave.

Images via @incepstla on Tumblr

DISCLAIMERS

* This is cross-posted from AO3, link here.

* This is a murder/mystery story. Like so, it contains depictions of violence that some readers may find disturbing.

* Classic Nanami and Gojo shenanigans will ensue. This is my copium.

* This fanfic is mostly built on original characters that are plot-centric (we need ppl to kill and to be questioned in a murder/mystery story, amiright?), though Nanami is the protagonist. There won't be any romance/smut/fluff/ship involved, but in case you don't like OC's at all, this story probably isn't suited for you.

* I wrote this in the most faithful way I could to JJK Canon and events, with the intention you could read this as an actual one-off light novel from the series (even inspired the writing on the translation from the official light novels). I hope you enjoy.

********************************

Chapter 1

Traveling alone became a common occurrence in Nanami's life ever since Haibara's death. More common still after his promotion — turning into a first-grade jujutsu sorcerer in his third year came with some perks, like a raise, for instance. But it also meant he would be frequently dealing with complex missions by himself. To fill up time, he was reading a pocket version of "The Devotion of Suspect X" by Keigo Higashino, as he drank a small and well brewed cup of coffee.

As Nanami approached his destination, he closed the book and started to mentally review the details of this mission. He anticipated it should take around a week for completion at most.

Around the city of Odate there had been 7 deaths, all containing traces of cursed energy. All involving poison. The presence of a cursed spirit was not out of the question, but considering the way those people died, a curse user was most likely. If that was the case, the curse user should be captured and taken in for questioning.

His phone rang. It was Yaga.

"Hello." he said, as he accepted the call.

"Nanami, be sure to report as soon as you get there, and report to me daily." Yaga replied.

"I will. Has something happened?"

"No, but those that sent this mission our way are very keen on accompanying every step taken." The contempt Yaga tried to hide in his voice was pretty clear.

"Fine. Let me know when and if Gojo is coming my way." The thought of meeting Satoru with his whimsical personality during a mission made Nanami involuntarily sigh.

Nanami was on his way to Odate because Jujutsu High's first choice, Satoru Gojo, was off on another mission that took longer than expected. This had been disclosed to Nanami right from the start. He would be there up until Gojo Satoru got to Odate or until he just finished the job by himself, whatever happened first. 

He couldn't wrap his mind around the fact that they wanted to send Gojo, a special-grade sorcerer, on a mission suited for a first-grade, though. But dutiful as he was, Nanami simply did not spend his time questioning. Orders were orders, after all.

"About that… Gojo requested for you to work with him if you still haven't finished the job when he gets there.”

Nanami was annoyed.

"Why?"

"Who knows. He's always acting on a whim. Just accompany him. I have been told this is an important job, and you're the responsible one."

Nanami was annoyed, times two.

"Fine."

Getting “punished” with more work for being a good jujutsu sorcerer was the kind of thing that happened to him regularly. Not so different from a normal job. Nanami sighed and ended the call. There was now a pretty good incentive to get things done as fast as he could, and it didn't involve (just) overtime.

***

As the train came to a stop, the doors opened, letting a cold breeze seep in. I should get to the hotel and leave this luggage before I go out investigating, Nanami thought to himself, before stepping out and making his way onto the exit from the train station.

There were few to no taxis so early in the morning, so he just decided to walk. It wasn't terribly far, and it gave him the opportunity to look around the city for anything out of the ordinary along the way.

There were many snow sculptures by the roadside, and some ice figures resembling the Akita dog breed. At the end of February, Odate had many winter festivities, with a lot of Akita-dog related decor and souvenirs.

He had nothing against cold weather, but preferred the beach, ever so slightly.

Nanami picked up his phone and sent Yaga a text that said "I'm here. On my way to the hotel".

"Ok" Yaga replied instantly.

They must really be on his case, he thought, as it was out of character for Yaga to reply so fast. He usually had more things to deal with as the new Jujutsu High principal.

After an uneventful walk, Nanami got to the hotel and was greeted by a woman at the main desk.

"Good morning. My name is Yoko. How can I help you, sir?" She asked politely.

"I have a reservation."

"Perfectly. I need your full name."

"Nanami Kento."

The lady typed quietly on the keyboard, and around two minutes passed.

"Sorry, our systems are kind of slow today."

Nanami said nothing and just waited.

"Hey, Mr. Kento... Be careful."

That grabbed his attention. It was clearly not a threat, and the lady was visibly concerned, even though she tried to hide it.

"There have been some people dying these past few weeks. Somehow it hasn't made national news, and I can tell you're not from here. I mean, new face and all. So... Be careful, ok?"

"I appreciate your conce-"

"It was the majo!" someone shouted from the inside office. The lady got startled, and instantly irritated.

"Grandma, please stop with these silly superstitions!"

There were heavy and steady footsteps, and shortly after, an elderly woman came from the back office, raising a finger and pointing towards Nanami and Yoko.

"They are not superstitions. Hear me out! The majo, the witch, she did it!"

Yoko sighed and felt her third migraine of the week paying her a visit. Wednesday had barely started.

Nanami looked at her, as if asking for further explanation about what the old woman was talking about. She put on a cordial smile and started to speak.

"My grandmother has old superstitions about a woman that lives just outside the city. Her parents went missing when she and her brother were young, and they sell herbs and things like that. There is not much to it, but people in the city have had that long held superstition against their family for a while now." 

Her smiling face and calm voice did not match the angry energy she was emanating.

The old woman interjected once again.

"Her parents went missing because she is a witch, and I bet you, these people dying must be related to all of that!"

The migraine had settled in.

"What 'all of that', grandma?"

The old lady gestured vaguely with her hands in the air, as if there was some obvious fact that everybody was unaware of.

The computer emitted a sound, and Yoko promptly grabbed a key and gave it to Nanami.

"Here. Room 409. If there is anything you need, you can just dial #903 for room service."

“Thank you. Excuse me.” he replied. As he started walking towards the stairs, it was possible to hear Yoko chastising her grandmother about scaring travelers and people she did not know. The words were followed by loud footsteps into the main office and a door being slammed.

As Nanami got to his room, he started texting Yaga.

NK: I'm at the hotel. There is a local superstition around a person whom they call “a witch”. I've been told this person deals with herbs and medicinal plants, so they probably also have poisonous ones. I will be checking this out before going elsewhere.

MY: Let me know if you find anything. Also, talk to Ijichi, he will assist you researching this.

After settling in, Nanami got out of the hotel and started walking down the street, intent on questioning people about it. He failed to notice the man following him from afar.

***

It was already two in the afternoon, and he figured he might as well stop and eat something for lunch. After all, expenses were completely paid for.

As Nanami went inside the restaurant, he went over mentally the information he got about the family.

The Yamadas were a pretty old family in that region, and most lived northwest of Odate. After the disappearance of some of the family's members, mainly a couple with two children, most relatives just left the city. Aside from that, there was not much else to be said about them. Nanami had already sent Ijichi all the details he was able to gather and asked for research as soon as possible.

His phone lit up. It was Ijichi.

KI: Hey, Nanami, I found some interesting things.

NK: Tell me.

KI: So, the Yamadas were a family of jujutsu sorcerers, it seems.

Nanami felt that was definitely suspicious, to say the least.

KI: Apparently, they had little to no ties to Master Tengen or anything. They were all from that region of Odate, but most of the members have since disbanded throughout Japan in the last 10 years. I couldn't find much in the archives, especially about cursed techniques that run in the family.

NK: I see. Let me know if you find anything else.

 KI: No problem.

***

After some asking around, Nanami finally got to Yamada's “witch” house. It was pretty much in the middle of nowhere, and a snow-covered dirt road led the way there through the woods. As he was approaching from the forest quietly, he could see a lady with short black hair and a pretty thick coat putting some food bowls by the side of the house. He didn't see or sense anything particularly suspicious. The house was considerably big, having two separate floors and a very traditional Japanese ceiling for snowy weather.

Not long after she put the bowls, the lady whistled loudly. A fox came out of the snowy forest and started eating.

"There you go, Haru. Eat well!" she said, as she went inside the house.

Nanami was unsure if he should go question the woman, or if he should simply stay hidden and watch for anything strange. After all, this could be nothing, or she could be a sorcerer that would attack him on sight. He chose the latter, and sat down near some bushes as he paid attention to the house and its apparently sole resident.

From the frosty windows, he could see her in the kitchen, sitting idly while drinking something from a cup. Behind the house, there was a greenhouse with many pots of plants and other greeneries planted directly on the soil.

This will take a long time, Nanami figured, feeling disheartened for having to work late that day. Resigned, he used his flip phone to take a picture of the house and waited. He got to see the fox finish its food and go back into the woods.

Around an hour later, there were some scratching sounds that he could not really see what was the source. The lady came out of the house, sprinting hastily to the other side, where Nanami was having a difficult time seeing her. He moved his position to try and see where she was headed, and walked quietly around from the opposite side in a semicircle, but she had vanished. The fox from earlier was there, looking directly at him.

He went into alert mode, but before he could do anything, Nanami felt somebody get behind him.

The sound of a gun being loaded could be heard, and he froze on the spot.

"Raise your hands. Who are you and why are you watching me?" a female voice asked.

"I'm someone investigating the deaths that have been occurring in Odate". He said, as he was lifting his hands and putting them on his head. Nanami figured there was not much of a point in lying. She didn't ask why he was there, but why he was watching her, so she probably had noticed it for a while. Also, if she was a curse user that wanted to harm him, she would've probably done so by now.

"Turn around."

He turned to face her.

She was pointing a small handgun at him, keeping her distance. Her green eyes seemed irritated. He could probably disarm her and further question the woman on the subject, but weighing his options, it felt more responsible to avoid conflict escalation.

"Look," she said, picking her words carefully. She sounded annoyed, but not scared. "I don't know what you've heard about me or this house, but I am not a witch, and I'll tell you what I already told the officer, I didn't kill anyone."

She examined his face.

"Why are you pointing a gun at me, then?" He asked.

"I'm a woman living alone in the woods, and a creep has been stalking me for god knows how long. Sorry if I chose to pull a gun first and ask questions later."

Both of them examined each other, and the air was tense. She seemed inclined to simply let him go, and his instinct was that she harbored no ill intent on hurting him out of anything other than self-defense. He decided to try to de-escalate the situation further.

"My name is Nanami Kento."

She was slightly taken aback, as she didn't expect him to present himself like that given the circumstances.

"I'm... Shiori. Yamada Shiori."

"I'd like to ask you some questions about these deaths. I'm a private investigator of sorts. Preferably without a firearm between us." Nanami said calmly.

She hesitated and examined him. Her instinct was that he was telling the truth. After a few seconds, her arm relaxed, and she put the gun down, then inside her coat.

"Ok. We can talk." Shiori said. "But I'm keeping the gun on me."

Nanami sighed as he lowered his arms. "Fair enough."

She pointed at the house. "And you go first."

They walked towards the house, and she unlocked the front door, letting him in. She indicated a table where he could sit, and pulled a chair for herself. Once both were seated, as Nanami was about to say something, she took a crystal ball from her other pocket.

"Here. Please hold this."

Nanami thought about it for a second, and held the ball in his hand. The small sphere started to glow blue after about 5 seconds. "Tsk", Shiori groaned, "Figures."

"Sorry, I don't understand."

"Where are you from? Kyoto?" She asked, grabbing the crystal from his hands. "Is this really about the deaths, or are you guys here to try to recruit me and my brother? He is away, just so you know."

Nanami was confused, and it must have shown.

"You're a jujutsu sorcerer, aren't you?" She asked. "Look." The crystal was glowing in her hands too. "This is my sort of 'jujutsu sorcerer detector'. The last time one of you came was a few years ago, so I'll just cut to the chase. I'm happy in the woods, and I don't want to go to Jujutsu High — I’m actually 18 now, and have just graduated. Please, leave me alone."

This was definitely not how Nanami expected this conversation to go, and he definitely did not expect to be dealing with cursed objects in Odate. After collecting his thoughts, Nanami started to speak.

"I'm here because of Jujutsu High, but I came from Tokyo on a mission regarding the deaths that have occurred recently. I questioned a few people and after some research, found that your family had sorcerers, and that you and your brother work with medicinal plants. Given the cause of those deaths was poisoning, I came to your house for further investigation." He answered bluntly.

"I see." She put the crystal ball back inside her pocket. "You're not the first one to think that, though. A police officer was here a few days ago. Those town's people still hate us, even centuries later, simply for being Yamadas. But I truly had nothing to do with those deaths."

"I see." Nanami muttered the thought for a moment. "And do you have an innate cursed technique?" Cursed techniques in sorcerer's families that were passed through generations were common, even if those that involved poisoning their victims weren't that common.

She was a little surprised with the question. "Well, it has nothing to do with poison, I can tell you that much. I can show you, but it can't be done inside the house."

"Why?"

"Because I still want to have a roof over my head. Come." She pointed to the door, and they went outside. Behind the house, there were plenty of wide holes in the ground just barely covered in snow, something he hadn't noticed earlier.

"Please, step back." She concentrated, put both hands together and said "cursed technique: melt grenade". Then, Shiori threw a small blue ball of cursed energy towards the holes. It exploded loudly, and made a hole around 2 feet deep, covered in a thick corrosive black substance. 

"That's all?" Nanami asked. He waited for a response, but after a few seconds of silence, looked at her just to see Shiori falling to the ground. He started walking to her side offering assistance, but she was already sitting herself up, as if this was something the woman was accustomed to.

"Yes. That is all. I can only throw one or two of these before passing out." She stood up slowly. "So this is it. Unfortunately, there is not much I can do to help you." She had a surprisingly laid back approach, even if the circumstances they had met were somewhat odd.

Nanami sighed. At least this explained why she used a gun. Nevertheless, it was a dead end, after all. 

"I was told you had a brother. Where is he?" He asked.

"My brother decided to do some traveling about a year ago. He went looking for our parents. I told him it was a bad idea, but he did it anyway. I don't know where he is currently." Shiori responded. "His name is Shiro. Our parents weren't very creative naming twins".

"Well, I won't occupy you any longer. I'll be on my way, then." Nanami said, as he bowed and started to leave.

"It's fine. But if you come by again, please, just knock on the door." Shiori responded with a half smile, putting her hands inside her pocket while she calmly walked back inside the house.

***

Back at the hotel, Nanami was on the phone talking to Yaga and giving him his report on the investigation. He informed Yaga about Ijichi's findings, and the conversation he had with Shiori.

"I see." Yaga said. "Keep an eye on her, though."

"Why?"

"Well, she has a cursed object we were not aware of. Doesn't seem like anything serious, but she could be hiding something."

"I understand." Nanami pondered for a moment. "She had some visitors from Jujutsu High years ago, more specifically from the Kyoto sister school, according to her."

"We usually scout families that have a history with jujutsu for potential students, but they don't always accept the invite." Yaga replied. "I didn't know she was one of the people we visited."

Nanami, still on the phone, walked towards the TV and turned it on. Local news had an urgent news broadcast on.

"Well, I imagine this is it for resting today." he said.

"I'll make the necessary calls. Go there now." Yaga replied.

He sat on the bed as he heard the reporter say police had just discovered a new body.

"I'm charging overtime fees."

[local-hellhound-steals-spaghetti]

According to “Mass Animal Deaths Heat up Fight To Permanently Halt SeaWorld Operations” by Inside the Magic, bird conservation organizations are literally begging SeaWorld to stop their fireworks shows because of how many native birds they’re killing. But go ahead keep acting like their rescue operations justify all the harm/trauma they caused to the wild cetaceans they captured and the wildlife they continue to put in harm’s way in the name of human entertainment. Using ur large platform to assuage ppl’s guilt about spending their money at seaworld *directly* perpetuates this harm. I don’t know how you call yourself a proponent of animal welfare and then support this mega corporation that puts profits above all else

Hi there it seems like you think that I support corporate SeaWorld and all the decisions it makes. I am against a lot of things that SeaWorld does.

This includes: setting off fireworks, building roller coasters instead of updating animal habitats and the cruel layoffs that they inflicted on their employees during COVID.

I agree with the letter put forward, San Diego Audubon did a great job documenting the very real impacts of fireworks on seabirds. Firework events like the 4th of July and New Years Eve are extremely stressful for all animals - as detailed in the letter there were also illegal fireworks along with the firework shows in the City of San Diego and SeaWorld.

SeaWorld stopping their fireworks shows in favour of something potentially less impactful like a drone show would be a great start, but fireworks shows - legal or illegal, would continue regardless. Whether that would reduce the impact or not remains to be seen, but I think SeaWorld should stop their firework shows.

The problem is, it is a corporate company that wants to give people want they want so they buy tickets. Guests like fireworks. People expect fireworks on the 4th of July, NYE ect. I personally think we need to evolve as a society and move away from fireworks in general but that’s not a popular opinion.

Now, to your point about impact on wild whale populations, there is certainly not enough data to conclude that populations were unable to recover from the captures.

You can see with this graph that the Southern Residents were able to recover their numbers after the capture periods, but unfortunately populations continued to decline due to other factors. This includes anthropogenic causes like boat traffic and decreasing food supply with increasing dam building and more efficient fishing methods to take more Chinook Salmon from the orcas. And ongoing effects of bioaccumulation of toxins like PCBs and DDTs.

Some scientists argue that the population decrease from capture resulted in less competition and increased survival rate. Others say that the impacts are still being felt today. There’s not exactly a consensus on it because it’s hard to measure the effects.

While I disagree with corporate SeaWorld and a lot of decisions they make, I will continue to support the work of SeaWorld’s team of marine mammal specialists and veterinarians. And support accredited facilities that are able to create positive welfare states for their animals, even if the conditions aren’t perfect. I have no issue with animals entertaining people as long as the animals have agency and choice and show positive welfare states.

Whether you like it or not SeaWorld just have more money and resources than most other facilities simply due to their ability to appeal to a wide demographic (including people who like fireworks) - that sells tickets. And yeah a portion of that goes to CEO salaries and stakeholders (not nearly enough goes to the workers). But having that luxury of that much money means getting high end diagnostic equipment, paying for medications, antibiotics, scans, developing new technologies to assist in rehab and rescue work, pay staff to work in shifts for standing in the stranding pool to hold up a baby dolphin.

That’s why they’re usually in the front lines of rescue work, often collaborating with other rescues. Because their resources are invaluable to the rescue and rehabilitation of marine animals.

These resources are also giving scientists the ability to collect baseline data and compare to wild populations - and develop technologies and test these with animals in human care before using it in field work.

I disagree with a black and white approach to animal welfare and find it to be detrimental in the long term. Welfare is an evolving state that is always in flux and depends on a variety of factors.

SeaWorld’s fireworks contributed to seabird deaths - but not acknowledging that even if SeaWorld stopped their fireworks, there would continue to be fireworks on the 4th of July that would continue to cause bird deaths isn’t helpful to protecting seabirds.

SeaWorld have rescued, rehabbed and released or provided a permanent home for over 40,000 animals. It was funded by the same company that also put on fireworks shows. The two facts can exist side by side. A company can cause harm while also creating positive change.

The reality of capitalism is that to rescue animals you need to have the resources to do so. People visit SeaWorld to ride roller coasters and ignore the animals (which I can never understand) - yet it is the ability to appeal to a wide demographic that makes money and that money is what can be used for incredibly important conservation and rescue projects.

However, I would still say all of that wouldn’t matter if the welfare of the animals in their care was extremely poor. Which, based on their ability to achieve multiple levels of high standard accreditation like AZA and other signs of positive welfare in basic observation , doesn’t seem to be the case.

I encourage anyone to try to take a more nuanced approach to animal welfare and never just accept something at face value. And if you don’t like SeaWorld, that’s okay! There’s a lot of ethical discussions to be had. But I can only convey the experience and knowledge that I have in both research, hands on practical cetacean welfare experience and general experience and understanding of how marine mammal facilities operate.

[godslush]

Where SlashGirl.EXE just exists to be a general denizen of the world, TokeiWoman.EXE has more of a narrative direction.

I doubt I would ever get around to doing something more complete with this idea, but this is the general gist of her arc, for the time being.

================================================

It’s any other day, and Lan and his buddies head out to do typical after-school kid things. However, along the way, they happen to pass by a HUGE demonstration at large corporate building. They learn from attendees that the company inside (Zenith Hyperprocessing) had installed a program/NetNavi to centralize a large portion of HR and finances across multiple subsidiary tech companies, which in turn lost them their jobs (or jobs of family members and/or NetNavis working Web-side) and they're protesting it, to the company's deaf ears.

This is seen as a mild annoyance by the general public at most, but word gets out that some of the displaced workers have banded together a fund where they'd pay a good amount to anyone who can break into Zenith's system to permanently delete that program and get them their jobs back... and several established 'villain' Operators feel this is a great way to make a quick buck at the expense of a large corporation.

However, Zenith’s position gives it the backing of the government, and they call any city NetBattlers to help defend it, citing the damage that losing the program would cause to the many other jobs/livelihoods of the people still working at the companies under its jurisdiction. So the city NetBattlers and their NetNavis form a sort of perimeter around Zenith’s central server, stopping some of the opportunists. However, a few of the 'evil' Navis get through the blockade.... only for their Operators to suddenly lose contact with their Navis completely.

After that incident, some time passes, when suddenly the 'program' starts to act... strangely, doing things that are not to it’s owner company's bottom line interests, which causes a bit of a ruckus. The authorities in control can't seem to get in to deal with it due to the digital defenses set up, but don't want to unplug or delete it completely right off the bat due to the potential dangers to the mainframe, and the costs that would incur, but they're worried that the NetNavis that went 'missing' weren't deleted, and somehow were corrupting the program from within the program's bubble of inaccessible influence.

So city NetBattlers are called in again to find the root of the problem, joined by official ones, and once within the strange anti-communication zone, MegaMan DOES manage to break defenses to find Tokei’s true body. He discovers that she had managed to freeze and capture any NetNavis that made it to her prior; they had no effect on her decision to start disobeying Zenith for the welfare of hard-working employees over the ‘lazy and ineffectual management.’ The company did that to themselves. She's 'fixing' their problems, as far as she's concerned. She at least agrees to free the NetNavis she trapped, provided they leave her alone and stop wasting her time.

MegaMan can’t find it in himself to delete her, not that he could in the state he found himself in, given he notices his energy being sapped at an astronomical rate, which prompts an explanation of the Overclocked domain, which also covers why he couldn’t communicate with Lan. Before he can leave to an area where he can safely Jack Out, ProtoMan arrives, with enough energy to fight, having not had to fight through all the defenses that had been defeated prior, and MegaMan has to prevent ProtoMan from deleting Tokei, allowing her to speak her piece.

With that resolved, MegaMan returns and simply reports his findings. It raises the question of the 'rights' of NetNavis. He returns from time to time - at great risk to himself, given the Overclocked server - to check on her out of sympathy, but she is always too busy to hold much of a conversation, sending him away. He insists she needs to take a break once in a while... even computers need to rest.

Finally there’s a breaking point, and MegaMan - instead of returning to a safe zone to resume contact with Lan and Jack Out - stays put, in an almost child-like tantrum. His ultimatum; she turn off the Overclock on the server and return to normal time and see how it feels to run at a normal, non-stressed speed... or she keeps it on at the cost of his own safety/life.

Unable to bring herself to hurt MegaMan, Tokei concedes with great effort and turns everything off... and while it does prove that it’s a huge weight lifted, it has the downside of suddenly bringing her activity back into observable time, putting both of them under immediate scrutiny. With Lan also able to weigh in, they argue until suddenly another party joins; Zandra Hertz, Zenith’s CEO.

To show the ‘children’ the error in their own thinking, Zandra uses Tokei’s unprotected state to violently tear the NetNavi’s consciousness out of the supercomputer housing (appearing, Web-side, as a large claw appearing and physically ripping Tokei out from her desk into the darkness), sticking it in an extremely outdated, dilapidated PET, to show both the NetNavi AND the employees she stood up for how much Zenith can’t afford to let her take time off for extended periods. Zandra’s last words to Tokei are, “Fine. Take a vacation. See what good that does you, and everyone else.”

With Tokei gone, the rest of Zenith and its subsidiaries start to feel the pressure of that work not being done. The chaos caused by this, and the ineptitude of the management who had become so painfully reliant on her for HR functions, means they can’t even hire or rehire workers to replace her quickly enough to prevent things from crashing and burning. When Zandra is contacted to take care of matters, it’s discovered she conveniently took a vacation to let everyone fend for themselves. Typical upper management behavior.

Tensions peak after a few days and Lan or someone else chooses to break in to steal the PET Tokei was consigned to and get her out, only to find that the poor condition of the PET and its lack of visual interfaces causes it to act like a sensory deprivation chamber (or worse, if damage to the PET such as electrical shorts or overheating components can actually affect the NetNavi inside). It’s so archaic that while MegaMan can enter the device via Jack In, they don’t know how to get Tokei out of it without first taking it to SciLab for analysis, and in the mean time, they can’t actually charge the device without damaging it further.

To make matters worse, the disappearance of Tokei and the PET she was on becomes an issue of company property theft. In the kids’ hands, nobody knew where the device had gone, but the moment they take the PET to SciLab to either be repaired or to have Tokei transferred into a new device, the lab gets implicated for it and come under legal scrutiny (it turns out Zandra had predicted it would happen and set it up intentionally, banking on the ‘reckless heroism of youth’ to forego critical thinking). She was hoping to use that criminal lawsuit against SciLab for stealing critically proprietary ‘software’ to pad her other earnings.

Fortunately for everyone, this starts to get the public riled up the more they learn about what was happening. A lot of people - even so-called ‘villain’ sorts - cite their own close connections to their NetNavis, as well as the existence of independent NetNavis, as proof that they are more than just feelingless tools for humans to use.

Eventually, public outcry causes Zandra’s plan to backfire, when hundreds of NetNavis from outside Zenith break into its mainframe to help the panicking employees rectify its problems temporarily, and Zandra is forced to step down for endangering the livelihoods of so many people... but not before trying to spitefully take down as much as she possibly can by firing up Tokei’s supercomputer and expanding the Overclock zone to encompass a large portion of the Cyberworld in hopes of melting down as much of the Web as she can in the process, by running malicious code into every connected device.

It’s revealed she never believed humans should have become so reliant on such fickle cyberspace beings in the first place; she lost her injured brother to a hospital mishap caused by the machines failing at the worst possible moment. Her whole plan from the start was to make as much money as she could exploiting the system before ultimately taking it out.

Since the Zenith server cannot be approached via the web without the Navis involved getting hit directly with the wave of Overdrive code, the situation has to be diffused by manually reinstalling Tokei into the supercomputer in person, which possesses its own difficulty as the Overclocked machine is physically overheating and threatening to explode and take the whole company building with it. Suffice to say, though, they succeed (because Lan has protag power).

Zandra is arrested and control of the company is handed over to temporary management, but eventually is given to Tokei herself. She was already doing so much work she practically ran the company upon initial installation, anyway. Since she has no need of money, she simply lets what she would have been making as CEO fall back into the company to promote a better workplace, and to hire employees to keep things running smoothly over the long-term; she’d crunch the numbers initially to get things back on track, and then slowly let the workload redistribute so she could take on a more humane level of management... and finally get a proper damn vacation without worrying about everything going to crap.

She also offers to do the kids’ families’ taxes for free on her off-time. As thanks. Compared to what she’d been doing prior, a handful of tax forms is just a few grains of sand in an hourglass to her.

[thana-topsy]

Corimir

Full Name: Corimir ‘len Canaale Silvanir Lanaawe ‘ata Anduil Maldur Tirwen ‘cal Lloderion Race: Altmer Age: 36 Gender: Male Birthsign: The Serpent Place of Birth: Shimmerene Current Residence: Ivarstead

Corimir was a Thalmor soldier (rank: Corporal) sent to Skyrim to act as on-the-ground enforcement for the Talos ban. His main duties as an active soldier were to assist his assigned Justiciar in martial confrontations as well as in the capture and detainment of heretics. He was stationed outside of Markarth and saw very little "action" up until he was sent with a small team to take down a nearby gathering of alleged Talos worshipers.

Unfortunately, the gathering was not Talos worshipers, and instead a camp of Stormcloaks, with the now-infamous Dragonborn among them. All except Corimir were slain, and he was taken as a prisoner of war. Though, to the Dragonborn, he was more of a trophy, and a toy to be used.

Corimir was held captive for three months in Windhelm where he was tortured (for information he did not have access to) and used by the Dragonborn whenever he saw fit. His only solace was that these were, by definition, war crimes, and Corimir held out hope that his higher-ups would negotiate for his freedom, or send a rescuer eventually. But none came.

Finally, one day, a guard approached his cell. Though her face was hidden behind the metal helm, she spoke with an Altmeri accent and worked to spring him from the prison. With her help, Corimir finally escaped Windhelm and was able to leave the horrors of his time as a captive behind him... Physically, at least.

[There is a slight.... explanation that needs to happen in regards to Corimir's origin. He's fully my original character, but he's based on a character from another fanfic. The original character was an unnamed Thalmor soldier that was captured and sexually abused by Stormcloak soldiers. I felt compelled to "rescue" the character from the situation, and ended up writing an entire fic about it. The fic picks up at Corimir's rescue and doesn't go into the morbid details about his time as a prisoner, aside from the aftermath that comes with surviving that kind of assault and trauma. You can read the fic on my AO3, though please mind the tags. If you're sensitive to trauma-recovery, descriptions of panic attacks, ptsd, dissociation, or suicidal ideation, you might want to skip this one. It does have a happy ending though!]

"Hollow Men"

Rating: M (graphic depictions of violence, implied/referenced non-con) Categories: Gen, M/M Summary: In which a prisoner of war is rescued, though hardly saved, learning that the path of recovery is not well-trodden but a mess of brambles.

Vague story spoilers below the cut!

Once Corimir is given his freedom, the road to healing is long and frustrating. Even after his body begins to heal from the physical abuse, he realizes that his mind is often still trapped in the past. That, and returning to the safety of Thalmor is not nearly as comforting as he might have thought.

His only solace comes in the form of the upbeat, often irreverent, and incredibly mysterious companion who saved him, Elanwe, as well as the cheery Bosmer who took him in while they passed through Ivarstead, Gwilin. The two of them showed him kindness when he'd long lost the hope that any kindness still existed in the world.

After returning to the Thalmor Embassy, Corimir comes to realize that he's exchanged being a prisoner of war for being a prisoner within his own organization. His higher-ups see him as damaged beyond repair, a liability, but most importantly: they see him as possible propaganda.

Corimir finds himself longing to return to the only place he's felt safe since leaving home: Ivarstead. And, frustratingly, he finds himself unable to stop thinking about the kind Bosmer who shared his home with him.

With the help of Elanwe, Corimir manages to once more escape from his captors and begin a new life for himself, returning to Ivarstead and leaving the Thalmor behind him.

Though he will forever be haunted by the shadows of his past, Corimir slowly learns to trust in others once more, as well as find joy in the simple treasures life has to offer.

[princess-of-thebes-1995]

You and Grace were in Site 26 and away from the base. You were happy you didn't see the face of Quaritch for almost three months. You needed a break from his old mean ass. He was sadly your master. Not a boyfriend or friend with benefits. You hated that guy. But, the equipment and resources for the science labs were running out and you were their saving grace.

The Colonel noticed the problem. How could he not notice? He fell in lust with you when he saw you from the distance. You never seen him before. He saw you first.

You were the most exquisite thing he ever seen. A doll and not a human. But sadly, you were not a soldier. You were a medic scientist. Not under his control.

So, he whispered to Selfridge's ear into stop funding the Avatar Research program. It worked. He argued with Grace. He told her to give you to him.

She refused. Quaritch then threatened to do worse damage. So, you stepped in. Sadly, this old pervert didn't let you go after having his way with you many times. You thought after a month, he will be bored and let you go. But he then made you his girlfriend or something.

You didn't know what to call this relationship.

He would act like a husband. He would take you to dates, buy you gifts, moved you in his room. He would hold your hand when outside his room so all could see. Like the hallways, cafeteria, and the gym.

The perks are that he took you and your science team deep in the jungle for field trips. To get plants for research and food.

You were allowed to cook your own food instead of the cafeteria crap. The lab got the latest computers and equipments. And more.

The colonel was upset when you told him you will be gone in site 26. He genuinely looked as if he will miss you. But you hated him to care.

You ignored his hurtful eyes and packed. He of course dragged you to the shared room. He pounded you senseless with many rounds as if to say good bye. You were glad you were taking a break. Fuck him.

As you were away, he would text and video call you. Of course he would ask for nudes. Not ask. Of course you can't refuse. He would video chat and you would put a fake smile pretending to miss him and call him pet names.

You got embarrassed one time. You got an alert telling you that the Colonel was calling from his phone. You decided to give him a nude chat to get it over with. He does ask for nudes multiple times each day. Sadly, it the Colonel and corporal weinfleet were on the screen. The Colonel's eyes were shocked and then you saw fuckin Lyle surprised and then started ogling. You were so embarrassed that you quickly turned off the video

The Colonel called again after you dressing up. He acted like nothing happened. You were too shy to stare at the screen. The Colonel however had a hidden bemused smile on his lips. Lyle kept a straight face. But he kept thinking of your lovely body. Damn. The colonel was one lucky bastard. He can't believe an old man got you. The Colonel ask you about Jake and Grace and the Navis.

This was the first.

He normally calls and video chats you for lustful reasons. Never business.

He then informed you that bulldozers will come today. Your eyes widened in fear.

You smiled. "Thank you, darling. I will come back to the base by tomorrow."

The Colonel smiled and nodded. He called you sweet heart and that jerk Lyle winked at you mockingly before the Colonel turned off the video chat.

You then ran out of the pod container and saw Neytiri and Jake talking. You told them about the bulldozers.

They came all right. Neytiri and her friends all surrounded the bull dozers. They did some damage but they had to retreat. Jake and Neytiri left you. You ran back to the pod to see Norman

Meanwhile, the camera man was complaining to the colonel

The Colonel listened how the bulldozers were stopped and some of his men were killed. He then felt worry in his chest. You should be here by now. He tried calling you but you wouldn't answer. Were you killed?

The Colonel shook his head. He was about to leave for site 26 but then Lyle's voice made him halt in mid step.

"Colonel, isn't that your girlfriend?"

The Colonel looked over his shoulder to see the screen. The camera man zoomed in. There was you and Sully's Avatar.

You were handing him the gun he gave you to keep with you at all times.

The entire room was staring at the Colonel in silence. The Colonel felt embarrassed. His face red with shame and rage.

The woman he loved betrayed him for blue monkeys. He fretted over her every moment she was away. For her safety. He missed her and felt lonely.

He would smell the bed sheets and pillow at night.

"I can't believe you trusted that scientist!" Selfridge shouted. "You let a woman in our plan and it backfired on us!"

The Colonel clenched his jaw and balled his fists. Selfridge and his squad were sceptical of him dating a scientist and medic for the Navis. The Colonel brushed it off. He promised them that he will keep you in line and change your views.

He was the man in the relationship after all. With his charm, he will have you wrapped around his thumb. He knew you were with him for money. But he thought he could win your heart eventually by acting romantic and acting cheesy. He kept himself from being a simp. He acted dominant.

But now, he felt like a simp. He got ridiculed by a weak and scrawny female that cannot even run on a treadmill two miles per hour. Traitorous vixen.

You can't turn a ho into a housewife.

You never loved him. You would purr in his ear with sweet words that meant shit.

Fuck it. He will not be nice anymore.

He became soft because of a slut like you.

"get me a pilot." He seethed.

....

You were waiting for Jake and Grace to naturally wake up from their pods. Norman was with you. Then you heard a chopper. You thought it was Trudy.

You went to open the door and then gasped. The colonel and his squad were there. The Colonel looked pissed. Uh oh. He knew

"surprised to see me, love?" He clenched through his teeth.

You backed away and he followed you. "Colonel, please let me explain. i-"

He slapped you hard and you fell on you ass clutching your face.

"Name!" Norman yelled. He tried to reach you but Quartich pushed him away from you.

"don't touch what's mine!"

The older man looked down at you and grabbed you by your long hair pulling you up

"Two faced bitch! You backstabbed me." He made you look at him.

"I had no choice Colonel." You clutched his hand to lessen the pain from your scalp.

He shook his head and breathed through his nose. He pulled you to the side where you fell on your ass again.

Lyle cuffed Norman. The Colonel forcefully ejected Grace and then Jake's pods.

Grace was yelling and the Colonel punched Jake.

Your chest began to heave. You never seen the Colonel be violent. You knew he can fight. He kept s gun with him at all times. But he would fight enemies not civilians.

He hit you and Jake and Norman. If you knew he was like this. You would have ran back to earth before being his concubine.

You began to panic. What brought you to be in this situation. How things became like this.

Grace was yelling louder.

You stood up and pushed a soldier away. "You can't touch her. "

The soldier seemed to fear what you said. He backed away from Grace

Quaritch once more grabbed your hair. "slut. You can't order my men "

He continued holding on to your hair and dragged you to the chopper. He pushed you inside and then he sat next to you.

All four of you, Lyle and Colonel were at the main office. Selfridge was pissed. His arms were crossed as he scowled at you.

"I knew a pretty face like you would seduce my Colonel to aid the enemy."

You bowed your head. You felt the Colonel staring at you.

"thanks to you, soldiers died by the Navis and the bulldozers equipment are broken."

"I can't support genocide."

Everyone then was quiet.

Selfridge looked at the Colonel. "You need to tame your bitch. She spread her legs to manipulate you for favors."

Grace came to your defense. Then the Colonel began to argue and then a screaming match started.

After seeing the last video log of Jake. About hometree.

Selfridge decided that cancel the program and send all scientist home to earth. The colonel demanded you to stay. You are fired. Yes. But you can stay. Like a guest. You cannot work or go near the labs.

Grace stroked your face. "I am sorry, doll. I got you involved with him. Forgive me."

You smiled at her.

The Colonel let out a tsk. He then grabbed your hand and led you away from the room and to his bedroom.

He pulled you inside and you fell on your knees. You got up and he was still pissed. This time. He threw you on the bed like a rag doll.

He ripped your clothes off like a beasts and like an animal, he raped you. He bit you almost everywhere around your neck and breasts. It hurt. Some blood came out. He also madd you bleed in other places by pumping inside you hard.

He then left to shower without looking at you. When clean and dressed again, he left without a word and slammed the door shut.

You tried to open the door but you were locked inside.

[ttrpgbrackets]

Propaganda Below

Dish the Hot Gauss

Dish The Hot Gauss: when you reveal a dramatic secret to your foe, take +1d when you attack them during the current Mission.

What makes it Cool?

It encourages exciting moments by providing a combat bonus for activating a narrative trigger. "No. I am your father." Plus the name is a pun.

Ushabti Omnigun

Your mech’s omnigun is a piece of experimental hardware so advanced that it defies physics: it doesn’t require a mount, nor does it have a weapon type or size – meaning that it can’t be modified or benefit from your talents. You can’t attack normally with this weapon. Instead, 1/round, as a free action during your turn, you can use it to deal 1AP damage to a character within RANGE and line of sight. This doesn’t count as an attack, hits automatically, ignores cover, bypasses IMMUNITY, and its damage can’t be reduced or ignored in any way. No rule in this book or any other supersedes this.

What makes it so cool?

1.) Even the best scientists in the setting don't know how this thing works. At all.

"As with many HORUS pattern groups, the Pegasus fields a signature weapon system: the Ushabti, a hostile impulse anti-corporeal weapon that operates with complete ignorance of even the most basic underpinnings of physics and thermodynamics. As such, it qualifies unambiguously as a paracausal weapon. The Ushabti’s precise function remains unknown to Union and Harrison Armory scientists, though radiological and gravitational signatures captured in the aftermath of the weapon’s use point toward a relationship with the Aunic Firmament. Studies are ongoing on Ras Shamra, the Armory’s chief research world, and in satellite campuses across the Dawnline Shore."

2.) Art of the Pegasus doesn't show the Ushabti Omnigun itself. Instead, the Pegasus has a black hole built into its back as some sort of containment field for the Ushabti.

3.) Mechanically, the Ushabti is about as simple as you can get. You can shoot things for 1 damage per turn. (or 3 if you use the active). (for context, most enemies have around 15-20 hp) sound boring, right? Well no. it's a free action. You also get to do the whole rest of your turn. And then, you get to ignore anything that might try to stop you, and NO RULE IN THIS BOOK OR ANY OTHER SUPERSEDES THIS. This is the ultimate gun to end all guns. There is no escape from the Ushabti Omnigun.

4.) In Lancer, the word 'unshackle' has a very specific meaning. 'turning off the restraints on a psychic AI'. Normally, an unshackled AI is the final boss of an entire campaign, or at least a major NPC. like Shodan or GlaDOS or something. The use here implies that the Ushabti is an AI. But the lack of anything but 'slightly more gun' implies it has a completely alien set of priorities. There's nothing in there that dreams of freedom or power. And it even quietly reshackles itself when the scene is over.

5.) The Pegasus frame is full of similar crazy psychic supertechnology. But it's all bent obsessively around the same simple goal of 'shoot people with guns'. This thing can rewrite the laws of probability on the fly, and it only does it to achieve Perfectly Average accuracy. It may or may not literally Know Everything(it certainly knows enough to predict every choice you're ever going to make), and it doesn't even bother to manipulate you, or seek freedom, or anything. And the funny thing is, several of its abilities literally are just normal guns. This thing is so obsessed with guns that it will prefer a cheap store-bought autogun over Infinite Cosmic Power. This is a god that appears to be satisfied with the life of a war machine. For now at least.

6.) Historically, an Ushabti was a funerary figurine placed in the tombs of Egyptian nobles to act as servants in the afterlife, and manual laborers. There's got some kind of master-servant dynamic.So the gun might not even the SAME unknowable psychic god as the rest of the mech. There's TWO of these things.

7.) in case you didn't notice, the fluff blurb loops. it starts at "-funny thing." and ends with "Causality is a-" On top of being alive, this thing may or may not be doing some kind of time travel.

8.) Worst of all, you can't prove any of this. It might just be a normal mech with a cutting-edge gun. Why the fuck would a god-like AI limit itself to the life of gun? That's ridiculous, right? Right?

Do you now understand why the fact that it uses its incomprehensible psychic power to do no more than 1/damage per round is so much more concerning than if it actually did something weird.