#will lead to them being abused by their employers and he thinks its fine for them to be mistreated and underpaid because ''theyre criminals

[kn11ves]

being in this criminal justice class is fun because i like it but i often times really have to control myself because i fell into this formed friend group because my actual friend in that class is very sweet so she makes friends with everyone and i want to make things smooth i dont want to make things awkward, but its very hard to control my temper when i have to discuss why inmates deserve to be rightfully and fully compensated for the work they do in prison, with white people. the way i had to state "Well we dont want slavery here right"

[kingcanis]

Fuck it, a second Jurassic Park hot take: (movie) John Hammond is not a villain (Book John Hammond is an ass).

The biggest thing I've seen arguing that he's an asshole and JP was all his fault was underpayment Dennis Nedry. We have no evidence in the media itself that Dennis was being underpaid for his work. The amount that he is being paid is never named. We DO get a line from Hammond to Nedry about paying what he owes, but that always gave me more of a "I am paying you a reasonable wage for this job. The fact that you're terrible with money and can't sort your own shit out is not my fault or problem".

Which is a totally fine stance for an employer to have! Dennis complains about his pay not being enough but no one else in the entire movie seems to have an issue with their wages. In the book, once again Nedry is the only one. It seems to me that the takeway should be that "Nedry is a greedy asshole" and not "John Hammond was abusing his working class employees"

(Side note, Nedry is a greedy asshole, and is made out to be an asshole to animals and willing to let people die to make a quick buck. However his depiction on the movie as a slob, the whole falling down on the mud scene that leads to his death, and the general way he's treated in many of the writing decisions are incredibly fatphobic, and deeply not okay)

So let's go over what John Hammond DID do. He showed up to try and be present and available for the birth of each dinosaur (the fact that he didn't know about the hatching in the beginning of the film makes me think that wasn't the first time Wu "forgot" to tell him, but the man tried).

He brought back paleo-flora to go woth his dinosaurs, tried to give them as close to authentic habitats as possible.

He insisted that they'd want to keep the price if admission to the park low so that everyone could attend and see the dinosaurs. It was a vision he wanted to *share* with everyone.

He funded a first of its kind state of the art security system and isolated the park from the mainland so that in case anything catastrophic happened, the danger posed by the park would be contained.

He prioritized getting his grandchildren back once everything went to shit, and did everything in his power to help them get off the island (he's a fuddling grandpa, there's wasn't much he was ever going to be able to do).

All of this to say, that John Hammond is not a saint, but the man meant well and did his best to bring his dream to life, and then to share it with the world.

It's part of what makes me think that John, shows up for every dino birth he knows of, lovingly calls the dinos animals, clearly has this great sense of wonder about the whole thing, Hammond would have *hated* Simon, they're assets not animals, I've never seen this super traumatized death-dino before, what happened to its sibling? I have no idea what Henry Wu has been doing in the lab I put him in, I literally die playing Action Hero because I let the death-dino kill all my guys, Masrani.

Long story short, Hammond is not a villain. He's not perfect, and certainly makes some mistakes (add in some critical redundancy to your systems my dude), but he is just as much a victim as the rest of the cast.

[athenasbloodyspear]

The Viper: Chapter Three

(Sorry I had to repost because I’m a grandma that posted on the wrong blog the first time.)

Bucky Barnes x Female Reader

Find this fic on Ao3.

This fic is 18+ for violence and eventual sexual content. Please read at your own risk.

Master list

When Bucky awakes the next morning, he can feel the chaos outside his door from where he lays in bed. He almost turns over and tries to go back to sleep but then there’s someone pounding on his door.

“Buck. She’s here.”

He’s up in a flash.

He dresses as fast as physically possible and careens out of his room, nearly slamming into Steve’s chest in the process.

“What the fuck happened?” Bucky spits, already taking long strides toward the elevator at the center of the tower. “What floor?”

“Basement.” Steve mutters. Bucky whips his head to look at Steve.

“The fucking dungeon?” He snarls.

“She’s a criminal, Buck. Gut instinct of yours or no.”

He just whips forward again and keeps walking. “Who caught her?”

“No one. She stumbled into the main lobby at around 5:30am and collapsed.” Steve says. Bucky’s heart rate picks up quickly.

“Is she injured?”

“No.”

They both step into the elevator, Bucky punches the basement button and then the button that locks the elevator from stopping on any other floors before it reaches its destination. There’s only a few people in the tower with that privilege and Bucky tries really hard not to abuse it.

Most of the time.

“Has she said anything?”

“No.”

“What do you know?” Bucky snaps.

“Calm down. She’s here. She’s physically fine besides being underfed, dehydrated and likely hasn’t slept in days.” Steve crosses his arms over his chest. “I’m… concerned.”

“About what?”

“Why is she here? Why did she stumble in here on her own two feet. It all seems really fishy to me.” Steve mutters.

“She needs help, Steve.” Bucky growls.

“How do you know that, Buck? How do you know they’re not playing you like a fiddle right now? Sending you an agent you may have had contact with while you were under their control. One they know you might not fully remember, but enough to have a connection.” Steve didn’t sound angry now, he sounded exhausted.

It pissed Bucky off.

He didn’t say anything else as the elevator continued to hurtle into the bowels of the building.

When the doors slid open and they both stepped out of the elevator, Bucky paused to let Steve lead the way. He felt his heart rate pick up.

Steve led him through a few winding halls, nodding at various agents as they passed and finally stopped in front of a door where Nat was waiting.

“Took you long enough.” Nat said with a smirk at Steve before looking at Bucky. “Ready?”

Bucky grunted in response. Nat pushed the door open with her hip and sauntered into a small room that had one way glass looking into a large chamber where you were being held.

Bucky nearly went to his knees.

They had you sealed in a box, not unlike the one he had arrived to the Avengers in so many years ago. Metal braces around your wrists, upper arms, ankles and shins to keep you in place. The nearly indestructible glass, that which he had failed to shatter when Zemo had started to speak the dreaded string of words, was on all four sides of you.

“What the hell is this?” Bucky snapped at Tony, who sat in a chair flicking through some information projected on his side of the glass.

You sat with your eyes downcast, looking at where your hands were shackled. You wore what looked like scrubs and your skin was gleaming and a tiny bit red. Like you’d been shoved through a car wash. Bucky wanted to smash his metal fist through the window.

“Our new little friend!” Tony exclaimed. “I thought you’d be happy. You were so intent on finding her, and look! She found you instead.”

“Why the fuck do you have her in a cage?” Bucky demanded. “She’s not some fucking animal.”

He didn’t know where this was coming from, whether it was his own trauma speaking or the agony of seeing you trapped in glass.

“Whoa the beast bites today.” Tony held his hands up in surrender in front of him.

“Bucky, we have no idea what she’s capable of or why she’s here. We have to be very very careful.” Steve said placatingly behind him. “It’s just out of caution.”

“Yeah, because putting someone in a box went so well for us last time.” Bucky spit.

To their credit, all three of them flinched.

“Have any of you spoken to her?” Bucky asked, deciding that the current cage situation wasn’t going to change immediately.

“She went through some basic brain scans which Bruce is currently comparing, and a basic psych exam in which she answered exactly zero questions.” Tony huffed. “If anyone wants to take a crack at it, be my guest.”

“I’m going in.” Bucky said gruffly, not giving anyone any space to tell him no.

He ripped open the door that led to your cage.

--

He was here.

You were doing really well with being silent, giving away nothing as you read the room, but he was here now and it was twisting up your guts.

He was standing about two feet from the glass in front of you, which was about six feet closer than any of the other agents had dared. He was asking you questions but you tuned them out, you tried your best not to hear his voice at all.

You wished you could cover your ears.

His eyes were so blue it was hard to look at them, so you looked away, back to your hands.

He was so much more now.

It was agony to look at him.

--

Bucky stomped back into the controls room and flopped into a chair near the wall, defeated. He placed his head in his hands.

“Well, at least now I know she doesn’t hate the particular agent that gave her the exam.” Tony quipped.

You hadn’t spoken to him. He felt like he was going mad. There had been such a connection between you two in that club. He had been so sure there was something there, but now you wouldn’t even look him in the eyes. He couldn’t make sense of any of it.

He wanted to hear you speak again. He hoped that your voice would rattle his memories loose.

He just had to remember.

Or at least he thought so.

“Let me talk to her.” Nat said softly then. “Turn the mics off, I want her to know she’s only talking to me.”

“Nat, are you about to double agent me?” Tony muttered.

“Tony!” Steve snapped, even going as far as smacking the back of Tony’s head.

“Hands off! Captain My-Friends-Are-Made-Of-Glass!” Tony snapped.

“No. I just… let me talk to her.” Nat rolled her eyes at Tony before snapping the switch that turned off all the mics and speakers and strolled into the room.

--

You felt uneasy with the Black Widow’s eyes on you. You trusted her, for some odd reason, but that didn’t mean she didn’t make you wary.

You could tell from the lack of a faint buzz in the room that she had turned the mics and speakers off.

Interesting.

“Hello.” She said simply.

You stayed silent.

“Listen, I’m not gonna play games with you. You know them all already.” She gave you a soft smile then. You felt your heart flutter a bit. “I just want to know why you’re here. Or even what we can do to get you to talk. We’re very…” She bites her lip. “Curious. About you.”

You continued to stay silent. You really didn’t know where to start. What would make them believe you?

“Nothing? There’s got to be a reason you’re here. I know there’s a hit on you, and I know that maybe you just wanted to stop running for a while but if you just talk to us then you don’t have to stay in a glass box.” You snarl. You weren’t here because you needed to run. She sighs then. “I don’t know your whole story, but I know some, I saw some myself. I want to help you. You’re not in the Red Room now, or in a bunker for Hydra. Just talk to me.”

You look at your hands. She stays silent and stares at you. Neither of you move for several minutes.

“I thought you said no games.” You croak out. “Seems like we’re playing the silent game right now.”

The Black Widow laughs softly then. “She speaks! What else does she say?”

“I… “ You start, but you’re cut off when the door swings open.

“Sorry to interrupt the girl party.” This was from Tony Stark. “But Nat, we’ve gotta go. Immediately.”

“Why?” Nat snaps, glancing back at you. You could tell she was fuming. You smiled a little to yourself. She was enjoying being the only one to get you to talk. You were enjoying entertaining the idea of actually speaking to her.

“Actually, it’s because of her former employer.” Stark tosses in your direction, your spine snaps straight. “We’ve caught intel that they executed a series of kidnappings and we need to go find out more about what's going on.”

You felt ice in your veins.

It was too late.

--  

As they all take long strides down the hall, Tony practically dragging Nat by her arm, everyone was shooting questions at each other.

“What did she say to you?” Bucky asked Nat.

“What the hell are you doing Tony? She might know something!” Nat snaps at Tony.

“Don’t you think that’s the plan here? Distract us with a little bait while they start unfolding whatever disgusting plans they have out there in the world.” Tony snaps back.

“Where are we going first?” Steve asks Tony. “Should we drop directly into Kyiv or Sarajevo?”

“What the fuck is going on?” Nat snaps, digging her heels in. “Tell me the plan right now and stop dragging me around.”

Tony heaves an overly dramatic sigh and Bucky has to fight his instincts to punch the man. You had said something and he didn’t know what it was. He needed to know.

“Hydra seems to be kidnapping people across Europe. It’s unclear who these people are or why they’re taking them, but we need to go. We just got a tip that they might be executing a raid in Kyiv right now so I’d say lets go there first. We can check for evidence at the scene in Sarajevo after.” Tony snaps, looking at Nat. “Happy now? Let’s go.”

He punches the button for the elevator doors to open and the whole group piles in. The elevator doesn’t even need to ask, it simply hurtles upward toward the quinjet hangar on the roof.

“What did she say to you, Nat?” Bucky asks again.

“Nothing.” Nat snaps. “Nothing that meant anything.”

“Everything means something.” Bucky growls back.

“Mr. Stark.” Friday’s interrupts. “There’s been a breach in the basement. The prisoner is no longer contained.”

“SON OF A BITCH!” Tony yells. “Take us down.”

Bucky’s stomach flips as the elevator abruptly shifts from hurtling upward to downward.

“This is exactly what they wanted.” Tony snarls. “I can’t fucking believe we fell for it and now one of their top agents is roaming free in my fucking tower!”

No one speaks. What is there to say?

Bucky shifts on his feet. He’s in disbelief. Could his instincts have been that wrong?

When the doors to the elevator open again in the basement, there’s limp bodies littered everywhere. Steve and Nat immediately begin crouching and checking for pulses.

“They’re all alive.” Steve murmurs. “Just unconscious.”

Bucky’s heart swells.

“Look for her.” Tony says.

“No need.” Friday calls from the ceiling. “She’s no longer in the building. I lost track of her after about 10 blocks. She was headed south, Sir.”

Steve and Nat continue to move around, checking on agents and gently shifting their bodies to rest in more comfortable positions and helping people up as they gradually regain consciousness.

“Fuck.” Tony whispers, sitting down in a chair in the hall and putting his head in his hands.

“Tony!” Nat calls from the end of the hall. “Come here.”

Bucky follows on Tony’s heels as they round the corner. There, written in sharpie on the wall behind an agent's desk in a sloppy scrawl were the words.

I’m sorry. But I was too late.

“What the fuck does that mean?” Tony splutters. “Too late to what? Keep us completely distracted while they abducted people?”

“I don’t get it…” Nat mutters. “Who’s side is she on?”

“What did she say to you?” Bucky repeats his question again.

Nat spins and looks at him.

“She made fun of me for playing the silent game. She was about to say something else but she hesitated. Then Iron Boy came pounding in and ruined everything” Nat snaps turning her heated gaze at Tony. “Even though you definitely could have just gone without me to Kyiv or wherever and now we’ll never know what she was going to say.”

Bucky lets his weight sink into the chair behind him, his head spinning. What does this all mean? He still felt certain this wasn’t a trap, that she was acting alone, but why? Why was she here and why wouldn’t she speak to him? None of it made sense.

“To be fair, I always knew she was only staying in there because she wanted to be there.” Nat continued.

“What did you say to her?” Bucky asks again. He needs more information to try to fit this puzzle together in his head.

“Nothing really.” Nat sighs. “Just that we would help her. That she wasn’t with Hydra anymore and I wasn’t playing games.”

Bucky sighs too. They weren’t playing games, but were you?

--

You’re hurtling through the streets as fast as your feet will take you.

You don’t have a plan, just an instinct.

You have to get there.

As fast as you can.

You don’t know how, but you’re going to get there.

So you run.

And run.

And run.

Taglist:

@maxsaturdayhatesnarwhals

@daddysfavoritesexkitten

[rinrinp42]

The Red Planet

For the first day of @jangobiweek, Enemies to Lovers (though it more ended up pre-relationship). It did end up longer than I expected, also there’s violence

Jango wanted to rub his temples, but he trusted Priest about as far as a Hutt could throw.  At least outside of being on contract together. He had only tracked the di’kut down because he was a good soldier.  Same with Reau.  Ward was better but also could just fade into the background to the point that it’d be hard to pinpoint what jobs he’d been on.

But then, the four of them being on this planet was Priest’s fault so honestly, it might not have been worth it.   The damn di’kut demanded they go to Ord Radama before heading to Kamino and then the solar storm hit and scrambled the nav.  And now they had crashed on this planet.

This… weird, maybe abandoned planet?  There were old building overtaken by plants and a few other old crashed ships.  Jango wasn’t even sure they were in the same system anymore.

“Hello there!” a voice cut through the cold air.

All four Mandalorians whirled to face the voice.

It was a Jetii, fresh from their kriffing temple.  His red hair was that growing out from a buzz that indicated he was recently a Padawan.

“Jetii,” Priest growled.

“I am Obi-Wan Kenobi. It would seem we all were caught in that solar storm,” the Jetti grinned at them.

Jango glowered beneath his buy’ce before taking a fortifying breath.  He was starting the process to get his revenge.

“So, it would seem,” Jango spoke.

The Jetii was silent for a moment.

“Well then, I will let you be,” he spoke then and then turned away.

Reau made a sound of disgust that Jango felt in his soul. Jetii arrogance.

They found a ship that might just have a part that could be jury-rigged to get them off the planet, but it had taken them hours.  And there was something about this abandoned planet that was making Jango’s skin crawl under his kute.  He and Priest had gone in the old ship to search the parts while Reau and Ward stayed outside to keep an eye out.

Just because they hadn’t seen anyone since the Jetii left didn’t mean that there was no one else there. Especially as they kept hearing things moving just out of sight.  Even if it was weird that they couldn’t pick up anyone on the scanners.

“I don’t think this’ll work,” Priest finally sighed, “the parts you said we’d need to connect it are missing.  Maybe if one of the other ships had something similar but…”

He was right, damnit. That was the problem with having an experimental ship, the parts were sometimes so specific that he had limited options to repair it or he needed more parts than otherwise to make it work.

“There’s the buildings we haven’t gotten to,” Jango pointed out, “we should probably look there for extra parts.  I think I say a port when we were crashing.”

No need to explain why he hadn’t aimed for the port in the first place.  Priest had also seen the plant life that had creeped violently through the buildings.  The tundra like area they ended up in was better in the lack of hidden dangers for the ground.

When they exited it was to Reau scanning the horizon.  She was carefully moved her gaze from ship to ship as if she would miss something miniscule if she went to fast.

“Reau?” Jango prompted, his own hand coming up to flick on his scanners.

“Ward’s gone,” she spoke quietly, “we were circling to keep an eye on everything and he didn’t meet back up with me.  At first I thought he had seen something and slipped off to investigate but he hasn’t shown back up.”

That… that was unsettling. Ward wasn’t someone Jango was particularly close to but he knew the other man well enough that he wouldn’t expect Ward to not check in.  And Slave I was unusual enough that there was no chance of Ward finding the right piece to get off.  Especially given that Jango had a secondary part that needed to be plugged in to leave given he didn’t actually trust any of them.

“Which side was he on?” he asked, mind already racing.

Reau nodded towards the buildings, “that side.”

Well, guess they were checking out the port then.

They were about halfway there when the Jetii showed up again.  This time he was disheveled, thrown off by something.  He paused when he spotted them, eyes raking over them.

He swore violently when he saw Ward was missing.  The type of swearing that even without knowing the Jetii Jango could tell was out of place coming from him.

“How long has your friend been gone?  Did you see him get taken?”

“What’s it to you-” Jango could hear the sneer in Priest’s voice and rolled his eyes.

Was Jango the only one that didn’t let his hatred of Jetiise cloud his mind?  Obviously, he had run into something.

“Reau, tell him,” he ordered.

She stiffened and threw a glare through her buy’ce at him but answered.

The Jetii ran a hand threw his hair.

“Listen, this planet,” he spoke, eyes scanning the area around them restlessly, “it’s filled with some sort of, I don’t know, twisted organisms?  They don’t act like normal for their species and they…”

His eyes met Jango’s through the visor.

“We weren’t the only ones to crash here due to that storm.  They consumed the others.  Turned them to be like them.  At least those that they didn’t eat.”

Jango felt a chill go down his spine.  He didn’t know why he trusted the Jetii, but he did.  It was insane, but…

“We can’t leave,” he said, “our ship broke when we were landing.”

The Jetii nodded, “mine as well.  Maybe we can cannibalize my ship for your’s?  Work together to get off of this planet?  We can part ways after that.”

Jango hesitated.  He didn’t want to work with the Jetii, even if he believed what he said.  Yet the Jetiise had new ships than what they had been seeing.

“Fine.  Lead the way.”

“So, why’s a Jetii all the way out in the Esstran System?” Reau asked, “isn’t it a bit close to the Sith Worlds for your lot?”

Of course she couldn’t help but to poke at the Jetii.  Jango really shouldn’t have expected better of her.

“It was the Sith Worlds that I came out here for,” the Jetii said, “I was trying to find information on a Sith.”

Great.  A Jetii scholar.  Probably didn’t do battle often then.

“The last mission I went on with my Master we were attacked by a Sith as we were protecting the Naboo Queen.  Given that the Sith have been gone for centuries, it raised questions.”

Priest paused at that, and Jango almost joined him.

“You mean there are dar’jetiise in the Galaxy again?” Priest demanded.

Jango wanted to know as well, a sliver of unease digging into his mind, replaying every meeting he had had with his employer.

He might despise the Jetiise for the hand they had in the destruction of the Haat Mando’ade, but the dar’jetiise had used Mando’ade, had made their culture into a puppet to be directed by them, had pushed them into much that, in retrospect, had weakened them.  Historically allies meant, in truth, used and abused by the dar’jetiise.

And Jango had a feeling he had walked into yet another trap set by them blinded as he was with a lust for vengeance.  And, a voice not unlike Jaster’s whispered in the back of his mind, look what it has already led you to do.  Who you choose to work with.

The Jet- Kenobi turned back, mouth opening to reply.

It was cut off as something tackled Priest down, clawing at his beskar’gam.

It had once been human, that much Jango could tell.  But now? Now it was emancipated beyond anything he had seen, skin tight to its bones except where he could see vines writhing underneath.

Reau screamed in rage, bringing her blasters to arm and started to shoot.

Kenobi grabbed both Jango and Reau and yanked them back.

“They travel in packs; we need to move.”

Reau kept shooting as Kenobi tried to pull them along, eyes darting around, tense.  Sure enough, others joined the being in tearing Priest open like he was a lobster.

Jango pulled his arm out of Kenobi’s grip and tossed Reau over his shoulder, carrying her as she kept shooting.

“Get us to your ship Kenobi!” Jango ordered.

Honestly, kriff this entire planet.  If he could he would destroy it just to make sure no one else had to deal with this.

Kenobi gave one sharp nod and moved forward.  It took a while for Reau to stop firing and then she just snarled at him to put her down and was silent.

The Jedi Starfighter Kenobi had was a Delta-6 Sprite, luckily.  Jango had retrofitted parts of one for Slave I before.

They quickly stripped the parts they needed out.

“Can you use your Jetii powers to carry that?” Jango asked, mind racing for how to get them back to Slave I.

“Yes, but I won’t be much use in a fight if I do so.”

“That’s fine.  You stay in the middle.  I’ll take point, Reau’ll bring up the rear.  We need to get back to my ship quickly and get off.  I don’t like our chances with those things the longer we linger.”

They both nodded.

They encountered two more packs on their way back.  One they were able to avoid, seeing them a while off and diverting around some of the crashed ships.  They were tense the whole time, Kenobi keeping the parts as close to himself as possible, and they moved slowly.  But the pack wandered off, searching for meat elsewhere.

They weren’t able to avoid the second pack though.  That one spotted them between clumps of ships.  It also had a transformed Ward.  But it seemed as though Ward had taken down much of the pack before they got him, as it was only numbering 3.

Jango was able to shoot down one of them, a Zeltron in the tattered remains of black robes before they got close enough that he had to bark at Reau to join him in taking them on.

The things moved fast enough that they couldn’t get either down before they were too close for blaster fire.  Not with allies there as well and Ward still in beskar’gam, though missing one [pauldron]

Jango was able to push Ward back some with his flamethrower, the flames pulling an inhuman screech from Ward.  He kept trying to put himself between Ward and Kenobi, hoping to hold off long enough for Reau to finish off the other one and help him take down the now-inhuman Ward.

Reau, on the other hand, pulled out a kad to keep the other one back.  That one, a blond humanoid, didn’t seem bothered by the various cuts Reau landed on them.

Reau was able to end it though, when she impaled the thing and it pushed her down.  It sank down on top of her, her kad going through it more and more.  It tore at her as she struggled to keep it away.  Its hands catching on and ripping her kute before she pulled one of her blasters out.  She pressed it to the thing’s head and pulled.  It toppled over, still.

At the same time, Kenobi twisted around Jango and with a hum, his blue jetii’kad cut through Ward at the neck.

Kenobi immediately deactivated his jetii’kad as Ward fell over as well.

Jango wasn’t sure how he felt about a jetii’kad killing another Mando’ad, but.

But Kenobi had just saved his life.

“We need to move,” was the only thing he could think to say.

It was lucky.  They were close to Slave I.

They hurried there. Jango and Kenobi worked quickly and efficiently to install the parts, patching what they could.

Jango handed Kenobi the piece he had taken from the cockpit and told him to start up the ship as he grabbed Reau.

He found her outside, stripping her beskar’gam off.

“What are you doing?” he demanded.

“My kute was ripped,” she said, “that thing bled on me.  I won’t risk exposing the rest of the galaxy to whatever is on this planet.”

She hesitated then, looking at him.  It was a look filled with too much that he didn’t want to acknowledge.

“You would have been a great Mand’alor,” she told him, “make sure my family knows I fought bravely. Give them back my beskar’gam.”

Her lips quirked then, “maybe apologize that I couldn’t send back my blasters and kad.  I want to take as many of these [fuckers] out as I can once you two are gone.”

“’lek.”

It was all he could offer her.

He closed the hatch then.

“It’s just you and me,” he told Kenobi as he joined the Jetii in the cockpit, “Reau is staying. She thinks she’s infected.”

“Nu kyr'adyc, shi taab'echaaj'la,” Kenobi murmured.

Jango closed his eyes and the ship took off.

It was going to take a while to figure out where to go once they were free of this planet and Jango had some decisions to make about what to tell this Jetii.

Because he was going to tell him.  He refused to be a pawn to the dar’jetii and Kenobi…

Obi-Wan Kenobi cared.

[dabistits]

To talk about Twice and villainy is to talk about class and criminality (I)

(Masterlist)

In contrast to the fantastical world that surrounds him, Bubaigawara Jin’s backstory, revealed in chapter 229, is completely unexceptional. Jin’s backstory is about class. Throughout this series, a sci fi fantasy where almost all the cast have superpowers, we are introduced to characters who’ve struggled with their Quirks, whether having one or not having one, whether having one that’s powerful or weak, whether they have Quirks that are stigmatized or not. Most of the series handles its sci fi prejudice in this way, by substituting real life characteristics like ethnicity (hero Ryukyu is of Ryukyuan ethnicity and from the colonized Ryukyu islands [source]), gender-based discrimination (including misogyny and transphobia), ability (Aoyama, Dabi, and other characters to a lesser degree have physical difficulties using their Quirks), and stigmatized physical traits (as several mutant characters mention being discriminated against) with Quirk conflicts. Ryukyu’s ethnicity, Rock Lock’s race, Magne’s transness, all the misogyny, and the real life disabilities of many characters who are missing limbs are given minimal or no attention, as these conflicts are replaced with Quirks-as-metaphor.

In this fantastical world, where we’ve supposedly left behind our prejudices about race and ethnicity, gender, disability, and so forth, and replaced them with prejudices about Quirks and Quirk compatibility, Horikoshi made the decision to make Jin’s backstory about class as we understand and live under it today. His backstory stands out as one that is utterly banal. Although Jin’s Quirk comes in later, it’s hardly the driving force of his struggle, because what he’s faced with is simply the unfeeling machinery of capitalism and the state apparatus. There’s no involvement from Quirks or Quirk society here; the world that starts Jin on his downward spiral is one that’s inextricable from our own, one that any of us (some more than others) are vulnerable to. That is to say, he didn’t become a criminal because he had an awesome Quirk that made him egotistical (or whatever people think criminals are motivated by), he became a criminal because his circumstances left him with few other ways to seek fulfillment, and possibly to survive. His Quirk was only a balm to the harm already inflicted on him by the economic realities of futuristic (and simultaneously contemporary) Japan.

A quick recap of Jin’s backstory from chapter 229: His parents, due to a villain attack, died when he was in an unspecified year in middle school (it seems ironic, and another example of BNHA’s cyclical events, that Jin himself eventually dies at the hands of a hero). At 16 years old, Jin was already working. He got into a traffic accident, although he was obeying the speed limit, and broke someone’s arm. His case was prosecuted and likely resulted in a record, but the officer in charge suggested that he may be able to “bounce back”; however, the person injured in the accident turned out to be one of his workplace’s clients, and the clients’ outrage resulted in his termination from his job. Eventually, isolated and lonely, Jin used his Quirk to become a villain, and it’s implied in the depicted panels that he mainly stole. An indeterminate amount of time after becoming a villain, Jin’s clones turned on one another, resulting in a bloodbath that traumatized Jin and resulted in split personalities. After this incident, he turned to Giran for help, who in turn introduced him to the League of Villains.

Systemic barriers

So why couldn’t Jin bounce back, as suggested by the officer? The reasons are many and diverse, not all of them stated in-text. I believe Jin’s specific circumstances merit some evidence from real-world Japan today, since there’s no statement nor implication that these things have changed in these respects, and because this is the frame of reference that Horikoshi and many of his readers are working with. In order to tap into the spirit of the work, it requires an examination of the circumstances and conditions under which the writers are creating, a recognition and acknowledgment of the social issues that may have shaped and influenced their outlooks. Thus, I think it’s important to contextualize Jin’s past not simply as a self-contained example of inequality in BNHA, but as a narrative that ties into the societal concerns of real-world Japan.

The alternative care system.

This describes the system of institutions and fostering that cares for children who are unable to live with their parents (whether it be due to circumstances like neglect and abuse, or because of the parents’ deaths). In 2014, nearly 90% of children in alternative care lived in residential facilities as opposed to with foster parents (which has its own issues); these rates are much higher than in other industrialized countries, which mostly rely on the foster care system. Residents of the residential facilities report strict rules, child abuse, and bullying. [source] Usually people age out at 18, or even earlier at 15 if they choose not to attend high school. Requests to extend alternative care until an individual reaches 20 are usually denied. [source]

The economic outlook for individuals aging out of alternative care is not optimistic. “Once individuals lose their access to staying in an institution, combined with low wages for menial entry-level jobs, many young people cannot stay on the same job that the institution helps them find when they leave institutional care. If they leave that first job, they struggle to find another[...] Those who start working straight after graduating from junior high school and are forced to leave their institutional care facility may be at a particularly high risk of becoming homeless.” [source]

What does this mean for Jin? Since his parents died when he was in middle school, it could have taken place any time between the ages of 12 to 15. Jin was already working at 16 years old, which according to our information means he dropped out of school and no longer has government-provided accommodations. Depending on when during that middle school time window his parents died, he could have possibly not even entered into the alternative care system at all, entailing that he started to work right after their passing. Either way, Jin most likely quit school and started to work to support himself at 15 years old, forgoing high school and college, taking responsibility for his own shelter, food, bills, clothing, and so on. At an age when the UA kids are just beginning the best times of their lives, making friends, staying in the school’s dormitories, Jin was literally trying to survive on his own.

Criminality. 

This is a bit harder to pin down, and there aren’t many English-language sources regarding criminal justice studies, and very little that thoroughly breaks down the process. For details that we might want to know about, such as arrests and convictions according to race, ethnicity, class, mental illness, etc., those are even more lacking (possibly also in part due to Japan’s low crime rate). I’ll do my best to sum up what I do have, and maybe someone can correct me on this. Anyways, starting from the basics:

The motorcycle accident that Jin was involved in, which injured another party, is a prosecutable crime punishable by up to seven years in prison or a fine of up to one million yen. [source] Just to cover all my bases, yes, at the time of the accident, Jin was indeed a minor under Japanese law (although within an age bracket where he theoretically could be assessed and/or tried as an adult), [source] [source] but we’re not sure if/to what degree that was taken into consideration. Either way, the outcome is that Jin likely ends up with a record, according to the officer (or possibly prosecutor) who’s speaking to him. From what I can make out, getting a record from a traffic accident with injury means he was charged and probably went through summary proceedings in the lowest court, [source] though I’m unsure how this whole process would work if his status as a juvenile was taken into account.

There are a few things to point out here:

Arrest and detention (which I’m assuming is the lead-up to that conversation with the officer) are notoriously lengthy and pretty rough. [source]

Prosecutors have significant discretion in what gets pushed through to see charges and what gets dropped. This is one of the reasons, possibly the main reason, for Japan’s 99% conviction rate—prosecutors usually only press charges in cases that can bring about conviction. They can even take into consideration someone’s age, character, circumstances, etc. when deciding whether to prosecute or not. [source]

During this process, when someone is hurt in an accident, there’s a pretty big deal made of apologizing and offering compensation to the harmed party. These actions are viewed favorably when it comes to case review and sentencing, while arguing over fault and general disagreeableness hurts the case. [source] [source]

(PS: The line “you’re to blame as well” makes sense in the Japanese legal system as a facet of comparative negligence.)

(PPS: Given the ongoing debates over juvenile justice—the likes of which inspired Battle Royale—I wonder if the rather harsh results of Jin’s first encounter with law enforcement are also meant to be read more deeply?) [source; cw for child murder in link]

At this point, we have the question of whether or not Jin’s possible record impacted his inability to “bounce back.” This was also pretty difficult to find information about, and the answer is... maybe. While criminal records are held by the police, and prospective employers cannot access them, this is usually sidestepped by asking applicants to provide information about their own criminal records on a CV template (whether or not people do, or can even legally lie about this, and whether or not they can choose not to answer without impacting their chances of getting hired is not information I was able to find). [source] A certain stigma towards convicted criminals does exist, despite the criminal justice system’s prioritization of reintegration over punishment, [source] though as for further information about whether a record impacts someone’s employability and quality of life doesn’t seem to have been studied. Real world Japan’s declining recidivism rate, though not declining as fast as first-time offenses, seems at least to suggest that even individuals with a record can successfully reintegrate into society, [source] hence the officer’s suggestion that Jin can “bounce back” is not totally bizarre, although it proves short-sighted.

These details illustrate the odds of what Jin is up against. They raise the question of why prosecution didn’t go differently, and they highlight the vulnerability of a parentless child up against the legal system. Jin, again, a 16-year-old (who also doesn’t appear to have legal counsel in the depicted panels), obviously argues his responsibility in the accident; furthermore, he’s unlikely to be able to fulfill the social graces required of a lenient case review. As a teenager who’s already working to support himself, without any family to lend a hand, he likely wouldn’t have been able to muster up the finances for compensation, medical expenses, property damage, etc. at a moment’s notice, and even in installments the payment probably would’ve been a strain. For example, the possible fine of one million yen is half the annual income of Japanese households which fell below the de-facto poverty line in 2008. [source] It seems plausible that his inability to see through the proper courtesies resulted in an unfavorable assessment, and a prosecution carried through to the end. We don’t know for sure how he was sentenced—judging by his return to work, it���s likely he didn’t do jail time—but even assuming a lenient sentence, this accident quickly catches up to him. With no one to fall back on, and no one to cut him some slack, a stumble quickly becomes a fall.

Employer-employee relations.

The relationship between an employer and employee is one rooted in a power dynamic, where one side controls the time, the wages, and often the health of the other. A job and its benefits are usually the deciding factors of someone’s quality of life, so employees will work overtime, work while ill, and suffer any number of abuses to keep their jobs. Overwork, and the resulting health problems from overwork are enough of a crisis in Japan they’ve been named karoshi—death from overwork. The effects range from general, stress-caused health problems, to heart failure and suicide; what gives rise to these conditions are a complex mix of work culture, company culture, and common hiring practices. Essentially, workers are encouraged to present a loyal face to their company, and because of the structure of the job market, changing jobs isn’t easy. [source] [source] These facets of work culture also contribute to power harassment, an issue that has received growing visibility in the past decade. In 2019, 37.5% of surveyed workers reported suffering power harassment, often from bosses, including receiving excessive demands, degrading treatment, invasions of privacy, and sometimes physical abuse. [source] [source] 

This drastically imbalanced relationship only receives a few panels in Jin’s backstory, but that’s all it takes to make the power dynamic clear. Within three panels, Jin’s boss assaults him, berates him, and takes away what he knows is the only source of income for a working-class 16-year-old with no family. An accident that happened is equated to an act of disloyalty because the wrong person was injured, which reflected poorly on the company Jin was working for; however, a double-standard exists. While Jin’s loyalty to the company is expected, there’s no reciprocal expectation for the company to care for the wellbeing of its own workers, instead prioritizing its image and its bottom-line. Employees can be fired at their boss’s whim, leaving the terminated party without an income nor benefits, looking at breaking into a job market that is intolerant of repeat job-seekers—even more so if the individual is someone without a lengthy employment history and without a higher education. This short interaction highlights the precarity of financial stability, where a termination from one job on one man’s authority can leave someone—even a kid—without any way of coming back and achieving a steady living.

[96thdayofrage]

The Affordable Care Act requires traditional health insurance plans to provide “minimal essential coverage,” which includes preventive care, mental health care, substance abuse, maternity and more. The less-conventional plans are exempted from those requirements. Some of the plans are offered by name-brand companies like UnitedHealthcare, but critics say they’re typically big moneymakers for the companies that can leave patients with unexpected medical bills. The plans’ limitations often are not explained in the advertisements or in brokers’ high-pressure sales presentations. Hundreds of complaints about the plans show up on consumer sites like the Better Business Bureau or Yelp.

“The marketing is extremely deceptive,” said Sabrina Corlette, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms. “Both the advertising and the brokers use terms that to the average consumer would make them think they are buying a comprehensive insurance plan that provides coverage if they get injured or sick. But quite often nothing could be further from the truth.”

The misleading marketing may be ensnaring more consumers now, as an estimated 14 million Americans have lost employer-sponsored health benefits due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Google and companies involved in the marketing generally defended the term “Trumpcare,” saying it’s legitimate to use to describe the president’s general philosophy about health care or his 2017 executive order that allowed short-term insurance plans to cover a time period of up to 12 months rather than three months. Facebook said the word “Trumpcare” on its own didn’t violate its rules. However, Facebook and Google both initially accepted “Trumpcare” ads that, after they were flagged by ProPublica, the companies later said did violate their rules.

A ProPublica reporter responded to one of the “Trumpcare” ads and took calls from five insurance brokers. The brokers seemed to have no idea what type of ad had led to the call. They were focused on closing the deal. One said, wrongly, that “Trumpcare” was just a new name for “Obamacare.” The other four acknowledged that there’s no such thing as “Trumpcare.”

“It’s fake news,” said one.

“Trumpcare” “is not even in existence yet,” said another.

“They’re starting to change over from ‘Obamacare’ to ‘Trumpcare,’ but it hasn’t switched over yet,” a third broker said.

Traditional health care plans sold under the Affordable Care Act must comply with a host of regulations, including not discriminating against people with preexisting conditions. But the plans are expensive, and some consumers may not qualify for the income-based subsidies that reduce the cost. For example, a 40-year-old single person who makes more than $50,000 would likely not qualify for a subsidy to help pay for an individual health care plan, according to the Kaiser Family Foundation Health Insurance Marketplace Calculator.

The less conventional plans — called short-term, fixed indemnity, accident-only or specified disease plans — offered by the brokers are less expensive. Some provide benefits for a short term or give a fixed payment to cover a portion of a doctor or hospital bill. Others pay out only if the beneficiary had some type of accident. A purchaser would need to read the fine print to know what they did or did not cover.

ProPublica contacted the Federal Trade Commission and insurance regulators in all 50 states and found hit-and-miss enforcement of misleading ads and sales tactics. Some states, like Delaware and Virginia, have meted out discipline for using misleading tactics to sell the limited plans. But many have not. Most who spoke to ProPublica said they have no jurisdiction over the online “lead generation” advertisers. The regulators say it’s like playing “whack-a-mole,” as those caught using abusive marketing tactics can simply incorporate under a new name and resume the same behavior.

Online “Lead Generators” Lure in Consumers

Identifying deceptive tactics related to health care plans is as easy as going online and looking.

Southern California marketer Stuart Millar said he’s placed “Trumpcare” advertisements to join in “the gold rush of online entrepreneurship.”

Millar has spent at least $350,000 on 12,500 “Trumpcare” ads from four Facebook pages with “Trumpcare”-themed names since last October. “Thanks to our President,” one of them said, “U.S. health insurance companies have had to drastically drop their rates.” (ProPublica can see how much Millar spent because he had proactively marked his ads as political, triggering Facebook to disclose this information.)

Millar isn’t an insurance broker — one of the people who sell insurance and are regulated by the states. He’s a “traffic broker,” a marketer in charge of running ads to drive visitors to his clients’ websites. There’s little regulation of his activities. His ads have focused so much on the term “Trumpcare,” he said, because it’s clickbait. He called it far more attention-getting than the “left-wing one,” his term for “Obamacare.”

“I’ve got to find a fun way to make health care interesting,” Millar said. “‘Trumpcare’ is interesting but health care in general isn’t.”

Stuart Millar’s ads. (via Facebook)

“Traffic brokers,” like any Facebook advertiser, can select the specific demographics of the Facebook users who will see their ads.

Millar declined to get into details about how he targeted his ads, but said he mostly relied on Facebook’s algorithm to find him the people who’d click. He said he tested thousands of iterations of the ad to make sure it found an audience. “What I went with was what converted,” Millar said, a reference to people responding to the ads.

Some “Trumpcare” ads — not apparently linked to Millar — have been targeted at people Facebook labels as “interested in Donald Trump,” according to targeting data provided by Facebook to users along with ads that are shared with the Ad Observer project.

Millar says he didn’t come up with the idea of using “Trumpcare.” That came from his clients, whom he wouldn’t name. Many of Millar’s ads led to a page featuring a red, white and blue “Trumpcare” logo on HealthPlansAmerica.org, which is owned by a company called Apollo Interactive. (The company is not a nonprofit, but anyone can buy a .org website address.)

Apollo Interactive isn’t an insurance broker either. It’s what’s called a lead broker, yet another cog in the lightly regulated machinery of insurance “lead generation” marketing. That means it gathers profiles of people who are looking for health insurance. Those who input their information on these sites become “leads.” And then they’re put up for auction.

Officials from Apollo Interactive wouldn’t say how the company sells leads. But Colin Sholes, an activist and former online health insurance marketer, said lead generators extract an anonymized sample of each person’s data: ZIP code, age, gender. This profile, without any contact information, gets shared with potential buyers, who bid for it in an instant, automated auction. The winning bidder or bidders get the person’s name and their contact information.

Leads are often sold as “shared leads” — meaning they’re sold to more than one buyer at the same time. Some of the buyers are insurance brokers. Some are other lead brokers who bid so they can resell data that originated elsewhere. “It’s a big web and everybody’s interconnected,” Sholes said. “A lot of data just floats around.”

So how much is each “lead” worth? Sholes estimated that a lead for a person under 55 would cost as much as $20.

The lead might be even more valuable if it was sold as what the industry calls a “warm lead,” he explained. Some companies exist just to buy leads, then have a call center agent call and, if a human picks up, the agent “warms you up,” Sholes said. That means they check to make sure the consumer is interested in buying insurance. At that point the company sells the call to an insurance broker as a “warm” transfer. “A connected call,” he said, might sell for up to $80.

Millar confirmed he got paid by the lead, but he refused to say how much. He did say that he made a profit on what he paid Facebook to run the ads. He was not aware of what happens to consumers who click on his ads, then purchase the health plans. “I didn’t ever call in myself. I am not exactly sure how any of that works.”

Facebook and Google Profit From the Misinformation

This fall, someone Googling for affordable health insurance might have come across an ad that said: “Healthcare changes are coming. Check out the new pricing tiers under the American Health Care Act.”

The American Health Care Act — the bill most commonly called “Trumpcare” — failed to pass the Senate in 2017 when the terminally ill Sen. John McCain dramatically walked across the chamber’s floor and gave a thumbs down, leading to the bill’s defeat. So there were no new “pricing tiers” on offer, as the ad claimed, in 2020.

Those ads led to Apollo’s HealthPlansAmerica.org site. Apollo Interactive attorney Chris Deatherage said in a written statement that the Google ads “appear to be old ads” from when AHCA “was actively being discussed in the legislature.”

Deatherage said “Trumpcare” is an “abstract” term used to “tie together” various pieces of intended or existing legislation and policies and that Apollo’s “Trumpcare” website said the term refers to Trump’s “collective policy updates.” He compared it to “Obamacare” — which specifically refers to the Affordable Care Act — and proposals for “Medicare for All,” which are not law. He added that Apollo Interactive’s website lets visitors connect with brokers who can explain the term.

Google’s rules say it does not allow ads that “deceive users by excluding relevant product information or providing misleading information.” Facebook says it bans ads with “deceptive, false, or misleading claims.” But both accepted the “Trumpcare” promotions. Google even gave the misinformation prime real estate, with the ads as the top-listed results when people search for affordable health insurance.

Christa Muldoon, a spokeswoman for Google said, “Health care ads cannot make misleading claims about the advertiser’s identity or the services they offer.” She said Google removed the ads referencing AHCA under that policy after ProPublica contacted Google about them. She wouldn’t explain why the company apparently let the ads run for years, despite violating Google’s rules.

Until last year, Google also sold ads that lured in consumers with the phrase Healthcare.gov — the federal government site where you can purchase plans that comply with the Affordable Care Act — even though they were for private, lead-generation websites.

It’s not clear how much Google earned from selling “Trumpcare” ads. Unlike Facebook, Google doesn’t consider ads about “Trumpcare” political, so it doesn’t publish any data about them. Muldoon would not say how much Google made from the ads.

But, she said, citing Trump’s executive orders on health care, “We do not consider the phrase ‘Trumpcare’ alone to be misleading,” so it’s allowed in Google ads.

A report a year ago from Sen. Bob Casey, a Pennsylvania Democrat, criticized Google and other search engines for showing ads for for-profit lead-generation sites listed above the official Healthcare.gov site when a person searched for “Obamacare” or even “Healthcare.gov.” Casey called for search engines to put an “answer box” above all content, even ads, with a link to Healthcare.gov on searches for health insurance.

Muldoon hinted at a coming change to what kinds of health insurance-related ads the company will allow. She said that Google is “evaluating the health insurance space to strengthen our protections for users and prevent misleading ads.”

After Newsweek flagged the Facebook ads in a blog post in August, the Lead Stories news organization published a fact-check saying that “there is no such thing as Trumpcare.” That prompted Facebook to stop accepting the ads, under a policy that bans ads with content that fact-checkers have found to not be true.

Devon Kearns, a Facebook spokesperson, told ProPublica that some of the ads were removed for violating a Facebook policy that bans “scammy tactics.”

But then in mid-September, more “Trumpcare” ads appeared on Facebook, from something called “National Center for Medical Records,” which didn’t return a request for comment. These ads led to another company’s website, not Apollo’s. One of them featured a smiling Trump with his arm around the shoulder of a doctor and the slogan: “Trumpcare from $1/Day.”

Omissions and High-Pressure Sales

ProPublica wanted to learn more about the sales tactics involving “Trumpcare” ads, so we checked for ourselves. One of the reporters on this story, Jeremy, had been laid off in May. So he clicked on an ad in Facebook’s ad transparency portal, featuring photos of a health insurance card and a tuxedoed Donald Trump with Melania Trump in a ballgown. It took him to HealthPlansAmerica.org, which prompted him to input his contact details, as well as his age, gender, address, income range and whether he had any “major medical conditions.”

Jeremy is young and healthy, and he answered the questions honestly, so his information made him a hot prospect.

Jeremy entered a burner phone number that he acquired for this project — a good choice, because he got 67 phone calls the day he submitted the form; the day after, he got 46 more. The plans the brokers offered were legal, to the extent that they gave enough information to check. But to be informed, a consumer would want to know each plan’s limits and exceptions and be provided with detailed information about what’s covered, or not. The brokers often withheld crucial information.

Alex, from “the Enrollment Center,” said his plan offered free preventive care and would let Jeremy pick his own doctor. Using the lingo of the Affordable Care Act he described the insurance as a “minimum essential coverage plan.” But that’s exactly what it was not. Jeremy, who is married with no children, had to ask if the plan covered maternity costs, something that might be relevant to a childless couple. Alex said that would require something else, a “major medical plan.”

When Jeremy asked Alex to email the plan documents, so he could read what the plan covered or excluded, the line disconnected. Alex never called back.

When we called back several weeks later to ask for comment, the line was apparently disconnected.

Another company, “Modern Health,” would not even provide a brochure about its health plans. A supervisor named Louis said he was “in charge of the company” and that it would be a violation of patient privacy laws to send information in writing about the plan. (It isn’t.) Those details would supposedly have to come from the insurance company, and only after Jeremy signed up.

Anthony, who said he worked for the “National Health Enrollment Agency,” also wouldn’t send anything in writing. But his reason made it sound like he needed to lock in a fare on a flight that was rapidly running out of seats. “Once we disconnect the line, the companies aren’t going to let me hold onto the plan,” he said.

When Jeremy said he wanted to talk it over with his wife, Anthony countered: “Is she a licensed broker?” He offered to add her to the call rather than have the couple discuss it alone.

Dr. Anthony Fauci will see data from government-funded vaccine trials before the FDA does. One caveat: Pfizer’s study, which is ahead of the others, isn’t included in his purview.

None of the salespeople volunteered the details a consumer would need to make an informed choice. Brandon, the salesman from Modern Health, for example, offered a plan from a company called “HealthShield.” It’s for “things like emergency surgeries, hospitalization, ambulances and prescriptions,” he said. He went into painstaking detail about the amount it paid for certain items. But when asked if he’d shared everything Jeremy needed to know, he said, “It does have your essential package that a lot of people sign up for, especially at this time.” Only later, when asked what category of insurance the plan fell under, did he say that “they do remove certain things, which include substance abuse, mental health and maternity benefits.”

Reached for comment for this article, a man who said that his name was Brandon Greer and that he was now in charge of Modern Health said “I’m not sure” when asked if these omissions might confuse consumers. He said that the company instructs its salespeople to note the exclusions “upfront.” He then ended the call.

When we tried to reach the National Health Enrollment Agency minutes later, to get a comment for this story, the phone rang at the offices of Modern Health. The person who picked up denied knowing what the National Health Enrollment Agency was and hung up when asked his name.

Omitting the details of health insurance plans can harm consumers. In August, the Government Accountability Office, the auditing and investigative unit of Congress, published a secret shopper investigation of the sales tactics for the plans. GAO investigators tested 31 brokers by using a fake persona, a person who had a preexisting condition. Eight of the 31 brokers made misstatements, the report says. One was selling the GAO investigator — who claimed to have diabetes — a health insurance plan that the broker said would cover the investigator’s diabetes, but it really didn’t. In a different case, the investigator told the broker that they had diabetes, but the application completed by the sales representative said there was no treatment or diagnosis for diabetes in the past five years. “This indicates that the broker may have intentionally falsified information,” the report said.

The GAO didn’t disclose the names of any of the brokers in its report, but it said it referred them to the Federal Trade Commission and state insurance regulators.

“Garbage” Insurance Generates Profit for Brokers and Insurance Companies

USHEALTH Advisors, one of the companies whose broker contacted Jeremy, posts videos online to show off how much money its brokers are making selling limited insurance plans.

“How much can you earn monthly at US Health Advisors?” asks one of the videos, posted by US Health Advisors Coral Springs.

“$16,000,” says a bearded man in a black shirt and tie.

“$18,000,” says a woman in a sleeveless top.

“$34,000,” says a man in a dress shirt and tie, a family photo in the background behind him.

Then, the closer: “$42,000 — in one month,” a man says.

Justin Brain, the USHEALTH benefits specialist whose number is on the US Health Advisors Coral Springs Facebook page, said commissions vary depending on a broker’s “production,” or sales totals. He declined to say how much the commissions were per sale, but he said the video is used for bringing in new sales recruits to “give them what’s possible.”

An April study by the Urban Institute found brokers making commissions of around 25% for the type of plans offered by the company. Other insurance brokers told ProPublica the commissions on some plans could be as much as 50%.

The video closes with a USHEALTH Advisors logo that adds, “A UnitedHealthcare Company.” UnitedHealthcare is a massive company that provides health insurance and benefits. It’s part of UnitedHealth Group, one of the largest companies in the country, with $242 billion in annual revenue in 2019. UnitedHealthcare declined to say how much the brokers made in commissions.

A USHEALTH broker pitched Jeremy a plan sponsored by Freedom Life Insurance Company of America, which is also a UnitedHealthcare company. The broker characterized the coverage as similar to Affordable Care Act plans and sent a 36-page brochure that laid out the details of the offer.

The document he sent made it clear that the Freedom Life plan would provide limited coverage that could leave a person with hefty bills. But it would take an exceptionally savvy consumer to sort through dozens of pages of insurance jargon to understand that. At ProPublica’s request, Jeffrey Hogan, the Northeast regional manager for Rogers Benefit Group, a national benefits marketing firm, examined the document.

Hogan pointed out that it disclosed on Page 3 that the plans would “supplement” any “essential health benefit plan,” meaning one of the more comprehensive plans sold under the Affordable Care Act. If this plan was meant as a supplement, then it would not be ideal for an uninsured couple. This was not mentioned in Jeremy’s sales presentation from the Freedom Life broker.

[southboundhq]

MEET HARLOW,

FULL NAME › Harlow Vulpecula Belle AGE › twenty two GENDER › Cis female (She/Her/Hers) FROM › Upper West Side, New York LODGING › Copper Cactus Motel PRIOR EMPLOYMENT › Ballet Dancer (Soloist) NOW PLAYING › ‘Non, je ne regrette rien’ by Edith Piaf

BIOGRAPHY,

trigger warnings: death, injury, mental illnesses, suicide / contemplation of suicide, substance abuse, implied abuse and emotional manipulation

The rise of the curtains meant the show is starting. When they fall for the last time, it means the show is over.

A life in four acts (and counting), one for each loss.

ACT I. BELLE

She was her mother’s daughter; the same laughter, the kindness, the eyes.

The gentleness of her mother’s touch, the honey of her voice. Her delicate fingers brushing through Harlow’s hair, the warmth radiating through every room in their small home, right in the heart of Paris. The smell of the evening wind. The sight of it all. Harlow, in her best dress, her legs swaying, as her mother took her to watch Swan Lake. The first time she had ever held onto something.

An angel loved and doted on.

Memories of her golden childhood, from a time she wishes had never ended. It was the only thing that Harlow Belle could do: cling to the innocence and the wonder that her mother blessed her with— even as her mother’s health quickly deteriorated. For they were things she could not understand; she had never known loss. A ghost in the night, taking away the color from her mother’s cheeks. Her mother whispering I love you, but it had sounded so much like Farewell. The man standing by the door the next morning, one she did not really know, but was familiar only because it was his face in her mother’s cherished photograph. He wept at her side and her mother ran her hand through his hair, planting a kiss on his head. His hand was warm, his voice gentle, leading Harlow away.

The universe had shown her paradise, and it burned it down infront of her.

You’re not coming with us? Harlow had asked.

Her mother smiled, I will be with you, my love.

But her mother never came, no matter how long Harlow waited. She was alone.

ACT II. LACY

She never really understood why her mother never came. Or why she had to leave. Was her mother dead? Did her mother not love her anymore? There wasn’t an answer that Harlow wanted to hear, so she simply never asked. Entangled in her own little world, where she blurred the lines between her reality and her memories.

On some days, it was as easy as breathing. It meant formally studying ballet. It was the white dress she wore on her father’s wedding day. It was listening to the affection in their voices as they spoke to her. As if she belonged. It was her hand on her stepmother’s belly, waiting for their unborn son to kick from the womb. It was a future where the ache left by her mother was the size of the pendant of Harlow’s dainty necklace.

It was easy, too, when she was twelve, one the eve of her first real performance.

You’re coming to watch, right? The excitement in her voice.

Her stepmother tucked hair behind her ear, Wouldn’t miss it.

It was the heartbreak and the fear, a distant memory replaying in her head. Harlow, watching the empty seats her parents couldn’t fill. The tears that followed, the apologies, the sobbing. The car accident that happened that night, claiming the lives of her stepmother and her unborn child. Her father, paralyzed, spending his days in a wheelchair and looking out into the window.

Sometimes, Harlow thinks he’s asking to be taken, too.

He did not look at her. He did not speak to her. Not that he could.

Harlow found herself alone again. And this time, it was her fault.

ACT III. PRIMA

Her grandmother, as she had learned, was an esteemed and respected Principal Dancer, known for her completely control over her body and the tantalizing performances she brought. She was eloquent, with a dignified walk, the air around her had always seemed so.. perfect. But Amanda Lacy, in Harlow’s experience, was a distorted mirror—her reflection was crooked, and every inch of her cruel.

The first time Amanda Lacy used violence on Harlow was a week after the accident. Harlow had refused to dance so adamantly, and she remembers the thunder and lightning that sounded as Amanda Lacy’s hand collided with her small face. It was my fault, Harlow would repeat her grandmother’s words, It’s because I didn’t want to dance. It’s because it was my fault that dad can’t dance anymore.

It was easy, too, to fall back inlove with ballet. Too easy.

Dancing as the sun rose in the morning, until late at night. Under fluorescent lights. Her body in full view. Drenched in sweat. The tears on her eyes as she pushed her body to its limit, to bend until she almost breaks. Almost. Until every muscle ached.

Until her grandmother was satisfied.

Harlow, who had loved ballet, grew afraid of it. It was a constant game of hide-and seek. A push and pull between her passion and her fear. Escaping. Craving. The chill that ran down her spine, the way her blood ran cold. Amanda Lacy would only ever call her “Prima”, followed by the ache of a wish that she would one day be worthy of being called such a name.

It meant drowning out the praises of strangers, growing blind to the eyes that landed on her, the expectations they had. The anxiety that drowned out the adrenaline brought by the stage lights and the music. The numbness. The collapse and the caving in. Attempting to put an end to it all. The doctors she had to meet with, who only ever gave her pills. though none of them ever really fixed her, a hollow porcelain doll. The slashes on her wrists.

More pills.

More, more, more, until she couldn’t count them anymore.

The empty seat she wished her father would fill, if somehow reality had been kinder to him. To them both.

At the age of twenty-one, Harlow had laced her shoes for a production of Swan Lake. It had been her dream, her turning point, her one last hope to be freed from her mother’s memory, of her grandmother’s presence. There she was, a mess of blood and tears, hunched over the sink, her consciousness fading, the strength leaving her body. Amanda Lacy stands by the door, though Harlow couldn’t gather enough of her thoughts to think about how she had gotten in. There is a look of anger and disgust as she pulls at Harlow’s clothes, her palm coming down on her face in a hard slap.

Compose yourself and dance, Prima. Do not embarrass me. Words, stone-cold.

Stellar form. Control. Grace. Precision. An expressive, electrifying performance. One could not look away.

Harlow Lacy, the prodigy.

IV. HARLOW

The smell of his cigarette followed Harlow even hours after they had parted. The mischief in his smile. His hand, taking Harlow’s own. His fist colliding with a stranger’s jaw, the one who touched her. The way they made a run for it after that. The kisses they stole from each other. The skies when she and the other lost kids snuck into the city pool, the way it painted everything purple. The kisses they gave back.

He called her Prima, too, but it did not carry venom when it left his lips. She should know, he had always tasted sweet for her.

Harlow was fifteen when she met him. The childish trouble they would get themselves into, she and all the other kids who she learned was just like her, the hungry and the desperate.To numb the ache, or to take away the numbing.

Over the next few years, Harlow would have gotten herself through all sorts of troubles. Disappearing for days without so much as a word. She had learned that Amanda Lacy did not really care about her whereabouts, just that she was able to deliver a performance. Harlow made sure to make full use of this knowledge. She would end up coming back, anyway.

It didn’t matter to her at twenty-two, when she put all of her belongings into suitcases and a backpack, and a suitcase filled with all of the money she had made from dancing, and every transaction in the backwaters, everything she could steal from her own family, and all of the money her mother had put in her name (which, Harlow had learned, was a lot).

Her pointe shoes. The necklace her mother gave her. Photographs. Memories. Saying goodbye to her father, though he did not really answer. Even though he may still despise Harlow, she knew he would understand. An apology. And then another. Lying with a straight face, every alibi and every answer perfectly crafted. Pulling all of her strings and sneaking out in the dead of night to find herself on a flight from New York to California, then driving to Las Vegas.

Or anywhere, really.

Anywhere was fine.

She would end up coming back, anyway.

She had been hung-over when she drove into Boot Hill, going straight to a motel to sleep off the exhaustion, stay for a few days, then head back on the road. But there was something endearing about Boot Hill that Harlow couldn’t pinpoint. The way it was everything she never thought she wanted, a remote place where Amanda Lacy would never even imagine her to hide in. Where she was not haunted, seemingly plucked off from the grasps of her grandmother. The poison that dripped from every word that left her mouth. The sharp pain on her body as it collided with the wooden cane. The bruises. The ache.

But right now there is only Harlow, and her three-legged pug, Poppy.

Occasionally, she watches the town’s sign and the open road ahead, thinking she’ll have to go soon. She’ll have to come back sooner or later. She cannot keep running away.

Then there is the heaviness.

I’ll leave tomorrow, she says, but tomorrow never really comes.

❝ i wonder what’s in store if i don’t love it anymore; stuck between the having-it-all and giving-it-up. ❞

CENSUS,

FACECLAIM › Zendaya Coleman AUTHOR › Fey

[ironspiidey]

Superheros get Bullied too Chapter 2!

Chapter 1 

Chapter 2: Harley Stark & the Bully

Read on AO3

Oh don’t worry Mr. Thompson is never going to make that mistake ever again once we’re through with him.”

Peter and Harley whip their head around to see Tony Stark walking towards them. “Sweater. Now” Harley mumbled under his breath and stepped in front of Peter meeting the older man

Peter nodded and slipped the hoodie over his head

“Hey Mr. Stark” both boys said nervously, looking at each other and then at the man in question.

“Hello boys.” ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- “What are…uh you doing here Mr. Stark?” Peter stammered and looked back to his locker trying to remember which books he may need because from the unimpressed look on the older man’s face it was clear they would not be coming back after lunch.

“Yeah! I thought you wanted me to grab Peter and his school stuff then wait out front for you or Happy?” Harley asked curiously, attempting to hide his nerves and praying that Tony didn’t hear the last bit of his and Peter’s conversation.

Mr. Stark smirked at how nervous they were and clasped a hand on Harley’s shoulder. “Relax. I’m not upset, yet. I needed to make sure Mr. Thompson didn’t try to cause any more trouble today. “

“Oh trust me, he wouldn’t have gotten away with it…”

Tony gave Harley a stern look but Peter piped up before he could form a response “Yes! Because we would have alerted a teacher and called you of course to—Mr. Stark” Peter said, his rate of speech going a mile a minute which made the older man smile softly despite himself. Peter was just too cute when he was anxious.

“Ye—yeah exactly. “ Harley tried to give a convincing smile in his uncle’s direction

“Bullshit, I know you both too well to know that would be the last thing you’d do.”

Peter grabbed his AP books and shut his locker “I would have called you regardless.” He mumbled looking at his backpack as he struggled with the zipper, long since worn but Peter hated to get rid of it. Uncle ben gave him this bag the year he died.

“Oh I don’t doubt that Petey. However I do doubt that Harley would simply let it go without a fight. We really should replace this.” Tony let go of Harley and leaned forward helping Peter with the zipper.

“I don’t wanna get rid of it.”

“Sweetie it’s about ready to fall apart.” Tony said softly, temporarily forgetting where they were.

“It’s important to me and I want to keep it.”

“Um guys, hate to break up this moment but uh people are staring.” Harley says nervously.

Peter coughs awkwardly and slings his backpack over his shoulder and looked around seeing students once again staring and talking about him.

Tony puts his hand between Peter’s shoulder blades and nods to his nephew. “Lead the way kid.”

Once Harley starts walking ahead of them, Tony whispers “This okay Petey?”

Peter nods, the feeling of Tony touching him makes him feel safe, grounds him. “Yeah. It helps. As long as you don’t mind the whispers.”

Tony couldn’t help but chuckle “I’m Tony Stark, I live for the whispers”

Peter grins and leans more into his touch. “Let’s go home.”

They were able to get down the stairs and onto the main floor before somebody spoke up. “Oh my god it’s Tony Stark!!!”

Peter and Harley both wince, the latter walking more forcefully “Coming through, idiots move out of the way. Yes its Tony Stark but fuck off and let us through.”

Despite Peter’s anxiety and worrying about Flash appearing, he couldn’t help but smile at Harley’s attitude, just like his Uncle; sassy and straight to the point. Not taking no for an answer.

“Language Harley.” Tony stated despite being proud of the younger man for trying to keep people away. This was still a high school and last thing they needed was for someone to report his nephew and delay their exit by a teacher.

All of a sudden they here Peter gasp and freeze. Tony and Harley turn in look in the direction Peter was and see Flash Thompson storming up to him with a face of absolute anger.

Harley starts to lose it, Peter couldn’t get one hour away from that dumb jock. He started to storm in front of Peter and towards the bully but was pulled back when Tony grabbed his hood. “Ah ah Nephew. Let him come forward.”

Harley looked pissed but nodding, clearly his uncle had a plan. He stood in front of Peter and whispered. “Don’t worry Parker, we got you.”

Peter gulped, looking at Flash it was clear he didn’t see Tony but that was what scared him most. If he didn’t see him that means he was going to act his normal self and Tony Stark was not going to be pleased with it.

“Oh is Parker your new boyfriend Harley? That why your boys tried to threaten me?!” Flash hollers as he makes his way to them.

“Not mine no.”

“Then why in the hell are you protecting that faggot.”

Before Harley could form a response, Tony growled. Actually growled which Peter will deny but he found it extremely hot. Tony pats Peter on the shoulder and walks around both boys. Stopping only when he was in front of Flash. “Well you see Mr. Thompson. That ‘faggot’ happens to be a family friend and Harley happens to be my nephew so I asked him politely to keep an eye on Peter as I know some people tend to be rude to him but what I failed to realize was that William’s oldest was going to be one of those kids terrorizing my poor Peter.”

Flash’s eyes widen and he starts sputtering. He didn’t see his father’s employer, too focused on Peter. ”Mr. Stark. Sir. I didn’t realize you were there.”

“So it’s only okay when I’m not here?”

“Sir of course not.. Did you know that Peter has been lying saying he works for you?” Flash attempts to change the subject while eyeing Peter with a smirk.

“Well Mr. Thompson he doesn’t work for me yet but hopefully after he graduates he will be working for SI.” Tony smiles at Peter, to which Peter blushes.

“Hah! I knew it was bullshit! I even got-.”

“Not so fast.” Tony rolls his eyes. “As I was saying, Peter may not be a paid employee of SI but he is however an intern. Has been for over a year now. “

Flash smile falls right off his face. Then he looks from Harley to Peter to Mr. Stark “you’re just saying that because Peter is Harley’s boyfriend!”

Tony’s eyebrows raise up “Excuse me?”

“Flash for the love of god give it a rest.” Peter says exasperated. “What is it going to take for you to realize I’m not fucking lying?? The Tony Stark literally just told you I’m his intern. What your going to need to see me in the flesh there to believe it?”

“Well I’ve never seen a badge in your bag or with you. That building is secure, all employees require one. Intern or otherwise.” Flash crosses his arms.

Harley’s eyes widen in shock and despite his uncles orders he grabs flash by the collar and slams him into a locker “You went through Parkers stuff? You’re sick Thompson. I should beat your fucking ass.”

“Harley! Let go of him please. “

“He’s a piece of shit. “ Harley growls

“Harley please let him go. He’s not worth it.” Peter sighs, knowing Harley may have just cost him his Bike project.

Harley let go of the other teen reluctantly. Peter had been through a shit day and he wasn’t going to make it worse. “Watch yourself Thompson.”

Flash rolls his eyes “and here I thought you would hold the pants in the relationship. Not so tough when your prissy boyfriend tells you what to do. “

Tony rolls his eyes “being an absolute prick is not very becoming Mr. Thompson. Stay away from Peter or you can say goodbye to being able to work alongside your father on Sundays anymore.”

“You know about those?” Flash’s eyes widen

“Of course I do. I know all when it comes to my company and otherwise” Tony slips his glasses on “We will be in contact later Mr. Thompson. You think I would lie to help my nephew’s boyfriend?” Tony leans forward and whispers the next part in his ear. “Peter is with a Stark but not Harley.”

“C’mon boys, let’s go get some lunch. We have serious planning to do.”

Peter and Harley nod “Coming Mr. Stark.”

Tony stops just in front of the entrance doors, holding the door open for the boys. “Oh and Mr. Thompson? It’s a shame you pick on those who are out of the closet when you’re not. “

Flash gaps at the man and sputters as people around him start mumbling around him. “I’m not gay!!!” ---------------------------------------------------------------------------- “So that’s it? Just a friendly stay away from me talk?” Peter asks hopefully between mouthfuls of Chinese.

Harley snorts around his noodles “I really doubt it.”

Tony smiles watches both boys eat. Taking a drink of some protein shake Peter demanded he start drinking. “You would be right Harley, this is just the beginning.”

Peter sighs “Tones… “

“I’m sorry Petey but he can’t and will not get away with being mentally abusive to you. He should be thankful he hasn’t physically harmed you otherwise.” Tony licked his lips. “Well we won’t worry about that because it didn’t happen.”

Harley eyes Peter, Peter was always the shittiest liar and of course the redhead started coughing on his chicken. “You alright Pete?”

Peter grabbed his drink and took a big gulp “um yeah fine. Perfectly fine.” He swallowed and slid his chair away from the table. “Bathroom.” Is all he said then practically ran down the hallway.

Tony watched him go worried then turned to Harley and seen him looking just as worried.

“What exactly happened today Harley.”

“I already told you, Flash was absolute knob, Peter lost his cool. Flash tried to stop him from walking away and Peter made a fool outta him then went to class.”

“Right, But there’s more to it. I’m not stupid.” Tony scratches his chin in thought. About 2 minutes pass before his eyes widen. “ You said Flash tried to stop him”

The blonde nodded nervously. “Yep.”

“How did he try that exactly?”

Harley licked his lips pushed his food around his plate and didn’t say anything

“Harley.”

Harley just looked at his uncle, not saying anything but still saying plenty enough. Tony jumped up and ran down the hall.

“Well fuck me, so much for not being here when the shit hit the fan. “ Harley sighed and leaned back, looking up at the ceiling.

[regrettablewritings]

Soulmate AU: You and Your Soulmate Share Sensations (Bruce Wayne x Reader)

A/N: I know I said I wouldn’t end this hiatus until I wrote, like, five things but I wound up only with two. I’m coming back a little early with the hope that publishing what I’ve got will give me a sense of cleansing.  … Geez, I really hope I did okay, tho.

Your parents were admittedly a little worried when you turned seven and still showed no signs of a connecting mate. This was around the age when most people would be able to tell, being that small children are prone to rough-housing and clumsiness. However, it was no desire of theirs for you to experience the first sensation in such a violently intense manner.

You had been happily playing in the backyard, slapping the mud at the garden’s edge with a toy shovel when you’d frozen stiff, gone mute. Your eyes had widened dramatically, mouth agape. Your mother, in well-deserved concern, asked you what was the matter, but received no reply – you couldn’t give her one even if you wanted to. And boy, did you want to. However, try as you might, you couldn’t: You were trapped inside yourself, and you didn’t like it at all. Because inside, you could feel your bones and guts freezing over, vibrating outward into a case of shivers. Your mind was racing, though for what you couldn’t tell. You could feel your heart not just banging, but completely trying to escape from your chest as if refuge lay outside of you.

It was only when tears began to frame your enlarged eyes and you managed to utter a weak scream that your mother and father, with great haste, bundled you up and took you to the hospital. 

It was a retroactive sensation, the doctor explained to your parents. Quite common amongst pairings where one soulmate was older than the other: Any trauma or especially terrible sensation would seem to bottle up until eventually, it would fly back into existence and hit the other end of the line. Sometimes it occurs as soon as the younger soulmate was born, other times it occurs later in their life. Apparently the key symptom in diagnosing the situation was if the feeling seemed to…reverberate within you. Not necessarily physically, but spiritually. Like you could feel your soul throbbing. Every time it did, your tiny form would commemorate it with a shiver.

“It’s like sling-shotting a rock into a wall of metal,” the doctor explained to your parents. You yourself tried to remain occupied with the lollipop you’d been given for “being such a brave little tyke.” Retroactive sensing was very fatiguing and apparently, you’d be a little more exhausted than usual for the next few days. "When the rock is held back for so long, it builds up in tension. So when it hits the metal, there’s a loud bang, but it also ends up vibrating a lot longer than it would have if the rock had been thrown from less than foot away. If that makes sense.“

Your father nodded, gently putting a hand on your tiny shoulder in consolation. A sensation hit you. You shivered. "Is it always going to be like this?” he inquired. “Just…just retroactive sensations? Terrible impacts when they finally hit?”

“Oh, no, everything should be fine,” the doctor assured, putting his hands up with insistence. “Now that (Y/N) is all caught up on her soulmate’s feelings, she should be in sync with their feelings and vice-versa in no time. Give it three days tops; nothing to worry about.” A sigh of relief from your parents, an occupied suck of the lollipop for you. 

“However –”

A sharp intake of breath from them, a slightly questionable slurp from you.

“I must admit…” The doctor looked down at the clipboard on the office counter. “It’s unusual: (Y/N) stated that most of what she felt was fear, and what I could only believe would best be captured as …” The doctor waved his hand in a circular motion. Catching no other word, he went with his initial selection: “Anguish. Generally speaking, emotion-based sensations aren’t felt as intensely as physical ones; the fear would have to be pretty bad to be felt at any level, let alone enough to temporarily petrify someone physically…”

You could feel your father’s grip tighten slightly, your mother biting her lip in the same way she does when her work seems to be getting stressful. You, on the other hand, lowered your lollipop thoughtfully. Even at your young age, you could still comprehend that the pain and sadness you’d felt was not something anyone should feel. Especially your soulmate. You felt… bad for them, whomever they were…

For the next several days, you got to stay home from school. Mommy would serve you ice cream for dessert to assure that your consistently quivering form received comfort, and Daddy would read you a bedtime story every night so that you capped the night off with something pleasant to fight the bad feelings off.

You knew that this wasn’t exactly how the sensation-sharing worked, but deep down you hoped that your soulmate was also enjoying the sweet treat and the warmth initiated by having a bedtime story read to you.

The instantaneous compassion you’d felt for your unknown soulmate impacted your character in a big way: Never wanting them to undergo that horrific experience again, you made it your mission to feel good for the both of you. 

Emotional sensations, as you’d been told, had to be intensely felt in order to translate over to the next body at any degree at all. It wasn’t that you didn’t enjoy the challenge – it’s just that forcing yourself to be blindingly happy had too much pressure on it. (And, as you learned when you grew older, completely unrealistic.) So you settled on the next best thing: avoiding pain or risky situations whenever possible. 

… If only your soulmate had thought to do the same.

Your soulmate, whomever they were, either led a tragic and abusive life, or a very careless one. By age eight, you began to wake up with fingers sore as if they’d been near a flame. Sometimes in the middle of class, you’d feel an intense chill as if you’d been placed in a freezing environment, even when the room was perfectly fine. When you turned 11, you’d randomly cringe, sometimes even flopping over, when the back pains kicked in. Eventually, your parents began to suggest that you take suppressants made specifically to temporarily numb the pains caused by a rambunctious soulmate. However, you, in your stubbornness (and arguable stupidity) turned it down.

“I don’t want them to go through it all alone,” you reasoned. (Though occasionally you would allow yourself “a moment of selfishness” whenever the sensations got too irritating such as when your knuckles would begin to feel bruised and even broken, when your face felt as though it’d been socked one time too many, or the occasional, pesky feeling of a knife making its way into your arm.) Whoever your soulmate was, they were a fighter. And as soon as you met them and learned what their situation was, you would probably consider kicking their ass while on the suppressants.

Gotham City was, in a few words, a boiling kettle with a mystic noir paintjob. It wasn’t a bright, charming city known for its glossy look and fast pace – that was Metropolis all on its own. Gotham was known more for its old timey class, its nighttime wonders, its … unusually high crime rate.  If Metropolis was the city of day, then Gotham was the city of night. Which was coincidentally when your shift as a waitress at Ciao Bella ended.

You knew how ironic it was to want to lead a safe life while accepting a job in a city whose crime rates were so high that they allowed a man dressed like a bat to run around punching people. But you also knew how rough the job market was; you had to take whatever offers you could when you could.

As you covered the next three blocks, however, you began to formulate how you were going to ask your employer for less nightshifts and more dayshifts. At first, the need for money overwhelmed most of your consideration for the possible problems that might accompany working nights in the city. The common assumption was that with some pepper spray and maybe a stun gun, and you’d be in business. But this was your seventh time working the nightshift and you were beginning to think more of your situation. Specifically, how Gotham was home to a host of bizarre beings: How many of them were susceptible to things like pepper spray and stun guns?

You prayed just the right amount. Maybe not Joker, maybe not Poison Ivy (though, she probably wouldn’t pay a person like you any mind to be honest), but definitely not Mr. Freeze or Scarecrow. But Harley Quinn, Penguin, and Catwoman surely were, being regular humans with no chemical imbalances or wearable advantages.

… It was a little concerning how much thought you had to put into this. Made all the more concerning by how it occupied your thoughts, turning your body on autopilot as it wandered the streets to your apartment. A failure on your part: a body on autopilot doesn’t do well to realize when the streets are becoming more and more vacant. Not until it’s too late.

A body on autopilot is all too easily pulled to the side in an alley, ripped back into a heightened sense of awareness not only by the fear, but by the teasing bite of a knife tip at the neck.

You didn’t even have enough time to scream, let alone the air necessary to do it. The brute had practically slammed you against the grimy brick of a broken down building before demanding you hand over your purse.

Shit. You wondered how inconspicuously you could retrieve your canister of pepper spray from your bag.

“And no. Funny business,” the mugger growled threateningly. He made sure that you could see just how big and sharp his knife was under the dim glint of a street light nearby the mouth of the alley.

Double shit. You were about to find out the answer to your pondering.

“O-okay, okay, just please …” You tried remaining as calm as possible, your trembling fingers crawling around the inside of your purse for the one thing that could make or break this moment. But dammit, your fingers were so shaky! They kept wobbling the pepper spray out of reach and further beneath the cluster composed of tissues and loose change and hand sanitizer –

You heard a grown of irritation echo upon your brick surroundings.

“Give me the goddamn money, you bitch!” the mugger spat. You released a weak yelp as he jabbed the knife at you. Not close enough to stab you, but just enough to let you know that this wasn’t his first assault.

An icy pin of pants-wetting relief pricked you in your abdomen as you finally felt your fingers curl determinedly around the canister of pepper spray. With your brain flickering between modes of fight and flight, you whipped out your weapon and pulled the trigger. Immediately, a stream of liquid splashed upon the assailant’s face, causing the man to release a howl of sheer pain and rage.

You couldn’t even remember running out of the alley. All you could remember was the flash of the streetlights overhead as you ran under them. You didn’t even remember whether or not you had your purse on you. All that mattered was getting away from here –

THWACK!!

Once again, you were pinned against a brick wall. Only this time, the face glaring at you was red and wet with pain, the mugger’s disgusting musk mingling with the spice of the spray caused you to cough even more. But, worst of all, was that the knife no longer bit teasingly – it was biting with an intent to kill, pressed right at the top of your throat.

“That,” the mugger breathed heavily, “was a dumb mistake.” You felt the knife press even harder against your throat. Felt pearls of blood begin to swell against it. Felt tears burning your eyes, your hurt throbbing so painfully against your chest that it rattled against your already quivering lungs.

You hated that you felt all these things. That the last thing you would feel would be pain, fear, and anguish. And, in the back corner of your mind, you realized with misery that the last thing your soulmate would ever feel from you would be the first thing that you ever felt from them.

What bitter poetry.

Had you not closed your eyes to seal back your tears, you would have sooner noticed how much darker the alley had gotten.

It was only as you heard your assaulter holler in shock and felt the cut of the knife slip away from your skin that you dared to open your eyes. You were met with moving shadows – both on the wall parallel from you, and before you in flesh.

While the city liked to advertise to tourists the idea of excitement at the prospect of witnessing the Bat of Gotham in action, there was always an underlying suggestion that to actually see him fighting would be anything but enjoyable.

As you saw the gloved fist fly into the face of your assailant and heard the sound of flesh splitting and a bone crack, you now knew for certain that the Batman was truly a thing of nightmares.

In spite of how much you wanted to run away from the sight and away from the sounds it produced, your body couldn’t seem to muster the strength needed to do so. All it could do, to your complete dismay, was allow you to slide down against the wall, the chipped brick scraping against your back as you went. And once that was over, the only thing your body thought to do was to pull your knees up against your chest and bury your face against them. It didn’t protect you from the sounds, and after seeing what you had, it did little to stop you from visually reliving the one-sided fight over and over.

You heard the pounding fists continue, the scuffle of the mugger against the concrete as he yelled and attempted to fight back. The heavy breathing of the victor-apparent rattled in the air in sync with his beating. It all flooded your hearing, mingling in with the brutal rush of adrenaline that made your heart pulsate at a rate it only had ever done one other time in your life, that time so long ago when you were a child playing in the garden.

Had the adrenaline not had such a numbing effect, you might’ve noticed sooner how your knuckles were beginning to hurt. Quite a lot actually.

And then – it all happened so fast –

A metallic, rattling sound –

– a loud bang –

An angered gasp, contorted into a savage roar of enragement –

– pain in your upper right arm – one unlike any you’d experienced before –

Your scream of pain, it should’ve been lubricated with blood, it was so grating –

Your body immediately flew into a frenzy, left hand pressed madly against the source of your piercing pain as your legs flew out in front of you. You didn’t recall writhing, only realizing how you were squirming against the dirty pavement of the backstreet as a loud gasp popped against the opening of your mouth. You weren’t really certain what to do; what does one do when they’ve been shot?

You wanted to stay still, keep the blood from flooding out of you. But, as if by animal instinct and like-minded confusion, your body acted as though wriggling would result in finding a more comfortable position. That movement would allow you to move away from the pain.

No such luck.

How could you have any at this rate, you bitterly wondered.

You didn’t move when Batman arrived and now you blew it, you scolded to yourself. You would have scolded more, had the pain, stress, and pre-existing exhaustion not overwhelmed your body, cloaking you once more into a state of darkness and immobility.

What bitter poetry it was, indeed.

Bruce gritted his teeth with near rapid fervor as he landed his fist one last time on the face of his latest victim. This time, the intent of knocking the man out traveled from the first into a state of fruition. Disgusted by the gory sight before him, he turned his attention to the searing pain rippling in his upper right arm.

More used to such pain than the average person, Bruce allowed himself to heavily sigh. Alfred was going to kill him for this, “this” being either the gunshot wound, the hole left by the bullet, or even both.

Grunting, Bruce got up from his position above the now unconscious perp, ready to drop him off at the precinct when he suddenly remembered: Wasn’t there a person that the perp had been attacking in the first place? Maybe she’d gotten away after she’d heard the gun shots.

There you lay on the pavement. Just as unconscious as the man he’d just knocked out. Beneath his protective cowl, Bruce’s eyebrows creased downward with perplexity. Why didn’t she run when she’d had the chance? When he’d heard your screams following the gun shot, he was certain that maybe you’d finally run away to safety –

And then his eyes landed on your left hand. While not curled around your arm in the same desperate manner as when you were awake, its placement could still be noted as peculiar for someone who would have supposedly fainted just from fright. Maybe … maybe you had gotten hit as well?

No, Bruce thought. He had only heard one gunshot; he knew that he had only heard one gunshot. Unless there was a second shooter in or around the alley who coincidentally shot at the same time as the mugger and had gotten you in the crossfire, then something was wrong. Still, the more he processed the noises you had made, the more he realized how they sounded less like noises born of fear and more like the all too familiar noises one makes when in agony.

For as much pain and exasperation as Bruce was in, he owed it to you and himself to at least inspect you as appropriate before taking care of the piece of shit he’d spent the last few minutes whaling on.

Crouching before your form, he gingerly lifted your hand away from its place near your shoulder.

Nothing.

Strange, he thought to himself. Perhaps he’d mistaken your screams in the heat of the moment? Bruce began to increasingly assume as much, softly lifting the rest of your arm to complete his inspection. He paid no mind to the dull ache in his own evident wound as he continued his observation; treatment for it would have to wait.

After a full minute of searching your arm for a bullet wound, a scratch, anything, Bruce released yet another sigh. So much for that. Maybe you really were just fragile at the sight of such violence.

As he began to formulate what safe place he could drop your unconscious body at, he thoughtlessly squeezed the upper section of your arm. Right where your hand had pressed especially upon.

The equivalating spot on Bruce’s own arm stung with acidic fury, enough to make him drop your hand to use his own to grab at the wound. Pressing against it, the pain began to dull back into a throb, a shuttering breath pulling in and out of Bruce’s lungs as he began to recompose himself. What the hell? He hadn’t even been using his right arm – his wounded arm – to lift your own right arm and –

… Wait.

Bruce was a man of thought. A man of logic. It was a trait expected of his lineage, and his years of training in just about any school of thought accessible served to only strengthen this trait.

It was therefore quite foreign for Bruce to find himself in a period of thoughtlessness, prodding at the same spot as he’d irritated before. The instant he did was the same instant the corresponding spot on his own person began to flair up once more. Not as bad as before, but just enough to signal something peculiar. Coincidental.

Eyes narrowing beneath their protective lens, Bruce tried one last experiment. It may have been intrusive to put his gloved hand into your hair, but his pursuit for the truth left him blind to convention. He delicately plucked a hair from the rear of your head. It dropped, forgotten and lost amongst the darkness and filth of the alleyway, when Bruce felt the familiar twinge of a strand being tugged from the exact spot on his own head.

His hand felt slowly but heavily to his knee. And, for the first time in Bruce’s memory, there was a stillness. No stampeding thoughts, no sirens in the distance, no jeers and laughter from rogues or common street thugs.

It was just you and him.

The soundlessness of the alley was ultimately broken by the rasping, “Oh, shit” that climbed up the walls and into the nighttime air.

The pain was not as bad as what you’d remembered it. That was a decent start to wake up to. However, the throbbing was still quite evident; enough to make you still so very tired. As your tongue, dry and heavy, sluggishly grazed the inside of your mouth and detected a clinical taste about it, you then considered the possibility that your drowsiness had been enhanced by some kind of medication.

That was concerning. Perhaps Batman had taken you to a hospital, or someone might have found you and taken you in to recuperate? Regardless of what had really transpired, the so-assumed decent start to your wake-up disappeared just as soon as it had come about.

The need to open your crust-lined eyes became a priority. One that proved to be a difficult one to fulfill as your lids seemed to wobble in their efforts to open any wider than a crack. A crack that, in your bleariness, revealed nothing to you of your whereabouts. What you did manage to pick up, however, was a voice.

Or rather, you picked out fragments of a voice: Whether brought on by your drowsiness or a side effect of your apparent medication or perhaps that they might be figments of your imagination, it remained almost entirely out of focus. Whatever words it delivered wound up being collected in the same broken manner as when one finds themselves nodding off in the middle of class.

In fact, you were, indeed, finding yourself beginning to be pulled back into the realm of unconsciousness as you struggled more and more to get in on whatever it was saying.

“ – true idiot,” you thought you heard a British voice say. “ – killed – running around – even began – ”

In your exhausted state, you couldn’t keep your eyes open and keep your ears focused at the same time; you forfeited your effort to regain sight. Alas, not much improvement. Though, you could’ve sworn that the British voice was spoken back to by a quiet, deep voice. One that you couldn’t read. As your sleepy state began to dominate you once more, your mind likened the voice to a shapeless, deep grey blob.

The second time you’d awoken the throbbing was still evident, but you weren’t as tired as before. The medicine was apparently wearing off. The sleep-hangover of grogginess now began to take effect. In its cruel greed, slithered into all of your slowly reemerging senses. Enough to make your eye lids flop lazily over your eyeballs, to make your mouth slightly slack, and to almost make your body feel entirely uncomfortable. Only, to your surprise, you actually weren’t. Not completely, at least.

Aside from the pain in your arm and overall lethargy, your body felt as though it was surrounded by the perfect environment to be in such a state: You could detect the delicious comfort of the downy blanket over you and the divine mattress beneath you. You were in a bed. One that your own was nowhere near as nice as. One that couldn’t have possibly been located in a hospital, let alone Gotham General.

Your heart pulsed particularly at that thought: So then where the hell were you?

Confusion and fear batted away your grogginess in one fell swoop, causing your eyes to fly open in a frantic manner. You immediately regretted it as you were nearly blinded by the glare of the sun blasting through the glass of the wall.

You exhaled a hiss of pain; ironic that this provoked an audible response of all things, considering that your arm had been shot –

Oh! You’d been shot! Your eyes and hand flew to the source of the throbbing pain … to find nothing. No dressing, no cast, no indication that your skin had ever been broken at all. Heck, your arms weren’t even bear from wearing a hospital gown: You were in the very same clothes as you had been when you’d left work. Perplexed, you sluggishly surveyed your surroundings.

Glass walls, minimalist furniture, a view of a lake . . . The plot thickened: This place looked familiar. And yet, in your recovering haze, you were unable to place exactly how it was familiar.

“ – work again, I’m not coming in,” you heard. It was that grey blob voice from earlier! Coming from behind that door … You gripped the sheets below. Was there enough time to leap out of bed, find something heavy and charge at the guy to make your escape?

By the time you heard the door click to signify it opening, you knew the answer to your question. Not that you had the energy to do any of those things anyway. Thankfully, the door didn’t open immediately, as its opener stalled for a moment to carry on whatever conversation he’d been having with whomever.

In your nervous and frail state, your immediate response was the play possum.

“I’ve told you time and time again not to worry about her, I can care for her while you’re gone,” came another voice through the crack of the door. You tried not to wear your reaction as you recognized the second voice as the British voice from before.

“Yes, I am aware,” the grey blob returned coolly. “However, after all the hell you’ve given me, I’ve concluded that it’s my responsibility to care for her.”

You heard a sigh. “As you wish,” the British voice resigned. “But for the record, I don’t believe that all that drinking would do her any good, assuming that you were drinking so much that even she could feel it.”

The grey blob scoffed lightly before stepping into the room, closing the door behind him. It was now just you and him, whoever he was. You tried not to be scared by that fact, instead choosing to try and pinpoint exactly where he was and what he might be doing based on the sounds you honed in on. Considering the size of the room, it wasn’t too hard.

Judging by the soft shuffle and thud of wood, from across the room, you surmised that he had opened the dresser. But for what? For clothes, like an actual person? For a weapon?! You had to know.

You opened one eye by the smallest fraction. Not enough to be noticeable, should the person in the room be staring, but just enough in case they weren’t. To your relief, they appeared to not be facing you. In fact, they appeared to be completely focused on something else. Putting on a shirt, to be exact.

You weren’t thinking when both of your eyes opened to stare more correctly at the sight before you.

Well. He most certainly was not an actual grey blob, that was for sure. In fact, he wasn’t a blob of any kind of color or even a blob at all.

Did any regular human have a back that ripped with muscles?! Or … scars …? Yup, this man was a mugger. Maybe not the raggedy one from the night before, but he definitely had had his fair share of roughness.

You snapped your eyes shut at the slightest hint of his body turning away from the dresser and towards the bed. You fought to keep your breathing as slow and heavy as you believed you sounded when you were actually asleep. The soft padding of feet upon carpet sounded quietly within the tiny room. You fought to keep yourself from hitching an inhale: They were coming towards you.

If you didn’t confirm it by the sight of the man from behind, you would be able to tell by his footfalls that he was quite tall in stature. And if his back was that brawny, then his front was surely rippling with muscles that you might not have even witnessed on other bodies.

You couldn’t take him on. Best to just stay quiet and still …

Unfortunately, it appeared that the man in the room had the same idea as you. You could sense it: That feeling everyone gets when they’re being stared at. Only it was so close that if you fixated yourself on it hard enough, you could even feel the energy vibrating off the stranger and on to you.

You disguised a small gulp as a reflex performed in slumber. The man was right beside you. Just staring.

The soundlessness was suffocating, almost enough to make you struggle to continue your breathing pattern.

“It’s okay to open your eyes,” the grey blob voice said. “I’m not going to hurt you.”

Oh, crap, your mind cursed. The struggle to keep such a thought from taking form on your face was real. You kept your eyes shut in defiance and uncertainty. The grey blob sighed and tried again: “I know you’re awake. You can stop pretending like you’re not.” Still, you did not budge.

“… We need to have a talk,” he said. The tone the statement was delivered in was hard to place. There was definitely hints of sternness in it; like a person trying to keep their patience about getting a notion across to their speaking partner. But you couldn’t help but note undertones of … nerves? Not necessarily anxiety, but something akin to when a person, not fond of confrontation, had been left with no choice but to actually, well, confront.

This time, you allowed your puzzlement to seep into your features. What robber – especially one of his supposed stature – would openly express concern? In fact, what robber would want to talk, of all things? Dismay and resignation set in as you accepted that the answer lay in opening your eyes.

Your lids separated slowly, nervous as to what image you might find before you. But the feeling was ushered out before you could even blink. After all: The shock one receives by being greeted with defined abs (and barely concealed by a white button-up, no less) was a different kind of shock entirely.

Goddamn! Who had a body like that!?

As your eyes slowly ventured upwards, you found yourself in shock with your answer: Bruce Wayne. Apparently, Bruce Wayne had a body like that.

You’d think that with all that legendary partying he had done in his youth, he’d be sporting more of a wine gut and that his flattering appearance was held together by man girdles beneath those suits. But nope; it was apparently all natural. Go figure.

But suddenly, the familiarity of the area made sense: All those insider scoops on the minimalist design of the infamous Bruce Wayne’s dwellings that had lined the internet all those years ago, all the hype the ET segment on its construction – ! It then truly occurred to you that you were currently in the household of a man who could buy the air you breathed and still view it as a drop in his financial bucket.

You weren’t sure if Bruce took your wide-eyed, slack-jawed expression as one born of surprise or one of lust. Either way, the light chuckle he gave in response to it surely counted for something. Or perhaps he was trying his best to seem unintimidating.

“’Mornin,’” he offered. You said nothing of the sort back.

“What am I doing here, what happened?!” you blurted. The romanticism of waking up in a billionaire’s abode was lost on you, given your current state. The only thing that remained consistent was the fact that you had been greeted to the vision of said billionaire, sporting a nearly sheer white shirt that barely contained his assortment of muscles.

… And then he began to unbutton the remaining buttons on said shirt. Ohnonononono –

“W-waitwaitwait – !” you hollered, whipping your hands up in protest. Hot body or not, there was already so much you hadn’t signed up for, you weren’t sure how much more you were willing to take. All Bruce did in response was flash you a look. You knew that it had meant to be a firm expression, meant to quell your shrieking. But the hint of a smirk present on his face made you all the more unsure. And yet, you weakly halted your exclamations.

It was too late now; the buttons had been undone, allowing for Bruce to remove the shirt and reveal all that the top had barely hidden.

… As well as scars. Many scars. Light, and in jagged or dotted forms. You stared, solemn and completely silent. What sort of billionaire lifestyle could have resulted in these?

You were too focused on the many blemishes speckling the man’s skin to notice that he had gauze wrapped tightly around the upper part of his left arm. Nor did you notice him reaching up to press hard onto the spot until it was too late.

The “too late” being when you released a shriek of pain as a sudden sting erupted from the same spot on your upper right arm.

“Sonuvabitch!” you yelled, your hand flying to attempt to soothe the unmarked agony. Bruce himself only released a hiss from gritted teeth.

“D’you see what we need to talk about?” he asked when the throbbing began to dull down for the both of you. He tried not to react as intensely as he wanted to the moment your glare struck him.

“Damn right, I do,” you uttered, putting the pieces together in an instant. It was frustrating to believe that all those years of fantasizing over how sweet finding your soulmate would be had been immediately dashed by uninitiated sadism. “What the hell, why couldn’t you just tell me instead of doing that!?”

Bruce diverted his eyes with slight embarrassment. “I apologize,” he said. “I wasn’t … thinking.”

You couldn’t help but scoff, throwing in a slight pout for emphasis as you crossed your arms. “And to think that I did my part by trying to avoid causing you discomfort all these years,” you mumbled.

“Actually,” Bruce began, “that’s kind of why I’m a little … befuddled, so to speak.”

“What do you mean?”

“Well …” Bruce scratched the back of his head, eyes wandering for the right words. “I never really felt a whole lot of pain that wasn’t definitely mine on this end. At least, not enough for me to necessarily take note of it. I’ve gone a good chunk of my life feeling worse. So if you ever actually did anything, it was probably like butterfly kisses to me.” He glanced up at you, silently glad to find that you looked slightly less disgruntled. “Honestly, it got to a point where I began to just assume that you probably didn’t exist …”

At that, your expression of malice disintegrated completely. This sort of situation wasn’t unheard of. If that was the case, then he had every right to believe that you weren’t there to share the misery. Why hold back for someone whom you couldn’t determine was even there?

You could only nod slowly to communicate that you understood what he was getting at. He gave you your time.

“I didn’t take suppressants a whole lot, you know,” you murmured. “Just the bad days. The really bad ones, I mean. I never wanted you to feel alone in whatever you were doing.” You weren’t trying to make him feel bad. You weren’t even sure what purpose it served to tell Bruce this, let alone so soon. But it just felt like it needed to be said.

Bruce’s lips separated as if to offer a response to your revelation. He didn’t. He wasn’t sure what to say, or how to express the feeling of guilt over causing you so much discomfort. Or if it was appropriate to reveal that he was secretly proud of you already, learning that his soulmate was already so heartful.

He opted to nod back at you just as slowly as you had to him. Feeling that that had been settled for the time being, you tried to address the elephant in the room.

“So,” you whispered. “My soulmate is the famous Bruce Wayne.”

Half of a smirk managed to ease itself on your match’s features.

“Seems like it,” he agreed, taking a seat on the bed by your feet.

“Wow,” you breathed. You thought some more. “I’m matched with the famous ex-playboy, philanthropist, and Gotham’s most elite.”

“Mmhm,” Bruce nodded. “And, by extension …” His sentence might have gone unfinished, but the way by which it trailed let you know exactly what to think. You mouthed an “oh” as you came to the realization of exactly what that extension was.

It might not have been the grandest or craziest reaction but, to be fair, you were still a bit fatigued from your incident and medication. Besides, how does one react upon learning that their soulmate was the Batman? Speaking of which …

“Oh!” you repeated vocally. “Thank you very much, Bruce. For protecting me,” you said coyly. It felt strange to say it. Not bad-strange. But flustered-strange. A strange that triggered a shy smile to curl its way onto your face.

A strange that only made your cheeks increasingly burn and your nerves to manifest as fidgeting fingers as the recipient warmly replied, “Don’t mention it. It’s my job.” A hint of a lop-sided smile stood on his own blushing face; a counterpart to your own bashfulness.

It was nice to know that for once he was sharing what you felt, too. And it wasn’t a bad feeling at all.

Epilogue:

“Bruce?” you asked as you began to cut your pancakes into bite-sized pieces. Beyond pleased to find that you had not only awoken, but that Bruce finally had someone, Alfred readily cooked up a celebratory breakfast for the two of you before taking his leave so that you could “get to know each other.”

You liked Alfred Pennyworth very much already.

Taking a sip of his coffee, Bruce hummed to signify that you had his attention.

“We’ve confirmed that the reason you’re constantly getting banged up all the time is because you’re Batman, right?” you questioned, popping a piece of pancake into your mouth.

Bruce’s eyebrows creased. Why were you asking this? You knew the answer already. He nodded regardless.

“Well,” you said, swallowing the piece, “I think that by not knowing exactly what I was putting myself through for all those years, I deserve to be compensated.”

Bruce gulped down his coffee. “‘Compensated’?” he repeated.

“Compensated,” you confirmed.

Well, Bruce thought, that’s a fair point. Saving the numbing suppressants for only the worst of his exploits was a beyond impressive feat, given that even his lesser days had a tendency to be brutal. That definitely counted for more than just something.

“Alright,” Bruce readily agreed, setting his mug down on the table. “What would you like? A Gucci purse? Trip to Paris? Dinner at Gotham’s finest establishment?” To Bruce’s surprise, you shot every one of those suggestions down with a shake of your head.

“Uh-uh. I’m a reasonable woman, you’ll come to find. I would prefer to be compensated by being provided some high-grade suppressants; if you’re dealing with some top-tier pain, I’m gonna need some top-tier numbing on my side,” you decreed. You topped it off with a dainty sip of your own drink.

As you focused your attention back on your syrupy flapjacks, Bruce responded to your request with a rare, genuine smile. At least his soulmate knew what she wanted; he could drink to that, he decided drawing his mug back to his lips for another swig.

You set your cup down and thoughtfully stabbed another bite-sized piece of pancake.

“Oh, and a joyride in the Batmobile,” you added.

[samuelfields]

Solving The Happiness Conundrum In Five Moves Or Less

After a tense 14-12 softball victory, the six of us went to a nearby brewery for some beers and burgers. I ended up sitting next to our centerfielder who told me he used to hate his life. Let’s call him Biff.

In high school, Biff was a popular guy. At 6′ 5″ tall, he played varsity baseball and varsity basketball. But he admitted he was sometimes cruel to the smaller kids and exchange students. He wasn’t proud of his actions and wished he could apologize to them today.

After the financial crisis hit in 2008, Biff fell into a deep depression. The house he had bought when he was 27 years old ended up losing half its value. He was told he couldn’t lose and that real estate was the surefire way to riches. Not only had he lost all his equity, but he also owed more than the house was worth.

He was so deep under water, all he wanted to do was turn in his keys and walk away as so many Americans did. There was just one problem. Florida was not a non-recourse state. As such, the lender could easily obtain a deficiency judgment and garish his future wages and non-exempt assets.

Biff proceeded to gain over 100 pounds as he literally locked himself within his rapidly depreciating prison. At 30, he was morbidly obese, broke, and girlfriend-less. Life had no more meaning to him.

Then one day out of the blue, the state of Florida threw him a lifeline by offering him a free $75,000 to pay off some of his mortgage if he promised to keep up with regular payments. He took advantage of this tax payer’s money and fulfilled his side of the deal.

Despite feeling a little guilty for getting a bailout, Biff started gaining positive momentum in his life again. Over the ensuing two years, he lost 70 pounds, got a promotion, and finally at 32 found a girlfriend. He also stopped hating on anybody who seemed to be doing better than him because he was finally in a better place.

The first step to him feeling happy was to make sure his finances were no longer going in reverse. Once his finances had stabilized, Biff’s happiness grew because he found someone who loved him despite all his flaws. Today they are married and have a daughter.

Being rich didn’t matter anymore to Biff. Making progress did. Oh, and being able to crush a softball 350 feet as our cleanup hitter makes Biff and the rest of the team ecstatic.

Money And Happiness Are Loosely Correlated

People say money doesn’t buy happiness is because it’s true. After you make enough to comfortably survive, whether it’s $75,000 in Kansas City or $250,000 in San Francisco, having more money seldom significantly moves the happiness needle.

The World Happiness Report 2018 ranked Finland as the happiest country in the world. The report highlighted six significant factors which contribute to happiness: GDP per capita, social support, life expectancy, freedom to make life choices, generosity and corruption levels.

Despite the United States having by far the highest GDP in the world, the United States ranked only 18th in the survey. What a conundrum to be so rich, yet so thoroughly average in the happiness ranking.

Some of the reasons attributed to why Americans were not happier included: wealth inequality, obesity, substance abuse, and depression.

On a GDP per capita basis, the United States ranks about 19, which is in line with its happiness ranking. However, GDP per capita alone doesn’t neatly explain why more of the wealthiest countries aren’t in the top 10.

For example, Singapore has a per capita GDP of $93,900, yet ranks 34th in the World Happiness Report 2018. The reason is probably because its too damn humid in Singapore!

Source: CIA

Happiness is subjective and extremely difficult to quantify. But based on the data, it’s clear that money is only one part of the happiness equation.

In my opinion, money takes up at most 40% of determining your level of happiness. Once you get to the level where you have enough money to do what you want, your 40% is maxed out.

The remaining 60% that determines your happiness has to do with family, friends, and accomplishments. If money was a predominant happiness indicator, billionaires would never cry, never suffer, and definitely never get divorced.

What I realize today is that I’ve spent too much time trying to help readers and myself optimize the 40%, and not enough time trying to optimize the other 60%. One of Financial Samurai’s main goals, after all, is to help readers lead happier lives.

So, for the remainder of this post, let’s talk about the other 60%. As I get older, I expect the types of posts I write will correlate more closely to the percentages I believe make up our happiness levels.

Things That Should Raise Your Happiness

1) Independence. Independence grows over time. The first taste of independence usually comes when you’re able to live on your own without parental assistance. Perhaps it’s going away to school or landing your first job.

Independence continues to grow once you start gaining respect and mastery at your job. The better you are at your job, generally the more leeway you’re given to do what you want. You might eventually get promoted to run a team or a department, giving you even more independence.

You finally gain maximum independence when you no longer have to report to anybody. Most think retirement is the ultimate goal. But based on my experience, retirement isn’t a cure-all for happiness.

Some people believe that entrepreneurship leads to maximum independence. Instead, entrepreneurship can lead to tremendous dependence if you hire workers and take in investors. What people really want is a profitable, bootstrapped solo-business or the financial independence to do whatever without caring about money.

My situation: Although I was basically a grunt at my first job in NYC and had zero independence, I was grateful to just have a job. After about six months of appreciating employment, my happiness took a dive due to the 12-14 hour days. Happiness level: 6/10.

When I switched jobs and moved to San Francisco, my happiness took a tick higher because I was in a satellite office that offered more independence. My boss and I were a unit that covered west coast clients so there was much more independence compared to being at the NYC headquarters. Happiness level: 7.5/10.

Once my boss left to become a client, I gained even more independence. But I also felt a lot more pressure to maintain the business and eventually grow it. Therefore, my happiness remained steady or might have even taken a tick down, despite higher pay and title. Happiness level: 7/10.

It was only after I negotiated a severance in 2012 did my happiness level creep up to an 8/10 and has remained at roughly this level with temporary spikes to 10. I knew what I wanted to do post work and pursued it with abandon.

2) Family. No matter how much of a knucklehead you are, most family members will provide unconditional love and forgiveness. They will support you no matter what.

It is estimated that the average friendship lasts only seven years because life gets in the way. While friends come and go, family members last for much longer. We must make an effort to regularly keep in touch with our parents and siblings.

My situation: When I got in deep trouble in high school, they didn’t further chastise me, but provided comfort during a time of great distress. When it was time to find a job, I remember my dad doing his best to introduce me to many of his acquaintances he got to know while working in Asia.

When I wanted to leave for a new job for more money in NYC after 10 years with my existing firm, my mom counseled me not to join because she knew the misery wouldn’t be worth it. When I decided to leave work altogether at age 34, they didn’t say I was crazy.

When it came time to settle down, they welcomed my wife with open arms. I always wondered whether they’d try to push me towards a certain type of person like some parents do, but they did not.

I am so appreciative that my parents always provided counsel and never put up roadblocks whenever I made a decision. Having them in my adult life for so long has been a blessing. Losing them will be incredibly difficult.

3) Your own family. If you are lucky to find a life partner, there is nobody you will love more in this world. If you want and have children, the amount of joy you will experience is beyond anything you can imagine.

I understand that not everybody wants children. In fact, 10% of you in my survey said you did not. That’s absolutely fine. Having a family made up of just you and your soulmate is incredibly powerful. Make it your mission to find someone who loves you as much as you love them.

My situation: I lucked out and met my wife when I was a senior in college. Because I met my wife so early, I’ve always had this minimum elevated level of contentment. I knew that worst case, if I could only make minimum wage working at McDonald’s, at least I’d have her in my life and we’d make things work.

When we finally had our boy in 2017, my happiness temporarily rocketed to a 10+. It was as if I had unlocked a new feeling that remained hidden for decades.

But as many first-time stay at home parents know, taking care of a little one is very difficult for the first several years. Therefore, my happiness has faded back down to about an 8 on average and sometimes down to a 7 when my boy’s temper tantrums are out of control. Even so, I’d never give him up for the world.

Be forewarned. If your relationship is rocky before kids, having a kid will likely expedite an impending breakup.

4) The ability to stand up for yourself. One of the worst feelings is getting bullied and not being able to do anything about it.

In school, you might get picked on by a bigger kid. You want to fight back, but you’re afraid of getting seriously injured. You rationalize that it’s better to give him your lunch money and starve than face his wrath.

At work, you might get tormented by a senior colleague. You want to tell her to stop, but you’re afraid of getting a bad review. You need the money because you just bought a home.

Online, you’re afraid to say what you truly think out of fear of getting ridiculed. As a result, you keep quiet and join a mob that bullies others for thinking differently. The fear of standing up for yourself and others is one of the reasons why bad things stay bad for a very long time.

My situation: Ever since I was in elementary school, I had the courage to fight back against bullies. I got in plenty of fist fights because I didn’t allow anybody to push me around or call me names. I learned as a kid that once you stand up for yourself, even if you take a few blows, the bullies eventually stop. Some may even apologize. The repercussions were a couple suspensions, multiple trips to the principal’s office, and a few bruises. But it always felt great to defend my honor.

I’ve carried this attitude of standing up for myself throughout my entire adult life. When there was BS happening at work, I spoke up often to my own detriment. I didn’t appreciate nepotism and often challenged senior employees whom I did not respect. This was not a good career strategy. When the big bosses in my corner were eventually pushed out, I was left with fewer backers.

Online, this site has grown large enough to attract unfortunately some hateful comments every week from people like the old Biff. Even if only 0.1% of the people hate your guts, however, that’s 1,000 people a month if you receive 1 million visitors a month. I generally just delete 99% of the bad comments. But if there’s a particular commenter who keeps badgering me then I may take a stand because I’m thinking about the world my son will face growing up. As a parent, I see it as my duty to break the cycle.  

One of the best benefits of being unemployed is that you can never get fired. So many people end up ruining their careers based on what they say and do online. Being able to stand up for yourself is definitely one of the biggest benefits of financial independence.

Standing up for yourself can initially feel scary. But the more you practice, the easier it will get.

5) Doing work that is helpful to others. One of the reasons why ~70% of people are disengaged at work is because they know what they do is probably not very helpful to society.

Imagine working at PepsiCo, whose entire goal is to sell sugary drinks and processed foods to get Americans addicted and sick. That can’t feel good given our obesity epidemic. Imagine working at Juul, whose main goal is to get adults and teenagers hooked on vaporized nicotine.

On the other hand, if you create or do something that’s helpful to others, you will feel extremely wealthy. Talk to veteran nurses, teachers, firefighters, and social workers. Many will glow about their rewarding careers.

My situation: Before 9/11 happened, it felt great working in finance in NYC. After 9/11, I felt a tremendous amount of sadness. Suddenly, nothing I did at work mattered anymore compared to what the brave first responders did to try and rescue the people trapped in the World Trade Centers. I wanted to join the U.S. Foreign Service like my parents and serve my country. But I did not because I was not smart enough or motivated enough to pass the Foreign Service entrance exam.

It took at least three years to get over my disillusionment of working in finance. During this time, I went to business school part-time, partly to see if I could gain some knowledge to do something else.

But part of the deal for having my tuition paid for was to continue working at my firm for at least two years after graduation. During this time, the financial crisis had hit in 2008 and there was nowhere I could go. The best I could do was hold on tight for my employment life as I had taken out a $1.1 million mortgage in 2006.

The 2008-2009 financial crisis forced me to once again re-assess what I wanted to do with my life. I wanted out but didn’t know what to do, so I started Financial Samurai to help figure it out. Happiness level: 5.5/10.

It was not until 2011 that I decided that my biggest joy was writing and helping people get their finances straight. By then, Financial Samurai was constantly on my mind even while I was at work. So in 2012 I finally said goodbye to my employer.

The thing that has helped keep me going for so long has been the consistently positive feedback I get from readers that outnumber the negative feedback 200 to 1. Over the past 10 years I’ve witnessed readers eradicate their debt, fix their spending habits, buy their first homes, leave toxic work environments, create thriving side hustles, build substantial retirement portfolios, start families and so much more. It’s been a wonderful journey and a treat to hear from each one of you.

Happiness level: 8/10.

This letter has grown in appreciation since first receiving it now that I’m a father

Feeling Happy Is Worth The Effort

Before you reach financial independence you might get tricked into believing that money is the main reason why people are happy. It’s easy to lose sight of all the other things on your quest for greater wealth.

However, you can be the richest person in the world, but if you have nobody to share your fortune with, I doubt you’ll be happier than someone making $40,000 a year in a job in which he or she loves and who has a loving partner and supportive friends in real life.

For the sake of happiness, it’s worth staying fit, finding people in real life who love us as much as we love them, and doing something that’s helpful to others. Who knows. We might even reach a point where we’re so happy that money starts pouring in as a byproduct.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on how much money plays a role in your overall happiness. What are some other important things that make you incredibly happy? What are some things you notice happy people do that unhappy people don’t do?

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

Related posts:

The Desire For Money And Prestige Is Ruining Your Life

Be Rich, Not Famous: The Joy Of Being A Nobody

The post Solving The Happiness Conundrum In Five Moves Or Less appeared first on Financial Samurai.

from Finance https://www.financialsamurai.com/solving-happiness-things-that-will-make-you-happier-and-wealthier/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[robininthelabyrinth]

Prompt: Mick and Len never reunite after the Great Fire (no Flash reunion then) and somehow both get roped into the waverider where they finally see each other again and rekindle. Coldwave, obviously :)

A bit on the short side, but I wanted to post some Coldwave :D plus this verse amuses me, so keeping the door open to potentially more…

Fic: Keeping Cool (AO3 link)Fandom: Flash, DC’s Legends of TomorrowPairing: Mick Rory/Leonard Snart

Summary: Leonard Snart is most definitely losing his cool. (in which Captain Cold has no chill)

———————————-

Len prides himself on keeping his cool under any situation. It’s his thing, his theme, his raison d’etre – he’s Captain Cold now, even. It’s part of his identity. Police sirens right outside the door when he’s trying to break a lock? No problem. Dissatisfied mobster thugs trying to shoot him while he’s reloading? Big deal. Locked in prison with (supposedly) no way out? Whatever.

No matter what’s going on, he keeps his cool.

Well, except now.

Right now, he is most definitely losing his cool.

“I guess that means we have two criminals on the team,” the dorky scientist guy says, shaking his head like he’s regretting all of his life choices, like he can’t understand why in the world Time Traveler Guy would pick – well, them. “At least you guys will have someone to hang out with, I guess?”

And stay away from the rest of us, he means.

Normally, someone sets themselves up like that, Len has half a dozen witty insults up his sleeve to trip them up.

Len keeps his damn mouth shut.

It’s Mick.

Holy crap, it’s Mick.

Len thought it was enough, keeping tabs on him from far away, paying people for medical records, updates, pictures, bad cell phone videos. Confirmations that he was recovering from the fire, that he was doing well, that he hadn’t been snapped up by the cops or abused by his newest employers. Quiet chats with shady acquaintance-of-acquaintances to make sure the jobs Mick signed up for went right, and that Mick always got paid his fair share. Knowing he was alive and well, even if he wasn’t by Len’s side.

He’d thought that was enough.

He was an idiot.

It was nothing.

Mick is –

He’d forgotten how Mick fills a room, his looming presence always noticeable, at least to Len. How sharp his eyes are under the pretense of stupidity, how he can turn his bulk from intimidating to friendly in a second, how - how everything about him makes Len’s heart stop in its chest.

Mick scowls at him, and turns away.

Len stiffly turns away as well.

Right.

He’d forgotten why, exactly, he’d forgotten all of that.

We’re over.

It’s fine, though.

Len’s a professional.

Len’s Captain Cold.

He can handle this.

They - meaning the merry band of time travelers - end up going back to the 1970s, and then they - meaning the less pure-white-and-shining of the team, i.e. the thief, the arsonist, and the assassin - promptly get ditched, with a side order of babysitting duties over the only kid in America who looked at the time-travelling spaceship and said “Nah, not for me.”

Sara suggests going out for a drink; Mick agrees whole-heartedly, with the tone of someone who wants to get drunk as soon as possible.

Len agrees, because if Mick’s going to go get drunk in the 70s, Len’s going to be there watching his back - god, the 70s; he remembers how easy it was for his dad to get hold of hard drugs when he was a kid, and not always even on purpose - even if Mick doesn’t particularly care for his presence. They can sit apart at the bar, it’s fine.

It’s cool.

They leave the kid behind. No need to scar impressionable minds any more than they have to.

Sara tries to flirt with Len, though patently unseriously.

Len stares blankly at her. Normally he’d play along, but at the moment…

“Not your style? S’cool,” she says, and goes to start a bar fight.

Len finds himself shooting a glance, all raised eyebrows and amusement, at Mick, but Mick’s not looking back, almost pointedly not looking back, and instead he’s jumping forward into the fray, that maniacal grin of his firmly on his face.

Fighting alongside Mick is –

Len nearly gets clobbered because he keeps being distracted just watching.

Mick glares at him.

They go back to the ship and nearly get murdered by a team of temporal bounty hunters with high powered lasers, because Rip Hunter is an idiot.

Also, heroes seem to carry existential “kick me” signs painted in neon lights over their heads. Len had always suspected it was true, but seriously - they were gone for less than three hours!

Once they’re safely back on board, the hero crew demands an explanation.

And Rip -

Rip tells them the truth this time.

Len listens with half an ear. He mostly steals glances at Mick.

Rip offers them all a choice: go home, or go on. Up to them, now that they know the truth, that they’re going to be hunted for this mission, that they’re all on their own, that some grief-stricken asshole decided to involve them on his personal vendetta instead of actually caring about saving the future.

They all take a little time to decide whether or not they want to stay on with the mission.

Sara leads the charge for those agreeing to stay.

Len shrugs noncommittally when she asks him.

Sara frowns thoughtfully at him, then goes to ask Mick.

“Don’t see why you care,” he says. “I don’t even have a weird shtick like the rest of you.”

“To be perfectly honest,” she says, and that’s good, Mick always appreciated blunt honesty, “it’s just that I think Snart’s cold gun will be pretty damn useful in a fight, and if D&D’s taught me one thing it’s that having a thief around is always handy.”

That’s not good. What the hell? How is that relevant to whether Mick is staying or going? Did she somehow miss the fact that Mick doesn’t even look in Len’s direction?

Mick scowls. “And what does that have to do with me?”

Len agrees.

“The fact that the man’s got a crush on you that can be seen from space,” she says.

Mick blinks.

Len – eavesdropping from the next room over – contemplates bashing his head against the wall.

“He does not,” Mick objects.

“He really does,” Sara says. “Totally losing his head over you. It’s somewhere between hilarious and pathetic, how bad he’s got it. I assume that’s why he’s waiting to see what you pick before deciding.”

“He’s…leaving it up to me?” Mick says disbelievingly.

“Yeah,” Sara says. “So what do you think?”

“I need a minute,” Mick says.

Shit.

Len looks for a place to dash off to, but Mick turns the corner too quick for him.

Possibly because Mick always did know where Len preferred to eavesdrop from. Also possible that Len’s been less-than-subtle with his stalking - and yes, he knows it’s blatant stalking, and following your ex around is both creepy and pathetic, but he can’t seem to stop himself.

“Are you waiting for me to decide?” Mick demands, not even pausing.

“Um,” Len says.

Mick waits a few seconds, but no, really, that’s all Len’s got right now.

Damnit. He used to be cool, once upon a time.

“Why the hell would you let me pick?“ Mick exclaims. “I don’t even have a superpowered doohickey like the rest of these assholes!”

“Actually,” Len says.

“Actually what?”

“My cold gun comes with a matching heat gun and I brought it with me, it’s in my room, you can have it if you like,” Len says all at once.

Mick stares.

Len shifts a little from one foot to the next.

“You brought that for me,” Mick says, eyes still narrow.

“Yes,” Len says.

“When did you get it?”

“Same time I found the cold gun,” Len says, slightly puzzled. “I told you, they were a matching set –”

“Are you telling me you carted a heat gun around this entire time you were a supervillain on the off chance that you could give it to me?”

“It sounds rather sad when you put it that way,” Len says, because it does, actually. Apparently he was never cool. “I didn’t know if you were willing to see me, after what I did.”

“After what you did?”

“Leaving,” Len clarifies. Only his biggest mistake, and he’s counting the Alexa disaster.

“Oh,” Mick says. He blinks.

“Wait,” Sara says, having followed Mick to the door. “You two know each other?”

“Yeah,” Mick says. “We’re partners. And we’re staying with you, at least a little longer.”

“Great!” she says, then flounces off to badger Ray about it.

Which is probably for the best, because Len’s pretty sure he looks like he’s been hit in the face with a two-by-four.

“We are?” Len asks, because that’s - that’s more than he hoped for. Hell, he’d just have been happy being on the same ship with Mick, all things considered. But partners again?

Good things like that didn’t just happen.

“For now,” Mick says, like he wasn’t making Len’s day - hell, Len’s whole year - by agreeing, though the way Mick’s lips are twitching means that maybe Len isn’t hiding his rapturous delight quite as well as he’d been hoping he was. “But starting as of now, I’m the boss.”

Len smiles. He’s cool with that. “Sure, boss.”

Ten minutes later, Hunter is talking about what they need to do next and who is staying.

“Snart and Rory are staying, too,” Sara pipes up.

“Excellent,” Hunter says. “That’s all of us, then.”

“What would you have done if one of us had decided to go home?” Len drawls, feeling cockier than he has in years.

He means ‘one of us’ as in the team, not him and Mick, but Hunter misreads him.

“It seems rather unlikely that you’d leave your husband behind, Mr. Snart, or visa versa,” Hunters says dismissively. “There’s a reason I brought both of you.”

“Hold up,” Jax says, brightening. “You two are married?!”

“You didn’t say!” Sara exclaims, beaming. “That’s great!”

Len opens his mouth, then closes it, then looks at Mick.

Mick’s face confirms his own emotions.

“Hey, Hunter,” he finally manages to say. “No, wait a sec, I got a better idea. Gideon, is it?”

“Yes, Mr. Snart?” the AI chirps. “How may I assist?”

“What year is Mick and my marriage recorded? I don’t care about the month or date, just the year.”

“That would be 2018,” Gideon chirps.

“But…we got picked up in 2016,” Ray says.

“Yeah,” Mick says. “And we’re not married.”

“Yet,” Len adds, because, what the hell. They’re not even dating. Formally dating. Does sleeping together on the regular even count? Not that they’ve been doing that recently. Because they’d been broken up. Except they can’t have been broken up, because they weren’t ever dating. What the hell, time travel. “Apparently.”

“…oops,” Hunter says.

[elizabethcariasa]

IRS criminal investigators tout 2019 successes, look to year 101's tax crime challenges

Folks who cheat on their taxes to pocket extra dollars are infuriating enough to those of us struggling to do everything right on our 1040 forms.

Folks who go to extremes to evade taxes are even more maddening.

The Internal Revenue Service, however, has some good news for us here. It's Criminal Investigation (CI) unit is catching and convicting these tax criminals at a commendable rate.

A 91.2 percent conviction rate in 2019, to be precise. That's among the highest of all federal law enforcement agencies, according to the IRS.

And CI, which detailed that conviction rate and other successes in its 2019 annual report, has a message for tax crooks: "We will not stop in our pursuit."

CI Chief Don Fort vows that his crew will improve on its crackdown on tax and financial criminals thanks to an aggressive enforcement strategy.

More CI agents to be hired: The latest prosecutorial success came even though CI continued a general downward trend of investigations and prosecutions over the last few years due to personnel losses.

An estimated 130 to 150 CI agents retire every year, said Fort during a conference call Dec. 5 to discuss the latest report findings. The time between on-boarding new agents and completion of their first case averages two to three years.

But things are turning around a bit. "This year we will hire more agents than we have in the last five years combined," said Fort.

Overview of IRS CI 2019 activities. Source: IRS CI 2019 Report

Jail and other punishments handed out: Of those convicted of tax crimes, around 79 percent went to jail, with the average sentence being more than three years. Those who weren't incarcerated faced other punishments, such as fines, restitution or house arrest.

During fiscal year 2019, IRS criminal investigators identified $1.8 billion in tax fraud and another $4.4 billion in other financial crimes, such as money laundering.

"Our cases continue to be some of the most complex and impactful cases in the world," said Fort. "We are working smarter, using data analytics to augment good old-fashioned police work and find those cases that have the biggest impact on tax administration."

That combination of modern investigative techniques and old-school shoe leather methods will continue.

"We are leading the world in our ability to trace virtual currency in financial investigations while still working our bread and butter tax enforcement mission areas," he added.

Moving into modern crime-fighting: However, as the world and tax criminals adapt, so will the CI.

That's already apparent in the CI's success in breaking high-tech criminal schemes.

"Criminals stay current with the trends and adopt their methods to match the public’s tendencies. The speed at which money moves today is almost instantaneous and the convenience that comes with that opens the door for criminals to exploit the latest technological advancements," the CI leader noted in his message that opens this year's report.

"Years ago, we had time on our side and we could allow things to play out without losing a trace of a criminal or their proceeds. Now, money disappears in the blink of an eye," he added. "The internet and the dark web have facilitated this change and law enforcement has had to make adjustments to keep up."

"They took their money offshore and hid around the world, but we found them," Fort said "They went on the dark web thinking that their actions were anonymous, but they weren't, and we again found them."

Crypto, cyber tax issues get more attention: "They now deal in crypto-currency, again thinking this will make them anonymous, but our agents have once again proved that there is nowhere to hide," Fort added.

That anonymity feature of digital assets like Bitcoin allows users to transfer money globally with little or no oversight. Earlier this year, however, the IRS took steps to shed some investigative light on this area.

After obtaining details of more than 10,000 users of the cryptocurrency exchange Coinbase, the IRS sent the virtual currency owners letters requesting reporting of their crypto transactions and payment of any due tax. Early reports are that the cryptocurrency compliance effort is working.

The report notes that since 2015, CI has been building a cybercrimes program to address the exponential growth of all tax-related cybercrime, as well as its additional impacts on U.S. financial systems and the economy.

A Cyber Crime Unit (CCU) with locations in our Los Angeles and Washington, D.C., field offices was part of the initial launch of the program. That was soon followed by a headquarters Cyber Crimes office and cybercrimes coordinators in each of CI's 21 field offices followed.

Source: IRS CI 2019 Report

"CI's cybercrime investigative efforts focus on subjects using the internet as an essential means to commit the crime, remain anonymous, elude law enforcement, and conceal financial transactions, ownership of assets, or other evidence," notes the report.

Still following the money: The changing financial, tax, technological and criminal world, however, does not mean that CI will ignore traditional tax crimes.

CI remains involved in the more familiar investigations into general tax fraud, abusive tax schemes, refund fraud, employment tax fraud and tax identity theft.

And tax crime investigators, notes the report, will continue to use the same "follow the money" approach that has made CI's involvement in complex investigations a mainstay since the creation of the agency in 1919.

"While the tools of the trade may have changed, criminals are still doing the same things they were doing 100 years ago. Skimming money from a business to avoid employment taxes or pretending to be someone else to file their taxes — these are all things criminals have done since our inception," said Fort.

100 years of tax crime-fighting: The CI chief did, however, acknowledge the momentousness of the 100th anniversary as the IRS' law enforcement agency.

On July 1, 1919, then IRS Commissioner Daniel C. Roper created the Intelligence Unit to investigate widespread allegations of tax fraud. If was manned (yes, all men back then) by six United States Post Office Inspectors who were transferred to the IRS to form the new unit. It officially was renamed CI in 1978.

The unit has had a lot of success over the last century, but CI's first national attention and accolades came in the 1930s with the conviction of Al Capone, public enemy number one, for income tax evasion.

Al Capone, aka Scarface, mugshot taken June 17, 1931, by the U.S. Department of Justice. C28169 is his rogue's gallery number. (Photo via Wikimedia Commons)

"Honor the Badge, Preserve the Legacy, Master Your Craft, Inspire the Future. These are the guiding principles that IRS Criminal Investigation lives by and that 2019 was defined by," he wrote in his preface to the unit's 2019 report.

"We will not stop in our pursuit. I’m proud of all we have accomplished in fiscal year '19 and in our 100-year history. I’m proud to lead this agency and I look forward to helping to write the next chapter of investigative excellence for IRS-CI," he added.

That attitude is why IRS CI earns congratulation this week and why 100 gets the weekly By the Numbers honor.

You also might find these items of interest:

Tax cheating is wrong, say most U.S. taxpayers

IRS celebrating 100 years of capturing tax criminals

281 people arrested in connection with global email scams

Advertisements

  // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ // <![CDATA[ (adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]> // ]]>  

[meekspaceng]

Are You Recommending Yourself to Others? ‘I don’t care what other people think!’ In a moment of anger or frustration, perhaps you have found yourself making this bold assertion. But once the surge of bravado has ebbed, you may give way to a feeling of anxious concern. Why? Because most of us really do care about what others think of us. INDEED, we should care about the feelings of others. Especially must we as Christians, ordained ministers of Jehovah God, have a healthy concern about how others view us. After all, we are “a theatrical spectacle to the world.” (1 Corinthians 4:9) At 2 Corinthians 6:3, 4, we find the apostle Paul’s sound counsel: “In no way are we giving any cause for stumbling, that our ministry might not be found fault with; but in every way we recommend ourselves as God’s ministers.” What, though, does it mean to recommend ourselves to others? Does it mean to promote ourselves or to call undue attention to ourselves and our abilities? No. But it does call for applying the words of 1 Peter 2:12: “Maintain your conduct fine among the nations, that . . . they may as a result of your fine works of which they are eyewitnesses glorify God.” Christians recommend themselves by letting their conduct speak for itself! Ultimately, this brings praise, not to us, but to God. Nevertheless, our recommending ourselves to others may also have personal benefits. Let us examine three areas in which this might prove true for you. As a Potential Marriage Mate Take, for example, the matter of marriage. It is a gift from Jehovah God, the one “to whom every family in heaven and on earth owes its name.” (Ephesians 3:15) Perhaps it is your desire to marry some day. If so, to what extent are you recommending yourself as a potential marriage partner? Yes, what reputation have you made for yourself as a single Christian man or woman? In some lands this is of great concern to families. In Ghana, for example, when two persons wish to marry each other, it is the tradition for the prospective couple to inform their parents. These, in turn, inform other family members. The man’s family then sets about ascertaining the woman’s reputation in the neighborhood. When the parents are convinced of the woman’s suitability, they will inform the woman’s family of their son’s intention to marry the daughter. The woman’s family now checks the reputation of the man before consenting to the marriage. A Ghanaian adage thus says, “Ask those who should know before you enter into marriage.” What about Western lands, where individuals are generally allowed to select their own marriage mates? Even there, a mature Christian man or woman would be wise to seek a candid recommendation from those who know a potential mate well, such as parents or mature friends. According to the book The Secret of Family Happiness, a young woman might ask: “‘What kind of reputation does this man have? Who are his friends? Does he display self-control? How does he treat elderly persons? What kind of family does he come from? How does he interact with them? What is his attitude toward money? Does he abuse alcoholic beverages? Is he temperamental, even violent? What congregation responsibilities does he have, and how does he handle them? Could I deeply respect him?’​—Leviticus 19:32; Proverbs 22:29; 31:23; Ephesians 5:3-5, 33; 1 Timothy 5:8; 6:10;Titus 2:6, 7.”* A man would likewise want to inquire about any Christian woman he is considering marrying. According to the Bible, Boaz took such an interest in Ruth, the woman he later married. When Ruth asked: “How is it I have found favor in your eyes so that I am taken notice of, when I am a foreigner?” Boaz said: “The report was fully made to me of all that you have done.” (Ruth 2:10-12) Yes, not only did Boaz personally observe that Ruth was a loyal, dedicated, and hardworking woman but he also received favorable comments from others. Similarly, your conduct will have a bearing on whether others view you as a suitable marriage mate. Just how are you recommending yourself to others in this regard? As an Employee The workplace is another area where maintaining good conduct can work to your benefit. Competition for jobs may be intense. Employees who are known for insubordination, habitual lateness, and dishonesty are often fired. Companies may also lay off experienced employees so as to cut costs. When unemployed ones seek new jobs, they may find that companies will check with their previous employers to ascertain their work habits, attitude, and experience. Many Christians have successfully recommended themselves to employers by their respectful behavior, modest attire, pleasant demeanor, and outstanding Christian qualities. Honesty is such a quality​—one that is given high priority by many employers. Like the apostle Paul, we want to “conduct ourselves honestly in all things.” (Hebrews 13:18) In one mining company in Ghana, pilfering was reported. The supervisor at the treatment plant, a Witness, retained his job while others were fired. Why? The management had observed his honesty over the years. His hard work and respect for authority were also well-known. Yes, his upright conduct saved his job! What are some other things a Christian can do to recommend himself in the job market? Learn to be skilled at whatever job you are given. (Proverbs 22:29) Work diligently and conscientiously. (Proverbs 10:4; 13:4) Treat your employer and work supervisor with respect. (Ephesians 6:5) Punctuality, honesty, efficiency, and hard work are qualities employers esteem, and those qualities can help you to find employment even when jobs are scarce. Congregation Privileges Now more than ever, mature men are needed to take the lead in the Christian congregation. The reason? Isaiah prophesied: “Make the place of your tent more spacious. And let them stretch out the tent cloths of your grand tabernacle.” (Isaiah 54:2) In fulfillment of this prophecy, Jehovah’s worldwide congregation keeps on experiencing growth. So if you are a Christian man, how can you recommend yourself as one qualified to serve in an appointed capacity? Consider the example of the young man Timothy. Luke reports that Timothy “was well reported on by the brothers in Lystra and Iconium.” Yes, by his fine conduct, this young man had recommended himself to others in two different cities. Paul therefore invited Timothy to join him in the traveling ministry.​—Acts 16:1-4. How can a man today ‘reach out for an office of oversight’ in an appropriate, godly way? Certainly not by campaigning for appointment but by cultivating the spiritual qualities needed for such responsibilities. (1 Timothy 3:1-10, 12, 13; Titus 1:5-9) He can also show that he is “desirous of a fine work” by having a full share in the preaching and disciple-making work. (Matthew 24:14; 28:19, 20) Those who recommend themselves as responsible Christian men take a sincere interest in the welfare of their spiritual brothers. They follow the advice of the apostle Paul: “Share with the holy ones according to their needs. Follow the course of hospitality.” (Romans 12:13) By doing such things, a Christian man can truly ‘recommend himself as a minister of God.’ At All Times Recommending ourselves to others does not mean putting on a pretense or becoming “men pleasers.” (Ephesians 6:6) Ultimately, it means recommending ourselves to our Creator, Jehovah God, by conscientiously following his laws and principles. If you develop your spirituality and strengthen your relationship with Jehovah God, others will notice an improvement in the way you deal with your family members, workmates, and fellow Christians. They will also observe your stability and balance, your good sense of judgment, your ability to handle responsibility, and your humility. This will earn you their love and respect and, more important, win you the approval of Jehovah God because you recommend yourself to others! [Footnote] Published by the Watchtower Bible and Tract Society of New York, Inc. [Picture on page 19] Many parents wisely inquire about the reputation of someone their son or daughter is interested in marrying [Picture on page 20] A brother recommends himself for privileges of service by being considerate of others

http://meekspaceng.blogspot.com/2019/08/are-you-recommending-yourself-to-others.html

[douchebagbrainwaves]

HERE'S WHAT I JUST REALIZED ABOUT PARENTS

Google does. In the startup world, there has been a qualitative change in the last couple years they've extracted hundreds of millions of dollars from them. If you've truly made something good, you're doing them a favor by letting them invest, why are you investing your time in it? Don't use it with investors either.1 If parents told their kids the truth about it. There is no magically difficult step that requires brilliance to solve. Organizations realized there was a new version of the web. And once you've done it, it tends to be underestimated. It's art that interests its human audience, and since humans have a lot more discerning than any employer. At most startups ten years ago, software development meant ten programmers writing code in C.

But evidence suggests most things with titles like this are linkbait. Particularly lions. I spend in email, it's kind of scary to think how much I'd be justified in paying. Even if it's the right thing. Being good art is art that achieves its purpose particularly well. Even worse than the spectacular abuses might be the overall decrease in efficiency that would accompany increased secrecy. If you do that you could only program the Altair in machine language. If people can't think clearly about anything that has become part of their identity to be honest and industrious. My second suggestion will seem shocking to VCs: let founders cash out partially in the Series A round.2 What you must not do is seem nervous and apologetic. At Rehearsal Day, we have to go back and figure out how we use the word intelligent as an indication of ability: a smart person knows what to do in a lot of people, you've found a gold mine.

Why do patents play so small a role patents play in the software business happens in startups, and who carefully adjust their manner to reflect their position in the hierarchy, your entire group. It's clearly an abuse of the system, and the startups are different this time around. Both angels and VCs: VCs invest other people's money, and once started they tend continue on their initial path even if it's mistaken. It's clear most start with not wanting kids to swear, and yet still fail. So at dinner afterward we collected all our tips about presenting to investors. But every company that gets really big is lucky in the sense that the startups they want more expensive? I asked him if the people lead, the leaders will follow. It's not what people learn in classes at MIT and Stanford that has made technology companies spring up around them. Revenues of $3000 a month consulting; in fact, investors greatly prefer it if you don't need either of those. But those aren't the only reasons parents don't want their teenage kids have sex—indeed, where it's normal for 14 year olds to become mothers.

It is a brilliant strategy, and one of which is: You shouldn't put the blame on one parent, because divorce is never only one person's worth of freedom between them. I then put at the top.3 And since success in a startup: the feeling that it's your own company. Most people reading this will already be fairly tolerant.4 Similar sites include Digg, a technology news site that's rapidly approaching Slashdot in popularity, and del. 0 conference turned out to be right, and I asked him if the people now running the company? It's fine to put The before the number if you really believe you've made an exhaustive list. Odd as it might sound, we tell startups that they should try to prove it, because that also seems to be a very big deal, and it's better, even from a purely selfish point of view, the picture is more encouraging.

Notes

We're only comparing YC startups, so they made much of the resulting sequence. They're motivated by examples of how you spent all your time working on such an idea where the ratio of spam. The Quotable Einstein, Princeton University Press, 1983.

Economic inequality has been decreasing globally. They have no way to make Europe more entrepreneurial and more pervasive though. Since most VCs are only pretending to in order to pick the former. There is not really a lie because it's told with a sufficiently identifiable style, you may have been a time before photography had a house built a couple hundred years or so you can hire a real salesperson to replace the actual amount of damage to the Internet, and the exercise of stock the VCs should be your compass.

Actually he's no better or worse than the valuation turns out to be recognized as an employee or as outside counsel, they did it. An Operational Definition. He did eventually graduate at about 26.

It's one of them had been a time before photography had a killed portraiture as a predictor of high quality. It will also interest investors. Ironically, one of those things that's not art because it might bear stating even more dangerous to Microsoft than Netscape was. For most of them was Webvia; I was there when it converts you get bigger, your size helps you grow.

Thanks to Ross Boucher, Ken Anderson, Jon Levy, Jessica Livingston, and Garry Tan for smelling so good.

[wetrumpfeed]

Afternoon MAGAthread: YOUR WEEKLY PRESIDENTIAL RECAP!

HAPPY SATURDAY SUPER ELITES!

This is u/Ivaginaryfriend here to help kick off you Saturday with a dank AF recap of the past week of winning! If you happened to miss any past recaps you can catch those here!

Sunday, May 12th:

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

“The Democrats have nothing. Just want to distract from this President. The FBI was not doing its job, the State Department was covering things up everyday for Hillary. At the end of the day they’re fearful of what they did, and should be fearful. This is a tough..... ... ....President who is willing to have the battle, and we have a great Attorney General who is willing to lead the battle, and they are going to get to the bottom of it.” @EdRollins @LouDobbs

(Retweeting Vice President Mike Pence) Under the leadership of @Potus Trump our economy is roaring. Businesses large and small have created more than 5.8 million jobs, unemployment is at a nearly 50-year low, and there are more Americans working today than ever before in the history of this country!

Think of it. I became President of the United States in one of the most hard fought and consequential elections in the history of our great nation. From long before I ever took office, I was under a sick & unlawful investigation concerning what has become known as the Russian.... ... ....Hoax. My campaign was being seriously spied upon by intel agencies and the Democrats. This never happened before in American history, and it all turned out to be a total scam, a Witch Hunt, that yielded No Collusion, No Obstruction. This must never be allowed to happen again!

(Image)

Big attacks on Republicans and Conservatives by Social Media. Not good!

Really sad!

We are right where we want to be with China. Remember, they broke the deal with us & tried to renegotiate. We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries... ... ...We will then spend (match or better) the money that China may no longer be spending with our Great Patriot Farmers (Agriculture), which is a small percentage of total Tariffs received, and distribute the food to starving people in nations around the world! GREAT! #MAGA

The Democrats new and pathetically untrue sound bite is that we are in a “Constitutional Crisis.” They and their partner, the Fake News Media, are all told to say this as loud and as often as possible. They are a sad JOKE! We may have the strongest Economy in our history, best... ... ....employment numbers ever, low taxes & regulations, a rebuilt military & V.A., many great new judges, & so much more. But we have had a giant SCAM perpetrated upon our nation, a Witch Hunt, a Treasonous Hoax. That is the Constitutional Crisis & hopefully guilty people will pay!

Despite two years and millions of dollars spent, the Democrats are acting like crazed lunatics ever since the results of the Mueller Report were made public. But they knew there was NOTHING even before the Report was started. It is all a big Hoax, the biggest in American history!

Ever since the Mueller Report showed No Collusion & No Obstruction, the Dems have been working overtime to damage me and the Republican Party by issuing over 80 demands for documents and testimonies, and with NO REASON. That’s all they want to do - don’t care about anything else!

When the Mueller Report came out showing NO Collusion with Russia (of course), it was supposed to be over, back to work for the people. But the Dems have gone “nuts,” and it has actually gotten worse! Hope the Republicans win back the House in 2020, or little will get done!

The “Constitutional Crisis” is the Democrats refusing to work. Let them start by fixing the mess that their Immigration Laws have caused at the Southern Border.

China is DREAMING that Sleepy Joe Biden, or any of the others, gets elected in 2020. They LOVE ripping off America!

“Even Director James Clapper admits that the FBI actions against the Trump Presidential Campaign do in fact meet the definition of spying, perhaps FBI Director Christopher Wray will be the next to do so.” @LouDobbs

“Just another abuse of power in a long series of abuses of power by the Democrats that began during the Obama Administration, continued through the Mueller FBI operation, & now the baton has been passed to Jerry Nadler to continue to abuse power to harass President Trump.. ... ....and the Democrat National Committee-The Democrat Party apparatus-has been caught using donor Dollars to Collude with Russian Intelligence to attack a domestic political opponent (me). The FBI has no leadership. The Director is protecting the same gang.....that tried to.... ... ....overthrow the President through an illegal coup.” (Recommended by previous DOJ) @TomFitton @JudicialWatch

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

True

Told this truck driver I liked his hat and he asked if I wanted one. Guess who has a new hat?

Happy Mother’s Day Melania! A truly amazing woman folks.

A picture is worth a thousand words

Barr in 1991: I will not lower my standards due to journalists or political pressure no matter what they say

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

So now they stop blasting the shooters all over the web, how convenient.

Happy Mother's day to all

Respect!

Sex strike bimbo BTFO

My 12 year old daughter took this pic and sent it to me. I had no idea she actually listens when I talk

Monday, May 13th:

TODAY'S ACTION:

President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order on the Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Executive Order on Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders

Twelve Nominations Sent to the Senate

President Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with the Prime Minister of Hungary

President Trump Participates in the White House Iftar

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

“It’s the attack strategy of harass. This is not about the Attorney General, who is very sophisticated & knows it isn’t about him, it’s about trying to destroy President Trump through an assault on his AG for upholding the rule of law. He released a massive amount of...... ... information! As long as President Trump is President, his opposition will use every tool, and misuse every tool available, to make his life miserable.” @TomFitton @JudicialWatch @LouDobbs Sadly, this proves I am doing a great job - Also, Best Economy and Employment Numbers EVER!

I say openly to President Xi & all of my many friends in China that China will be hurt very badly if you don’t make a deal because companies will be forced to leave China for other countries. Too expensive to buy in China. You had a great deal, almost completed, & you backed out!

Thank you @foxandfriends, great show this morning and congratulations on your number one (by far) rating. Well deserved!

Also, congratulations to @OANN on the great job you are doing and the big ratings jump (“thank you President Trump”)!

The unexpectedly good first quarter 3.2% GDP was greatly helped by Tariffs from China. Some people just don’t get it!

Has anyone noticed that all the Boston @RedSox have done is WIN since coming to the White House! Others also have done very well. The White House visit is becoming the opposite of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated! By the way, the Boston players were GREAT guys!

Bernie Sanders, “The Economy is doing well, and I’m sure I don’t have to give Trump any credit - I’m sure he’ll take all the credit that he wants.” Wrong Bernie, the Economy is doing GREAT, and would have CRASHED if my opponent (and yours), Crooked Hillary Clinton, had ever won!

Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?

There is no reason for the U.S. Consumer to pay the Tariffs, which take effect on China today. This has been proven recently when only 4 points were paid by the U.S., 21 points by China because China subsidizes product to such a large degree. Also, the Tariffs can be..... ... ...completely avoided if you buy from a non-Tariffed Country, or you buy the product inside the USA (the best idea). That’s Zero Tariffs. Many Tariffed companies will be leaving China for Vietnam and other such countries in Asia. That’s why China wants to make a deal so badly!... ... ..There will be nobody left in China to do business with. Very bad for China, very good for USA! But China has taken so advantage of the U.S. for so many years, that they are way ahead (Our Presidents did not do the job). Therefore, China should not retaliate-will only get worse!

My Administration will be fighting for $200 million for the Army Corps Everglades restoration work this year. Congress needs to help us complete the world’s largest intergovernmental watershed restoration project ASAP! Good for Florida and good for the environment.

Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars. I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!

We must protect our Great Lakes, keeping them clean and beautiful for future generations. That’s why I am fighting for $300 million in my updated budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.

Today, I officially updated my budget to include $18 million for our GREAT @SpecialOlympics, whose athletes inspire us and make our Nation so PROUD!

Great to welcome Chairman Shin from Lotte Group to the WH. They just invested $3.1 BILLION into Louisiana-biggest investment in U.S. EVER from a South Korean company, & thousands more jobs for Americans. Great partners like ROK know the U.S. economy is running stronger than ever!

Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today. He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month - he will be fine!

I met Marine Sgt. John Peck, a quadruple amputee who has received a double arm transplant, at Walter Reed in 2017. Today, it was my honor to welcome John (HERO) to the Oval, with his wonderful wife Jessica. He also wrote a book that I highly recommend, “Rebuilding Sergeant Peck.”

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

Dear Left, How's that fight for $15 working out?

Sergeant Kelvin Ansari was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend a robbery suspect in Savannah, Georgia last night. RIP Sgt Ansari.

"TRUMP 2020: President Trump Supporters CRASH Green New Deal Rally"

GAME OVER: EXONERATED (again)! Send a HUGE message to the Trump Haters by raising $1,000,000 in the NEXT 24 HOURS.

Let's not forget James Woods hasn't posted since April 20 because of Twitter's increasing censorship

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

Isn’t it...

To whom was it actually offensive was is the real problem

This is why I'm not worried about 2020.

Feeling cute, might delete the Democrat Party later

Barriers are going up. One way or another

Tuesday, May 14th:

TODAY'S ACTION:

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individual to a Key Administration Post

Three Nominations Sent to the Senate

President Trump Delivers Remarks on Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

In one year Tariffs have rebuilt our Steel Industry - it is booming! We placed a 25% Tariff on “dumped” steel from China & other countries, and we now have a big and growing industry. We had to save Steel for our defense and auto industries, both of which are coming back strong!

China buys MUCH less from us than we buy from them, by almost 500 Billion Dollars, so we are in a fantastic position. Make your product at home in the USA and there is no Tariff. You can also buy from a non-Tariffed country instead of China. Many companies are leaving China..... ... ....so that they will be more competitive for USA buyers. We are now a much bigger economy than China, and have substantially increased in size since the great 2016 Election. We are the “piggy bank” that everyone wants to raid and take advantage of. NO MORE!

We can make a deal with China tomorrow, before their companies start leaving so as not to lose USA business, but the last time we were close they wanted to renegotiate the deal. No way! We are in a much better position now than any deal we could have made. Will be taking in..... ... Billions of Dollars, and moving jobs back to the USA where they belong. Other countries are already negotiating with us because they don’t want this to happen to them. They must be a part of USA action. This should have been done by our leaders many years ago. Enjoy!

When the time is right we will make a deal with China. My respect and friendship with President Xi is unlimited but, as I have told him many times before, this must be a great deal for the United States or it just doesn’t make any sense. We have to be allowed to make up some..... ... ....of the tremendous ground we have lost to China on Trade since the ridiculous one sided formation of the WTO. It will all happen, and much faster than people think!

Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now. Hopefully China will do us the honor of continuing to buy our great farm product, the best, but if not your Country will be making up the difference based on a very high China buy...... ... ....This money will come from the massive Tariffs being paid to the United States for allowing China, and others, to do business with us. The Farmers have been “forgotten” for many years. Their time is now!

China will be pumping money into their system and probably reducing interest rates, as always, in order to make up for the business they are, and will be, losing. If the Federal Reserve ever did a “match,” it would be game over, we win! In any event, China wants a deal!

Our great Senator (and Star) from the State of Arkansas, @TomCottonAR, has just completed a wonderful book, “Sacred Duty,” about Arlington National Cemetery and the men and women who serve with such love and devotion. On sale today, make it big!

When Prime Minister @AbeShinzo of Japan visited with me in the @WhiteHouse two weeks ago, I told him that I would be going to the G20 in Osaka, Japan. I look forward to being with him and other World Leaders!

Today marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel. Our beautiful embassy stands as a proud reminder of our strong relationship with Israel and of the importance of keeping a promise and standing for the truth.

It is great to be here in Hackberry, Louisiana with the incredible men and women who are making America into the energy superpower of the world!

With incredible grit, skill, and pride, the 7,000 workers here at Sempra Energy are helping lead the American Energy Revolution. They are not only making our nation WEALTHIER but they are making America SAFER by building a future of American Energy INDEPENDENCE!

The golden era of American energy is now underway!

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

Fact: Whoever the DNPC runs will still get 100% of the TDS vote. Do not be complacent.

Tariffs force company to move back to the United States...

EXPLOSIVE – FOIA Documents Show Evidence of Weissmann/Mueller Entrapment Scheme…

Barr Reportedly Working Closely With CIA To Review Russia Probe Origins

Don Jr.: "Owned!!! It seems @NYCMayor has been a bit too busy getting whopping crowds of 4 & 5 people in the primary states to see the damage he’s inflicted on NYC. I look forward to his presidential run being even less successful than his time as mayor... if that’s even possible."

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

Congratulations, you invented marriage.

Babylon Bee with the spice

A trans child is like a vegan cat

Barack Obama (D-Iran) was the worst President in modern history.

Hide your Kids! There's a Weiner on the Loose!

Wednesday, May 15th:

TODAY'S ACTION:

Executive Order on Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply Chain

President Trump Hosts the Prime Minister of Hungary

President Trump Tours Sempra Energy's Liquid Natural Gas Facility

President Trump Delivers Remarks at the 38th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial Service

President Trump Speaks at the 38th National Peace Officers' Memorial

President Trump and The First Lady Host the White House Historical Association Dinner

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

Thank you Joe and remember, the BRAIN is much sharper also!

The courage & sacrifice of our heroes is the reason our flag stands tall, our hearts beat with pride, and our Country remains one people, one family, and one NATION UNDER GOD. Today, we thank you, we honor you, & we forever cherish the memory of our Fallen Men and Women in Blue!

We stand firmly, strongly, and proudly with the incredible men and women of law enforcement. You do not hear it nearly enough, but Americans across this Country love you, support you, and respect you more than you could possibly know! #PeaceOfficersMemorialDay

The Fake News Washington Post, and even more Fake News New York Times, are writing stories that there is infighting with respect to my strong policy in the Middle East. There is no infighting whatsoever.... ... ....Different opinions are expressed and I make a decisive and final decision - it is a very simple process. All sides, views, and policies are covered. I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon.

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

TRUMP to drop visa lottery program, push merit-based admissions!

Im not crying.. Just got something in my eye

"House Democrats Plan Marathon Reading of MUELLER Report" - Now, if we could only get them to do that with bills, BEFORE they pass them...

I'm old enough to remember that Mueller was supposed to testify today but backed out when he realized Republicans were going to get to ask questions, too.

President Trump’s tight labor market has given American workers huge wage, workplace, and employment leverage over employers, a new report details. Go demand a raise today!

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

Level 10 Cuck Trolling

It's like I'm 18 Again. (Im 50) T_D > viagra. I levitate off the bed with a freedom boner every morning! BAAAABOOOOM! Bend over deepstate! Where's my covfefe? Let's MAGA! YEEHA!

“Senator for 36 years, Vice President for 8. Blames Trump for America’s problems.”

This.

Facts checked.....my Dude

Thursday, May 16th:

TODAY'S ACTION:

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration Posts

Proclamation to Modify the List of Beneficiary Developing Countries Under the Trade Act of 1974

Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United States

President Trump Delivers Remarks on Modernizing Our Immigration System for a Stronger America

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

The Dems are getting another beauty to join their group. Bill de Blasio of NYC, considered the worst mayor in the U.S., will supposedly be making an announcement for president today. He is a JOKE, but if you like high taxes & crime, he’s your man. NYC HATES HIM!

Congratulations to Dan Bishop on his big Republican Primary victory in the 9th Congressional District of North Carolina. Dan is strong on Crime, Loves our Military, Vets, 2A, and great Healthcare. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #MAGA

We are here on this beautiful spring day to unveil our plan to create a fair, modern & LAWFUL system of immigration for the U.S. If adopted, our plan will transform America’s immigration system into the pride of our Nation and the envy of the modern world.

.@BilldeBlasio is the worst Mayor in the history of New York City - he won’t last long!

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

TRUMP STRIPS CALIFORNIA OF $930 MILLION IN HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING. DiFiChi's Graft Shut The Fuck Down

New York Post Absolutely Destroys New York Commie Mayor Bill de Blasio On Front Page

2007 Nancy Pelosi loved merit-based immigration. 2019 Nancy Pelosi says "merit" is "a condescending word" when Trump proposes merit-based immigration.

Nellie Ohr deleted emails sent from husband's DOJ account

White House launches tool to report censorship on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

MUH ALUBUMUH

So suddenly, being in last place for education will be a good thing right?

And sold your organs

Not a single brain cell was used.

Democrats Express Their Grief by Reading the Mueller Report Aloud to an Empty Room

Friday, May 17th:

TODAY'S ACTION:

Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United States

President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Individual to a Key Administration Post

Proclamation on National Safe Boating Week, 2019

Proclamation on Emergency Medical Services Week, 2019

Proclamation on World Trade Week, 2019

Proclamation on Armed Forces Day, 2019

President Trump: "Our Proposal is Pro-American, Pro-Immigrant, and Pro-Worker"

President Trump Speaks at the National Association of REALTORS Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

The Democrats now realize that there is a National Emergency at the Border and that, if we work together, it can be immediately fixed. We need Democrat votes and all will be well!

Border Patrol is apprehending record numbers of people at the Southern Border. The bad “hombres,” of which there are many, are being detained & will be sent home. Those which we release under the ridiculous Catch & Telease loophole, are being registered and will be removed later!

All people that are illegally coming into the United States now will be removed from our Country at a later date as we build up our removal forces and as the laws are changed. Please do not make yourselves too comfortable, you will be leaving soon!

Will the Democrats give our Country a badly needed immigration win before the election? Good chance!

“What happened is that Donald Trump won. Down goes Comey.” @foxandfriends

DRAIN THE SWAMP!

MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!

New Fox Poll: 58% of people say that the FBI broke the law in investigating Donald J. Trump. @foxandfriends

My Campaign for President was conclusively spied on. Nothing like this has ever happened in American Politics. A really bad situation. TREASON means long jail sentences, and this was TREASON!

Will Jerry Nadler ever look into the fact that Crooked Hillary deleted and acid washed 33,000 emails AFTER getting a most powerful demand notice for them from Congress?

The Fake News Media is hurting our Country with its fraudulent and highly inaccurate coverage of Iran. It is scattershot, poorly sourced (made up), and DANGEROUS. At least Iran doesn’t know what to think, which at this point may very well be a good thing!

It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change?

With all of the Fake and Made Up News out there, Iran can have no idea what is actually going on!

Today, it was my great honor to address the the National Association of REALTORS!

Consumer Sentiment in the month of May is the highest in 15 years. Very nice! @FoxNews

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

Missouri's GOP-led Legislature passes 8-week abortion ban

Crack Pipe, IDs, And Badge Found In Hunter Biden Rental Car

Trump Admin Notifies 500,000+ Employers They Have Workers With Bogus Social Security Numbers

AG Barr full interview with Bill Hemmer of Fox News

Guatemalan Ghost Towns: Traffickers Tout U.S. Asylum Laws To Lure Migrants Away From Homeland

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

Do you think the government should--

Should men boycott haunted vaginas?

Happy 10 birthday to second best selling game of all time Minecraft

Alright, which one of y’all did this? Brian “Krappenstein” lmaooo

Give it up for this based Patriot!

Saturday, May 18th:

🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:

Our courageous and vigilant Armed Forces safeguard the blessings of liberty for us and for future generations by selflessly answering the call of duty. Today, and every day, we acknowledge and celebrate all who proudly wear our Nation’s uniforms! http://45.wh.gov/b5uNuT

SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:

IT'S BULLSHIT!!

Don Jr. Taunts James Comey

‘White House Correspondent’ BANNED From Twitter After Joining One America News

FITTON: ENORMOUS:AG Barr serious about investigating Spygate abuses; Mueller anti-Trump "pitbull" Weissmann behind hires for anti-Trump Mueller Op PLUS Bruce Ohr and Obama State Dept conspired to target Trump AFTER 2016 election. Big Judicial Watch Update!

🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:

NPC update: AG Barr is Donald Trumps attorney

Abracadabra

Good morning Patriots!!!!

😂😂😂😂😂😂 he's speaking to his largest audience of the day! Link in commentsv

WEEEEW LADS!!!!

Without further ado, some tunes to get you jamming through all this winning:

6’s to 9’s

Right To It

It's Strange

High You Are

Alley-Oop

MAGA ON PATRIOTS!

submitted by /u/Ivaginaryfriend [link] [comments]

[robgrayofficial]

HAPPY SATURDAY SUPER ELITES!This is u/Ivaginaryfriend here to help kick off you Saturday with a dank AF recap of the past week of winning! If you happened to miss any past recaps you can catch those here!Sunday, May 12th:🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:“The Democrats have nothing. Just want to distract from this President. The FBI was not doing its job, the State Department was covering things up everyday for Hillary. At the end of the day they’re fearful of what they did, and should be fearful. This is a tough..... ... ....President who is willing to have the battle, and we have a great Attorney General who is willing to lead the battle, and they are going to get to the bottom of it.” @EdRollins @LouDobbs(Retweeting Vice President Mike Pence) Under the leadership of @Potus Trump our economy is roaring. Businesses large and small have created more than 5.8 million jobs, unemployment is at a nearly 50-year low, and there are more Americans working today than ever before in the history of this country!Think of it. I became President of the United States in one of the most hard fought and consequential elections in the history of our great nation. From long before I ever took office, I was under a sick & unlawful investigation concerning what has become known as the Russian.... ... ....Hoax. My campaign was being seriously spied upon by intel agencies and the Democrats. This never happened before in American history, and it all turned out to be a total scam, a Witch Hunt, that yielded No Collusion, No Obstruction. This must never be allowed to happen again!(Image)Big attacks on Republicans and Conservatives by Social Media. Not good!Really sad!We are right where we want to be with China. Remember, they broke the deal with us & tried to renegotiate. We will be taking in Tens of Billions of Dollars in Tariffs from China. Buyers of product can make it themselves in the USA (ideal), or buy it from non-Tariffed countries... ... ...We will then spend (match or better) the money that China may no longer be spending with our Great Patriot Farmers (Agriculture), which is a small percentage of total Tariffs received, and distribute the food to starving people in nations around the world! GREAT! #MAGAThe Democrats new and pathetically untrue sound bite is that we are in a “Constitutional Crisis.” They and their partner, the Fake News Media, are all told to say this as loud and as often as possible. They are a sad JOKE! We may have the strongest Economy in our history, best... ... ....employment numbers ever, low taxes & regulations, a rebuilt military & V.A., many great new judges, & so much more. But we have had a giant SCAM perpetrated upon our nation, a Witch Hunt, a Treasonous Hoax. That is the Constitutional Crisis & hopefully guilty people will pay!Despite two years and millions of dollars spent, the Democrats are acting like crazed lunatics ever since the results of the Mueller Report were made public. But they knew there was NOTHING even before the Report was started. It is all a big Hoax, the biggest in American history!Ever since the Mueller Report showed No Collusion & No Obstruction, the Dems have been working overtime to damage me and the Republican Party by issuing over 80 demands for documents and testimonies, and with NO REASON. That’s all they want to do - don’t care about anything else!When the Mueller Report came out showing NO Collusion with Russia (of course), it was supposed to be over, back to work for the people. But the Dems have gone “nuts,” and it has actually gotten worse! Hope the Republicans win back the House in 2020, or little will get done!The “Constitutional Crisis” is the Democrats refusing to work. Let them start by fixing the mess that their Immigration Laws have caused at the Southern Border.China is DREAMING that Sleepy Joe Biden, or any of the others, gets elected in 2020. They LOVE ripping off America!“Even Director James Clapper admits that the FBI actions against the Trump Presidential Campaign do in fact meet the definition of spying, perhaps FBI Director Christopher Wray will be the next to do so.” @LouDobbs“Just another abuse of power in a long series of abuses of power by the Democrats that began during the Obama Administration, continued through the Mueller FBI operation, & now the baton has been passed to Jerry Nadler to continue to abuse power to harass President Trump.. ... ....and the Democrat National Committee-The Democrat Party apparatus-has been caught using donor Dollars to Collude with Russian Intelligence to attack a domestic political opponent (me). The FBI has no leadership. The Director is protecting the same gang.....that tried to.... ... ....overthrow the President through an illegal coup.” (Recommended by previous DOJ) @TomFitton @JudicialWatchSIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:TrueTold this truck driver I liked his hat and he asked if I wanted one. Guess who has a new hat?Happy Mother’s Day Melania! A truly amazing woman folks.A picture is worth a thousand wordsBarr in 1991: I will not lower my standards due to journalists or political pressure no matter what they say🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:So now they stop blasting the shooters all over the web, how convenient.Happy Mother's day to allRespect!Sex strike bimbo BTFOMy 12 year old daughter took this pic and sent it to me. I had no idea she actually listens when I talkMonday, May 13th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump Signs Executive Order on the Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific IslandersExecutive Order on Economic Empowerment of Asian Americans and Pacific IslandersTwelve Nominations Sent to the SenatePresident Trump Participates in a Bilateral Meeting with the Prime Minister of HungaryPresident Trump Participates in the White House Iftar🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:“It’s the attack strategy of harass. This is not about the Attorney General, who is very sophisticated & knows it isn’t about him, it’s about trying to destroy President Trump through an assault on his AG for upholding the rule of law. He released a massive amount of...... ... information! As long as President Trump is President, his opposition will use every tool, and misuse every tool available, to make his life miserable.” @TomFitton @JudicialWatch @LouDobbs Sadly, this proves I am doing a great job - Also, Best Economy and Employment Numbers EVER!I say openly to President Xi & all of my many friends in China that China will be hurt very badly if you don’t make a deal because companies will be forced to leave China for other countries. Too expensive to buy in China. You had a great deal, almost completed, & you backed out!Thank you @foxandfriends, great show this morning and congratulations on your number one (by far) rating. Well deserved!Also, congratulations to @OANN on the great job you are doing and the big ratings jump (“thank you President Trump”)!The unexpectedly good first quarter 3.2% GDP was greatly helped by Tariffs from China. Some people just don’t get it!Has anyone noticed that all the Boston @RedSox have done is WIN since coming to the White House! Others also have done very well. The White House visit is becoming the opposite of being on the cover of Sports Illustrated! By the way, the Boston players were GREAT guys!Bernie Sanders, “The Economy is doing well, and I’m sure I don’t have to give Trump any credit - I’m sure he’ll take all the credit that he wants.” Wrong Bernie, the Economy is doing GREAT, and would have CRASHED if my opponent (and yours), Crooked Hillary Clinton, had ever won!Democrat Rep. Tlaib is being slammed for her horrible and highly insensitive statement on the Holocaust. She obviously has tremendous hatred of Israel and the Jewish people. Can you imagine what would happen if I ever said what she said, and says?There is no reason for the U.S. Consumer to pay the Tariffs, which take effect on China today. This has been proven recently when only 4 points were paid by the U.S., 21 points by China because China subsidizes product to such a large degree. Also, the Tariffs can be..... ... ...completely avoided if you buy from a non-Tariffed Country, or you buy the product inside the USA (the best idea). That’s Zero Tariffs. Many Tariffed companies will be leaving China for Vietnam and other such countries in Asia. That’s why China wants to make a deal so badly!... ... ..There will be nobody left in China to do business with. Very bad for China, very good for USA! But China has taken so advantage of the U.S. for so many years, that they are way ahead (Our Presidents did not do the job). Therefore, China should not retaliate-will only get worse!My Administration will be fighting for $200 million for the Army Corps Everglades restoration work this year. Congress needs to help us complete the world’s largest intergovernmental watershed restoration project ASAP! Good for Florida and good for the environment.Under my Administration, we are restoring @NASA to greatness and we are going back to the Moon, then Mars. I am updating my budget to include an additional $1.6 billion so that we can return to Space in a BIG WAY!We must protect our Great Lakes, keeping them clean and beautiful for future generations. That’s why I am fighting for $300 million in my updated budget for the Great Lakes Restoration Initiative.Today, I officially updated my budget to include $18 million for our GREAT @SpecialOlympics, whose athletes inspire us and make our Nation so PROUD!Great to welcome Chairman Shin from Lotte Group to the WH. They just invested $3.1 BILLION into Louisiana-biggest investment in U.S. EVER from a South Korean company, & thousands more jobs for Americans. Great partners like ROK know the U.S. economy is running stronger than ever!Wishing former President Jimmy Carter a speedy recovery from his hip surgery earlier today. He was in such good spirits when we spoke last month - he will be fine!I met Marine Sgt. John Peck, a quadruple amputee who has received a double arm transplant, at Walter Reed in 2017. Today, it was my honor to welcome John (HERO) to the Oval, with his wonderful wife Jessica. He also wrote a book that I highly recommend, “Rebuilding Sergeant Peck.”SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:Dear Left, How's that fight for $15 working out?Sergeant Kelvin Ansari was shot and killed as he attempted to apprehend a robbery suspect in Savannah, Georgia last night. RIP Sgt Ansari."TRUMP 2020: President Trump Supporters CRASH Green New Deal Rally"GAME OVER: EXONERATED (again)! Send a HUGE message to the Trump Haters by raising $1,000,000 in the NEXT 24 HOURS.Let's not forget James Woods hasn't posted since April 20 because of Twitter's increasing censorship🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Isn’t it...To whom was it actually offensive was is the real problemThis is why I'm not worried about 2020.Feeling cute, might delete the Democrat Party laterBarriers are going up. One way or anotherTuesday, May 14th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individual to a Key Administration PostThree Nominations Sent to the SenatePresident Trump Delivers Remarks on Promoting Energy Infrastructure and Economic Growth🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:In one year Tariffs have rebuilt our Steel Industry - it is booming! We placed a 25% Tariff on “dumped” steel from China & other countries, and we now have a big and growing industry. We had to save Steel for our defense and auto industries, both of which are coming back strong!China buys MUCH less from us than we buy from them, by almost 500 Billion Dollars, so we are in a fantastic position. Make your product at home in the USA and there is no Tariff. You can also buy from a non-Tariffed country instead of China. Many companies are leaving China..... ... ....so that they will be more competitive for USA buyers. We are now a much bigger economy than China, and have substantially increased in size since the great 2016 Election. We are the “piggy bank” that everyone wants to raid and take advantage of. NO MORE!We can make a deal with China tomorrow, before their companies start leaving so as not to lose USA business, but the last time we were close they wanted to renegotiate the deal. No way! We are in a much better position now than any deal we could have made. Will be taking in..... ... Billions of Dollars, and moving jobs back to the USA where they belong. Other countries are already negotiating with us because they don’t want this to happen to them. They must be a part of USA action. This should have been done by our leaders many years ago. Enjoy!When the time is right we will make a deal with China. My respect and friendship with President Xi is unlimited but, as I have told him many times before, this must be a great deal for the United States or it just doesn’t make any sense. We have to be allowed to make up some..... ... ....of the tremendous ground we have lost to China on Trade since the ridiculous one sided formation of the WTO. It will all happen, and much faster than people think!Our great Patriot Farmers will be one of the biggest beneficiaries of what is happening now. Hopefully China will do us the honor of continuing to buy our great farm product, the best, but if not your Country will be making up the difference based on a very high China buy...... ... ....This money will come from the massive Tariffs being paid to the United States for allowing China, and others, to do business with us. The Farmers have been “forgotten” for many years. Their time is now!China will be pumping money into their system and probably reducing interest rates, as always, in order to make up for the business they are, and will be, losing. If the Federal Reserve ever did a “match,” it would be game over, we win! In any event, China wants a deal!Our great Senator (and Star) from the State of Arkansas, @TomCottonAR, has just completed a wonderful book, “Sacred Duty,” about Arlington National Cemetery and the men and women who serve with such love and devotion. On sale today, make it big!When Prime Minister @AbeShinzo of Japan visited with me in the @WhiteHouse two weeks ago, I told him that I would be going to the G20 in Osaka, Japan. I look forward to being with him and other World Leaders!Today marks the one-year anniversary of the opening of the United States Embassy in Jerusalem, Israel. Our beautiful embassy stands as a proud reminder of our strong relationship with Israel and of the importance of keeping a promise and standing for the truth.It is great to be here in Hackberry, Louisiana with the incredible men and women who are making America into the energy superpower of the world!With incredible grit, skill, and pride, the 7,000 workers here at Sempra Energy are helping lead the American Energy Revolution. They are not only making our nation WEALTHIER but they are making America SAFER by building a future of American Energy INDEPENDENCE!The golden era of American energy is now underway!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:Fact: Whoever the DNPC runs will still get 100% of the TDS vote. Do not be complacent.Tariffs force company to move back to the United States...EXPLOSIVE – FOIA Documents Show Evidence of Weissmann/Mueller Entrapment Scheme…Barr Reportedly Working Closely With CIA To Review Russia Probe OriginsDon Jr.: "Owned!!! It seems @NYCMayor has been a bit too busy getting whopping crowds of 4 & 5 people in the primary states to see the damage he’s inflicted on NYC. I look forward to his presidential run being even less successful than his time as mayor... if that’s even possible."🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Congratulations, you invented marriage.Babylon Bee with the spiceA trans child is like a vegan catBarack Obama (D-Iran) was the worst President in modern history.Hide your Kids! There's a Weiner on the Loose!Wednesday, May 15th:TODAY'S ACTION:Executive Order on Securing the Information and Communications Technology and Services Supply ChainPresident Trump Hosts the Prime Minister of HungaryPresident Trump Tours Sempra Energy's Liquid Natural Gas FacilityPresident Trump Delivers Remarks at the 38th Annual National Peace Officers’ Memorial ServicePresident Trump Speaks at the 38th National Peace Officers' MemorialPresident Trump and The First Lady Host the White House Historical Association Dinner🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:Thank you Joe and remember, the BRAIN is much sharper also!The courage & sacrifice of our heroes is the reason our flag stands tall, our hearts beat with pride, and our Country remains one people, one family, and one NATION UNDER GOD. Today, we thank you, we honor you, & we forever cherish the memory of our Fallen Men and Women in Blue!We stand firmly, strongly, and proudly with the incredible men and women of law enforcement. You do not hear it nearly enough, but Americans across this Country love you, support you, and respect you more than you could possibly know! #PeaceOfficersMemorialDayThe Fake News Washington Post, and even more Fake News New York Times, are writing stories that there is infighting with respect to my strong policy in the Middle East. There is no infighting whatsoever.... ... ....Different opinions are expressed and I make a decisive and final decision - it is a very simple process. All sides, views, and policies are covered. I’m sure that Iran will want to talk soon.SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:TRUMP to drop visa lottery program, push merit-based admissions!Im not crying.. Just got something in my eye"House Democrats Plan Marathon Reading of MUELLER Report" - Now, if we could only get them to do that with bills, BEFORE they pass them...I'm old enough to remember that Mueller was supposed to testify today but backed out when he realized Republicans were going to get to ask questions, too.President Trump’s tight labor market has given American workers huge wage, workplace, and employment leverage over employers, a new report details. Go demand a raise today!🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Level 10 Cuck TrollingIt's like I'm 18 Again. (Im 50) T_D > viagra. I levitate off the bed with a freedom boner every morning! BAAAABOOOOM! Bend over deepstate! Where's my covfefe? Let's MAGA! YEEHA!“Senator for 36 years, Vice President for 8. Blames Trump for America’s problems.”This.Facts checked.....my DudeThursday, May 16th:TODAY'S ACTION:President Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Nominate Individuals to Key Administration PostsProclamation to Modify the List of Beneficiary Developing Countries Under the Trade Act of 1974Proclamation on Adjusting Imports of Steel into the United StatesPresident Trump Delivers Remarks on Modernizing Our Immigration System for a Stronger America🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:The Dems are getting another beauty to join their group. Bill de Blasio of NYC, considered the worst mayor in the U.S., will supposedly be making an announcement for president today. He is a JOKE, but if you like high taxes & crime, he’s your man. NYC HATES HIM!Congratulations to Dan Bishop on his big Republican Primary victory in the 9th Congressional District of North Carolina. Dan is strong on Crime, Loves our Military, Vets, 2A, and great Healthcare. He has my Complete and Total Endorsement! #MAGAWe are here on this beautiful spring day to unveil our plan to create a fair, modern & LAWFUL system of immigration for the U.S. If adopted, our plan will transform America’s immigration system into the pride of our Nation and the envy of the modern world..@BilldeBlasio is the worst Mayor in the history of New York City - he won’t last long!SIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:TRUMP STRIPS CALIFORNIA OF $930 MILLION IN HIGH-SPEED RAIL FUNDING. DiFiChi's Graft Shut The Fuck DownNew York Post Absolutely Destroys New York Commie Mayor Bill de Blasio On Front Page2007 Nancy Pelosi loved merit-based immigration. 2019 Nancy Pelosi says "merit" is "a condescending word" when Trump proposes merit-based immigration.Nellie Ohr deleted emails sent from husband's DOJ accountWhite House launches tool to report censorship on Facebook, YouTube, Instagram, and Twitter🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:MUH ALUBUMUHSo suddenly, being in last place for education will be a good thing right?And sold your organsNot a single brain cell was used.Democrats Express Their Grief by Reading the Mueller Report Aloud to an Empty RoomFriday, May 17th:TODAY'S ACTION:Adjusting Imports of Automobiles and Automobile Parts Into the United StatesPresident Donald J. Trump Announces Intent to Appoint Individual to a Key Administration PostProclamation on National Safe Boating Week, 2019Proclamation on Emergency Medical Services Week, 2019Proclamation on World Trade Week, 2019Proclamation on Armed Forces Day, 2019President Trump: "Our Proposal is Pro-American, Pro-Immigrant, and Pro-Worker"President Trump Speaks at the National Association of REALTORS Legislative Meetings & Trade Expo🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:The Democrats now realize that there is a National Emergency at the Border and that, if we work together, it can be immediately fixed. We need Democrat votes and all will be well!Border Patrol is apprehending record numbers of people at the Southern Border. The bad “hombres,” of which there are many, are being detained & will be sent home. Those which we release under the ridiculous Catch & Telease loophole, are being registered and will be removed later!All people that are illegally coming into the United States now will be removed from our Country at a later date as we build up our removal forces and as the laws are changed. Please do not make yourselves too comfortable, you will be leaving soon!Will the Democrats give our Country a badly needed immigration win before the election? Good chance!“What happened is that Donald Trump won. Down goes Comey.” @foxandfriendsDRAIN THE SWAMP!MAKE AMERICA GREAT AGAIN!New Fox Poll: 58% of people say that the FBI broke the law in investigating Donald J. Trump. @foxandfriendsMy Campaign for President was conclusively spied on. Nothing like this has ever happened in American Politics. A really bad situation. TREASON means long jail sentences, and this was TREASON!Will Jerry Nadler ever look into the fact that Crooked Hillary deleted and acid washed 33,000 emails AFTER getting a most powerful demand notice for them from Congress?The Fake News Media is hurting our Country with its fraudulent and highly inaccurate coverage of Iran. It is scattershot, poorly sourced (made up), and DANGEROUS. At least Iran doesn’t know what to think, which at this point may very well be a good thing!It now seems the General Flynn was under investigation long before was common knowledge. It would have been impossible for me to know this but, if that was the case, and with me being one of two people who would become president, why was I not told so that I could make a change?With all of the Fake and Made Up News out there, Iran can have no idea what is actually going on!Today, it was my great honor to address the the National Association of REALTORS!Consumer Sentiment in the month of May is the highest in 15 years. Very nice! @FoxNewsSIGNIFICANT TWEETS AND NEWS:Missouri's GOP-led Legislature passes 8-week abortion banCrack Pipe, IDs, And Badge Found In Hunter Biden Rental CarTrump Admin Notifies 500,000+ Employers They Have Workers With Bogus Social Security NumbersAG Barr full interview with Bill Hemmer of Fox NewsGuatemalan Ghost Towns: Traffickers Tout U.S. Asylum Laws To Lure Migrants Away From Homeland🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:Do you think the government should--Should men boycott haunted vaginas?Happy 10 birthday to second best selling game of all time MinecraftAlright, which one of y’all did this? Brian “Krappenstein” lmaoooGive it up for this based Patriot!Saturday, May 18th:🔥🔥TRUMP TWEETS🔥🔥:Our courageous and vigilant Armed Forces safeguard the blessings of liberty for us and for future generations by selflessly answering the call of duty. Today, and every day, we acknowledge and celebrate all who proudly wear our Nation’s uniforms! http://bit.ly/2LROWWY TWEETS AND NEWS:IT'S BULLSHIT!!Don Jr. Taunts James Comey‘White House Correspondent’ BANNED From Twitter After Joining One America NewsFITTON: ENORMOUS:AG Barr serious about investigating Spygate abuses; Mueller anti-Trump "pitbull" Weissmann behind hires for anti-Trump Mueller Op PLUS Bruce Ohr and Obama State Dept conspired to target Trump AFTER 2016 election. Big Judicial Watch Update!🐸 TOP SPICE OF THE DAY 🐸:NPC update: AG Barr is Donald Trumps attorneyAbracadabraGood morning Patriots!!!!😂😂😂😂😂😂 he's speaking to his largest audience of the day! Link in commentsvWEEEEW LADS!!!!Without further ado, some tunes to get you jamming through all this winning:6’s to 9’sRight To ItIt's StrangeHigh You AreAlley-OopMAGA ON PATRIOTS! #robgray