#veterans business center act

[dontmean2bepoliticalbut]

[mistydeyes]

Hi,if you’re not busy can you write a fic of Cod characters with a cia agent gf ?

yes ofc! yk i love a good little government agent gf moment :)

a double life

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summary: From hidden occupations to a particular set of skill sets, the 141 learns to adapt to having a girlfriend who has all the right qualifications (and who could completely kick their ass).

pairing: Task Force 141 x fem!reader

warnings: swearing, mentions of weapons/violence

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price

"Sorry I can't be there to meet you, Price," Laswell spoke over the web camera feed, "got tied up in South America." Price nodded as he held the bridge of his nose, Laswell had promised her best field agent to act as a point person for their mission in New Zealand. However, just the thought of some middle-aged retired veteran or worse yet, hot-shot rookie, made his headache pound even further. "She's a good one, Price," Laswell reassured, "skilled in practically every major language and the best marks in her physical fitness examination." "Yes Kate, I read her file, but it seems like you failed to include a photo-" He was interrupted by a sturdy knock at the door. "Looks like she's here."

As you cracked the door open, you practically dropped the files that sat in your arms. "What are you doing here?" Price asked jovially and you could feel the breath release from your sternum, "didn't expect an on-base visit like this." As the pieces began to fit together, you realized he didn't know what you were actually there for. "John, Kate sent me here," you whispered as you shut the door gently, "heard you're going to New Zealand." As the realization hit him like an oncoming train, you braced for impact. "You-you work for the CIA?" he asked almost foolishly and you nodded in response. "I did say I worked in Virginia," you corrected, "and you had to know my surprise visit yesterday wasn't just a spur-of-the-moment thing." Price could feel his headache reach a fever pitch as he reviewed your file again. "Then what's with the name?" he asked, "you lie about that too." You let out a laugh as you explained, "People have nicknames and mother's maiden names, John." As you sat back in your chair and crossed your legs, Price wondered what he had done for the universe to gift him you.

soap

Despite your initial reservations, Johnny was quite good at keeping your occupation vague and nonchalant in conversation. You were honest about your work in central intelligence and he took that secret to the grave. Your long-distance relationship was written off as you working in some company in DC and no one batted an eye at your occasional inference at military strategy or surveillance techniques. When you returned home, you would always be sure to show him extra appreciation for his covertness. "Tryna make me patriotic?" he would joke before you would kiss him and stifle his laughs.

However, he loved testing your skill set and seeing if you were as trained of an operative as your file read. "Let's see what they teach you over there, Bonnie," he joked as he lined up his sights at the air gun range. You refrained from kicking him as you stood back to watch him. You almost let out a laugh when you saw his small pellet ricochet just slightly off target. "Hmm and that's why Ghost is your long-range weapons specialist," you teased as he got up and switched positions. You breathed in as you looked down your sights and positioned your rifle towards the farthest target on the range. "You Americans, always so fucking cocky," he muttered under his breath before you quickly shut him up with a quick shot directly into the center of the target. The metal hen spun around widely at your expert marksmanship and you exhaled your held breath. You stood up and tried to size up your tall boyfriend. "Best 2/3?" you offered and you smiled as he kissed your forehead before ushering you out of the way to try again. "Fucking CIA training," he whispered as he got into position again. "You say something, you glorified sergeant?"

gaz

It was 4 am when you arose from the bed and leaned into Kyle, taking in his warmth and seeking refuge from the cold London air. You could always rely on your boyfriend to be your human-sized space heater. As you laid your head across his chest, you could feel him stir lightly. "Time to go already, love?" he asked with his eyes still closed and you muttered in confirmation. You always knew what challenges came with living so far away from the States but you had someone who made it all worth it. He kissed your forehead lightly as you rolled off the bed. You tried to quietly make your way to the bathroom to let him get some more hours of precious sleep but upon your return, it was clear Kyle was more awake than before.

"You sure you don't need me to drive you to the airport?" he offered yet again as you dressed quickly in dress slacks and a blouse. "MI6 is sending a car," you explained as you collected your overnight bag, "just try to get some sleep, my love. I'll text you when I land in Langley." Despite your soft kiss on the cheek, Kyle still pouted as you pulled away. "Don't understand why you can't be a liaison officer for us," he mumbled but you ruffled his hair slightly. "When the position becomes available, I'll be the first application on there," you smiled, doing a final check of your things, "just tell Price to write me a hell of a recommendation letter." With that, you shared another long kiss as you slightly cringed at his morning breath. "I'll be sure to say hi to the cybercrime analysis team for you, hopefully, they'll actually take my advice this time," you laughed before exiting out of your apartment and embracing the cold English air you had grown to love.

ghost

When the question arose of your occupation, you would always smile and defer to being just an "American government worker." However, you always knew Simon had more than just an inkling as to your occupation. When you spoke about military strategy, and combat techniques, or even had various conversations in different languages over the phone, it was clear to him that you were more than just a civilian. The shock didn't even resonate with him when you uttered the words, "Paramilitary Operations Officer," it all seemed to fall into place. He wouldn't bat an eye when it came to long stretches of days that you were in minimal contact with him. "I'll be back," you would reassure as you pulled on a dark hoodie and headed out the door with a bag. Simon would always be there to clean your wounds and ice your bruises.

It was a shock when Simon hadn't heard from you in a month. You had left in the middle of the day in a black Mercedes that disappeared off the English skyline. It was the unfortunate timing that he had been on leave when you left and there had been no word from Price regarding a new mission. Every morning, he would turn over in your king-sized bed expecting to see you smiling back at him. However, the days dragged on without any information meeting his ears. You could practically still picture his terrified face when you turned the key into the door and slammed your bag down. Simon paused upon seeing your blackened eye and wrapped knuckles. The eye bags on your delicate face further added worry to the situation. "Don't ask," you whispered as you fell into his chest, "intel was shit." That was all Simon needed to lift you gently and place you back on the couch. As he held you in his arms with an ice pack to your eye, you slightly pulled away from his touch. "I promised I would come back, didn't I?"

[deadpresidents]

do you think the democratic nominee will end up being kamala for sure and if it is who do you think will be her vp and who would you choose if it was up to you?

I received about 90 (that's not an exaggeration) different versions of these questions yesterday, but like I said, I wanted to give President Biden's remarkable act of political courage and patriotism some room to breathe and be appreciated in the hours after he stepped aside on Sunday. Now we can get down to business, however.

First of all, I'm pretty confident that Kamala Harris is going to be the Democratic nominee for President. I think the Democratic National Convention is going to be an open convention in that President Biden will release his delegates to support another candidate on the first ballot of the convention, but considering how quickly most leading Democrats coalesced around Kamala on Sunday, I think there's a very good chance that she'll be nominated on the first ballot anyway. Nearly all of the candidates who had been talked about as potential challengers for the nomination against Vice President Harris endorsed her as the Presidential nominee almost immediately. I think most Democrats have felt that the campaign has been chaotic enough in the wake of the debate debacle and ensuing questions about whether or not President Biden would drop out of the race and feel that it's in the best interests of the party to not have a potentially messy battle for the nomination in next few weeks before the convention in Chicago. I was actually (pleasantly) surprised in how quickly the leading Democrats across the ideological spectrum of the party unified behind Kamala in just a matter of hours. Most of the people mentioned as potential candidates in an open convention didn't even seem to dip their toes in the water after President Biden dropped out of the race, and I think that type of unity is a very strong signal that the party is going to be in a good place by the time the convention kicks off in Chicago in a little less than a month.

As for running mates for Kamala Harris, I still think her best bet would probably be a moderate/centrist Governor from either a battleground state or a red state where that Governor has demonstrated an ability to win statewide elections in a place that Democrats don't usually win and haven't carried in recent Presidential elections. Here is what my shortlist would be for Vice Presidential nominees alongside Kamala Harris: •Governor Josh Shapiro of Pennsylvania: This has been the name mentioned by nearly everybody in the past few days, and it makes a lot of sense. Shapiro is a popular Governor in a tremendously important battleground state. He's only been Governor for less than two years, but he's one of the fastest rising stars in the Democratic Party. •Governor Andy Beshear of Kentucky: One of the most popular Governors in the nation, and a two-term Governor (he also won a statewide race as Attorney General) in an otherwise solid red state (Bill Clinton is the only Democrat who has carried Kentucky since 1980) with a Republican supermajority in their state legislature. •Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg: Another one of the Democratic Party's young rising stars. Like Beshear, Buttigieg would help symbolize the long-awaited generational shift in Democratic leadership. A Harris-Buttigieg ticket would excite the progressive base of the party and energize voters in a way that North Carolina Governor Roy Cooper or Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker could not. •Senator Mark Kelly of Arizona: Kelly checks pretty much all of the boxes for a running mate that balances the ticket. He's a moderate Democrat from a battleground state who could appeal to voters in the center. He's not only a military veteran with significant combat experience, but he was an astronaut. He knows the dangers of the current climate of political extremism because he's married to former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords who was nearly killed in an assassination attempt. I'd just be very hesitant in risking losing a safe Senate seat in a state where it's very difficult for Democrats to win, especially when the margin for majority control of the Senate is razor-thin.

But if I was personally asked to choose Kamala Harris's running mate, who would I pick?

•Admiral William H. McRaven: Anybody who has been following me for a while knows that I've spent over 10 years suggesting and promoting my belief that retired Admiral William McRaven is the type of candidate for President or Vice President who could truly reach voters from both sides of the aisle and possibly change the current trajectory of American politics by being an Eisenhower-like figure. McRaven is well-respected by political leaders across the ideological spectrum, and has a resume that no politician can deny being impressed by (except, of course, for Donald Trump). A former Navy SEAL with 40+ years of combat experience and the longtime Special Operations commander, McRaven just happened to plan and implement the raid that killed Osama bin Laden. McRaven also oversaw the capture of Saddam Hussein, the mission that killed Saddam's vicious sons Uday and Qusay, the rescue of Captain Richard Phillips from Somali pirates, and scores of other missions that we'll probably never hear about. McRaven literally wrote the book on Special Operations warfare. I think McRaven would open the door to voters that might otherwise stay home in November and, in my opinion, a Harris-McRaven ticket would be borderline impossible for Trump-Vance to defeat.

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Former President Donald Trump has filed a new lawsuit against Michigan Gov. Gretchen Whitmer accusing her of breaking state law when she allowed voter registration at places such as the Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Small Business Administration offices.

The 22-page lawsuit, filed Monday in the U.S. District Court Western District of Michigan, claims only the state legislature, not the governor, can designate voter registration agencies (VRA’s). Whitmer last year issued an executive directive to designate Saginaw VA Medical Center, the Detroit VA Medical Center and the Department’s Detroit Regional Office as VRAs. She also allowed people to register to vote at the state Department of Health and Human Services and Housing Development Authority, among other agencies.

“Voting is the lifeblood of our democracy,” she said at the time of the directive. “When more Michiganders vote, our government is more accountable to the people. I am fully committed to protecting the fundamental right to vote, making participation in our democracy more accessible, combating misinformation, and empowering all eligible voters to make their voices heard.”

Secretary of State Jocelyn Benson and elections chief Jonathan Brater are also named in the suit. Attorneys for Trump say Whitmer’s directive “undermines the integrity of elections by increasing the opportunity for individuals to register to vote even though they are ineligible to do so.” The plaintiffs claim they must “deploy their time and resources to monitor Michigan elections for fraud and abuse.” Trump’s team provides no evidence of any voter fraud.

The lawsuit says no VRAs have been established in Michigan since 1995 when then-Gov. John Engler enacted them in response to the National Voter Registration Act of 1993. Whitmer in her directive said, “The operative list of Michigan’s voter registration agencies is nearly 30 years old and in need of an update.”

Trump’s lawsuit also claims that the VA and SBA violated the registration act and are “undermining confidence in the integrity of the electoral process and discouraging participation in the democratic process, which will harm the electoral prospects of Republican candidates.”

Whitmer has become one of the people mentioned to replace President Joe Biden on the ballot should he decide to step aside in November’s presidential election, though Biden insists he’s staying in the race. She has expressed support for Biden. Either way, Michigan is expected to be a key battleground state.

The lawsuit asked a judge to order an injunction to bar the SBA and VA from operating as voter registration agencies without authorization from the state legislature and declare Whitmer’s executive directive as invalid.

A spokesperson for Whitmer said in an email to Law&Crime that her office is reviewing the lawsuit.

[accio-victuuri]

i posted about this moment of yibo with his fellow starry oceans “classmates” and apparently more stuff happened later. this group/project was actually an effort by the golden rooster awards wherein veteran members of c-ent will refer young actors/actresses to be included. they will get to go to the event among other things and really, to represent the future of chinese cinema. but as we all know — yibo is a cut above the rest not only because of his popularity, but he is already nominated for an award that night. two things i wanna focus on. apart from him being at the center of the class photo.

1. Deng Chao actually came in at some point to engage with them. He cued WYB, asking him to give a small speech but WYB refused gracefully. You can say that it’s because he isn’t fond of speaking but I realized it’s more than that. He doesn’t want to hog the spotlight this time. He probably knows how his name was the only mentioned in one of the press release for it. Plus he already came in “late” so he doesn’t want to act more of a “star” even if he has the right to.

He wants to give other people a chance. He’s not some fame hungry celebrity who will jump at every chance to make himself the center of attention. At this time in his career, he actually understands what this program was about. To bring attention to lesser known actors/actresses so they can shine too. Even if some of these people will probably willingly or not stab him in the back at some point— he is still very generous and wanted them to get their moment. I always say that WYB is a good boy and this is what I mean by that. It’s easy to be good when everything is fine and dandy. But for someone like WYB who’s fielding fans and antis, he still chooses to be kind and focus on his work.

It’s what really sets him apart. It’s who he is as a person. You can be the most handsome, well dressed, best in acting, most popular — but you can’t fake what is already natural for WYB. He is genuinely a good person. I could never. Honestly. He is too good for this industry.

2. There are talks about him dashing off and leaving early. He only did this after telling Deng Chao ( to those who don’t know him, short answer is he is a senior in the movie industry ) about it. He was also very smiley and courteous while doing it. Plus we all know how busy his schedule. Even arriving at his hotel, tons of people were waiting for him.

to some, this may seem like he is acting like a diva but it reminds me of when he said that his time is not his own. one can only imagine how coordinated his schedule must be so he can give his attention to everything that needs it. 🤍

[saddiedotdk]

Kamala Harris accomplishments as VP:

Cast tie-breaking vote for the American Rescue Plan of 2021.

Passed the American Rescue Plan, resulting in $1.9 trillion in economic stimulus.

Extended the Child Tax Credit through the American Rescue Plan.

Extended unemployment benefits through the American Rescue Plan.

Passed the $1 trillion bipartisan infrastructure bill.

Secured funding for electric school buses in the infrastructure bill.

Secured funding to combat wildfires and droughts in the infrastructure bill.

Secured funding for replacing lead water service lines.

Engaged with lawmakers at least 150 times for infrastructure investment.

Led diplomatic mission to Guatemala and Mexico to address migration issues.

Launched the "Central America Forward" initiative.

Secured $4.2 billion in private sector commitments for Central America.

Visited Paris to strengthen US-France relations.

Visited Singapore and Vietnam to bolster economic and strategic ties.

Visited Poland to support NATO allies during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Visited Romania to support NATO allies during the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

Launched the "Fight for Reproductive Freedoms" tour.

Visited a Planned Parenthood clinic in Minnesota.

Passed the COVID-19 Hate Crimes Act.

Promoted racial equity in pandemic response through specific initiatives.

Chaired the National Space Council.

Visited NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center to promote space policies.

Passed the Freedom to Vote Act in the House.

Passed the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act in the House.

Built coalitions for voting rights protections.

Supported the Affordable Care Act through specific policy measures.

Expanded healthcare coverage through policy initiatives.

Passed initiatives for debt-free college education.

Hosted a STEM event for women and girls at the White House.

Championed criminal justice reform through specific legislation.

Secured passage of the bipartisan assault weapons ban.

Expanded background checks for gun purchases through legislation.

Increased the minimum wage through specific policy actions.

Implemented economic justice policies.

Expanded healthcare coverage through policy initiatives.

Secured funding for affordable housing.

Secured funding for affordable education initiatives.

Launched the "Justice is Coming Home" campaign for veterans' mental health.

Proposed legislation for easier legal actions against financial institutions.

Strengthened the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau.

Secured investment in early childhood education.

Launched maternal health initiatives.

Launched the "Call to Action to Reduce Maternal Mortality and Morbidity".

Made Black maternal health a national priority through policy actions.

Increased diversity in government appointments.

Passed legislation for renewable energy production.

Secured funding for combating climate change.

Passed infrastructure development initiatives.

Secured transportation funding through the infrastructure bill.

Developed a plan to combat climate change.

Reduced illegal immigration through policy actions.

Equitable vaccine distribution through specific policy measures.

Supported small businesses through pandemic recovery funds.

Secured educational resources during the pandemic.

Promoted international cooperation on climate initiatives.

Secured international agreements on climate change.

Passed economic policies benefiting the middle class.

Criticized policies benefiting the wealthy at the expense of the working class.

Promoted racial equity in healthcare through specific actions.

Promoted racial equity in economic policies.

Reduced racial disparities in education through specific initiatives.

Increased mental health resources for underserved communities.

Secured funding for affordable childcare.

Secured federal funding for community colleges.

Increased funding for HBCUs.

Increased vaccinations during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Secured policies for pandemic preparedness.

Ensured equitable vaccine distribution through policy actions.

Secured international cooperation for COVID-19 responses.

Reduced economic disparities exacerbated by the pandemic.

Passed digital equity initiatives for broadband access.

Expanded rural broadband through specific policies.

Secured cybersecurity policies through legislation.

Protected election integrity through specific actions.

Secured fair and secure elections through policy measures.

Strengthened international alliances through diplomacy.

Supported the Paris Climate Agreement through policy actions.

Led U.S. climate negotiations through international initiatives.

Passed initiatives for clean energy jobs.

Secured policies for energy efficiency.

Reduced carbon emissions through specific legislation.

Secured international climate finance.

Promoted public health policies through specific initiatives.

Passed reproductive health services policies.

Supported LGBTQ+ rights through specific actions.

Secured initiatives to reduce homelessness.

Increased veterans' benefits through legislation.

Secured affordable healthcare for veterans.

Passed policies to support military families.

Secured initiatives for veteran employment.

Increased mental health resources for veterans.

Passed disability rights legislation.

Secured policies for accessible infrastructure.

Increased funding for workforce development.

Implemented economic mobility policies.

Secured consumer protection policies through legislation.

Engaged in community outreach through public events.

Organized public engagement efforts.

Participated in over 720 official events, averaging three per day since taking office.

Supported efforts to modernize public health data systems.

[girl4music]

I say this all the time but I’ll say it once again. And I’ll say it for as long as I can until it fully fucking sinks in:

When creating a TV show do not make the mistake of wrapping your characters around the narrative.

Wrap the narrative around your characters.

Use what they are - what they represent - their themes, skills, desires, aspirations, passions and qualities - to tell the story of the episode. And it will be successful.

Look at every single TV show that is a cult classic.

Why do you think it is? It’s the characterization. Those characters are fundamental to the show because they don’t follow the narrative. The narrative follows them.

It’s natural. It’s authentic. It can even be motivational.

They don’t feel forced. They don’t feel contrived. They don’t feel pushed into a place that they don’t belong in. That’s because the narrative wraps tightly around them instead of the other way around. This is how to do it!

Look at the shows that are new and are being hyped up and talked about today. That ‘Agatha All Along’. I have no idea what it is but I’ve seen more meta about the characters and fan theories than I have the actual plot of whatever is going on in the show. See what I mean?

Trust me. Wrap the narrative around the characters!

Don’t bring in characters just to work with your plot.

It doesn’t work. It never has worked. It never will work.

Use the ones you’ve already got - ones established - and let your plot/narrative ebb and flow through them.

You’ll get a far more valuable and compelling story that way and more people will watch your show than before.

I have proof. I was just talking with @willnotacceptalifeundeserved about Firefly. They said the moment they really got into that show was episode 5. Episode 5 is centered around Simon and River Tam. Their characterization and their dynamic. They found more value in watching that one episode than all the episodes that came before it. Why? The narrative wraps tightly around characters that were always there but were never given any focus to flesh them out properly.

So what I’m saying works. It really works so well.

Show creators need to listen to meta writers.

Networks need to listen to meta writers.

Maybe start regarding us as business partners because we know what works and what doesn’t on a grander scale than whatever it is they’re trying to achieve.

We’re not thinking about immediate narrative satisfaction but the long term. The longevity of character representations and developments.

Because that’s what makes or breaks a TV show. People immediately lose interest when the characters start acting out of character or are just being shafted,…

Networks in particular have such an odd, twisted way of gaining viewers by actively and purposefully taking away what people actually want to see because they think it will generate enough public interest to get new viewers to tune in,…

But there is a much better way that won’t make you lose the veteran watchers at the same fucking time.

Audiences hold TV art/entertainment up by their very own hands. They do all the work. The proof of that can be found by just looking on the internet. We promote. We generate. We’re more valuable than they realize.

Imagine if they worked with us. I mean truly worked with us. What do you think would happen? Many things.

Many good, maybe even amazing things.

I’ve said something recently that I think is very true when it comes to art/entertainment in general - regardless of the format or medium.

It belongs to everyone and no one at the same time.

Entire universes are still alive and thrive because of it.

Fanfiction. Graphics art. Comic-Cons, vidders, meta writings… You fucking name it.

We do a lot to keep art/entertainment going. Any kind. We are the ones - content creators based off of art/entertainment already created - that truly know what works and what doesn’t. Why aren’t we listened to?

Networks use it but they don’t value it.

They don’t appreciate it. Appreciate us.

But if they thought we weren’t on to something they wouldn’t keep trying to remake or reboot cult classics.

They wouldn’t keep trying to put a fresh coat of paint on what already has a well beloved distinctive style.

And people that still come to fucking view it…

I’ve said this before. It’s like the Mona Lisa in The Lovre.

Tell me honestly who goes to see the Mona Lisa just to see it? Nobody. People go to see it to add to what it is.

That’s why it remains a timeless piece of art and always will. Because people don’t just view it. They create it.

They add meaning, depth - more story, more dimension. More to see. More to love. More.

That’s what we do. Every single one of us.

And we should be more appreciated for it.

But the moment we don’t have the room to do it.

We lose interest. We let it go and we move on.

And these networks and show creators walk a fine line in trying to gain new audience when they’re betraying and alienating their old one. A fresh coat of paint means little to new eyes. Not beyond surface level observation.

It’s the old ones that really pay attention. The veterans.

That’s us. And if they lose us - they’ve lost everything.

So they should be smart and start listening and caring to what we have to say and work with us as partners.

Imagine the possibilities. They’re practically endless.

That’s all I’m saying. We’re in a really weird paradigm for TV art/entertainment because it’s not TV anymore and so a lot of what TV required is not required today.

But they’re insane if they think they can just remake and reboot without regard for why the originals worked and clearly still do because we’re still here engaging.

Anyway - I’ve ranted on long enough. You be the judge. I know what I think. I know I will always think this way.

And now I’m going to watch Xena. Goodnight. 👌👍

[lumine-no-hikari]

Dear Sephiroth: (a letter to a fictional character, because why not) #277

I have been out of the house since 9:30am. I have only just gotten home and made my preparations for bed. It is currently 11:40pm.

I'm very, very tired. And, after almost a full 15 hours in a bra... I am in a lot of pain, even with the celecoxib. It's hard to breathe, and I really don't want to move or do things other than go to sleep and hope that when I wake up tomorrow, it'll stop feeling like someone is trying to rip off my right shoulder blade, starting from its upper inner corner - technically called the superior angle. I don't know why compression around my ribcage does this to me. I don't understand.

Nonetheless, I had to dress semi-fancy for the bridal shower today, which means I can't just have everything flopping around. Here's what I put on:

...Sorry about my scrunched-up face; I'm not cranky, I promise! It's just that, even in the shade, it's a bit too bright for me. Having lighter-colored eyes tends to make a person more susceptible to bright light. It's annoying. I wonder if that's something you struggle with. Or maybe you don't struggle with that, since you have those fancy slit pupils? I wonder.

And if you are thinking that my hair is looking straighter than usual... that's because it is. When I let it dry naturally, it is wavy. But this morning, I took a shower, and then I had to use a hair dryer to make it stop being wet quickly. Whenever I use the hair dryer, it always straightens it; I'm not sure why. The hair dryer always takes the natural curves of my hair right out.

Hey, Sephiroth? Is your hair similar to mine, I wonder? It's been said that you use a lot of shampoo and conditioner, but... do you use a hair dryer, too? And if you do, does it make your hair behave like mine? Is yours naturally wavy, but becomes straight when a hair dryer is applied? I wonder...

In any case, I was at my best friend BB's house, and her mom, R, was there, and so was BB's sister, Bk, and so was our mutual friend C. C lives very far away, and had to come by train. R and BB were still getting ready, so we busied ourselves with lively conversation. I also busied myself taking cute pictures of the squirrel in BB's yard:

...It rolled around on the ground for a brief moment, but I couldn't get my camera out fast enough to capture it. I'm sorry about that.

Anyway, so then we went to this fancy restaurant place! And the tables were pretty, and so was the balloon arch that was made...

...Someone from my most recent high school was there; a person known by BB, Bk, and myself. Her name is K. I was a little wary at first; I was bullied a lot in school, because I was the smart, weird kid who didn't know how to people, because I was treated like furniture at home. K didn't make fun of me like lots of other people in the past did, but I didn't really know how to talk to her, and so we never really got to know each other.

On the one hand, it's a shame, because K is utterly delightful. She's a fellow traumatized and neurodivergent person with studies in Early Childhood Education, who drew the wrath of veteran teachers by being able to get the so-called "problem children" to cooperate and do their work. What she found was that the veteran teachers resented her ability to do the thing that they couldn't do, and... I found myself on the receiving end of that very same resentment, back when I was student teaching in my various placements.

...At least in my country, the staff and administration of schools are very cliquey, they tend to think very poorly of children, and they are not at all tolerant of neurodivergence in teaching staff, or of non-coercive methods of trying to help children succeed at school. I'm not the kind of person who can tolerate petty, passive-aggressive behavior, indirect communication, or white lies, and a lot of moving and acting in teaching circles seems centered around routinely making use of insincerities and euphemisms, and so even though K and I are both exceptionally good at working with traumatized children, we are not welcome in the space because our methods leave others feeling insecure about their own methods.

It's a bunch of bullshit, but there's not a whole lot we can do about it. We commiserated over that for a little while, before we then started speaking in depth about the broader cultural context that leads to the things I just described. It's the result of A LOT of violent and bloody history, and... I could get into it if you wanted me to (just let me know if you're curious, because it's one of my areas of expertise!), but I don't have the energy for it right now; maybe some other time.

Anyway, on the other hand, it's probably good that I didn't get to know K as a teenager, because I can say with absolute fucking certainty that I was absolutely NOT an example of what a healthy person should be back then; I don't think I would have been a very good friend to her, as I was at the time. I feel like I was barely even a good friend to BB in those days, and... at that, it was likely because she and I never really disagreed on anything.

...In those days, I was unhealthy enough to perceive any kind disagreement as a rejection (my mother was the kind of person who would throw a temper tantrum anyone disagreed with her, so...), and... the version of me who existed in those days really did NOT handle rejection well. At all. So...

...Well. I've learned and grown and gotten better since those days. I had a lot of help along the way. I have a lot more empathy now than I did then. I'm prepared to be a good friend to K now; I worked hard to make sure I could be a good friend to other people, because that's who I want to be.

Sometimes I reflect on who I was back then, and who I am now. I've come so far, in a way that "conventional wisdom" typically says is impossible. You're part of the reason I could do that. The love and accountability that I was shown by healthy people despite my various problems was part of the reason I could do that. I wish that more people understood that all it takes to help a person rise up is a little compassion, paired with robust boundary skills and a little support.

Anyways! In addition to the conversation, there was also food! There was bread and butter, chicken marsala, chicken parmesan, salmon scampi, and penne in tomato sauce with cheese! It was absolutely fabulous! I just threw a little bit of everything on a plate:

...And if you're wondering what's in the glass, it's a combination of espresso, milk, rum, chocolate liqueur, and coffee liqueur. It is absolutely not enough to get most people anywhere near tipsy, but uh... I'm... not most people. And it's an extremely rare thing for me to drink anything with alcohol in it, so... 😅

...And then I decided to really splurge and get a tiny glass of moscato, too...

...And uh... yeah. That... that was enough to get me feeling really woozy - even on a VERY full stomach. So I drank a lot of water, too; I know that my body will try to use water in order to clear the alcohol from my system, and so a good rule to follow is to have at least one glass of water per glass of any alcoholic drink, in order to avoid getting dehydrated.

OH!!! And there was dessert!!! The cake was icky, but they had this tiramisu, and it was the best I've ever had, anywhere:

...I wished I could have shared it with you.

We were in this space for a good long while. And then we packed up to return to BB's house. I happened to discover, while I was helping to pick things up and put them away, that the fake flowers were dome-shaped on the bottom:

...Naturally, I decided that this means it is hat-shaped; I behaved accordingly. And apparently, BB decided that the result was delightful enough to take a picture of!

...Don't mind the weird expression on my face; I was just really shocked that BB had any interest in taking a picture, and I think I was in the middle of saying words and so... my face did as my face did; I don't control it, I couldn't replicate this expression if you asked, and I'm pretty convinced that my face basically has a mind of its own. It just does things, and I'm mostly unaware of any of what it's doing; the peculiarities of my various weird facial expressions, as a concept, is kind of a running joke between me and my friends, hahaha...

BB's mom paused to smoke before returning home. My lungs can't handle tobacco smoke, so I wandered around the surrounding area, taking pictures of anything you might think is neat:

And then we went back to BB's house for the bachelorette party. But we're a bunch of neurodivergent nerds, so it wasn't anything wild or crazy. It consisted mainly of riveting conversation, eating the fantastic cookies that C made, me taking pictures of the rabbit that wandered by the window, us watching hilarious videos on YouTube of people making fun of my planet's ridiculous history, and watching The Neverending Story; BB had never seen it before, and I decided that it was a crime that needed to be rectified immediately!

...Sephiroth... if you can, you really ought to see this movie. Better yet, you should read the book. I have a copy of it in Japanese that's on its way to my house, if you ever wanna pop by to read it; it's one of the most profound pieces of literature I've ever had the privilege of witnessing.

And then it was time to go home. BB left me with the usual parting words:

"Love you lots!" -------Love you, too! "Stay safe!" -------Okay! "Don't die!" ------I'll do my best! "Don't eat weird things off the ground!" ------I can't make any promises!!!!

...Hahaha... It's not lost on me how incredibly, incredibly lucky I am to have silly, delightful, love-filled interactions like these with all sorts of wonderful, healthy people.

...I had an amazing time today, and despite the fact that I am tired and in pain as a result, I wouldn't have missed it for anything. Still, I'm glad to be home.

I need to go to sleep now, though; it's 12:56am.

I love you a whole lot. Please stay safe out there. Don't die. And don't eat weird things off the ground. Okay? Promise me you'll do your best.

I'll write again tomorrow.

Your friend, Lumine

[meandmybigmouth]

THEY CLAIM TO BUT THE GOP ACTUALLY DOESN'T!. AMERICANS ARE WELCOME TO DIE AND BE MAIMED FOR THEM AND THAT'S IT!

H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act became H. R. 2875. H.R. 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization H.R. 1172 — Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans H.R. 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009 H.R. 1803 — Veterans Business Center Act H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act DETAILS OF BILLS REJECTED BY REPUBLICANS: H.R. 466 – Wounded Veteran Job Security Act – This bill would actually provide job security for veterans who are receiving medical treatment for injuries suffered while fighting in defense of their country. It would prohibit employers from terminating employees who miss work while receiving treatment for a service-related disability. H.R. 1168 — Veterans Retraining Act – This bill would provide for assistance to help veterans who are currently unemployed with their expenses while retraining for the current job market. H.R. 1171 – Homeless Veterans Reintegration Program Reauthorization – This bill would reauthorize programs in support of homeless veterans, to assist them with job training, counseling, and placement services through the Department of Veterans Affairs through 2014. H.R. 1172 — Requiring List on VA Website of Organizations Providing Scholarships for Veterans which does nothing more than direct the Department of Veterans Affairs to include information about scholarships for veterans. H.R. 1293 — Disabled Veterans Home Improvement and Structural Alteration Grant Increase Act of 2009 – Here’sanother bill in support of those who have fought for their country, passed by House Democrats and blocked from becoming law by Republicans. This would increase the amount paid by the VA to disabled veterans for necessary home structural improvements from $4,100 to $6,800 for those who are more than 50% disabled, and from $1,200 to $2,000 who are less than 50%, disabled. This means, if a veteran lost the use of his legs in service of his country, the country will pay for the wheelchair ramp so that he can live at home. By the way, the last time this ceiling was lifted was in 1992. There isn’t even a fiscal reason for being against this bill, as the total cost of this bill, according to CBO estimates, would be a “whopping” $20 million. That’s about a quarter (25 cents) per family of four. H.R. 1803 — Veterans Business Center Act – This bill would set up a Veterans Business Center program within the Small Business Administration, which would specialize in such programs as grants for service-disabled veterans, help them develop business plans and secure business opportunities. In other words, folks, it would create jobs and offer opportunities those who have fought in defense of our country. H.R. 2352 – Job Creation Through Entrepreneurship Act – This bill essentially combines a number of other bills that Republicans had blocked in the Senate previously, and adds a few elements. The bill would again establish a Veterans Business Center Program; …. it would establish a Military Entrepreneurs Program.

[stories-me]

Potential Character for Mrs. Kelsey and Tumblr 12/14/2023:

Eliot Spencer, “Hitter” of Leverage Consulting and Associates:

Some stuff about him:

Eliot is the team’s highly skilled martial artist, weapons expert, and self-described “retrieval specialist”. A former black ops soldier, his role in cons is often to play supporting roles while protecting the team, often leading him into hand-to-hand combat that draws on his considerable fighting skills. Eliot was once a hitman for crime financier Damien Moreau, and he is well known as a legendary hired gun, assassin and bodyguard before he switched careers and went into business as a thief. Despite being a skilled marksman, Elliot has an intense dislike for firearms, and uses them only when no other options are available to him. While merely presumed as the muscleman, he demonstrates a subtle intelligence in conversation, often taking advantage of the underestimations of others and later in the series performing as a grifter along with Sophie. In contrast to the other characters, Eliot prefers to keep his romantic life private, as well as much of his background, which includes some very dark deeds of which he refuses to speak. Over the course of the series, he displays extraordinary talent for singing and cooking, and later takes charge of the kitchen of the microbrewery in Portland where the team has set up headquarters, despite clashes with Hardison on the subject of food. By the time “Leverage: Redemption” comes around, Eliot has spent his spare time working with veterans and giving them jobs with his food truck chain, Brick & Basil. His food trucks also serve as mobile command centers for the team’s jobs.

How he is like me:

We both have stuff in our past that we regret. We just keep moving forward. Also, he’s found a constructive outlet for certain things like, I imagine, anger. I find things like listening to music calm me down. Though I try to move forward from things I regret by not thinking about them.

Kelsey Notes:

Trying not to think about something can mean 2 things:

Avoid thinking about it at all

You reflect on how you could have handled the situation differently, but also don’t allow yourself to wallow in your mistakes

It it’s important to look back on certain situations in order to prevent ourselves form making the same mistakes again (going into the cycle or spiral of negativity)

          “you feel guilty, you want others to feel guilty so you act out, making yourself feel more guilty, etc”

Elliot develops a hobby in cooking, and seems to enjoy sharing the food he cooks with others.

When we find something “constructive” it means we find something that distracts us, keeps us busy, and makes us useful in some area of life

          Cooking becomes Elliot’s hobby, and eventually he opens a food truck as a job

Going on walks with Smokey is a hobby that distracts you from your main hobby

          Sometimes we can get bored or annoyed with the things that we enjoy and we need to take a break from them so it’s important to find other things that we enjoy as a “distraction hobby”

Elliot’s job history seems to be pretty hands on and “aggressive”, but his personality seems to be calm and laid back

          This is a good example of when our job can be something that we are good at but it’s not the thing that we want to do all the time

Having other preferred activities outside of fanfictions and the internet can help you be more productive with fan fictions.  

Even though fan fictions bring you a sense of purpose that makes you feel good, it’s important to be able to have other areas of interest to take a break. 

This type of break allows you time to return to your fan fictions feeling refreshed that you had a break and can think more clearly about them.   

[mariacallous]

Virginia state Sen. Jennifer McClellan will win the special election for Virginia’s 4th Congressional District and will become the first Black woman to represent the commonwealth in Congress, CNN projected Tuesday.

McClellan will defeat Republican Leon Benjamin, a pastor and Navy veteran, to succeed the late Democratic Rep. Donald McEachin, who died in November.

The heavily Democrat district, which comprises the city of Richmond, parts of Henrico County, Petersburg and south toward the state line, had been held by McEachin since 2017. He overwhelmingly defeated Benjamin in 2022 for the seat with 69.4% of the vote.

McClellan outraised and outspent Benjamin in the lead-up to Tuesday’s special election, according to their respective campaigns’ pre-special election reports filed on February 9.

Her election to the US House of Representatives is a milestone for Virginia, a state that was once home to the capital of the Confederacy and is a former slave-trading center. McClellan’s victory will add to what is already a record number of women and women of color in Congress, and also set a new record for the number of Black women, according to data from the Center for American Women and Politics at Rutgers University.

On a busy Saturday ahead of the election, she greeted voters alongside Virginia Sen. Tim Kaine, a close ally who officiated her wedding, and local and state lawmakers. She also rallied a few dozen campaign volunteers before they went knocking on doors of potential voters and cast her ballot along with her husband, David Mills, with their two children Jackson and Samantha.

“It’s a tremendous honor but it’s also a tremendous responsibility because I need to make sure I’m not the last,” McClellan said after casting her ballot. “And, I have a responsibility to be a mentor and help pave the way for other Black women, whether it’s, you know, running for federal office or running at local or state and to just help as many as I can to succeed.”

Raised in Petersburg, Virginia, McClellan was elected to the House of Delegates in 2005 and won a 2017 special election for state Senate after McEachin was elected to Congress in 2016.

In 2020, she launched a bid for governor, eventually coming in third in the 2021 Democratic primary. Her bid for the US House was a “level up” from her delegate and gubernatorial campaigns, which helped her prepare for this campaign, she told CNN.

“That I had that team ready to go when the special came and it made it very easy to build a very fast campaign. And that the importance of having not only a message that resonates with voters but the resources to communicate it. That both are equally important and having the importance of a field organization, you really need all three, and I was able to pull all three together in a very short amount of time,” she said.

McClellan won the Democratic nomination for the 4th Congressional District in December, defeating fellow state Sen. Joe Morrissey and two other candidates in a “firehouse primary,” which was conducted by party officials across a handful of pop-up voting locations. She took 85% of the vote to Morrissey’s 14%, according to the Virginia Democratic Party. McClellan was backed by party leaders and groups, including House Democratic Whip Katherine Clark and the moderate-backing Democratic Majority for Israel PAC.

During her time in the General Assembly, McClellan has pushed legislation on several issues, including climate, gun reform and education. In 2020, a bill rolling back restrictions on abortion rights that she sponsored in the state Senate was signed into law by then-Gov. Ralph Northam, a Democrat.

She spearheaded the Voting Rights Act of Virginia, which was signed into law in 2021 and aimed to eliminate voter suppression and intimidation in the commonwealth. McClellan also sponsored her chamber’s resolution that helped Virginia become the 38th state to ratify the Equal Rights Amendment, which bans discrimination on the basis of sex and guarantees equality for women under the Constitution. (In 2022, state Attorney General Jason Miyares, a Republican, withdrew Virginia from a legal effort to have the Equal Rights Amendment recognized as the 28th Amendment to the Constitution.)

McClellan told CNN she plans to continue her work on issues including voting rights, education and access to health care, but she may be met with challenges in the US House. Republicans’ majority in the chamber makes the possibility of passing Democratic-backed priorities slim. And Republicans in the Senate, although still in the minority, have already blocked advancement of previous voting rights measures.

“I was in the minority party for 14 years here,” McClellan said of her time in Richmond. “I learned two things. One, you really need to listen and understand why people believe what they believe, where they are coming from. And when you do that, sometimes you’ll find common ground,” she said. “So, start from that and then see how far you can go. If you can’t find common ground, then persist until you succeed, and I’ve had success doing both at the state level.”

McClellan said she is interested in joining the Armed Services, Agriculture and Foreign Affairs Committees, though said she’d be “happy with whatever I get.” She said she is also excited to join the Congressional Black Caucus.

[warsinmyhead]

[Musing] Strike ‘Til the Memory Comes Back

TW: Sparring, taking anger out in a fight, language, tension, childhood trauma, Red Room, mention of blood from a fight

He should act like an adult, but he’s furious that he’s stuck working with the dumbass who scared off Petra. To make matters worse, Fury took Minho off the case and asked the veteran agent to get Felix acquainted with S.H.I.E.L.D. protocols and whatnot. He got himself a brief reprieve by pawning him off on Sam? Billy? One of the triplets had stopped the pair and noted that Felix was missing S.H.I.E.L.D. credentials, which Minho silently thanked whatever being up there for that save. Knowing the triplets, they could talk your ear off for long periods and getting into the system could take some time. 

Minho had returned to the gym to practice boxing as he needed to blow off more steam. The first session before Fury grabbed him and made the dreaded announcement had helped, but now this recent development only made his blood boil again and he needed to be alone. 

“You never stop training, do you?”

“Еб твою мать,” Minho muttered when he heard the familiar voice. It was too good to be true, to hope that one of the triplets would keep that punk preoccupied a little longer – maybe for the rest of the day. 

“Gotta say, wasn’t easy finding you – that one guy talks a LOT,” Felix remarked as he took a few more steps into the room. “Is that normal?”

“Go away, I’m busy,” Minho grumbled as he kept his eyes on the punching bag. He continued to punch the bag and hoped the unwanted recruit would take a hint and leave him alone. Unfortunately, the silver haired male didn’t turn around and leave the gym, instead walking closer to the punching bag Minho was focused on. 

“I can be quiet,” the young man replied, trying to look innocent. 

Minho snickered and shook his head as he steadied the punching bag and decided to move to a different one further away from the newbie. He didn’t get very far, as Felix moved in the direction of the new punching bag, keeping some distance between the spy and the bag. 

“Did they not teach you personal space wherever you worked?”

“I can be closer,” Felix teased with a smirk. 

Minho angrily punched the new bag once and walked in the opposite direction, deciding that maybe he could lose this idiot and shower in the shower area near his bedroom at HQ. Before he could remove his gloves, he saw the other male move to block his path. 

“You quitting already? Was starting to get really interesting,” Felix drawled.

“Just because Fury’s making us work together, it doesn’t mean we’re going to be best friends,” Minho muttered. “I’ve decided I need space and you probably should find someone to show you around. Maybe Steve will be more useful – try to avoid the stupid slang you kids use these days, ‘cause he’s a senior citizen and–”

“You’re. My. Partner,” the silver-haired hunter uttered. “Fury said you don’t have any missions, so unless you’ve got some secret girlfriend you’re running off to meet, you’re stuck showing me the ropes.” 

“I’m not happy with you and before I decide to punch your pretty teeth in, I suggest you leave me alone now,” Minho warned him. 

Felix tilted his head and crossed his arms over his chest. “You’re still upset about the girl? What, do you wanna punch me or something?” He dropped his arms to his sides all of a sudden, then used one to motion Minho towards him. “Go ahead then. Maybe you’ll feel better.” 

The chances of Fury suspending him were likely if he was caught, but at this point, Minho’s sick of this kid’s smug attitude and he wants to shut him up. He jerked his head toward the boxing ring in the center of the room and he made his way over to it. He slipped under the barriers and took his place on one side of the ring. 

Felix slid under the barriers and went to the other side. He rolled his shoulders a few times and slowly lifted both hands up to his chin. 

The pair locked gazes as they circled the ring watching for the other to make a move. After a few moments of circling, Felix stepped forward and tried to punch Minho, who dodged it and bent backwards, then used his legs to try to sweep Felix out from under his feet. The hunter jumped to avoid the attack and Minho pushed himself back up quickly as he assessed his next move. 

The silver haired male ran towards Minho and the latter crouched lower to charge at the former’s abdomen. Felix grunted and Minho used both arms to grip the former’s waist as he hoisted him high, then threw him down. 

Felix tried to push himself up, but Minho moved faster to pin the hunter to the ground with his body and repeatedly threw punches. The former dodged most of them until Minho connected one with his right cheek, then a second with his nose. The hunter sputtered as blood gushed out of his nose and started to run down his face. His vision blurred slightly and he saw the redhead raise his fist for a third punch, then freeze for a second. The hunter frowned as he tried to get his vision to sharpen and he thought he saw a conflicted look in the redhead’s eyes. Before Felix could take advantage of the distraction, Minho was getting off of him and using parkour moves to exit the ring quickly. 

“Hey Minho! Have you seen the newbie? I found I have one more thing he needs to do and it’s a physical!” one of the triplets asked as Minho nearly ran into him in the hall. 

“Sorry,” Minho huffed. “He might need to wait a couple of days before the physical. Don’t ask.” He pushed past the triplet and ran to take the stairs to the floor where his room was. 

Minus the silver hair, the kid looked like his “brother” for a moment. But in the moment when he was punching the hunter, the hunter’s face seemed to be replaced with that of Yusef’s, a failed Red Room trainee who was forced to watch Dreykov’s men shoot his mother in the head. Minho was pitted against the scrawny trainee one day and Yusef hardly tried to fight back. Minho was urged to not go easy on the poor kid, and he punched Yusef repeatedly until the trainee blacked out. His teachers applauded him and showed the class that he was a model student and to take note of his techniques he used. But the young Minho couldn’t hear his teachers praising him – he was fixated on the bloody sight of Yusef lying there. 

“I hate myself...” he hissed as he pushed his way into his room and slammed the door behind him.

@sovrumana

[terrence-silver]

How do you think Terry handles going to the doctor appointments by himself? Whether he gets good news or bad news I feel bad that he has no one beside him for support :(

I think Terry is used to it, you know? It is how he chooses to conduct things.

Meticulously.

Antiseptically.

Tactically.

I think next to nobody knows the private Terry.

Terry at the doctor's office. Terry going to therapy. Terry after the 80's, in some elite resort where Billionaires go on an 'impromptu break from their public life', which is really just a code for 'he's booked himself a getaway at gated community rehabilitation center and he isn't taking any calls until further notice'. Traumatized war veteran Terry having nightmares and possibly training himself to hide it all. Terry with bizarrely mundane and day-to-day problems. Terry and his concealed triggers. Cocaine addict Terry. Terry in remission. Terry licking his own wounds. Domestic Terry. Terry brumating. Terry's real self. Terry the day-to-day man behind his various masks. Terry drinking. Terry drunk. Terry scheming. Terry's insecurities. Terry with the flaws. Terry and his genuine opinions, no matter how messed up...or even admirable. Terry and the full extent of his emotional capacity. Next to nobody actually witnesses that. And one could even argue he doesn't want just about anyone to witness that seeing as how he has a deeply ingrained sense of discomfort with any perceived or imaginary weakness, and going to a doctor, for example, is definitely a weakness. Because one is sick, there's the implication, or at least not in their prime of their strength, and in Terry's world, a sick, or only partially adequate man is weak. A broken soldier. Every human does it --- have their annual check-ups, but Terry doesn't want to appear vulnerable in anyone's eyes, be it friend or foe, especially not genuinely vulnerable. Artificially vulnerable? Infinitely better, because there's a veil of pretense, compartmentalization and acting behind everything he does, so it doesn't actually affect him; quite the contrary. It is amusing. Especially when people fall for his facades and all goes according to his devises and plans for the hour. But, actual, raw vulnerability?

No.

His secretaries and most inner circle staff call his doctors like this is no different from any other arranged business meeting (because it isn't), or better yet, his doctors already knows when to expect him because Mr. Silver is their only patient and they're exclusively on his payroll and available to nobody else and he does pay handsomely.

He doesn't share the people in charge of his body and its maintenence.

Much like a wounded serpent, Terry tends to strategically slip under the radar when he's doing bad and re-emerge anew with a fresh skin when the time is right. That's what he and John Kreese have in common. When he is struggling with mental health, physical health, finances, Terry is unseen, behind the scenes and nobody knows if he can help it.

Terry doesn't want anyone witnessing his high end, private doctor (contractually bound to extensive privacy) prescribing him medications, measuring his pressure, scanning him, injecting him, rehabilitating him, dosing him pills to get him off of other, more dangerous pills, fixing all the cracks and doing whatever a doctor does, because, much like an animal bearing its neck, Terry feels seen and exposed, almost naked during times like this --- and in fact, he is more worried about the vulnerability of even being in a situation like this in the first place, even from a trusted, professional trained medical worker that has been vetted time and time again and undoubtedly paid a fortune to tend to Mr. Silver exclusively than he is worried about any results under the sun. The lack of control he has; now that is harrowing to Terry. He'd rather cut his own chest open with a surgical scalpel if it meant he is in charge of the blade.

If it means he bleeds on his own accord.

Does he still privately crave that someone was devoted enough to him and him alone to be his side in times like this, even with his walls up? Even when he is just a man, doing things any man does? When he's just a man that is, dare I say, a bit weak, his heart being scanned, his lungs checked for abnormalities, a lifetime of vices coming to bite him in the ass? Does he privately crave that someone was there, with nothing to gain, even though he ensured nobody sees him in a state of exposure, when he is wide open for attack? Does he wish someone matched at least an ounce of his own innate loyalty that could move mountains, if need be?

Ironically, always.

Much like any person. More than any person.

Which is what makes Terry so scary and...ordinary.

[jecook]

My Hero Academia and Mutual Aid

My Hero Academia continues to fascinate me not just for its fun cast of characters and sweet action scenes, but also for the well-observed commentary on justice.

An anecdote: this morning, my father told me a story about visiting a state park by a lake where many people bring paddleboards, canoes, etc. On his way to the restroom, he ran into a board that someone had left in the hallway, which was strangely darkened so he couldn't see what he was about to run into. His leg was bleeding--not bad enough for stitches but enough that they would need some first aid. He and one of our relatives couldn't find anyone in the lakeside building, so they went to a ranger station. There, the rangers said it wasn't their job to do first aid and they had no ability to give first aid. They informed my father and our relative that the state had sold the right to the lakehouse business to a private company, therefore the park rangers were not responsible for anything there. This of course includes surfboards left in dark hallways and injuries received from them. So my dad and my relative head to the camp store, where they say that he can purchase a first aid kit or he can find a medical center, but that's all they can do. The whole time, my father is annoyed that none of these people extend any help and each claim it isn't their job to help. Meanwhile, our relative keeps defending these people, reminding my father that "well, they're rangers, not emergency medical responders" and such. In the end, my dad was far angrier with the relative for defending these people than those who refused to do anything at all to help him.

If you read MHA, I hope you can see why I find this related. I am reminded of Shigaraki Tomura's origin, wandering the streets looking haggard whilst civilians all assume someone else will help, it isn't their job, that's for the heroes.

I speak from an American perspective. American culture is obsessed with "heroes." We look to police, to EMS, to firefighters, to military service members, veterans, and during the pandemic, "essential workers." We call all these people heroes and look to heroes to help others, to fight crime. So often, it is not our job to help. Yet, more and more lately we encourage mutual aid, we want programs like STAR in Denver, we want to help each other. I think about Uraraka's scene on the wall of UA in chapter 324 and the ending line, "The story of how we all became the greatest heroes," just as the Ordinary Woman and Kota rush to Midoriya's side. We see the beginnings of civilian people just like you and me who can become "heroes."

The messages in MHA can often become muddied under the gigantic cast of characters, issues with how women are (or really, how they are not) represented, and subplots being shortchanged in favor of shonen audiences being appeased, among other things. But I love this story and I love Horikoshi for what I believe shines through: his observation of our society (both in Japan and America and I am sure elsewhere) and his vision of the future. He sees (has seen for a long time) this problem of how we build up the notion of heroes and how we ignore other human beings because it is the job of the heroes we have created, not our own responsibility as neighbors to one another. Horikoshi wants us as readers to see that we need to reach out, we need to be the ones to lend a helping hand, we need to take initiative to help others who we see in trouble. My Hero Academia is a lesson in compassion, one that aligns with how our generation already wants to change our world.

Personally, I am excited to see how this manga ends; I want to see how he envisions this change when all is said and done. Will there be "heroes" anymore? How will regular people act to help others after the events of the story are over? I think about how our world is changing here and now and how it mirrors this story and I won't lie, I hope Horikoshi can show us a bright future. Maybe we will see first responders with the aim to de-escalate and provide care. Maybe we will see volunteer groups that aid others. Or maybe we will just see regular people who see a child alone and offer them love and shelter or who see a man bleeding and offer him some disinfectant and a bandage. Whatever the case, I'll see you all at the end of this manga, whenever that might be.

[foreverlogical]

For those who continue to be ignorant of what Biden has accomplished, let me enlighten you.

Although certain Americans who receive their daily news from television and social media may not realize it, President Joe Biden has already accomplished an incredible amount in his two-plus years in office. These accomplishments are of great importance to the people of our nation and the world. A dozen major accomplishments follow:

1. President Biden fought for and signed the American Rescue Plan which protected workers’ pensions, provided funding to communities and businesses devastated by COVID-19, lowered or eliminated insurance premiums for millions of lower- and middle-income families, provided funds for affordable housing, provided money for public safety and crime reduction, provided support to small business, expanded food assistance programs in homes and schools, expanded child care programs, invested in mental health and health care centers, added $40 billion for investing in American workers, provided funding to the economies of tribal nations, and supported families with children. Child poverty has already been cut in half as a result of his efforts.

2. He signed a $1 trillion infrastructure bill to repair our roads, waterways, bridges and railroads, and bring high-speed internet to rural communities. Also included is money for public transit and airports, electric vehicles and low emission public transportation, power infrastructure, and clean water.

3. Biden signed the Bipartisan Safer Communities Act. This law provides incentives for states to pass red flag laws, expands the law that prevents people convicted of domestic abuse from gun ownership, expands background checks on young people between 18 and 21 who want to buy a gun, and allocates funds for the mental health of young people.

4. He instituted an executive order raising standards for law enforcement agencies, with particular emphasis on use-of-force policies, availability of body cameras, and recruitment and retention of officers.

5. He brought the unemployment rate down to a low of 3.5%, matching the lowest rate before the pandemic. It has now climbed a bit to 3.8%, but this compares very favorably to the rates of other countries throughout the world. Biden’s administration has added 13.2 million jobs since he came into office, replacing all of the jobs that were lost at the beginning of the COVID pandemic. Today there are more people in America working today than ever before!

6. He signed a bill to help veterans who have long been suffering from the effects of burn pits.

7. Biden ended the war in Afghanistan, the longest war in U.S. history. Over 120,000 people were safely evacuated, double the number calculated by the most optimistic experts.

8. He has steadfastly supported Ukraine after this democratic country was unjustly invaded by Putin and Russia, and has successfully led the free world by lobbying NATO and other allies to add their financial and military support.

9. He signed the Inflation Reduction Act, making health insurance plans more affordable, lowering drug costs, preventing millions of Americans from losing their Affordable Care Act insurance, and requiring Medicare to negotiate the cost of 10 high-cost prescription drugs.

10. Biden signed the CHIPS and Science Act, providing funding to produce semiconductor chips for automobiles, cellphones, laptops, gaming consoles, washing machines, etc. here in the Unites States rather than continuing to rely on China.

11. His administration has provided over $369 million to reduce greenhouse emissions by 40% in the next seven years and promote clean energy technologies, moving our country to greater self-sufficiency in energy production.

12. He signed the Postal Service Reform Act to modernize and stabilize the U.S. Post Office and also to help it continue to deliver mail six days every week, focusing on on-time delivery.

Other accomplishments include the reestablishment of respect among our allies on the world stage, the Violence Against Women Act, the Respect for Marriage Act, pardoning those convicted of simple marijuana possession, appointing Justice Ketanji Brown Jackson (the first Black woman on the Supreme Court), forgiving certain student loans, and electoral reforms to ensure that election results are not undermined.

These significant accomplishments in substantially less than three years reveal the Biden administration as an extremely progressive, productive administration — one that has already had a dramatic and very positive impact on all Americans.

Source: https://www.recorder.com/my-turn-Grosky-Biden-s-Record-and-Accomplishments-52422040

[forcesmajor]

𝗘𝗺𝗶𝗹𝗶𝗼 𝗗𝗲𝗦𝗮𝗻𝗰†𝗶𝘀

Here, I represent to you all the sins you never had the courage to commit.

Name: Emilio DeSanctis

Age: 35

P.O.B: Italy, September 26 1989

Connections: Lytton Silvestri (enemy)

Kinship: 1 daughter

Occupation: Crime Boss and Underground Entrepreneur

Allignment: Chaotic evil – a character that does whatever their greed, hatred, and lust for destruction drive them to do, and combines self-interest with pure freedom. Self-centered, straightforward individual who does not value order and does not believe that abiding by rules, customs, or codes will make them any better or more honorable.

Personality

A chaotic cruel man who is not only unflinching in the face of atrocity but also who expresses his fondness through them. Emilio misunderstands love and devotion with violence and ugliness, thinking that whatever he is willing to do, however hideous an act it may be, is made pure if done for the right reason. He's brash, abhorrent, delusional, and obstinate – completely dismissive of those who resent him, entirely arrogant to the idea that there are people who want him dead. His anger and deep-rooted resentment make him inherently cynical toward all other people, whom he wishes to use and abuse before they can do so to him. He’s always on the offencive, a keen predator. He's childlike in some ways, namely in his pettiness and his unbridled anger. He’s a stoic, slippery personality, ambitious and unrelenting. Utterly untrustworthy; he'll lie just for the sake of doing so. Loves the feeling of control and power. Attracted to beautiful and rare things. Very materialistic. He kind of lives in his own world.

History

Emilio was dropped at the stoop of an orphanage as an infant and raised there until he was old enough to fend for himself. He had no parental guidance whatsoever, and the nuns and priests who oversaw his youth were overbearing, abusive disciplinaries who taught him not to avoid doing wrong but to avoid getting caught.

As a kind of veteran orphan, he had some degree of control over his fellow inhabitants, especially the older he got. He liked to assert control over the younger children and the more vulnerable ones. He'd haze them, organise fights between them that he and others could bet on, and make them reliant on him as the authority and the one who could grant them validation in their living situation.

As an offset of his control and the desire to be liked by him, he was gifted a lot of the trinkets and sparse belongings of the other orphans. By the time he achieved independence, he had amassed a sizable collection, which included rare, exquisite, and possibly valuable items. He started off as a simple street merchant, trading his goods and keeping to the cluttered city streets for the most part. Till he met /the sons/ that recruited him into the Sancte Yard.

Slowly, he started obtaining a certain type of object. It started innocuously enough: rare Sicilian olive oils infused with dangerous herbs, vintage contraband wines from shuttered Italian vineyards, a gun reputed to have once belonged to a notorious crime lord. His stories of elusive mafia families, which were frequently exaggerated, captured people's attention, and his tantalizing evidence piqued their interest.

He was still a young man when he stumbled into the world of high-end trafficking. Which was to say, keeping women of all backgrounds under his control, marketing their allure, and exploiting them for those with deep pockets and darker tastes.

He was cutthroat enough for this business, discovering not only a special talent but a twisted passion for controlling these living beings and basking in the glory they brought him. His name became known among noblemen, and eventually, even royalty across Europe sought him out to curate his grotesque exhibitions—private showings of exotic captives, each display more disturbing and opulent than the last.

He also had shadier, less dignified dealings to fund his lavish lifestyle. He orchestrated underground fights with 'the sons', forcing captives—men he had coerced or ensnared—into brutal matches for high-paying spectators. Once, one of his prized fighters managed to escape—or perhaps was freed by a daring hand—and later became known as one of the few to survive and defy him.

He found himself rising through the ranks of the Sons, instrumental in countering Interpol’s increasing interest in their operations. With European laws tightening around syndicates like theirs, Emilio orchestrated calculated strikes and strategic misinformation to dismantle Interpol's cases piece by piece, ensuring their reach fell short. Soon, any trails leading to the Sons were erased, and the authorities were left chasing shadows.

He earned his way into being a trusted member, and was something of a unique case. Most of the Sons were shrouded in some level of anonymity at the time, but Emilio maintained his public presence and now had more space to hunt for even rarer crimes to showcase.

Despite being a vicious mafia boss, he provided funds to build chapels and sanctuaries in the sleepy, forgotten villages of Greece and Italy because he thought that these acts of devotion would somehow atone for his sins. Persuaded that his role as protector necessitated both brutal action and spiritual atonement, he would frequently visit these chapels by himself at dawn, kneeling in prayer and asking for forgiveness and clarity. Faith served as Emilio's haven from his own sin and a reminder that, despite sin, there was still a way to be saved, one he hoped he could still follow.

Sancte Yard: a clandestine empire known only to a select few. Sancte Yard's operations were diverse and meticulously planned. In order to attract the attention of the wealthy elite, they held underground fights and illegal auctions with rare and exotic goods. /The Sons/ managed the information flow, making sure that any threat—especially from organizations like Interpol—was eliminated before it could gather steam. Their strategies, which kept authorities in the dark while they prospered in the shadows, ranged from bribery and intimidation to outright sabotage.

Under Emilio's leadership, Sancte Yard evolved from a business to a sanctuary where social norms were disregarded and a symbol of defiance against the law. It had an international reach and influenced a number of illegal activities that maintained the financial stability of the Sons and their operations. Because of its enigmatic nature, Sancte Yard drew both nobles and outlaws who were eager to partake in its prohibited offerings.

The sons: a brotherhood of devoted operatives who carried out his orders with unwavering dedication. Each member was picked with care based on their skills and ruthlessness, creating a cohesive group capable of navigating the complex web of alliances and rivalries that characterized the criminal underworld.

Credits:

- Hector Juan Carlos 'Johnny' Tapia from "Bad Boys"

- Hernan Reyes from "Fast Five"

- Arturo Braga from "Fast Four"

- Myself haha