#taking it into your own hands to enact 'judgment' on people? check

[coulsonlives]

Some of you antis are really starting to sound like John Doe from Se7en

That's not a compliment btw

[everlasting-gospel]

New Post has been published on Present Truth

New Post has been published on https://presenttruth.info/fear-not-coronavirus-precautions/

Fear Not! Coronavirus Precautions!

“Grace be with you, mercy, and peace, from God the Father, and from the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of the Father, in truth and love” (2 John 3).

I pray that you are doing well despite the perilous times in which we are living.

I am a first responder with our volunteer fire department. I just wanted to share a few things with you about the caronavirus that were shared with our department.

First of all, Thus saith the Lord, “Fear not!” This phrase is found 63 times in the Bible.

“Fear not, little flock; for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom” (Luke 12:32).

“Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you. Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof” (Matthew 6:25-34).

“And fear not them which kill the body, but are not able to kill the soul: but rather fear him which is able to destroy both soul and body in hell” (Matthew 10:28).

“He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust. Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence. He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler. Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day; Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness; nor for the destruction that wasteth at noonday. A thousand shall fall at thy side, and ten thousand at thy right hand; but it shall not come nigh thee. Only with thine eyes shalt thou behold and see the reward of the wicked. Because thou hast made the LORD, which is my refuge, even the most High, thy habitation; There shall no evil befall thee, neither shall any plague come nigh thy dwelling. For he shall give his angels charge over thee, to keep thee in all thy ways. They shall bear thee up in their hands, lest thou dash thy foot against a stone. Thou shalt tread upon the lion and adder: the young lion and the dragon shalt thou trample under feet. Because he hath set his love upon me, therefore will I deliver him: I will set him on high, because he hath known my name. He shall call upon me, and I will answer him: I will be with him in trouble; I will deliver him, and honour him. With long life will I satisfy him, and shew him my salvation” (Psalms 91:1-16).

“No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the LORD, and their righteousness is of me, saith the LORD” (Isaiah 54:17).

“But now thus saith the LORD that created thee, O Jacob, and he that formed thee, O Israel, Fear not: for I have redeemed thee, I have called thee by thy name; thou art mine. When thou passest through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame kindle upon thee” (Isaiah 43:1, 2).

“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness” (Isaiah 41:10).

For a study on trusting the Lord for everything, please read the following article.

The Faith of the Son of God – Jun-Jul 2018

Paul exclaimed, “I live by the faith of the Son of God” (Galatians 2:20). Wait a minute, I know we are to “…walk by faith, not by sight” (2 Corinthians 5:7), but Paul talks about “the faith of” God’s Son, not his own faith. …Read More

Some Precautions

1) Wash your hands often. Hands are the number one carrier of germs and viruses.

2) Avoid touching your mouth, nose, and eyes.

3) Drink lots of water. The caronavirus first attaches in your throat, and cannot survive well in warm temperatures. It can be washed down to the stomach by warm water where it will be killed by your stomach acid. If you have a sore throat gargle with warm salt water, and drink lots of water.

4) Monitor yourself and others with a thermometer, preferably one that does not need to touch the patient.

5) Stay at least six feet away from anyone who has symptoms of caronavirus without protection. Protection will include gloves, mask, eye protection, and a gown. Even with these precautions, limit all contact, and carefully remove and dispose of the protection, then wash your clothes, shower, and change into clean clothes. Spray the bottom of your shoes with a disinfectant like Lysol, before entering your vehicle or house after you have been exposed to coronavirus.

According to the CDC Website here are some things you should watch for.

Watch for symptoms Reported illnesses have ranged from mild symptoms to severe illness and death for confirmed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) cases. The following symptoms may appear 2-14 days after exposure.*

Fever

Cough

Shortness of breath

*This is based on what has been seen previously as the incubation period of MERS-CoV viruses.

If you develop emergency warning signs for COVID-19 get medical attention immediately. Emergency warning signs include*:

Difficulty breathing or shortness of breath

Persistent pain or pressure in the chest

New confusion or inability to arouse

Bluish lips or face

*This list is not all inclusive. Please consult your medical provider for any other symptoms that are severe or concerning.

If you suspect someone to be a carrier of the caronavirus, they will probably not be transported to the hospital unless they have emergency warning signs.

Currently, President Trump is requesting that you avoid gatherings of more than ten people, and avoid unnecessary travel.

I am not giving you everything you need to know about this, so check your trusted news sources for more information.

The best preparation you can make is to draw near to God. “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. Cleanse your hands, ye sinners; and purify your hearts, ye double minded” (James 4:8).

There are a lot of promises of protection in the Bible for us, claim them and believe them for you and your family. If there is known sin in your life, ask God to remove it, then ask Him to reveal more light. Watch and pray is the instruction Jesus gave His disciples before their faith was severely tried.

As students of the Bible we should not be surprised by things like this. There are a lot of potential events behind the scenes that might explain why this is going on right now. The bottom line is, Satan is behind it all.

“…Woe to the inhabiters of the earth and of the sea! for the devil is come down unto you, having great wrath, because he knoweth that he hath but a short time” (Revelation 12:12).

The final conflict will be over worship. Read Revelation 13. God’s Ten Commandments are split into two sections, 1-4 deal with worship to God, 5-10 deal with how we treat people. The primary commandments that will be involved in this final conflict revolve around commandments 1 and 4.

On February 18, 1890 there was a Breckenridge Sunday Bill presented to the House of Representatives in the United States. Here is a portion of what this bill entailed.

“Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, That it shall be unlawful for any person or corporation, or employee of any person or corporation in the District of Columbia, to perform any secular labor or business, or to cause the same to be performed by any person in their employment on Sunday, except works of necessity or mercy; nor shall it be lawful for any person or corporation to receive pay for labor or services performed or rendered in violation of this act…”

JO Corliss testified before the house in opposition to this bill saying,

“…In this connection let me say, gentlemen, that the District of Columbia has just the same kind of a Sunday law as that of Ohio. This law of the District of Columbia was in force when this book was issued which I hold in my hand, which was April 1, 1868; and I am told that this law (which I will read) was re-enacted in 1874. I now quote from the law. Section 1 provides that- ‘If any person shall DENY THE TRINITY, he shall, for the first offense, be bored through the tongue, and fined twenty pounds; … and for the second offense, the offender being thereof convict as aforesaid, shall be stigmatized by burning on the forehead with the letter B, and fined forty pounds; and for the third offense, the offender being thereof convict as aforesaid, shall suffer death, without the benefit of the clergy.’ Section 10 of the same law has this:- ‘No person whatever shall do any bodily labor on the Lord’s day, commonly called Sunday …’ Now, gentlemen, that law has never been repealed.” (Arguments on the Breckinridge Sunday Bill, by AT Jones, pages 3,13).

Friends, we are living in perilous times. The Lord is coming soon. The final crisis will be over worship, and the two primary aspects that will be brought to law will cause people to violate God’s Ten Commandment Laws on the true God we worship, and the day on which we worship. How those will be brought to play in forbidding people to buy or sell unless they violate these Laws is yet to be seen. But pay attention, friends, it is coming. Make sure you know who you worship, and worship Him in Spirit and in Truth, and worship Him in part by resting “the Sabbath day according to the Commandment” (Luke 23:56).

Please read these booklets: God’s Love on Trial, National ID and the Mark of the Beast, and The Mark of the Beast.

Farewell my Brothers and Sisters. God bless you and keep you.

“For this cause I bow my knees unto the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, Of whom the whole family in heaven and earth is named, That he would grant you, according to the riches of his glory, to be strengthened with might by his Spirit in the inner man; That Christ may dwell in your hearts by faith; that ye, being rooted and grounded in love, May be able to comprehend with all saints what is the breadth, and length, and depth, and height; And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God. Now unto him that is able to do exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that worketh in us, Unto him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus throughout all ages, world without end. Amen” (Ephesians 3:14-21).

In Christian Love, Your Brother in Christ, Lynnford Beachy

[kurtty-drabbles]

“We need to stop meeting like this.” (Amalgam!verse)

@djinmer4 @dannybagpipesarecalling @discordsworld @bamfoftheundead

N/A: Thief Columbina.

Her dress

In the Hilton Hotel of New Gotham, an exhibition of great jewellery is in a display to all members of the elite to admire as one does. The chosen room covers an entire floor and has the thematic of scarlet being used and abused here to match with the big necklace made of rubies that are being admired by everyone, especially by a beautiful woman with a cat mask that matches with her black dress.

The woman, with her seductive lips painted with vermilion, a smile formes in her pretty face as she is too admiring the jewellery, except, unlike the others guests she knows the secret behind said shinny and valuable object.

"Is a nice showcase, don´t you think, Kitty Pryde?" Kurt Ryder asked amused with a goblet of champagne in his hand and, of course, his noisy reporter attitude that Kitty is used by now.

"Yes, you've got a good eye for this, Mr noisy reporter. Have you thought in switch jobs?" Kitty asked crossing her arms at the man who is chuckling at this suggestion. Of course, he would.

"No, thank you, I´d think I´m made to be a reporter." and after drinking his champagne and even offer one to Kitty as the waitress was passing by(''no, thank you, I don´t go well with certain drinks'') the man asked what she´s doing here, in a more polite and friendly way, a difference that Kitty loves to point out to him ("be friendly and polite, Ryder, this will do wonders for you in the futures")

"Well, what I can say? I love a good show and rubies are my favourite" she speaks giving a cat-like a smile and Kurt Ryder nods and Kitty does not need to have telepathic powers to know he wants Kitty to stop her plans, but, Kitty does whatever she wants.

"And you, Mr Noisy Repoter Ryder, are you here to admire the show?" Then she frowns and look around "and should I be a concern by one of your ''fangirls'' trying to attack me again?"

Kurt pales at that and shows remorse even if the case was not his fault. "I came here with a friend of mine, Logan Wayne, and no...no fangirls here, and I apologize again for what happened in that day, what that woman did was wrong and really, I can´t say enough to make up for that" Kurt states and Kitty sighs.

"Just promises no more fangirls throwing wine in my face or dress. Because I´ll be very upset if something happened to this dress" she points to her dress for a moment "this one here is rent and is expensive"

Kurt Ryder wants to ask why she rent this dress, but, he didn´t have the time as Kitty Pryde smiles in that way as if she is the only one who understands this imaginary game and speaks again. "By the way, Mr Ryder, do you know the history behind those rubies? Norman Osborn brought this expensive necklace to his new wife, Gwen Stacy, a woman that is 25 years younger than him. A way to purchase her love and other things" Kitty concluded to the bewildered Kurt Ryder. "Oh, you didn´t know? Ryder, you´re my favourite reporter...how could you not notice this one?"

"I...tend to focus more on his corruption schemes and the judgment he´s so desperately is trying to prevent, but, wow I had no idea..." Kurt Ryder looks at the young woman with blonde hair and a fake smile that is with her arm intertwined with Norman Osborn. His eyes focus to Kitty Pryde, who in turn is amused at his expression, and dares to ask something. "How did you know they are married?"

"Easy, I read magazines and I saw Norman calling her my wife" Kitty almost laugh loudly here, but, she controls herself.

Now, Kurt Ryder has a more seductive tone in his voice. "You seem to know a lot more than I, do you want to talk?"

"I love euphemisms, Kurt, and I would love to ''talk'' with you, but, tonight, I´m working and like you...I don´t mix pleasure and work" Kitty said to a pouting Kurt Ryder, then she did kiss his check leaving the mark of her lipstick there. "Ask me again when I´m free, and Kurt Ryder" now she susurrate in his era gentle. "behave yourself tonight, ok?"

And with this exchange, the woman leaves and Kurt Ryder still smiles at this ghostly touching the lipstick.

______________________________________________________________________

Say what you´ll about Norman Osborne, but, the man knows how to install a security system. Kitty, with her uniform(she admits the leather material is a tad bit fetishist on her part), looks at the system in a safer spot. Security cameras, lasers and 3 floors to a subsoil where the real necklace is.

"Well, you´re still a piece of shit," said Kitty and using her gymnastic abilities and her phasing ability turns easy to find the first camera and put her device to make the cameras record something that happened yesterday.

No one needs to lose their jobs in a nice party like this one. Now, with the cameras showing only the past, Kitty moves to the next obstacle, the lasers.

"Please, this is so 2000" shakes her head at this, well, this would keep others criminal at bay, but, Columbina is no mere thief. She´s the thief. Using her powers she phasing through the lasers and was in the mood to even do ballet and flip the bird as well.

Now she is phasing through the last floor without a problem. The real necklace is suspended in the air, thanks to technology, and works with a weight system...if something weight less or more than the necklace than...well, no survivors are left.

"Really? stupid white rich people" Kitty shakes her head and without any shame, as she is humming the theme song of Indiana Jones and takes with her a fake replica of the necklace with the words ''sucker'' written there.

Enacting an old and iconic scene of Indiana Jones, Kitty replace the real necklace with the fake one, of course, there´s the time limit, but, Kitty is not worried and the trade is made perfectly.

"Oh, time to go home, sweetie," she said looking at the rubies. Now, she is flying to the rood intangible. No one at the view and Columbina smiles at the rubies one last time. "At least we´re alone"

"Ah, I´m glad you think so" A maniacal laughter follows that statement and Columbina sighs as she almost forgets Creepy would be here. "I missed you, Columbina, and it seems my dear Columbina is being naughty again" the green lunatic states with that big smile on his face.

"Oh, Creepy!" Columbina said pouting "We have to stop meeting this way, is not sane, if you want to ask a girl out wait until she´s free."

"But, you´re being naughty again, Columbina, should I let you go or should I hand you to the police?" Creepy asked more to himself and Columbina can play Ryder´s game.

"Well, I´m free of my work, Mr Creepy, and sure we can have a date now, in fact, why we don´t go watch ''you´re wrong'' reruns? I like Kurt Jack Ryder. He´s a good reporter"

"Psh, he didn´t even know about Norman and Gwen marriage"

Again, Columbina almost laughs here, almost. "Yes, but, he knows other details that I didn´t know, besides" Columbina kissed his cheek, the other side where Kitty previous kissed Kurt Ryder. "If I have to be punished, I rather to be you, Mr Creepy"

And that smile indicates that Creepy won´t bother with rubies right now, and well, Columbina is free of her work and has all the time to indulge herself and Creepy.

____________________________________________________________________

Kitty Pryde is in her house, well, apartment, when she goes to Kurt Ryder´s door, the two are neighbours and is Kitty often likes to catch up with the noisy reporter.

"Hello, Kurt Ryder," Kitty said hiding the smile and the love bite Creepy left on her neck. Kurt Ryder looks naturally handsome with his hair dishevelled like that. Is something Kitty takes a secret joy.

"Hello, Kitty, is everything alright?" Kurt asked trying to sound nonchalant as if he wasn´t the reason for the love bites and much more. Maybe the man should have been an actor.

"Yes, is just...I was wondering if you have time to drink something, my work is free and well, I think you´re owning me a nice free fangirl evening, right, Kurt?"

"Right, then we have a date"

"We do, Mr noisy reporter," she said amused and without caring if is appropriate or not she touches his hair, Kurt is not minding. "I like your hair a la natural combines with you"

"I look like a lunatic" Kurt complains and Kity chuckles and shakes her head.

"Nah, you look handsome and not a bit creepy"

"If you said so"

[calumbringbackthewatermelonshirt]

Fight or Flight [Supernatural Cal AU]

kind of a short first part... more to come later tho!

a supernatural cal au

“I’m so tired of living in this crapy freaking motel room.” Bella complained as she lounged back in her chair, two of its feet in the air.

“I don’t give a fuck.”  Aurora said as she took a long pull of her beer. She had taken the last one from the fridge and while it was about time to go shopping again, she was dreading it. Shopping meant leaving the safety of the motel room. “Thanks to the wards, this ‘crappy freaking motel room’ is safe.”

“Yeah, the wards I put up. Why can't we have a house or something? Maybe a small but nice apartment? It’s not like we can’t afford it.”  Bella continued to grouse before turning back to the show she was watching on Netflix.

“Look, I’m sorry we can’t do more, but this is it. This is all we got. You know what we’re up against.” Aurora sighed and rummaged through her duffel bag for her cash. “I hate to do it, but I have to go to the store. You need to eat.”

“You need to eat, too. Maybe not as much, but you still need to eat.” Bella snorted, but she unstrapped her knife and wand from under the table. “Stay safe nerd.”

“You, too jerk.” And with that, Aurora opened the door and stepped out.||

“You know, maybe we should take a vacation.” Ash had his head leaned against the window and a wistful look on his face.

“What do you mean, vacation?” Cal squinted his eyes at Ash, wondering what was up with him. “None of us have ever had a vacation ever.”

“Exactly. Maybe that’s why we’re so... I don’t know up tight.” Ash pulled away from the glass and shook his head with a look on his face like he couldn’t quite find the word he was looking for.

“All right, crazy, we finish this mission, we discuss a vacation.” Cal smirked and turned his head back to the road. He and Ash were on their way to a small town about five hours from the bunker. According to Michael, there was some serious demonic activity, even traces of witch spells. Cal was pretty burnt out on hunting demons, but witches were a bit of a rarity. He figured it might be a nice change of pace. ||

Once they arrived in Roselake, the town they were investigating, Ash refreshed Cal on the details.

“Okay, so we’ve had demonic activity and witch spells enacted starting about two weeks ago. Other than that, not much to go on.” Ash knit his brows together, looking at the slim case file. “I don't know where to start.”

“What was the demonic activity in the area?” Cal rubbed his mouth with his hands, watching the people passing by. “What caught Michael attention?”

“Uhh, murder. No surprise, but the fact that the heart was gone from he body was.” Ashton rummaged through the backseat and pulled out his FBI badge. Luke had done a fine job at Kinkos. Cal and Ash changed into their suits before heading over to the library where the body had been found.

“Hello sir, we’re Agents Tran and Grillo here to investigate the homicide case.” Cal spoke to a short balding man with a nervous tick. He and Ash both flashed their badges at the man, scanning the room suspiciously. “Could you show us to where you found the body, perhaps give us a few names?”

“Sure, sure. I, um, I, I was the one, the one who found the body.” The man was clearly afraid of them. He had right to be as an overweight man standing at 5′6 while Cal and Ash were both 6′2 and very muscular. They flanked him and continued to glance down all the isles as they passed by. The library was small, but there were still plenty of places for unpleasant things to hide. The crime scene was in the back room, away from anything or anyone.

“I found Casey two nights ago. She was my closer for about a year. Kind of a peculiar girl, always writing in this black notebook of hers.” The man was looking at the ground, but his mind was anywhere else.

“Can you describe the environment when you found her? Even the smallest detail could help, right down to the smell.” Cal pressed the man for facts, ready to get out of the musty library.

“Yeah, yes of course.” The man shook his head and polished his glasses for the umpteenth time. “Um, the room kind of smelled bad. Like, like Casey had gone for a run and forgot to put on deodorant or something? That didn't make sense, though, because she always had good hygiene.”

“Thank you for your time, sir. We’ll show ourselves out.” As soon as Cal finished talking, the small man hurried out of the room to the safety of his desk.  “What’s your read?”

“The heart says demonic, but the book says witch so I think that Micheal was right on the ball here.” Ash continued to look around the room for anything else that could help.

“I say we split up. I’ll see if I can find anything on people coming into town two weeks ago when this started. You can follow up on Casey, see if flags get raised on her side.” Cal was running through some possibilities in his brain as to why here and what exactly going on in this town.||

Aurora hated shopping even when she wasn’t being hunted, so now? Well, she despised it. The entire time all she could help herself by repeating get in, get out in her head over and over. Another thing was that she was leaving Bella alone in the motel room. They hadn’t seen the... things that were after them since they had come to Roselake two weeks ago, but that just made her nervous. They longer they went without seeing the demons, the more nervous they became. Aurora hated that she had accidentally dragged Bella into this. They were practically sister and of course they would do anything for each other, but... She couldn’t help but feel that she had stripped Bella of her life. Before everything, Aurora and Bella had led a very cushy life, happy and easy. The demon wanted Aurora, not Bella. Bella could have gone free, but because she had stood by Aurora, the demons wanted her too. Grocery shopping only took her about fifteen minutes but on her ride back to the motel, she couldn’t help but have a feeling that something was wrong, something was off. She urged her Harley to go faster, praying that nothing was wrong and she was freaking off over nothing. As soon as she saw the broken in door, however, her stomach sank and the adrenaline flowed stronger.||

“So you’re heading over to the motel now?” Ash’s voice came over kind of crackley over the flip phone.

“Yeah. Two girls checked in right when things started to get weird. I had Michael check into some security cameras and only one of them has stepped out of the room since check in.” Cal was just casually cruising over to the motel in his 1971 Stingray Corvette. This car was his lively hood. It was hard to find an original black one, but hunting took him all over the country. You could find anything if you looked hard enough. Once he got to the motel, he walked to the trunk and got out two of his pistols and a knife. After, he walked upstairs and knock on the door.

“Housekeeping,” Cal called out and hoped for the best. He tended to hold out on just busting down doors if he could. Once he heard the muffled screams from within, his rules went out the window. As soon as the wood splintered beneath his boot, he was greeted with four demons circling around a girl tied to a chair in the middle of the room. His last thought was oh fuck before the demons launched onto him. They didn’t get very far before all of them jumped back, seemingly burnt by the air. He wondered why for a moment before her saw her. A girl with long blonde hair in a leather jacket, black skinny jeans and combat boots. She was beautiful and her electric blue eyes were bright with power. She had an angel blade in each hand and both of them were activated. Cal put two and two together in his head, knowing after years of experience that those blades only glowed in the hands of angels or of being of true power. Cal wondered which one she was. He didn’t get ask her before she flew by him and launched herself into the room at the demons. The way she fought was like a dance, every move lithe and graceful and full of purpose. These demons were smart, attacking as a unit instead of one at a time. They swarmed her, each trying to go for her throat. The demons circled, her signaling to each other. She kept her knees bent and her arms raised following the demons closely with her eyes.  Then she met his.

“If you can fight, I could use help. If not, run.” After letting the words slip, she launched into a flurry of attacks, taking the fight straight to the demons. She spun so her back was to the first demon and plunged her knife in backwards so that it was angled from the bottom of his rib cage up towards his heart while simultaneously slitting the throat of the demon in front of her. Two of the remaining demons kept the girl busy while the last ran to the girl tied to the chair. Cal could tell that she was distracted by the fourth, however, because in a lapse of judgment and an advanced move by one demon left her with a knife in her gut.

“You piece of shit, I just broke this leather jacket in. You can't just sew up leather you fuckers.” The girl seemed more worried with her jacket than with the hole in her stomach.

“You’re lucky we don’t kill you here, girlie.” The oldest looking demon with the hole through his ribcage leaned over the girl, taunting her. “Lucky for you, our master wants you for something else.”

“So? Take me then. I don’t see what this has to do with Bella.” The girl spat some blood onto the ground near the foot of the demon that spoke. “Although if you say you were trying to pretty up your party, I’ll understand.”

The demon behind the girl growled and dug the knife in deeper. Cal figure it was about time he stepped in. As soon as he crossed the threshold, the male demon was on him attacking viciously. He caught the demon’s first punch before throwing one of his own towards its jaw. It landed squarely and the demon staggered back a few steps. It caught itself and hissed at Cal, more angered than injured. Before Cal knew what happening, the demon was on him again, this time grabbing Cal’s arm and ripping. Cal heard the crack of bone and grunted, acting almost fatally wounded. He then pulled the gun out of his jacket and shot the demon twice in its chest. He looked towards the girl and found her already in action once again. The girl flipped the third demon over her head and dug the angel blade still in her possession deep into its body. Immediately she stood and ran towards her friend, towards the last demon, but seemed to be stopped by some invisible force. Cal stood, pistol raised and ready to fire before that same force knocked him against the wall and knocked him out. ||

[amonstrousphantom]

PERSONALITY TYPE

I ran Erik through a personality test, and this is so important to who she is as a character, I’m posting not only the results but what they mean.

These are the results Erik received from the 16Personalities Test, which can be found here and I encourage others who want further insight and/or a concise personality description to take this. It is very well done.

RESULTS

Read the rest of the information below the cut.

ARCHITECT PERSONALITY  [ INTJ, -A/-T ]

INTRODUCTION

“Thought constitutes the greatness of man. Man is a reed, the feeblest thing in nature, but he is a thinking reed.” –– BLAISE PASCAL

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, Architects know this all too well. Architects form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering. People with the Architect personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

Nothing Can Stop the Right Attitude From Achieving Its Goal

With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, Architects are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. Architect personalities enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” –– HARLAN ELLISON

A paradox to most observers, Architects are able to live by glaring contradictions that nonetheless make perfect sense – at least from a purely rational perspective. For example, Architects are simultaneously the most starry-eyed idealists and the bitterest of cynics, a seemingly impossible conflict. But this is because Architect personalities tend to believe that with effort, intelligence and consideration, nothing is impossible, while at the same time they believe that people are too lazy, short-sighted or self-serving to actually achieve those fantastic results. Yet that cynical view of reality is unlikely to stop an interested Architect from achieving a result they believe to be relevant.

In Matters Of Principle, Stand Like a Rock

Architects radiate self-confidence and an aura of mystery, and their insightful observations, original ideas and formidable logic enable them to push change through with sheer willpower and force of personality. At times it will seem that Architects are bent on deconstructing and rebuilding every idea and system they come into contact with, employing a sense of perfectionism and even morality to this work. Anyone who doesn’t have the talent to keep up with Architects’ processes, or worse yet, doesn’t see the point of them, is likely to immediately and permanently lose their respect.

Their solo approach allows Architect personalities to bypass the expectations of others and create their own interesting and novel ideas.

Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the Architect personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation, and if they see a way, Architects will often act unilaterally to enact their technically superior, sometimes insensitive, and almost always unorthodox methods and ideas.

This isn’t to be misunderstood as impulsiveness – Architects will strive to remain rational no matter how attractive the end goal may be, and every idea, whether generated internally or soaked in from the outside world, must pass the ruthless and ever-present “Is this going to work?” filter. This mechanism is applied at all times, to all things and all people, and this is often where Architect personalities run into trouble.

One Reflects More When Traveling Alone

Architects are brilliant and confident in bodies of knowledge they have taken the time to understand, but unfortunately the social contract is unlikely to be one of those subjects. White lies and small talk are hard enough as it is for a personality type that craves truth and depth, but Architects may go so far as to see many social conventions as downright stupid.

Ironically, it is often best for them to remain where they are comfortable – out of the spotlight – where the natural confidence prevalent in Architects as they work with the familiar can serve as its own beacon, attracting people, romantically or otherwise, of similar temperament and interests.

Architects are defined by their tendency to move through life as though it were a giant chess board, pieces constantly shifting with consideration and intelligence, always assessing new tactics, strategies and contingency plans, constantly outmaneuvering their peers in order to maintain control of a situation while maximizing their freedom to move about.

This isn’t meant to suggest that Architects act without conscience, but to many other types, Architects’ distaste for acting on emotion can make it seem that way, and it explains why many fictional villains (and misunderstood heroes) are modeled on this personality type.

STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

Architect Strengths

Quick, Imaginative and Strategic Mind – Architects pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge, and this shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Insatiably curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, Architects can see things from many perspectives. Architect personalities use their creativity and imagination not so much for artistry, but for planning contingencies and courses of action for all possible scenarios.

High Self-Confidence – Architects trust their rationalism above all else, so when they come to a conclusion, they have no reason to doubt their findings. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by perceived social roles or expectations. When Architects are right, they’re right, and no amount of politicking or hand-holding is going to change that fact – whether it’s correcting a person, a process, or themselves, they’d have it no other way.

Independent and Decisive – This creativity, logic and confidence come together to form individuals who stand on their own and take responsibility for their own actions. Authority figures do not impress Architects, nor do social conventions or tradition, and no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, Architects will stand against anyone they have to in a bid to have it changed. Either an idea is the most rational or it’s wrong, and people with the Architect personality type will apply this to their arguments as well as their own behavior, staying calm and detached from these sometimes emotionally charged conflicts. Architects will only be swayed by those who follow suit.

Hard-working and determined – If something piques their interest, Architect personalities can be astonishingly dedicated to their work, putting in long hours and intense effort to see an idea through. Architects are incredibly efficient, and if tasks meet the criteria of furthering a goal, they will find a way to consolidate and accomplish those tasks. However, this drive for efficiency can also lead to a sort of elaborate laziness, wherein Architects find ways to bypass seeming redundancies which don’t seem to require a great deal of thought – this can be risky, as sometimes double-checking one’s work is the standard for a reason.

Open-minded – All this rationalism leads to a very intellectually receptive personality type, as Architects stay open to new ideas, supported by logic, even if (and sometimes especially if) they prove Architects’ previous conceptions wrong. When presented with unfamiliar territory, such as alternate lifestyles, Architects tend to apply their receptiveness and independence, and aversion to rules and traditions, to these new ideas as well, resulting in fairly liberal social senses.

Jacks-of-all-Trades – Architects’ open-mindedness, determination, independence, confidence and strategic abilities create individuals who are capable of doing anything they set their minds to. Excelling at analyzing anything life throws their way, Architects are able to reverse-engineer the underlying methodology of almost any system and apply the concepts that are exposed wherever needed. Architects tend to have their pick of professions, from IT system designers to political masterminds.

Architect Weaknesses

Arrogant – Architect personalities are perfectly capable of carrying their confidence too far, falsely believing that they’ve resolved all the pertinent issues of a matter and closing themselves off to the opinions of those they believe to be intellectually inferior. Combined with their irreverence for social conventions, Architects can be brutally insensitive in making their opinions of others all too clear.

Judgmental – Architects tend to have complete confidence in their thought process, because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential, and a weak point for people with the Architect personality type is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical, dismissing them and considering their proponents to be stuck in some baser mode of thought, making it all but impossible to be heard.

Overly analytical – A recurring theme with Architects is their analytical prowess, but this strength can fall painfully short where logic doesn’t rule – such as with human relationships. When their critical minds and sometimes neurotic level of perfectionism (often the case with Turbulent Architects) are applied to other people, all but the steadiest of friends will likely need to make some distance, too often permanently.

Loathe highly structured environments – Blindly following precedents and rules without understanding them is distasteful to Architects, and they disdain even more authority figures who blindly uphold those laws and rules without understanding their intent. Anyone who prefers the status quo for its own sake, or who values stability and safety over self-determination, is likely to clash with Architect personalities. Whether it’s the law of the land or simple social convention, this aversion applies equally, often making life more difficult than it needs to be.

Clueless in romance – This antipathy to rules and tendency to over-analyze and be judgmental, even arrogant, all adds up to a personality type that is often clueless in dating. Having a new relationship last long enough for Architects to apply the full force of their analysis on their potential partner’s thought processes and behaviors can be challenging. Trying harder in the ways that Architects know best can only make things worse, and it’s unfortunately common for them to simply give up the search. Ironically, this is when they’re at their best, and most likely to attract a partner.

ROMANTIC RELATIONSHIPS

“Of all forms of caution, caution in love is perhaps the most fatal to true happiness.” –– BERTRAND RUSSELL

In romance, people with the Architect personality type approach things the way they do with most situations: they compose a series of calculated actions with a predicted and desirable end goal – a healthy long-term relationship. Rather than falling head over heels in a whirlwind of passion and romance, Architects identify potential partners who meet a certain range of pre-determined criteria, break the dating process down into a series of measurable milestones, then proceed to execute the plan with clinical precision.

In a purely rational world, this is a fool-proof methodology – but in reality, it ignores significant details that Architects are likely to dismiss prematurely, such as human nature. People with the Architect personality type are brilliantly intellectual, developing a world in their heads that is more perfect than reality. People entering this world need to fit this fantasy, and it can be incredibly difficult for Architects to find someone up to the task. Needless to say, finding a compatible partner is the most significant challenge most Architects will face in life.

Politeness Is Artificial Good Humor

Sentiment, tradition, and emotion are Architects’ Achilles Heel. Social standards like chivalry are viewed by Architect personalities as silly, even demeaning. The problem is, these standards have developed as a means of smoothing introductions and developing rapport, of managing expectations, the basis of personal relationships. Architects’ propensity for frank honesty in word and action tends to violate this social contract, making dating especially difficult for them.

The lesson Architects often learn is that the ways of love are hard to describe on a spreadsheet.

As they mature, Architects will come to recognize these factors as relevant, incorporating pace and emotional availability into their plans. But the meantime can be dangerous, especially for more Turbulent Architects – if they are shot down too many times they may come to the conclusion that everyone else is simply too irrational, or simply beneath them intellectually. If cynicism takes hold, Architect personalities may end up falling into the trap of intentionally displaying intellectual arrogance, making solitude their choice rather than happenstance.

Always Remain Cool

The positive side of Architects’ “giving up” is that they are most attractive when they aren’t trying to be attractive, working in a familiar environment where their confidence and intelligence can be seen in action. Allowing others to come to them is often Architects’ best strategy, and if they perceive a potential to the relationship, they will spare no effort in developing and maintaining stability and long-term satisfaction.

As their relationships develop, Architects’ partners will find an imaginative and enthusiastic companion, who will share their world and at the same time grant a huge degree of independence and trust. While people with the Architect personality type may never be fully comfortable expressing their feelings, and may spend more time theorizing about intimacy than engaging in it, they can always be relied upon to think out a mutually beneficial solution to any situation.

Architects seek strong, deep relationships, and trust their knowledge and logic to ensure that their partner is satisfied, both intellectually and physically.

But when it comes to emotional satisfaction, Architects are simply out of their element. Not every partner has the sort of fun Architects do in addressing conflicts and emotional needs as puzzles to be analyzed and solved. Sometimes emotions need to be expressed for their own sake, and putting every outburst under the microscope isn’t always helpful. If this becomes habit, or Architects think it may, these personalities are capable of simply ending the relationship, rather than dragging things out.

Truth and Morality

Architects are bewilderingly deep and intelligent people, bringing stability and insight into their romantic relationships. They prize honest, open communication, and all factors of the relationship are open to discussion and change, but this must be reciprocated. Architects do what they think is right, and sometimes that comes across as cold – it’s important to know that Architects don’t make these decisions lightly. They spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to understand why and how things go wrong, especially if they’ve devoted themselves to the relationship, and they certainly hurt deeply when things fall apart.

The challenge is finding partners who share those same values – though Intuitive (N) personality types are uncommon, they may be a must for many Architects, as sharing this trait creates an immediate sense of mutual belonging. Having one or two balancing personality traits, such as Extraversion (E), Feeling (F), or Prospecting (P) can help to keep a relationship dynamic and growth-oriented by keeping Architects involved with other people, in touch with their emotions, and open to alternate potentials.

FRIENDSHIPS

“A friend to all is a friend to none.” –– ARISTOTLE

People with the Architect personality type tend to have more success in developing friendships than they do with romantic relationships, but they none-the-less suffer from many of the same setbacks, substituting rational processes for emotional availability. This intellectual distance tends to go both ways, making Architects notoriously difficult to read and get to know, and making Architects not want to bother reading anyone they think isn’t on their level. Overcoming these hurdles is often all but impossible without the sort of instant connection made possible by sharing the Intuitive (N) personality trait.

No Person Will Complain for Want of Time Who Never Loses Any

Architects tend to have set opinions about what works, what doesn’t, what they’re looking for, and what they’re not. These discriminating tastes can come across as arrogant, but Architects would simply argue that it’s a basic filtering mechanism that allows them to direct their attentions where they will do the most good. The fact is that in friendship, people with the Architect personality type are looking for more of an intellectual soul mate than anything else, and those that aren’t prepared for that kind of relationship are simply boring. Architects need to share ideas – a self-feeding circle of gossip about mutual friends is no kind of social life for them.

Architects will keep up with just a few good friends, eschewing larger circles of acquaintances in favor of depth and quality.

Further, having more than just a few friends would compromise Architects’ sense of independence and self-sufficiency – they gladly give up social validation to ensure this freedom. Architects embrace this idea even with those who do fit into their social construct, requiring little attention or maintenance to remain on good terms, and encouraging that same independence in their friends.

When it comes to emotional support, Architect personalities are far from being a bastion of comfort. They actively suppress their own emotions with shields of rationality and logic, and expect their friends to do the same. When emotionally charged situations do come about, Architects may literally have no clue how to handle them appropriately, a glaring contrast from their usual capacity for decisive self-direction and composure.

But Friendship Is Precious

When they are in their comfort zone though, among people they know and respect, Architects have no trouble relaxing and enjoying themselves. Their sarcasm and dark humor are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who struggle to read between the lines, but they make for fantastic story-telling among those who can keep up. This more or less limits their pool of friends to fellow Analysts and Diplomat personality types, as Observant (S) types’ preference for more grounded and straightforward communication often simply leaves both parties frustrated.

It’s not easy to become good friends with Architects. Rather than traditional rules of social conduct or shared routine, Architects have exacting expectations for intellectual prowess, uncompromising honesty and a mutual desire to grow and learn as sovereign individuals. Architects are gifted, bright and development-oriented, and expect and encourage their friends to share this attitude. Anyone falling short of this will be labeled a bore – anyone meeting these expectations will appreciate these personalities of their own accord, forming a powerful and stimulating friendship that will stand the test of time.

PARENTHOOD

“Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.” –– MARGARET MEAD

Parenting, like so many other person-to-person relationships, is a significant challenge for people with the Architect personality type. Being so heavily invested in rational thought, logic, and analyzing cause and effect, Architects are often unprepared for dealing with someone who hasn’t developed these same abilities who they can’t simply walk away from. Luckily, Architects are uniquely capable of committing to a long-term project, especially one as meaningful as parenthood, with all the intellectual vigor they can muster.

I Hope Our Wisdom Will Grow With Our Power...

First and foremost, Architect parents will likely never be able to deliver the sort of warmth and coddling that stereotypes say they should. Architect personalities are rational, perfectionistic, often insensitive, and certainly not prone to overt displays of physical affection – it will take a clear and conscious effort on their part to curb and adapt these qualities to their children’s needs, especially in the younger years. If they have an especially sensitive child, Architects risk inadvertently trampling those sensitivities or coming across as cold and uncaring.

Even less sensitive children will need emotional support from time to time, especially as they approach adolescence – Architects, even more so than other Analyst types, struggle to manage their own emotions in a healthy way, let alone others’. As a result, Architects tend to avoid “unproductive” emotional support, instead taking a solutions-based approach to resolving issues. This is where Architect personalities are strongest – assessing a dilemma to find the underlying cause and developing a plan to solve the problem at its source.

Architect parents don’t just tell their children what to do, though – they prompt them, make them use their own minds so they arrive at the same conclusions, or better ones still.

Architects also recognize that life is often the best teacher, and they will tend to be fairly liberal, allowing their children to have their own adventures and make their own decisions, further developing these critical thinking skills. This isn’t to say that Architects parents are lenient – far from it – rather, they expect their children to use their freedom responsibly, and often enough the weight of this expectation alone is enough to lay out understood ground rules.

When they need to though, Architect parents will communicate openly and honestly with their children, believing that knowing the truth is better than not knowing, or worse yet, simply being wrong.

...And Teach Us That the Less We Use Our Power, the Greater It Will Be

If their children are receptive to this approach, Architect parents will find themselves respected and trusted. Architect personalities are excellent communicators when they want to be, and will frame problems as opportunities for personal growth, helping their children to establish their own brand of rational thinking and independent problem-solving skills to be applied to more and more complex situations as they grow, building their confidence as they make their own way. Architects’ ultimate goal as a parent is to ensure that their children are prepared to deal with whatever life throws their way.

All this is the exertion of Architects’ core philosophy of intelligent self-direction, and in this way these personalities try to mold their children in their own image, working to create capable adults who can go on to use their own minds, solve their own problems, and help their own children in the same way when the time comes. Architects understand that this can’t happen if they shield their children from every source of ill and harm, but believe that if they give their children the right tools, they won’t have to.

CAREERS

“Don't worry about being effective. Just concentrate on being faithful to the truth.” –– DOROTHY DAY

Professional competence is often the area in which Architects shine most brilliantly. Their capacity for digesting difficult and complex theories and principles and converting them into clear and actionable ideas and strategies is unmatched by any other personality type.

Architects are able to filter out the noise of a situation, identifying the core thread that needs to be pulled in order to unravel others’ messes so that they can be rewoven into something at once beautifully intricate and stunningly simple in its function. Architect personalities will often find ways to automate routine and mind-numbing tasks, and as they progress, their natural confidence, dedication, and creative intelligence will open the doors to the increased complexity and freedom they crave.

The real challenge for Architects is that in order for their innovative (and to less insightful individuals, seemingly counter-intuitive) ideas to be heard, they need to have a friendly ear to bend, and developing an amiable rapport with authority figures is not exactly in Architects’ list of core strengths. In their early careers, Architects will often have to suffer through menial tasks and repeated rejections as they develop their abilities into a skillset that speaks for itself.

Where’s My Drawing Board?

People with the Architect personality type tend to prefer to work alone, or at most in small groups, where they can maximize their creativity and focus without repeated interruptions from questioning colleagues and meetings-happy supervisors. For this reason Architects are unlikely to be found in strictly administrative roles or anything that requires constant dialogue and heavy teamwork. Rather, Architects prefer more “lone wolf” positions as mechanical or software engineers, lawyers or freelance consultants, only accepting competent leadership that helps in these goals, and rejecting the authority of those who hold them back.

Their independent attitude and tireless demand for competence mean that Architect personalities absolutely loathe those who get ahead by seemingly less meritocratic means like social prowess and political connections. Architects have exceptionally high standards, and if they view a colleague or supervisor as incompetent or ineffective, respect will be lost instantly and permanently.

Architects value personal initiative, determination, insight and dedication, and believe that everyone should complete their work to the highest possible standards – if a schmoozing shill breezes through without carrying their own weight, they may find Architects’ inventiveness and determination used in a whole new capacity as the winds turn against them.

Timid Men Prefer the Calm

As their careers progress further and their reputation grows, so will the complexity of Architects’ tasks and projects. Architect personalities demand progress and evolution, new challenges and theories, and they often accomplish this by pushing into more active strategic positions. While they don’t care for the spotlight, Architects do enjoy controlling their ideas, and will often expand into low-profile but influential roles as project managers, system engineers, marketing strategists, systems analysts, and military strategists.

Architects view a combination of intelligent approach and hard work as the road to excellence.

But really, Architects’ vision, creativity, and competence in executing their plans make these personalities viable in just about any career that requires them to think about what they’re doing. While some careers, such as low-level sales and human resources, clearly do not play to their strengths, Architects are able to build a niche into just about any institution, including their own, that they put their minds to.

WORKPLACE HABITS

Above all else, Architects want to be able to tackle intellectually interesting work with minimal outside interference, no more, no less. Time-consuming management techniques like trust-building getaways, progress meetings, and drawn-out, sandwiched criticisms are only going to annoy Architects – all they need, be they subordinate, colleague, or manager, is to meet their goals with the highest standard of technical excellence and to be surrounded by, if anyone at all, people who share those values.

On paper this makes them appear to be exemplary employees, and in many ways they are, but there are many personality types who will find a work (or any other) relationship with Architects extremely challenging. Architects have a fairly strict code of conduct when it comes to their work, and if they see coworkers valuing social activities and “good enough” workmanship over absolute excellence, it will be a turbulent environment. For this reason, Architects tend to prefer to work in tight, like-minded groups – a group of one, if necessary.

Architect Subordinates

Architect personalities are independent people, and they quickly become frustrated if they find themselves pushed into tightly defined roles that limit their freedom. With the direction of a properly liberal manager, Architects will establish themselves in a position of expertise, completing their work not with the ambition of managerial promotion, but for its own intrinsic merit. Architects require and appreciate firm, logical managers who are able to direct efforts with competence, deliver criticism when necessary, and back up those decisions with sound reason.

Note that it is Architects’ expectations of their managers that are being defined here, and not the other way around, as with some other personality types. Titles mean little to Architects – trust and respect are earned, and Architects expect this to be a two way street, receiving and delivering advice, criticisms and results. Architects expect their managers to be intelligent enough and strong enough to be able to handle this paradigm. A silent Architect conveys a lack of respect better than all their challenges ever will.

Architect Colleagues

Active teamwork is not ideal for people with the Architect personality type. Fiercely independent and private, Architects use their nimble minds and insight to deflect personal talk, avoid workplace tension, and create situations where they aren’t slowed down by those less intelligent, less capable, or less adaptable to more efficient methods. Instead, they will likely poke fun by forcing them to read between the lines and making them deal alone with work that could have been easier if they’d only taken Architects’ suggestions.

Architects are brilliant analysts, and will likely gather a small handful of trusted colleagues to involve in their brainstorming sessions, excluding those who get too hung up on details, or who otherwise have yet to earn their respect. But more likely, Architects will simply take the initiative alone – Architects love embracing challenges and their consequent responsibilities, and their perfectionism and determination usually mean that the work comes out clean and effective, affording people with the Architect personality type the twin joys of solitude and victory.

Architect Managers

Though they may be surprised to hear it, Architect personalities make natural leaders, and this shows in their management style. Architects value innovation and effectiveness more than just about any other quality, and they will gladly cast aside hierarchy, protocol and even their own beliefs if they are presented with rational arguments about why things should change.

Architects promote freedom and flexibility in the workplace, preferring to engage their subordinates as equals, respecting and rewarding initiative and adopting an attitude of “to the best mind go the responsibilities”, directing strategy while more capable hands manage the day-to-day tactics.

But this sort of freedom isn’t just granted, it’s required – those who are accustomed to just being told what to do, who are unable to direct themselves and challenge existing notions, will have a hard time meeting Architects’ extremely high standards. Efficiency and results are king to Architect personalities, and behaviors that undermine these conditions are quashed mercilessly. If subordinates try to compensate for their weakness in these areas by trying to build a social relationship with their Architect managers, on their heads be it – office gossip and schmoozing are not the way into Architects’ hearts – only bold competence will do.

CONCLUSION

“No escape from patterns and systems, no exits. Nothing, and no one, resides outside a system; that’s the way it is.” –– LYNNE TILLMAN

Armed with a powerful intellect and strategic thinking, Architects can overcome or outmaneuver obstacles that seem unbeatable to most. At the same time, their many quirks, such as often unconstrained rationalism, lead to many misunderstandings. Those misunderstandings end here. What you have read so far is just an introduction – we have a great deal more to tell you about the Architect personality type.

At some point in reading through your results, you probably hit a tipping point. You went from trademark Architect skepticism to “huh...” to “wait, what?” You may even be a little uncomfortable because you are really not used to being understood, even by the people you’re closest to.

Chances are, you’ve accepted that as part of who you are, and maybe even grown proud of it. But embracing that disconnection isn’t a requirement for Architects. It’s a misused defense mechanism, leading you down a lonely, inefficient path – gaining insight into yourself and others is so much more rewarding.

[karralkingston-blog]

Answers To The Top 5 Questions About

If you are reading this you are probably considering filing Bankruptcy. Bankruptcy is a tough decision to make and it is important to understand that filing bankruptcy is a tool that can be used to help people. Many times people who file bankruptcy are upset that they are in this position. Unfortunately, no one can predict what happens in life and sometimes unforeseen curveballs are thrown your way. Although, it may be upsetting filing bankruptcy can help you start over. The decision to file bankruptcy should be looked at as a way of relief rather than the end of your life. Many people who file bankruptcy are able to get back on their feet and enjoy life again without the constant harassment by creditors. Bankruptcy allows garnishments to stop, levies to be lifted and judgments to be erased. It also allows people to begin building up their credit immediately. Sometimes asking for help is the best way to be able to begin living your life again. Below, I will go through some of the top things to know about filing bankruptcy. 1. What is Bankruptcy? Bankruptcy allows people to get rid of their debt with the help of laws enacted by the Federal Government. There are different types of bankruptcy but the two I will talk about here are Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy which deals with consumers. In a chapter 7 your debts become part of the bankruptcy estate. This means that in a chapter 7 you are able to get a discharge of your debt therefore, you do not have to pay the debts back. Unfortunately, not everyone can file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy, and get their debts wiped out completely. If you generate too much income, have too many assets, or have filed previously then you will not qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. In order to file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, the court first looks to see if you are below the median household income level. The court uses a test called “The Means Test.” Different states such as New York and New Jersey have different median incomes which means the Means Test is different per state. The court uses this test to determine whether you qualify for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy. In order to qualify for Bankruptcy under the means test, the court takes your average household income for the last 6 months and compares it to the standard median income for a household of the same comparable size in that state. It is important to note that social security payments are not included in calculating The Means Test. An individual can only file for a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy every 8 years. A person who has filed a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy in the past must wait eight years before filing again.Many people prefer to file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy because your debt gets completely wiped out. Further, many people are under the misguided impression that filing for Chapter 7 Bankruptcy means that you won’t be able to keep any of your assets. This is completely false. There are Federal and State exemptions which allow debtors who file a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy to sometimes keep their property if they fall within the exemptions.Unlike a Chapter 7 Bankruptcy where assets are liquidated and the debt is discharged, a second method of bankruptcy involves Reorganization. Reorganization is a method in which you can communicate to the court how much you intend to pay your creditors to clear your debts.This is also known as filing for a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. Unlike Chapter 7 Bankruptcy, with aChapter 13 you pay back your creditors over a 3-5 year plan. One of the reasons people enter into a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is because they generate too much income or have too many assets. The monthly payment plan in a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is determined by adding up your outstanding debt to secured creditors. One advantage of choosing a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy is that all of your debts will be paid back interest free. Another advantage of a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy offers individuals an opportunity for individuals with too much equity to save their homes from foreclosure. By filing a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy individuals can stop foreclosure proceedings and may cure delinquent mortgage payments over time. Under the Bankruptcy Laws, any individual, even if self-employed or operating an unincorporated business, is eligible for Chapter 13 relief. The Bankruptcy law permits the filing of a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy as long as the individual’s unsecured debts are less than $394,725 and secured debts are less than $1,184,200. 11 U.S.C. § 109(e). These amounts are adjusted periodically . It is important to note that a corporation or partnership may not file a Chapter 13 Bankruptcy. 2. How Much Does it Cost to File Bankruptcy With a Lawyer? Lawyers fees to file bankruptcy vary. When a lawyer prices a bankruptcy they usually look at various variables that go into a case. Some of these variables included how much debt you have, the type of debt you have, if you own property, if there is equity in the property, how much you make etc. A typical chapter 7 case in New York/ New Jersey can be anywhere from $1200-2500  while a chapter 13 bankruptcy usually ranges anywhere from $4000 and up. One important difference when it comes to fees associated with a chapter 7 bankruptcy vs a chapter 13 plan is that lawyers usually collect their bankruptcy fees up front in a Chapter 7 case. This is because when you file a chapter 7 bankruptcy case lawyers are not allowed to ask for their fees because then they become a creditor which is prohibited. On the other hand in a chapter 13 bankruptcy case lawyers will usually collect a fee up front and put the rest of the money into your payment plan. Thus, even though you are not paying them all of the fees up front you will be paying them in the plan. Another thing to note is that just because an attorney charges less fees than the rest does not mean that you should use them. Remember you get what you pay for. 3. How Do I Choose a Bankruptcy Lawyer? Choosing a bankruptcy lawyer can be a difficult decision. It is important that when you choose a bankruptcy lawyer you choose someone who you feel comfortable with. It is important to remember that you are hiring the lawyer to work for you and if you are not comfortable with the bankruptcy lawyer then do not hire them. A lawyer and a client must form a good relationship in order to work together when you are filing bankruptcy. If you feel that your lawyer is not a good fit for you then go with your gut instinct and hire someone else.   Many times people can refer you to a good bankruptcy lawyer or you can even go on google and check out reviews. If fees are a consideration when you are thinking about filing bankruptcy then it is important to do some research. One thing I cannot stress enough is that just because a bankruptcy lawyer may be much cheaper than another one it does not mean that you should go with them. Some bankruptcy lawyers charge less because they have thousands of cases. Many times these firms won’t give you the individualized attention that you want. Moreover, bigger firms sometimes practice different areas of law thus, you may not get the best bankruptcy advice if you choose them rather than a law firm that specializes in bankruptcy. Thus, when considering filing bankruptcy it is best to find a lawyer who specializes in it to ensure you are getting sound advice. A small bankruptcy law firm may be a better fit if you are the type of person who likes to speak with your attorney often and not just their support staff. Smaller law firms are usually more capable of giving individualized attention since they do not have as many clients. Needless to say whether you decide to go with a larger firm or a smaller bankruptcy law firm it is all about your preference. 4. Do  You Have to Have an Attorney to File Bankruptcy? Many times people wonder if they have to have an attorney to file bankruptcy. Although, you do not have to have an attorney to file bankruptcy I strongly recommend that you do not file bankruptcy without at least speaking with a bankruptcy attorney first. Filing bankruptcy is not something to take lightly. When you file a bankruptcy petition you must list all of your debts and assets and if, for any reason you fail to list any of your assets it can be seen as bankruptcy fraud which is a federal crime. Moreover, bankruptcy attorneys can help you determine which of your property is exempt and which property is unexempt. These exemption laws can be complicated for someone who does not understand them. The reason why exemption laws are so important is because if you do not use the right bankruptcy exemptions the trustee can take your property and sell it to pay off your creditors. A good bankruptcy attorney will be able to determine which of your property is exempt which can also be the determining factor as to what chapter of bankruptcy you should file for. 5. Is it better to file Chapter 7 or 13? If you are wondering whether or not it is better to file a Chapter 7 bankruptcy or a Chapter 13 bankruptcy then it is probably best to speak with an attorney. Although, people assume that filing a Chapter 13 bankruptcy may be better because they are paying their creditors back this is not necessarily true. No matter whether you file a chapter 13 bankruptcy or a chapter 7 bankruptcy both show up on your credit report. Moreover, each have their own advantages and disadvantages. I normally tell my clients that if they qualify for a chapter 7 bankruptcy  then they should file a chapter 7 (assuming there are no other issues with their house being in foreclosure etc).  If you file a chapter 7 bankruptcy the process is much quicker and you do not have to pay the debt back. This allows you to begin rebuilding your credit immediately and begin putting money aside. A chapter 13 bankruptcy may be better for someone who is facing foreclosure on their home or wants to try to get a loan modification. Many times clients come to the office and say that they want to do a chapter 13 bankruptcy  because they want to pay back their creditors because it is the right thing to do. They also think that doing a chapter 13 will allow creditors to look at them in a more favorable light since they are paying them back but this just simply is not true. Chapter 7 allows you to begin building up your credit more rapidly. Thus, creditors are more likely to start lending you credit. When creditors are determining whether they want to extend credit to you they normally want to know if your bankruptcy has been finished. In a chapter 7 since it only take a few months to obtain a discharge creditors will normally start sending credit cards immediately. Moreover, creditors are aware that people who file chapter 7 bankruptcy now have no debt at all thus, they are more likely to be able to make minimum payments. On the other hand, in a chapter 13 bankruptcy you are in bankruptcy for five years. Thus, creditors likely are not going to lend you credit while you are in bankruptcy. Further, during those five years you still are carrying around debt thus, creditors may be more hesitant to extend any type of credit to you. It is important to understand that whether you decide to file a chapter 13 bankruptcy or a chapter 7 bankruptcy you must qualify for each. If you are unsure which chapter of bankruptcy is right for you it is important to speak with an experienced bankruptcy attorney so that they can go through your case and determine which bankruptcy option is best for you.   Karra L. Kingston and William P. Bonomo are both experienced bankruptcy attorneys in New York and New Jersey. If you are looking for a bankruptcy attorney that can assess your situation give them a call today. The consultation is free and they are more than happy to speak to you over the phone to go over your options.   Read the full article

[mbtizone]

Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter): ESTJ

Dominant Extroverted Thinking [Te]: Umbridge loves rules and regulations and she enjoys enforcing them just as much as she likes creating them. She wants to be in control of her environment. If somebody breaks a rule, she will sentence the offender in whatever way she sees fit. Umbridge dislikes when students and co-workers challenge her authority. Her methods are not to be questioned or argued with. What she says goes. When Umbridge explains something, she does so in a direct, concise manner. Umbridge is fiercely ambitious and hungry for power. She has no trouble working her way up within a system. Umbridge began her career as an intern in the Improper Use of Magic department at the Ministry. By the time she was 30, she had already been promoted to Head of the office. From there, she went on to even higher positions in the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. Umbridge is ruthless and does whatever it takes to get ahead.

Auxiliary Introverted Sensing [Si]: When Umbridge needs to reference a decree, she can recite it word for word, and she often uses her extensive knowledge of the rules to defend her actions. The students don’t need to practice what they learn. Reading about how to defend themselves is quite enough! She refuses to accept that Voldemort has returned because she has no evidence of it. Umbridge looks down on anything non-traditional and has a number of prejudices against people who don’t align with her perception of what is “normal.” She loathes half-breeds because she doesn’t like anything different. Umbridge hates when people don’t embody her rigid standards, and will either belittle the professors at Hogwarts for their unorthodox methods, or get them sacked. Umbridge disliked school because she wasn’t given a position of responsibility, and so she enjoyed having the opportunity to throw her weight around once she finally found herself in a situation where she could control those around her.

Tertiary Extroverted Intuition [Ne]: When it comes to thinking of rules, Umbridge has all of her bases covered. She can think of a rule for everything. When the “traditional” methods don’t yield her desired results, Umbridge will think outside the box (or the law) and come up with new ways of getting what she wants. However, she has a fairly closed mind and refuses to believe that Voldemort has returned. She has a fear of the unknown… the different… the strange. Her preference for the conventional causes her to reject anything unfamiliar. Her Ne allows her to think up different scenarios about what’s going on at Hogwarts and she thinks of ways to keep students in check beyond the creation of rules and regulations, including harsh punishments (such as her creation and utilization of the Black Punishment Quill) and the creation of the Inquisitorial Squad.

Inferior Introverted Feeling [Fi]: Because she is such a stickler for the rules, Umbridge has a strong sense of what is “right” and what isn’t. Those who disobey the rules must be punished. She becomes agitated when people think independently. She is extremely judgmental and believes that her way is the only way. She neglects morality in favor of authority and control. She shows no compassion, remorse, or warmth whatsoever and cares only about advancing her own goals.

Note: This typing is based on the book, the movie, and J.K. Rowling’s writings about Umbridge on Pottermore.

Enneagram: 1w2 So/Sp

Quotes:

[Umbridge, Hermione and Harry see a group of centaurs staring at them] Dolores Umbridge: [backs away] You have no business here, centaur! This is a ministry matter. [the centaurs ready their bows and arrows] Dolores Umbridge: Lower your weapons! I warn you: under the law as creatures of near-human intelligence… [one centaur fires his arrow at her] Dolores Umbridge:[blocks it with her wand] Protego! How dare you, you filthy half-breed! Incarcerus! [Umbridge’s spell takes a rope and chokes one centaur, making it writhe from the rope’s grip, Hermione tries to help him] Hermione Granger: [gasps] Please! Please, stop it! Please! Dolores Umbridge: NO, ENOUGH! I WILL have order! [Umbridge suddenly screams as Grawp picks her up, all the centaurs yell and approach Grawp] Dolores Umbridge:[to Grawp] YOU FILTHY ANIMAL! DO YOU KNOW WHO I AM! Hermione Granger:[runs to the centaurs] Leave him alone! It’s not his fault! [Harry takes Hermione away from them] Hermione Granger: No, he doesn’t understand! [the centaurs fires their arrows making Grawp release Umbridge] Dolores Umbridge:[as the centaurs take her] Potter, do something – tell them I mean no harm! Harry Potter: I’m sorry, Professor… but I must not tell lies. Dolores Umbridge: [gets taken away] What are you doing! I am senior undersecretary Dolores Jane Umbridge! LET… ME… GOOOOOOOOOOO! [Harry and Hermione look up and Grawp in gratitude] Hermione Granger: Thank you, Grawp.

Dolores Umbridge: [to Harry] As I told you, Mr. Potter, naughty children deserve to be punished.

Sybil Trelawney: 16 years I’ve lived and taught here! Hogwarts is my home! You can’t do this! Dolores Umbridge: Actually, I can. [McGonagall arrives and tries to comfort Trelawney] Dolores Umbridge: [to McGonagall] Something you’d like to say, dear? Minerva McGonagall: Oh, there are several things I would like to say! [Dumbledore arrives] Albus Dumbledore: Professor McGonagall, might I ask you to escort Sybil back inside? Minerva McGonagall: [to Trelawney] Sybil, dear, this way. Sybil Trelawney: [shakes Dumbledore’s hand] Oh, thank you! Thank you! Dolores Umbridge: Dumbledore, may I remind you that under the terms of Educational Decree #23, as enacted by the Minister… Albus Dumbledore: You have the right to dismiss my teachers. You do not, however, have the authority to banish them from the grounds. That power remains with the headmaster. Dolores Umbridge: For now.

Dolores Umbridge: [over P.A] Boys and girls are not to be within eight inches of each other.

Dolores Umbridge: [after Snape leaves] Very well. You give me no choice, Potter. As this is an issue of Ministry security, you leave me with no alternative. The Cruciatus Curse ought to loosen your tongue. Hermione Granger: [glaring at Umbridge] That’s illegal! Dolores Umbridge: [putting a picture of Cornelius Fudge on her desk face down] What Cornelius doesn’t know won’t hurt him.

Dolores Umbridge: Let me make this quite plain. You have been told that a certain Dark Wizard is at large once again. This is a lie. Harry Potter: It’s not a lie! I saw him. I fought him. Dolores Umbridge: [shouting] Detention, Mr. Potter! Harry Potter: So according to you, Cedric Diggory dropped dead OF HIS OWN ACCORD. Dolores Umbridge: Cedric Diggory’s death was a tragic accident. Harry Potter: [angrily] It was murder! Voldemort killed him! You must know that! Dolores Umbridge: [shouting] Enough!

Dolores Umbridge: [Harry has come in to do his detention] You’re going to be doing some lines for me, Mr. Potter. [Potter opens his bag for his quill but Umbridge stops him] Dolores Umbridge: No, not with your quill. You’re going to be using a rather special one of mine. Now, I want you to write “I must not tell lies.” Harry Potter: How many times? Dolores Umbridge: Let’s see… As long as it takes for the message to sink in. Harry Potter: You haven’t given me any ink. Dolores Umbridge: Oh, you won’t need any ink.

Dolores Umbridge: Pardon me, Professor, but what exactly are you insinuating? Minerva McGonagall: I am merely requesting that when it comes to my students you conform to the prescribed disciplinary practices. Dolores Umbridge: So silly of me, but it sounds as if you’re questioning my authority in my own classroom, Minerva. Minerva McGonagall: Not at all, Dolores, merely your medieval methods. Dolores Umbridge: I am sorry, dear, but to question my practices is to question the Ministry, and by extension, the Minister himself. I am a tolerant woman, but the one thing I will not stand for is disloyalty. Minerva McGonagall: Disloyalty? Dolores Umbridge: Things at Hogwarts are far worse than I feared.

Dolores Umbridge: Your previous instruction in this subject has been disturbingly uneven. But you will be pleased to know from now on, you will be following a carefully structured, Ministry-approved course of defensive magic. Yes? Hermione Granger: There’s nothing in here about using defensive spells. Dolores Umbridge: Using spells? Ha ha! Well I can’t imagine why you would need to use spells in my classroom. Ron Weasley: We’re not gonna use magic? Dolores Umbridge: You will be learning about defensive spells in a secure, risk-free way. Harry Potter: Well, what use is that? If we’re gonna be attacked it won’t be risk-free. Dolores Umbridge: Students will raise their hands when they speak in my class.[pauses] It is the view of the Ministry that a theoretical knowledge will be sufficient to get you through your examinations, which after all, is what school is all about. Harry Potter: And how is theory supposed to prepare us for what’s out there? Dolores Umbridge: There is nothing out there, dear! Who do you imagine would want to attack children like yourself? Harry Potter: I don’t know, maybe, Lord Voldemort!

Dolores Umbridge: Progress for the sake of progress must be discouraged.

Dolores Umbridge: Using defensive spells? Why, I can’t imagine any situation arising in my classroom that would require you to use a defensive spell, Miss Granger. You surely aren’t expecting to be attacked during class?

Dolores Umbridge (Harry Potter): ESTJ was originally published on MBTI Zone

[moxiepoints]

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator - INTJ Profile - Gong Minzy

INTJ Have original minds and great drive for implementing their ideas and achieving their goals. Quickly see patterns in external events and develop long-range explanatory perspectives. When committed, organize a job and carry it through. Skeptical and independent, have high standards of competence and performance - for themselves and others.

INTJ PERSONALITY (“THE ARCHITECT”)

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, INTJs know this all too well. INTJs form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering. People with the INTJ personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, INTJs are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. INTJs enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but owing to their Intuitive (N) and Judging (J) traits, they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” Harlan Ellison A paradox to most observers, INTJs are able to live by glaring contradictions that nonetheless make perfect sense – at least from a purely rational perspective. For example, INTJs are simultaneously the most starry-eyed idealists and the bitterest of cynics, a seemingly impossible conflict. But this is because INTJ types tend to believe that with effort, intelligence and consideration, nothing is impossible, while at the same time they believe that people are too lazy, short-sighted or self-serving to actually achieve those fantastic results. Yet that cynical view of reality is unlikely to stop an interested INTJ from achieving a result they believe to be relevant.

INTJs radiate self-confidence and an aura of mystery, and their insightful observations, original ideas and formidable logic enable them to push change through with sheer willpower and force of personality. At times it will seem that INTJs are bent on deconstructing and rebuilding every idea and system they come into contact with, employing a sense of perfectionism and even morality to this work. Anyone who doesn’t have the talent to keep up with INTJs’ processes, or worse yet, doesn’t see the point of them, is likely to immediately and permanently lose their respect.

Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the INTJ personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation, and if they see a way, INTJs will often act unilaterally to enact their technically superior, sometimes insensitive, and almost always unorthodox methods and ideas. This isn’t to be misunderstood as impulsiveness – INTJs will strive to remain rational no matter how attractive the end goal may be, and every idea, whether generated internally or soaked in from the outside world, must pass the ruthless and ever-present “Is this going to work?” filter. This mechanism is applied at all times, to all things and all people, and this is often where INTJ personality types run into trouble.

One Reflects More When Traveling Alone

INTJs are brilliant and confident in bodies of knowledge they have taken the time to understand, but unfortunately the social contract is unlikely to be one of those subjects. White lies and small talk are hard enough as it is for a type that craves truth and depth, but INTJs may go so far as to see many social conventions as downright stupid. Ironically, it is often best for them to remain where they are comfortable – out of the spotlight – where the natural confidence prevalent in INTJs as they work with the familiar can serve as its own beacon, attracting people, romantically or otherwise, of similar temperament and interests.

INTJs are defined by their tendency to move through life as though it were a giant chess board, pieces constantly shifting with consideration and intelligence, always assessing new tactics, strategies and contingency plans, constantly outmaneuvering their peers in order to maintain control of a situation while maximizing their freedom to move about. This isn’t meant to suggest that INTJs act without conscience, but to many Feeling (F) types, INTJs’ distaste for acting on emotion can make it seem that way, and it explains why many fictional villains (and misunderstood heroes) are modeled on this personality type.

INTJ STRENGTHS AND WEAKNESSES

INTJ strengths Quick, Imaginative and Strategic Mind – INTJs pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge, and this shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Insatiably curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, INTJs can see things from many perspectives. INTJs use their creativity and imagination not so much for artistry, but for planning contingencies and courses of action for all possible scenarios. High Self-Confidence – INTJs trust their rationalism above all else, so when they come to a conclusion, they have no reason to doubt their findings. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by perceived social roles or expectations. When INTJs are right, they’re right, and no amount of politicking or hand-holding is going to change that fact – whether it’s correcting a person, a process, or themselves, they’d have it no other way. Independent and Decisive – This creativity, logic and confidence come together to form individuals who stand on their own and take responsibility for their own actions. Authority figures do not impress INTJs, nor do social conventions or tradition, and no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, INTJs will stand against anyone they have to in a bid to have it changed. Either an idea is the most rational or it’s wrong, and INTJs will apply this to their arguments as well as their own behavior, staying calm and detached from these sometimes emotionally charged conflicts. INTJs will only be swayed by those who follow suit. Hard-working and determined – If something piques their interest, INTJs can be astonishingly dedicated to their work, putting in long hours and intense effort to see an idea through. INTJs are incredibly efficient, and if tasks meet the criteria of furthering a goal, they will find a way to consolidate and accomplish those tasks. However, this drive for efficiency can also lead to a sort of elaborate laziness, wherein INTJs find ways to bypass seeming redundancies which don’t seem to require a great deal of thought – this can be risky, as sometimes double-checking one’s work is the standard for a reason. Open-minded – All this rationalism leads to a very intellectually receptive personality type, as INTJs stay open to new ideas, supported by logic, even if (and sometimes especially if) they prove INTJs’ previous conceptions wrong. When presented with unfamiliar territory, such as alternate lifestyles, INTJs tend to apply their receptiveness and independence, and aversion to rules and traditions, to these new ideas as well, resulting in fairly liberal social senses. Jacks-of-all-Trades – INTJs’ open-mindedness, determination, independence, confidence and strategic abilities create individuals who are capable of doing anything they set their minds to. Excelling at analyzing anything life throws their way, INTJs are able to reverse-engineer the underlying methodology of almost any system and apply the concepts that are exposed wherever needed. INTJs tend to have their pick of professions, from IT architects to political masterminds.

INTJ weaknesses Arrogant – INTJs are perfectly capable of carrying their confidence too far, falsely believing that they’ve resolved all the pertinent issues of a matter and closing themselves off to the opinions of those they believe to be intellectually inferior. Combined with their irreverence for social conventions, INTJs can be brutally insensitive in making their opinions of others all too clear. Judgmental – INTJs tend to have complete confidence in their thought process, because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential, and a weak point for INTJs is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical, dismissing them and considering their proponents to be stuck in some baser mode of thought, making it all but impossible to be heard. Overly analytical – A recurring theme with INTJs is their analytical prowess, but this strength can fall painfully short where logic doesn’t rule – such as with human relationships. When their critical minds and sometimes neurotic level of perfectionism (often the case with Turbulent INTJs) are applied to other people, all but the steadiest of friends will likely need to make some distance, too often permanently. Loathe highly structured environments – Blindly following precedents and rules without understanding them is distasteful to INTJs, and they disdain even more authority figures who blindly uphold those laws and rules without understanding their intent. Anyone who prefers the status quo for its own sake, or who values stability and safety over self-determination, is likely to clash with INTJ personality types. Whether it’s the law of the land or simple social convention, this aversion applies equally, often making life more difficult than it needs to be. Clueless in romance – This antipathy to rules and tendency to over-analyze and be judgmental, even arrogant, all adds up to a personality type that is often clueless in dating. Having a new relationship last long enough for INTJs to apply the full force of their analysis on their potential partner’s thought processes and behaviors can be challenging. Trying harder in the ways that INTJs know best can only make things worse, and it’s unfortunately common for them to simply give up the search. Ironically, this is when they’re at their best, and most likely to attract a partner.

INTJ PERSONALITY

INTJs are defined by their confidence, logic, and exceptional decision-making, but all of this hides a turbulent underbelly – their emotions. The very notion of emotional expression is synonymous with irrationality and weakness to many INTJs, a display of poor self-governance and fleeting opinion that can hardly stand up to the enduring light of factual truth.

This mistrust of emotions is understandable, as Feeling (F) is the most weakly developed trait for INTJs – like any complex tool, skilled hands can use it to remarkable effect, while untrained hands make clumsy and dangerous work. People with the INTJ personality type take pride in remaining rational and logical at all times, considering honesty and straightforward information to be paramount to euphemisms and platitudes in almost all circumstances. In many ways though, these qualities of coolness and detachment aren’t the weapons of truth that they appear to be, but are instead shields designed to protect the inner emotions that INTJs feel. In fact, because their emotions are such an underdeveloped tool, INTJs often feel them more strongly than many overtly emotional types because they simply haven’t learned how to control them effectively.

This is a challenging paradigm for INTJs to manage, especially younger and more Turbulent types who are already less confident than they would like to appear. These feelings are contrary to INTJs’ idea of themselves as paragons of logic and knowledge, and they may go so far as to claim they have no emotions at all. This does not mean that people with the INTJ personality type should be seen as, nor should they aspire to be, cold-blooded and insensitive geniuses living by the mantra that emotions are for the weak. INTJs must understand that this isn’t the case, and isn’t ever going to be.

More mature and Assertive INTJs find more useful ways to manage their feelings. While they will never be comfortable with a truly public display of emotions, INTJs can learn to use them, to channel them alongside their logic to help them achieve their goals. While seemingly contradictory, this can be done in several ways.

Firstly, INTJs are goal-oriented, with long-term ideas founded on sound logic. When something does cause an emotional reaction, good or bad, that energy can be used to further those goals, aiding rational and pre-determined plans. Secondly, emotions are figurative canaries in the coal mine, indicating that something is off even though logic can’t see it yet. These feelings can help INTJs to use their logic to ask questions they may not have thought to ask. “This is upsetting. Why? What can be done to resolve it?”

Question With Boldness

In this way, emotions are not INTJs’ way of addressing a decision, but rather an indication that a decision needs to be addressed. INTJ personalities’ Thinking (T) trait acts as a protective big brother to their Feeling (F) trait – seeing that something has upset the less able sibling, it steps in to take action, letting logic do the talking and resolving the condition rather than complaining about its consequences.

There comes a time though, when logic is simply the wrong tool for the job, when there just isn’t a rational solution to a problem, and it is in these situations that INTJs must use their Feeling (F) trait most clearly. INTJs would do well to practice this from time to time, or at least be aware of it, because however they may try, it is impossible to truly separate emotion from the decision-making process. The fact is that INTJs do feel, and deeply, and this makes them better, not worse.

INTJ RELATIONSHIPS

In romance, people with the INTJ personality type approach things the way they do with most situations: they compose a series of calculated actions with a predicted and desirable end goal – a healthy long-term relationship. Rather than falling head over heels in a whirlwind of passion and romance, INTJs identify potential partners who meet a certain range of pre-determined criteria, break the dating process down into a series of measurable milestones, then proceed to execute the plan with clinical precision.

In a purely rational world, this is a fool-proof methodology – but in reality, it ignores significant details that INTJs are likely to dismiss prematurely, such as human nature. INTJs are brilliantly intellectual, developing a world in their heads that is more perfect than reality. People entering this world need to fit this fantasy, and it can be incredibly difficult for INTJs to find someone up to the task. Needless to say, finding a compatible partner is the most significant challenge most INTJs will face in life.

Politeness Is Artificial Good Humor

Sentiment, tradition, and emotion are INTJs’ Achilles Heel. Social standards like chivalry are viewed by INTJs as silly, even demeaning. The problem is, these standards have developed as a means of smoothing introductions and developing rapport, of managing expectations, the basis of personal relationships. INTJs’ propensity for frank honesty in word and action tends to violate this social contract, making dating especially difficult for them.

As they mature, INTJs will come to recognize these factors as relevant, incorporating pace and emotional availability into their plans. But the meantime can be dangerous, especially for more Turbulent INTJs – if they are shot down too many times they may come to the conclusion that everyone else is simply too irrational, or simply beneath them intellectually. If cynicism takes hold, INTJs may end up falling into the trap of intentionally displaying intellectual arrogance, making solitude their choice rather than happenstance.

Always Remain Cool

The positive side of INTJs’ “giving up” is that they are most attractive when they aren’t trying to be attractive, working in a familiar environment where their confidence and intelligence can be seen in action. Allowing others to come to them is often INTJs’ best strategy, and if they perceive a potential to the relationship, they will spare no effort in developing and maintaining stability and long-term satisfaction.

INTJ romantic relationships As their relationships develop, INTJs’ partners will find an imaginative and enthusiastic companion, who will share their world and at the same time grant a huge degree of independence and trust. While INTJs may never be fully comfortable expressing their feelings, and may spend more time theorizing about intimacy than engaging in it, they can always be relied upon to think out a mutually beneficial solution to any situation.

INTJs seek strong, deep relationships, and trust their knowledge and logic to ensure that their partner is satisfied, both intellectually and physically. But when it comes to emotional satisfaction, INTJs are simply out of their element. Not every partner has the sort of fun INTJs do in addressing conflicts and emotional needs as puzzles to be analyzed and solved. Sometimes emotions need to be expressed for their own sake, and putting every outburst under the microscope isn’t always helpful. If this becomes habit, or INTJs think it may, they are capable of simply ending the relationship, rather than dragging things out.

Truth and Morality

INTJs are bewilderingly deep and intelligent people, bringing stability and insight into their romantic relationships. They prize honest, open communication, and all factors of the relationship are open to discussion and change, but this must be reciprocated. INTJs do what they think is right, and sometimes that comes across as cold – it’s important to know that INTJs don’t make these decisions lightly. They spend a tremendous amount of time and energy trying to understand why and how things go wrong, especially if they’ve devoted themselves to the relationship, and they certainly hurt deeply when things fall apart.

The challenge is finding partners who share those same values – though Intuitive (N) types are uncommon, they may be a must for many INTJs, as sharing this trait creates an immediate sense of mutual belonging. Having one or two balancing traits, such as Extraversion (E), Feeling (F), or Prospecting (P) can help to keep a relationship dynamic and growth-oriented by keeping INTJs involved with other people, in touch with their emotions, and open to alternate potentials.

INTJ FRIENDS

People with the INTJ personality type tend to have more success in developing friendships than they do with romantic relationships, but they none-the-less suffer from many of the same setbacks, substituting rational processes for emotional availability. This intellectual distance tends to go both ways, making INTJs notoriously difficult to read and get to know, and making INTJs not want to bother reading anyone they think isn’t on their level. Overcoming these hurdles is often all but impossible without the sort of instant connection made possible by sharing the Intuitive (N) trait.

INTJ friends No Person Will Complain for Want of Time Who Never Loses Any

INTJs tend to have set opinions about what works, what doesn’t, what they’re looking for, and what they’re not. These discriminating tastes can come across as arrogant, but INTJs would simply argue that it’s a basic filtering mechanism that allows them to direct their attentions where they will do the most good. The fact is that in friendship, INTJs are looking for more of an intellectual soul mate than anything else, and those that aren’t prepared for that kind of relationship are simply boring. INTJs need to share ideas – a self-feeding circle of gossip about mutual friends is no kind of social life for them.

INTJs will keep up with just a few good friends, eschewing larger circles of acquaintances in favor of depth and quality. Further, having more than just a few friends would compromise INTJs’ sense of independence and self-sufficiency – they gladly give up social validation to ensure this freedom. INTJs embrace this idea even with those who do fit into their social construct, requiring little attention or maintenance to remain on good terms, and encouraging that same independence in their friends.

When it comes to emotional support, INTJs are far from being a bastion of comfort. They actively suppress their own emotions with shields of rationality and logic, and expect their friends to do the same. When emotionally charged situations do come about, INTJs may literally have no clue how to handle them appropriately, a glaring contrast from their usual capacity for decisive self-direction and composure.

But Friendship Is Precious

When they are in their comfort zone though, among people they know and respect, INTJs have no trouble relaxing and enjoying themselves. Their sarcasm and dark humor are not for the faint of heart, nor for those who struggle to read between the lines, but they make for fantastic story-telling among those who can keep up. This more or less limits their pool of friends to fellow Analysts and Diplomat types, as Observant (S) types’ preference for more straightforward communication often simply leaves both parties frustrated.

It’s not easy to become good friends with INTJs. Rather than traditional rules of social conduct or shared routine, INTJs have exacting expectations for intellectual prowess, uncompromising honesty and a mutual desire to grow and learn as sovereign individuals. INTJs are gifted, bright and development-oriented, and expect and encourage their friends to share this attitude. Anyone falling short of this will be labeled a bore – anyone meeting these expectations will appreciate them of their own accord, forming a powerful and stimulating friendship that will stand the test of time.

INTJ IN THE WORKPLACE

Above all else, INTJs want to be able to tackle intellectually interesting work with minimal outside interference, no more, no less. Time-consuming management techniques like trust-building getaways, progress meetings, and drawn-out, sandwiched criticisms are only going to annoy INTJs – all they need, be they subordinate, colleague, or manager, is to meet their goals with the highest standard of technical excellence and to be surrounded by, if anyone at all, people who share those values.

On paper this makes them appear to be exemplary employees, and in many ways they are, but there are many types, especially those with a combination of the Observant (S) and Feeling (F) traits, who will find a work (or any other) relationship with INTJs extremely challenging. INTJs have a fairly strict code of conduct when it comes to their work, and if they see coworkers valuing social activities and “good enough” workmanship over absolute excellence, it will be a turbulent environment. For this reason, INTJs tend to prefer to work in tight, like-minded groups – a group of one, if necessary.

INTJ Subordinates

INTJs are independent people, and they quickly become frustrated if they find themselves pushed into tightly defined roles that limit their freedom. With the direction of a properly liberal manager, INTJs will establish themselves in a position of expertise, completing their work not with the ambition of managerial promotion, but for its own intrinsic merit. INTJs require and appreciate firm, logical managers who are able to direct efforts with competence, deliver criticism when necessary, and back up those decisions with sound reason.

INTJ workplace habits Note that it is INTJs’ expectations of their managers that are being defined here, and not the other way around, as with some other personality types. Titles mean little to INTJs – trust and respect are earned, and INTJs expect this to be a two way street, receiving and delivering advice, criticisms and results. INTJs expect their managers to be intelligent enough and strong enough to be able to handle this paradigm. A silent INTJ conveys a lack of respect better than all their challenges ever will.

INTJ Colleagues

Active teamwork is not ideal for people with the INTJ personality type. Fiercely independent and private, INTJs use their nimble minds and insight to deflect personal talk, avoid workplace tension, and create situations where they aren’t slowed down by those less intelligent, less capable, or less adaptable to more efficient methods. Instead, they will likely poke fun by forcing them to read between the lines and making them deal alone with work that could have been easier if they’d only taken INTJs’ suggestions.

INTJs are brilliant analysts, and will likely gather a small handful of trusted colleagues to involve in their brainstorming sessions, excluding those who get too hung up on details, or who otherwise have yet to earn their respect. But more likely, INTJs will simply take the initiative alone – INTJs love embracing challenges and their consequent responsibilities, and their perfectionism and determination usually mean that the work comes out clean and effective, affording INTJs the twin joys of solitude and victory.

INTJ Managers

Though they may be surprised to hear it, INTJs make natural leaders, and this shows in their management style. INTJs value innovation and effectiveness more than just about any other quality, and they will gladly cast aside hierarchy, protocol and even their own beliefs if they are presented with rational arguments about why things should change. INTJs promote freedom and flexibility in the workplace, preferring to engage their subordinates as equals, respecting and rewarding initiative and adopting an attitude of “to the best mind go the responsibilities”, directing strategy while more capable hands manage the day-to-day tactics.

But this sort of freedom isn’t just granted, it’s required – those who are accustomed to just being told what to do, who are unable to direct themselves and challenge existing notions, will have a hard time meeting INTJs’ extremely high standards. Efficiency and results are king to INTJs, and behaviors that undermine these conditions are quashed mercilessly. If subordinates try to compensate for their weakness in these areas by trying to build a social relationship with their INTJ managers, on their heads be it – office gossip and schmoozing are not the way into INTJs’ hearts – only bold competence will do.

INTJ PERSONALITY – CONCLUSION

Few personality types are as mysterious and controversial as INTJs. Possessing intellect and strategic thinking that allow them to overcome many challenging obstacles, INTJs have the ability to both develop and implement a plan for everything, including their own personal growth.

Yet INTJs can be easily tripped up in areas where careful and rational thinking is more of a liability than an asset. Whether it is finding (or keeping) a partner, making friends, reaching dazzling heights on the career ladder or adapting to the unpredictable, INTJs need to put in a conscious effort to develop their weaker traits and additional skills.

What you have read so far is just an introduction into the complex concept that is the INTJ personality type. You may have muttered to yourself, “wow, this is so accurate it’s a little creepy” or “finally, someone understands me!” You may have even asked “how do they know more about me than the people I’m closest to?”

This is not a trick. You felt understood because you were. We’ve studied how INTJs think and what they need to reach their full potential. And no, we did not spy on you – many of the challenges you’ve faced and will face in the future have been overcome by other INTJs. You simply need to learn how they succeeded.

But in order to do that, you need to have a plan, a personal roadmap. The best car in the world will not take you to the right place if you do not know where you want to go. We have told you how INTJs tend to behave in certain circumstances and what their key strengths and weaknesses are. Now we need to go much deeper into your personality type and answer “why?”, “how?” and “what if?”

This knowledge is only the beginning of a lifelong journey. Are you ready to learn why INTJs act in the way they do? What motivates and inspires you? What you are afraid of and what you secretly dream about? How you can unlock your true, exceptional potential?

Our premium profiles provide a roadmap towards a happier, more successful, and more versatile YOU! They are not for everyone though – you need to be willing and able to challenge yourself, to go beyond the obvious, to imagine and follow your own path instead of just going with the flow. If you want to take the reins into your own hands, we are here to help you.

http://www.myersbriggs.org/my-mbti-personality-type/mbti-basics/the-16-mbti-types.htm

https://www.16personalities.com/intj-personality

[gordonwilliamsweb]

Packed Bars Serve Up New Rounds Of COVID Contagion

As states ease their lockdowns, bars are emerging as fertile breeding grounds for the coronavirus. They create a risky cocktail of tight quarters, young adults unbowed by the fear of illness and, in some instances, proprietors who don’t enforce crowd limits and social distancing rules.

Public health authorities have identified bars as the locus of outbreaks in Louisiana, Florida, Wyoming and Idaho. Last weekend, the Texas alcohol licensing board suspended the liquor licenses of 17 bars after undercover agents observed crowds flouting emergency rules that required patrons to keep a safe distance from one another and limit tavern occupancy.

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Adriana Megas found HandleBar Houston so crowded when she went one night two weekends ago that she left. “They weren’t counting who came in and came out,” said Megas, 38, a nursing student. “Nobody was wearing any masks. You would never think COVID happened.”

The owners of HandleBar Houston, one of the bars whose licenses were suspended, did not respond to requests for comment. Megas said she and her friends drove by five other jammed bars on their way home. “The street was insanely busy,” she said. “Every single bar was filled.”

Photo at Handlebar in Houston ⬇️ 2/3 pic.twitter.com/kOiJTBqm9p

— Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (@TexasABC) June 21, 2020

In Boise, Idaho, at least 152 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in cases that health authorities linked to people who, unaware they were infectious, visited bars and nightclubs, officials said. On Monday, the Central Health District, which oversees four counties, rolled back its reopening rules to shutter bars and nightclubs in Boise’s Ada County.

Bars are tailor-made for the spread of the virus, with loud music and a cacophony of conversations that require raised voices. The alcohol can impede judgment about diligently following rules meant to prevent contagion.

“People almost don’t want to social-distance if they go to the bar,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security in Baltimore. “They’re going to be drinking alcohol, which is a social lubricant. People will often be loud, and if they have forceful speech, that’s going to create more droplets.”

On top of that, the very act of drinking is incompatible with wearing a mask, a primary way of limiting the spread of infection. Public health experts say many patrons are young adults who may think they are impervious to the coronavirus.

It’s certainly less lethal for them: Fewer than 4% of adults in their 20s with COVID-19 have been hospitalized, compared with 22% of those in their 60s, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 1 in 1,000 COVID-19 patients in their 20s die from the virus.

Nonetheless, as bars and other public places reopen, rates of infection in younger adults are rising, and bars are a particularly dangerous vector. Several outbreaks have been traced to bars that cater to college students. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, health authorities have received reports of more than 100 instances of positive COVID-19 tests tied to bar visits and bar employees in Tigerland, a neighborhood frequented by Louisiana State University students.

Reggie Chatman, a 23-year-old LSU graduate and sports reporter at a Baton Rouge television station, said he was surprised at how crowded the Tigerland bars were when he drove past them last weekend.

“It looked like a football weekend. It was unbelievable, just seeing that many people walking around,” he said. “Each bar had a line in front of it. It didn’t look like they were really stopping anybody from going inside. I didn’t see one mask out there at all.”

Jason Nay, the general manager of Fred’s, one of the bars there, said the bar closed two days last week to test all employees after three workers were COVID-positive. The business reopened Friday night but had only five customers.

“This goes to show you how many people know what’s going on,” he said. “Not even the students who thought they were invincible felt comfortable coming out.” He said that Fred’s will check patrons’ temperatures and hand out disposable face masks this weekend.

Nay, 37, said he believed most students had been actively socializing for months by having friends over to their homes. “Don’t think they changed anything until recently, and I think the main reason why they changed is because their parents really tore into them because they could have brought that home for Father’s Day,” he said.

There are about 43,000 bars in the country. As many states permit them to reopen, authorities have enacted various measures to mitigate the chances of infection. Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed bars to open at half capacity with social distancing. This week he warned that violators risk losing their liquor licenses if “it’s just like mayhem and like ‘Dance Party USA’ and it’s packed to the rafters.”

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott decreed that bars must limit indoor service to half their legal occupancy, keep tables to 10 people or fewer and enforce 6 feet of distancing between groups. “There are certain counties where a majority of the people who are tested positive in that county are under the age of 30, and this typically results from people going to bars,” Abbott said at a press conference earlier this month.

Last weekend, undercover inspectors with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission visited nearly 600 bars and restaurants in Texas’ major urban areas. The commission posted on Twitter videotapes of two bar scenes and a photograph of a third bar, all showing patrons standing shoulder to shoulder and chatting face-to-face. Those bars and 14 others had their liquor permits suspended for 30 days, with the threat of a 60-day suspension for a repeat violation.

On its Facebook page, one of the bars sanctioned by the commission, BARge 295 in Seabrook, near Houston, said its license was suspended “for allowing some customers to stand and gather at the bar [S]aturday night (no six foot rule).” The bar, which has been promoting its live music, whole pig roasts and a bikini contest, said it would appeal the action.

“Everyone in the country is aware of the situation and has the ability to think for themselves and decide when and where they want to interact socially,” the bar said in a series of posts. “This BS needs to end now. Come out and support local businesses.”

Other bar owners have found the mandates manageable. Greg Barrineau, who owns a number of bars in the San Antonio area, said he rearranged tables and stools to meet the state’s requirements. “The guidelines are not that hard to follow,” he said. While the state does not require masks, he said the county’s administrative officer and the mayor decided to fine businesses if customers did not wear masks, and most patrons have complied.

“You walk in the door, and you sit down and take your mask off,” Barrineau said, adding he was not sure how big a difference it makes. “If they were waiting in the line outside and the restroom, then they would wear them.”

J.C. Diaz, president of the American Nightlife Association, which represents bars and clubs, said it has been harder for bars to enforce mask-wearing because it has been so politicized. “The problem now is people are not adhering to the mitigation measures,” he said. “We’re doing what we can do to prevent the spread of COVID, but if you are a reckless guest who doesn’t care about the health of others, you shouldn’t be out.”

Masks alone cannot solve the problem, said Dr. Ray Niaura, interim chair of the epidemiology department at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. The risk of contagion is impossible to eliminate at bars, especially since many infected people are asymptomatic. “Even if you distance tables, you’re still going to have groups of people together,” he said.

Megas, the nursing student, said crowds have not deterred her from planning to return to Houston bars despite the continued spread of the coronavirus. “I’ve studied it enough and I think it’s been going on long enough that I’m really comfortable around it,” she said. “There’s a small part of me that is just like ‘I would like to get it now, while I’m not in school.’”

Packed Bars Serve Up New Rounds Of COVID Contagion published first on https://nootropicspowdersupplier.tumblr.com/

[dinafbrownil]

Packed Bars Serve Up New Rounds Of COVID Contagion

As states ease their lockdowns, bars are emerging as fertile breeding grounds for the coronavirus. They create a risky cocktail of tight quarters, young adults unbowed by the fear of illness and, in some instances, proprietors who don’t enforce crowd limits and social distancing rules.

Public health authorities have identified bars as the locus of outbreaks in Louisiana, Florida, Wyoming and Idaho. Last weekend, the Texas alcohol licensing board suspended the liquor licenses of 17 bars after undercover agents observed crowds flouting emergency rules that required patrons to keep a safe distance from one another and limit tavern occupancy.

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Subscribe to KHN’s free Morning Briefing.

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Please confirm your email address below:

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Adriana Megas found HandleBar Houston so crowded when she went one night two weekends ago that she left. “They weren’t counting who came in and came out,” said Megas, 38, a nursing student. “Nobody was wearing any masks. You would never think COVID happened.”

The owners of HandleBar Houston, one of the bars whose licenses were suspended, did not respond to requests for comment. Megas said she and her friends drove by five other jammed bars on their way home. “The street was insanely busy,” she said. “Every single bar was filled.”

Photo at Handlebar in Houston ⬇️ 2/3 pic.twitter.com/kOiJTBqm9p

— Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (@TexasABC) June 21, 2020

In Boise, Idaho, at least 152 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in cases that health authorities linked to people who, unaware they were infectious, visited bars and nightclubs, officials said. On Monday, the Central Health District, which oversees four counties, rolled back its reopening rules to shutter bars and nightclubs in Boise’s Ada County.

Bars are tailor-made for the spread of the virus, with loud music and a cacophony of conversations that require raised voices. The alcohol can impede judgment about diligently following rules meant to prevent contagion.

“People almost don’t want to social-distance if they go to the bar,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security in Baltimore. “They’re going to be drinking alcohol, which is a social lubricant. People will often be loud, and if they have forceful speech, that’s going to create more droplets.”

On top of that, the very act of drinking is incompatible with wearing a mask, a primary way of limiting the spread of infection. Public health experts say many patrons are young adults who may think they are impervious to the coronavirus.

It’s certainly less lethal for them: Fewer than 4% of adults in their 20s with COVID-19 have been hospitalized, compared with 22% of those in their 60s, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 1 in 1,000 COVID-19 patients in their 20s die from the virus.

Nonetheless, as bars and other public places reopen, rates of infection in younger adults are rising, and bars are a particularly dangerous vector. Several outbreaks have been traced to bars that cater to college students. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, health authorities have received reports of more than 100 instances of positive COVID-19 tests tied to bar visits and bar employees in Tigerland, a neighborhood frequented by Louisiana State University students.

Reggie Chatman, a 23-year-old LSU graduate and sports reporter at a Baton Rouge television station, said he was surprised at how crowded the Tigerland bars were when he drove past them last weekend.

“It looked like a football weekend. It was unbelievable, just seeing that many people walking around,” he said. “Each bar had a line in front of it. It didn’t look like they were really stopping anybody from going inside. I didn’t see one mask out there at all.”

Jason Nay, the general manager of Fred’s, one of the bars there, said the bar closed two days last week to test all employees after three workers were COVID-positive. The business reopened Friday night but had only five customers.

“This goes to show you how many people know what’s going on,” he said. “Not even the students who thought they were invincible felt comfortable coming out.” He said that Fred’s will check patrons’ temperatures and hand out disposable face masks this weekend.

Nay, 37, said he believed most students had been actively socializing for months by having friends over to their homes. “Don’t think they changed anything until recently, and I think the main reason why they changed is because their parents really tore into them because they could have brought that home for Father’s Day,” he said.

There are about 43,000 bars in the country. As many states permit them to reopen, authorities have enacted various measures to mitigate the chances of infection. Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed bars to open at half capacity with social distancing. This week he warned that violators risk losing their liquor licenses if “it’s just like mayhem and like ‘Dance Party USA’ and it’s packed to the rafters.”

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott decreed that bars must limit indoor service to half their legal occupancy, keep tables to 10 people or fewer and enforce 6 feet of distancing between groups. “There are certain counties where a majority of the people who are tested positive in that county are under the age of 30, and this typically results from people going to bars,” Abbott said at a press conference earlier this month.

Last weekend, undercover inspectors with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission visited nearly 600 bars and restaurants in Texas’ major urban areas. The commission posted on Twitter videotapes of two bar scenes and a photograph of a third bar, all showing patrons standing shoulder to shoulder and chatting face-to-face. Those bars and 14 others had their liquor permits suspended for 30 days, with the threat of a 60-day suspension for a repeat violation.

On its Facebook page, one of the bars sanctioned by the commission, BARge 295 in Seabrook, near Houston, said its license was suspended “for allowing some customers to stand and gather at the bar [S]aturday night (no six foot rule).” The bar, which has been promoting its live music, whole pig roasts and a bikini contest, said it would appeal the action.

“Everyone in the country is aware of the situation and has the ability to think for themselves and decide when and where they want to interact socially,” the bar said in a series of posts. “This BS needs to end now. Come out and support local businesses.”

Other bar owners have found the mandates manageable. Greg Barrineau, who owns a number of bars in the San Antonio area, said he rearranged tables and stools to meet the state’s requirements. “The guidelines are not that hard to follow,” he said. While the state does not require masks, he said the county’s administrative officer and the mayor decided to fine businesses if customers did not wear masks, and most patrons have complied.

“You walk in the door, and you sit down and take your mask off,” Barrineau said, adding he was not sure how big a difference it makes. “If they were waiting in the line outside and the restroom, then they would wear them.”

J.C. Diaz, president of the American Nightlife Association, which represents bars and clubs, said it has been harder for bars to enforce mask-wearing because it has been so politicized. “The problem now is people are not adhering to the mitigation measures,” he said. “We’re doing what we can do to prevent the spread of COVID, but if you are a reckless guest who doesn’t care about the health of others, you shouldn’t be out.”

Masks alone cannot solve the problem, said Dr. Ray Niaura, interim chair of the epidemiology department at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. The risk of contagion is impossible to eliminate at bars, especially since many infected people are asymptomatic. “Even if you distance tables, you’re still going to have groups of people together,” he said.

Megas, the nursing student, said crowds have not deterred her from planning to return to Houston bars despite the continued spread of the coronavirus. “I’ve studied it enough and I think it’s been going on long enough that I’m really comfortable around it,” she said. “There’s a small part of me that is just like ‘I would like to get it now, while I’m not in school.’”

from Updates By Dina https://khn.org/news/packed-bars-serve-up-new-rounds-of-covid-contagion/

[stephenmccull]

Packed Bars Serve Up New Rounds Of COVID Contagion

As states ease their lockdowns, bars are emerging as fertile breeding grounds for the coronavirus. They create a risky cocktail of tight quarters, young adults unbowed by the fear of illness and, in some instances, proprietors who don’t enforce crowd limits and social distancing rules.

Public health authorities have identified bars as the locus of outbreaks in Louisiana, Florida, Wyoming and Idaho. Last weekend, the Texas alcohol licensing board suspended the liquor licenses of 17 bars after undercover agents observed crowds flouting emergency rules that required patrons to keep a safe distance from one another and limit tavern occupancy.

Email Sign-Up

Subscribe to KHN’s free Morning Briefing.

Sign Up

Please confirm your email address below:

Sign Up

Adriana Megas found HandleBar Houston so crowded when she went one night two weekends ago that she left. “They weren’t counting who came in and came out,” said Megas, 38, a nursing student. “Nobody was wearing any masks. You would never think COVID happened.”

The owners of HandleBar Houston, one of the bars whose licenses were suspended, did not respond to requests for comment. Megas said she and her friends drove by five other jammed bars on their way home. “The street was insanely busy,” she said. “Every single bar was filled.”

Photo at Handlebar in Houston ⬇️ 2/3 pic.twitter.com/kOiJTBqm9p

— Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (@TexasABC) June 21, 2020

In Boise, Idaho, at least 152 people have been diagnosed with COVID-19 in cases that health authorities linked to people who, unaware they were infectious, visited bars and nightclubs, officials said. On Monday, the Central Health District, which oversees four counties, rolled back its reopening rules to shutter bars and nightclubs in Boise’s Ada County.

Bars are tailor-made for the spread of the virus, with loud music and a cacophony of conversations that require raised voices. The alcohol can impede judgment about diligently following rules meant to prevent contagion.

“People almost don’t want to social-distance if they go to the bar,” said Dr. Amesh Adalja, a senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security in Baltimore. “They’re going to be drinking alcohol, which is a social lubricant. People will often be loud, and if they have forceful speech, that’s going to create more droplets.”

On top of that, the very act of drinking is incompatible with wearing a mask, a primary way of limiting the spread of infection. Public health experts say many patrons are young adults who may think they are impervious to the coronavirus.

It’s certainly less lethal for them: Fewer than 4% of adults in their 20s with COVID-19 have been hospitalized, compared with 22% of those in their 60s, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Only 1 in 1,000 COVID-19 patients in their 20s die from the virus.

Nonetheless, as bars and other public places reopen, rates of infection in younger adults are rising, and bars are a particularly dangerous vector. Several outbreaks have been traced to bars that cater to college students. In Baton Rouge, Louisiana, health authorities have received reports of more than 100 instances of positive COVID-19 tests tied to bar visits and bar employees in Tigerland, a neighborhood frequented by Louisiana State University students.

Reggie Chatman, a 23-year-old LSU graduate and sports reporter at a Baton Rouge television station, said he was surprised at how crowded the Tigerland bars were when he drove past them last weekend.

“It looked like a football weekend. It was unbelievable, just seeing that many people walking around,” he said. “Each bar had a line in front of it. It didn’t look like they were really stopping anybody from going inside. I didn’t see one mask out there at all.”

Jason Nay, the general manager of Fred’s, one of the bars there, said the bar closed two days last week to test all employees after three workers were COVID-positive. The business reopened Friday night but had only five customers.

“This goes to show you how many people know what’s going on,” he said. “Not even the students who thought they were invincible felt comfortable coming out.” He said that Fred’s will check patrons’ temperatures and hand out disposable face masks this weekend.

Nay, 37, said he believed most students had been actively socializing for months by having friends over to their homes. “Don’t think they changed anything until recently, and I think the main reason why they changed is because their parents really tore into them because they could have brought that home for Father’s Day,” he said.

There are about 43,000 bars in the country. As many states permit them to reopen, authorities have enacted various measures to mitigate the chances of infection. Earlier this month, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis allowed bars to open at half capacity with social distancing. This week he warned that violators risk losing their liquor licenses if “it’s just like mayhem and like ‘Dance Party USA’ and it’s packed to the rafters.”

In Texas, Gov. Greg Abbott decreed that bars must limit indoor service to half their legal occupancy, keep tables to 10 people or fewer and enforce 6 feet of distancing between groups. “There are certain counties where a majority of the people who are tested positive in that county are under the age of 30, and this typically results from people going to bars,” Abbott said at a press conference earlier this month.

Last weekend, undercover inspectors with the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission visited nearly 600 bars and restaurants in Texas’ major urban areas. The commission posted on Twitter videotapes of two bar scenes and a photograph of a third bar, all showing patrons standing shoulder to shoulder and chatting face-to-face. Those bars and 14 others had their liquor permits suspended for 30 days, with the threat of a 60-day suspension for a repeat violation.

On its Facebook page, one of the bars sanctioned by the commission, BARge 295 in Seabrook, near Houston, said its license was suspended “for allowing some customers to stand and gather at the bar [S]aturday night (no six foot rule).” The bar, which has been promoting its live music, whole pig roasts and a bikini contest, said it would appeal the action.

“Everyone in the country is aware of the situation and has the ability to think for themselves and decide when and where they want to interact socially,” the bar said in a series of posts. “This BS needs to end now. Come out and support local businesses.”

Other bar owners have found the mandates manageable. Greg Barrineau, who owns a number of bars in the San Antonio area, said he rearranged tables and stools to meet the state’s requirements. “The guidelines are not that hard to follow,” he said. While the state does not require masks, he said the county’s administrative officer and the mayor decided to fine businesses if customers did not wear masks, and most patrons have complied.

“You walk in the door, and you sit down and take your mask off,” Barrineau said, adding he was not sure how big a difference it makes. “If they were waiting in the line outside and the restroom, then they would wear them.”

J.C. Diaz, president of the American Nightlife Association, which represents bars and clubs, said it has been harder for bars to enforce mask-wearing because it has been so politicized. “The problem now is people are not adhering to the mitigation measures,” he said. “We’re doing what we can do to prevent the spread of COVID, but if you are a reckless guest who doesn’t care about the health of others, you shouldn’t be out.”

Masks alone cannot solve the problem, said Dr. Ray Niaura, interim chair of the epidemiology department at New York University’s School of Global Public Health. The risk of contagion is impossible to eliminate at bars, especially since many infected people are asymptomatic. “Even if you distance tables, you’re still going to have groups of people together,” he said.

Megas, the nursing student, said crowds have not deterred her from planning to return to Houston bars despite the continued spread of the coronavirus. “I’ve studied it enough and I think it’s been going on long enough that I’m really comfortable around it,” she said. “There’s a small part of me that is just like ‘I would like to get it now, while I’m not in school.’”

Packed Bars Serve Up New Rounds Of COVID Contagion published first on https://smartdrinkingweb.weebly.com/

[jenniferramona1]

Can the Bank Take my Home in Bankruptcy?

Maybe.  Call us or a Bankruptcy Attorney to talk about your specific situation before you file to be safe.

Homestead exemption laws prevent the sale of a borrower’s home by their creditors in satisfaction of a debt. In many states, whether your home may be subject to forced sale is a function of how much home equity you have.

A Homestead is Your Primary Residence

A homestead is defined as your primary residence; investment property does not fall within the definition. The purpose of homestead exemptions are rooted in public policy. Home ownership is at the cornerstone of the American way of life, which is why legislatures have made it difficult for creditors to take your home away from you in satisfaction of a debt.

In order for a creditor to force the sale of your primary residence, they must have a judgment against you and your home must have equity. Just how much equity leaves a home vulnerable is a function of state law.

Equity Below Your State’s Homestead Exemption = No Sale

If the equity in your home is below the amount your state exempts, the trustee will not sell your home.

For example, if you owe $25,000 to a credit card lender who has sued and obtained a judgment against you, that company cannot force the sale of your home as long as all of your home equity is exempt under your state’s exemption limit. If you live in state X, whose homestead exemption allows for $50,000 in equity to be protected from creditors and your home is worth $300,000 with a $280,000 mortgage balance, creditors cannot take your home. Your $20,000 of home equity falls below the $50,000 state X allows its residents to protect.

Utah is one state that has historically had an unlimited homestead exemption, which never allowed a creditor to take a home in satisfaction of a debt — regardless of the home’s value, though there is acreage limitation and a length of ownership requirement.

Other unlimited homestead exemption states, with small exceptions, include Texas, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, in addition to the District of Columbia. Some other states have fairly generous homestead exemptions, including Nevada ($550,000 equity), Minnesota ($390,000 to $975,000, if a farm), and Montana ($250,000). On the other hand, some states have no homestead exemption, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, though they exempt some form of tenancies.

Equity Above Your State’s Homestead Exemption = Possibility of Sale

If a homestead’s value exceeds the limits imposed by state law, creditors may sell the home but the debtor will be entitled to the amount of their state’s exemption.

Confused? Let’s illustrate the point with an example.

If your home in state X has a mortgage balance of $200,000 and is worth $300,000, you have $100,000 of home equity. This number exposes $50,000 of equity as “non-exempt” because state X only allows $50,000 of equity to be protected. In this example, creditors could force the sale of the home to go after the $50,000. However, were the home to be sold, you would be entitled to a check for $50,000 (the amount of state X’s homestead exemption). A creditor sale doesn’t destroy the exemption.

When there is only a small amount of non-exempt equity, it is unlikely that a creditor will go through with listing the property because the costs of putting the home on the market outweigh the proceeds gained from the sale. In these cases, it is often possible to negotiate a cash settlement with the creditor, which avoids the headaches of a sale.

Free Consultation with Bankruptcy Lawyer

If you have a bankruptcy question, or need to file a bankruptcy case, call Ascent Law now at (801) 676-5506. Attorneys in our office have filed over a thousand cases. We can help you now. Come in or call in for your free initial consultation.

Ascent Law LLC8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite CWest Jordan, Utah 84088 United StatesTelephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Additional Bankruptcy Resources

Legal Representation is Important to Winning Child Custody

Common Law Marriage

Utah Bankruptcy Attorneys

Bankruptcy Law in Utah

Bankruptcy Lawyer Salt Lake City

Chapter 7 Lawyer

from Michael Anderson http://www.ascentlawfirm.com/can-the-bank-take-my-home-in-bankruptcy/

from Utah Bankruptcy Law https://utahbankruptcylaw.wordpress.com/2018/04/01/can-the-bank-take-my-home-in-bankruptcy/

[victoriazoey26]

Can the Bank Take my Home in Bankruptcy?

Maybe.  Call us or a Bankruptcy Attorney to talk about your specific situation before you file to be safe.

Homestead exemption laws prevent the sale of a borrower’s home by their creditors in satisfaction of a debt. In many states, whether your home may be subject to forced sale is a function of how much home equity you have.

A Homestead is Your Primary Residence

A homestead is defined as your primary residence; investment property does not fall within the definition. The purpose of homestead exemptions are rooted in public policy. Home ownership is at the cornerstone of the American way of life, which is why legislatures have made it difficult for creditors to take your home away from you in satisfaction of a debt.

In order for a creditor to force the sale of your primary residence, they must have a judgment against you and your home must have equity. Just how much equity leaves a home vulnerable is a function of state law.

Equity Below Your State’s Homestead Exemption = No Sale

If the equity in your home is below the amount your state exempts, the trustee will not sell your home.

For example, if you owe $25,000 to a credit card lender who has sued and obtained a judgment against you, that company cannot force the sale of your home as long as all of your home equity is exempt under your state’s exemption limit. If you live in state X, whose homestead exemption allows for $50,000 in equity to be protected from creditors and your home is worth $300,000 with a $280,000 mortgage balance, creditors cannot take your home. Your $20,000 of home equity falls below the $50,000 state X allows its residents to protect.

Utah is one state that has historically had an unlimited homestead exemption, which never allowed a creditor to take a home in satisfaction of a debt — regardless of the home’s value, though there is acreage limitation and a length of ownership requirement.

Other unlimited homestead exemption states, with small exceptions, include Texas, Iowa, Kansas, South Dakota, and Oklahoma, in addition to the District of Columbia. Some other states have fairly generous homestead exemptions, including Nevada ($550,000 equity), Minnesota ($390,000 to $975,000, if a farm), and Montana ($250,000). On the other hand, some states have no homestead exemption, like New Jersey and Pennsylvania, though they exempt some form of tenancies.

Equity Above Your State’s Homestead Exemption = Possibility of Sale

If a homestead’s value exceeds the limits imposed by state law, creditors may sell the home but the debtor will be entitled to the amount of their state’s exemption.

Confused? Let’s illustrate the point with an example.

If your home in state X has a mortgage balance of $200,000 and is worth $300,000, you have $100,000 of home equity. This number exposes $50,000 of equity as “non-exempt” because state X only allows $50,000 of equity to be protected. In this example, creditors could force the sale of the home to go after the $50,000. However, were the home to be sold, you would be entitled to a check for $50,000 (the amount of state X’s homestead exemption). A creditor sale doesn’t destroy the exemption.

When there is only a small amount of non-exempt equity, it is unlikely that a creditor will go through with listing the property because the costs of putting the home on the market outweigh the proceeds gained from the sale. In these cases, it is often possible to negotiate a cash settlement with the creditor, which avoids the headaches of a sale.

Free Consultation with Bankruptcy Lawyer

If you have a bankruptcy question, or need to file a bankruptcy case, call Ascent Law now at (801) 676-5506. Attorneys in our office have filed over a thousand cases. We can help you now. Come in or call in for your free initial consultation.

Ascent Law LLC8833 S. Redwood Road, Suite CWest Jordan, Utah 84088 United StatesTelephone: (801) 676-5506

Ascent Law LLC

4.9 stars – based on 67 reviews

Additional Bankruptcy Resources

Legal Representation is Important to Winning Child Custody

Common Law Marriage

Utah Bankruptcy Attorneys

Bankruptcy Law in Utah

Bankruptcy Lawyer Salt Lake City

Chapter 7 Lawyer

Source: http://www.ascentlawfirm.com/can-the-bank-take-my-home-in-bankruptcy/

from Securities Lawyer In Utah https://securitieslawyerinutah.wordpress.com/2018/04/01/can-the-bank-take-my-home-in-bankruptcy/

[beechhallwk-blog]

INTJ PERSONALITY (“THE ARCHITECT”)

It’s lonely at the top, and being one of the rarest and most strategically capable personality types, INTJs know this all too well. INTJs form just two percent of the population, and women of this personality type are especially rare, forming just 0.8% of the population – it is often a challenge for them to find like-minded individuals who are able to keep up with their relentless intellectualism and chess-like maneuvering. People with the INTJ personality type are imaginative yet decisive, ambitious yet private, amazingly curious, but they do not squander their energy.

Nothing Can Stop the Right Attitude From Achieving Its Goal

With a natural thirst for knowledge that shows itself early in life, INTJs are often given the title of “bookworm” as children. While this may be intended as an insult by their peers, they more than likely identify with it and are even proud of it, greatly enjoying their broad and deep body of knowledge. INTJs enjoy sharing what they know as well, confident in their mastery of their chosen subjects, but owing to their Intuitive (N) and Judging (J) traits, they prefer to design and execute a brilliant plan within their field rather than share opinions on “uninteresting” distractions like gossip.

“You are not entitled to your opinion. You are entitled to your informed opinion. No one is entitled to be ignorant.” Harlan Ellison

A paradox to most observers, INTJs are able to live by glaring contradictions that nonetheless make perfect sense – at least from a purely rational perspective. For example, INTJs are simultaneously the most starry-eyed idealists and the bitterest of cynics, a seemingly impossible conflict. But this is because INTJ types tend to believe that with effort, intelligence and consideration, nothing is impossible, while at the same time they believe that people are too lazy, short-sighted or self-serving to actually achieve those fantastic results. Yet that cynical view of reality is unlikely to stop an interested INTJ from achieving a result they believe to be relevant.

INTJ personality

In Matters Of Principle, Stand Like a Rock

INTJs radiate self-confidence and an aura of mystery, and their insightful observations, original ideas and formidable logic enable them to push change through with sheer willpower and force of personality. At times it will seem that INTJs are bent on deconstructing and rebuilding every idea and system they come into contact with, employing a sense of perfectionism and even morality to this work. Anyone who doesn’t have the talent to keep up with INTJs’ processes, or worse yet, doesn’t see the point of them, is likely to immediately and permanently lose their respect.

Rules, limitations and traditions are anathema to the INTJ personality type – everything should be open to questioning and reevaluation, and if they see a way, INTJs will often act unilaterally to enact their technically superior, sometimes insensitive, and almost always unorthodox methods and ideas.

This isn’t to be misunderstood as impulsiveness – INTJs will strive to remain rational no matter how attractive the end goal may be, and every idea, whether generated internally or soaked in from the outside world, must pass the ruthless and ever-present “Is this going to work?” filter. This mechanism is applied at all times, to all things and all people, and this is often where INTJ personality types run into trouble.

One Reflects More When Traveling Alone

INTJs are brilliant and confident in bodies of knowledge they have taken the time to understand, but unfortunately the social contract is unlikely to be one of those subjects. White lies and small talk are hard enough as it is for a type that craves truth and depth, but INTJs may go so far as to see many social conventions as downright stupid. Ironically, it is often best for them to remain where they are comfortable – out of the spotlight – where the natural confidence prevalent in INTJs as they work with the familiar can serve as its own beacon, attracting people, romantically or otherwise, of similar temperament and interests.

INTJs are defined by their tendency to move through life as though it were a giant chess board, pieces constantly shifting with consideration and intelligence, always assessing new tactics, strategies and contingency plans, constantly outmaneuvering their peers in order to maintain control of a situation while maximizing their freedom to move about. This isn’t meant to suggest that INTJs act without conscience, but to many Feeling (F) types, INTJs’ distaste for acting on emotion can make it seem that way, and it explains why many fictional villains (and misunderstood heroes) are modeled on this personality type.

INTJ Strengths

Quick, Imaginative and Strategic Mind – INTJs pride themselves on their minds, taking every opportunity to improve their knowledge, and this shows in the strength and flexibility of their strategic thinking. Insatiably curious and always up for an intellectual challenge, INTJs can see things from many perspectives. INTJs use their creativity and imagination not so much for artistry, but for planning contingencies and courses of action for all possible scenarios.

High Self-Confidence – INTJs trust their rationalism above all else, so when they come to a conclusion, they have no reason to doubt their findings. This creates an honest, direct style of communication that isn’t held back by perceived social roles or expectations. When INTJs are right, they’re right, and no amount of politicking or hand-holding is going to change that fact – whether it’s correcting a person, a process, or themselves, they’d have it no other way.

Independent and Decisive – This creativity, logic and confidence come together to form individuals who stand on their own and take responsibility for their own actions. Authority figures do not impress INTJs, nor do social conventions or tradition, and no matter how popular something is, if they have a better idea, INTJs will stand against anyone they have to in a bid to have it changed. Either an idea is the most rational or it’s wrong, and INTJs will apply this to their arguments as well as their own behavior, staying calm and detached from these sometimes emotionally charged conflicts. INTJs will only be swayed by those who follow suit.

Hard-working and determined – If something piques their interest, INTJs can be astonishingly dedicated to their work, putting in long hours and intense effort to see an idea through. INTJs are incredibly efficient, and if tasks meet the criteria of furthering a goal, they will find a way to consolidate and accomplish those tasks. However, this drive for efficiency can also lead to a sort of elaborate laziness, wherein INTJs find ways to bypass seeming redundancies which don’t seem to require a great deal of thought – this can be risky, as sometimes double-checking one’s work is the standard for a reason.

Open-minded – All this rationalism leads to a very intellectually receptive personality type, as INTJs stay open to new ideas, supported by logic, even if (and sometimes especially if) they prove INTJs’ previous conceptions wrong. When presented with unfamiliar territory, such as alternate lifestyles, INTJs tend to apply their receptiveness and independence, and aversion to rules and traditions, to these new ideas as well, resulting in fairly liberal social senses.

Jacks-of-all-Trades – INTJs’ open-mindedness, determination, independence, confidence and strategic abilities create individuals who are capable of doing anything they set their minds to. Excelling at analyzing anything life throws their way, INTJs are able to reverse-engineer the underlying methodology of almost any system and apply the concepts that are exposed wherever needed. INTJs tend to have their pick of professions, from IT architects to political masterminds.

INTJ weaknesses

Arrogant – INTJs are perfectly capable of carrying their confidence too far, falsely believing that they’ve resolved all the pertinent issues of a matter and closing themselves off to the opinions of those they believe to be intellectually inferior. Combined with their irreverence for social conventions, INTJs can be brutally insensitive in making their opinions of others all too clear.

Judgmental – INTJs tend to have complete confidence in their thought process, because rational arguments are almost by definition correct – at least in theory. In practice, emotional considerations and history are hugely influential, and a weak point for INTJs is that they brand these factors and those who embrace them as illogical, dismissing them and considering their proponents to be stuck in some baser mode of thought, making it all but impossible to be heard.

Overly analytical – A recurring theme with INTJs is their analytical prowess, but this strength can fall painfully short where logic doesn’t rule – such as with human relationships. When their critical minds and sometimes neurotic level of perfectionism (often the case with Turbulent INTJs) are applied to other people, all but the steadiest of friends will likely need to make some distance, too often permanently.

Loathe highly structured environments – Blindly following precedents and rules without understanding them is distasteful to INTJs, and they disdain even more authority figures who blindly uphold those laws and rules without understanding their intent. Anyone who prefers the status quo for its own sake, or who values stability and safety over self-determination, is likely to clash with INTJ personality types. Whether it’s the law of the land or simple social convention, this aversion applies equally, often making life more difficult than it needs to be.

Clueless in romance – This antipathy to rules and tendency to over-analyze and be judgmental, even arrogant, all adds up to a personality type that is often clueless in dating. Having a new relationship last long enough for INTJs to apply the full force of their analysis on their potential partner’s thought processes and behaviors can be challenging. Trying harder in the ways that INTJs know best can only make things worse, and it’s unfortunately common for them to simply give up the search. Ironically, this is when they’re at their best, and most likely to attract a partner.

INTJ PERSONALITY AND EMOTIONS

INTJs are defined by their confidence, logic, and exceptional decision-making, but all of this hides a turbulent underbelly – their emotions. The very notion of emotional expression is synonymous with irrationality and weakness to many INTJs, a display of poor self-governance and fleeting opinion that can hardly stand up to the enduring light of factual truth.

This mistrust of emotions is understandable, as Feeling (F) is the most weakly developed trait for INTJs – like any complex tool, skilled hands can use it to remarkable effect, while untrained hands make clumsy and dangerous work.

People with the INTJ personality type take pride in remaining rational and logical at all times, considering honesty and straightforward information to be paramount to euphemisms and platitudes in almost all circumstances. In many ways though, these qualities of coolness and detachment aren’t the weapons of truth that they appear to be, but are instead shields designed to protect the inner emotions that INTJs feel. In fact, because their emotions are such an underdeveloped tool, INTJs often feel them more strongly than many overtly emotional types because they simply haven’t learned how to control them effectively.

INTJ personality and emotions

There Is Not a Truth Existing Which I Fear

This is a challenging paradigm for INTJs to manage, especially younger and more Turbulent types who are already less confident than they would like to appear. These feelings are contrary to INTJs’ idea of themselves as paragons of logic and knowledge, and they may go so far as to claim they have no emotions at all. This does not mean that people with the INTJ personality type should be seen as, nor should they aspire to be, cold-blooded and insensitive geniuses living by the mantra that emotions are for the weak. INTJs must understand that this isn’t the case, and isn’t ever going to be.

More mature and Assertive INTJs find more useful ways to manage their feelings. While they will never be comfortable with a truly public display of emotions, INTJs can learn to use them, to channel them alongside their logic to help them achieve their goals. While seemingly contradictory, this can be done in several ways.

Firstly, INTJs are goal-oriented, with long-term ideas founded on sound logic. When something does cause an emotional reaction, good or bad, that energy can be used to further those goals, aiding rational and pre-determined plans. Secondly, emotions are figurative canaries in the coal mine, indicating that something is off even though logic can’t see it yet. These feelings can help INTJs to use their logic to ask questions they may not have thought to ask. "This is upsetting. Why? What can be done to resolve it?"

Question With Boldness

In this way, emotions are not INTJs’ way of addressing a decision, but rather an indication that a decision needs to be addressed. INTJ personalities’ Thinking (T) trait acts as a protective big brother to their Feeling (F) trait – seeing that something has upset the less able sibling, it steps in to take action, letting logic do the talking and resolving the condition rather than complaining about its consequences.

There comes a time though, when logic is simply the wrong tool for the job, when there just isn’t a rational solution to a problem, and it is in these situations that INTJs must use their Feeling (F) trait most clearly. INTJs would do well to practice this from time to time, or at least be aware of it, because however they may try, it is impossible to truly separate emotion from the decision-making process. The fact is that INTJs do feel, and deeply, and this makes them better, not worse.

[char27martin]

2016 April PAD Challenge: Results

Okay, long overdue, but here they are: the 2016 April PAD Challenge results post. We tried a new method of narrowing down the poems via e-mail submissions, and well, then we changed e-mail platforms. So reading the poems was not as smooth as I was hoping, but that’s okay.

I did get through them all, and I loved reading them. Just as I loved reading all the personalized messages; y’all make me feel so lucky to do what I do. For real. Thank you!

*****

Order the New Poet’s Market!

The 2017 Poet’s Market, edited by Robert Lee Brewer, includes hundreds of poetry markets, including listings for poetry publications, publishers, contests, and more! With names, contact information, and submission tips, poets can find the right markets for their poetry and achieve more publication success than ever before.

Order your copy today!

In addition to the listings, there are articles on the craft, business, and promotion of poetry–so that poets can learn the ins and outs of writing poetry and seeking publication. Plus, it includes a one-year subscription to the poetry-related information on WritersMarket.com. All in all, it’s the best resource for poets looking to secure publication.

Click to continue.

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This year, I’ve decided to share my Top 20 list (in no particular order) of poems that resonated with me. They’re not the only good poems I read, of course, out of the hundreds sent my way; they’re just the ones that jumped out at me more.

The Motley Fool, by Anders Bylund

The tart on his tongue has turned to tact

  Starfish, by Angie Bell

It’s funny how the unexpected can form an instant community

like that July morning

at Siesta Key when a delegation of starfish drew us all together as we dipped our toes in the warm gulf waters

beachgoers laughing and squealing

pointing and talking to each other splashing and swimming among the starfish that day

we formed a temporary friendship

over the joy of the ocean’s offerings years later across the land “remember when” will be heard

and tales of the starfish will be told

  In Response to Langston Hughes’ April Rain Song, by Arcadia Sturdivant

I wish I could like rain’s kisses I wish I could bear raindrops on my head I wish I could listen to rain like a lullaby I rather have the sun kiss me I rather have sunrays through my hair I rather have the sun beckon me to come outside

  Snipping Through Life, by Azma Sheikh

The distance from you to me is amusingly the same as the distance between two blades of a scissor. The more we close in, the more it cuts.

  Puckish Love, by William Preston

Love holds forth its humble hands and proffers new hope to the heart; hate, ensconced in iron bands, demands that love depart.

Hate, sufficient unto itself, boasts pride as its only rule; love, a peripatetic elf, is willing to play the fool.

Love willingly risks the flares of fear to gain a glimpse of glee; in love, therefore, I bid you, dear: play the fool for me.

  Their One Spring Task: Out-do the Other Sparkles, by Barb Peters

Ours hang against the April wall, the first to bloom then blink. They straggle, stretch their necks, all gawk and inexperience.

These jonquils shy too much–their counterparts are lonely clouds. No flutter dance near sidewalks, lacking in experience.

Come on, square shoulders, shout: “We’re better than the dandelions!” Instead, they cling in twos or threes, limp packs of inexperience.

If Wordsworth napped upon our couch, no dreams of blissful swathes. Let’s plant ourselves narcissus crowds enacting his experience.

We’ll write our names, dear love, each daff an edge of golden cursive on a flounce of white. We’ll rise in spring, forever back for our experience.

  Giddy Up, by Beverly Finney

Those leather boots with the pointed toe and the stout heel insist on a stirrup, the flash and smell of a lathered flank, the snort of a mane in the jingle of reins, the switch of a long tail, thunder of hooves pounding the earth. That’s where I go pulling them on, tugging hard with the red-handled hooks until my high arch passes the narrow turn and my foot settles into the swagger I know I will wear all day.

  Jaded, by Charise Hoge

Somewhere in the heart of harm I want to sweep you off your calloused feet, your callousness nestling in a hyacinth wreath – drunk on spring perfuming the crevices where love rots, where cradles splinter, to unearth the eager crook of your arm.

  Fool, by Connie Blitz

I’m just a fool who likes to spend time experimenting with rhythm and rhyme. I’ll never get rich in this word game. I won’t find fortune. I won’t find fame, but I have found a kindred soul or two, not a lot, just a few, who also like to put words in a string, creating pearls of wisdom, making lingual bling.

  Early Memory, by Connie Peters

My red plastic boots dangled as Dad lifted me up to peer down at Grandma asleep in her casket.

  First Time, by Christina Perry

That first time you whispered breathlessly I love you, as you held me in your arms all I could do was shudder, wipe tears from bloodshot eyes, and moan as I gazed over your left shoulder. Even in that moment of disorientation, with a lip already swelling from the impact of your fist, I knew you had just upped the ante–and I hated you for it.

*****

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Please, please, please, let me know about it. Even if you’ve let me know about it in the past, please send me a new message at robert.brewer@fwmedia.com with as much of the following information as you can share: what happens when you try to post (when it doesn’t work), how often can it sometimes take, what browser do you use? We have a new reporting system in place, and I’m hopeful that if we get a huge response that we can finally fix this problem. Please help make that happen by sending me an e-mail about your posting issues today!

*****

Three Cherry Tree Blossoms, by Sara McNulty

Raindrops fall through arcing pink umbrellas three cherry blossom trees

  Origami, by Sara Ramsdell

I crease you into the flat folds of a paper crane a thousand patient times, coupling wing and string into the repetitive rudimentary vessel of one lavish wish.

  Dead End Perspective, by Stevie Mitchell

If I paint myself into a corner, it’s so I know I’ll be part of the picture.

  Fulfillment, by Ellen Evans -after “Ode to the Flute,” by Ross Gay

A man sings by throwing his voice through the flute a man turns himself into air through the flute a man sings a ventriloquist song and the flute is at last fulfilled

  To the Girl Who Likes the Lady Horses Best, by Lelawattee Manoo-Rahming -response to “how to triumph like a girl,” by Ada Limon

It is beautiful to be believed. A little girl who thinks, who knows, who wants to run @ 40mph, who can solve a math equation and understand biology. She can draw the 8-pound heart of a lady horse, with heart valves, aorta and vena cava, heavy with blood. A girl who knows her own heart beats like a machine, a pump beneath her shirt. A genius girl who wants to win, who will win, if she is believed.

  Havana’s Sun, by Danielle C. Robinson

over turquoise water, we stretched and hovered like vessels until our skin broke through a ring of currents. then we stumbled ashore and laid flat under the Havana sun. shared lavish kisses, played rock, paper, scissors until my gap-tooth became gaudy. realizing, at that moment, you were no longer on my blacklist.

  You Can’t Buy Ruby Slippers at a Kansas Hardware Store, by De Jackson

That was no ordinary twister, Mister, and Dorothy had a dream and now she’s on the hunt for just the right shade of crimson heels. Blue and white check and black MaryJanes are, at best, as country bumpkin as it gets, and she’s had a taste of the just-right click of yellow brick, and emeralds. Auntie Em

disapproves, of course. And you and you and you were there, but now you’re frowning, doubting her judgment and her sanity and her desire for pretty feet. No need to worry. It’s just that she’s heard a faint cackle from the West, and she’s thinking it’s best that she work up the courage (heart, wicked smarts) to find her way back (home).

  Untitled (Woman Playing Solitaire), by Pamela Taylor -Inspired by Kitchen Table Series, by Carrie Mae Weems

The girls keep quiet and out of sight. They know to stay away from the kitchen table when mama plays solitaire.

The parakeet shifts over in its cage, peeks at the card held aloft, chirps once for black, twice for red.

She studies the upturned cards like tarot. This is the only time she controls the stacked deck, where she can deal a better hand.

Her nightgown shimmers in the stark light. She rolls the sleeves up to her elbows. The cigarette continues its slow burn.

  The Flute Remembers, by Bruce W. Niedt -after “Ode to the Flute,” by Ross Gay

And then a man looks at a flute beside him and asks How did you learn to catch the wind? and the flute remembers a time before silver and keys that locked in the wind and remembers days of wood and finger holes and how people would dance to its wind the same wind that has blown for ages and ages the same wind that blew across a hollow reed fifty-thousand years ago just as a man was passing.

  Skip Toodle-loo, by Candace Kubinec

Just skip it flip it right into the pond let that ring, sink, I think get lost in the muck stuck in the ooze skip the roses weak psychoses of apologies skip town instead go ahead I’m through with you so toodle-loo, buckaroo

*****

And there you go! I hope you enjoyed these poems as much as I did.

Because of how I looked over the 2016 poems, I couldn’t figure out a good person to name as Poet Laureate, but I hope to bring that back with the 2017 challenge. More on that later this week.

*****

Robert Lee Brewer is the editor of Poet’s Market and author of Solving the World’s Problems. Follow him on Twitter @robertleebrewer.

*****

Check out these other poetic posts:

Bryan Borland: Poet Interview.

Collecting Poems Into a Book: 5 Poets Share Their Method.

WD Poetic Form Challenge: Diminishing Verse.

The post 2016 April PAD Challenge: Results appeared first on WritersDigest.com.

from Writing Editor Blogs – WritersDigest.com http://www.writersdigest.com/whats-new/2016-april-pad-challenge-results

[firedupreadytogousa-blog]

Day 13 (1/31): “Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” #PRESIDENTBANNON

Featuring: -Yesterday, In Trumpland- The Resistance Report- Weekend Actions-

-YESTERDAY, IN TRUMPLAND-

FEATURE: Making Sense of the Last 72 Hours and Why It’s So Significant

In the last 72 Hours we have had a massive attempt to consolidate power and test “our country’s willingness to capitulate to a fascist regime.” (Follow Link to Read Original Jake Fuentes Article)

An irresponsible Muslim ban that intentionally included green card holders (aka permanent residents of the US) to cause chaos.

The Department of Homeland Security defies orders from Federal Judges and the Whitehouse is silent. They essentially crossed their arms and said, “Make Me!”

 The Immediate Firing of the Acting Attorney General last night when she stood up for the constitution and told the DOJ to not defend the law because she deemed it unconstitutional

The National Security Council Shake up, which puts Steve ‘Neo-Nazi’ Bannon in cabinet level position usually reserved for Generals, without confirmation and almost ensures Trump never has to hear suggestions he wouldn’t like.

The gutting of the State Department to block opposition of these moves as it relates to diplomacy. (Previous reports said the State Department was resigning in waves… turns out it was a purge).

Trump has also demoted the Acting Director if Immigration & Customs Enforcement (ICE).

From all of this, the Trump administration is clearly pushing the boundaries of our government’s system of checks and balances (which they have no regard for) and testing how far they can push things legally and get away with them.

 So is the Muslim ban just NBD?

No, it is still a big deal because there is a good chance that it is unconstitutional, the Whitehouse never consulted Congress or appropriate lawyers before enacting the EO, it keeps us less safe by angering our allies, and is now propaganda for ISIS who are currently hailing Trump’s EO as a 

victory by exposing that the US has declared war with Islam. BUT, despite all of this, if you take a step back, it’s not their end game. They want to see if they can just go over the heads of the Judicial branch and get away with it, AND they want to have the appearance of looking reasonable when they eventually back off of 20% of it, when, in reality, they will get 100% of what they wanted in the first place. It’s like when you ask your parents for an insanely ridiculous car for your 16th birthday, knowing the car you want is also ridiculous but not as absurd as the first, so that after they shut down your first request doesn’t seem so extreme after all and you get what you want? That is what it seems like they are attempting to do and it’s a classic business negotiating tactic.

Also it’s worth noting is that Rex Tillerson, Nominee for secretary of state, was surprised and upset that he was not included in the drafting of this legislation… he also opposed several of Trump’s key stances during his confirmation hearing… coincidence?

Is Trump the One Thinking of All This?

Maybe and Maybe not. It seems that the brain child around this whole strategy is this sinister Bannon character who has been plotting this for a long ass time! In fact, he is quoted to have said “I’m a Leninist… Lenin wanted to destroy the state, and that’s my goal too. I want to bring everything crashing down, and destroy all of today’s establishment.” The establishment to him includes republicans and democrats. It’s been circulating that Bannon is using Trump to push this agenda to destroy the state and his unprecedented rise to power and known fascist views corroborate this theory. This has sparked the hashtags #STOPPresidentBannon, #PresidentBannon, and #ImpeachPresidentBannon to start trending rightfully putting this guy in the spotlight as a direct threat to the rights of the American people.

 So How Do WE Stop This?

Some may disagree, but it is OUR take that everyone has a role to play in stopping this consolidation of powers and attempt to flirt with fascism and destroy American ideals. And this must be a bi-partisan effort:

The People & The Art of The Protest. People are showing up and showing out in masses almost organically now in opposition of this hostile takeover of our government. Protests are great for showing unity and rejecting what is happening and sending a message through the media to others and the world that this is not what America Stands for (Not to mentioning pissing off Trump because you cannot be the populist president without being popular). But protests can’t just become the new Brunch, where you show-up, get your fill, feel satisfied/ drunk on the feeling of sticking it to the man, and then go home. The importance of protesting is to get the attention of YOUR elected officials, like we did with Chuck Schumer in NY and pressuring them to bend to the will of the constituents. You do think by visiting your elected officials at their offices, their houses, with phone calls, faxes, emails, letters!. The Indivisible Guide explains this method! So keep resisting.

The Press. The Press MUST go deeper and stay on stories like the NSC shake-up or what happened with the Gutting of the state department instead of the obvious stories that are low handing fruit. Don’t just stay on the surface and ask the tough questions! Don’t allow for conflating facts and pivots, expose them for what they are doing! Keep on Russia and the larger story of the Kermlin’s continued influential role in our government. Keep on The Fact that Trump is still profiting from Foreign governments because he has not divested his assets and we need to see his tax returns. Don’t let up, don’t get distracted! Also Stop airing Spicer on TV and Stop bringing on Kellyann Conway for itnervies, they are a distraction. If you choose to do that, air them with a delay to put up the actual facts while they LIE. And DO NOT air the State of the Union addresses Live whenever that is.

Our System of Checks and Balances. It is obvious to see that our system of checks and balances is failing us now. And there are many reasons for it. You have a dictator in office who will metaphorically chop off the head of fire anyone that opposes him in the executive, a gross abuse of executive orders that are being signed straight into law without consulting any member of the legislative branch (thanks Obama for that one… he wasn’t perfect let’s be clear), a covert staffers on the Hill who are circumventing the norms to most likely garner favor with whoever is coming in next, and a Congress with 2 spineless heads in Paul Ryan and Mitch McConnell who would rather see a collapse in the American system of government than let go of their political hard-ons of being able to pass anything they want with a GOP controlled government. SHAME!

Legislative Branch Needs to Be United! Cannot express the importance that this must be a Bi-Partisan effort! The democrats seem to be finally uniting to help block this legislation by introducing new legislation, starting with the mass boycott of the inauguration, and continuing to Resist by filibustering the Supreme Court pick whoever that may be. And I would argue they skip the State of the Union as well. Thanks to a lot of pressure, the resistance movement has made on a grassroots level. But we will need Republicans to join in and set their excitement of being in power aside, easier said than done, and stand up and fight for us! There have already been some GOP members that have started to break with the President, but we need more.

 Updates on Refugee Ban

 Yes, even as of 8:30pm last night, border officers were still not complying with the Federal Judge’s Stay. However, another WOMAN (hey girl hey!), Acting Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, courageously stepped in and ordered the DOJ to not defend this EO As it is unconstitutional. Which SURPRISED Trump and almost immediately he moved to FIRE Ms. Yates on the grounds that she decided to defend the constitution instead of listen to what he says to do and hire someone else who would do what he said. If you are thinking that is effed up, you would not be incorrect in your judgment. Senate Dems have said they will call for an investigation into those persons who did not comply with the federal judge’s orders. It is important to know that Ms. Yates is a holdover from the Obama administration where she was the deputy Attorney General, however she was confirmed with bipartisan support.

 Jeff Sessions, the nominee for the Attorney General of the US is the one who is intended to fill that vacancy. So on a phone call Sunday night w/ Moveon.org, they emphasized that they, along with the ACLU, and members of congress would be asking for additional time to re-question Sessions on his stance on the ban before voting since this role is key to establishing whether or not the DOJ will defend the ban and more of Trump’s horrible executive orders! TBD on what Happens.

 Important FACTS to know if you’re going to get in Facebook/ family arguments.

It takes 2 YEARS for ANY Refugee to be vetted and granted entry into the United States. It is actually our most intensive screening process.

The Whitehouse is now trying to blame Obama for their major FAIL as they say the list of 7 countries were initially his idea! However, they are not even close to being the same!

“Terrorism by Muslims makes up one-third of 1 percent of all murders in the US.” And none of the countries on this ban have had people that have killed Americans on US soil. Also, “you are more likely to be killed by your own clothes than by an immigrant terrorist.” SHAME

Rudy Giuliani unknowingly confirmed suspicions that this was a disguised Muslim ban because he just couldn’t help himself.

 Again, we can all agree we want to keep our country safe. But we WILL NOT abandon our American Values and what this country stands for!

 OTHER HAPPENINGS YOU MIGHT HAVE MISSED

 Fox News’s initial reports of the heinous massacre that occurred in Quebec misidentified the suspect as Moroccan when in fact he was a MALE WHITE SUPREMICIST and Trump enthusiast who killed 6 Muslims and injured 9 in a mosque! They have still not taken this False Reporting from their website. The Whitehouse even tried to cite the shooting as a reason for the ban… against Muslim and Refugees… #SpicerFacts. The suspect has now been charged with 6 counts of manslaughter. Which makes you wonder, with all this talk of National Security,  who is really a bigger threat to your safety?

 Trump signed an EO meant to help small (and frankly large) business by easing the amount of federal regulations they have to comply with. The EO basically states that for every new regulation, 2 other regulations must be removed. And that’s basically it. So one might say this will totally help, especially struggling small businesses! Others will logically think, this is just going to create multipart regulations. But, as with most that has happened thus far, logic need not apply. This is in line with his campaign promise to cut back on regulations for businesses.

The Department of Interior is the latest on a growing list of departments that have been gagged by this administration according to, SURPRISE, another leaked memo. This includes the Bureau of Land Management, US Fish and Wildlife Service, National Park, Ocean Energy Management, INDIAN AFFAIRS, and others. We are, I’m sure, moments away from following their rogue twitter account… any second now.

Reports have surfaced that Trump will be bringing VP Mike Pence’s unconstitutional religious freedom act to the federal level, by “[rolling] back and nullifying President Barack Obama’s 2014 executive orders which protect employees from anti-LGBT workplace discrimination while working for federal contractors” because of “religious” reasons aka legalizing homophobia. Wow are all those “Gays for Trump” and Deploraball attendees excited now?! This is just another reason why someone like Jeff Sessions cannot be the Attorney General. Dems must continue to hold strong and filibuster Trump’s Supreme Court Pick! However, the GOP could easily evoke the ‘nuclear option’ and kill that idea real quick.

Russia has arrested its top cyber security expert on grounds of treason for providing the US intel about the election hacking. YES remember the hacking! Russia is still not off the hook. They also found an ex-KGB chief murdered in the back seat of a car. This is SUPER SHADY because he was linked to the MI6 officer that compiled that infamous dossier that might actually end up being true. Maxine Waters (Rep. D- CA) announced on Twitter that Dems would be making a statement pertaining to Russia this AM, so TBD on that. I know what you’re thinking, this is turning into the worst TV drama of all time, but unfortunately, unlike The saga of Nick Vail on The Bachelor, this is REAL LIFE!

With a heavy heavy heart, I’m sad to tell you there were 2 American casualties in the Al Qaeda raid in Yemen on Sunday. One was a Navy Seal who was a SEAL Team 6 member and the other an 8-year old American Girl. It seems like the first major military advance by the president was a hot mess… and with Bannon on the National Security Council as a principal things might get even more dicey. Our soldiers lives are not a political game. Steve Bannon must be stopped!

 - RESISTANCE REPORT- THE RESISTANCE IS REAL, LIVE, AND GROWING! JOIN THE FIGHT!

- Steve Mnuchin Finance Chairman: Committee Vote TODAY! Devos Vote TODAY! SESSIONS Vote TODAY! Keep calling or FAXING if you cannot get through! Schumer and Gillbrand are now united in opposing all! Let’s get others going!!!

- Attorney General Sally Q. Yates, courageously stepped in and ordered the DOJ not to defend the EO and the DHS to comply with the Federal Stay. She was aptly fired by Trump quickly thereafter. Cannot express how worrisome it is when folks are going to be fired for 1) upholding the law and 2) for disagreeing with the president. It’s. About. To. Go. Down! #RESIST

- Democratic Members of Congress took the floor to express their outrage and commitment to work to overturn Trump’s #MuslimBan in Congress and urge their fellow Republicans to join them. They also are contemplating to filibuster the hell out of what every Supreme Court Justice Nominee Trump puts forth. However, they are still debating if this is the best move in the long run. I will be a Chuck Schumer’s office at lunch today to let him know how I feel about that.

- An internal memo from the gutted state department has confirmed their opposition to the Ban. And Obama finally speaks out in support for The Resistance! Looks like everyone is joining the “opposition party” these days because defending American Values is the cool thing to do!

- Washington Stand UP! First state to formally sue Trump over the immigration order #MuslimBan.

- Other corporations quickly denounce Trump Ban including Ford, Coke, and Goldman Sachs among others.

- Google announces it will donate $4M to support organizations dedicated to refugees and their employees celebrated by having their own rally against Trump’s immigration ban.

- The Koch Brothers (who are largely responsible for the messy boots presidency that is DJT and funding the GOP H8 regime) came out against the ban.

- People are starting to delete their Uber App because their CEO was one of the first to jump on the MAGA train and complete took advantage of the NYC taxi strike… Not Cool Uber. (I deleted my account). Didn’t stop him from attempting to clap back though by snitching on other companies on the same advisory board as him. Didn’t really work though because the people are #woke. Can’t wait to jump into a LYFT or try JUNO.

- Also we’re up to 16 on the GOP side not supporting the ban! this is a list of all members of Congress and their responses to the #Muslim ban! Memorize this, and never forget!

- The Boy Scouts open membership to Transgender Children. If kids can get it, like wtf is wrong with adults?

- No Tweet is safe! It seems that a 2011 Tweet from Trump Hotels has been resurrected, and the responses from people are hilarious!

- The “expert” Trump is using to confirm his voter ban, since his golfing buddy story didn’t work out, is actually registered to vote in 3 different states! I mean you can’t make this up people.

- Looking ahead for 2018, the shady AF republican Gerrymandering (or redistricting) is getting crushed in the courts RN. This is a HUGE victory because it essentially will not let the GOP rig the voting districts in their favor. There are 33 Senate seats and all 435 seats in the house are up for grabs. So Mark your calendars for Nov. 8, 2018!

- London and Scotland are Resisting as well protesting this ridiculousness in solidarity with US! We are not alone! British Parliament went HAM on Trump yesterday in the cheekiest fashion, and 1 million Brits signed a petition to not allow Trump to some for a state visit.

 - ACTIONS- AS A CONSTIUENT YOU HOLD ALL THE POWER!

ACTIONS FOR TODAY (3 INSANELY IMPORTANT THINGS GOING ON THIS WEEK)! CALL, FAX, GO TO SENATOR’S OFFICES! Find you Senator’s Contact INFO HERE. Find a local protest event HERE. Find FAX numbers HERE.

COMMITTEE VOTES TODAY (1/31)

1) Steve Mnuchin Finance Chairman: Committee Vote in the evening for Finance Chairman. Government Goldman Sachs exec whose company is accused of illegally foreclosing on homeowners. This guy is scummier than scum and totally is the SWAMP!

2) Jeff ‘too racist to be an Alabama Fed Judge’ Sessions committee vote is TUESDAY 1/31 at 10AM! ANYONE Dem or Republican who votes yes for this guy deserves to be on your SHIT LIST FOR LIFE. Never forget who thought this was ok. ASK FOR A DELAY! HE wrote some of the language in the Muslim Ban!

3) Betsy ‘Guns should be in Schools to fight Grizzlies’ Devos- Department of Education. She is the 1st person to be nominated who has NEVER attended a Public School, taught at a public school, or had a child attend a public school. Yet she wants to be in charge of them… to destroy them. She has a failed track record of implementing charter schools in Detroit. And Because Grizzlies was a serious answer! She is unfit to serve.

4) Tom ‘healthcare is not a human right’ Price Department of Health and Human Services. He wants to gut the ACA.

 SENATE FLOOR VOTE TOMORROW (2/1)

5) REX TILLERSON FULL SENATE FLOOR VOTE… remember Marco ‘pump fake’ Rubio caved during the committee vote so now it goes to the floor. He is SUPER chummy with Russia and is CEO of Exxon Mobil (conflicts of interests much?).  ASK FOR A DELAY! Need to question his stance on ban!

 COMING UP

- Andrew Puzder- Department of Labor: Hates the Department of Labor, yet wants to run it… to DESTROY IT.

- Rick Perry- Department of Energy: Vowed he wanted to get rid of it, was nominated for it, had no idea what it did, acknowledges he’ll have a learning curve, but still wants it… hmmmm this position involved looking after our Nukes… hmmm. *Palm to face*

 UPCOMING DEMONSTRATIONS & TRAININGS- Join Events in Links

NYC- Cick Here for a Full LIST for NYC events

1/31 (TUE) 12:30pm-1:30pm Rally to Stop Trump’s #SwampCabinet @ Chuck Schumer’s Office. 780 3rd Avenue

1/31 (TUE) 6pm- What The F*^k Chuck Rally- Grand Army Plaza in BK

1/31 (TUE) 6pm-8pm Women’s March: Write In and Postcard mailing, Dream Baby downtown

1/31 (TUE) 7pm-8:30pm Rise & Resist Meeting 208 W 13th Street

 Washington DC

1/29 (SUN) 10am: Oppose Betsy DeVos! Columbus Circle, Washington DC

4/15 (SAT): Tax Day Rally to demand Trump turn over his Taxes. Everywhere. Link will show you where your local march is

4/29 (SUN): People’s Climate March

5/6 (SAT) 10am-5pm: The Immigrant’s March on Washington

6/11 (SUN) 10am-6pm: National Pride March