#v: investigative advisor

[worldsfinestknights]

Dick — v: the order of robins

Ivy — v: queen of the green

Lois — v: investigative advisor

Spoilers under the cut for some 'canon divergencies' within this verse.

Bruce was not the product of an affair, but the Els and the Waynes and Alfred were polyamorously involved, and Thomas was unable to have children, but there was no betrayal involved in Bruce's conception.

I'm gonna have to reread, but I don't think that it mentioned Babs or Jim at all, and so I will be figuring out a way for them to show up. Probably part of the Els' kingdom. Jim is probably an older knight and mentor for Bruce, and Babs is probably also in the Order of Robins, but she'll definitely have more of an Oracle role.

I still haven't read Allwinter, but we'll see how much I actually include from that.

Not sure exactly what's going on with the Order of Robins yet. Definitely want to explore more about that.

There's a lot of mixing/blending characters into new roles in this Elseworlds story, so there are definitely a ton of different things to explore and figure out with how they relate back to 'canon'.

So far, the verse tags for The Dark Knights of Steel run are:

Bruce — v: the bat prince

Clark — v: prophecized stars

Diana — v: the bonds of truth

[mariacallous]

On Aug. 8, 1974, Republican U.S. President Richard Nixon shocked the nation. Following more than a year of multiple investigations into his administration over the Watergate scandal, Nixon went on television and announced that he would be resigning from office the following day.

“To continue to fight through the months ahead for my personal vindication would almost totally absorb the time and attention of both the president and the Congress in a period when our entire focus should be on the great issues of peace abroad and prosperity without inflation at home,” Nixon said as the nation watched. “Therefore, I shall resign the presidency effective at noon tomorrow.”

Less than two years earlier, Nixon had defeated South Dakota Sen. George McGovern, the Democratic Party’s candidate, in a landslide victory that pundits had compared to former President Franklin Roosevelt’s historic reelection in 1936. But now, Nixon became the first president in the nation’s history to step down before finishing his term. Americans were stunned and relieved. But even as Nixon’s administration has come to represent the ultimate rupture of a presidency, his was in fact the third consecutive administration to end in disruption in the mid-20th century. John F. Kennedy had been assassinated in November 1963. Lyndon Johnson had unexpectedly withdrawn from his reelection campaign in 1968. And then, six years later, Nixon would resign.

Nor was the outcome inevitable, as it may seem today. Nixon had fought when Congress, a grand jury, special prosecutors, judges, and reporters tried to find out what his role had been in the break-in at the Democratic National Committee headquarters in June 1972, and whether he had obstructed subsequent investigations. Just a few days before Nixon’s announcement, a mere 31 percent of Republicans polled by Gallup felt that he should no longer hold the office.

The pressure had mounted. On July 24, in United States v. Nixon, the Supreme Court ruled that the president must turn over secret White House tape recordings—one of which contained a “smoking gun” in which legislators could hear him in a conversation with advisor H.R. Haldeman, agreeing that they should persuade the CIA to stop the FBI from looking into the matter. On Aug. 7, Sen. Barry Goldwater, Senate Minority Leader Hugh Scott, and House Minority Leader John Rhodes—all Republicans—met with Nixon and said that if the House voted to send them articles of impeachment, which seemed likely, many in the GOP would join the Democrats in voting to remove him from office. Nixon’s job approval, according to Gallup, fell to 24 percent, with more than a majority of the country thinking he should leave. That’s what he did.

On Aug. 9, at 9:31 a.m., the president entered into the East Room with the first lady, Pat Nixon, and addressed a small group of cabinet officials, friends, and supporters. As he held back tears during different moments of his talk, Nixon advised everyone who was surrounding him: “Aways give your best. Never get discouraged, never be petty. Always remember, others may hate you, but those who hate you don’t win unless you hate them, and then you destroy yourself.”

He then went down to the Diplomatic Reception Room, where he wished the new president, Gerald Ford, good luck. Nixon walked up the staircase to the helicopter that was waiting for him outside, turned to look at the White House one last time as president, waved with his fingers shaped as a “V” for victory, and then flew off to Andrews Air Force Base, where Air Force One brought him back to California.

“With his departure,” wrote Jules Witcover in the Washington Post on Aug. 9, “he leaves behind a political legacy of negativism that far transcends the damage to his own party.”

Nixon’s presidency came to an abrupt end, but the resignation was just the final stage of a tumultuous era. The nation had been embroiled in fierce internal battles over issues such civil rights and the war in Vietnam. College campuses had been rocked by ongoing protest. Even the clothing that a person chose to wear sent strong signals about what they stood for. The Democratic Convention in August 1968 in Chicago had been a fiasco. The whole world watched as anti-war activists clashed with Mayor Richard Daley’s police force; inside the convention, anti-war delegates fought with supporters of then-Vice President Hubert Humphrey, who had become the nominee when Johnson withdrew from the race

And all of this took place after there had been a series of assassinations that started with Kennedy. When Martin Luther King Jr. was killed in Memphis, Tennessee, in April 1968, unrest swept through major cities. When an assassin killed one of the late president’s brothers, Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, in June, many young people lost all hope.

It is not a surprise that in 1974, Knopf published Robert Caro’s The Power Broker, a masterful work that would come to be considered one of the greatest nonfiction books of the century. Caro traced the career of the legendary unelected civil servant Robert Moses, who started his career as an idealistic reformer but ended as someone who did whatever was necessary, and to whomever, in his quest for total power. “The real lesson of Moses’ career,” wrote a reviewer in the Los Angeles Times, “and it is not nearly so difficult to understand in light of recent events such as Watergate—is the way the techniques of opinion manipulation and power use can operate within democracy.”

But another perspective suggested that perhaps Nixon’s resignation demonstrated that “the system worked,” with the optimists wanting to believe that a scandalous president being forced to give up power would restore the trust in government and elected officials that Vietnam and Watergate had stolen from them.

“No one can rejoice in the events which culminated in the resignation of the President,” noted American Bar Association President Chesterfield Smith in a newspaper interview. “We can, however, find comfort in the fact that … when our system for the administration of justice was tested—by perhaps its greatest challenge of all time—that system proved equal to the task.”

Such feelings did not last long. History took a different turn, and public distrust of government worsened. In 2024, Americans have trouble believing that their leaders will serve the public interest. According to Pew, a mere 22 percent trust the federal government to do what is right “just about always.” Though there have been some moments of improvement, such as at times during Ronald Reagan’s presidency and in the years immediately after 9/11, the public trust percentages upward of 70 percent that were normative in the early 1960s currently feel impossible to recreate. Even in recent years, when trust has grown slightly higher, positive numbers remain far lower than before.

So why didn’t Nixon’s resignation make things better? How did an act of such massive historical weight fail to cure the ills that were afflicting the body politic?

To begin with, Richard Nixon was never held accountable. Just one month after he told Americans that he was stepping down, his successor, Ford—who Nixon had appointed to be his vice president in 1973, when Spiro Agnew resigned in scandal—pardoned Nixon for any crimes that he might have committed. Seeking to heal the nation, Ford did the opposite. Nixon, who in 1977 told television interviewer David Frost that if a president did something, then it was legal, went on to have a career writing books and giving advice to future leaders. Rather than a criminal, he was treated as a statesman.

Public distrust also never went away because Vietnam and Watergate created a more vigilant outlook, with institutional support, as more people on both the left and right were constantly on the lookout for wrongdoing. Investigative journalists, nonprofit organizations, and good government groups such as a Common Cause were determined to keep holding elected officials accountable. So Americans naturally learned more about the bad things that politicians could do, such as when Sen. Frank Church’s committee revealed the illicit activities of the CIA during the Cold War, as the forces of reform struggled to clean the government so that it work be better. The quest for improvement tapped into a distrust of government that had always been part of the United States since its founding, when the country was created in a rebellion against a corrupt and oppressive British government.

Had this healthy skepticism been balanced with messages about the virtues of what Washington could do, such as when elderly Americans received health care through Medicare or poor young kids received nutrition through school lunch programs, public opinion might have improved. But instead, a conservative movement swept through the nation. Conservatism targeted the ills of government. As Reagan declared in his inaugural address, “government is not the solution to our problem; government is the problem.”

These feelings only intensified as more conservatism became more entrenched in politics and as the United States moved further away from Roosevelt’s New Deal and Johnson’s Great Society. Even some Democratic leaders such as President Bill Clinton, though still liberal, embraced Reagan’s logic as well. During his State of the Union address in 1996, Clinton proclaimed that “the era of big government” was “over.”

As if all of this was not enough, the intensification of hyperpolarization over the past two decades has caused red and blue Americans to distrust officials from the other side. To be sure, strong partisanship is a good thing. Robust parties offer Americans real mechanisms within the mainstream political system to express differences and to struggle over policy. Parties have helped to provide coherence to the country’s incredibly fragmented government.

But when “affective polarization” became normative, as political scientist such as Liliana Mason have argued, intense emotionalism left members of each party disliking the other and disgusted by their opponents to the point that there could be no reconciliation. Fundamental differences have been supplanted by fundamental distrust. And social media has created multiple opportunities to spread all kind of information regardless of its veracity, which further fuels these feelings.

Besides the sorts of tensions that this culture of distrust has created, the sentiment also makes it more difficult for the government that we all need to survive, thrive, and do good work.

Rather than hoping that somehow conditions will miraculously change, the time has come for a new reform agenda, where the country’s elected officials take the concerns that were at the root of the good-faith skepticism that took hold when Nixon stepped down. Instead of just railing against those in charge, Americans need more dialogue about improving processes, procedures, and rules—while demanding better leadership—in order to produce a government that is always looking out for the national interest.

[tomorrowusa]

J.D. Vance is even worse than you think.

[H]is worldview is fundamentally incompatible with the basic principles of American democracy. Vance has said that, had he been vice president in 2020, he would have carried out Trump’s scheme for the vice president to overturn the election results. He has fundraised for January 6 rioters. He once called on the Justice Department to open a criminal investigation into a Washington Post columnist who penned a critical piece about Trump. After last week’s assassination attempt on Trump, he attempted to whitewash his radicalism by blaming the shooting on Democrats’ rhetoric about democracy without an iota of evidence.

Being "evidence-free" is fairly normal for Republicans theses days, but let's continue.

This worldview translates into a very aggressive agenda for a second Trump presidency. In a podcast interview, Vance said that Trump should “fire every single mid-level bureaucrat” in the US government and “replace them with our people.” If the courts attempt to stop this, Vance says, Trump should simply ignore the law. “You stand before the country, like Andrew Jackson did, and say the chief justice has made his ruling, now let him enforce it,” he declares. The President Jackson quote is likely apocryphal, but the history is real. Vance is referring to an 1832 case, Worcester v. Georgia, in which the Supreme Court ruled that the US government needed to respect Native legal rights to land ownership. Jackson ignored the ruling, and continued a policy of allowing whites to take what belonged to Natives. The end result was the ethnic cleansing of about 60,000 Natives — an event we now call the Trail of Tears. For most Americans, this history is a deep source of shame: an authoritarian president trampling on the rule of law to commit atrocities. For Vance, it is a well of inspiration.

Implicitly, Vance favors the persecution of Native Americans. He's a fan of ethnic cleansing.

Vance apparently alters his views simply to further his ambitions.

Ultimately, whether Vance truly believes what he’s saying is secondary to the public persona he’s chosen to adopt. Politicians are not defined by their inner lives, but the decisions that they make in public — the ones that actually affect law and policy. Those choices are deeply shaped by the constituencies they depend on and the allies they court. And it is clear that Vance is deeply ensconced in the GOP’s growing “national conservative” faction, which pairs an inconsistent economic populism with an authoritarian commitment to crushing liberals in the culture war.

A favorite abbreviation of mine for "national conservative" is Nat-C.

Yes, Vance actually follows a monarchist blogger. What would the signers of the Declaration of Independence think?

Vance has cited Curtis Yarvin, a Silicon Valley monarchist blogger, as the source of his ideas about firing bureaucrats and defying the Supreme Court. His Senate campaign was funded by Vance’s former employer, Peter Thiel, a billionaire who once wrote that “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.” He’s a big fan of Patrick Deneen, a Notre Dame professor who recently wrote a book calling for “regime change” in America. Vance spoke at an event for Deneen’s book in Washington, describing himself as a member of the “postliberal right” who sees his job in Congress as taking an “explicitly anti-regime” stance.

Those pushing the odious Project 2025, which we should think of as „Mein Trumpf“, are big fans of J.D..

Top Trump advisor (and current federal inmate) Steve Bannon told Ward that Vance is “at the nerve center of this movement.” Kevin Roberts, the president of the right-wing Heritage Foundation and the driving force behind Project 2025, told Ward that “he is absolutely going to be one of the leaders — if not the leader — of our movement.” He would be a direct conduit from the shadowy world of far-right influencers, where Curtis Yarvin is a respected voice and Viktor Orbán a role model, straight to 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.

Viktor Orbán is not somebody any American leader should emulate. Orbán is essentially a goulash Putin.

In 2004, Democratic presidential candidate Howard Dean described himself as hailing from “the Democratic wing of the Democratic party.” If the GOP under Trump has indeed evolved into an authoritarian party, then Vance hails from its authoritarian wing.

So Vance is from the authoritarian wing of the authoritarian party.

Dictatorships are much easier to prevent than to remove. What are you doing in real life to work for the defeat of the Trump-Vance ticket? If you like democracy, you can't take it for granted.

NOTE: Zack Beauchamp who wrote the highlighted article above at Vox has a related book out this month.

[foreverlogical]

It long had seemed that the “stall” would be the worst thing the Supreme Court could do when it came to Donald Trump’s claim of immunity from prosecution. How naive.

Delay there will be. The six justices in the Republican-appointed supermajority held, “A former president is entitled to absolute immunity from criminal prosecution for actions within his ‘conclusive and preclusive constitutional authority.’” They added, “There is no immunity for unofficial acts.” Rather than make clear that trying to overthrow the Constitution’s peaceful transfer of power is not an official act, the justices send the whole matter back to trial judge Tanya Chutkan. Expect more consideration, more parsing, more rulings, more appeals. It will all likely end up at the Supreme Court again in a year, if the whole prosecution isn’t shut down entirely.

But damage to our system goes well beyond delay. Trump v. U.S. astounds in its implications. It grants the president the power of a monarch. Richard Nixon defended his conduct in Watergate, telling interviewer David Frost, “When the president does it, that means it’s not illegal.” Effectively, the Supreme Court’s supermajority has now enshrined that brazen claim.

To be clear, there are reasons to be nervous about prosecuting former chief executives, so some standards make sense. In this case, though, the Court has issued an instruction manual for future lawbreaking presidents: Make sure you conspire only with other government employees. You’ll never be held to account. 

What makes something an official act? “In dividing official from unofficial conduct, courts may not inquire into the President’s motives,” the justices ruled. And a jury cannot learn about the other parts of a criminal conspiracy that may involve official acts.

Justice Amy Coney Barrett did not agree with this last critical point. She said that of course juries can consider the context of a criminal act. Neither Justice Samuel Alito (who flew insurrectionist flags outside his two homes) nor Justice Clarence Thomas (whose wife was on the Ellipse on January 6) recused themselves. They cast the deciding votes to keep from jurors the full story of the attempted overthrow of the Constitution. 

The founders said repeatedly that presidents have no special immunity, as a brief filed by the Brennan Center on behalf of top historians made plain. After all, that was one of the very things about the British monarchy that they hated and against which they rebelled.

Even more directly, this ruling undoes the restrictions on presidential abuse of power put in place by officials and jurists of both parties since the 1970s.

The imperial presidency described an age of growing executive authority and abuse of power. It came crashing to an end during Watergate and after revelations about the misuse of intelligence and law enforcement by Nixon’s predecessors.

The presidential immunity concocted today would have blessed most of Nixon’s crimes. Nixon ordered his White House counsel to pay hush money to burglars in an Oval Office meeting on March 21, 1973. Presumptively an official act? He dangled clemency before E. Howard Hunt, one of the conspirators. Use of the pardon power — entirely immune? He resigned when a tape revealed he had ordered the CIA to go to the FBI to end the investigation of the burglars sent by his campaign committee. “Play it tough,” he told his White House chief of staff. On its face, official.

What about other criminal cases involving high officials? In the Iran-Contra scandal of the late 1980s, numerous officials were charged (including the national security advisor and the defense secretary). Ronald Reagan faced no charges, but not because he was presumed immune. What if he did break the law — would he have escaped accountability? In 2001, federal prosecutors probed whether Bill Clinton sold pardons. They cleared him — but issuing a pardon is surely an official act.

In her dissent, Justice Sonia Sotomayor said it plainly: “Under [the majority’s] rule, any use of official power for any purpose, even the most corrupt purpose indicated by objective evidence of the most corrupt motives and intent, remains official and immune. Under the majority’s test, if it can be called a test, the category of Presidential action that can be deemed ‘unofficial’ is destined to be vanishingly small.” 

So, yes, all this will delay Trump’s trial. In that sense, he gets what he craved. But the implications are far worse for the structure of American self-government.

It is a massive failure for Chief Justice John Roberts. The other major rulings on presidential accountability for legal wrongdoing have been unanimous. U.S. v. Nixon (limiting executive privilege) was written by the Republican chief justice Nixon appointed, and it was unanimous. Clinton v. Jones (opening the president to civil suit even while in office) was unanimous. Let’s grant that Roberts is an institutionalist. He is presiding over the collapse of public trust in the very institution he purports to revere.

And Trump v. U.S. has enormous implications for the future of the presidency. Remember that utterly bonkers hypothetical from the appeals court argument — that a president could order SEAL Team Six to assassinate an opponent? Sotomayor again: “A hypothetical President who admits to having ordered the assassinations of his political rivals or critics . . . has a fair shot at getting immunity under the majority’s new Presidential accountability model.” 

We read sonorous language in the majority opinion that “the president is not above the law.” But just in time for Independence Day, the Supreme Court brings us closer to having a king again.

[daitranscripts]

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Pt. 23

The Divine Election

Wicked Eyes and Wicked Hearts Masterpost First: Gaining an Invitation Previous: After The Ball

Josephine and a Revered Mother ar arguing in Skyhold.

Revered Mother: The matter is urgent, Lady Josephine.

Josephine: I am well aware of that, Revered Mother.

Revered Mother: We will need them to return to Val Royeaux as soon as possible. There are ceremonies–ordinations! Maker’s mercy!

Josephine: That’s quite impossible at the moment. However, I will see to this matter as soon as possible.

The PC joins them.

Revered Mother: My [lord/lady] Inquisitor! Please, may I have a word with you?

Dialogue options:

General: How can I help you? [1]

General: It’s always something. [2]

General: Not now. [3]

1 - General: How can I help you? PC: How may I assist you, Revered Mother? [4]

2 - General: It’s always something. PC: Just when you’ve solved one crisis, another springs up to take its place. Revered Mother: I am sorry to place this burden on your shoulders, but you are the only one who can help. [4]

3 - General: Not now. PC: I’ve just returned from the Winter Palace. It will have to wait. Revered Mother: I know you must be weary, Inquisitor. Ending the civil war is no small accomplishment. But you alone can help us. [4]

4 - Scene continues.

Revered Mother: With the political turmoil put to rest, our minds turn to a single question: the next Divine. We cannot answer it without the Left and Right Hands of Divine Justinia V.

Josephine: I have already told you, Revered Mother: Lady Leliana and Seeker Cassandra cannot be spared from their duties.

Revered Mother: But surely with the support of the empire, the Inquisition will not be harmed by the loss of just two souls?

5 - Dialogue options:

Investigate: Why do you need them? [6]

Investigate: How long would they be gone? [7]

General: I’d have to let them decide. [8]

General: Those are crucial people. [9]

General: You’ve been told no. [10]

6 - Investigate: Why do you need them? PC: Why do you need Leliana and Cassandra? Revered Mother: They were Her Holiness’s most trusted advisors. They represent her legacy, her hopes for peace in Thedas. They could rally the grand clerics to follow as no candidate from the clergy has been able to.

Dialogue options:

Confused: What are you saying? [11]

Sad: The clergy is that divided? [12]

Surprised: They’re candidates for Divine? [13]

Pleased: You think very highly of them. [14]

11 - Confused: What are you saying? PC: I don’t understand. What is it you’re asking of them? Revered Mother: We need them to serve as candidates for the role of Divine. [Back to 5] 12 - Sad: The clergy is that divided? PC: Are the grand clerics truly unable to elect a Divine? Revered Mother: Everyone with the political support to succeed Justinia perished along with her. Those who remain are unable to gather the majority votes from the Conclave of grand clerics. They have been deadlocked for too long.[Back to 5] 13 - Surprised: They’re candidates for Divine? PC: Leliana and Cassandra… are candidates to become the Divine? How is that possible? Revered Mother: Not yet. But they could be. We need them to be. There is precedent—other times when clerics remained deadlocked, a successor was chosen from outside the clergy. [Back to 5] 14 - Pleased: You think very highly of them. PC: You must think very well of them to suggest such a thing. Revered Mother: Lady Leliana and Seeker Cassandra were Justinia’s most trusted friends and advisors. Our late Divine is still held in high esteem. To honor her, the grand clerics might support one of them as successor.[Back to 5]

7 - Investigate: How long would they be gone? PC: How long does the Chantry need them? Revered Mother: Several months at least. If one of them is crowned Divine, she would not be returning to the Inquisition. [15]

8 - General: I’d have to let them decide. PC: Leliana and Cassandra would have to make that decision for themselves. Josephine: And they certainly will. At a later date. [15]

9 - General: Those are crucial people. PC: These aren’t just any two people. They’re key members of the Inquisition. Revered Mother: For the sake of Thedas, we must ask you to make this sacrifice— Josephine: This will have to be settled later. [15]

10 - General: You’ve been told no. PC: Josephine has already told you this is impossible. [15]

15 - Scene continues.

Josephine: The Inquisitor has only just returned and has important business to attend to. You must excuse us, Revered Mother.

The Revered Mother leaves.

Josephine: Don’t let them detract from your victory at Halamshiral.

Josephine (HLTA complete): We’ve beaten his Wardens and stopped his intrigues. Soon, Corypheus will have no place to hide. Cullen is hoping to press our advantage. We’ll plan our next attack when you’re ready.

Josephine (HLTA started): The support of the empire should make our search for the Grey Wardens easier. Varric is eager to help his friend Hawke.

Josephine (HLTA not started): Now that the political situation has stabilized, we can devote more Inquisition resources to pursuing Corypheus. I would talk to Hawke. Soon.

Next Quest: What Pride Had Wrought

[darkmaga-returns]

Since he was sworn in less than a week ago, Trump has taken bold steps to undo much of the damage to the republic that was inflicted by the malevolent and insane Biden administration. His first six days in office remind me of Henry V’s stunning defeat of the numerically superior French army at the Battle of Agincourt in 1415. Even though Henry’s men were extremely weary from the fatigue of long marching, hunger, and dysentery, they rallied to achieve one of the most celebrated victories in English history.

President Trump has also, in a somewhat personal way, bloodied the noses of innumerable veteran Deep State ghouls. As I reported yesterday, he has already pulled the plug on security details for Anthony Fauci, former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo, former National Security Adviser John Bolton, and former envoy Brian Hook.

If history teaches us anything, it’s that ambitious men who are accustomed to wielding power don’t relinquish it without a fight. Bearing this in mind, I was troubled to hear creepy Biden U.S. National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan’s cryptic statement at his farewell press conference:

[poshadvo]

Union of India Citation v Banani Chattopadhyay

Union of India Citation v Banani Chattopadhyay - (2022) 1 HCC (Cal) 351 Court – High Court of Calcutta. Facts of the Case – The petitioner, Banani Chattopadhyay, was a Deputy Manager at Hindustan Cables Ltd. (HCL). She opted for voluntary retirement on 31.01.2017 following a decision to close down the company. After retirement, she was engaged on a temporary basis as a consultant and later as an advisor. She was released from her temporary engagement on 30.04.2018. on 09.05.2018, she lodged a complaint of sexual harassment against Respondent 9 (allegedly the head of HCL), claiming the incidents began in the last quarter of 2016. An Internal Complaints Committee was constituted to investigate her complaint. The ICC submitted its report on 19.06.2018, concluding that the allegations were not proved. The petitioner filed a write petition challenging the ICC’s report and constitution.

Legal Issues:-

Whether the Internal Complaints Committee had jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint, or if it should have been referred to the Local Committee.

Whether the Internal Complaints Committee was properly constituted as per the Sexual Harassment of Women at Workplace (Prevention, Prohibition and Redressal) Act of 2013 . Caselaw in focus

Whether the principles of natural justice were followed in the inquiry process.

Whether the court can issue a writ of mandamus to reinstate the petitioner to her temporary advisory position. Plaintiff’s Arguments:-

The petitioner argued that Respondent 9, being the head of HCL, was the “employer” according to the Act and therefore only the Local Committee had jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint.

The petitioner claimed that the Internal Complaints Committee was not constituted in accordance with Section 4(2) of the Act.

The petitioner alleged that the IC members were biased and not impartial due to Respondent 9’s high position in the company.

The petitioner argued that the principles of natural justice were violated as the petitioner did not get sufficient opportunity to prove her allegations. Defendant’s Arguments:-

The respondent claimed that the writ petition had become infructuous as Respondent 9 had since retired.

The respondent argued that the writ petition in not maintainable, as an appeal under Section 18 of the Act lies against the recommendations of the IC. Caselaw in focus

The respondent argued that HCL is a public sector enterprise managed by the Board of Directors so Respondent 9 cannot be considered the “employer” under the Act.

The respondent claimed that the IC was properly constituted and conducted the inquiry fairly. Judgement Held – The court dismissed the writ petition and held that the Board of Directors, not Respondent 9, was the “employer” under the Act. The court had held that the ICC was properly constituted and had the jurisdiction to inquire into the complaint. Further the court held that there was no violation of principles of natural justice as the petitioner was given sufficient opportunities to present her case. Lastly, the court held that it cannot issue a writ of mandamus to reinstate the petitioner to her temporary advisory position. Legal Principles Established:-

In a public sector enterprise managed by a Board of Directors, the Board is considered the “employer” under the SHWW Act, 2013.

The ICC has jurisdiction to inquire into sexual harassment complaints against high ranking officials who were not considered the “employer” under the Act.

Section 4(2) of the Act, which provides the composition of the ICC, does not required the members to be of a rank higher than the respondent in the complaint.

A writ of mandamus cannot be issued to reinstate an employee to a temporary position that was contractual in nature.

[keep-both-eyes-on-trump]

Trump Watch #10

More nominations by Trump: 

Massad Boulos as senior advisor on Arab and Middle Eastern affairs. 

Boulos is a Lebanese American billionaire businessman and father-in-law of Trump’s daughter Tiffany. 

His appeal centers on his ability to engage with different factions within Lebanese politics including Hezbollah and Lebanese Forces Party. 

Chad Chronister to lead the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA). 

Chronister is a sheriff from Hillsborough County, Florida. He has a bachelor’s degree in criminal justice and a masters’ in criminology. 

Florida Attorney General, Ashley Moody, has praised his work on the opioid crisis.

He arrested a pastor for holding church services while under stay-at-home orders in March 2020 and is facing MAGA backlash for it.  

Kash Patel to lead the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI). 

Patel is a former public defender who spent several years as a Justice Department prosecutor before serving as a staffer for the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence where he ran the committee’s investigation into Russian interference with the 2016 campaign. 

He has embraced Trump’s rhetoric about a “deep state,” called for a “comprehensive housecleaning” of government workers who are disloyal to Trump, and referred to journalists as traitors.  

Charles Kushner to serve as US ambassador to France. 

Kushner is a real estate billionaire and father-in-law to Ivanka Trump. 

He was pardoned by Trump in December of 2020 after serving two years in prison for tax evasion and retaliating against a federal witness. Chris Christie, a US attorney, called it “one of the most loathsome, disgusting crimes” he prosecuted.

John Phelan as secretary of the navy. 

Phelan is the founder and chair of Rugger Management LLC, a private investment firm in Florida, and donor to the Trump campaign. 

He has no military experience, and would be the first permanent Navy secretary without military experience since 2009. 

He serves in an advisory position for Spirit of America, a non-profit that supports the defense of Ukraine and Taiwan. 

Keith Kellogg as Special Envoy to Ukraine and Russia. 

Kellogg is a decorated three-star general who is a staunch supporter of an “America First” national security agenda. 

He has been Trump’s top advisor on defense issues and served as chief of staff on Trump’s National Security Council during Trump’s first term.

He is co-chairman of the American First Policy Institute’s Center for American Security and wrote chapters in the group's policy book which lays out a Trump national security agenda. 

He has shown support for Ukraine, but states it is in the best interest for Ukraine and America to seek a ceasefire and negotiate a peace agreement with Russia. 

Jay Bhattacharya to lead the National Institutes of Health.

Bhattacharya is a physician and Stanford University health researcher who criticized pandemic lockdowns and vaccine mandates.

He was one of three authors of the The Great Barrington Declaration, an open letter released in October 2020 that challenged lockdowns and mask mandates and called for speeding herd immunity by allowing low-risk individuals to get infected with COVID-19.

He faced restrictions on social media platforms because of his views and was a plaintiff in Murthy v. Missouri, a supreme court case that contended federal officials improperly suppressed conservative views in their efforts to combat misinformation. 

Jim O’Neill as deputy secretary of HHS.

O’Neill previously served in HHS under George W. Bush, and he was considered by Trump to head the FDA in 2016. 

He has expressed disdain for federal regulation and called for the FDA to only consider safety of a drug to approve it for use rather than safety and efficacy. 

Brendan Carr to lead the Federal Communications Commission (FCC).

Carr would be elevated from commissioner to chair of the FCC; he will not require Senate confirmation.

He has stated “combating tech censorship is going to be one of the top priorities” for him in order to “restore Americans’ right to free speech.” 

He penned Project 2025’s chapter on the FCC calling for restricted immunity offered by Section 230 for tech giants and tamping down on businesses’ ability to censor protected speech. He also wants tech companies to be more transparent about algorithm changes and decisions to block or demonetize users. 

Like Trump, Carr has taken aim at broadcast media and indicated he will take Trump’s complaints about various news outlets like CBS, NBC, and ABC seriously. 

Howard Lutnick for commerce secretary. 

Lutnick is a billionaire investor and Wall Street CEO.

He will be responsible for enforcing the tariffs Trump campaigned on, for which he has expressed support. He has also expressed support for tax cuts and cryptocurrency where, like Trump, he has business interests.

[coinmapai]

Things to note when buying HONEY tokens

When purchasing HONEY tokens, investors need to pay attention to the following matters to ensure the security and legality of transactions:

I. Understand HONEY tokens and their background

Project information: Understand the HONEY token issuance project in depth, including the project's goals, technical architecture, team background, etc. Check whether the project has released a white paper and read it carefully to understand the details of the project.

Market situation: Investigate the performance of HONEY tokens in the market, including price trends, trading volume, etc. Pay attention to market fluctuations and avoid blindly following the trend during price peaks.

II. Choose a formal exchange

Exchange qualifications: Choose an exchange with formal qualifications and a good reputation for trading. Ensure that the exchange is supervised by relevant regulatory agencies and complies with local laws and regulations.

Transaction fees: Compare the transaction fees of different exchanges and choose an exchange with reasonable fees and high-quality services. Pay attention to whether the exchange offers promotions or discounts to reduce transaction costs.

Fund security and transaction process

Account security: When registering an exchange account, use a strong password and enable security measures such as two-factor authentication (2FA). Check account information regularly to ensure that there are no abnormal logins or transaction records.

Fund transfer: Use a safe and reliable payment method to transfer funds to the exchange account. Avoid using unsafe third-party platforms or payment methods.

Transaction process: Familiarize yourself with the exchange's transaction process to ensure that no operational errors occur during the transaction. Before placing an order, carefully check the transaction information, including trading pairs, prices, quantities, etc.

Risk assessment and investment strategy

Risk assessment: Understand the overall risks of the cryptocurrency market, including price fluctuations, regulatory policies, etc. Conduct a risk assessment on HONEY tokens to determine their investment value and potential risks.

Investment strategy: Develop a reasonable investment strategy, including buying points, selling points, stop-loss points, etc. Avoid excessive trading or blindly following the trend, and maintain a calm and rational investment attitude.

V. Compliance and Legal Supervision

Compliance: Ensure that trading behavior complies with local laws and regulations. Avoid participating in any illegal or illegal trading activities.

Legal Supervision: Understand the legal supervision of the cryptocurrency market, including the regulatory policies and attitudes of various countries towards cryptocurrencies. Before investing, you can consult professional legal or financial advisors for help.

VI. Continuous Learning and Market Dynamics

Market Dynamics: Pay attention to the market dynamics and price trends of HONEY tokens so as to adjust investment strategies in a timely manner. Understand the overall trends and hot topics in the cryptocurrency market so as to seize investment opportunities.

Technological Progress: Pay attention to the technological progress and upgrades of the blockchain where the HONEY token is located to evaluate the long-term development prospects of the project. Understand the dynamics and technical advantages of other competing projects so as to make more informed investment decisions.

In summary, investors need to pay attention to multiple aspects when purchasing HONEY tokens to ensure the security and legality of transactions. Before investing, be sure to conduct sufficient investigation and risk assessment, and formulate reasonable investment strategies and stop-loss points. At the same time, maintain a calm and rational investment attitude and avoid blindly following the trend or impulsive trading.

How to buy HONEY

[vnatureresorts]

Revel in Nature Glory at V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura

Introduction:  

Resorts in Kanakapura Settled amid the verdant scenes of Kanakapura, V Nature Resorts could be a haven of tranquillity and common excellence. Fair a brief drive from Bangalore, this eco-friendly resort offers a perfect elude from the hustle and flurry of city life. Whether you’re a nature darling, an enterprise devotee, or essentially looking for a quiet withdraw, V Nature Resorts guarantees an extraordinary involvement.  

The setting: Where Nature Meets Extravagance  

V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura is interestingly situated to offer visitors a concordant mix of extravagance and nature. Encompassed by rich woodlands, rolling slopes, and shining lakes, the resort gives a pleasant setting that immediately relieves the soul. Each corner of the property is astutely planned to mix consistently with the characteristic environment, guaranteeing a minimal ecological impression.  

Lodging: Consolation within the Heart of Nature  

The resort offers an assortment of housing to suit distinctive inclinations and bunch sizes. From cozy cabins for couples to roomy estates for families, each unit is prepared with present day civilities whereas keeping up a rustic charm. Expansive windows and private overhangs permit visitors to drench within the breathtaking sees and the quiet sounds of nature.  

Exercises: Undertakings and Unwinding  

At V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura there's something for everybody. For those looking to unwind, the resort offers yoga sessions, nature strolls, and winged creature observing. The quiet environment is idealized for reflection and reflection. Enterprise searchers can enjoy in a run of exercises counting. 

Trekking:  

Investigate the various trails that wind through the slopes and timberlands encompassing the resort.  

Water Sports:  

Appreciate kayaking, canoeing, and angling within the adjacent lakes.  

Shake Climbing:  

Test your abilities on the natural shake arrangements within the range. 

Eating:  

Farm-to-Table Freshness The on-site eatery at V Nature Resorts serves a scrumptious cluster of dishes made from locally sourced fixings. The farm-to-table approach guarantees that each dinner is new, nutritious, and bursting with flavour. The menu highlights a blend of conventional Indian food and universal favourites, catering to assorted palates.  

Eco-Friendly Hones:  

Feasible Extravagance V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura is committed to maintainability and eco-friendly hones. The resort utilizes different green activities such as with stay. Swimming pool, Rain Dance, Bonfire, Barbecue, Open air theatre, Karaoke, Volleyball, Basketball, Cricket, Badminton, Trekking, Cycling & Indoor games 

Sun oriented Vitality:  

Utilizing sun-based boards to diminish reliance on non-renewable vitality sources. Natural Cultivating: Developing natural products, vegetables, and herbs on-site without the utilize of hurtful chemicals.  

Wellness and Relaxation:  

V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura Your Faculties The resort’s wellness centre offers a extend of all-encompassing medications planned to restore your intellect, body, and soul. From Ayurvedic rubs to fragrance-based treatment sessions, the experienced advisors guarantee that you simply take off feeling revived and revitalized.  

Nearby Attractions:  

Investigate Kanakapura Whereas the resort itself offers bounty to do, the encompassing zone of Kanakapura is additionally wealthy with attractions. 

Arrange Your Visit  

V Nature Resorts in Kanakapura is a perfect goal for an end of the week getaway, a family excursion, or indeed a corporate withdraw. With its peaceful environment, sumptuous lodging, and a plenty of exercises, it guarantees a paramount remain for all its visitors. Elude the conventional and submerge yourself within the characteristic splendour and tranquillity of V Nature Resorts. Book you remain nowadays and encounter the idealize mix of nature and extravagance.  

For more data and reservations, visit V Nature Resorts Kanakapura or contact their booking office straightforwardly. 

[phantom-le6]

Film Review - The Hunt for Red October

For the last couple of films in my present film review backlog, we’re heading way back into the early 1990’s/late 1980’s to review a couple of past films.  Starting us off is the first film in what has apparently become known as the Jack Ryan franchise, namely The Hunt for Red October…

Plot (as adapted from Wikipedia):

In November 1984, Soviet submarine captain Marko Ramius is given command of Red October, a new Typhoon-class ballistic missile submarine with a "caterpillar drive", rendering it undetectable to passive sonar. Ramius leaves port in northern Russia to conduct exercises along with Alfa-class attack submarine V. K. Konovalov, commanded by his former student Captain Tupolev. At sea, Ramius secretly kills political officer Ivan Putin and relays false orders to his crew that they are to conduct missile drills off America's east coast. American Los Angeles-class attack submarine USS Dallas, which had been shadowing Red October, loses contact once the sub's caterpillar drive is engaged.

CIA analyst and former Marine Jack Ryan is based in London, but returns to Washington to investigate intel on Red October gained by British Intelligence. After consulting with Vice Admiral James Greer, the Deputy Director of the CIA, Ryan briefs government officials on Red October and the threat it poses. Upon learning that the bulk of the Soviet Navy has been deployed to the Atlantic to find and sink the sub, they conclude that Ramius plans a renegade nuclear strike. During the briefing, Ryan hypothesizes that Ramius, a native-born Lithuanian widower with few remaining personal ties to the Soviet Union, instead plans to defect to the United States. National Security Advisor Jeffrey Pelt gives Ryan three days to confirm his theory before the U.S. Navy will be ordered to find and sink Red October. Ryan sets out to rendezvous with an aircraft carrier in the mid-Atlantic. Meanwhile, after some delay, Tupolev also receives orders to intercept and destroy Red October.

Due to an unknown saboteur's actions, Red October's caterpillar drive malfunctions during risky manoeuvres through a narrow undersea canyon. Petty Officer Jones, a sonar technician aboard Dallas, discovers a way to detect Red October using his underwater acoustics software, and Dallas plots an intercept course. After a hazardous mid-ocean transfer, Ryan is able to board Dallas, where he attempts to persuade its captain, Commander Bart Mancuso, to contact Ramius and determine his real intentions.

The Soviet ambassador informs the U.S. government that Ramius is a renegade and asks for help in sinking Red October. That order is sent to the U.S. fleet, including Dallas, which has reacquired the Soviet sub. Ryan remains convinced that Ramius plans to defect with his officers and finally convinces Mancuso to contact Ramius and offer assistance. Ramius, stunned that the Americans correctly guessed his plan, accepts Mancuso's offer. Ramius then stages a nuclear reactor "emergency", ordering the sub to surface and his crew to abandon ship. After a U.S. frigate is spotted heading right for them, Ramius submerges, leaving his crew in life rafts. Ryan, Mancuso, and Jones board Red October via a rescue sub, at which point Ramius turns over his sub to the Americans and requests asylum for himself and his officers.

Red October is suddenly ambushed by Konovalov. As the two Soviet subs manoeuvre, one of Red October's cooks, Loginov, reveals himself to be an undercover GRU agent and the saboteur. He opens fire on the bridge, fatally wounding first officer Vasily Borodin, before retreating to the missile bay, intending to ignite a missile engine and destroy the ship. Loginov is pursued by Ryan and Ramius, and he wounds Ramius before being killed by Ryan. Meanwhile, Konovalov fires upon Red October with a torpedo, which Dallas is able to divert toward herself and evade by launching countermeasures and conducting an emergency blow to the surface. The torpedo reacquires Red October but Mancuso executes a manoeuvre that diverts the torpedo towards Konovalov, which it strikes and destroys. The crew of Red October, now rescued, witness the submerged explosion from the deck of the U.S. frigate. Unaware of the second Soviet submarine, they believe that Ramius has sacrificed himself and scuttled Red October to avoid being boarded.

Ryan and Ramius, their subterfuge complete, navigate Red October to the Penobscot River in Maine. Ramius admits that he defected because he believed Red October was intended for a pre-emptive nuclear first strike against the United States and was unwilling to support such an action. Ryan boards a flight home and thanks to his exertions is finally able to sleep aboard a plane, while seated next to a teddy bear intended for his daughter.

Review:

This is one of those films I spent a long time catching in bits and pieces on late-night TV on weekends, and eventually opted to get on Blu-ray to check out the whole thing.  It’s a good action-drama with some great acting from some pretty great actors, apparently sparking a couple of sequels with a re-cast main role, then two reboots and a streaming show.  Given that the whole thing is based on the works of Tom Clancy, who I understand to be a highly successful novelist, I can see why Hollywood opted to make it and then follow it up.  I can also understand why the film plays into one of my pet peeves and fails to produce decent Russian accents for most of the Red October characters.  This is most evident from British actors like Sean Connery and Tim Curry, whereas Sam Neill (later of Jurassic Park fame) is one of a few non-Russian actors managing to shift his accent.

Why this disparity?  Simple; it’s 90’s Hollywood, the USSR has only just broken up, you’re not likely to have many actors coming over from Russia and the various ex-Soviet nations to perform in Hollywood, and let’s face it, a lot of American film-makers then as now won’t place the correct level of importance on accents.  As a result, you really have to struggle to buy into the idea that we are dealing with Russian naval officers once the film shifts their dialogue from Russian to English.  This is cleverly done, at least, and the film has a great plot, but it could have been better had more actors done Russian accents.

That being said, it’s at least a film where we get appropriate levels of exposition so we can follow the story, which is a far cry from a lot of the modern films I’ve been dealing with more recently.  This is another film that current film-makers need to look at in order to improve their story-telling approaches.  Good action, and apparently some decent research and preparation went into getting the submarine combat and crew behaviour accurate to how real sub-mariners would behave.  Overall, I’m inclined to give this film 9 out of 10, and to consider looking into the sequels and reboots in this franchise.  Not so much the streaming show, though, as I’m not a fan of streaming.

[figmentglobal]

Tax Compliance Solutions 7 Tips to Ease Your Tax Filing Stress

Tax season can be a daunting time for many individuals and businesses. The complexities of tax laws and regulations can often cause stress and anxiety. But with the right approach and the help of a tax compliance solution, you can easily get through this period. In this comprehensive guide, we offer seven valuable tips to simplify your tax planning and eliminate tax hassles. 

i]. Plan throughout the year 

One of the most impressive ways to reduce the stress of filing taxes is to maintain organized financial records throughout the year. Use digital tools like accounting software or cloud-based platforms to track your income, expenses, receipts, and other related documents. Being organized will give you instant access to all the necessary information when it comes time to file your taxes.

ii]. Understand your tax obligations

Become familiar with your tax obligations to ensure compliance & avoid potential fines or penalties. You may have different tax requirements depending on your personal circumstances or the nature of your business. Consult with a tax professional or use online resources to better understand your tax liability & associated deadlines.

iii]. Benefits of tax compliance software

Investing in tax compliance software can significantly simplify the tax process. These sophisticated tools are designed to streamline a variety of tasks, including data collection, statistics, and form preparation. By automating repetitive tasks & reducing errors, tax processing software can save you time & reduce the chances of making costly mistakes.

iv]. Take advantage of discounts and credits

Investigate available tax deductions and credits to maximize tax savings. Deductions such as business expenses, charitable contributions, & mortgage interest can help lower taxable income. Additionally, tax credits such as the Earned Income Tax Credit or Child Tax Credit can directly reduce the amount of tax owed. Be sure to research & use all the appropriate tax returns to improve the quality of your tax returns.

v]. Plan taxes in advance!

Avoid last-minute disputes by planning taxes in advance. If you anticipate paying taxes, consider setting aside money throughout the year or paying estimated taxes to avoid penalties. Conversely, if you expect a refund, put your money to good use by filing taxes early to speed up the refund process.

vi]. Provide professional guidance.

If in doubt, seek professional guidance from a qualified tax advisor or accountant. These experts have the knowledge and experience to successfully navigate complex tax laws & regulations. Whether you need help with tax planning, compliance, or dispute resolution, enlisting the help of a tax professional can give you peace of mind and ensure your tax returns are accurate.

Vii]. Be aware and transform yourself.

Tax laws and regulations can change, so it’s important to stay informed & adjust accordingly. Subscribe to reputable tax publications, attend seminars or webinars, and stay up to date with any new information from the IRS or relevant tax authorities. By staying proactive & continuing to educate yourself on tax issues, you can better set yourself up for success and minimize tax season surprises.

Conclusion:

Tax compliance solutions provide valuable resources & options to reduce your tax stress. By staying organized, understanding your tax obligations, taking advantage of technology, maximizing deductions and expenses, planning ahead to pay taxes, guidance a you will have on top of professionalism & staying informed, you can go into tax season with confidence and peace of mind. Remember that prompt tax planning is key to financial stability and reducing tax-related headaches. So, use these tips today & have a smooth tax plan tomorrow!

[articleshubspot]

Look At Nicolle Wallace And Michael Schmidt Wedding Pictures

If you have landed on this page, then you probably want to check out the Nicolle Wallace and Michael Schmidt wedding pictures. Well, before we talk about the beautiful and eye-catching Nicolle Wallace and Michael Schmidt wedding pictures, let’s get to know about both the famous media personalities in the first palace.

Who Is Nicolle Wallace?

Born in 1972, Nicolle Wallace is a 51-year-old beautiful and successful American personality. She is a celebrated and talented television host and author. She is mainly famous for being the anchor of Deadline: White House which is an American news and politics television program on MSNBC.

She has also co-hosted a popular show named The View which is an American talk show. That’s not all! She has also served in politics and worked as the Director of White House Communications during the George W. Bush presidency.

For the 2008-based presidential campaign for John McCain, Nicolle even worked as a senior advisor. Talking about her writing skills, she is a great author who has written some excellent political novels, including It’s Classified, Eighteen Acres, and Madam President to name a few.

Who Is Michael Schmidt?

Born in 1983, Michael S. Schmidt is a well-known American author, journalist, and correspondent for The New York Times. Above all, he is two times the winner of the Pulitzer Prize. His news stories mainly cover high-profile national security and federal law enforcement details.

Some of his high-profile stories include the existence of a private email server of Hillary Clinton, the Mueller investigation, and many more. He also works for MSNBC and NBC News as a national security contributor. Talking about his writing career, he launched his first book titled Donald Trump v. The United States: Inside the Struggle to Stop a President in September 2020 which also became one of the best sellers in The New York Times.

Nicolle Wallace And Michael Schmidt Wedding Pictures

The marriage news of two famous media personalities Nicolle Wallace & Michael Schmidt was no less than a big surprise for the TV and news industry. The duo officially tied the knot in April 2022.

If reports are to be believed, the duo first met on the sets of Nicolle’s show where Michael frequently used to appear as a guest and commentator. However, the rumors of their relationship started when they were clicked together at the SXSW festival in Austin, Texas, in 2019. The couple started dating in March 2019 and after almost 3 years of being in a love relationship, the couple got married in a private ceremony in April 2022.

Nicolle was captured wearing a wedding ring on her ring finger while shooting for MSNBC’s Deadline: White House.

Nicolle Wallace was previously married to a famous American businessman named Mark Wallace with whom she had one son named Liam.

Talking about Nicolle Wallace and Michael Schmidt wedding pictures, the marriage ceremony of Nicolle and Michael was quite low-profile and secretive. They tied the knot in an intimate ceremony attended by their nears and dears.

So, there are not many Nicolle Wallace and Michael Schmidt wedding pictures available on the web.

Blog Link: https://articleshubspot.com/nicolle-wallace-and-michael-schmidt-wedding-pictures/

[savagenewcanaan]

Savage New Canaan The Fatality Of The Muscle Mass Auto

Exactly how could muscular tissue vehicles, one of the most effective inexpensive autos the globe had seen, shed their oomph so quickly? What caused them to go away? I'm not a private detective, not from another location like one, however this was one case I had to solve.

It took place back in the 70's, but the proof was still there. It held true of the going away horsepower as well as this is what occurred.

In the age of the muscular tissue cars and truck power was whatever. It didn't matter what it was, cars, household vehicle, pick-up; it had the greatest V-8 feasible packed under the hood. Cubic inches were king and also advertised power was expensive. These vehicles could kick sand in the windshields of anything else on the road.

Yet after that horsepower appeared to vanish overnight!

Take my preferred muscular tissue car, the Ford Mustang. The aggressive designs had V-8s, though meeker models came with an inline six. The greatest 6 had 200 cubic inches and 155 hp in 1969/70.

Michael Savage 1800Accountant

What did the V-8s punch out? One of the most powerful 351 provided 300 hp in 1970 and also the 427 gave a massive 390 hp in 1968. Yet by 1973 the most effective Mustang had a 351 V-8 with just 156 hp. Nearly half what it had in 1970, and just one horsepower greater than the 200 cu in 6 of 1970! When it comes to the Mustang II of 1974, we won't also go there.

The tale was similar with the other suppliers. What was taking place? It simply didn't build up. Could I trust the figures?

My investigator advisor, Agatha Christie, educated me that when you're resolving an instance you can't rely on anyone. Murderers do lie. In this case it wasn't murder though it was the death of the muscle mass auto, and it wasn't a lot of an outright lie as not telling the entire reality. As well as outside pressures went to play.

I had to dig deeper. I needed to locate the truths. Why would horse power practically cut in half?

It ended up there were a couple of reasons. Salesmanship was one. Horsepower was everything so why not determine it in a sales person pleasant way? Gross SAE horse power was utilized. Power was gauged at the flywheel without any power-hungry devices attached. Just the bare basics were utilized.

In 1972 SAE Web dimensions were phased in. Power was still determined at the flywheel however all the accessories were set up including the complete exhaust system, discharge controls, all pumps and the alternator. SAE Internet can't be compared specifically to SAE Gross since there are just a lot of variations in determining, but it is down about 80%. So power ratings dropped. In 1973 horse power rankings decreased again as power sapping discharge controls were tightened up.

Gross SAE horse power had pressed the listed power up. So did the marketed horse power some car business used. What's wrong with a little rounding up of the numbers for the pamphlet? Surely that would certainly help sales also.

All this horsepower galloping around got seen and also not simply by young individuals.

Security legislators saw, therefore did insurance companies that began billing a lot more for insurance coverage. Words on the road is that in 1967 a young man under 25 with a clean driving record would have paid $700 a year for GTO coverage. Ouch! Some vehicle firms lowered their advertised horsepower rankings.

Muscular tissues peaked in 1970, as well as by 1971 they were starting to get flabbier. Engines were being detuned and within another year bigger engines were being gone down.

Michael Savage 1800Accountant

In 1973 several muscular tissue vehicles were a shadow of their previous selves. And also they were rounded off by the oil situation of late '73. Lengthy lines at gas stations and skyrocketing costs were a genuine shock, and so was a 55 mph national rate restriction. Car were reckless, pricey as well as unwanted, it didn't matter how much fun they were.

So there you have it. I currently recognized what had happened to all that brute power. Some overestimation had actually pushed detailed horse power up. A fairer, more precise determining system brought it down. Emission controls brought it down much more, and also soaring insurance policy prices made ground-thumping power also expensive to have. The oil situation finished the muscle mass vehicle off. This situation was fixed.

[dreamer-hangugeo]

𝐒𝐢𝐧𝐨-𝐊𝐨𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐧 𝐕𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐛𝐮𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐲 Hanja characters 문 (問) - To Ask 질문 (n): Question 질문하다 (v): Ask a question 질문을 받다: be questioned, receive a question 문제 (n): Problem, question, issue 문제아 (n): troublemaker, a problem child 문제점 (n): problem, drawback 문답 (n): Question and answer 문답을 주고받다: exchange questions and answers (with) 설문 (n): survey, questionnaire 설문지 (n): Questionnaire 설문 조사를 하다: do [conduct, carry out] a survey 설문에 응하다: answer a questionnaire, fill out a survey 문초 (n): Questioning, investigation 문초하다 (v): question, investigate 경찰의 문초를 받다: be examined by the police 문초 중이다: be under investigation[examination] 의문 (n): Doubt, question 의문을 제기하다: raise a question, express a doubt (on) 자문 (n): Request for advice, consultation 자문을 하다: consult (sb about sth), seek advice (on/about) 고문 (n): Advisor 고문관 (n): Councilor, adviser, counselor 문책 (n): Reprimand 문책하다 (v): reprimand 문책을 받다: be reprimanded[rebuked, censured] 문병 (n): Visiting a sick person 문병을 가다: visit sb who is sick 방문 (n): Visiting 방문하�� (v): visit, to pay a visit 문상 (n): Offering condolences 문상하다 (v): offer condolences ---

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[solomonish]

My Personal Simeon Fall AU Headcanons

These are within the same realm of this fic - and it is intended as a Simeon x MC universe! These HCs will focus on his time in the Devildom rather than why he fell, but maybe that information will come eventually...

*some things regarding this war I keep mentioning may not be entirely clear - still working on that! However, I’ll try not to put out too much contradicting information, hehe!

WARNING: some angst, brief mention/implication of torture. forcibly removed memories.

First Days

He came to the devildom in a blaze, much like the brothers did, hurtling down like a shooting star. At the core, encasing him as his wings charred to soot, was a brilliant light blue, rimmed by a dazzling white and platinum gold. At his impact site, parts of the dirt and stone have crystallized in the same colors. The site is still roped off for investigation.

He fell, acting as a white flag for both sides to signal the end of a war very few people knew was raging. The impact sent the last of his holy energy into the surrounding area, and demons near the sight complained of itching and general irritation for weeks after.

The only people at the site who looked into his eyes when he struggled to get up were you, Diavolo, Barbatos, Lucifer, and Solomon. A few curious Devildom citizens were scattered about, too, but Diavolo's authoritative vibe kept them too far to see anything.

Diavolo and Barbtos kept him in one room in the castle as he adjusted to the sudden demonic energy inside him and learned to contain his wrath. You were allowed to see him, but only if supervised by Barbatos or Diavolo in case Simeon tried to hurt you.

He was despondent most of the time, sitting curled up and stiff in the middle of the bed that looked untouched. He spent days without sleep, simmering with rage. You never found out if he bottled it up or if he destroyed the room but Barbatos put it back together before you appeared.

(You might not ever learn that some of the methods Diavolo and Barbatos used to bring his memories back were...extreme. They had no intentions of torture or pain, but they desperately wanted to get to them if they could. That’s where his anger was used up - as he screamed out in agony, either from the extraction method or the feeling of having lost everything yet not quite grasping what that meant.)

Satan suggested books and sent some of his personal collection that helped him gather himself when he was created. Diavolo and Barbatos tried to jog his memories, both for personal reasons and to get information on the Celestial realm, but that was exactly why they were gone. His memories had been magically extracted, but haste made him forget most everything instead of just sensitive information regarding the realm.

Eventually, he was free to roam the garden and some hallways, and when Diavolo and Barbatos concluded that regaining his memories was impossible, he was housed.

Power & Standing

He was a powerful angel, so he is a powerful demon, yet not quite as powerful as the brothers.

Simeon, for the majority of the war, was fighting on the side of the Celestial Realm, so he's generally disliked among the citizens of the Devildom. Our cast are all weary around him for multiple reasons - aside from Satan, Beel, Solomon, and MC (obviously).

He isn't an official member of any student council or governing body, nor does he really have a final say in anything, but he does frequently act as an advisor of sorts. He tends to work with Barbatos on that front, discussing in the background anything that might need discussed or worked on separate from the brothers.

Simeon is a wrath demon, though the change in his temper is hardly noticeable at first. He resembles Lucifer in how strict he is, mostly when he is in charge of something, and his anger that releases when he isn't listened to mimics Satan's.

If they are near each other and angry about the same thing, Satan and Simeon can actually feed off of the other's anger and boost their power. Satan does NOT need the boost, but you bet he brings chaos and destruction tenfold is he has it. For Simeon, though, it practically puts him on par with some of the brothers, if only for a short while.

Socially, he is generally ignored, and nobody runs away from him if he initiates conversation - but he doesn't. Simeon turns into a bit of a loner, a large chunk of his personality and memories gone and replaced with anger.

He's still learning how to deal with it.

His demon form consists of black deer-like antlers (not small but just small enough to avoid being entirely cumbersome) and long wings with bone-tipped feathers. His wings are almost always folded against his back and hanging low, the dangling feathers reminiscent of his angelic cloak with the golden charms. He does have a little black deer tail but doesn't like it being commented on.

(Don't worry about aerodynamics or which animal he represents, it's a magical universe its fine uwu)

General Information

He lives in modest home on the outskirts of the Devildom, somewhat close to the castle in case there's some type of emergency that needs to be taken care of but not so close he gets a super nice house and causes some social uproar. He has a small yard and a garden he tends to meticulously.

I imagine the house as a sort of townhouse (although not a for real townhouse because its it's own thing), two stories tall. The downstairs has a small living room, kitchen and bathroom while the entire upstairs is an open bedroom/office type deal. It gives off a gothic cottage type of vibe. No idea if this is helpful so maybe one day I'll build it in the sims.

He keeps his house tidy but has many bookshelves filled with equal parts books and knickknacks.

As stated before, he is a wrath demon, and because of his memories being almost entirely erased, he had a similar fall and adjustment period as Satan. Also, as a writer, he has an intrinsic appreciation for books. He and Satan get along the most out of all the brothers - the fact that Lucifer has mixed (mostly negative)(?) feelings about Simeon makes the deal sweeter for Satan.

Beel doesn’t dislike him, and while he doesn’t trust Simeon yet he’s willing to see if Simeon is on their side now considering none of his family got hurt. Solomon still trusts him though, but he does get a little downtrodden when he has memories that Simeon doesn’t.

When angry, Simeon smiles sweetly but his voice turns dead cold. Whereas Satan goes feral and seeks destruction like a bomb, Simeon feels more like a sniper rifle that needs careful aim and precision with just as devastating consequences. Shouting and immediate carnage are rare and only come after a severe transgression.

Otherwise, Simeon allows himself to be more playful than before. He doesn’t exactly have snide remarks, but he is an expert at stating the truth in a way that feels like a blade cutting through your confidence.

In true "flaunt what ya got without really making it seem purposeful" Simeon fashion, he wears button-down shirts that are almost entirely unbuttoned. They are always patterned and funky, and he wears them tucked into black pants. I'm thinking something like this (he also has patterns that are more "groovy" than vacation)

Will also occasionally sport a deep v like this

He still acts just as naive and confused if you bring up how exposed he is to him, so its best just to suffer in silence.

When making a pact with MC, he makes sure the mark covers a scar he left and doesn't remember from the war on your shoulder. It feels like a longer-lasting apology.

He still calls you "little lamb," but instead of smiling gently at you like a loving shepherd, his smiles look like a predator baring his fangs at his prey. In a sweet way. In a hot way.

What Does He Remember?

At first, nothing. Demonic instinct claws at him and he lashes out at everyone and everything.

He is still a nightmare with technology. Nobody knows if this is residual from how he was before, a result of his memories being taken, or just a trick.

Occasionally, he’ll remember an inside joke, but only halfway. You’ll say something you don’t realize is from before, and he’ll laugh, almost like an impulse. But then his laugh trails off and he gets contemplative, wondering what, exactly, was so funny about it.

The brightness of the Celestial Realm is hard to forget. The rainbow framing the palace and vast fields appear in dreams. He never remembers anything ‘important,’ but it’s enough to remind him that he was discarded.

The Celestial War hasn’t gone away, not in its entirety. There are certain things like battle strategies that he can’t for the life of him conjure up in his mind, but he remembers the bulk of it. It helps him realize why some of the brothers were/are so aloof towards him - nothing was ever as simple as he thought it once to be. Fighting a losing battle isn’t a choice you make when its for love - its simply the only path available.

(Apologies are so, so hard to dish out when you can’t remember most of your transgressions, though.)

He remembers Luke and will worry himself to inconsolable tears at night just thinking about him. Those thrown away don’t get the privilege of knowing what happens to their friends - and even if he did, Simeon wouldn't be so stupid as to put a target on Luke's back by proving that he was still important to him.

But he can only remember Luke's terrified, teary eyes when he realized Simeon was going to turn on the Celestial Realm in the middle of a war, and how he pleaded with Simeon not to. Luke asked what he would do all by himself, and Simeon hopes to his Father for only one thing - that he figured it out.

This is his sore spot. Nobody is allowed to be privy to these thoughts, not even you. But some days he comes to RAD looking worse for wear and you KNOW something is bothering him. He'll just never tell you what.