#when coming back online from a planned power outage that they were warned about in advance

[allthoseotherworlds]

Whenever we have a boil water advisory here (twice in the past 6 months, both for the same facility, which is probably not a great sign for their internal systems) someone has to go and make a snarky comment about how people shouldn't complain about it because some indigenous communities are under boil water advisories and have been for a while and so forth.

And like. I don't disagree that it's important to continue to care about indigenous and other rural communities having access to safe drinking water.

And obviously their plight is worse than me going a couple of days with a boil water advisory. Though I will note that the hospital here is also under the boil water advisory and that does have real consequences for people that they are allowed to complain about.

But also overall I do feel like scolding people not to complain about some inconvenience they're experiencing because other people have it worse is not really a great way to go about doing activism for those other people who have it worse.

[emmy-writes-sometimes]

Summer Storms

You and Sebastian are moving in together, finally, but are forced to face a childhood trauma that you were hiding from him.

-

           It was a childish fear and you knew it. Of all things to be scared of at the age of 23, storms shouldn’t have been one of them. But it was. You were absolutely terrified of them. And it really didn’t interfere much with your daily life except in the warm, Georgia summers that were a potential breeding ground for tornadoes and the lightning storms that shook the ground. You weren’t even really there during storm season; you were always back in L.A. or New York. This summer, though, there was no escaping. You were shooting in Atlanta from June until August, and you were with your boyfriend, Sebastian, in the new house you were fixing up that for some reason didn’t have a basement for storms.

           “I think it’s supposed to storm later, we should move the cars into the garage,” he said as he walked in carrying two gallons of paint, one in each hand. He was re-painting the kitchen cabinets and had just gone to Home Depot at 8 AM on a Saturday. You shrugged it off, hoping the storm wouldn’t be too bad.

           “Yeah, sure, just give me the keys and I’ll do it,” you volunteered. Your plan was to be alone for most of the day, to shut yourself in the office or organize the bedroom or something to keep your mind off of the fact that there was a tornado warning later. You hadn’t told Sebastian about your fear, even in a game of truth or dare when you’d been dared to disclose your biggest fear. You’d lied and said it was cicadas, which wasn’t too far off base. Basically, you were scared of summer in any southern state.

           Sebastian handed you the keys to the cars and you went out to move each one into the garage, ignoring the wind that was starting to pick up. The old house’s wind chimes were loud and proud on the back porch, and you just tried to ignore them. You’d begged Sebastian to get rid of them, but he said they added character, so you kept them. He wasn’t wrong. You just hated hearing how bad the wind was. It started pouring just as you pulled his car into the garage, and you had to run back inside.

           “Well, now that you can’t go work in the garden, you mind helping me paint?” He asked you as you walked back in. He saw a weird look in your eye, but he knew that moving into an old house like this one was overwhelming. He didn’t think anything of it.

           “Yeah, sure.” You wanted to be alone, but maybe being with him during a storm would be good. You could concentrate on him and the painting instead of the howling wind.

           “You can grab a t-shirt from the dresser if you want, I brought some old stuff to paint in.” You nodded and walked across the squeaky hardwood floors into the bedroom that the two of you shared. You held your hand to your mouth when a particularly bad rumble of thunder rolled over the house so you wouldn’t squeal, and after waiting ten seconds for the lightning to hit somewhere else you were walking back into the other room.

           Sebastian put on his playlist of 80’s music almost as loud as it could go, watching you as you sat down on the big tarp and started getting out the paint rollers. For a while, you were able to forget about the storm. He would tell you a dumb story or a stupid joke and you would laugh, or you would sing to Mighty Wings or something. But the storm kept getting worse, and you kept getting more and more uptight.

           “You okay?” He asked. You had looked over at your phone to see that the storm was really getting bad, even though you’d avoided looking out of the windows on either side of you. “Alexa, turn down the music!”

           “I’m fine,” you lied. Another clap of thunder hit, and lightning right after. It was close. Too close for comfort.

           “What, you don’t like storms or something?”

           “It’s dumb,” you shrugged. “But I’m looking at the radar and it’s saying there’s a tornado watch, so maybe…” You were interrupted by what sounded like it was in the backyard, even though you knew it wasn’t. “Jesus Christ.”

           “You’re literally shaking. Are you sure you’re okay?”

           “I’m fine.” You dipped the roller back in paint and continued painting, looking for any spot you’d missed to take your mind off of what felt like your impending doom. He kept you talking, just about stupid things, because he saw that you were actually freaked out. Another few minutes later both of your phones chimed with weather alerts. Sebastian’s eyes widened.

           “Okay, it is getting pretty bad.” He wiped his phone on his t-shirt. “I’m gonna go shower off and then maybe…”

           “You’re not supposed to shower in a storm,” you pointed out. He looked at you a little funny. They must not get bad ones up in New York because he’d obviously never heard that before.

           “That’s just an old wives’ tail, babe. It’s fine. You can come with me if you want.”

           “Sebastian, I’m not having-” You were cut off by another loud clap of thunder. “Jesus Christ.” Just as you spoke, the lights flickered. You put the roller in the paint tray, sighing, and got up. You walked into the bedroom and got a blanket, went to his tool box and got out a flashlight, and sighed.

           “What are you doing?”

           “Going to the safe place. If I’m right, they’re going to tell us to in a few seconds.” Sure enough, his phone lit up again. “Don’t open the fridge. If the power goes out we have a full day before stuff starts to go bad as long as we don’t open the fridge.” Sebastian smiled a little.

           “How do you know so much about storms?”

           “Where am I from?”

           “Kansas?” He asked. You nodded. You went to the weird walk-in linen closet in the hallway, opening the blanket up, and sat down. “Maybe we won’t get blown into Oz,” he said as he sat down beside you. He was obviously joking, but it didn’t sit right with you.

           “How about we not joke about getting blown away when we’re in a house with no basement?” Your voice was literally the only sound in the house for a minute. You jumped when Sebasatian’s arm went around your back and pulled you close to him. It took him a minute, but he finally realized, and when he did his eyes widened up.

           “Are you scared of storms?”

           “Yeah,” you admitted. “It’s stupid and childish and… But I’m afraid of them, okay? It’s part of the unresolved childhood trauma that we haven’t talked about yet.” You were half joking, half not. He’d told you a lot about his childhood, but he didn’t know much about you. Just that you escaped and went to the city after high school and kept auditioning until you got the job with Marvel four years ago, where you’d met. You’d only been together for a year and a half, so the conversation hadn’t really come up yet.

           “What do you mean? Babe, you could’ve told me earlier, and…”

           “I never told you how my uncle died, did I?” You looked over at him and he shook his head.

           “No, you didn’t. You just said…” You sighed and cuddled a little closer as the storm kept rolling through. The cell was right over the neighborhood, but the weather app had said it wasn’t going to turn into a tornado. Thankfully. Now that he knew you were scared he held you a little tighter, even though he was uncomfortable with his back against the linen shelf.

           “They said it wasn’t going to turn into a tornado and it did. He didn’t get to the shelter fast enough because he was trying to get the cat. A piece of the roof collapsed on him and he died. Nobody found him for two days because everyone else’s house was wrecked. That’s why my family ended up moving, because the house was just destroyed.” Your eyes were filling with tears. “That’s why I’m scared, okay? I’m just scared of how fast it is. It’s like a train whistle just coming at you and it’s so loud and you don’t even know how long it’s going on because it feels like forever. And then you just have to hope it doesn’t pick your house over the neighbor’s.”

           “Why didn’t you tell me you were so freaked out?” The power cut off and Sebastian looked around, but you were used to the power getting cut by storms at that point. The house popped and settled as the air conditioning turned off. “I would’ve…”

           “I thought it was dumb and childish to still be afraid of something that happens all the time. And it never came up because we’ve never lived here before together in the summer.” He ran a hand through your hair.

           “It’s not stupid. It’s real and you’re allowed to be scared of something like that. Especially if it literally killed your family. Don’t ever think that’s stupid, babe, ‘cause it’s not.” You nodded, still not wanting to look up at him. “Any idea how long the power will be out for?”

           “Mine’s been out for ten minutes. It’s been out for three days. We just have to report it with the power company online.” He nodded.

           “Well, it sounds like it’s blowing over now. I’m gonna go get some candles and another flashlight, okay? Just stay here.” He released you and started making trips around the house, pausing whenever thunder came. He came back with two pillows on one trip, then a board game on another, and then another blanket for you to sit on. You set them up in the hallway against the wall, knowing it was okay to come out of your shelter at that point, and waited for him to come back. He came back with a bag of your favorite chips and a bottle of water that hadn’t been in the fridge. You had reported the outage and the power company said it could be out all night, but it could come back in an hour.

           “Is this distracting enough for you?” He said as he sat down with a lighter. He lit candles surrounding the two of you and sat across from you, taking off his shirt because the house was probably eighty-something without the air on. And he opened up the board game he’d gotten out to keep you entertained.

           “A little.” You let him deal out the cards and started playing the game with him, listening as the storm finally passed on through. When it was far enough away, you sat back a little, releasing all of the tension in your body, and you could tell that he was smiling at it. He was just trying to get you to stay distracted until everything was over. When it finally was, he stood up.

           “It’s light enough out now, I’m gonna get back to painting. You wanna join?” You nodded and he helped you up, and the two of you moved all of the candles onto the kitchen floor. The power eventually came back on, but another storm rolled through that night. That time it was just a storm, though, and Sebastian was holding you so tightly that even if it turned bad you were sure you wouldn’t blow away.

A/N: Unresolved childhood trauma for the win, am I right kids? I’m sorry it’s so short but I hope you like it!

[seven-oomen]

Honey, honey | A Buddie One shot

Main ship: Eddie Diaz/Evan Buckley

Wordcount: +- 1600 words

Rating: PG-13, for language, abo mentions, and mpreg mentions

Warnings: Mentions ABO dynamics but isn’t explicit, language, mpreg mention but none of it is very graphic.

I’ve tried finding/writing sensible Spanish but I’m still learning the language so forgive me for making mistakes. I blame the duo lingo owl, he’s trying his best to teach me okay?

Based on the prompt: We've been living together for a few years now, your son calls me dad and recently you started calling me honey. But I never really connected the dots until after I posted a question online and a bunch of random strangers gave me advice. When I finally confessed my feelings for you, you told me you loved me and we've been dating since.

Based on the post: https://seven-oomen.tumblr.com/post/611873995367890944/adding-this-to-my-prompt-list-because-yeah-this

Tagging: @daughter-of-infinity​​ because I saw your reblog of that post and know you wanted a story like this.

He stared at the page before him, biting his lip as he pondered his next move. Was he really going to ask a bunch of strangers online a question like this? What if he was wrong? What if someone he knew found out? What if Eddie did…

But at the same time, he was tired of walking on eggshells. Of not knowing what was going on between the two of them. Don't get him wrong,  he wasn't against Chris calling him papa or against Eddie calling him cariño. Whatever that meant. But it was weird that everything had changed so gradually. He almost hadn't noticed it really, until Tia,  Eddie's aunt, had said something about Eddie finally finding a good Alpha to raise Christopher with at the last family gathering. She had looked fondly at Buck whilst she said it. And that got him thinking. Did she think Eddie and him were dating?

Wait...

Were they?

And so, here he was. Sitting in front of his computer, staring at the Reddit ask page in front of him.

Oh, fuck it. He was already here, might as well ask some random strangers on the internet what was going on. Surely it wouldn't come back to bite him in the ass.

He started tying.

Firehose asked a question:

What does it mean when someone changes what they've always called you?

I've (31AM) been living with my roommate and best friend (37OM) and his 11-year-old son for three years. We've been through so much together,  from earthquakes and the tsunami to a lawsuit and some bullshit with his late wife and other craziness. For us, that's just on the daily.  It happens. But it did forge a really strong friendship between us.

I care a lot about my friend and his son, to me they're family and I'd die to protect them and keep them safe. And I know he'd do the same for me. We're best friends and partners on the job but lately, he's been telling me that "I'm the best thing that's ever happened to him."

And I noticed his family has been smiling at me differently lately. I've been going to family meetings for two and a half years and consider them my family but the air seems to have changed, it's almost even warmer. I didn't think that was possible.

Anyway, I've noticed more things lately.  Like how my friend calls me cariño, I honestly don't know what that means,  and his son started calling me papa about a year ago. Which is absolutely adorable and something I encouraged, I'll admit.

But the cariño thing is bothering me as my friend smiles at me and touches my cheek when he says it. Now, we've always been very tactile in our friendship and we're completely comfortable around each other but this made me feel a bit weird. Not bad weird, just something that makes me feel something but I don't know what or why.

I just don't know what this means and I don't know how to respond to it except smile at him. Cause it does feel kinda nice. I don't know how to talk to him about it, we've never discussed our sexualities. Honestly, I'm still not sure of mine.

We've just always been really close,  shared a bed during nightmares kinda close but I honestly don't know how to breach the subject with him. Am I reading too much into this? Am I dating my best friend without knowing it? Honestly, any kind of advice would be appreciated at this point. I don't want him taking this the wrong way.

TLDR: My best friend calls me cariño and his son calls me papa. I don't know why and I'm too scared to ask. I feel a lot of things but I don't know if either of us is bisexual or gay. I don't know what to do with myself. Should I ask him if he has feelings for me?

The next few days were filled with responses from Reddit. All of them pretty much said the same thing. Just ask him out already. Talk to him. Or oh my god, you are totally dating, you dingus...

So he figured he might as well take the next step. He asked Eddie that night after they put Christopher to bed.

They were watching tv together on Eddie’s bed, a beer in hand and shoulders touching.

“So- you know how you always call me cariño? What does that mean?” He asked.

Eddie gave him a rather amused look and chuckled. “It means darling or sweetheart, maybe honey, you know. It’s a term of endearment. I thought you knew that?”

The Omega cocked his head at him and scooted closer, wrapping an arm around his shoulders. And it felt nice to be held, so he couldn’t help but relax in his hold, laying his head on Eddie’s shoulder as he stared at his beer bottle.

“I-” he bit his lip- “I didn’t. And I just- I don’t know. It’s confusing... “

“What is?” Eddie genuinely looked concerned. He felt terrible for causing it and he wanted nothing more than to hug his best friend and press a kiss to those lips.

Fuck.

“I- are we- Eddie are we dating?”

Eddie looked at him as if Buck had gone insane and snorted. “Excuse me? What do you-” Realization seemed to set in as Buck only looked more confused at Eddie’s amusement. “Oh, you stupid bastard…” Eddie chuckled, “Buck, we’ve been dating for two years.”

It was like a floodgate had opened and another realization came over him. The handholding, laying in bed together on most nights, taking care of Christopher, Buck coming with them to family gatherings, Eddie coming to him for comfort or affection. Holy shit... How had he missed all of that?

Neither of them had dated anyone else in the last three years, he hadn’t even looked at anyone. The only people he really wanted to spend his time with were Eddie and Christopher. Hell, they went to the zoo together, to the movies, they went out for dinner- just the two of them- in fancy restaurants even.

And it had never clicked. Not even once.

“Shit…” He looked up at Eddie in surprise before breaking out in one of his trademark beaming smiles. “Guess we have been.”

Eddie gently put both their beers on the nightstand beside him and pulled Buck closer, pressing a kiss to his temple.

“Eres corto de luces, pero te amo de todos modos.” Eddie mumbled, shaking his head. (You are not the brightest bulb, but I love you anyway.)

“And that means?”

“That you’re stupid but I love you.”

He couldn’t help but smile at those words, gently cupping Eddie’s cheek as he pressed his lips against the Omega’s. “At least I’m your idiot,” He murmured.

“That you are.”

-

UPDATE: What does it mean when someone changes what they've always called you?

TLDR: You were all right and I was dating my best friend without realizing it. But guess what? We talked and now we’re married with three kids. Crazy what a year can change, huh?

So yeah, you guys haven’t heard from me in a year but I decided it was time to let you all know what happened between me and my best friend. So we talked that night after I posted my original story. Turns out I was dating him all along and never put two and two together. Until he did it for me. We talked that night and some other stuff and decided to take the next step together.

Naturally, everyone I knew had a good laugh about that one. Apparently, there was a betting pool on when I would realize I was dating my roomie. My sister won that one by the way.

So within the week my friend and I were engaged. He asked me, with some help from his son. It was adorable, really. He set up this really nice picnic for the three of us in the park, near the lake where we like to hang out on our days off. And he had his son come up to me to show me something he caught. (We both like insects, it’s kind of our shared thing.)

Turns out, our son was actually holding a ring. An engagement ring. And when he handed me the box, my friend took my hand, kissed it and asked me to marry him.

So of course, I said yes. We got married about six months after that. But it turns out that our night of ‘talking’ had some unforeseen consequences, and my husband was six months pregnant with twins when we walked down the aisle.

Yeah, so we married and two months later our son and our daughter were born. Our daughter in an elevator during a power outage and our son in an ambulance, on the way to the hospital. Because nothing in this family ever goes as planned it seems.

It’s been a wild year and if I think about it, I have all of that thanks to you guys. So thank you, for helping me realize what I had all along.

-

He finally closed his laptop and looked over to where Eddie was sleeping on the couch, Robert and Rosalie on his chest as they napped. Chris was silently drawing some pictures next to him at the table and grinned when he noticed Buck was looking.

Yeah it had been a crazy year all around, but truth be told, he would do it all over again.

-

So let me know what you all think of this one, would love to hear it. I very much enjoyed writing this. It was fun to just let my thoughts go and not worry about writing something good. I had fun and it made my day a bit brighter. And honestly, I hope it does that for other people too. So let me know if it did for you <3

[beastheads]

a note before bed

it is november 11th and it has been a very difficult year. i feel like i’m through the worst of it now, but considering i haven’t made a post about my ‘personal life’ since the beginning of the lockdown, it feels like i should.

i owe a lot to my pal darien for helping me get thru the early months alone. i’m in montreal and my roommate left on the 13th of march - the 15th is when the proper lockdown happened. he had planned to be gone for 2 weeks and it ended up being 2.5 months. in that time, there were near-constant power outages, hour-long lineups for the grocery stores near my apartment, streets were shut down, trash was everywhere. posters were up in the metro station warning people away. it was very surreal.

the two months of isolation dealt a serious blow to me which i’ve slowly come back from. with my mental and physical health already being a bit off before the isolation, i’ve still yet to physically recover from the stress of that time. and with all walk-ins in montreal being phone-call only, i’ve yet to see a doctor for what is physically wrong with me. but hopefully i’ll get to do so at the end of this month.

i’ve been doing french classes over the last year, with a very long break due to covid but we’re back online now. it’s been good. i applied to mcgill in october for the fall 2021 session to study japanese for a possible career in translation, so we’ll see if i get in.

mentally, i see this year as some kind of reset. lots of things i had put off resurfaced, which i’ve been dealing with and feel like a more realized person for. maybe that’s not the best way to phrase it, but i feel more sure of who i am in the world now than i was before. more directed. more concrete. it’s like before, i didn’t know how to use the skills at my disposal to ameliorate my life. at times it made me feel like a very stupid child. maybe it was some kind of learned helplessness. doing the bare minimum to survive.

sometimes it still feels like i’m the very stupid child, or an alien trying to blend in on earth. and i know part of it leads back to my childhood, but you can only stretch that as an excuse for so long. i still feel a bit like an outsider looking in, but i also know i’m not the only person like this. to use a metaphor, i’ve moved on from eating the ingredients individually to properly making the recipe and eating the finished product. gestaltian!

i also now use he/him in addition to they/them pronouns. as kylie jenner once said, it truly has been the year of “realizing stuff.”

thanks to everyone who has been there for me, please keep taking care of yourselves.

[littledraga]

Whumptober2020 SPG Power Outage

Rabbit’s core had been unstable for years. It was practically a part of their personality now. Just something the manor expected. Glitches and the occasional meltdown. Nothing the Walter Workers couldn’t deal with.

But it was becoming too frequent and getting worse. The blue matter effects were starting to leak into the manor. Rabbit’s dreams coming to life, or places where things got thin, portals trying to form. It wasn’t safe to take them to shows.

It had been a madhouse trying to find the original blueprints. How they had managed to get so lost was beyond Six. They should have all been kept together.

When someone did find them, it was a long conversation. The Spine sat with Rabbit while she tried to explain why she’d never come forward before. That pappy had been too happy to want to disrupt anything, and she was afraid no one would believe her.

She would be out for a few days. Long enough that The Spine had time to sneak in a few new pieces into her wardrobe. It wasn’t much, but something he hoped would make her happy. Overall it was a simple black dress with puffed up sleeves, a ruffled black Walter Worker dress. He found a corset to slip over it to make it look a little flashier. It was a start, at least.

When she finally powered back on, she woke up surrounded by family. Sitting up, she smiled brightly. She’d undergone quite the change inside and out. Her core glowed a bright red now instead of blue. “H-hey th-there! Did-didn’t expect such a cr-crowd when I woke up!”

The Spine laughed and leaned over to hug her tightly. “It’s good to see you awake. I was worried about my sister.”

She beamed brightly at hearing him call her his sister and clung to him tightly. He didn’t mention the oil soaking into his suit. It was, understandably, a bit overwhelming for her to suddenly be a completed bot.

“Come on. You’ve been stuck in that suit long enough, come on.” Helping his sister off the bench, he tugged her back upstairs.

“I don-don’t know what you’re expecting, Spineo,” she chided as she followed him up. She may have gotten an overhaul, but that didn’t change what was in her room.

He just grinned widely and sat down on the edge of her bed to let her look. “I’m sure there’s something in there that we can work with.”

When she found the dress, she squealed in delight. “Spine, it’s amazing!” Hugging the fabric to her chest, she spun around in a tight circle, dancing on her feet.

Suddenly she was pushing her brother out of the room. “Out out! You can’t be in here while I change! It ain’t appropriate.”

Laughing, Spine nearly fell on his face as he stumbled out of Rabbit’s room. “I’m going, I’m going!” While he waited, he leaned against the wall and crossed his arms.

After a while, when she hadn’t opened the door, he tilted his head. “You alright in there, Rabbit? Not too fiddly?” He asked and laughed when he heard something hit the door.

“I wear six belts! I can figure out a dress!”

Another long pause and she cracked open the door. “Okay, maybe I need some help,” she muttered.

Once she had managed to get zipped in and added a few belts, for flair and tradition, she said, Rabbit spun in front of the mirror, giggling like a loon.

Back on the edge of the bed, Spine watched his sister with a small smile. He couldn’t remember the last time he had seen her so happy. Not since before Peter I passed away at least. Excited, wild, smiling, content, sure. But not truly happy.

After a while, she stopped and laid a hand on her head, gently running over the shiny copper. She wasn’t sure she liked that.

Watching her, Spine lifted his hat a little to show off his hair. “Want to wear my wig?” He offered. While he would have let her, they both laughed when she threw a pillow at him. Maybe not that one. “What about your rabbit ears? Those might work for now.”

With a hum, she looked back in the mirror. Gears whirred slowly, and her head opened up as copper antennas came up in the shape of large rabbit ears. She wiggled them around a little, turning them this way and that before she settled on how she liked them. Yeah, those were okay! Giggling, she spun around and showed off her new look.

“They look perfect, Rabbit,” praised The Spine.

Rabbit looked like she could have vibrated through the floor with excitement. Everything was just perfect! “I-I-I gotsta show-show everyone!” Hurrying out the door, she ran through the manor to show off her new, well everything!

The Spine had to stop her to get water more than once as she got excited, and bubbled on about how much she loved the dress. No one mentioned it looked like a dyed uniform. The Spine had done his best.

While she ran around, he could hardly keep up with her and opted to just be around, to make sure she was alright. Sure there weren’t really any risks for her in the manor, but that was still his sister, and he wanted to make sure she was alright after such a big change. He wasn’t sure he had ever seen her so energetic and full of life before. It was good to see her so happy now.

“It’s late, Rabbit. We need to shut down for a little while.”

“ B-b-b-b-but, Spine! It’s not that late! I wanna see what kind of dresses I can get! Petes promised I could buy some new clothes!”

Gently tugging her up to the room, his shoulders slumped. “Tomorrow. We can spend all day looking at dresses, okay? We'll find someone to take us to the mall or something.”

That worked! Mostly. She ran into her room, but he wasn’t sure she ever went into stasis.

Admittedly, he was excited too. This had been a long time coming, and he was glad Rabbit could have it at last. Even if he didn't think he could ever keep up with her again. Laying in his own bed, he sighed a happy stream of steam and powered down for a while.

It was easier in the morning. The Spine nearly had to pull her out of bed.

She was tired and sluggish. When she wouldn’t respond to knocking, The Spine marched in and found her tangled in her blanket.

"Must have used up all your energy bouncing around yesterday," teased Spine as he finally dragged his sister out of bed. He laughed when she swatted at him, clanging softly against his metal arm.

After making sure water boilers were topped up, he was worried she hadn't perked back up yet. She must have really been excited last night. Though he still didn’t think she should have been this worn down. They really didn’t need to sleep after all.

"Come on, we can look online for dresses," he offered, trying to get some life in her.

She perked up a little, at least as she followed him off to check the computer. Before they even sat down, she was asking about what kind of dresses there were. He wondered if it would have been better to have Upgrade or Malfunction there. He didn’t know all that much about dresses after all.

There wasn't a single dress she didn't gush over and plan on begging Petes for. From sundresses to ball gowns and even a few nightgowns she said were too pretty for bed.

When he suggested shoes, he thought she had ruined her voice box with that squeal. Or at least ruined his hearing! Who knew there were that many styles of shoes! The Spine wondered if he should update his own wardrobe. Of course, Rabbit came first.

That was the energy he was expecting! Not that he knew how the manor was going to fund this wardrobe.

He was pretty good with a needle and thread. There had to be something he could manage. Something he could look into later. For now, he was fine just sitting with Rabbit and planning outfits she would probably never get to wear.

They talked a while about what colours went with copper, and he bored her with information on wigs. There was a black and pink one that she had fallen in love with. Without thinking, he bought that.

After a while, she got quiet and leaned against his shoulder. She really must have been up too long. He supposed too much excitement could do it, even for robots that ran on blue matter, or red matter rather.

Smiling softly, he wrapped an arm around her and closed out of the tabs. That was alright. They'd been at it a good portion of the day, a break was good.

Once the computer was off, he gave her a gentle shake. "Come on, you. Nap somewhere else," he teased.

Nothing.

That was concerning. Rabbit shouldn't have been able to get that tired. Maybe she was pranking Spine again?

"Come on, I'll drop you," he warned, moving her he tried to trick her into getting up. Seeing her lulled back, he gasped.

"RABBIT!"

Her core had gone dark in her chest.

He called for help, screaming over the wifi as he lifted her up from the chair. Cradling her safely against his chest, he ran full speed through the manor and down to the labs.

The Walter Workers and Six were scrambling, trying to prepare as he barged into the room. Rushing him in the Walter Workers had to pry Rabbit from his arms to get her on the table.

The Spine was too heavy to force out of the lab. As much as they reasoned they would work better without him there, he refused to leave. That was Rabbit, his sister, on the table. He wouldn't leave her side.

While they worked, he paced the room and hovered over their shoulders. He sobbed and cried, quietly begging Rabbit to be alright. She couldn't die now, not now most of all.

Six was relentless as he worked. When restarting her failed, he opened up Rabbit's chest and checked every wire. Groundings, ports, gears, and screws, nothing was wrong, and nothing was working.

He poured hours into trying to bring Rabbit back online. Even the smallest detail wasn’t left unnoticed. The strangest idea was given a try, no matter how far fetched. He had even tried promising her a truckload of chocolate moon pies. He had nearly replaced all of her, hoping something would work.

"The red matter stabilized her, but it wasn't strong enough to keep her powered." Six put a hand over his mask and quietly wept.

The Walter Workers put their tools down and looked down at their feet. There was nothing left for them to try.

“Then make her core blue again!" Demanded Spine, stepping over to loom over Petes.

Six looked pained up at the titanium robot. Tears streamed down from under his mask, soaking into his lab coat. “I can’t.”

[hallodraws]

Electrifying Experience | Spider-Man x Reader

Wordcount: 2,085

Summary: “During a painfully lonely trip to the carnival, Electro makes an appearance to put an end to the festivities, leaving you trapped on the Ferris Wheel. How could tonight get any worse? Well, Spider-Man comes to the rescue - helping you in more ways than one.”

Warnings: None

Author’s Notes: I wanted to take a small break from my Silkster fic and write a little one-shot. I can see this going further so if people want a part two, be sure to comment, like, and reblog ♡ P.S. I love the new Electro from the Spider-Man PS4 game omg

New York City was incredibly active tonight, it seemed. Everyone was out having fun. The magazine had given you tickets to go to the "Summer's Start Carnival" in the park. Yes, you were encouraged to have a fun time, but they higher-ups sent you there to get some good photos for the next issue. Your boss made sure to give you two tickets so you could bring someone. I mean, who goes to a carnival by themselves? Well, it turns out you do.

You had asked a co-worker to go with you, one that you had liked for a while now. You thought it would've been a perfect opportunity to spend some time together outside of work. Guess that was wishing too much. They ended up taking the other ticket but decided to go with someone else. It was nothing personal; they just weren't interested. It still didn't feel great though.

While you were there, you spent the night taking photos of as many people as possible. You captured them all - excited children, happy families, fast friends, and even star-struck lovers. It was nice to talk to people a bit before and after snapping a shot. However, once they left, it reminded you that you were alone tonight. After an hour or so you found it difficult to talk to people anymore, so you focused on rides and environment shots instead.

You make your way to the Ferris Wheel. At about 50 feet in height, it was the tallest structure at the carnival. It was getting late, so the line was nonexistent. You figure you could get a couple of detailed shots at the top then call it a night. You give your ticket to the attendant at the entrance. You feel a little tinge of disappointment as he looks behind you to see if you're going up with a partner. But nope, it was just you. You get in the chair and begin your solo ascension.

It's a slow journey to the top, stopping every few seconds to let others off. You decide to check your social media. As you open the app, you see that #ElectroEscapes was trending online. Upon reading further, you see hundreds of posts and updates about the villain. He managed to escape from his high-security cell and was now galavanting around the city. It doesn't look like he was hurting anyone, at least not yet. Reports just claimed he was causing power outages and property damage.

You pull yourself away from the news once you finally make it to the top. Looking out at the carnival and the rest of the city, you see a beautiful amalgamation of lights and stars. You grab your camera and begin snapping, and the pictures were coming out better than anticipated. Soon you'd head home, send your work to the boss, and put a much-needed end to this night.

As you spend some time to admire the view (not through the lens of your camera), you notice a flicker of light in the distance. It bounces rapidly in every direction, leaving a sparkling trail in its path. You squint, trying to make out what exactly it is. That's when you notice it. It was heading straight for the carnival. People begin to take notice - pointing in shock as the light gets closer and closer.

"It's Electro!" you hear people shouting from down below. Choas ensues once people can make out the outline of a man underneath all the electricity. Electro flashes across the sky in an almost blinding beam of light - his explosive laugh echoing over the screams of the people.

"A carnival? Shocking that I wasn't invited," he shouts as he flickers around the area, "Oh well, guess I'll hafta call lights out on this little shindig!"

He looks over his shoulder at the citizens cowering beneath him. You can make out his expression through the light. He's got a crazed look in his eye. You try to duck for cover, but there's nowhere to hide. You were a sitting duck at the top of this ride and were horrified beyond belief. Luckily for you, Electro had the bigger picture in mind. With a loud crack and an explosion of electricity, he's gone - zapping out all the power in a 10-mile radius.

You could relax now. The immediate danger was gone, but people were still uneasy. You could see as people continued to call out in the dark, looking for their loved ones. You looked at the attendant on the ground. He was mashing every button he could to bring life back to the Ferris Wheel, but to no avail. For the time being, you knew you were stranded on the peak of this ride. You groan in frustration. How could this night get any worse?

Without warning, you hear a loud thud beside you. You look to your side to see a masked man, clad in a familiar red and blue suit, standing on the protective bar of the chair. It was Spider-Man - the webbed warrior, protector of New York City, Avenger - honestly, you could go on. You feel the seat rock ever so slightly, but you're too focused on the hero balancing beside you. You've seen him on the news and seen articles about him in the Daily Bugle, but you've never once seen him in person, let alone up close.

"Is everyone alright?" He called out over the crowd. People looked to him, and effectively up at me, quieting down rather fast. Still, there was a faint murmur as people continued to worry.

"I need everyone to remain calm," he continued, "Electro is just flexing his powers right now. He's proud of his escape. As of right now, no one's hurt, and power should be back shortly. So please, everyone, remain calm. We will find him." applause slowly grew from the crowd. Everyone trusted Spider-Man. I mean, how could you not? He rubs the back of his neck, chuckling to himself. You can't avert your gaze.

"Hey, are you okay?" He kneels down beside you, still balancing on the bar without trouble.

"Y-Yeah," you find yourself to be a little star-struck, so you try to shake your nerves, "I'm fine. Thank you."

"Don't sweat it! It's all in a day's work!" he laughs, "Listen, I don't know how long it will take for them to bring the power back. Do you want me to help you down?" You blush to yourself, the idea of Spider-Man putting his arms around you and safely carrying you to the ground sounded incredible. But he's a superhero, and Electro was on the lose. You don't want to waste his time.

"It's okay, I don't think lightning will strike twice," you joke, "the view is pretty nice up here. Besides, the way my night's going, I've got nothing better to do."

"Bad night?" He cocks his head.

"You could say that," you feel like you're oversharing, so you catch yourself, "B-But you don't want to hear about that." You try to laugh it off as much as possible, but he can tell it's a facade.

"Sure I do." He adjusts himself, sitting on the bar, facing you. His legs dangle in the space between the seat and the bar, brushing against your knees every now and again.

"What about Electro?" You lean forward on the bar.

"I can't do anything until someone radios me his location. Besides, aren't heroes supposed to help people?" you can't see his face, but you feel like he's smiling at you.

"Yeah, by like fighting criminals. Not by being a therapist." You give a laugh, one that Spider-Man returns. He leans in.

"Whoever thinks that being a superhero is about just fighting baddies doesn't really know anything about superheroes." He kicks his legs gently. You wonder to yourself that maybe he's enjoying this, "C'mon. Tell your friendly neighborhood Spider-Man all about it."

"Well," you're unsure how to start, "I was supposed to be here with someone. But, turns out they weren't all that interested in me."

"So you're here alone?" the red-clad hero asks, concern in his voice.

"Yeah. It's okay though. I just thought--" you find yourself at a loss for words. "Just thought?" Spider-Man lifts himself up from the bar and swings over to sit beside you in the seat. Your nerves come back.

"I-I just thought... I don't know."

"What's your name?" he asks without warning. You're a little taken aback by this, but you find the strength to look at him face-to-face.

"My name is (Y/N)."

"Well, (Y/N)," he begins, leaning on the bar in the same position you're in, "Whoever bailed on you really missed out. You seem like a good person who's a lot of fun to hang out with."

"You got all that from just meeting me?" you joke.

"Call it my spidey senses," he jokes back, "Granted, I'm sure you didn't plan for a night like this."

"You could say that again," You lean back, looking at the thousands of stars scattered above you, "I guess, in the end, I had a fantasy in my head of how this night was supposed to go, you know?" It was cheesy, but when you planned to come to the carnival with your co-worker tonight, you had this dumb romance novel scenario pictured in your head - delicious food that's so bad for you, casual flirting while waiting in line for rides, and maybe a kiss on top of the Ferris Wheel.

Spider-Man cocks his head again. You can't tell what he's thinking, but what he does next is what really takes you by surprise. He brings his hand to his mask and slowly slides it off - just enough to expose his mouth, which you can now clearly see is in a gorgeous grin. He scoots a few inches closer to you. He looks down at his lap for a moment; you can feel that he's at least somewhat nervous. You don't understand why.

"Spider-Man?" you ask. The hero doesn't reply. Instead, he closes the gap between you, pushing his lips against your own. It feels like time's stopped. Without thinking, you bring your hand up to his cheek, softly cupping his face. He reaches up, gently putting his gloved hand on yours. It's a sweet kiss that felt like it could go on forever. You each feel the other smile underneath as you break away in hushed laughter.

"W-what was that for?" you manage to force out.

"Remeber. Whoever thinks that being a superhero is about just fighting baddies doesn't really know anything about superheroes." You see him flash that beautiful smile once again. He was right. Not only did he make sure everyone was safe, but he also went out of his way to make your night better - So much better than you could ever imagine.

It's at this moment that you finally hear the people below. You both look down. At the base of the Ferris Wheel, you hear an eruption of applause and cheering from the crowd. You look at the faces of all the people clapping, waving, whistling, and so on. Without knowing, you two had essentially put on quite the show.

"Were they watching the whole time?" You feel your face begin to flush. Spider-Man laughs to himself, his hand now resting on your back. You hear the faint sound of interference coming from his suit. He leans away slightly, trying to understand better. It stops, and he looks back at you.

"Electro's been spotted in Inner City," you can feel his fingers clench ever so slightly, "I gotta go." Without hesitation you lean in again, planting a soft kiss on his exposed cheek.

"He's dangerous. Please be careful." You tell him. You can just make out his cheeks beginning to flush as he gives you one more smile.

"I will. I promise, (Y/N)." He slides his mask back down over his face. You feel his form lift out of the chair.

"Bye." is all you're able to say. He aims one of his slingers at the building across the street, looks over his shoulder at you one last time, and in mere seconds he's gone. The people beneath continue to clap and cheer, but that doesn't matter anymore. You're left alone once more, on the top of a Ferris Wheel, with a newfound, more profound appreciation for the hero Spider-Man - as well as the man behind the mask.

[orbemnews]

Facebook, Google and Twitter C.E.O.s to Face Lawmakers Again: Live Updates Here’s what you need to know: Jack Dorsey, left, the chief executive of Twitter; Sundar Pichai, the chief executive of Google; and Mark Zuckerberg, the chief executive of Facebook, will appear before the House Energy and Commerce Committee on March 25.Credit…Lm Otero Jose Luis Magana/Associated Press The chief executives of Facebook, Google and Twitter will face skeptical lawmakers again next month when a congressional committee questions them about the ways disinformation spreads across their platforms. The House Energy and Commerce Committee said Thursday that it would hold a hearing on March 25 with Mark Zuckerberg of Facebook, Sundar Pichai of Google and Jack Dorsey of Twitter. The committee has been examining the future of Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act, a 1996 law that shields the platforms from lawsuits over much of the content posted by their users. The attack on the Capitol on Jan. 6, which included participants with ties to QAnon and other conspiracy theories that have spread widely online, has renewed concerns that the law allows the platforms to take a hands-off approach to extremist content. “For far too long, Big Tech has failed to acknowledge the role they’ve played in fomenting and elevating blatantly false information to its online audiences,” a group of the committee’s top Democrats said in a statement. “Industry self-regulation has failed.” Andy Stone, a spokesman for Facebook, said the company “believes it’s time to update the rules of the internet, and this hearing should be another important step in the process.” The House Judiciary Committee announced its own set of hearings on the tech industry on Thursday. It said it would hold multiple hearings on how to update antitrust laws to address the power of the tech giants. The committee questioned chief executives before concluding a lengthy investigation into the companies last year. The Judiciary Committee’s first hearing will take place on Wednesday. An all-electric Renault Zoe. Renault’s chief executive, Luca de Meo, last month presented a plan to return the automaker to profitability.Credit…Samuel Zeller for The New York Times Renault, the French carmaker, reported a loss of 8 billion euros, or $9.7 billion, in 2020 as the pandemic gutted sales, but the company said that was profitable in the later part of the year. Most of the annual loss stemmed from Renault’s stake in its troubled partner, Nissan. Losses at the Japanese carmaker drained €5 billion from the bottom line, Renault said. In addition, Renault car sales plunged 20 percent for the year, to just short of three million vehicles. “After a first half impacted by Covid-19, the group has significantly turned around its performance in the second half,” Luca de Meo, Renault’s chief executive, said in a statement, without giving a figure. He said that 2021 was “set to be difficult given the unknowns regarding the health crisis as well as electronic components supply shortages.” In 2021, shortages of semiconductors, a problem for almost all carmakers, could cut production by as much as 100,000 vehicles, Renault said. Mr. de Meo, who became Renault’s chief executive in July, last month announced a plan to return to profitability that includes cuts in production capacity, sales of fewer models and increased parts sharing among vehicles to simplify manufacturing. Manessa Grady and her sons Zechariah, 8, left, and Noah, 9, were among the millions of Texas residents who lost power this week.Credit…Tamir Kalifa for The New York Times In California, wildfires and heat waves in recent years forced utilities to shut off power to millions of homes and businesses. Now, Texas is learning that deadly winter storms and intense cold can do the same. Bill Magness, the president and chief executive of the Electric Reliability Council of Texas, the state’s grid operator, said on Thursday that Texas was “seconds and minutes” from a catastrophic blackout this week as rotating outages were used to control the flow of electricity. The country’s two largest states have taken very different approaches to managing their energy needs — Texas deregulated aggressively, letting the free market flourish, while California embraced environmental regulations. Yet the two states are confronting the same ominous reality: They may be woefully unprepared for the increasing frequency and severity of natural disasters caused by climate change. Blackouts in Texas and California have revealed that power plants can be strained and knocked offline by the kind of extreme cold and hot weather that climate scientists have said will become more common as greenhouse gases build up in the atmosphere. The problems in Texas and California highlight the challenge the Biden administration will face in modernizing the electricity system to run entirely on wind turbines, solar panels, batteries and other zero-emission technologies by 2035 — a goal that President Biden set during the 2020 campaign. The federal government and energy businesses may have to spend trillions of dollars to harden electricity grids against the threat posed by climate change and to move away from the fossil fuels responsible for the warming of the planet in the first place. These are not new ideas. Scholars have long warned that American electricity grids, which are run regionally, will come under increasing strain and needed major upgrades. “We really need to change our paradigm, particularly utilities, because they are becoming much more vulnerable to disaster,” Najmedin Meshkati, an engineering professor at the University of Southern California, said about blackouts in Texas and California. “They need to always think about literally the worst-case scenario because the worst-case scenario is going to happen.” Video transcript Back transcript Congressman Calls Robinhood’s Help Line and Gets Voicemail After telling the House Financial Services Committee about the suicide of Robinhood user Alex Kearns, who died believing he had lost $730,000 on the brokerage app, Representative Sean Casten called its help line. June 2020, Alex Kearns, who was 20 years old at the time, from Naperville, Illinois, killed himself, largely thanks to a bug in the Robinhood system. The bug was that he turned on the app, it said he owed $730,000 that he did not have, because of options positions that he thought canceled out but didn’t appear to. He called the help line. The help line, of course, was not manned, as we’ve discussed. He sent several panicked emails — three, to be precise — did not receive a response. Ultimately there was a response from the emails saying that, in fact, his positions were covered. But by that point, it was too late, because he had taken his own life. The — this is a gentleman who is 20 years old. Under Illinois law, he was not allowed to buy a beer, but he was allowed to take on $730,000 in positions and exposure that he did not have the liquidity to cover. Your mission, Mr. Tenev, is to democratize finance. But the history of financial regulation is to protect people like Alex Kearns from the system. As the old joke goes, if you’re playing poker and you can’t figure out who the fish is at the table, you should leave the table because you’re probably the fish. And there is an innate tension in your business model between democratizing finance, which is a noble calling, and being a conduit to feed fish to sharks. So I’m nervous. I think I got an exposure. And I call your help line now. Let’s call and let’s listen in the time we have remaining to what I’m going to hear on the other end of the phone. Voicemail: “Thank you for calling Robinhood. Please visit us at robinhood.com or on our app for support. If you have an urgent trading need, please make sure to include details of it when reaching out. Thanks have a great day.” After telling the House Financial Services Committee about the suicide of Robinhood user Alex Kearns, who died believing he had lost $730,000 on the brokerage app, Representative Sean Casten called its help line.CreditCredit…via C-Span The chief executives of Robinhood, Reddit, Citadel and Melvin Capital Management were among the witnesses at a hearing on the GameStop trading frenzy held by the House Financial Services Committee on Thursday. Vlad Tenev, the chief executive of Robinhood, was the target for both Democrats and Republicans, fielding more than half of the lawmakers’ questions. “I love your company because it does, when correctly managed, provide investment opportunities for individuals who are currently frozen out of the markets for one reason or another,” said Representative Anthony Gonzalez, Republican of Ohio. He added: “At the same time, though, I believe a vulnerability was clearly exposed in your business model.” Representative Sean Casten, an Illinois Democrat, capped his sharp questioning of Mr. Tenev, in which he relayed the story of a 20-year-old college student who killed himself last summer believing that he’d lost more than $700,000, by dialing the Robinhood help line and letting everyone listen in as a short message was played and the call was terminated. Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Democrat of New York, said Robinhood’s decisions had “harmed customers,” and accused it of passing on hidden costs to its customers. Keith Gill — known on YouTube as Roaring Kitty — testified that his interest in the company was based on his belief that the market was underestimating the brick-and-mortar retailer’s value. His testimony included winking references — such as dangling what appeared to be his oft-worn red headband off a picture of a kitten visible over his shoulder and the statement “I am not a cat” — to internet meme culture. Several harsh questions were directed at Kenneth C. Griffin, the chief of Citadel. Members of Congress asked skeptical questions about Citadel’s practice of paying to trade against customers at online brokers like Robinhood. Mr. Griffin tried to explain the intricacies of the business but was often cut off. “Our folks are tired of bailing you all out when you screw up and gamble with the retirement fund. And that’s exactly what happens every single moment,” Representative Rashida Tlaib, Democrat of Michigan, said to him. Source link Orbem News #CEOs #Face #Facebook #Google #lawmakers #Live #Twitter #Updates

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Zoom glitches, briefly grinding US schools to a halt (AP) Teachers and parents got a brief glimpse of a new kind of pandemic-era nightmare Monday when Zoom—the video-conferencing service that powers everything from distance learning to business meetings to casual, socially distant get-togethers—abruptly went dead. For roughly two-and-a-half hours Monday morning, many users were unable to load the Zoom website; others could neither host nor join scheduled meetings. The timing was less than ideal, since many schools across the U.S. were just starting online instruction after a summer surge in the coronavirus pandemic scotched many plans to reopen classes with students present in the flesh. Internet services from Facebook to Amazon go down all the time, but few have become so crucial to companies, government and schools that their absence can spur brief moments of panic. These days, when Zoom goes down, it’s more like a power outage or phones going dead, making it a modern sort of utility for a nation still enduring the ravages of COVID-19. Zoom and similar services “have been elevated to what we call ‘mission critical applications,’” said technology analyst Tim Bajarin, president of consultancy Creative Strategies. “They’re no longer nice to have, they’re now must have.”

Republican Party nominates Trump (Foreign Policy) On Monday, Trump was formally nominated by the Republican Party to stand as its candidate for president, kicking off the week-long Republican National Convention (RNC). Trump used the occasion to cast doubt over the electoral process, accusing Democrats of “using Covid to steal the election” and implying that the coronavirus lockdown has been engineered by his opponents to undermine his credibility. Prior to the start of the convention, the Republican National Committee released its policy platform—which, unusually, didn’t contain any new policy positions but simply reaffirmed the party’s “enthusiastic support” for Trump.

Many in US shoring up finances amid downturn (AP) It’s the paradox of a pandemic that has crushed the U.S. economy: 12.9 million lost jobs and a dangerous rash of businesses closing, yet the personal finances of many Americans have remained strong—and in some ways have even improved. A new poll from The Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs Research finds that 45% of Americans say they’re setting aside more money than usual. Twenty-six percent are paying down debt faster than they were before the coronavirus pandemic. In total, about half of Americans say they’ve either saved more or paid down debt since the outbreak began. The findings highlight the unique nature of the current crisis. Nearly $3 trillion in government aid in the form of direct payments, expanded jobless benefits and forgivable payroll loans helped cushion against the fastest economic downturn in American history. Meanwhile, health fears and mandated closures prompted many Americans to spend less on restaurant meals, clothing and travel. Since February, there has been a $1.3 trillion jump in money kept in checking accounts—a 56% increase tracked by the Federal Reserve.

Police use tear gas as Jacob Blake protests in Kenosha devolve into looting, fires (Washington Post) What started as a peaceful demonstration on Monday evening in Kenosha, Wis., over the police shooting of Jacob Blake swiftly devolved into chaos. Officers shot the 29-year-old Black man multiple times in the back on Sunday as he entered a car with his children inside, a videotaped incident that has sparked national protests. Kenosha police on Monday used tear gas and fired small beanbags at a crowd that threw firecrackers, tore down street signs, smashed storefronts and set fires around the city. By early Tuesday morning, the National Guard rolled through the streets as multiple buildings burned to the ground and looters ransacked stores.

4 Years of Catastrophic Fires in California (NYT) Residents of the San Francisco suburbs are packing emergency “go bags” and drawing up inventories of their belongings, dreading the idea that they might need proof for an insurance adjuster if their homes burn. The pall of choking smoke outside their windows—four times worse than the air quality in Beijing or New Delhi on Monday morning—is a reminder that the wildfires ravaging large parts of Northern California are only a few canyons away. This is the fourth consecutive year of major conflagrations in California, but this year they feel more inescapable, a ring of fire around the eight million people who live in cities arrayed around the Bay. The fires have killed seven people and destroyed 1,200 homes and businesses, less catastrophic than the devastation in Paradise two years ago, when an entire city was flattened. But coming during a pandemic, amid a heat wave, and raging so close to major population centers, this year’s fires have spread enormous anxiety across a wide swath of cities in Northern California.

Evacuations ordered as Hurricane Laura aims at U.S. coast (AP) Thousands of people were ordered to evacuate the Texas and Louisiana coasts Tuesday as Laura strengthened into a hurricane that forecasters said could slam into land as a major storm with ferocious winds and deadly flooding. More than 385,000 residents were told to flee the Texas cities of Beaumont, Galveston and Port Arthur, and still more were ordered to evacuate low-lying southwestern Louisiana, where forecasters said more than 11 feet (3.35 meters) of storm surge topped by waves could submerge entire towns. The National Hurricane Center projected that Laura will become a Category 3 hurricane before landfall, with winds of around 115 mph (185 kph), capable of devastating damage. “The main point is that we’re going to have a significant hurricane make landfall late Wednesday or early Thursday,” National Hurricane Center Deputy Director Ed Rappaport said Tuesday.

Venezuela’s pandemic lockdown sparks entrepreneurial spirit (Washington Post) When coronavirus quarantines shut down street vendors in Venezuela’s capital, Dioselis Bello pushed her hot dog cart inside her house and reopened for business. Now, customers walk up to her front window to order a traditional Venezuelan arepa, or perhaps a hamburger or soup. Bello says business isn’t like it was when she worked her portable griddle on the bustling street, but she’s happy to earn a living. She’s one of many Venezuelans who have adapted to harsh quarantine restrictions by turning their homes and other spaces into makeshift take-out restaurants or shops. Next door, Isabel Quevedo, 42, started selling candy, bread, cigarettes and soft drinks from the window in her house after suddenly being laid off from a clothing store that closed due to the pandemic. On a good day, she earns more than the monthly minimum wage she was paid at the store—and how she doubts she’ll ever go back. A similar entrepreneurial spirit led Rosmer Díaz, a 28-year-old government employee, to convert the his public apartment building’s trash deposit—a ground-floor room the size of a large closet—into a small shop selling food and household necessities.

The coronavirus has hammered Brazil. But Bolsonaro is getting more popular. (Washington Post) When Jair Bolsonaro was elected president of Brazil, Eldiene Matias Maia believed he would destroy her world. Everyone she knew said he hated the poor, disliked women and despised the northeast, the poorest and Blackest region in Brazil. But now Matias Maia—poor, female, northeastern—has another way of describing Bolsonaro: “Savior,” she said. When the coronavirus pandemic hit Brazil, and businesses closed and local officials urged people to stay home, the government began pumping $110 per month into the wallets of the poorest citizens. Matias Maia, who fed her two children with that money, knows whom to credit. “I would now vote for Bolsonaro,” she said. “He is helping us so much.” The right-wing former army captain is more popular than at any time since the beginning of his presidency. Even in the unpredictable world of Brazilian politics, where alliances are fleeting and politicians routinely go to prison, Bolsonaro’s mounting popularity has been stunning. For the first time in more than a year, more Brazilians approve of his performance than disapprove. During the pandemic, Bolsonaro has prioritized the economy, to the near exclusion of all else. He urged businesses to remain open, saying life must continue, even at the risk of immense casualties. Among the media and political elite, he was vilified. But among the poor, Bolsonaro found an audience more inclined to agree. Many said they couldn’t survive without working.

Scotland’s handling of virus boosts support for independence (AP) There is wide agreement that Britain’s devastating coronavirus outbreak has been met by strong, effective political leadership. Just not from Prime Minister Boris Johnson. While Johnson has often seemed to flounder and flip-flop his way through the biggest national crisis in decades, Scottish leader Nicola Sturgeon has won praise for her sober, straight-talking response. And now, “For the first time in Scottish polling history, we have supporters of independence outnumbering opponents over an extended period,” said John Curtice, professor of politics at the University of Strathclyde. One long-simmering reason is Britain’s departure from the European Union. Brexit is resented by many in Scotland, which voted strongly in 2016 to remain in the bloc. The U.K. officially left the EU on Jan. 31, although the economic break—and potential shock, if a trade deal isn’t struck between the two sides—won’t occur until the end of 2020.

Germany urges Greece-Turkey talks to avoid ‘catastrophe’ in East Med (Reuters) Germany warned on Tuesday that Greece and Turkey risked a military clash unless they turn to dialogue to solve a row over energy resources in the Mediterranean Sea, where the NATO allies geared for rival naval drills in disputed waters. Ankara and Athens have traded rhetorical barbs over offshore hydrocarbon rights, drawing the European Union and nearby countries into the dispute, which earlier this month involved a light collision between Turkish and Greek frigates. German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas, who visited Athens ahead of a trip to Ankara, sought to de-escalate tensions but said Germany and the EU stood with member Greece. “The current situation in the eastern Mediterranean is equivalent to playing with fire,” Maas said after meeting his Greek counterpart Nikos Dendias. “Every little spark can lead to catastrophe.” Greece and Turkey vehemently disagree over the extent of their continental shelves. Tensions escalated after Turkey deployed its Oruc Reis survey vessel to disputed waters this month, in a move Athens called illegal.

Police arrest Thai activist over rally calling for reform of monarchy (Reuters) Police in Thailand said they had arrested human rights lawyer Anon Nampa for a third time this month on Tuesday, to charge him for sedition over his role in a political rally where calls were made for reforms to the country’s powerful monarchy. Anon, 36, has been at the forefront of a movement that has staged protests almost daily for the past month in the Southeast Asian country. He was the first to call openly for changes to King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s role, breaking a longstanding taboo. Challenges to the monarchy were extremely rare under Vajiralongkorn’s father, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, who died in 2016 after 70 years on the throne.

Bombing in the Philippines (Foreign Policy) A pair of explosions rocked the Philippine city of Jolo on Monday, killing 14 and injuring 75 in an attack authorities have blamed on Islamist militants linked to the Abu Sayyaf group. No group has taken responsibility for the attack, but the region has become a hotbed for Islamist militant activity in recent years. Abu Sayyaf is a small but violent jihadist group active mostly in the southern Philippines, and several of its factions have pledged allegiance to the Islamic State.

UN council rejects US demand to ‘snap back’ Iran sanctions (AP) The president of the U.N. Security Council on Tuesday rejected the Trump administration’s demand to restore all U.N. sanctions on Iran, a move that drew an angry rebuke from the U.S. ambassador who accused opponents of supporting “terrorists.” Indonesia’s ambassador to the U.N., Dian Triansyah Djani, whose country currently holds the rotating council presidency, made the announcement in response to requests from Russia and China to disclose results of his polling of the views of all 15 council members on the U.S. action. U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo insisted last Thursday that the United States has the legal right to “snap back” U.N. sanctions, even though President Donald Trump pulled out of the 2015 nuclear deal between Iran and six major powers that was endorsed by the U.N. Security Council. All the council members, except the Dominican Republic, had informed the council president that the U.S. administration’s action was illegal because Trump withdrew from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, in 2018.

Weeks after blast, Lebanon patronage system immune to reform (AP) Three weeks after a catastrophic explosion ripped through Beirut, killing nearly 200 people and rendering thousands homeless, the change many hoped for is nowhere in sight. Instead, activists said they are back to square one. The same politicians whose corruption and negligence the public blames for the disaster are negotiating among themselves over forming a new government. Calls for early elections have petered out. To devastated Beirutis, still sweeping shards of glass and fixing broken homes, the blast revealed the extent to which an entrenched system of patronage remains impervious to reform. In fact, the tools that the ruling elite have used to ensure a lock on power the past 30 years are only more powerful. Rising poverty amid a severe economic crisis gives them greater leverage, with more people desperate for the income their patronage provides. Their grip on electoral politics was made tighter by an election law they passed in 2017, making it harder for independents to win seats. And there are armed groups affiliated with political parties. “Basically, we have no way to force them out,” said Nizar Hassan, a civil activist and an organizer with LiHaqqi, a political movement active in the October mass anti-government protests.

[soysaucevictim]

Wrapping up with Week 5 of things. As well as the start of some new stuff.

(Even though this is going to cover a few more days than that.)

-

Nov. 16

I woke up a bit before 11AM, today.

Did a bit of the usual, before getting in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 3′ side leg raise hold with EC (from floor). I find this an enjoyable exercise, it feels real nice in knees and hips. =w=

(After eating and letting it digest a bit...)

Second. Day 24 of the 30DoHIIT. Ab Work, Level 3. This was left untouched since old version. This was pretty doable - but the flutter kicks and scissors were when it got real. Was a little dubious since I ate a lot of Chinese food not long before - but I think it was long enough to not have much issue.

Third, Day 24 of the PGC. 2′30″ overhead flex hold. This is getting painful enough to get my eyes watering - but I could still manage it. And in all honesty, sometimes I get dry eyes and that actually felt pretty refreshing! Swings and roundabouts.

Though I did get some more drawing done... I didn’t gt to bed on time. Again. orz

-

Nov. 17

I woke up a bit before noon today.

Most of my day was spent on the usual, but I did do dishes, make dinner, and my exercise.

First, Day 25 of the 30DoHIIT. High Knees, Level 3. I got through it by the skin of my teeth and my pace did slow down a lot. Let’s just say, it was pretty intimidating - doing effectively 1′30″ high knees multiple times. Hard to definitively say whether the new version was very much easier than the old (which had less active time per set, but more sets). orz

Second, Day 25 of the PGC. 2′40″ un/clenching fists. I can feel myself approaching a plateau with this - but I was able to will myself to keep going at a decent pace (hovering around that .gif). Forearms felt the burn real good.

Third, today’s DD. 30 plank jacks with EC. This was pretty doable, though weird for me to do after my workout. Which kicked my butt. But I got through it. :U

Last, Day 22 of the G2B. Finally got back on track and hit the yellow zone. Let’s try not to drop off the wagon like that for awhile.

-

Nov. 18

Been up since a bit after 10AM.

Spent a bit of time with the usual and organizing some stuff, before getting in my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 40 flute flexes with EC. Not much to say other than I found it very fun to do! :D

Second. Day 26 of the 30DoHIIT. Active Plank, Level 3. This was left untouched since the old version. This was very doable with steady breathing - but the last set got pretty real. Push-up form wasn’t amazing - but I felt it! :,D

Third, Day 26 of the PGC. 2′40″ overhead flex hold. This was also manageable work - with a return of watering eyes. Probably will be the case for the remaining days of the challenge.

Last, Day 23 of the G2B. This time I went to bed in the green zone - mostly because I knew I had to get up earlier tomorrow.

-

Nov. 19

I woke up around 8:30AM, today.

Got to the facility a bit too late for group today, but that’s okay. I spent my time there drawing and socializing, before heading back home.

At home, spent some time with the usual, before doing my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 20 push-ups with rotations with EC. Push-up form wasn't stellar, but acceptable. Being a bit sleep-deprived did make things a touch harder than it needed to be, but mission accomplished. :P

Second. Day 27 of the 30DoHIIT. Cardio HIIT, Level 3. Was a bit dubious, because I was pretty tired from not enough sleep. But I managed to get through it okay.

Third, Day 27 of the PGC. 2′50″ un/clenching fists. I pretty much strictly followed the pace of the .gif, which I only just realized goes at a rate of 1 rep/sec. At first, I thought that was easy, but in the last minute or so was pretty tough!

Last, Day 24 of the G2B. I think it was largely due to tiredness- but I was able to get to bed in the green zone.

-

Nov. 20

I got up a bit before noon.

Spent a short time with the usual before the internet went out. Happy the PSPS Warning didn’t lead to a power outage for my place. But it did suck not being able to get some ref pictures, catch the DD, and whatnot.

I did end up playing a couple games of rummy, did some dishes, and made dinner before exercising.

First. Day 28 of the 30DoHIIT. Half Jacks, Level 3. The main difference with the older version is not incorporating a squat - so it used to be a bit harder. This was super fun, because I like jacks a bunch.

Second, Day 28 of the PGC. 2′50″ overhead flex hold. This was pretty painful, but I got this.

(After spending some time working on art and listening to music...)

Last, Day 25 of the G2B. Another day I managed to get to the green zone with, which I was happy about.

-

Nov. 21

I woke up a bit after 8AM again, today.

Got to the facility, did some drawing, socializing, and attended WRAP Group.

Got home and not long after, the internet came back on. So I spent a few hours with the usual before exercising.

First, yesterday’s DD. 30 single leg deadlifts with EC. I ran with assuming a foot drop was still good - so it was pretty doable with my energy levels and sore lower back muscles (probably from those glute flexes).

(I also attempted today’s DD, but I was way too tired for an elbow plank hold. orz )

Second. Day 29 of the 30DoHIIT. Ab Work, Level 3. Untouched from old version. But it was pretty challenging - by the time I got to those knee-to-elbows, I felt like my abs would fail on me and lose my balance. I managed to get through it in one piece!

Third, Day 29 of the PGC. 3′ un/clenching fists. I think I matched the pace of the .gif. This always get my forearm muscles feeling stiff and somehow bigger? Muscle fatigue does funky stuff to the proprioception. :,D

Last, Day 26 of the G2B. I managed to get to bed in the yellow zone, this time.

-

Nov. 22

I wke up a bit after 11AM, today.

Mostly did the usual, before doing some dishes and making dinner. All the exercise I did today was catch up on the DDs.

First, yesterday’s DD. 2′ raised leg elbow plank hold, without EC. I did try this yesterday but was too sleep deprived. I did better today - but indigestion made it untenable. So this was split into about 1'20"/40". Blah. orz

Last, today’s DD. 25 W-extensions with EC. This was far more manageable - but not super nice with that indigestion.

I also did not go to bed on time.

-

Nov. 23

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

Spent a bit of time on the usual before starting on my exercise.

First, today’s DD. 1′ chest squeeze with EC. This was fun, definitely still gets the arms trembling near the end.

(After FAR too many distractions...)

Second. Day 30 of the 30DoHIIT. Cardio HIIT, Level 3. 3 pretty explosive cardio exercises, this time. It kicked my butt and I was a bit worried about some indigestion I had going in... But I got through it in one piece. (Not sure how this matches up with the old version - while it did have more sets, it had side-to-side jumps instead of [basic] burpees.)

Third, Day 30 of the PGC. 3′ overhead flex hold. That was certainly a willpower game - but these 10″ increments definitely made this more manageable. It did get some waterworks going, too! Pffft!

Fourth, Day 1 of the Daily Gratitude Challenge. I think this will be a good thing to try to incorporate more regularly, There may be repeated items - but I’ll try to come up with new stuff. But to start off, I’m grateful:

That I had the help I needed to get some benefits, over the course of the last few years. I’m still trying to process this.

That DAREBEE exists, it made it possible for me to keep exercising for more than 4 years now.

That I have been able to create art and continue to try fostering a growth mindset in this front.

(After some time doing last minute planning for what I’m going to do next...)

Last, Day 27 of the G2B. This was a yellow zone, day.

-

Nov. 24

I woke up a bit before 11AM, today.

First, today’s DD. 40 scorpion twists with EC. This is still among my favorites. It's very easy to find yourself shimmying backwards on accident, though. :,S

Second, I reattempted  Day 23 of the 30DoHIIT... But I was just not up for it. Like at all. I’m not a fan of planks and I’m mildly annoyed that THIS was the only time I did Level 2 with in this program run. But it still puts me above my PBs in challenge levels (though, because of version changes, that may be not super accurate for comparison.)

Third, Day 1 of the Kick Master Challenge. I wanted to pick a challenge that was fun legwork and relatively aerobic. 40 turning kicks (20/20) and 40 side kicks (20/20) in one workout. I pretty easily managed doing this in one go. Maybe I’ll alternate sides to make it more challenging. :Ic

Fourth, Day 1 the Dead Hang Challenge. I think this would be a good upper body challenge to complement the KMC and helpful for progressing towards pull-ups. Today was 2x10″ dead hangs. It’s surprisingly challenging to do so for even 10″, but manageable. We’ll see if I can keep up with the increments, either way I’m going to see some progress!

Fifth, Day 2 of the DGC. I’m grateful:

For the things that inspire me to make art, be it Sanders Sides, ask blogs, or more.

For my friends online and off, I feel like I should reach out to them more, though.

That I’m able to get mental health support from the local community.

Last, Day 28 of the G2B. Yellow zone again.

-

Nov. 25

I woke up a bit before 11AM.

I did my exercise earlier today.

First, today’s DD. 1′ calf raises with EC. Counted 67 reps, this time - I wanted to stay above 1/sec and oof... that pace was pretty tough! :,D

Second, Day 2 of the KMC. 2x 10 slow side kicks (5/5) + 10 fast side kicks (5/5). I think I kept the rest period shorter than prescribed, because it was a bit easy.

Third, Day 2 of the DHC. 20″ dead hang. That was pretty tough. It might be nice to get some distraction set up to make this a bit more tolerable. But I still did manage.

(Because I was a bit thrown off by some news... I didn’t get to the DGC. But I did shower and some of the usual before winding down again.)

Last, Day 29 of the G2B. Just barely missed the green zone, but good enough.

-

Nov. 26

I got up a bit after 8AM, today. I’m quite tired.

I got to the facility, attended group, got frazzled by a conversation (nnng, gotta let that one go), went to the diner (because I could actually do that... and I kind of wanted to chill out, even if it was raining), and did a bit of drawing.

Got home, spent time on the usual and baked some pizzas before getting in today’s exercise.

First, today’s DD. 2′ elbow clicks with EC. I counted 129 reps, happy I managed to stay above 1/sec.And it certainly got pretty challenging to will the elbows to touch in the last ~50 reps. :,D

Second, Day 3 of the KMC. 2x 20 turning + 20 side kicks. I just did it in one superset - and this was pretty fun.

Third, Day 3 of the DHC. 2x10″ dead hangs. O think this was modestly more tough than the first time - probably due to being a bit sleep deprived and overfull. But again, doable!

Fourth, Day 3 of the DGC. I’m grateful:

For my therapist and their insights.

Whenever I have (electrical) power.

That I haven’t had any acute episodes of hip pain, since I started exercising.

Last, Day 30 of the Get to Bed on Time Challenge. This was yet another yellow zone day.

---

I think this is a good place to end this post with a summary about my experience, here. Since I’ve started and finished everything I meant to for now, it’s a bit of a jumble.

I finished the 30 Days of HIIT Program and the Power Grip Challenge a couple days later than I meant, by Nov. 23. I managed to get Level 3 for every day other than #23, which I got Level 2. Mildly disappointed about that. But in terms of Levels, I definitely beat my PB, for what it’s worth (I think that generally, the older version was harder in structure). This challenge was pretty fun and painful in a good way (the tears were nice for dry eyes... pffft!)

I finished the Get to Bed on Time Challenge, several days later, by Nov. 26. Obviously, had a few hiccups and failed to get to bed a few more times than intended. But, it can’t be said that progress in sleep hygiene hasn’t been made, as a result. I hope I can actually keep this up, going forward.

I started the Daily Gratitude Challenge in Nov. 23. I think this was an opportune time to try to do this more often. I see the value in taking inventory of good things.

I then started the Kick Master & Dead Hang Challenges in Nov. 24. I figured these complemented each other in terms of focal muscle groups. Former is just fun leg work, for unsurprising reasons. The later will help me work towards being able to do an actual pull-up.

Now, these new arrangements are a bit easier than a full-blown workout. But I’m going to make space for this year’s holiday events. Hopefully I don’t miss out on most of them. Might periodically do old DDs.

[lashandrahcanatoliamp43insu-blog]

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[gyrlversion]

Determined shoppers queue for worlds biggest Primark in Birmingham

Power cuts have plunged the world’s largest Primark into darkness and left shoppers stranded on escalators just hours after the new 160,100sq ft megastore flung open its doors for the first time.  

Thousands have descended on the new flagship branch in Birmingham city centre today, eager to get the first glimpse of the enormous shop which features three restaurants, two coffee kiosks, a ‘Primarket’ and the widely-anticipated Disney cafe 

But the grand launch suffered a setback as a technical glitch left punters momentarily fumbling around the aisles amid a brief blackout. 

Fortunately, the power outage was only temporary and the lights have now come back on to the relief of the scores of people who have flocked to the store. 

Scroll down for video 

Power cuts have plunged the world’s largest Primark into darkness and left shoppers stranded on escalators

The grand launch suffered a setback as a technical glitch left punters fumbling around the shop amid a brief blackout

The hype among fans of the bargain retailer electrified yesterday when Primark released sensational drone footage showcasing the five-floor store which will employee almost 1,000 staff. 

One Primark fanatic even ranked the launch as one of the best days in her life and likened it to weddings and giving birth to children.  

Karen Smith, 60, a stay at home mum, said: ‘I was here since 9 o’clock. I’m very excited. I can’t wait to see all the Disney departments.

‘My first stop will probably be the Disney store and my first buy will e something from the Disney homewear collection.

‘When they tell you the best day of your life is getting married or having your children, it’s not, it’s when you’re there for the opening of the biggest Primark in the world.’ 

And 23-year-old Sammy Smith, who said he was heading straight for the Harry Potter section, agreed that it was the greatest day of his life.  

Many have been camped outside the new flagship branch in Birmingham city centre for hours to guarantee entry to the enormous shop which features three restaurants, two coffee kiosks, a ‘Primarket’ and the widely-anticipated Disney cafe

Some Primark fanatics even ranked the launch as one of the best days in their lives and likened it to weddings and having children

Around 5,000 people are expected to turn up on Birmingham high street for the grand opening at 10am today

Today’s opening of the Birmingham branch is set to smash the record for Primark existing largest store by 5,000sq ft, topping Manchester’s 155,000sq ft structure

But the excitement has worn off on one shopper who woke up in the early hours of this morning to avoid getting stuck in the large crowds expected to descend on Birmingham today.

Carla Sharp, 33, a composite laminator, said: ‘I’ve been waiting since 07.55. ‘I think it’s going to look like a normal Primark just a bit bigger really.

‘I’m not really excited for it- we got up at 3’oclock because we were planning to get here at 4 o’clock this morning but it was so icy, I just couldn’t.

‘My first visit is definitely going to be Disney- the quality of the Disney stuff is probably better than in the actual Disney stores sometimes. I’m definitely excited for the Disney stuff and children’s wear.’  

Today’s opening of the Birmingham branch is set to smash the record for Primark’s existing largest store by 5,000sq ft, topping Manchester’s 155,000sq ft structure. 

Around 5,000 people are expected to turn up on Birmingham high street for the grand opening at 10am today.   

Sarah Miller,50, a nurse said: ‘I’ve been waiting for about half an hour and oh my God I’m excited!

‘I think it’s going to be amazing, I’ve already looked online and I can’t wait.

‘My first stop is going to be Disney and I’ll buy something from there but I don’t know what yet.

‘It’s the largest in the world, it’s amazing, I’ve come from Worcester to be here early this morning.’

Karen Smith said: ‘When they tell you the best day of your life is getting married or having your children, it’s not, it’s when you’re there for the opening of the biggest Primark in the world’

Incredible footage showcases the sheer scale of the enormous shop, which is the world’s largest Primark 

The covers are off! The world’s biggest Primark will open its doors to the public today for its grand opening

The incredible footage reveals the five floors of the massive shop, which promises to feature amazing fashion for amazing prices 

Laura Jackson, 25, had been queuing outside ahead of the 10am launch and said: ‘I am very excited for it. I’m a massive Disney fan so I want to see the Disney cafe. I don’t know where to start from. We want to go first and see how it is.’ 

A number of lucky ‘friends and family’ members were given the opportunity to have a look around the new superstore earlier this week, with one saying ‘no expense has been spared’. 

‘It’s going to take on the Bullring as the city’s number one shopping destination,’ gushed one excited visitor. ‘It’s an amazing shop compared with what was here before.

Teagan Smith, 31, a civil servant in the queue, said just before 9am: ‘I’ve been waiting for half an hour.

‘From the pictures online, I think it’s going to look like pretty clean cut, big, great, better than most of the stores in the area probably.

‘It’s going to be interesting to see what’s in there and obviously the Disney cafe.

‘I don’t know whether to go straight to the Disney cafe, check that out and then come back.’

The Disney cafe, which features interactive tables for children to play with, is one of three restaurants on the site; the others being the Mezz restaurant and the Primarket cafe.

Also on site is Duck & Dry Xpress, Primark’s largest ever beauty studio for nails, make-up, hair, eyebrows and lashes, as well as Mills barbers for male customers. 

The new flagship superstore in Birmingham city centre boasts five floors of fashion as well as a new Disney cafe, a stylish hair salon and barbers and a custom T-shirt printing lab

By 11 o’clock, some of the early punters were already leaving the store and were generally very positive about their trip but warned that the launch had been very crowded.   

Pensioner Aileen Harris, 70, said: ‘It will be lovely when you can see what you can get, it was really busy and the music was too loud but the clothes were beautiful. 

‘I got what I wanted, I came with my sister, she’s still inside. I got some new bedding, I have a new bed and wanted some new bedding.

‘It’s also nice material, it was £27 for the duvet, the sheets and pillowcases.

‘It’s very easy to navigate, it’s all arrowed, but it was just too busy, I’d probably come back in a week when it’s calm down.

‘It’s really nice, there’s enough stuff to help, I enjoyed it it’s got nice things, especially for the young ones.’

Sarah Lasuba, 45, a cleaner said: ‘It is amazing, it’s really very big inside, it s not difficult to go around. I bought four pairs of leggings for £2 each, it’s a normal price.’

Mrs Hall, 73, a pensioner said: ‘It’s an absolutely brilliant store, there’s loads to choose from, you can spend too much money.

‘At first it wasn’t easy to get around but I don’t think it would take you long. I think you’d need a good couple of hours but I don’t have time for that.

‘Where I’ve been and what I’ve seen I thought it was really brilliant. I liked everything, it was all very well laid out.

‘I bought some shorts, T-shirt’s and a dress. The prices were really good, the biggest item I bought was the dress for £18, but it is embroidery only so that’s a fair price.

‘I bought two pairs of pants of denim for £6 each which I thought was very good value.’  

The Disney cafe, which features interactive tables for children to play with, is one of three restaurants on the site – the others being the Mezz restaurant and the Primarket cafe

Much of the excitement focused on the megastore’s Disney cafe which has cartoons of Mickey Mouse plastered across its walls.  

Eve Doffey, 40, civil servant said: ‘I just got here, I’ve only Been waiting for ten minutes. I’m very excited, my first stop will probably be the Disney cafe.

‘I think it’s going to be like going to Ikea , you buy loads of stuff you think you don’t need.

‘It’s once in a lifetime thing,you live here it’s your city.

Emma Ailsworth, 26, a retail shop worker, said: ‘I think it’s going to be awesome. I’d definitely get something from Disney first.

‘It’s the worlds biggest primark , you’re not going to see it again.

Tina Hannon, 36, head housekeeper for the premier inn said: ‘I just got here, I think it’s going to be amazing.

‘I’m a little bit excited to see what’s inside, see how they’ve done it. My first stop is going to be Disney and I’d probably buy something from Harry Potter.

One visitor to the store yesterday said it’s going to take on the Bullring as the city’s number one shopping destination

One visitor said the shop, which has three eateries, is ‘truly transformational’ and will be the top destination in Birmingham

The central escalator block at the heart of the building is emblazoned with slogans like ‘Hello Brum’ and ‘find your amazing’ lit up in neon blue. 

There are also digital window displays to entice passing shoppers, as well items from its latest clothing range dedicated to Harry Potter, which first launched in September 2017. 

Find your way around Birmingham’s new Primark superstore

Floor 2: Kids, lingerie, Primark cafe with Disney, toilets

Floor 1: Womens – clothing, accessories, shoes – Home, Custom Lab T-shirt printing, Primarket – tech, stationery, toys – Primarket Cafe, toilets

Floor 0: Womens – clothing, beauty – Duck & Dry Xpress Beauty Studio, Exit to High Street

Floor -1: The Mezz Restaurant. Coffee Kiosk, toilets

Floor -2: Mens – clothing, accessories, shoes, Mills Barbers, Coffee Kiosk, Exit to Moor Street

The garments worn by mannequins, unveiled yesterday, suggest Primark’s favourite shades this season will include yellows, greens, creams and browns. 

There’s even a custom T-shirt printing station, where Disney fans can get their own text below an image of their favourite character on official Disney tees, which start at £5 for children’s sizes. 

A visitor on yesterday’s members tour told Birmingham Live: ‘It’s the same with official Barcelona T-shirts, which could be 30 or 40 euros abroad but which I think will be less than £10 here.

‘The shop is truly transformational. It will be the top destination in Birmingham.

‘Children will love going through the Disney archways shaped like Mickey Mouse ears on their way in to the themed cafe.’

The infamous Primark changing room queues should also be a thing of the past, with the main changing area boasting 32 cubicles, and you’ll be able to do a refund or exchange at any till in the store.

There are also facts about the flagship store’s hometown dotted around the walls, with one reading: ‘Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery holds the largest collection of Pre-Raphaelite art in the world.’

The Disney cafe, which has archways shaped like Mickey Mouse ears, is bound to be a hit with adults and children alike

As well as its stylish Duck & Dry beauty salon, there’s also a Mills barbers for male customers

A Primark spokesperson previously told how the store will create more than 500 new jobs in the area, while 430 colleagues will transfer from its existing location in Birmingham

There are digital window displays to entice passing shoppers, as well items from its latest clothing range. The garments worn by its mannequins, unveiled yesterday, suggest Primark’s favourite shades this season will include yellows, greens, creams and browns.

A Primark spokesperson previously told how the store will create more than 500 new jobs in the area, while 430 colleagues will transfer from its existing location in Birmingham. 

They added: ‘The store will have the latest trends in womenswear, menswear and kidswear including footwear and accessories, as well as lingerie, beauty and homeware,’ said the spokesman.

‘In addition to amazing fashion at amazing prices, this store will have many new features. 

‘The store will also have a personalisation service, recharge seating areas and free WiFi.’

The store will have the latest trends in womenswear, menswear and kidswear including footwear and accessories, as well as lingerie, beauty and homeware

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Chill out about China – POLITICO

Editor’s Note: This edition of Morning Money is published weekdays at 8 a.m. POLITICO Pro Financial Services subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 5:15 a.m. To learn more about POLITICO Pro’s comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, click here.

Chill out on China — News that President Trump will likely not meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 deadline to strike a trade deal helped spook markets on Thursday with the Dow off over 200 points, or close to 1 percent. Administration officials have spoken repeatedly of ratcheting up tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent if no deal is made by then.

Story Continued Below

But the delay in the Trump-Xi meeting does not necessarily mean the higher tariffs will go into effect. Trump has said he won’t do a final deal until he sits down with Xi. And his inability to do so now is more a matter of the calendar and the upcoming North Korea summit.

Phones exist — Trump could still choose to extend the deadline, though the hawks won’t like it. All Trump has to do is pick up the phone and talk to Xi, which we are told by a top source could absolutely happen between now and March 1.

Moving the Overton window — The “Green New Deal” resolution from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is another blue sky proposal — in this case to completely shift to renewable energy by 2030 — that isn’t headed anywhere near passage soon. But just like the 70 percent marginal rate and the wealth tax, it’s a major shift in the acceptable policy ground Democrats will present and fight over in 2020.

** A message from H&R Block: We’re shaking up the tax prep industry by becoming the only national brand to offer upfront, transparent pricing. We’re always working to innovate on behalf of our clients — to provide the best tax services and quality financial products that meet our clients’ needs, giving them confidence and financial flexibility. Learn more. **

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING — RIP former Rep. John D. Dingell, Jr., one of the greats. Email me at bwhite@politico.com and follow me on Twitter @morningmoneyben. Email Aubree Eliza Weaver at aweaver@politico.com and follow her on Twitter @AubreeEWeaver.

THIS MORNING ON POLITICO PRO FINANCIAL SERVICES — Katy O’Donnell on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s letter calling on CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to rescind a proposal that would weaken the payday lending rule. To get Morning Money every day before 6 a.m., please contact Pro Services at (703) 341-4600 orinfo@politicopro.com.

TRUMP TRAPPED ON THE BORDER — Our Eliana Johnson, Burgess Everett, and Gabby Orr: “Inside the White House, the Trump team is increasingly aware that the president is trapped. Facing a Republican Party unwilling to back another government shutdown or a national emergency declaration to build his border wall …

“Trump is in an unfamiliar position, according to multiple White House officials and lawmakers: prepared, potentially, to accept a compromise foisted on him by Congress.”

ABOUT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION — “Though the White House has worked to prepare an emergency declaration invoking the president’s sweeping executive powers, several West Wing aides have warned that invoking it would alienate some conservatives who have otherwise been loyal to the White House.”

THE BIG IDEA: IS THIS FULL EMPLOYMENT? — JPMorgan’s Jim Glassman: “The participation rate among prime working-age adults today remains well below its pre-recession peak, implying that as many as 800,000 potential workers may return to the job search as the labor market tightens further. If this is the case, the economy could continue adding jobs at its current rate for another year before full employment arrives.” Read more.

SENATE FINANCE WON’T FIX SALT — Our Bernie Becker, Nick Niedzwiadek and Ryan Hutchins: “The Senate Finance Committee won’t be taking another look at the limit on state and local tax deductions enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1 (115), a spokesperson for Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said …

“Trump had invited the question by telling reporters on Wednesday that he would be open to revisiting the $10,000 cap, saying he had heard the new policy had been ‘severe’ on some taxpayers.

“But there’s little appetite for any changes in the GOP-controlled Senate, since the states most affected by the cap — California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, for instance — are deep blue.” Read more.

NEW HIRE FOR DEUTSCHE PROBE — Our Zachary Warmbrodt: “The House Financial Services Committee has recruited Bob Roach, a seasoned investigator of financial industry misdeeds, to help run its probe of Deutsche Bank, a source familiar with the matter said.

“The hire is a major development in the coming investigation into the German lender, which is under scrutiny for its dealings with … Trump and its role in money laundering scandals. Roach previously worked for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) … Roach’s hiring was first reported by Bloomberg News.” Read more.

WATCHDOG ASKS FOR ROSS PROBE — Our Patrick Temple-West: “A government ethics watchdog is asking the Commerce Department’s inspector general to investigate whether Secretary Wilbur Ross violated disclosure rules concerning his holdings of BankUnited Inc. stock.

“In a letter sent to Commerce Inspector General Peggy Gustafson today, the Campaign Legal Center said Ross apparently violated the law by allegedly claiming in May 2017 to have sold his BankUnited stock. In an Oct. 31, 2018, disclosure report, Ross said he had “a mistaken belief” that an order to sell BankUnited holdings had occurred in 2017. The shares were worth up to $15,000.” Read more.

BB&T-SUNTRUST TO MERGE — Our Victoria Guida: “BB&T and SunTrust on Thursday announced they plan to join forces to become the sixth-largest retail bank in the U.S., in the wake of moves by the Federal Reserve that make it cheaper for regional lenders to grow.

“If regulators and shareholders sign off on the deal, the merger would create a bank with $442 billion in assets — smaller in size than only JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank. … Congress last year passed legislation that sets $250 billion as the new asset threshold for more stringent regulations.

“But under the Fed’s proposed large bank framework, lenders with between $250 billion and $700 billion in assets would also see their requirements eased slightly, particularly when it comes to the amount of liquid assets they’re required to hold in case of an emergency.” Read more.

SCHULTZ WOULD BOOST TRUMP — Bloomberg’s Joshua Green: “Howard Schultz is unlikely to land in the White House if he makes an independent bid for the presidency, but he would probably pull enough votes away from a Democratic candidate to strengthen … Trump’s prospects for re-election.” Read more.

ECONOMISTS AGREE ANOTHER SHUTDOWN WOULD BE BAD NEWS — WSJ’s Harriet Torry: “Economists say a fresh government shutdown would take a toll on U.S. economic growth as well as business and consumer sentiment, as a deadline to reach a deal over border-wall funding approaches next week.

“Most of the private-sector economic forecasters, 58.9 percent, surveyed in recent days by The Wall Street Journal said another shutdown would have ‘somewhat’ of an impact on economic growth, while 16.1 percent said it would have a significant impact.” Read more.

DATA CENTER SMOKE CAUSES OUTAGE FOR WELLS FARGO CUSTOMERS — AP’s Ken Sweet: “Smoke at one of Wells Fargo’s data centers left some of the bank’s customers without access to online or mobile banking as well as other services Thursday. Wells Fargo said workers discovered the problem following routine maintenance.

“‘We’re working to restore all our services as soon as possible,’ said bank spokeswoman Hilary O’Byrne. The bank apologized to customers for any inconvenience caused by the system issues, and said it would reverse any Wells Fargo fees incurred as a result of the issues.” Read more.

THE END OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS CHILL ON BIG BANK DEALS — NYT’s Michael de la Merced and Emily Flitter: “Two banks announced the industry’s biggest merger in a decade on Thursday, signaling bank executives’ growing confidence that the regulatory constraints imposed after the 2008 financial crisis have begun to loosen.

“The $28 billion deal between BB&T and SunTrust Banks would create a Southeastern juggernaut that would be the sixth-largest bank in the country — perhaps giving it the heft to compete against national behemoths like Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.” Read more.

Waters is already calling for ‘serious scrutiny’— Bloomberg’s Hannah Levitt: “BB&T Corp.’s planned acquisition of SunTrust Banks Inc. has at least one skeptic: House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters.

“The deal, creating the sixth-biggest commercial bank in the U.S., raises a lot of questions and should be put under the microscope, Waters said Thursday in an emailed statement. ‘This proposed merger between SunTrust and BB&T is a direct consequence of the deregulatory agenda that Trump and congressional Republicans have advanced,’ the California Democrat said.” Read more.

CONSUMER BORROWING TOPS $4T — AP’s Martin Crutsinger: “Consumer borrowing rose at a slower pace in December, but that still pushed total borrowing to a new record above $4 trillion for the first time. The Federal Reserve said Thursday that borrowing increased by $16.6 billion in December after a $22.4 billion advance in November. The December increase nudged the total up to a record $4.01 trillion. Borrowing had crossed the $3 trillion mark back in June 2013.” Read more.

** A message from H&R Block: Unlike other tax companies, we think clients should know the price of service before they begin filing — in person or online. This represents an important shift in the tax industry, and a significant improvement in the current experience for consumers. But we also know life doesn’t stop at the end of tax season — in addition to our tax preparation services, we offer clients access to a variety of quality financial products. These products meet our clients’ needs, giving them greater financial flexibility at tax time and throughout the year, with the confidence of H&R Block behind them. Learn more. **

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Chill out about China – POLITICO

Editor’s Note: This edition of Morning Money is published weekdays at 8 a.m. POLITICO Pro Financial Services subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 5:15 a.m. To learn more about POLITICO Pro’s comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, click here.

Chill out on China — News that President Trump will likely not meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 deadline to strike a trade deal helped spook markets on Thursday with the Dow off over 200 points, or close to 1 percent. Administration officials have spoken repeatedly of ratcheting up tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent if no deal is made by then.

Story Continued Below

But the delay in the Trump-Xi meeting does not necessarily mean the higher tariffs will go into effect. Trump has said he won’t do a final deal until he sits down with Xi. And his inability to do so now is more a matter of the calendar and the upcoming North Korea summit.

Phones exist — Trump could still choose to extend the deadline, though the hawks won’t like it. All Trump has to do is pick up the phone and talk to Xi, which we are told by a top source could absolutely happen between now and March 1.

Moving the Overton window — The “Green New Deal” resolution from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is another blue sky proposal — in this case to completely shift to renewable energy by 2030 — that isn’t headed anywhere near passage soon. But just like the 70 percent marginal rate and the wealth tax, it’s a major shift in the acceptable policy ground Democrats will present and fight over in 2020.

** A message from H&R Block: We’re shaking up the tax prep industry by becoming the only national brand to offer upfront, transparent pricing. We’re always working to innovate on behalf of our clients — to provide the best tax services and quality financial products that meet our clients’ needs, giving them confidence and financial flexibility. Learn more. **

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING — RIP former Rep. John D. Dingell, Jr., one of the greats. Email me at bwhite@politico.com and follow me on Twitter @morningmoneyben. Email Aubree Eliza Weaver at aweaver@politico.com and follow her on Twitter @AubreeEWeaver.

THIS MORNING ON POLITICO PRO FINANCIAL SERVICES — Katy O’Donnell on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s letter calling on CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to rescind a proposal that would weaken the payday lending rule. To get Morning Money every day before 6 a.m., please contact Pro Services at (703) 341-4600 orinfo@politicopro.com.

TRUMP TRAPPED ON THE BORDER — Our Eliana Johnson, Burgess Everett, and Gabby Orr: “Inside the White House, the Trump team is increasingly aware that the president is trapped. Facing a Republican Party unwilling to back another government shutdown or a national emergency declaration to build his border wall …

“Trump is in an unfamiliar position, according to multiple White House officials and lawmakers: prepared, potentially, to accept a compromise foisted on him by Congress.”

ABOUT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION — “Though the White House has worked to prepare an emergency declaration invoking the president’s sweeping executive powers, several West Wing aides have warned that invoking it would alienate some conservatives who have otherwise been loyal to the White House.”

THE BIG IDEA: IS THIS FULL EMPLOYMENT? — JPMorgan’s Jim Glassman: “The participation rate among prime working-age adults today remains well below its pre-recession peak, implying that as many as 800,000 potential workers may return to the job search as the labor market tightens further. If this is the case, the economy could continue adding jobs at its current rate for another year before full employment arrives.” Read more.

SENATE FINANCE WON’T FIX SALT — Our Bernie Becker, Nick Niedzwiadek and Ryan Hutchins: “The Senate Finance Committee won’t be taking another look at the limit on state and local tax deductions enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1 (115), a spokesperson for Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said …

“Trump had invited the question by telling reporters on Wednesday that he would be open to revisiting the $10,000 cap, saying he had heard the new policy had been ‘severe’ on some taxpayers.

“But there’s little appetite for any changes in the GOP-controlled Senate, since the states most affected by the cap — California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, for instance — are deep blue.” Read more.

NEW HIRE FOR DEUTSCHE PROBE — Our Zachary Warmbrodt: “The House Financial Services Committee has recruited Bob Roach, a seasoned investigator of financial industry misdeeds, to help run its probe of Deutsche Bank, a source familiar with the matter said.

“The hire is a major development in the coming investigation into the German lender, which is under scrutiny for its dealings with … Trump and its role in money laundering scandals. Roach previously worked for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) … Roach’s hiring was first reported by Bloomberg News.” Read more.

WATCHDOG ASKS FOR ROSS PROBE — Our Patrick Temple-West: “A government ethics watchdog is asking the Commerce Department’s inspector general to investigate whether Secretary Wilbur Ross violated disclosure rules concerning his holdings of BankUnited Inc. stock.

“In a letter sent to Commerce Inspector General Peggy Gustafson today, the Campaign Legal Center said Ross apparently violated the law by allegedly claiming in May 2017 to have sold his BankUnited stock. In an Oct. 31, 2018, disclosure report, Ross said he had “a mistaken belief” that an order to sell BankUnited holdings had occurred in 2017. The shares were worth up to $15,000.” Read more.

BB&T-SUNTRUST TO MERGE — Our Victoria Guida: “BB&T and SunTrust on Thursday announced they plan to join forces to become the sixth-largest retail bank in the U.S., in the wake of moves by the Federal Reserve that make it cheaper for regional lenders to grow.

“If regulators and shareholders sign off on the deal, the merger would create a bank with $442 billion in assets — smaller in size than only JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank. … Congress last year passed legislation that sets $250 billion as the new asset threshold for more stringent regulations.

“But under the Fed’s proposed large bank framework, lenders with between $250 billion and $700 billion in assets would also see their requirements eased slightly, particularly when it comes to the amount of liquid assets they’re required to hold in case of an emergency.” Read more.

SCHULTZ WOULD BOOST TRUMP — Bloomberg’s Joshua Green: “Howard Schultz is unlikely to land in the White House if he makes an independent bid for the presidency, but he would probably pull enough votes away from a Democratic candidate to strengthen … Trump’s prospects for re-election.” Read more.

ECONOMISTS AGREE ANOTHER SHUTDOWN WOULD BE BAD NEWS — WSJ’s Harriet Torry: “Economists say a fresh government shutdown would take a toll on U.S. economic growth as well as business and consumer sentiment, as a deadline to reach a deal over border-wall funding approaches next week.

“Most of the private-sector economic forecasters, 58.9 percent, surveyed in recent days by The Wall Street Journal said another shutdown would have ‘somewhat’ of an impact on economic growth, while 16.1 percent said it would have a significant impact.” Read more.

DATA CENTER SMOKE CAUSES OUTAGE FOR WELLS FARGO CUSTOMERS — AP’s Ken Sweet: “Smoke at one of Wells Fargo’s data centers left some of the bank’s customers without access to online or mobile banking as well as other services Thursday. Wells Fargo said workers discovered the problem following routine maintenance.

“‘We’re working to restore all our services as soon as possible,’ said bank spokeswoman Hilary O’Byrne. The bank apologized to customers for any inconvenience caused by the system issues, and said it would reverse any Wells Fargo fees incurred as a result of the issues.” Read more.

THE END OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS CHILL ON BIG BANK DEALS — NYT’s Michael de la Merced and Emily Flitter: “Two banks announced the industry’s biggest merger in a decade on Thursday, signaling bank executives’ growing confidence that the regulatory constraints imposed after the 2008 financial crisis have begun to loosen.

“The $28 billion deal between BB&T and SunTrust Banks would create a Southeastern juggernaut that would be the sixth-largest bank in the country — perhaps giving it the heft to compete against national behemoths like Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.” Read more.

Waters is already calling for ‘serious scrutiny’— Bloomberg’s Hannah Levitt: “BB&T Corp.’s planned acquisition of SunTrust Banks Inc. has at least one skeptic: House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters.

“The deal, creating the sixth-biggest commercial bank in the U.S., raises a lot of questions and should be put under the microscope, Waters said Thursday in an emailed statement. ‘This proposed merger between SunTrust and BB&T is a direct consequence of the deregulatory agenda that Trump and congressional Republicans have advanced,’ the California Democrat said.” Read more.

CONSUMER BORROWING TOPS $4T — AP’s Martin Crutsinger: “Consumer borrowing rose at a slower pace in December, but that still pushed total borrowing to a new record above $4 trillion for the first time. The Federal Reserve said Thursday that borrowing increased by $16.6 billion in December after a $22.4 billion advance in November. The December increase nudged the total up to a record $4.01 trillion. Borrowing had crossed the $3 trillion mark back in June 2013.” Read more.

** A message from H&R Block: Unlike other tax companies, we think clients should know the price of service before they begin filing — in person or online. This represents an important shift in the tax industry, and a significant improvement in the current experience for consumers. But we also know life doesn’t stop at the end of tax season — in addition to our tax preparation services, we offer clients access to a variety of quality financial products. These products meet our clients’ needs, giving them greater financial flexibility at tax time and throughout the year, with the confidence of H&R Block behind them. Learn more. **

Source link

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Headlines

Bothersome Beetles in BC (Bloomberg) From 2000 to 2015, 730 million cubic meters of pine in British Columbia were destroyed by the mountain pine beetle, a scourge that’s just one of several plagues of beetles devouring North American wood. The beetles wiped out a decade of lumber supplies and cut production in the interior of British Columbia by 40 percent, with the province estimating 55 percent of their marketable pine trees will be dead by 2020. Neighboring Alberta managed to reduce the area affected by the mountain pine beetle by 30 percent by drastic cut and burn techniques.

Trump Administration Finalizes Plan to Open Arctic Refuge to Drilling (NYT) The Trump administration on Monday finalized its plan to open up part of the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge in Alaska to oil and gas development, a move that overturns six decades of protections for the largest remaining stretch of wilderness in the United States. The decision sets the stage for what is expected to be a fierce legal battle over the fate of the refuge’s vast, remote coastal plain, which is believed to sit atop billions of barrels of oil but is also home to polar bears and migrating herds of caribou. The Interior Department said on Monday that it had completed its required reviews and would begin preparations to auction off drilling leases. Environmentalists, who have battled for decades to keep energy companies out of the refuge, say the Interior Department failed to adequately consider the effects that oil and gas development could have on climate change and wildlife. They and other opponents, including some Alaska Native groups, are expected to file lawsuits to try to block lease sales.

Amid outcry, postmaster general to testify before House (AP) Facing a public backlash over mail disruptions, the Trump administration scrambled to respond as the House prepared an emergency vote to halt delivery delays and service changes that Democrats warned could imperil the November election. The Postal Service said it has stopped removing mailboxes and mail-sorting machines amid an outcry from lawmakers. President Donald Trump flatly denied he was asking for the mail to be delayed even as he leveled fresh criticism on universal ballots and mail-in voting. Democrats and some Republicans say actions by the new postmaster general, a Trump ally and a major Republican donor, have endangered millions of Americans who rely on the post office to obtain prescription drugs and other needs, including an expected surge in mail-in voting this fall.

California power (Bloomberg) The operator of California’s power grid warned another round of rolling blackouts could hit Monday afternoon as a heat wave smothers the region. The outages, which could come as early as 3 p.m. local time, would be the third time in four days that utilities intentionally cut power to cope with a crush of demand for air conditioning. Governor Gavin Newsom has called for an investigation into why officials failed to anticipate the need for blackouts, which have plunged millions of people into darkness.

Outbreaks Drive U.N.C. Chapel Hill Online After a Week of Classes (NYT) Citing an “untenable situation” caused by a spike in coronavirus cases after the first week of classes, the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill said on Monday that it would shut down in-person instruction for undergraduates and move entirely online. The announcement, from one of the largest universities in the country to open its campus during the pandemic, demonstrated how difficult it may be for America’s institutions of higher learning to achieve even a modicum of normalcy in the fall semester. Criticism and worry continue to plague other colleges hoping to offer in-person learning this fall. In the last few days, widely circulated images of young people congregating without masks near campus in Tuscaloosa, Ala., home of the University of Alabama, and around Dahlonega, Ga., home of the University of North Georgia, have raised concerns about students’ cavalier attitudes to social distancing measures.

Coin shortage hits retailers, laundromats, tooth fairy (AP) The national coin shortage has been an unusual side effect of the pandemic. Among its victims? Retailers, laundromats and even the tooth fairy. The Federal Reserve announced in June that the supply system for coins had been severely disrupted by the pandemic. While there are still enough coins out there, they aren’t circulating as freely because many businesses have been closed and consumers aren’t out spending as usual. The U.S. Mint and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin have urged Americans to use coins or turn them in to banks to help for now. As the economy recovers and businesses reopen, the coin supply is expected to normalize. In the meantime, people have been forced to find workarounds. Retailers large and small have urged shoppers to use cards or exact change whenever possible. Some won’t provide change. Laundromats and people who rely on coin-operated laundry machines in laundromats and apartment buildings are struggling as well. The shortage is even being felt by the young, who may find the tooth fairy coming up a little short on change.

Portugal president helps rescue two women in trouble at sea (BBC) Portuguese President Marcelo Rebelo de Sousa has helped rescue two women who came into difficulty at an Algarve beach when their kayak capsized. The president, 71, was pictured on Saturday swimming over to the kayakers who were struggling in the water. He later told reporters that the women had been swept by currents from a neighbouring beach into the bay. The president had just spoken to journalists at Praia do Alvor beach when he noticed the women struggling. Video footage caught the moment he swam into the sea to assist them. Another man was already there, trying to help turn the kayak over while a person on a jet ski also approached to offer help. The man on the jet ski then managed to tow the kayak back to the shore. According to broadcaster 20 Minutos, the president is spending his holidays visiting different areas of the country to promote tourism.

No Longer Cowed, Belarus Has Message for Once-Mighty Dictator: ‘Go Away!’ (NYT) In an age of ascendant strongman leaders, President Aleksandr G. Lukashenko of Belarus is suddenly looking surprisingly weak. As protests against his rule have grown and intensified over the last week, the man known as “Europe’s last dictator” turned in desperation on Monday to the once reliably loyal workers at a tractor factory. But instead of being showered with their support, he was shouted down with chants of “Go away! Go away!” Until he claimed a landslide victory on Aug. 9 in a fraud-tainted election, few leaders appeared stronger and more secure than Mr. Lukashenko, a former state farm director who has ruled Belarus for 26 years, backed by an expansive, brutal and unwaveringly loyal security apparatus. Now, in scenes recalling the popular uprising that came out of nowhere to topple Romania’s seemingly invincible dictator Nicolae Ceausescu in 1989, the Belarus capital of Minsk, long known for its cowed calm and order, has shed decades of fear and raised its voice with a simple, insistent demand: The dictator must go.

Italy imposes new coronavirus restrictions (NYT) With daily coronavirus case numbers rising, Italy on Monday imposed its first new restrictions on daily life since coming out of lockdown nearly four months ago, ordering the closure of nightclubs and mandating mask-wearing, even outdoors, in areas with nightlife. The new measures come as Italy faces its most precarious moment of the summer. School is due to start in less than a month, Italians are moving en masse for their August holidays, and tourists are coming in from other European countries that have seen even greater increases.

Japan ties national high-temperature record amid blistering heat wave (Washington Post) Temperatures soared into the triple digits and tied a national record in Japan on Monday, part of a sweltering heat wave that has swallowed the archipelago. Hamamatsu, a coastal city in Shizuoka Prefecture on the island of Honshu, hit 106 degrees (41.1 Celsius) on Monday. It tied a national record set in 2018 and occurred within a day of Death Valley in California recording one of the hottest temperatures observed on Earth. Temperatures about 10 to 15 degrees above normal are likely through the week across the entirety of the Japanese island chain, with only a brief return to more temperate conditions by the weekend. Anomalous heat is likely to return into next week.

Rocket attack in Kabul wounds at least 10, triggers embassy lockdowns (Reuters) More than a dozen rockets struck Kabul on Tuesday, wounding at least ten people, including children, prompting some foreign embassies to order a lockdown, officials and sources in the Afghan capital said.

Sharp rise in virus cases in Lebanon after deadly port blast (AP) Lebanon is facing a surge in coronavirus cases after a devastating blast at the Beirut port earlier this month killed scores and wounded thousands, prompting medical officials on Monday to call for a two-week lockdown to try to contain the pandemic. Virus numbers were expected to rise following the Aug. 4, explosion of nearly 3,000 tons of ammonium nitrate stored at the port. Around 180 people were killed, more than 6,000 wounded and a quarter of a million left with homes unfit to live in. The blast overwhelmed the city’s hospitals and also badly damaged two that had a key role in handling virus cases. Medical officials had warned of the dangers of crowding at hospitals in the aftermath of the explosion, at funerals, or as people searched through the rubble. Protests and demonstrations also broke out after the blast as Lebanese vented their anger at authorities.

Gaza's lone power plant shuts down amid tension with Israel (AP) Gaza’s lone power plant shut down on Tuesday, less than a week after Israel suspended fuel shipments to the Palestinian enclave over the launching of incendiary balloons that have caused brush fires in southern Israel. Gaza, run by Hamas Islamists, relies on Israel for most of its energy needs. Its population of two million currently receives around six hours of electricity followed by a 10-hour power cut. “The power feed may now decline to only four hours (per day),” said Mohammad Thabet, an official at Gaza’s main power distribution company, after fuel ran out at the plant. Gaza homes and businesses rely on generators to make up for the lengthy power cuts, increasing the financial pressure on its largely impoverished people. Officials in Gaza said the power plant’s closure would cause disruptions at vital facilities such as hospitals, which are also equipped with generators.

Talks Set to Resume Over Nile Dam Dispute (Foreign Policy) Representatives of Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt are expected to meet today to present their proposals for the management of Ethiopia’s controversial Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam. The dispute began in 2011 after Ethiopia broke ground on the $4.5 billion project on the Blue Nile—one of the river’s major tributaries which provides 80 percent of its waters. The Ethiopian government considers the dam to be a critical part of its future economic development, claiming it will provide 60 percent of Ethiopian households with electricity, as well as fresh water for its rapidly expanding population. But the dam is a potential threat to the two downstream countries, Egypt and Sudan. For Egypt in particular, a huge proportion of its population lives along the banks of the Nile, relying on the river for irrigation and drinking water. Egyptian officials argue that damming the Nile closer to its source in Ethiopia could severely threaten the country’s water supply. The controversy came to a head in July after Ethiopia began filling the reservoir, a move Egypt and Sudan both said could not happen until the three countries had agreed to a legally binding deal.

Mali's president announces resignation after armed mutiny (AP) Mali’s president announced his resignation late Tuesday, just hours after armed soldiers seized him from his home in a dramatic power grab following months of protests demanding his ouster. The news of President Ibrahim Boubacar Keita’s departure was met with jubilation by anti-government demonstrators and alarm by former colonial ruler France, and other allies and foreign nations.

[garkomedia1]

Chill out about China – POLITICO

Editor’s Note: This edition of Morning Money is published weekdays at 8 a.m. POLITICO Pro Financial Services subscribers hold exclusive early access to the newsletter each morning at 5:15 a.m. To learn more about POLITICO Pro’s comprehensive policy intelligence coverage, policy tools and services, click here.

Chill out on China — News that President Trump will likely not meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping before a March 1 deadline to strike a trade deal helped spook markets on Thursday with the Dow off over 200 points, or close to 1 percent. Administration officials have spoken repeatedly of ratcheting up tariffs on $200 billion of Chinese imports from 10 percent to 25 percent if no deal is made by then.

Story Continued Below

But the delay in the Trump-Xi meeting does not necessarily mean the higher tariffs will go into effect. Trump has said he won’t do a final deal until he sits down with Xi. And his inability to do so now is more a matter of the calendar and the upcoming North Korea summit.

Phones exist — Trump could still choose to extend the deadline, though the hawks won’t like it. All Trump has to do is pick up the phone and talk to Xi, which we are told by a top source could absolutely happen between now and March 1.

Moving the Overton window — The “Green New Deal” resolution from Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) and Sen. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is another blue sky proposal — in this case to completely shift to renewable energy by 2030 — that isn’t headed anywhere near passage soon. But just like the 70 percent marginal rate and the wealth tax, it’s a major shift in the acceptable policy ground Democrats will present and fight over in 2020.

** A message from H&R Block: We’re shaking up the tax prep industry by becoming the only national brand to offer upfront, transparent pricing. We’re always working to innovate on behalf of our clients — to provide the best tax services and quality financial products that meet our clients’ needs, giving them confidence and financial flexibility. Learn more. **

GOOD FRIDAY MORNING — RIP former Rep. John D. Dingell, Jr., one of the greats. Email me at bwhite@politico.com and follow me on Twitter @morningmoneyben. Email Aubree Eliza Weaver at aweaver@politico.com and follow her on Twitter @AubreeEWeaver.

THIS MORNING ON POLITICO PRO FINANCIAL SERVICES — Katy O’Donnell on Sen. Elizabeth Warren’s letter calling on CFPB Director Kathy Kraninger to rescind a proposal that would weaken the payday lending rule. To get Morning Money every day before 6 a.m., please contact Pro Services at (703) 341-4600 orinfo@politicopro.com.

TRUMP TRAPPED ON THE BORDER — Our Eliana Johnson, Burgess Everett, and Gabby Orr: “Inside the White House, the Trump team is increasingly aware that the president is trapped. Facing a Republican Party unwilling to back another government shutdown or a national emergency declaration to build his border wall …

“Trump is in an unfamiliar position, according to multiple White House officials and lawmakers: prepared, potentially, to accept a compromise foisted on him by Congress.”

ABOUT THE EMERGENCY DECLARATION — “Though the White House has worked to prepare an emergency declaration invoking the president’s sweeping executive powers, several West Wing aides have warned that invoking it would alienate some conservatives who have otherwise been loyal to the White House.”

THE BIG IDEA: IS THIS FULL EMPLOYMENT? — JPMorgan’s Jim Glassman: “The participation rate among prime working-age adults today remains well below its pre-recession peak, implying that as many as 800,000 potential workers may return to the job search as the labor market tightens further. If this is the case, the economy could continue adding jobs at its current rate for another year before full employment arrives.” Read more.

SENATE FINANCE WON’T FIX SALT — Our Bernie Becker, Nick Niedzwiadek and Ryan Hutchins: “The Senate Finance Committee won’t be taking another look at the limit on state and local tax deductions enacted in the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, H.R. 1 (115), a spokesperson for Chairman Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa) said …

“Trump had invited the question by telling reporters on Wednesday that he would be open to revisiting the $10,000 cap, saying he had heard the new policy had been ‘severe’ on some taxpayers.

“But there’s little appetite for any changes in the GOP-controlled Senate, since the states most affected by the cap — California, Connecticut, New York and New Jersey, for instance — are deep blue.” Read more.

NEW HIRE FOR DEUTSCHE PROBE — Our Zachary Warmbrodt: “The House Financial Services Committee has recruited Bob Roach, a seasoned investigator of financial industry misdeeds, to help run its probe of Deutsche Bank, a source familiar with the matter said.

“The hire is a major development in the coming investigation into the German lender, which is under scrutiny for its dealings with … Trump and its role in money laundering scandals. Roach previously worked for the Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations under former Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) … Roach’s hiring was first reported by Bloomberg News.” Read more.

WATCHDOG ASKS FOR ROSS PROBE — Our Patrick Temple-West: “A government ethics watchdog is asking the Commerce Department’s inspector general to investigate whether Secretary Wilbur Ross violated disclosure rules concerning his holdings of BankUnited Inc. stock.

“In a letter sent to Commerce Inspector General Peggy Gustafson today, the Campaign Legal Center said Ross apparently violated the law by allegedly claiming in May 2017 to have sold his BankUnited stock. In an Oct. 31, 2018, disclosure report, Ross said he had “a mistaken belief” that an order to sell BankUnited holdings had occurred in 2017. The shares were worth up to $15,000.” Read more.

BB&T-SUNTRUST TO MERGE — Our Victoria Guida: “BB&T and SunTrust on Thursday announced they plan to join forces to become the sixth-largest retail bank in the U.S., in the wake of moves by the Federal Reserve that make it cheaper for regional lenders to grow.

“If regulators and shareholders sign off on the deal, the merger would create a bank with $442 billion in assets — smaller in size than only JPMorgan Chase, Bank of America, Citigroup, Wells Fargo and U.S. Bank. … Congress last year passed legislation that sets $250 billion as the new asset threshold for more stringent regulations.

“But under the Fed’s proposed large bank framework, lenders with between $250 billion and $700 billion in assets would also see their requirements eased slightly, particularly when it comes to the amount of liquid assets they’re required to hold in case of an emergency.” Read more.

SCHULTZ WOULD BOOST TRUMP — Bloomberg’s Joshua Green: “Howard Schultz is unlikely to land in the White House if he makes an independent bid for the presidency, but he would probably pull enough votes away from a Democratic candidate to strengthen … Trump’s prospects for re-election.” Read more.

ECONOMISTS AGREE ANOTHER SHUTDOWN WOULD BE BAD NEWS — WSJ’s Harriet Torry: “Economists say a fresh government shutdown would take a toll on U.S. economic growth as well as business and consumer sentiment, as a deadline to reach a deal over border-wall funding approaches next week.

“Most of the private-sector economic forecasters, 58.9 percent, surveyed in recent days by The Wall Street Journal said another shutdown would have ‘somewhat’ of an impact on economic growth, while 16.1 percent said it would have a significant impact.” Read more.

DATA CENTER SMOKE CAUSES OUTAGE FOR WELLS FARGO CUSTOMERS — AP’s Ken Sweet: “Smoke at one of Wells Fargo’s data centers left some of the bank’s customers without access to online or mobile banking as well as other services Thursday. Wells Fargo said workers discovered the problem following routine maintenance.

“‘We’re working to restore all our services as soon as possible,’ said bank spokeswoman Hilary O’Byrne. The bank apologized to customers for any inconvenience caused by the system issues, and said it would reverse any Wells Fargo fees incurred as a result of the issues.” Read more.

THE END OF THE FINANCIAL CRISIS CHILL ON BIG BANK DEALS — NYT’s Michael de la Merced and Emily Flitter: “Two banks announced the industry’s biggest merger in a decade on Thursday, signaling bank executives’ growing confidence that the regulatory constraints imposed after the 2008 financial crisis have begun to loosen.

“The $28 billion deal between BB&T and SunTrust Banks would create a Southeastern juggernaut that would be the sixth-largest bank in the country — perhaps giving it the heft to compete against national behemoths like Wells Fargo, Bank of America and JPMorgan Chase.” Read more.

Waters is already calling for ‘serious scrutiny’— Bloomberg’s Hannah Levitt: “BB&T Corp.’s planned acquisition of SunTrust Banks Inc. has at least one skeptic: House Financial Services Committee Chairwoman Maxine Waters.

“The deal, creating the sixth-biggest commercial bank in the U.S., raises a lot of questions and should be put under the microscope, Waters said Thursday in an emailed statement. ‘This proposed merger between SunTrust and BB&T is a direct consequence of the deregulatory agenda that Trump and congressional Republicans have advanced,’ the California Democrat said.” Read more.

CONSUMER BORROWING TOPS $4T — AP’s Martin Crutsinger: “Consumer borrowing rose at a slower pace in December, but that still pushed total borrowing to a new record above $4 trillion for the first time. The Federal Reserve said Thursday that borrowing increased by $16.6 billion in December after a $22.4 billion advance in November. The December increase nudged the total up to a record $4.01 trillion. Borrowing had crossed the $3 trillion mark back in June 2013.” Read more.

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