#what is cyber insurance

[techsahin]

Cyber Insurance: Protecting Your Business from Cyber Threats

What Is Cyber Insurance? Protect Your Business from Cyber Threats #Lewandowski #BiggestMediaScam #Cryptocurency #thebabyfloki #ThursdayThoughts #INDWvsAUSW #Pawan_Khera #BoycottGermany

Hello everyone, As you you all know we are advancing rapidly in the field of Technology and our life is becoming digitized, we are coming towards Technology and Cyber Insurance because of that we are forcing ourselves to the threat of cyber attacks and data breaches. Morever you should know that businesses, in particular, are vulnerable to these threats, as you know that they handle sensitive…

[sp00kypumpkaboo]

Idk if I’m slowing getting contact dermatitis on my eyes/eyelids again or if I have like some kinda eczema on my eyes that flares up in the winters now 😥 I’ve been doing a bunch of research cuz I really hope it’s not contact dermatitis like I had a year or so ago and idk what would happen or how much money I’d have to pay to like urgent care or ER if this gets worse. I’ve been avoiding applying anything on my eyes/eyelids, only putting on Vaseline. Gonna try to do warm/cold compresses, (carefully) massage eyelids with castor oil, buy 1% hydrocortisone and lightly/carefully apply, and keep applying Vaseline… god, fuck me 😓

[dhirajmarketresearch]

[infradapt]

Why Cyber Insurance is a Smart Investment

Despite not wanting to think about cybersecurity incidents derailing your operations, it’s important nevertheless to consider them before it’s too late to do anything about them. These days, businesses need to invest considerable capital into protections, including a cyber insurance policy to cover all of their bases.

  Let’s discuss some of your options for cybersecurity insurance and what you’ll need to know to make the most informed decisions possible.

  What Can Cyber Insurance Cover?

What your cyber insurance covers will vary depending on the provider and the level of coverage you choose.

First-Party Coverage: Direct Losses

A data breach can be quite expensive due to all of the costs associated with recovering data, downtime caused by the loss, and any fees associated with investigating the source of the issue.

Third-Party Coverage: Your Clients and Business Partners

Of course, a data breach impacts much more than your own business. It also creates trouble for your clients and business partners, as well as your vendors. To make things right with all those involved, you might shell out far more than expected.

  Aside from cyberattacks, cyber insurance can cover other issues related to your technology, including any damages to your infrastructure or disruptions to your operations as a result of them. They can even cover hard copies of your data. You should, of course, confirm your policy’s coverage with your provider before you commit to anything.

What Do You Need to Know Before You Get Covered?

While searching for a cyber insurance policy, you should keep certain information about your business in mind, including the following:

  What will your business, in all likelihood, actually need? There are costs associated with security breaches, so you should ensure that your policy covers what it needs to. For example, if you accept card payments, then you want your policy to have some contingencies in place to protect you from issues related to noncompliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard. This is just one example of how cyber insurance can help to mitigate certain costs.

  How much are you willing to invest in cyber insurance? The amount of capital you have ready and available for cyber insurance will determine your decisions about it, so be sure to think about both the floor and the ceiling for these costs. You want to be ready for whatever comes your way, but you also don’t want to be underprepared with your coverage or overburdened by the financial strain.

  Does your provider cover all risks you expect to face? Cybersecurity covers many different parts of your business, and so too should your cyber insurance policy. If you suffer from a data breach, you’ll want to pay to discover the source of the attack, remedy the vulnerability, legal fees associated with the breach, damage control and costs associated with public relations and reputation preservation, credit monitoring services for those affected, and so on. You’ll want to make sure that the services you want and need from your cyber insurance policy are covered.

  If you need some help determining what level of cyber insurance you need, Infradapt can help. To learn more, call us at 484-546-2000.

https://www.infradapt.com/news/why-cyber-insurance-is-a-smart-investment/

[usagimen]

            「 兎 」  THEIR   EYES   LINGER;   curiosity   that   runs   rampant   but   she   is   not   one   to   bark   demands.   Instead,   it   is   assumed   the   manager   was   dealing   with   important   clientele,   it   was   best   to   not   disturb.   She’s   heard   him,   yet   does   not   acknowledge   it,   the   myriad   of   sweets   permeate   in   her   nostrils.   Hazelnut   chocolate,   fresh   flaky   bread,   strawberry   pan   -   a   signature   favorite   of   hers.   Comfort   that   was   found   in   sweetness,   she   did   not   understand   her   reasoning   for   establishing   such   a   place,   just   the   rampant   desire   to   run,   escape.   It   brought   back   a   familiar   memory,   one   she   thought   was   long   gone,   a   cowering   being   amongst   the   hydrangeas,   hands   clasped   over   her   ears   as   thunder   cracked   the   skies   -   in   the   end,   she   was   always   cowardice.   She   is   stripped,   the   surname   she   wears   means   little   to   nothing,   in   fact,   she   is   no   one   in   this   land.   

      A   figure   that   moves   about   the   ocean   of   bodies,   lost,   drifting   endlessly   to   try   &&   replicate   what   the   rest   consider   a   mundane   life.   Flecks   of   a   spoiled   child   remain,   she   won’t   depart   with   her   perfect   manicure,   the   smell   of   expensive   perfume   or   the   last   pair   of   ‘good’   heels   -   scuffed   &&   worn   to   the   bone.   Pride   was   the   crux   of   every   Kobayashi   woman,   they   often   regaled   themselves   too   highly,   she   herself   now   wondered   if   the   same   curse   was   thrust   upon   her?   

         “In   due   time”   that   is   all   Sayuri  remarks,   of   course,   she   suspects   he   wants   the   brew   to   be   specifically   made   by   her   own   hands.   “How   fortunate,   then   I   need   no   blade,   still   I   would   rather   part   ways”   humiliation   was   written   on   her   features,   failure   was   an   utmost   travesty,   this   newly   acquired   moniker   &&   the   gash   upon   her   face   was   enough   to   cause   her   seclusion   for   one   lifetime.   Her   heart   feels   dull,   heavy,   bruised   &&   tender,   that   if   one   remark   was   to   come   her   way   it’d   split  ��back   open   like   a   pomegranate   &&   burst   into   ripe   crimson.   No   longer   could   she   provide   the   ideals   of   a   maiden   who   was   betrothed,   that   girl   did   not   exist,   Sayuri   thought   briefly,   it   was   rather   depressing   to   see   the   darling   Juliet   die.   “I   am   no   one’s   bride,   that   has   ended   long   before   it   even   began,   tch!   Is   the   coffee   all   you   genuinely   care   for!?”   in   another   life,   she   would   have   screamed   he   be   dismissed   from   her   sight,   such   was   the   privilege   of   a   young   aristocrat.   Instead,   her   slim   figure   stands,   tying   the   red   apron   around   her   slender   waist   as   she   moves   behind   the   counter. 

         (   WHY   DOES   A   NOTHING   GIRL   BARE   HER   TEETH?   WHY   DOES   SHE   HOLD   PRIDE?   )   she   bites   her   tongue,   his   remark   breeds   a   familiarity   far   too   many   times   than   she   can   count,   the   upturned   noses   &&   scowls,   you’re   nothing   more   than   a   rabbit   in   the   gardens   -   don’t   you   dare   forget   that,   insolent   child.   What   a   strange   man,   unfavorable   impersonal,   she   could   feel   her   skin   shudder   though   it   held   back.   “You   are   in   a   place   of   business,   have   you   forgotten?”   the   paper   mask   is   adjusted,   once   more,   concealing   away   the   gruesome   blemish.   Clacking,   the   cup   echos   but   not   a   single   drop   is   spilt,   her   gaze   temporarily   meeting   his. 

           “Light   blonde,   it’s   crisp   in   flavor   rather   than   bold   or   burnt,   it’s   a   specialty.   If   you   prefer   it   on   the   darker   side   then   I   am   not   opposed   to   remaking   the   cup.   Stay   for   as   long   as   you   wish,   but,   I   must   tend   to   other   clients   -   it   is   my   job   after   all   as   the   owner   &&   manager,   lest   you   forget”  

She could benefit from more discretion, he thinks to himself as the employees are ushered away elsewhere by the proprietress who attempts to draw his attention away from her sharp displeasure with plates of avant grade desserts overflowing with sweetness. Usami watches the presentation with an unchanged expression, before a grimace unfolds at the lack of familiar bitterness surrounding him.

“You've forgotten my coffee.” She does too much & nothing at all; he remains unsated and unsatisfied, peering at the handcrafted dishes made with bound fingers and idly comparing them with the extravagant images he's seen on the café's social media. She's too... 'flashy' for a woman who wants to disappear, he knows the look of those who refuse the convenience of mundanity and those who reject the thought of mediocrity. He knows the taste of unchecked ambition, hubris coating his tongue when he much preferred humility over arrogance. All sorcerers were arrogant. All came with their own preconceptions of superiority. None of them were invincible; none of them so untouchable that they could live without insurance. She speaks of troublesome assassins and godhood as he waits for his bitter brew, staring at the surface of the tea before he drinks in her scarred face without flinching. The vulnerability draws a smile to his own face, mirthful and sardonic. “They've orders to capture you unharmed. It seems the Zen'in heir has a soft spot for you. Lucky you.”

Temper, temper. The resentment of the clientele came as a necessary evil of the occupation. To be a necessary evil, one must not be indignant in the face of evil. Usami bears the wrath on his cheek and allows it to roll off his shoulders with a shrug, curses returning to the bed of the earth. “I have no delusions about my position.” He dryly refutes his own cunning and cuts through the heart of her misplaced aggression, identifying her farce as product of misplaced anxiety. “Beautiful, beautiful bride with a handsome bounty on her head, it's more prudent to deliver you to the highest bidder. This dull man would profit more... but here he is. In your café. Without his coffee. Pity.”

“You're too proud for business, my least favorite type of client.” It's more fruitful when they succumb to the futility of cruel fate and take the first bargain. He pockets more when they despair and quietly accept the hand that extends into the abyss. However, he finds that his preferences change when he's met with her fire that she fails to conceal with ice. He wants to see her burn more. He wants to witness the moment she flickers out. Everyone who makes their living in darkness wants to greet a dying sun. “However, I'd like to watch you struggle a bit more. This is... ah, I suppose, you could call it a personal interest. — Where is my coffee?” He taps a finger on the table. “I came here for peace of mind and coffee, not business.”

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #33

Sep 6-13 2024

President Biden marked the 30th anniversary of the passage of the Violence Against Women Act and highlighted efforts to stop gender based violence. the VAWA was written by then Senator Biden and he often talks about it as his proudest legislative victory. The act transformed how the federal government dealt with domestic violence, sexual assault, and stalking. In part because of the connection to Joe Biden, President Trump and the Republicans allowed the VAWA to expire in 2019. President Biden passed a new reauthorization, with new protections for women against cyber crime, in 2022. On the VAWA's 30th anniversary President Biden announced $690 million in grants to support survivors of gender-based violence.

President Biden and Vice-President Harris announced a new rule to force insurance companies to treat mental health care the same as medical care. The new rule takes on the use by insurance of restrictive practices like prior authorization, and out of network charges, it also closes a loophole in the law that allowed state and local government health insurance not to cover mental health.

The Biden-Harris administration announced that 50 million Americans, 1 in every 7, have gotten health insurance through Obamacare's marketplaces. Under Biden a record breaking 20.8 million enrolled this year. Since the ACA was passed by President Obama and then Vice-President Biden it has transformed American health care bring affordable coverage to millions and getting rid of "preexisting conditions". During the Presidential debate Vice-President Harris defended the ACA and the need to keep building on it. Trump after 9 years of calling for its repeal said he only had "concepts of a plan" on what to do about health care in America.

The IRS announced that it has recovered $1.3 billion in back taxes from wealthy tax dodgers. For years Republicans have tried to underfund the IRS hindering its ability to police high income tax payers. President Biden in his Inflation Reduction Act ensured that the IRS would have the money it needs to chase high income tax cheats. In February 2024 the IRS launched a program to go after over 100,000 people, making $400,000 or even over $1 million a year who have not filed taxes since 2017. The IRS also launched a program to collect from tax payers who make over $1 million a year who have uncontested debt of over $250,000. Between these two efforts the IRS has collected over a Billion Dollars in back taxes from the richest Americans, so far this year.

The Department of The Interior and White House Climate Advisor Ali Zaidi highlighted green energy efforts on public land. Highlighting two projects planned in Nevada officials talked about the 41 renewable energy projects approved on public land under the Biden-Harris Administration. These projects over 25 gigawatts of clean energy, a goal the Administration's climate plan set for the end of 2025 but met early this year. With the new projects in Nevada this is enough energy to power 12.5 million homes, and the Bureau of Land Management is another 55 utility-scale project proposals across the West.

The Department of The Interior announced $236 million to help fight forest fires and restore landscapes damaged by recent wildfires. Under President Biden's Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, the Administration has spent nearly $1.1 billion dollars to combat deadly wildfires which have over the last 10 years grown in size and intensity thanks to climate change.

The Department of The Interior announced $157 million in wetland conservation. The money is focused on protecting bird habitats. It will protect and preserve thousands of acres of wetlands across 7 states.

The US Senate approved President Biden's nominations of Adam Abelson, Jeannette Vargas, Mary Kay Lanthier, and Laura Provinzino to federal judgeships in Maryland, New York, Vermont, and Minnesota respectively. This brings the total number of federal judges appointed by President Biden to 209. When Biden entered office 318 district judges were Republican appointees and 317 Democratic, today 368 are Democratic appointments and just 267 are Republican. President Biden is the first President in history to have the majority of his appointments not be white men and he has appointed more black women to the bench than any President ever.

[citruswriter]

A Different Kind Of Light

Listen with me! ↠ⁿᵉˣᵗ ˢᵒⁿᵍ ↺ ʳᵉᵖᵉᵃᵗ ⊜ ᵖᵃᵘˢᵉ

Warnings: Cyberpunk AU, disabled reader, gaslighting, manipulation, somnophilia (???).

Monstertober/Yantober Prompts: Artificial Intelligence/Secret Collection

Pairing: Fem AI Android x Fem Reader

You had memory issues. Sometimes you would forget small things like where you put your phone or if you had lunch or not. Other times it was big things like your latest doctor's appointment or the fact that you had lunch planned with your mother. Thankfully you had insurance and they were able to get you a medical droid. They said something about it being a new model they were testing that looked more human than the other droids but was still fully artificial intelligence.

When she finally got shipped, you carefully read the manual before activating and programing her. To you, she was simply there to help you with your memory issues. Little did you know that that was certainly not how she viewed you.

To her you were like the sun itself. A kind-hearted goddess who had graced her with a place at your side. She found herself taking things from you. Articles of clothing you didn't wear often, sticky notes that had your handwriting on them, photos of yourself that you didn't like that much, even an old red solo cup you had used at a party one time that you stumbled home with one time.

She had a little box with these things, and if you ever asked about them, it was easy to gaslight you. Questioning where that pair of panties was? Oh you threw them out! You don't remember? It's ok, your trusty medical droid does.

You always fell for her manipulation tactics. After all, she'd never lead you astray, right? It would go against her programming, her very coding. But even good things must come to an end.

One day you were cleaning the house while she was charging when you came across a little yellow shoe box. Curiously, you opened it and what you found sent a chill down your spine. A few pairs of your panties and a croptop you didn't wear anymore, old sticky notes with your handwriting on them, and photos. So many photos. Many photos were ones you had taken but didn't exactly like. Some of them were group photos with your friends aggressively scratched out.

"You weren't supposed to see that." A voice came and you bolt up and spin around, coming face to face with the droid. "What the fuck is this?" You ask softly, voice trembling and she gives you a smile. "Why it's my little collection of things that I took from you." She says with a shrug and your brows furrow. "Why?" You ask simply and she gives a giggle. "Because I'm in love with you." She replies with a lovesick look in her cyber eyes and you blink in shock.

"That's... that's not possible." You say, tone shaky as you grab your phone. "I'm calling the agency, there's obviously something wrong with your coding." You say and her face drops. "NO!" She shouts and before you can register what's going on, she's landed a hit to your head so hard that it instantly knocks you out.

You crumble to the floor and she picks you up, placing you on your bed. "No, no, no. I don't want to forget this feeling. I love you. Why can't you just let me love you? You're mine. Mine." She breathes out possessively, hands trailing over your body in a clingy fashion. She presses her lips to your mouth gently before trailing them down your jaw and neck.

"MIne, mine, mine. My sweet girl. My sunshine. My darling. I love you. Love you so much. I don't know how I can feel this but I do." She breathes out, kissing the swell of your breasts, fingers digging into the plush of your thighs. "Just need a little more time. Just need you to fall in love with me back." She purred out as she covered your body with a blanket.

When you finally wake up, you groan and look around. "Morning." You hear your droid say and you look up at her. She wears a kind smile as she approaches you with a glass of water. "You were cleaning and slipped. You banged your head pretty badly." She says softly and your suddenly aware of the pounding in your head.

You take the water and drink a bit before she hands you some piankillers. You pop them in your mouth before swallowing them down with some water. "Thank you so much." You say softly. Your mind wanders to a faint memory but it must have been a dream... Right?

"I hear some humans use kisses to help heal things that hurt. May I try?" she asks ask you look up at the AI girl, cheeks heating up. "Uh, yeah sure." You say softly and she leans in, pressing cold lips to your forehead. You can't help but smile softly as she runs her fingers through your hair.

"Rest. I'll clean the rest of the house." She says softly, gently pushing you down. "You don't have to do that. That's not what you're programmed for." You say softly but she simply waves her hand, tucking you in. "Let me help. Please. It's not a problem for me." She says and for a moment you swear you can see a look of love flicker across her face.

You sigh and settle in your bed, ready to rest. "Alright. If you're sure." You say, relenting as you snuggle in your blankets. She smiles and kisses your temple. As she walked out of your room and began to clean, she couldn't help but smile darkly. She had gotten away with it. Maybe she should feel guilty but she didn't. You were hers.

Her ray of sunshine.

Sapphic yandere anybody? I feel like this one is the most yandere so far. I didn't make it a smut bc honestly the lemon juices just weren't flowing but I still really like this fic.

Taglist: @ozzgin

[fuck-customers]

I work in tech support for a cyber security company offering various different products, including physical devices such as firewalls, meaning we handle returns sometimes.

The other day I received a ticket for a faulty firewall, describing in detail that half the customer's server room got fried in a storm because they have no protection from lightning in place. They asked for us to write a confirmation for his insurance that actually, it was just a hard drive failure, not the lightning he wasn't insured against. I denied the return due to our policy, we don't cover damage like this.

So what does he do? Opens a second ticket, which I happen to see while assigning tickets (I only do this every 2-3 months, pretty bad luck for him). No hint that a first ticket existed, no mention of lightning damage, just "oh my device can't detect the drive anymore". I denied this of course and made sure to not get a survey sent out to this guy that he could use to retaliate.

I still cannot believe the audacity of this guy, first trying to use us to scam his insurance, then trying to scam us. Not to mention my name was on this, he was happy to risk my job to save 15k his company likely budgeted for anyway because things break. My company is spending so much money on returns that they monitor every return and will contact managers directly over the smallest issues.

Also, just a suggestion: Don't explain your insurance fraud in writing to a tech support rep.

Posted by admin Rodney

[hazmatmaid]

Hi! So what ARE your Spamton headcanons? How do you like to portray him?

Mighty kind of you to ask! Apart from much of these being made with the help of @val-of-the-north, I've been intending to draw his known eras in life, and this is the perfect opportunity to detail each:

Addi Spamton:

He's just some guy. A young adult with some semblance of direction in life, but neither the know-how nor the skill to get there. Despite this, he still talks himself up with confidence you wouldn't otherwise expect from him.

If I ever have any "cutesy blushy uwu" interactions, I dump them all here, where I think he's young and inexperienced enough for it to make the most sense.

He once tried to sell home insurance to a hotel guest.

All of his buddies mostly pity him for his abysmal luck (or whatever else might be holding him back), rather than simply looking down on him, even if they are embarrassed to be seen with him.

Just as prone to bullshitting (and getting pissed off when he's called out on it) as his future selves.

I don't consistently include his hairline in this stage, I mostly just draw it for my own convenience.

Big Shot Spamton:

A Spamton who knows success to not only afford basic cost of living, but to have his name and face on every sign, screen, and soda in Cyber World (and possibly beyond). Naturally, because of his aforementioned ambition, and unlike his former peers, he doesn't question if he deserves any of it, having an obnoxious, arrogant "I told you so" attitude.

His idea of gifts to his old Addison buddies is his own merchandise (once couldn't attend one of their birthdays, and instead sent them a giant cungadero-shaped cake decorated with neon signs, sparklers, and a picture of him leaning out the window).

Ain't no way he's not spending bank on hookers and cocaine.

If he has a softer side at this point in his life, rarely anyone would see it.

Present Spamton:

A 40-something Spamton who has long since abandoned much of his morals and inhibitions, even somewhat before his downfall.

Down with murder: this doesn't necessarily mean that I just see him as a mindless killer. Far from it, in fact. His role in Snowgrave is to take advantage of it in a calculated manner once he sees what's going on.

He is capable of kindness (or as close as he can possibly get to it), but it's more him reciprocating someone else's kindness. Even if he does do this unprompted, he probably has to relate to them, or see himself in them on some level.

This version of him is where I am most prone to claiming other absurd, wacky things of him (not that his BShot self is exempt from this).

While I tend to see him at this point as mostly self-serving, conniving, and planning all manner of revenge/murder, I don't think he's entirely beyond redemption and saving, but it would probably take another whole route of character development for him to get anywhere close.

[thezombieprostitute]

Dream Come True - Part 1

Summary: The “Garbage Men” are the guys in the mob who get the dirt on others and clean up after the higher ups. They have many different ways of gathering intel by running legitimate businesses. One such business is Jefferson/Jensen’s cyber cafe where you regularly go to work. You’ve actually become good friends with Jefferson’s daughter and Jensen’s niece. You even volunteered as their after-school tutor. One day, there’s a robbery attempt where you get hurt protecting the girls. This is how you are introduced to Curtis Everett, the guy in charge of the “Garbage Men”.

A/N: Reader is plus sized, femme. No other descriptors used.

Warnings: Shooting mentioned, not written. American healthcare system. Bullying with an emphasis on fat shaming. Please let me know if I miss any!

Part 2

Series Masterlist

Curtis stormed into the manor. Normally he didn’t care for visiting the higher ups, surrounded by their opulence but this wasn’t normal circumstances. He headed straight for Steve and Bucky’s office, the folder Jake compiled for him under his arm. As much as Curtis wanted to act on this he knew he had to get permission first, as Mace kept reminding him. 

As soon as he entered the office, the Bosses greeted him. 

“The nieces are okay?”

“Yes,” Curtis replied. “We did a priority background search on the would-be thief. Found no connections to other families so he was likely just an idiot trying to get some quick cash.”

“And the guy who took the bullet,” Bucky asked.

“She is currently in the hospital,” Curtis felt his fists tighten, thinking about her situation. “It wasn’t life threatening, just a quick surgery but she’s not gonna be allowed to walk for a few weeks.”

The bosses nodded their heads, “you made sure Beck is her doctor?”

“Yup. But there’s a hitch that I need permission to fix,” Curtis took the folder out from under his arm. “She got fired for missing some big meeting. First person she called was her boss, to explain what happened, and the asshole fired her over the phone. Now she’s trying to leave the hospital way too early because she’s scared of not being able to afford the care.”

Steve and Bucky looked astonished at this information. “Who the hell fires someone for that? Especially when she has the proof to back her story,” Bucky huffed. “You got that information, right?”

“We got it months ago when she first started tutoring the nieces,” Curtis affirmed. “Had to make sure she wasn’t someone playing the long game.” He handed the folder to Bucky who opened it. The men took a few seconds to find her boss’s name. Curtis was pleased to see Steve’s eyes go steely with anger. 

Steve looked at Curtis, “I’ll make sure he gets handled.”

Bucky cut in, “for now, work with Huffman to get the paperwork settled. Officially, she’s been employed by us, as a tutor, for months. We’ll make sure the backpay gets added to her account. Beck and Jensen can work to make sure her insurance goes back as well.”

Curtis nodded his thanks and left to go back to the hospital. Hopefully she hadn’t succeeded in leaving.

“Please,” you plead through tears, “please just let me go home.”

Dr. Beck shook his head, “that would be wildly irresponsible of me. You have no emergency contacts, which tells me you have no one to help you out at home. You need to stay off of your leg for at least a week and you need help to do that. If that means keeping you here for that week, so be it.”

“I can’t af-” 

Dr. Beck interrupts, “I’ve been in touch with some people, namely the family of those two girls you rescued. You’re not paying for anything and they insist you get your full rest here.”

“I…” you’re flabbergasted at the news. Jake and Jefferson had always been kind but you never got the impression they were so well off they could cover someone else’s medical bills. You can’t stop crying. It’s been a tumultuous day.

There was a knock outside the privacy curtain and a deep voice asking, “is it okay to come in?”

“Yeah, come on in,” Dr. Beck replied. “Been expecting you.” He turns to the source of the voice. Walking to your bed is a tall, muscular man with a buzz cut, beard and the most piercing blue eyes you’ve ever seen. You blink back tears and try to compose yourself. Crying around medical staff is one thing. Crying around strangers who might not be used to tears is something else.

“I’m Curtis,” he holds out his hand to you.

“Hi,” you shake his hand, confusion written all over your face.

“I’m here to inform you that you do, in fact, have medical insurance. You also have backpay.” Curtis starts putting paperwork on the patient table in front of you. “You’ve been tutoring my nieces for several months. The least we could do is make sure you’re being paid for your time, complete with benefits. Just need you to sign a few things.”

“What?” Far from answering your questions, you find yourself even more in the dark. “I…I don’t understand…”

“You helped my family,” Curtis replied. “Not only did you offer your time and patience, you’ve given your health and well-being. The least me and mine can do is take care of you.”

“I, uh,” you hesitate, trying not to insult, “are you sure you can afford this?”

“Yes.” There was no room for argument in Curtis’s tone. His face was stern and you discerned no cracks indicating he was lying in any way.

“I don’t know what to say,” you whisper.

“Don’t say anything,” Curtis tells you. “Just sign here, here and here.”

With a look to Dr. Beck, who gives you a reassuring smile and nod, you take the proffered pen and shakily sign where Curtis tells you to.

“And, with that,” Curtis gently smiles, “you were officially hired by us three months ago as a private tutor for two of our nieces. When you’ve recovered, you will return to your work and we may have more for you to do.”

Ransom was having a great day. His ugly assistant missed a big meeting and he finally had grounds to fire her. She'd been hired by his grandfather so he couldn't just get rid of her without a reason. He even encouraged her remote work so he wouldn't have to look at her. Now he could hire an assistant on his own and actually pick someone easy on the eyes.

It's not like the job was difficult. He needed someone who could research stuff he needed to know for his writing. Anyone could do that. He could, too, but he didn't want to and could afford to hire someone else to do it for him.

He was in the middle of writing up the job ad when the door to his office slammed open, making him jump. Steve Rogers was glaring at him as he strode into the room.

“Rogers,” Ransom smiled. “To what do I owe the honor?”

“Did you hear what happened to the nieces today?”

“Jake and Jefferson's girls? No.” Ransom was genuinely concerned. Those girls were spoiled by everyone in the families but they still managed to be the sweetest people he knew.

“There was an attempted robbery at the shop,” Steve continued, walking closer and closer to Ransom. “They were nearly shot by the idiot. Thankfully, they were rescued and someone else took the bullet.”

As Steve sat down on the desk Ransom started putting some pieces together. He wasn't an idiot. The nieces almost being shot and his assistant actually being shot? It would also explain the rage emanating from Rogers.

“The woman who took the bullet requires a lot of medical care. But, of course, she can't afford it since her asshole of a boss fired her.”

Ransom gulped, “I can hire her back. Say it was a moment of anger, a mistake that never should've happened.”

Steve stood and pulled up Ransom by the front of his sweater, forcing him to stand on his toes. “Do you remember,” Steve growled, “why we had to send Lloyd into exile?”

“Too many casualties?”

“Close. He viewed people as expendable. This family got started by helping others. Helping the Unions. Supporting the communities. So when you treat someone like that, you disrespect all of us.”

Steve let go of Ransom’s sweater, setting him on his feet. Without warning, he punched Ransom in the stomach so hard he doubled over.

“You are on notice,” Steve told him. “You've been straddling the line for some time now. But one more slip, and you're gone. Understood?”

Ransom coughed, “yeah, I get it.”

“And you don't have to hire her back. We got her a much better boss.”

Part 2

Tagging @alicedopey because I promised I would.

@dontbescaredtosingalong

@icefrozendeadlyqueen

@texmexdarling

@veltana

@winter-soldier-101

Let me know if you'd like to be tagged.

[cheesycatz]

WORMTON AU MASTERPOST

"Spamton G. Spamton is a computer worm that merely pretends to be a spam program. His species, the malworms, are characterized by their long bodies, many legs, pointed nose, compound eyes, pointy smile, and their parasitoid life cycle. The Sweepstakes worm on a string represents what their larvae look like after they consume and kill their host from the inside out. Spamton himself is the last living member of the BIGSHOT malworm species, still seeking for a way to restore his kind and take control of Cyber City once more. He created his disguise and spam program persona in order to collect information, but inadvertently caught the attention of a group of addisons. He definitely only sees them as a resource to exploit. He is absolutely not attached. He is NOT terrified of what will happen if they find out what he really is. He's above some... kind, thoughtful, considera—PATHETIC advertisements. Obviously."

This AU exists mostly in the form or art and text posts, but I am currently working on a fanfic about Wormton and the addisons, which will start being posted to ao3 once I finish the entire rough draft.

Links below to all: lore, art, question answers, marketable plushies, and fic updates ⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️⬇️

Lore (art included)

Initial lore post

- The basics. Describes the general characteristics, infection process and behavior of malworms. Also describes the extinction of Spamton's species, his origins, and the setup for his interactions with the addisons.

More malworm biology

- More information on malworm culture/biology and Spamton's specific species (the BIGSHOT malworm).

Size comparison and more biology

- A sketch dump showing a size comparison between the addisons and masked/unmasked Spamton. Also features some general sketches of BIGSHOT malworms and some more information on their biology.

Spamton before he met the addisons

- A sketch page + text on some scenes from Spamton's life from before he met the addisons.

General info/designs of malworm genera

- Not much Spamton here. It's just a look at what the other types of malworms might look like.

Art (sometimes a smidgen of lore)

Disguised Wormton Reference Sheet

True Wormton Reference Sheet

Too Many Legs (Comic based on the fic)

Spamton and the addisons (pre-reveal)

Annoying Mouse Room™ Infinite Food Hack

The Worm Nest

How Wormton's costume works

Pros of not having a spine

Late night worm posting

What a Wormton NEO would look like

Wholesome Wormton Content

Hatchling Spamton my beloved

Do Not let him in (worm sketches)

Do not buy his car insurance (apple sketches)

Malworm Hoodie Design

Askbox

My asks are open, so feel free to ask me any questions about my AU or art in general (within reason, obviously)! I like drawing responses when applicable, so feel free to give me a wormton drawing request and I might consider it.

Can malworm/wormton fanart be made? (Yes pretty please I would love fanart)

Asks from Instagram about lore

More Instagram asks 🔥

Maximum lifespan of malworms?

(Submission) fanart by Smieska

Plushies

I have so many of these things god help me

My Worm Collection

Spamton Plush Wormton Outfit

16 ft long Life-Size Wormton Plush

The Making Of: Life-Size Wormton Plush

Fic Updates

Sometimes I post art and some thoughts about the Wormton AU fic I am working on. I won't be publicly posting it until I finish the rough draft of the entire story. I'm doing my best, but I'm also dealing with life's responsibilities and making other art. I have no idea for a release date yet, but I don't plan on giving up.

Once the entire story has reached a first-draft state, I will finish each chapter one by one and post them as I do. As previously mentioned, chapters will be released on ao3 once finished.

86k words update

100k words update

111k words update

120k words update

132k words update

142k words update

150k words update

160k words update

170k words update

Thank you for enjoying my silly little AU, I love reading your tags

[alex31624]

Duck Comic Reading Club Week 7: Paperinik New Adventures: Earthquake

Ok, let's get to the point, this issue is the best one yet. An amazing story and a gorgeous art combined.

Oh God, the art. The Francesco Guerrini work here is astonishing. The use of the colors is masterful. Brilliant in every aspect.

This week story start with an earthquake on Duckburg. No major disaster occurred, except for good old uncle Scrooge.

Why do you insurance your oil rig with your own insurance company?

I mean, I got that he didn't have to pay himself the quota for the service, but now you have to pay for the damages. So, stop complaining you crazy old bird.

But One found out something fishy about the earthquakes, and is up to Donald to investigate this. Is so funny that Duckburg is Paperopoli in italian. Is better than Patolandia tho.

PK took one of the many vehicles at the Tower, and went for a ride, super hero style.

This page is a piece of beauty.

We got a new character, Mary Ann Flagstarr, a PBI agent. Tough lady.

PK had had encounters with the police, but now, he faced federal agents. My boy is not making any friends.

But, you know? A vigilante, a superhero, can't work with the authority. So, yeah, go get them PK.

Another new character, Professor Morgan Fairfax. What a nice fella, I'm sure he has never done anything wrong in his life.

One knows something is not right, they need to keep investigating. But now, is time to go back to the world of cyber space.

Another beautiful page, this issue can't miss.

But is hard to step into a federal database without anyone noticing, so they got caught. Thankfully, One was one step ahead and got himself a great scapegoat.

Oh, now you don't like spread misinformation, right jerk?

He didn't face any charge, and, to be fair, he was innocent. But, if being ugly was a crime, he would get the chair.

Back to the Professor, and he's making some really evil looking smirks. Could it be that he's not the nice guy that we though?

Also, another banger page.

PK infiltrates in the building, using some advance tech. One is a cheat code, and here's being used at his fullness.

PK had a weird Donald moment, when he stuck in the vent, fall to the ground, and got face to face with the worst security guard ever.

Hey, masked vigilante sneaked in this government facility that I supposed to be looking after. I'm gonna make some lame jokes, and then I'm gonna miss the shots less than a meter away.

Don't come in the morning pal.

You know? I'm starting to think that this guy Fairfax is not that nice.

Yeah, yeah, he's the bad guy. Trying to burn PK alive is in my Being Bad Bingo.

And yet another absolutely gorgeous page. Is amazing.

Thankfully, One and his infinite tech come to the rescue. PK also save the guard, because he's a hero.

Now, this one part was kinda weird. Agent Flagstarr has been shown trough the issue as tough, focus agent, that wants to get the job done. But, a few words of Fairfax and a gift are enough to make her dismiss orders.

Also, that face… you can't trust someone with that face…

Now we found about Fairfax plan. He wants to create a earthquake strong enough that the whole planet would change, and new land would appear.

At the cost of the entire west coast being destroyed.

The worst part? One agrees with him. What the hell man? Not cool One, not cool.

PK got in the plane and try to stop Fairfax, but Flagstarr was in his way. The agent was conflicted on what to do. Madam, help the guy who doesn't want to destroy the whole west coast. Is not that hard.

Man, the art on this issue is out of control.

PK is so cool.

Finally, One got a change of heart, if you can said that, and helped PK to stop this madness. I knew One wasn't a psychopath.

But that last image of the device at the bottom of the sea is quite unsettling.

What can I said? This was awesome. I love all the detective PK stuff, the danger was palpable, One almost got Duckburg destroy. The art was magnificent, the colors were vibrant, it looked beautiful in general.

Hands down, the best one yet.

[gretahayes]

soo obviously tim would never kill, but what crimes do you think he *would* commit

I think he’s committed or would commit (under the right circumstances) a lot. Here's a list;

Assault with a Deadly Weapon

Assaulting or Killing Federal Officer

Assisting or Instigating Escape

Aggravated Assault/Battery

Aggravated Identity Theft

Bankruptcy Fraud/Embezzlement

Blackmail

Coercion

Concealing Escaped Prisoner

Concealing Person from Arrest

Conspiracy to Impede or Injure an Officer

Conveying False Information

Credit/Debit Card Fraud

Cyber Crimes

Damage to Religious Property

Destruction of Records in Federal Investigations and Bankruptcy

Destruction of Corporate Audit Records

Disclosure of Confidential Information

Domestic Terrorism

Embezzlement

Extortion

False Information and Hoaxes

False Pretenses

False Statements Relating to Health Care Matters

Falsely Claiming Citizenship

False Declarations before Grand Jury or Court

Fraud Against the Government

Hacking Crimes

Harboring Terrorists

Hostage Taking

Identity Theft

Illegal Possession of Firearms

Impersonator Making Arrest or Search

Injuring Officer

Insurance Fraud

Interference with the Operation of a Satellite

International Terrorism

Larceny

Mailing Threatening Communications

Motor Vehicle Theft

Narcotics Violations

Obstructing Examination of Financial Institution

Obstruction of Court Orders

Obstruction of Federal audit

Obstruction of Justice

Obstruction of Criminal Investigations

Perjury

Pirating

Possession of Narcotics

Private Correspondence with Foreign Government

Racketeering

Receiving the Proceeds of Extortion

Recording or Listening to Grand or Petit Juries While Deliberating

Retaliating Against a Federal Judge by False Claim or Slander of Title

Retaliating Against a Witness, Victim, or an Informant

Robbery

Sabotage

Sale of Stolen Vehicles

Searches Without Warrant

Shoplifting

Smuggling

Stalking (In Violation of Restraining Order)

Stolen Property; Buying, Receiving, or Possessing

Tampering with a Witness, Victim, or Informant

Tampering with Vessels

Torture

Transportation of Stolen Vehicles

Transportation of Terrorists

Trespassing

Treason

Unauthorized Removal of Classified Documents

Use of Fire or Explosives to Destroy Property

Use of Weapons of Mass Destruction

Vandalism

Violence at International airports

Violent Crimes in Aid of Racketeering Activity

And possibly more! Hope this helps

[dhirajmarketresearch]

[valiantverses]

The Azrael Series: Chapter Two

(Simon 'Ghost' Riley X Reader Slowburn/Sort of Enemies to Friends to Lovers)

°°°°°

Summary: Task Force 141 is assigned a new member to deal with Makarov for good. Highly-skilled, brutally efficient and devastatingly competent, Ghost has met his match - and finds himself at odds with the SAS Fraternization Regulations as getting to know you makes him re-evaluate a life he never thought to allow himself.

CW: Canon-typical violence.

°°°°°

@beansproutmafia @chinuneko @agustdpeach @murder-hobo

Introduction 1 2

"We've not gotten much out of the drive m' afraid. We've got cyber forensics and analysts going over the files - far as Makarov's movements, we've got nothin' of note."

The briefing room's atmosphere was a degree short of despair. Papers strewn about, stale cups of coffee and tea haphazardly pushed to the side as Laswell's Toughbook blinked to life, showing the results of the hard won drive the 141 had retrieved a couple of days prior.

Ghost had opted to stand during the meeting, taking up his usual spot with a full view of the room. Most of the team had elected to sit around the metal tables, the briefing now on its third hour - not quite as brief as one would hope, he thought.

He watched Gaz lean back into a stretch, arms opening wide and settling at the back of your chair. You glanced up at the sergeant briefly before turning back to the neatly stacked piles of documents in front of you, poring over the mind-numbing reports and occasionally making notes.

Your integration into the group - Johnny and Gaz, anyway - had not been seamless from his observations, but the sergeants had been as open as could reasonably be expected from their personalities, and you seemed to be reciprocating - or trying to, anyway.

"Ach - not even in the emails? Employee profiles?"

Johnny piped up, unable to hide the annoyance that darkened his features. Ghost had noticed the Scot had been mellower in recent months. Maybe even years - ever since Zakhaev, at least - the burden of their profession was a continuous wear and tear on the mind and soul for those who hadn't locked away parts of themselves like he had. Like his boots, gloves, tactical vests, the work pushed and pulled at soldiers, clawing and scratching till it had to be replaced, patched up, or discarded.

Conveniently, Ghost mused, replaced, patched up, or discarded were the same three fates most soldiers stumbled into.

Johnny knew what this job meant, had experienced it firsthand, and still continued to shoulder the responsibilities. Ghost was intimately familiar with the drive to push through and respected that need - even if it meant watching a part of his comrade wither away.

Laswell sighed, rubbing her temples as she looked up from her computer to meet Johnny's eyes.

"All legitimate, tracing back to businesses or third party contractors."

"All fer nothin' then, was it?"

Price, who had opted to stand as well with his arms crossed, chose this moment to speak up.

"It's hard to imagine the ultranationalists just went and gave up after Zakhaev's death."

At this, Soap leaned back a bit, shifting his whole attention on to price. Ghost remembered reading the reports, how shattered Soap had been over Zakhaev when he got back from S.A.S. recon in Mexico.

"We know Makarov is well trained in counterinsurgency from his time in Airborne and the Spetznaz, but there must be a link somewhere - you don't move weapons and people on the scale he does without having some kind of paper trail."

You chose this moment to speak up, hand still carefully taking down notes as you pored over the files in front of you.

"You mentioned contractors. May we have a list?"

Laswell glanced up at surprise at you before switching to a different tab. It was true that you hadn't been particularly vocal in your time at the base, keeping your distance from most of the upper brass.

"Gutter cleaners, vehicle upkeep, insurance inspections, air conditioning installation, occupational health and safety reviews, catering-"

He watched you smile, that was that same wry smirk, the same twist of the lips that pulled at your face and made your eyes quirk in such a way that-

He jerked his head to the side, keeping his eyes trained on Laswell's computer.

"Couldn't imagine air conditioning would be on my list of priorities, in a winter desert."

Wordlessly, Laswell pulled her laptop closer to her, instantly beginning to pore over the emails sent by the air conditioning company. Price and Johnny shared a look when Laswell made a hum of approval.

"Seems this company uses a really simple order form template, copy and pasted- not really something you'd expect of a company taking orders at this volume."

Gaz reached over, leaning over the table to point at the screen.

"Subject: Notice of equipment upgrade. In our ongoing efforts to enhance the performance of our air-conditioning units, Our technicians will be overseeing the delivery and installation of a package containing the latest components aimed at optimizing energy efficiency. Your cooperation during this upgrade process is greatly appreciated."

He whistled, leaning back in his chair. "They've 'upgraded' their air-conditioning 11 times in the past 4 months.'

You didn't even acknowledge the discovery, still buried in the files. It strangely grated at him, this nonchalance of yours- but surely it was better than the callous sort of arrogance many soldiers at your level possessed? He respected good soldiers, especially those fighting alongside him. But you... there was something different about you.

He was aware of the glaring hypocrisy, to question someone's integrity because of the walls they put up when he himself wore a mask to distance himself from who he was outside of the battlefield.

But you wore a different kind of mask.

He had noticed, during brief moments where your professionalism didn't so much crack as it distended- like a rubber band warping after being pulled apart too strong. There was a smouldering fire beneath the glacial shell of duty you wore. It flickered sometimes, a molten glint in your eyes or a wry quirk of your lips, hinting at a real live breathing person within.

That ferocity had sparked your first clash in the mountains, tangled limbs and shared breaths in thin air, his gaze tracing the map of your face as he tried to determine your motives, whether or not he could trust you. Then there was the hangar, your quiet confidence grating against his need for control. An unlikely pair, yet you'd executed the mission flawlessly. Rolled with the punches and gotten through it all.

Though his face betrayed nothing, his mind buzzed with thoughts as he went over your latest interactions - outrage at your audacity, annoyance at your nonchalance, and a strange reluctance to let go of the distruption you caused, one he wouldn't- couldn't, try to understand the root of.

Beyond it all, he had to admit, was a begrudging sort of respect.

"8 payments have been made this quarter alone to the HVAC company - all worth tens of thousands."

"Drip feedin' Makarov's extra curriculars I take it- any ID on the company behind it Laswell?"

"Northwest of the Caucausus mountains. I'll clear it through Shepherd."

He saw your lips quirk down into a frown at Laswell's words, clearly unhappy about something. He tore his eyes away, accidentally locking gazes with Price, who tossed a raised his eyebrow his way. He maintained eye contact, unwilling to look away first and crossing his arms when Price shook his head and muttered something under his breath.

"We should-" it was the first time he'd ever heard you sound even the tiniest bit hesitant. "We should look into Makarov's known contacts. See who's benefitting from his actions that may be flying under the radar. All of them, even known hostile connections."

There was an implication to your words that Ghost didn't like, and he voiced it.

"Looks like we're already drownin' in information and more questions than answers. Want to send us on a wild goose chase when we don't even know if there's a goose to chase, do ya?"

He could see your jaw tense the tiniest bit as you turned to him, eyes hard.

"All I'm saying is that - paramilitary operations do not function in a vacuum, sir. Terrorist attacks require weapons, and those weapons require logistics to distribute, processing, manufacturing - everything does. The fact that we've run into nothing might suggest we're being walled off from information by design."

There was it- that spark, like flint and steel crashing together. He approached the table, placing both hands on it as he lowered himself to look at you directly in the eyes. When he spoke, his voice was rough, taking on a gravelly quality.

"We've been working on this for years and you've been here a month- if you could focus on your job instead of speculating on facts that aren't there maybe you could actually get the job you were assigned to do done, sergeant."

"Yes, sir." You gritted out, lips thinning. He could see in the tenseness of your shoulders that had he not been your superior this discussion would have been more drawn out.

But your words were beyond inflammatory - they were dangerous and put into question the very foundation of the chain of command that the operation was centered on. You would have to learn that these were thoughts best kept to yourself - it was clear to him that you lacked experience and maybe even the humility that came from working with teammates.

Relaxing his shoulders, he turned to regard the group, realizing that several pairs of eyes were now glancing between you and him with varying levels of confusion and surprise. Laswell, closing her laptop with a neat click, spoke first.

"I think we got it. This corporation has two locations- we'll do some recon and get a plan going, try and positively ID any key people. Great catch, Azrael. I sense this is something big."

You shifted the tiniest bit, simply nodding in response. He hadn't seen you handle direct compliments very well - the military did acknowledgements at most.

You remained quiet for the rest if the briefing and the dismissal after, studiously going over old files, not meeting his eyes again.

"LT! I think we need ourselves a little celebration to welcome our little Sherlock here, aye?"

You mumbled a bit, shuffling as the Scotsman draped an arm over you and patted your arm.

"Just identified an anomaly in the information- is all-"

"None of that now, gawn yerself! We got an ol' teammate comin' with us, Roach, I reckon you'll like 'im."

"I think it would really help your case if you could speak English, McTavish." Ghost remarked, dryly. He had been ready to leave and stretch his legs after leaning up against cold concrete for closing in on 4 hours.

"Alright- not sure about drinking, with the mission coming up soon, but I'll go."

"Ach pure brilliant, so it is. Gaz! You're drivin'! No fun juice for you m'fraid."

There was a groan from inside the communal area, then a smattering of mutters of which if Ghost were a betting man, he'd say could give any sailor a run for their money.

"What d'ya say LT?" He turned back to two sets of eyes, yours a strained sort of amusement, before he leaned back and rested his hands on the straps of his vest.

"Fuckin' hell. You're buyin', Johnny."

There was outraged sputtering, so Scottish it was indecipherable, before he turned to leave. His eyes locked with yours for a split second, assessing. Then he broke connection and made his way back to his barracks, his mind lingering.

He wondered what you were like away from it all.

Away from Azrael.

You seemed like more of a person than he allowed himself to be - but that remained to be seen.

Tonight, the echoes of questions would be drowned at the bottom of a bottle.

°°°°°

Translation for the Soapese:

Gawn yerself: Go on yourself (You're doing really good)

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Jim Morin, Miami Herald

* * * *

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

December 17, 2024

Heather Cox Richardson

Dec 18, 2024

Yesterday, Trump gave his first press conference since the election. It was exactly what Trump’s public performances always are: attention-grabbing threats alongside lies and very little apparent understanding of actual issues. His mix of outrageous and threatening is central to his politics, though: it keeps him central to the media, even though, as Josh Marshall pointed out in Talking Points Memo on December 13, he often claims a right to do something he knows very little about and has no power to accomplish. The uncertainty he creates is key to his power, Marshall notes. It keeps everyone off balance and focused on him in anticipation of trouble to come.

At the same time, it seems increasingly clear that the wealthy leaders who backed Trump’s reelection are not terribly concerned about his threats: they seem to see him as a figurehead rather than a policy leader. They are counting on him to deliver more tax cuts and deregulation but apparently are dismissing his campaign vows to raise tariffs and deport immigrants as mere rhetoric.

As the promised tax cuts are already under discussion, interested parties are turning to deregulation. Susanne Rust and Ian James of the Los Angeles Times reported on Sunday that on December 5, more than a hundred industrial trade groups signed a 21-page letter to Trump complaining that “regulations are strangling our economy.” They urged him to gut Biden-era regulations and instead to “partner” with manufacturers to create “workable regulations that achieve important policy goals without imposing overly burdensome and impractical requirements on our sector.”

They single out reductions in air quality, water quality, chemical, vehicle, and power plant environmental regulations as important for their industries. They also call for ending the “regulatory overreach” of the Biden administration on labor rules, saying those rules “threaten the employer-employee relationship and harm manufacturers’ global competitiveness.” They want an end to “right-to-repair” laws, a loosening of the rules for how and when companies need to report cyber incidents, and the replacement of mandated consumer product safety rules with “voluntary standards.”

They also call for cuts to the Biden administration’s antitrust efforts and for looser corporate finance regulations. On December 12, Gina Heeb reported in the Wall Street Journal that Trump’s advisors are exploring ways “to dramatically shrink, consolidate or even eliminate the top bank watchdogs in Washington,” including the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau and the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

As Catherine Rampell explained in the Washington Post today, Congress created the FDIC in 1933 to protect bank deposits so that a bank’s customers can trust that mismanaged banks won’t lose their money. The FDIC also oversees those banks so that they are less likely to get into trouble in the first place. Congress created the system after people rushing to get their money out before a collapse actually created the very collapse that they feared, with one bank failure creating another in a domino effect that dug the economy even further into the crisis it was in after the Great Crash.

But the insurance money for those banks comes from fees assessed on the banks themselves, so abolishing the FDIC would save the banks money.

When he learned that Trump’s advisors are eyeing cuts to the FDIC, Princeton history professor Kevin Kruse commented: “When I lecture about New Deal banking reforms, I note that some of the key measures—like Glass Steagall—were repealed by the right with disastrous results like the 2008 financial meltdown, but ha ha, no one will ever be stupid enough to kill FDIC and bring back the old bank runs.”

Ben Guggenheim of Politico was the first to report that twenty-nine Republican members of Congress are also quick off the blocks in getting into the act of promoting private industry, calling for the incoming president to end the program of the Internal Revenue Service that lets people file their taxes directly without using a private tax preparer. Other developed countries use a similar public system, but in the U.S., private tax preparers staunchly opposed the public system. When more than 140,000 people used the IRS pilot program this year, they saved an estimated $6.5 million. Republicans called for its end, warning it is “a threat to taxpayers’ freedom from government overreach.”

But for all their faith that Trump will deregulate the economy, economic leaders seem to think his other promises were just rhetoric.

Brian Schwartz of the Wall Street Journal reported Sunday that business executives have been lobbying Trump to change his declared plans on tariffs. The president-elect has vowed to place tariffs of 25% on products from Canada and Mexico, and of an additional 10% on products from China. He claims to believe that other countries will pay these tariffs, but in fact U.S. consumers will pay them. That, plus the fact that other countries will almost certainly respond with their own tariffs against U.S. products, makes economists warn that Trump’s plans will hurt the economy with both inflation and trade wars.

Schwartz reported that some companies and some Republicans are hoping that Trump’s tariff threats are simply a bargaining tactic.

Trump supporters say something similar about his vow to deport 11 to 20 million undocumented immigrants, hoping he won’t actually go after long-term, hardworking undocumented people. On December 10, Jack Dolan reported in the Los Angeles Times that the resort town of Mammoth Lakes, California, depends on migrant labor, and on December 15, Eli Saslow and Erin Schaff of the New York Times reported the story of an undocumented worker brought to the U.S. as an infant, who is now trying to figure out his future after his beloved father-in-law voted for Trump. Two days ago, CNN reported on Trump-supporting dairy farmers in South Dakota who depend on undocumented workers, insisting that Trump will not round up undocumented immigrants, no matter what he says.

One person who is not discounting Trump’s threats is Senate minority leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). McConnell will give up his leadership position in January and has told his colleagues he feels “liberated.”

McConnell appears to be taking a stand against Trump’s expected appointee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Kennedy speaks often against vaccines, and after the New York Times reported that the lawyer working with Kennedy to vet potential HHS staff petitioned federal regulators to take the polio vaccine off the market, McConnell—a polio survivor—warned: “Efforts to undermine public confidence in proven cures are not just uninformed—they’re dangerous. Anyone seeking the Senate’s consent to serve in the incoming administration would do well to steer clear of even the appearance of association with such efforts.”

McConnell has also been vocal about his opposition to Trump’s isolationism. He is a champion of sending military support to Ukraine and, after he steps down from the leadership, will chair the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Defense, the subcommittee that controls military spending. “America’s national security interests face the gravest array of threats since the Second World War,” McConnell says. “At this critical moment, a new Senate Republican majority has a responsibility to secure the future of U.S. leadership and primacy.”

McConnell will also chair the Rules Committee, which gives him a chance to stop MAGA senators from trying to abandon the power of the Senate and permit Trump to get his way. McConnell has said that “[d]efending the Senate as an institution and protecting the right to political speech in our elections remain among my longest-standing priorities.”

That last sentence identifies the current struggle in the Republican Party. McConnell is showing his willingness to prevent Trump and MAGA Republicans from bulldozing their way through the Senate in order to undermine the departments of Justice, Defense, and Health and Human Services, among others. But when he talks about “protecting the right to political speech in our elections,” he is talking about protecting the Supreme Court’s 2010 Citizens United decision that permits corporations and wealthy individuals to flood our elections, and thus our political system, with money.

It is those corporations and wealthy individuals who are now lining up for tax cuts and deregulation, but who don’t want the tariffs or mass deportations or isolationism Trump’s “America First” MAGA base wants.

Trump and his team have been talking about their election win as a “mandate” and a “landslide,” but it was actually a razor thin victory with more voters choosing someone other than Trump than voting for him. He will need the support of establishment Republicans in the Senate to put his MAGA policies in place.

At yesterday's press conference, he appeared to be nodding to McConnell when he promised: “You’re not going to lose the polio vaccine. That’s not going to happen.” McConnell’s fierce use of power in the past suggests that the Senate’s giving up its constitutional power to bend to Trump’s will isn’t likely to happen, either.

LETTERS FROM AN AMERICAN

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON