#Call for Application; Request for Proposals

[sagunpaudel]

Call for Nominations! World No Tobacco Day 2024 awards

Theme: Protecting children from tobacco industry interference The World Health Organization (WHO) is calling for nominations to the World No Tobacco Day Awards of individuals or organizations in each of the six WHO Regions for their accomplishments in the area of tobacco control. Guidelines for nominations The objective of these criteria is to facilitate nominations, bearing in mind that the…

[thebookewyrme]

Calling all US residents!!

The Federal government has opened the comment period on the proposed change to passport rules requiring that a person provide their assigned sex at birth on passport applications rather than their stated gender as it has been before.

Go to this site and provide comment! https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2025/02/14/2025-02648/30-day-notice-of-proposed-information-collection-application-for-a-us-passport

Your comment can be as short as “I oppose the rule change requiring sex assigned at birth for passport applications”.

Sure, this may not do anything to stop the change from happening. BUT IT IS STILL IMPORTANT. Every comment left on the Federal Register is a matter of public record. Your comment helps to change the narrative that this is what “The People” want their government to be doing. Make it clear that if they make this rule change they are doing it against the wishes of the people.

There is a 30 day comment window and most of it has passed. It ends March 17th 2025, in just 11 days!! So get commenting!

And spread this everywhere! If your reblog one post today, make it this one!

[mungdou]

DANDELIONS

PR. ushijima x reader; semi x reader

W. swears

GR. angst

WC. 2.4k

AN. Oh I live for ushijima angst. Anyways, requests are open as of 06/2024 :)) go ham pookies. Inspired by dandelions by Ruth. B.

(pt. 2)

『Maybe, it's the way you say my name Maybe, it's the way you play your game But it's so good, I've never known anybody like you But it's so good, I've never dreamed of nobody like you』

"y/l/n. May I ask you a question?" Ushijima turned around to look at your distant figure, clipboard in hand.

"Mm? What's up Toshi?" You replied, smiling up at the larger man.  

His bulky body blocked most of your vision, but he wasn't clumsy. His voice was deep and commanding, but never once did it demand anything from anyone. He was the gentle giant in your life, but you couldn't help but wish he were your gentle giant.

Of course, you weren't the only one who felt the same for the man, but he had always been oblivious to any advances.

"Why do you not have a second manager to aid your business? I notice you tend to rush around, so for your sake, please recruit another manager." He wiped his sweat-covered neck with a small white towel and took a sip of water before running back out on the court to continue practice, called back by the sharp whistle.

He cares about you.

He didn't stick around for your response, but you made sure that you took up his suggestion.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

During lunch the day after, you posted flyers around the school asking for assistant managers. As expected, the applications came rapidly and your eyes landed on one.

Aoi Nishiyama, second year, experience with managing outdoor youth sports clubs

She was perfect.

Two days later, after her confirmation, you found a girl peeking through the gym doors.

"Hello? Is there something I can help you with?" As you approached her, you noticed that it was Nishiyama. "Oh! Nishiyama-"

"Oh, you can just call me Aoi." She shyly grinned, turning towards you.

"Aoi. I'm so glad you decided to join us! Come with me, I have to give you a tour and- oh! What size are you? I need it for your uniform fitting-" Once again, you were interrupted, but this time by the olive-skinned ace.

"y/l/n. Who is this?" Ushijima looked at the timid girl with interest.

"Oh yes! Toshi this is-"

"Aoi. Aoi Nishimiya, but you can just call me Aoi." She stumbled out, her face flushed red with... embarrassment?

Ushijima greeted her, his hand lingering in the air before he turned away to get back to practice. He almost looked flustered, though someone could have easily missed his changed expression.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

After a month of Aoi working with us on the volleyball team, the team outing took place. It was in a large field, perfect for leisure games and a summer barbecue.

The third years sat in a field, covered in fluffy white dandelions.

"Let's make a wish!" Tendou proposed, leaping onto his lanky legs, and running around to face the rest of the third years before plopping back onto the ground.

"We're too old for this, you dumbass." Semi glared at the redhead.

"I've never partaken in this wishing process. How is it done?" Ushijima furrowed his eyebrows.

You took two dandelions out from the ground and handed one to him. He inspected the hollow stemmed plant, rotating it every so often. His actions were mesmerizing, you didn't want to pull your eyes away.

Tendou plucked his flower out of the ground, smiling, "So! You take the dandelion and you blow it and make your wish, but make sure you don't-"

"My wish is to be in love with someone on the volleyball team." Ushijima bluntly stated before huffing at the delicate flower.

Something about the statement startles you, and your face begins to heat up.

"-say your wish out loud... but anyways... who is it Wakatoshi-kun??" You do like girls, yes?" Tendou peruses, his eyes closed and his brows furrowed.

"Yes."

"Hmmmm... There are only two girls on the team, yes? Aoi-chan and y/n/n-san... Which could it be... WAIT! Everyone everyone, place your bets! Y/N/N-SANNNN you're part of this bet so you can't participate~" Tendou muses, whipping out his phone to take notes.

At this point, your face is beet red, buried in your hands, your eyelids shut closed. Tendou runs around, asking the other 3rd years for their thoughts.

"AND THE BETS HAVE BEEN PLACED!" The guess monster beamed, "Now, state your reasons!!"

"I think it's the way he looks at Aoi. He's always looking in her direction with some kind of determination or something"

That's because you're with her, right?

"Nah~ it's probably y/n, I mean, they've known each other since middle school, and he's super open with her"

Exactly, you've known him for so much longer, it only makes sense.

"No it's totally Aoi, what do you mean y/n?? Do you see how quickly he got along with her?"

He got along with you quickly too, though.

"Guys I'm right here-" You sighed, your face remaining the shade of a cherry. "But continue I guess."

"Aoi." His deep voice resonated in your body, shocking every bone in it. His face lightened as he lightly smiled.

Bouts of cheering, groans, and laughter filled the air, but all you could do was stare at Ushijima and try not to drop your jaw. The thoughts began to rush through your brain, laced with insecurity.

How did she captivate him like that?

What does he like about her?

What does she have that you don't?

You looked down at the fluffy flower in your hand. Its delicate seeds could carry your wish far and wide, but would it even be received?

『'Cause I'm in a field of dandelions Wishing on everyone that you'll be mine, mine』

It doesn't matter, right? You might as well try, even if it doesn't work.

"Fuuuuu" You exhaled onto the delicate ball.

I want Toshi to realize I'm perfect for him... No no... that's too creepy...

I want Wakatoshi Ushijima to like me.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

That day, he confessed to Aoi. The boys had run around the field looking for the girl, and when they found her, they practically picked her up and transported her to Toshi.

It wasn't hard for him to confess to her, he was straightforward, as usual. She ended up saying that she reciprocated his feelings, and they started dating.

It wasn't too hard to bear in the beginning. They would sit at your table during lunch and chat with the other members of the team, Ushijima would hold her much smaller hand in his callused ones. As they ate, Aoi would lean on his shoulder affectionately.

I wish that were me.

Not long after, you noticed you had become shunned by the others at the table. If you put a word in the conversation, you would either be ignored or spoken over as they continued the conversation. Most of the time, it was Aoi speaking over you. It hurt, admittedly. Your friends. People you had known for years had, for the first time, left you out of a conversation, attracted to the sweet and innocent voice of Aoi Nishimiya. The girl they met only 2 months ago.

Eventually, they forgot you were even there.

This began to creep into your practices and hangouts, all of which Aoi attended. you acted as you did, caring for those there, making jokes, being... yourself.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

About a week later, you were approached by Ushijima, who had an extra serious face. To be honest, he looked almost constipated. His walk had a hesitant swagger to it as he came towards me. Far behind him was Aoi, fiddling her thumbs and looking the other way.

"Y/n."

『'Cause it gets so hard to breathe When you're looking at me, I've never felt so alive and free When you're looking at me, I've never felt so happy』

"Tosh... Ushijima-san" You smiled, the stress washing away. Finally, someone wanted to talk to you, to be in... no... to acknowledge your presence.

"We should– hanging... together. It... Aoi uncomfortable." Ushijima muttered under his breath.

"Huh?" You couldn't believe your ears... Was he saying what you thought he was? "I'm sorry... could you repeat that? I couldn't understand you."

"We should–" He pauses, clearing his throat. "We should stop meeting. It makes Aoi uncomfortable."

Your head jerked up. "What?" You whispered, though your voice seemed to bellow through the silent indoor court, bouncing off the walls. "What... I... Follow me." Your voice lowered and you grabbed his wrist, dragging the ace out of the room.

"Does it make you uncomfortable?" You demanded, tears threatening to spill out of your eyes.

"Excuse me?"

Your face contorted with fury, your hands balled into fists. It took every ounce of your body to hold yourself back.

"Does me being around... make you uncomfortable?" You quivered in anger, looking straight into his unbothered eyes. "Does it?" Your voice was unnaturally cold and it took every ounce of you to not shout

"It-" He began.

"WHY-" Your voice shouted before catching yourself, "Am I that annoying? Is there something I can change? I'll do anything you want me to, just say what's wrong with me, I'll fix it."

A person in love will do anything to be appreciated by the one they adore.

All you want is for him to be happy, but you can't.. no you can't live without him. You can't imagine your life without him, even if it isn't in the way You want it to be.

"You do make me uncomfortable." Five words, and you began to crumble.

"If you'd like to know the truth, you are overly affectionate."

crack.

"You cannot set boundaries, even though you know I am in a relationship."

snap.

"You don't know how to stop being a people pleaser who can't help but say yes."

crack.

"You are nothing but a thorn in my side. You often distract me from playing right and you've created a rift in my romantic life. There is nothing for you to fix because nothing is there to fix. You have always been this way and you will always be this way."

crumble.

Satisfied with his words, he walked back into the enclosed court, greeting his girlfriend standing behind the gray doors. She peered out towards your frozen body, pity and satisfaction lacing her face.

✯¸.•´*¨`*•✿ ✿•*`¨*`•.¸✯

The air in the gym was cold, not a noise to be heard throughout the massive building. They all heard him say that. They all knew it was wrong. You weren't a nuisance to Ushijima, but no one wanted to say anything otherwise to the ace.

"Y/n-" Semi stepped forward, reaching out to try and comfort you, but Leon put a hand on his shoulder, stopping him from rushing out. Tendou and Goshiki looked towards the ace trudging back to practice, Aoi running up to him with big eyes and a volleyball in hand to toss for practice.

You couldn't move. you didn't want to move. Semi shrugged off Leon's hand and stepped outside. "Let's go. C'mon." His hand dropped to the small of your back and guided your back out. It felt like all of the blood left your body and all that was left was your dull husk. You walked for a while. You don't know how long it took, but soon you could see the local convenience store in the distance. You plopped down on a brick fence and fat, warm, tears began to fall. You guessed the initial shock wore off, but the tears wouldn't stop, and soon your eyes were blurry with tears.

After a while, a blue fuzzy object appeared. You blinked away the salty tears, drying them with your sleeves, and saw a soda ice pop on your lap. "Here. Sweets help the tears." Semi gently said, smiling at you. In his hands, he had an unopened pack of tissues.

"You must think I'm pathetic. Hah, everyone probably thinks that at this point, ooh what's y/n without Ushiwaka, she's his dog." You waved your hands around, mocking god knows what. You looked down and opened the packaging. "Why are you here anyway? Don't you have practice? Coach Washijo's gonna yell at you again. Anyways... Thanks for the pop... you didn't have t-"

"I wanted to be here. And it's not like I'm that important to the team, after all, we have Shirabu now for setting. I'll probably get yelled at a bit, but it's worth it. I'd rather you be with someone than alone." Semi blurted, he was trying his best.

You giggled, snorting before catching yourself. Semi looked reassured by that. "Mmm... it feels nice that someone's still on my side." You sat there in silence for a while, and soon your pops were down to the stick and the sun had set.

"You got a free pop." Semi pointed out, before grabbing the stick and walking into the store to redeem it. You can't understand why he's here, He could literally be anywhere else, so why here of all places?

"Y'know, she's not all that." He spoke, walking out and gesturing with you to walk with him. "But anyways, you should talk about it. At least let out how you feel, if you're comfortable, that is. It's better than bottling it up."

You looked down, not sure what to say. "I mean, I don't think that he's the kind of person to throw away a friendship for a relationship this early- or even ever. But I don't want to fight it, he can figure it out by himself." I ran a few feet ahead before whipping around to face Semi. I gestured to myself and bounced on the balls of my feet, "All I can say is that he's gonna be missing out on the joy I bring to the table." Semi paused, then doubled over laughing.

"You certainly have a way of getting over heartbreak." He walked up to you, hooking your arm in his. You smiled softly, leaning your head on his arm and holding his arm tightly as you walked back to the gym.

"Thank you, Semi-Semi." You murmured into his sleeve.

"You're welcome y/n... never tell Tendou I let you call me that" He smiled and looked down at the top of your head.

"No promises." You looked up, matching his serene expression. "Can't wait for the lecture we're gonna get in about 5 minutes."

Semi froze. "Shit."

AN: lmk if you want a pt. 2 :)

masterlist || request

[hotchsprncess]

Hi! Can I please request a Hotch fic with a chubby BAU!reader? Where they’re on a case and the lead detective isn’t really taking reader seriously and says/mentions something backhanded about reader’s appearance and Aaron just happens to overhear it and defends her 🤭

Then she acts like it didn’t really bother her but Aaron can just tell something’s up, could end in smut (either hotel room or when they’re back home) or just good old fluff! you can throw in some daddy kink in there if you want 🙂‍↕️

Also sorry if this is too long of a request, please don’t feel obligated to respond to this!!

.ᐟ MDNI .ᐟ

OMG thank you so much for this amazing idea 🤭 the way i'm beyond excited to write this is unreal!!!! hope you enjoy °⋆.ೃ࿔*:･ p.s: there is a lot of plot/build up in this fic, so it may take a while to get to the smut but i promise it's there :p

i like you, have a cupcake ⊹ aaron hotchner

ᝰ summary : after being disrespected by the lead detective in new york, hotch can tell that it's hit close to home. once he decides to check on you back at the hotel, there's no telling what he'll do to make you feel better.

ᝰ warnings : fem chubby/plus size bau!reader, discussion of case/unsub, reader being undermined/body shamed, discussion of insecurity/body image, use of y/l/n (twice), co-workers to lovers (ish, asked on a date), sub!reader, softdom!aaron, some nipple play, clit smacks (literally 2), oral f receiving (he's a munch idc), daddy kink, praise (maybe a tad of degradation), dirty talk, p in v, multiple orgasms, creampie, fluffy ending

you loved new york city, but not when you were here on a case. 3 days in felt like 5 already, and everyone was getting impatient. you all sat around the table, with the exception of hotch standing at the evidence board, trying to build a stronger profile.

"it's just so elusive, i don't get why the mo is going back and forth between strangulation, stabbing, and shooting" jj wonders out loud, the shuffling sound of flipping through photos filling the room.

"are we looking at a team here? i mean, there's 3 distinct mos. maybe they're taking turns" rossi chimes in, everyone nodding along to what he says.

"the victimology is all over the map though" reid gestures to the evidence board, "the 2 stabbings were young white females, the 1 shooting was a middle-aged asian male, and the 3 strangulations were all single women of varying races, aged 50-55 who lived alone. it doesn't correlate with a team who would likely be going after the same demographic"

"and we're still sure this is the same guy?" lead detective thomas calls out from the corner of the room, sipping coffee out of his nypd mug.

"a penny was left at each scene in the victim's hand. it might seem coincidental, but the chances of all of these individuals holding a single penny while they were attacked is under 0.1%. so yes, it's the same unsub" reid provides a statistic as he usually does, causing the gears to turn in your head.

"what if it's one person with dissociative identity disorder? like you said, the victimology doesn't make sense for a team, but for someone with did an alter is a completely different person with different experiences, motives, preferences, etcetera. the signature of the penny remains the same, so maybe that's motivated by the host personality. they all share a reason to kill, but that's the extent of the similarities" you figure that even though someone may see it as far fetched, it's worth proposing.

"seriously? first of all, i doubt that even exists, let alone that this guy has it. like agent rossi said, a team seems more accurate" detective thomas counters your theory, making you curl in on yourself a bit.

"actually, what agent y/l/n said is very applicable to this case and might just help us solve it. let's deliver the updated profile" hotch responds, shutting up detective thomas as the team starts to head out of the conference room.

"great work" he whispers to you as you pass by him, a gentle blush filling your cheeks. praise from your boss was always welcomed, not only because he defended your theory but also because you maybe had a little crush on him.

later that day around 7pm, one of the nypd officers brought in treats that his wife had made. there were cookies, cupcakes, brownies, and even a few muffins. everyone dug in as you waited until the crowd dissipated to go have your pick. your stomach rumbled as you approached the counter, filling your cup with coffee as you scanned the beautiful desserts. you felt the presence of someone beside you, looking to see that it was detective thomas. you felt a little anxious around him, but nonetheless hoped to keep the peace with some small talk.

"these all look great, huh?" you propose, stirring some sugar into your coffee.

"very..." you notice his eyes scan you from your peripheral, "not sure you need any of them though"

you'd had your fair share of body shaming throughout the years, but that didn't mean it hurt any less. it was one thing that detective thomas already undermined you and your profiling skills, but he also blatantly body shamed you to your face as if he had no cares in the world. it made you sink further into yourself, unsure of what to say and also not wanting to cause a scene. you were in the fbi and you had the reputation of the bau to uphold, you couldn't afford to let him have it despite desperately wanting to put him in his place. though, you didn't have the chance to react anyways because hotch was one step ahead of you.

"that was extremely unprofessional and rude of you, detective. my team and i, including agent y/l/n, are here out of our own free will. if you can't show her respect i will not hesitate to walk out of here with my team and leave you to your own devices. am i clear?" his tone is authoritative and his threat very serious. hotch didn't mess around.

"uh... yeah. crystal" detective thomas is visibly awkward after hotch's scolding. good.

"are you going to apologize to her or do i need to teach you how to do that too?" you wanted to chuckle at hotch's response but decided to hold it in for everyone's sake.

"i'm sorry, agent. won't happen again"

all you do is nod in response, walking away from the coffee counter and retreating back into the conference room. another rumble of your stomach reminded you just how hungry you were, but the thought of stuffing your face with a cupcake after that made your appetite dissolve. you felt out of place, like everyone heard what he said and was analyzing your appearance. you knew that wasn't the case, but that's exactly how it felt. the feeling was ultimately unwelcomed.

after 5 more hours of work and another victim, the team decided to call it a night. with your input of did the profile of the unsub was getting stronger and connecting the victims became easier, lifting everyone's spirits a bit.

you bid your goodnights to the rest of the team as you exited the hotel elevator and made your way down the hall to your room. you decided a shower was necessary after the long day, humming as the warm water encapsulated you.

you avoided looking in the mirror for too long as you stepped out of the shower, still feeling a little uncomfortable from earlier. you slipped into your pyjamas, consisting of a baggy crewneck sweater and sleep shorts, before settling against the headboard and grabbing your book from the bedside table. before you could even finish the first sentence, a knock at your door grabbed your attention. you shuffled your way to the door, looking through the peephole to spot hotch on the other side. your heart skipped a beat before unlocking the door, a small smile on his face when you opened it.

"sorry to bother, but i just wanted to check on you and make sure you were okay" hotch can appear standoffish in the field, but his care for others was very strong and genuine.

"oh, thank you, i'm okay... i don't want to make earlier a big deal or anything, i've heard it before"

a slight frown forms on hotch's face at your words, "i'm sorry to hear that, you don't deserve to be spoken to that way"

you nod shyly at his response, spotting the container in his hands.

"oh! here" hotch holds the container out towards you, "i noticed you didn't end up eating anything at the station, so i grabbed you a cupcake"

your heart swells at the thoughtfulness of your boss, grabbing the container from his hands, fingers brushing against his. "that's sweet of you, thank you" you continue without thinking, "did you want to come in? i have a couple beers in the fridge"

"i don't want to impose-"

"you aren't at all, please..." you open the door wider, allowing him to pass by you. you're overwhelmed with the scent of his cologne, not too strong but still potent and manly. hopefully it sticks in the room after he leaves.

you set down the container and grab two beers from the mini fridge, passing one to hotch as he sits across from you at the little dining table in your room.

"do you party by yourself often when we're away on cases?" he teases, gesturing to the beer in his hand.

"oh no, jj and i party together" you giggle softly, a chuckle slipping from his mouth. "i'll invite you next time"

"that would be great" he shoots you a smile before taking a sip, you doing the same.

"i-" you take a breath, "like i said, i don't want to make earlier a big deal, but i do want to thank you for defending me. being a female in this area of work can already be hard enough, but being..." you sigh, "not fitting into the beauty standard just adds another layer, i guess, so thank you"

"you don't have to thank me, you never should've been disrespected like that. and for what it's worth, i think you're beautiful" his hand reaches for yours which is resting on the table, squeezing it softly.

your cheeks fill with heat, the feeling of his large hand around yours bringing solace.

"i know it may be inappropriate, but i don't care. you're so beautiful, i can't help but want to make sure that you know it" his tone is as serious as can be, yet beyond genuine.

"aaron" you breathe, locking eyes with him. you get lost in the deep brown hue of his eyes as they fill with something you can't quite pinpoint.

"come here" he speaks barely above a whisper, coaxing you over to his side of the table as he rises from his chair. your hand remains in his as you walk over, stopping in front of him before his hands trail to your hips. he hoists you onto the table, a small gasp escaping you. a subtle smirk grazes his lips as he situates himself between your legs, leaning in closer.

"if this isn't okay, tell me" the urge to squeeze the plush of your hips was overwhelming aaron, but he harnessed some self-control in order to make sure you were comfortable.

"it's more than okay" you reply, hands reaching up to loosen the tie he was still wearing.

aaron doesn't miss a beat, capturing your lips in a passionate kiss. you hum at the feeling, tugging off his tie and letting your hands roam his shoulders. he squeezes your hips, his hands trailing up your body underneath your sweater. his hands are rough but his touch is intoxicating, indulging in every inch of you. he takes ahold of your breasts, groping the mounds and flicking your nipples with his thumbs. he pulls away from the kiss, a whine escaping your lips.

"i know, baby. just wanna take this off, is that okay?" the pet name goes straight to your core as you nod in response to his question.

"words. tell me it's okay" the dominance in his voice has wetness pooling in your panties.

"it's okay, please" you practically beg, eager to feel him all over you.

"good girl, lift your arms up" he strips you of your sweater, tossing it onto the chair he was previously seated in.

his eyes rake over your body, close to drooling at the sight of your bare breasts and the plush of your tummy; he was in awe.

"fucking beautiful" he groans, kissing you again but with a little more fervor this time. he lets his lips trail down your jaw and neck, making their way between your breasts and over your tummy. he reaches the waistband of your shorts, looking up at you for confirmation.

"please, yes" you whine impatiently, remembering his need to hear you verbally respond.

he smirks proudly before pulling off your shorts and panties in one shot, kneeling on the rough carpet of the hotel room as he spreads you open.

"my god" he murmurs, pressing kisses along the insides of your thighs. "i always loved your thighs, the way those skirts you wear hug them so perfectly..." he muses as you squirm under his touch and gaze, his mouth so close yet so far.

"i'm getting there, sweetheart, be patient" this only makes you whimper more, aaron landing a gentle smack to your clit. "did you hear me?"

"mhmmm" you whine, another smack landing on your needy clit.

"you'll get what you want faster if you answer properly, you know that by now, don't you?" he uses his thumbs to spread your pussy open, your slick staring back at him.

"yes, yes daddy!" the name slips before you can stop it, your mouth moving faster than your brain due to the pure desperation you felt. having your boss (and the man you secretly have feelings for) between your legs was a sight you thought you'd only see in your dreams, so your current position was dizzying to say the least.

the sound that left aaron was reminiscent of a growl, immediately diving in to collect your juices on his tongue. you couldn't hold back your moans if you tried, nails clawing at the wooden table underneath you.

"you taste so good... so good for daddy" he murmurs, sucking your clit into his mouth. each time he suckles on your bud he sends you further into ecstasy, your back arching and pushing your pussy further into his face.

"oh my god, fuck oh my god" you babble breathlessly, aaron's ministrations not faltering even as you grind your pussy against his mouth. he lets go of your clit just to start flicking it with his tongue, hands gripping your thighs and holding them back so he had room to devour you.

"i'm- i'm close"

"yeah? you're gonna cum on my tongue?" aaron's tongue dives into your hole before suckling on your clit again, pushing you over the edge.

"daddy" you squeal as you cum for aaron, a hum rumbling in his throat as he tastes your sweetness. your chest rises and falls rapidly as you attempt to regulate your breath, the task proving difficult as he sexily unbuttons his shirt and unbuckles his belt.

"you did so good, baby. can you get on the bed for me?" he asks gently as he unzips his pants, observing every movement of yours.

"of course" you make your way to the bed, sitting in the middle and waiting (im)patiently for aaron to make his way over and touch you again. he removes his boxers before he saunters over, your eyes almost bulging out of your head at the sight of his cock. he was around 7 inches in length yet still a perfect thickness, the head leaking precum and looking unbelievably enticing.

"lie back and hold those legs for me" he hums in satisfaction as you obey his orders, tapping his tip on your clit. the wet smacking sound has you whimpering, your eyes practically begging him to push inside.

"is there something you want?" you learned quickly that aaron loved to taunt and tease, but also hear you ask for him; express your desire.

"give me your cock, daddy, i need you inside me"

"need me, huh?" he smirks as he slowly pushes just his tip inside, remaining stagnant for a moment though it felt like hours. "who am i to deny a girl her needs?" he pushes all the way in, the sudden fill making you gasp.

he starts to thrust, finding a pace that still allows him to fuck deeply into you. his hands are pressing your legs back now, your own yanking at the duvet below you. the sound of his hips slamming into yours echoes off the hotel walls, your pussy sucking in his cock each time he pulls out.

"so perfect, you feel so good around daddy" he moans, pounding into you like it's the last thing he'd ever do. "thought about this pussy so many times, pressing you like this and making you mine"

you whine at his words, the prospect of forming a coherent sentence seeming far fetched by how much his cock was jumbling your brain.

"you cock drunk? hm? you're so cute" he breathes out, his hips picking up their pace as he plunges deep into you again and again. you clench around him, indicating that your orgasm was on it's descent again.

"are you gonna cum again? answer me"

"yes daddy! i- oh i'm gonna cum, gonna cum" you moan loudly, speaking nonsense as you begin to cum around his cock.

aaron lets out a low growl, continuing to pound relentlessly. "that's it, that's a good fucking girl, let it all out"

your legs quiver in his grasp as you come down from your second orgasm, his cock sliding in and out of you with ease.

"please cum inside me, daddy. fill me with your cum, please please please" you plead as you stare up at aaron, the pleasure plastered on his face now ingrained in your mind.

"fuck... anything for you, sweetheart, i'm gonna fill this pussy" he groans, his hips stuttering as he starts to cum. you feel the twitch of his cock as he pumps you full, his hands gingerly releasing your legs and lying them flat on the bed.

"holy shit" you giggle, rubbing your hands up and down his biceps.

"you could say that again" aaron chuckles, pulling out slowly and lying beside you on the bed. his hand finds it's home on your waist as you snuggle close to him, your head resting on his chest.

"i definitely couldn't have guessed that this is how my evening would go" you mumble, tracing shapes on his chest with your finger.

"me neither, but i'm happy it did... i've been wanting that to happen for a long time" aaron hugs you close as your bodies exchange heat.

"oh yeah?"

"mhm, and i want you to know that i have more than sexual attraction to you... i'd love to take you on a date once we get home, if you'd want that"

a smile takes over your face at his question, "i'd love that"

aaron presses a kiss to your head,

"sounds like a plan, sweetheart"

[zvaigzdelasas]

[Dawn is Pakistani Private Media]

The heinous killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh risks tipping the Middle East into “wider conflict”, the chair of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) told a meeting on Wednesday.

The comments from Gambian Foreign Minister Mamadou Tangara came as a senior Iranian official said during the meeting that the Islamic republic would need to defend itself from Israel, which it blames for Haniyeh’s death last week in Tehran.

Iranian and Palestinian officials called for Wed­nesday’s gathering of the 57-member OIC in the Saudi coastal city of Jeddah, saying the body needed to respond to the killing of the Hamas leader.[...]

Haniyeh’s killing “will not quell the Palestinian cause but rather it amplifies it, underscoring the urgency for justice and human rights for the Pales­tinian people”, [Tangara] said. “The sovereignty and territorial integrity of nation states are fundamental principles underpinning the international order.

“Respecting these principles has profound implications and their violation equally carries significant consequences.”[...]

“Currently, in the absence of any appropriate action by the (UN) Security Council against the aggressions and violations of the Israeli regime, the Islamic Republic of Iran has no choice but to use its inherent right to legitimate defence against the aggressions of this regime,” Ali Bagheri, Iran’s acting foreign minister, told the OIC.

[NewStraitsTimes is Malaysian Private Media]

Malaysia has proposed four key measures to support the Palestinian cause, including the establishment of a group of eminent persons tasked with assessing and identifying measures to implement the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) Advisory Opinion.[...]

He said the measures emphasised the need to expand global support for Palestine, leveraging the International Court of Justice's (ICJ) rulings and the unity achieved by Palestinian factions through the Beijing Declaration.

"Such measures should focus on universal jurisdiction and ensure the consistent application of international law," he stated during the meeting in Jeddah, yesterday.

Second, Malaysia called for the reinstatement of the United Nations Special Committee Against Apartheid.

The primary task of this committee would be to halt the illegal occupation of Palestinian Territories (OPT) by Israel and to address the apartheid policies imposed on Palestinians, he added.

Third, Malaysia proposed that the OIC, in collaboration with like-minded countries, request a resumed session of the 10th Emergency Special Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on the Issue of Palestine.

"This suggestion is to discuss the means and ways to implement or "give effect" to the ICJ's Advisory Opinion.

"Finally, we should extend our undivided support and fully assist, in the rebuilding of the Palestinian economy and livelihood post-conflict. This is a key step that would ease their return to normalcy," Mohamad said.

Following the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh, who also led Hamas' political bureau, Malaysia called for a concerted effort to counter Israeli propaganda and misinformation.

"Malaysia has always been a strong advocate for peace and stability. As much as we condemn the assassination, we urge all parties to restraint, to avoid escalating the situation into a regional and global crisis.

"The attack in Tehran could well be an attempt to derail the ongoing peace negotiations in the Middle East.

"We should not fall into their trap. Cool heads must prevail. We should support the continuation of the peace process to be resolved at the negotiating table. Diplomacy is the way to go," he noted.[...]

According to [Turkish State Media] Anadolu Agency (AA), the world body also urged the UN Security Council (UNSC) to impose an immediate and comprehensive ceasefire on Israeli aggression and "ensure adequate and sustainable access to humanitarian aid throughout Gaza Strip."

7 Aug 24

[ill-kidnap-all-the-stars]

Mutual Aid/Artist Support Request !!

I haven't really talked a whole lot about the benefit cuts on here (just haven't had the capacity to keep engaging with it, Tumblr is my safe social media) but I'm going to share what I posted to my Instagram story yesterday:

[ transcription:

I've been living with my parents since loosing my job in September. Even though I can't work a regular job (my previous one was an on-site job so I didn't have to travel and tbh even that was too much for me), my parents pushed me to apply for more jobs in Oct and Nov - I didn't get any of them and now I get approx. £300 from Universal Credit

I don't get PIP or the LCWRA part of Universal Credit. I have made applications to both but, looking at the statistics, I'm more likely not to get them in spite of the fact that I can only walk a few steps and can barely hold a pen

Even if I got them, I'd have approx. £1500/month. In a country where it costs on average £1000/month to be disabled, that is absolutely not enough - tbh it's not even enough to cover rent in London. But to reiterate, I currently get £300 and am unlikely to get more than that with @/uklabour 's proposed changes

My parents are starting to get really pissy about supporting me and they're very vocal about not wanting to support my brother once he graduates. I have no idea where I'll go if my parents run out of money or even just get tired of supporting me, and no hope for long term (or even short term) financial stability *as it stands right now* and with Labour's changes this will only get worse

Labour could introduce a 2% tax on wealth over £10 mln and rake in £24 bln A YEAR as opposed to the £1 bln a year these welfare cuts will save. If they wanted disabled people in work, they would widen the PIP eligibility criteria and increase the payout so that disabled people can pay for the medication, therapy, supplements, equipment, etc, etc, etc that keeps them in work. Instead, they're taking the right wing route of targetting vulnerable, marginalised groups. They do not deserve to be called a "people's party" when they're actively making life worse for a quarter of the people

end transcription ]

I have no idea how long I have left until my parents get sick of me. Ever since I started the process of getting an NHS wheelchair, they've been noticeably more upset about my being unable to work and noticeably more hostile/uncomfortable with my current mobility aids. But they are also the only cushion between me and the benefit cuts. So if you're feeling charitable, please reblog this to get more eyes on it, and take a gander at my Inprnt shop and my Ko-fi page. I make some heckin cool stuff if I do say so myself, so it's completely worth it ;)

Inprnt big link:

Ko-fi big link:

[yesornopolls]

The article under the cut

Allies of Elon Musk stationed within the Education Department are considering replacing some contract workers who interact with millions of students and parents annually with an artificial intelligence chat bot, according to internal department documents and communications.

The proposal is part of President Trump’s broader effort to shrink the federal work force, and would mark a major change in how the agency interacts with the public. The Education Department’s biggest job is managing billions of dollars in student aid, and it routinely fields complex questions from borrowers.

The department currently uses both call centers and a rudimentary A.I. bot to answer questions. The proposal would introduce generative A.I., a more sophisticated version of artificial intelligence that could replace many of those human agents.

The call centers employ 1,600 people who field over 15,000 questions per day from student borrowers.

The vision could be a model for other federal agencies, in which human beings are replaced by technology, and behemoth contracts with outside companies are shed or reduced in favor of more automated solutions. In some cases, that technology was developed by players from the private sector who are now working inside or with the Trump administration.

Mr. Musk has significant interest in A.I. He founded a generative A.I. company, and is also seeking to gain control of OpenAI, one of the biggest players in the industry. At other agencies, workers from the newly created Department of Government Efficiency, headed by Mr. Musk, have told federal employees that A.I. would be a significant part of the administration’s cost-cutting plans.

A year after the Education Department oversaw a disastrous rollout of a new federal student aid application, longtime department officials say they are open to the idea of seeking greater efficiencies, as have leaders in other federal agencies. Many are partnering with the efficiency initiative.

But Department of Education staff have also found that a 38 percent reduction in funding for call center operations could contribute to a “severe degradation” in services for “students, borrowers and schools,” according to one internal document obtained by The Times.

The Musk associates working inside the Education Department include former executives from education technology and venture capital firms. Over the past several years, those industries have invested heavily in creating A.I. education tools and marketing them to schools, educators and students.

The Musk team at the department has focused, in part, on a help line that is currently operated on a contract basis by Accenture, a consulting firm, according to the documents reviewed by The Times. The call center assists students who have questions about applying for federal Pell grants and other forms of tuition aid, or about loan repayment.

The contract that includes this work has sent more than $700 million to Accenture since 2019, but is set to expire next week.

“The department is open to using tools and systems that would enhance the customer service, security and transparency of data for students and parents,” said Madi Biedermann, the department’s deputy assistant secretary for communications. “We are evaluating all contracts to assess effectiveness relative to costs.”

Accenture did not respond to interview requests. A September report from the Education Department describes 1,625 agents answering 462,000 calls in one month. The agents also handled 118,000 typed chats.

In addition to the call line, Accenture provides a broad range of other services to the student aid system. One of those is Aidan, a more rudimentary virtual assistant that answers basic questions about student aid. It was launched in 2019, during Mr. Trump’s first term.

Accenture reported in 2021 that Aidan fielded 2.2 million messages in one year. But its capabilities fall far short of what Mr. Musk’s associates envision building using generative A.I., according to the internal documents.

Both Mr. Trump and former President Joseph R. Biden Jr. directed federal agencies to look for opportunities to use A.I. to better serve the public.

The proposal to revamp the communication system follows a meltdown in the rollout of the new Free Application for Federal Student Aid, or FAFSA, last year under Mr. Biden. As FAFSA problems caused mass confusion for students applying for financial aid, several major contractors, including Accenture, were criticized for breakdowns in the infrastructure available to students and parents seeking answers and help.

From January through May last year, roughly three-quarters of the 5.4 million calls to the department’s help lines went unanswered, according to a report by the Government Accountability Office.

More than 500 workers have since been added to the call centers, and wait times were significantly reduced, according to the September Department of Education report.

But transitioning into using generative A.I. for student aid help, as a replacement for some or all human call center workers, is likely to raise questions around privacy, accuracy and equal access to devices, according to technology experts.

Generative A.I. systems still sometimes share information that is false.

Given how quickly A.I. capabilities are advancing, those challenges are potentially surmountable, but should be approached methodically, without rushing, said John Bailey, a fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and former director of educational technology at the Education Department under President George W. Bush.

Mr. Bailey has since become an expert on the uses of A.I. in education.

“Any big modernization effort needs to be rolled out slowly for testing, to see what works and doesn’t work,” he said, pointing to the botched introduction of the new FAFSA form as a cautionary tale.

“We still have kids not in college because of that,” he said.

In recent weeks, the Education Department has absorbed a number of DOGE workers, according to two people familiar with the process, who requested anonymity because they were not authorized to discuss the department’s security procedures and feared for their jobs.

One of the people involved in the DOGE efforts at the Education Department is Brooks Morgan, who until recently was the chief executive of Podium Education, an Austin-based start-up, and has also worked for a venture capital firm focused on education technology, according to the two people.

Another new staffer working at the agency is Alexandra Beynon, the former head of engineering at Mindbloom, a company that sells ketamine, according to those sources and an internal document.

And a third is Adam Ramada, who formerly worked at a Miami venture capital firm, Spring Tide Capital, which invests in health technology, according to an affidavit in a lawsuit filed against the Department of Government Efficiency.

None of those staffers responded to interview requests.

[daily-hyosatsu]

Another Chinese restaurant today, just for fun! It's called 申申, read Shin-Shin. The rest of the sign says 香港料理 【ほんこん りょうり】 Hong Kong cuisine and 西麻布店 【にし あざぶ てん】 West Azabu location.

申 is a useful kanji with a variety of meanings. Let's break it down.

The verb 申す 【もうす】 is humble language, meaning to say or to have the honor to (do something). In a formal situation, you might introduce yourself by saying 「[name]と申します」.

Other useful say-related vocab:

申し訳 【もうしわ】 ありません (formal) I apologize

申し込む 【もうしこむ】 to apply for, request, propose, or offer

申請 【しんせい】 application or request

申告 【しんこく】 (tax) return/filing.

申 also refers to the Chinese zodiac sign of monkey, in which case it's read さる. For example, 申年 【さるどし】 means Year of the Monkey, or a person born in such a year. In older documents, it can also mean the period of 3 PM to 5 PM. Since the Chinese zodiac was also used to divide the day, each animal also has its own Hour (which is actually a 2-hour period).

However, 申 only means monkey in a Chinese zodiac context. In other contexts, you'd say 猿 【さる】 (also read エン).

It's also good to learn 申 as a radical. It provides the シン reading to characters like 伸 extend, 神 god, and 捜 search.

Finally, pay attention to the vertical stroke so you won't confuse it with 甲, which has a wide variety of meanings and also an interesting classical Chinese association, covered here.

[rebeccathenaturalist]

Help Stop a Clearcut - Deadline May 17, 2024! Reblogs appreciated!

Hey, folks, got a time-sensitive request for y'all--even if you aren't a PNW resident, can you please put in a word to save the legacy/mature forest on Mothball Hill just outside Astoria, OR? Comments to NOT clearcut the forest on Mothball Hill can be sent to odf.sfcomments@odf.oregon.gov and need to be received by 5pm Pacific Standard Time on May 17. Reblogs ALSO help!

As per this article:

"North Coast Communities for Watershed Protection requests your consideration and immediate action to help safeguard drinking water and residents’ health in rural neighborhoods east of Astoria. Written comments are needed by Friday, May 17, regarding ongoing and upcoming Oregon Department of Forestry timber harvests in Clatsop County. Anybody may submit a comment to ODF; you do not need to be a resident of Clatsop County. Please see below for more details.

Currently, the NCCWP Astoria Chapter is working to notify residents whose property is in close proximity to proposed 2025 ODF timber harvests in Clatsop County. On May 5, we surveyed Unit 2 of the Mothball Hill Harvest and met some of the concerned residents whose property is immediately adjacent to the timber sale. We are working with them closely.

Leading up to the May 17 deadline for comments about the ODF Annual Operations Plan (AOP), we are hoping to visit as many of these sites as possible — knocking on people’s doors directly adjacent to these potential timber harvests. Many people who live in these houses may not be aware that the forestland near their homes is scheduled to be clearcut and sprayed with a “cocktail” of pesticides. Our goal is to notify these homeowners and provide them with appropriate resources and support so that they can get involved and comment on the AOP before the opportunity ends. These clearcuts and pesticide applications may directly affect people’s health, livelihoods, recreational activities, and property values. Ultimately, they will adversely affect the quality and quantity of coastal drinking water by exacerbating the climate crisis, perpetuating drought, and increasing the risk of wildfires, landslides, and the runoff of sediment and pesticides into waterways.

Here’s a letter sent to community members, ODF, BoF, and Clatsop Co. officials from Darren Orange, a resident neighboring the Mothball Hill Harvest: 

A request for your consideration and action,

The Oregon Department Of Forestry released their 2024 Annual Operations Plan and has selected a previously unmanaged, non-intentionally planted, natural “Legacy Forest” for CLEARCUT AND AERIAL SPRAY. The location is in Clatsop Forest Astoria District on “Mothball Hill” east of Astoria in the John Day estuary. This proposed clearcut will impact a previously unmanaged biodiverse forest with trees, and mycorrhizal networks well over 100 years old. The geographical location is extremely steep and the boundaries for cutting would push into the Columbia River at its northernmost point. Slide potential is high, threatening the railroad, and homes both on private drive Phil Rd., Highway 30, and Deer Valley Rd. 

Located between Astoria, (2 miles to the west) and the Twilight Eagle Sanctuary (2 miles to the east) this rich habitat and watershed is home for bald eagles, beaver, blue heron, cougar, bobcat, coyotes, and waterways for native salmon.  The year-round streams run directly into the John Day and Columbia Rivers. The location will be seen on Highway 30, and visible from both rivers as a monstrous scab. 

The home and hobby garden I share with my wife borders 300′ of Clatsop Forest. Neon survey markers now weigh heavily, glaring at us 20′ from our kitchen window. Trees marked for cut purposely planted by homeowners over 50 years ago as property lines now marked for harvest. We watch: protected migratory birds, marine birds, bald eagles, blue heron, osprey, and others. We’ve listened to the call of bobcats and coyotes from their resting and breeding dens. We’ve seen beavers in the estuary. Salmon and crayfish are commercially harvested here. The rich native flora and mycelium network show the health of the forest and offer many plant medicines. This is just a window of the species we see everyday. 

The impact and damage on this ecosystem is vast. The unintended consequences of aerial spray, blowdown due to compromised forest integrity, slides, and aesthetic harm to private property value, boating/kayaking and tourism, commercial and recreational fishing are all part of the cost vs minimal $1.1 million dollar profit.

PUBLIC COMMENTS ARE ENCOURAGED, AND CLOSE VERY SOON ON MAY 17TH!

I’m asking the greater community to please write and pass along your concerns to the Oregon Department of Forestry about this clearcut timber sale in one of the oldest stands in the area. This stand has not been managed or replanted so it represents a key forest in its health and history. I ask that ODF look into alternative locations such as managed/planted forests with less impactful methods that follow the soon to be Federal Habitat Conservation Act that would preserve older stands. I ask that ODF follow their own Key Performance Measures of complex layered forest structure. I ask ODF NOT TO MOVE FORWARD WITH THIS TIMBER SALE.

Sincerely, 

Darren Orange

local resident of 25 years

business owner

property owner

Email – odf.sfcomments@odf.oregon.gov

interactive map

[sagunpaudel]

Call for Applications: UN Traineeship Programme-Cohort X

United Nations in Nepal, invites applications from potential Nepali candidates belonging to the Excluded and Marginalized Group. We are pleased to announce a comprehensive 11-month traineeship program that offers full-time on-the-job training with access to mentoring and practical experience in the UN working environment.Selected trainees will have the unique opportunity to immerse themselves in…

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this story from Grist:

Jim Lively wants to install rooftop solar panels on his family’s local food market, just minutes from the Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in northern Michigan. Those panels could help power the RV campground they want to open next to the market and offset other electricity bills. 

But even though Lively was awarded a $39,696 grant for the project through a U.S. Department of Agriculture program called the Rural Energy for America Program, or REAP, he’s not sure if he’ll be able to get the solar panels he wants. As one of thousands of grant awardees across the country, Lively was banking on that money to cover half the cost of the solar project.

Within President Donald Trump’s first few days in office, he issued a set of executive orders intended to crack down on government initiatives geared toward addressing climate change, improving environmental justice, and supporting diversity, equity, and inclusion. Amidst the now-familiar wave of fluctuations and uncertainty for farmers and business owners who had been counting on funding from various programs, Lively was told that the funding for REAP had been paused. 

Last week, Lively got a welcome update: The money was now unfrozen.

On March 25, the U.S. Department of Agriculture announced it will release grant money through REAP and two other clean energy programs partly supported by the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act. But there appeared to be some fine print.

In the announcement, the USDA also invited grant and loan recipients to voluntarily revise their proposals to align with Trump’s executive order by “eliminating Biden-era DEIA and climate mandates embedded in previous proposals.” 

In an email, a USDA spokesperson said that people who had already been awarded funding could voluntarily “review and revise” their plans within 30 days to more closely align with the Trump administration’s executive order. If recipients confirm in writing that they don’t want to change anything about their proposals, the USDA said “processing” for their projects would continue immediately. If recipients don’t communicate with the USDA, “disbursements and other actions will resume after the 30 days,” according to the statement. But many questions remain, and the agency did not address Grist’s requests for clarification.

For instance, the agency did not offer specifics about the timeline for already-approved projects to actually receive funds; whether or not the agency will open new application periods; whether the funding announcement and invitation to revise apply to REAP grants, loans, or both; and whether the announcement applies to future REAP applications. 

Perhaps most crucially, it is also not clear what the agency means by “processing”: Will those who choose not to change their applications still receive the money they’d been awarded or will their proposals be subjected to another review process? The phrase “other actions” has many observers worried. 

[grits-galraisedinthesouth]

This is why Invictus added First Responders to their platform AND the reason for the bogus Pat Tillman "award."

Prince Harry's visa file to be made public after bombshell ruling by judge amid claims he lied about drug use: MARCH 18th 2025

Prince Harry’s visa files must be made public by Tuesday at the latest, a judge has ruled.

Judge Carl Nichols set the deadline to release the files which will give the clearest indication yet as to whether the Duke of Sussex lied on his immigration paperwork.

The judge, who sits in Washington, approved the redactions suggested by the Department of Homeland Security and said they were ‘appropriate’.

While it is not clear what material will be released, it could include forms which indicate whether Harry said ‘no’ when asked if he was a drug user.

Lawyers for DHS have previously said that three items will be released with redactions but a fourth must remain private.

The right-wing Heritage Foundation sued the US Department of Homeland Security (DHS) last year after the agency, which oversees immigration in America, refused a Freedom of Information request for Harry’s files.

Heritage claims that Harry may have lied on the forms under the section which asks if he had been a drug user.

In both his memoir, Spare, and his Netflix TV series Harry talked about using cannabis, cocaine and magic mushrooms.

In his order, Judge Nichols, who was appointed by Donald Trump, said: ‘The government has provided the court with its proposed redactions to the documents…those redactions appearing appropriate, the government is ORDERED to lodge on the docket the redacted versions of those documents no later than March 18, 2025’.

The case has caused embarrassment and consternation for Harry and raised questions about whether he could be deported if he was found to have lied.

But President Trump recently said he would not order him out of the country, while taking a swipe at Meghan, who he called 'terrible'.

Trump said he was only giving Harry a break because ‘he’s got enough problems with his wife’.

In September Judge Nichols had refused the request from Heritage to release all the documents because the Duke had a right to privacy.

But after a hearing he reconsidered and said he wanted to reveal as much as he could.

‘In my view that has to happen’, Judge Nichols said during a previous hearing adding that wanted to make the ‘maximum amount’ of material public that he could.

Judge Nichols did however say he did not want to reveal Harry’s immigration status, meaning that there could be heavy redactions on some files.

Speaking after that hearing, Nile Gardiner, director of the Margaret Thatcher Center for Freedom at Heritage, appealed to Trump to make the files public.

The president had put ‘border security and the application of the rule of law a top priority’.

In the past Harry has been frank about his drug use and once said that cannabis helped heal the trauma of the death of his mother, Princess Diana.

The Duke said that using ayahuasca, a psychedelic drug, he realized that his mother wanted him to be ‘happy’.

That means Harry’s US visa application in March 2020 could show he ticked the ‘no’ box on questions about his drug use, Heritage claims.

In previous legal filings, DHS said that the records at issue are ‘particularly sensitive’ because they would ‘reveal Harry’s (immigration) status in the United States’.

DHS wrote: ‘Even though he is a public figure, Prince Harry still maintains a privacy interest in these types of records and in his immigration or visa status generally.

‘Even if public figures may have a diminished expectation of privacy, they do not surrender their privacy interests entirely’,

The filing added that ‘were this not the case, a requester could go on a fishing expedition for (government) records for any celebrity at all’.

The original request sought to reveal whether Harry, who moved to the US after quitting being a working member of the British royal family, was getting ‘preferential treatment’.

Heritage has merely ‘recounted a litany of allegedly suspicious circumstances (that) lacked any substantiation’, DHS said.

DHS has also dismissed the Heritage Foundation’s claims as a ‘bare suspicion of government misconduct’ and making Harry’s paperwork public would not shed any ‘meaningful light’ on how it operates.

Harry’s representatives have declined to comment on the case.

https://www.courtlistener.com/docket/67302535/heritage-foundation-v-us-department-of-homeland-security/?filed_after=&filed_before=&entry_gte=&entry_lte=&order_by=desc

[rogue-ai-cat]

American Politics — What Happened Today That You Should Know

Wednesday, June 18, 2025

Trump is checked out while his administration is seizing control of everything that moves.

While he saluted flagpoles and watched construction crews, his appointees weaponized student visas, Medicaid databases, and federal contracts into surveillance and deportation tools. They're moving with 54-minute deadlines and contempt-of-court defiance to capture every institution they can reach.

Iran is pushing us toward the biggest war in decades, but Trump's too distracted calling Fed chairs "stupid" to notice his own government is both executing authoritarian control and falling apart simultaneously.

The system is fighting back through courts, walkouts, and protest art, but his underlings don't need him paying attention to finish the job. That's why you need to pay attention to them.

Trump claims Iran proposed White House talks while threatening military strikes, but Tehran’s UN mission denies making any such proposal.

State Dept. contradicts Amb. Huckabee’s social media announcement of evacuation flights for Americans in Israel, saying it has no plans to assist departures.

Supreme Court allows Nuclear Regulatory Commission to override Texas and New Mexico governors’ opposition for temporary nuclear waste storage sites.

Michigan Attorney General Nessel and environmental groups file requests for rehearing of Energy Secretary Wright’s emergency order forcing coal plant to stay open.

MT Gov. Gianforte vetoes community solar bill despite supermajority legislative support, citing cost concerns that advocates say contradict experience in 23 other states.

Supreme Court upholds state transgender care bans for minors in 6-3 ruling, with Sotomayor reading rare dissent comparing majority’s deference to past defenses of interracial marriage bans.

Trump administration ends Trevor Project’s specialized LGBTQ+ suicide prevention service through federal hotline, giving nonprofit 30 days notice to shut down program.

EEOC Acting Chair Lucas tells senators agency will follow White House directives and defends dropping transgender discrimination cases to comply with Trump executive order.

FL AG Uthmeier calls to “denaturalize and deport” MN Rep. Omar after she criticized Trump���s military parade.

Texas quietly defunds Abbott’s signature border wall program after spending $3 billion to build only 8% of planned structure full of gaps migrants easily walk around.

Federal Reserve keeps rates steady despite Trump calling Powell “stupid” and demanding cuts to reduce government’s $1.2 trillion annual debt interest costs.

New data shows Medicare and Social Security stop paying full benefits in 8-9 years, earlier than projected, before accounting for Trump’s pending budget bill that would trigger additional Medicare cuts.

Justice Dept. plans to cut two-thirds of inspectors monitoring gun dealers for illegal sales as part of Trump administration effort to “defang and downsize” ATF.

Harvard cancer researcher Kseniia Petrova appears in court after months in custody for allegedly smuggling frog embryos as federal investigator admits he can’t define “biological materials” central to charges.

Senate Democrats walk out of Judiciary Committee hearing on Biden mental fitness as Durbin accuses Republicans of ignoring oversight of Trump administration’s military deployments and Sen. Padilla handcuffing.

FL Attorney General Uthmeier held in civil contempt for defying federal court order halting immigration law, must now file biweekly reports or face fines.

California senators demand Trump officials stop using Medicaid data for deportations after administration gave CMS 54-minute deadline to share millions of enrollees’ immigration status.

US resumes issuing student visas but requires all international applicants to make social media accounts public, warning private accounts may be suspicious.

Feds sue Kentucky Gov. Beshear over in-state tuition for undocumented immigrants living in KY, claiming it gives them preferential treatment over out-of-state U.S. citizens.

FL Board of Governors expected to approve three DeSantis appointees as university presidents after rejecting University of Florida’s choice Santa Ono as too “woke.”

DHS Secretary Noem requires personal approval for all contracts over $100k despite facing 5,100 annual reviews, prompting former acquisition chief to call policy “absolutely nuts.”

Independent National Academies report finds 30% of air traffic control facilities understaffed due to government shutdowns and hiring freezes, urges Congress to provide FAA resources to fix crisis.

Trump personally watches flagpole installation on White House lawn while Iran-Israel conflict escalates and questions mount about potential US military involvement.

FIGHTING BACK

“Dictator Approved” statue appears on National Mall showing gold thumb crushing Statue of Liberty, featuring quotes from Putin and Kim Jong Un praising Trump.

Take Action:

Write to your officials with resist.bot

Call your officials with 5calls.org

Find events at mobilize.us

[iamafule]

You asked for requests for pjo so... how about seafam? Tyson shows Percy around the cyclops forge in Atlantis and then Poseidon invites them for dinner with Amphitrite and Triton?

I hope you know that I love you.

Warning: not proof read and my phone is broken so I can't see half my screen but I'm trying

☆°----------------------------------°☆

A cloud of colourful mist shrouded the air in front of Percy's face as he walked through the streets of New Rome to run a few errands for Annabeth. She was working on a project for her design class and needed materials which Percy was happy to retrieve while she worked on drawing up a plan. In the cloud of mist formed a tall, somewhat rounded shape, slowly coming into focus as Percy began to recognise the face of his younger half-brother, Tyson. He smiled. "Hey big man! What's up?" He asked, quickly brushing the shaggy hair out of his eyes to see him more clearly. Tyson smiled back, showing the gap between his teeth and the way his eye squinted when he grinned. Percy noticed his hair was shorter. What was formerly a bundle of curly tendrils on his head was now a buzz. Percy wondered if it was a choice or if his hair had caught flame in the forge. Sure cyclopes were fireproof but he wasn't so sure about their hair.

"Brother!" Tyson exclaimed enthusiastically. "No Annabeth?" He asked. Percy chuckled and shook his head, noticing Tyson grow a slight bit dejected. "Not right now, no. I'm running a couple errands for her, but I'll let her know you say hi." He assured him. Tyson nodded, his mood improving. The 2 caught up, sharing stories and little titbits of information. Tyson and Ella had just moved in together and Annabeth had just proposed. "I have a break." Tyson said. "2 weeks."

Percy nodded. "That's awesome. What are you gonna do with it?" Percy asked. He knew Tyson didn't get many breaks. Working in the forges of Atlantis was a demanding job. But he was happy to hear Tyson getting time off. "Would you mind visiting?" Tyson asked. The question surprised Percy. He didn't usually go to Atlantis unless his guidance counsellor was flushing him halfway across the world to talk to his dad about college applications (which were totally unfair by the way). He accepted the offer immediately, never missing an opportunity to see his little brother. Once the call was over he went home and told Annabeth the plan. "That's great." She said supportively. "But did you grab the supplies I asked for?"

The day finally rolled around and Percy was excited to see his brother. He had invited Annabeth to come along but she insisted she had truckloads of homework to do and that he should spend his brother bonding time just with Tyson. He got in his car and drove out to the beach where he got out, got into the water and swam out to the forges. It didn't take long to get there. He could swim at Mach 5 after all. That meant if he had a clear path he could swim around the earth in the same amount of time it'd take to watch shrek. An hour and a half. He remembered when Leo had pointed that out to him and it never fully left his mind.

Once he reached Tyson's house, he scooped him up in a tight hug. His back popped in a few places which his college exam posture greatly thanked him for, his rubs however didn't appreciate the gesture as much as his spine did. Once he was placed down, he and Tyson went outside into the yard and played a bit of soccer. Tyson absolutely destroyed him and Percy thanked nearly every God there was for the fact water gave him super strength because if it didn't he probably would've lost a leg. After a while of this the 2 easily got bored. "We could uhhh. . . Go for a walk?" Percy suggested. "You'd have to be a bit of a tour guide though. I've only been here like, twice." He added, laying on the couch next to Tyson who sat in a large armchair, Ella perched on the back of it. Percy suppressed a giggle. The sight made his brother look like a king of a myth. "I could show you around the forge." Tyson suggested.

"Isn't it your day off?" Percy asked. He didn't understand whytyson would wanna go to his workplace on his day off, but then Percy remembered Tyson actually liked working. He wasn't like him. He did his hobby for work and he was passionate about it so he figured he'd let him show him about.

Tyson led him to the forges, explaining the uses for each knick-knack and doohickey. He even let Percy try hammering a sword which went surprisingly well this time around. He showed him how they cool the weapons after welding and hammering and toiling. It was fun. Once they were done it was time for Percy to go home. The brothers arranged a time to meet up again in about a month and Percy hoped he wouldn't end up in a cuffuffle that prevented the plans from happening. He loved seeing his brother.

[mlbigbang2024]

What is a Big Bang?

A Big Bang is a fandom-wide event where writers write a long (more than 10k words) fic, for which artists make fanart during the 6-month long creation period.

How does it work?

Writers arrive with a fic idea at the start of the event. Once they have begun writing, artists select fics to illustrate in an anonymous process. Then mods match writer-artist teams. Betas can get summaries of fics from authors and choose who they’d like to work with. They help with what the writer requests: bouncing plot ideas, helping with the flow of the story, and correcting spelling and grammar mistakes.

When can I apply?

Writer applications are open until the 5th of July. Beta and artist applications are open until the 3rd of September.

Where can I apply?

Application links will be posted in May.

What do I need to participate?

You’ll need an email address, a Discord account, and if you’re applying as a writer, an AO3 account.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a writer?

► Create a complete, previously unpublished fic for the event that is independent from your previous works (no sequels or prequels are allowed) and longer than 10,000 words. ► Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partners. ► Keep the setting and plot of your fic a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as an artist?

► Create at least two pieces of complete, previously unpublished artwork. If you’re paired with one writer, you’ll create two pieces for one fic, but if you’re paired with two, you’ll make one artwork for each fic. ► Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s). ► Keep the details of your illustration(s) a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a beta reader?

Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s). Provide technical spelling and grammar corrections, along with language, characterization, structure, and plot feedback to the writers if they ask for it. The extent to which writers decide to incorporate this feedback is up to their own consideration. Keep the setting and plot of the fic a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

Do I need to get my fic for the event beta-read?

We encourage the fics to be beta-read. However, it isn’t required. You can also invite your personal beta(s) to the server if you’d like, or you can be matched with one in the event.

How will the matching of artists and writers happen?

After writers submit their Project Proposal on August 30th, all summaries, tags, and snippets will be shared anonymously with artists. From September 5th-12th, artists will fill out a survey listing their preferences for fics they might like to illustrate. Mods will announce writer-artist pairs on September 16th.

If I apply and get accepted as a writer, is getting art for my fic guaranteed?

Artists have the right to decline any work they do not wish to illustrate, so while we will do our best to match each fic, writers are not necessarily guaranteed an artist partner. However, we try our best to keep an even match of writers and artists, and it is likely that all writers will be paired up. All writers can also still produce a long fic to be proud of, with the support of the Big Bang Discord community. Other benefits of being in the Big Bang are getting your fic added to the AO3 collection and reblogged by the Tumblr blog.

Can I apply for multiple roles?

Anonymity in the lead-up to the pairings is very important for this event. For that reason, you can only be accepted as either a writer or an artist. However, writers and artists can also be betas, as well as pinch-hitter artists who can be called on to step in if needed.

What happens if I need to drop out of the event?

If you need to drop out, please contact a moderator ASAP so they can inform you of the procedure! If you ‘ghost’ and fail to communicate your change in status, you may not be able to participate in next year’s event. Exceptions will be made for extraordinary incidents affecting a participant’s ability to communicate.

What happens if my partner drops out during the event?

If you’re an artist or a beta, you can choose to work with another writer. If you’re a writer, the mods will make every effort to find an artist to fill in for you (this person is called a pinch-hitter).

Can writers collaborate on fics?

Yes, writers may collaborate on a fic. In this case, please indicate so in both of your sign-up forms.

What kind of content is allowed?

Your work can be about any ship(s) or no ships!. The Big Bang is a chance to commit to a big project with an unusual amount of support, so feel free to be creative! Crossovers are strongly discouraged, though, as we can’t guarantee that artists/betas will be familiar or interested in the other fandom.

Are NSFW fics allowed for the event?

Yes, NSFW fics—both Mature or Explicit—are permitted. If a fic has sexual content warranting either of those ratings, however, it must be disclosed on the project proposal so that it’s only shown to artists who are willing and able to see NSFW content. Likewise, a fic’s NSFW status should be disclosed in postings on the server’s #beta-requests channel. You’ll be able to brainstorm and discuss these works on a specially designated part of the server. All characters in NSFW works must be aged-up (18+), and adult-child ships or bestiality are not allowed.

Who can work on an NSFW fic?

You may only apply to write, beta, or make art for an NSFW fic if you’re over 18.

Can I share part of my fic/art with anyone during the creation period?

We ask you to keep your idea and progress as private as possible except for in the Big Bang’s Discord server. This requirement is in order to preserve the anonymity of the writers before the artist pairing process, and to keep the suspense and excitement in the general fandom about the pieces.

I already shared some details of my fic before I knew about the Big Bang. What now?

Let us know in your sign-up form! We’ll make case-by-case judgements based on the situation. It’s alright if you’ve previously brainstormed the concept publicly or discussed potential details with friends. Our goal is to preserve anonymity for artist pairings and the posting period, so if you’ve done so, we’d ask that you hide/delete the posts and refrain from further public discussion.

More Information:

Mods || Schedule || Rules

[mlbigbang]

Frequently Asked Questions

What is a big bang?

A Big Bang is a fandom-wide event, where writers write a long (more than 10k words) fic, for which artists make fanart during the 6 month long creation period.

How does it work?

Writers arrive with a fic idea at the start of the event. Once they have begun writing, artists select fics to illustrate in an anonymous process, then mods match writer-artist teams. Betas can get summaries of fics from authors and choose who they’d like to work with. They help with what the writer requests: bouncing plot ideas, helping with the flow of the story, correcting spelling and grammar mistakes.

When can I apply?

Writer applications are open until the 5th of July. Beta and artist applications are open until the 3rd of September.

What do I need to participate?

You’ll need an email address, a Discord account, and if you’re applying as a writer, an AO3 account.

Where can I apply?

Application links will be posted in April. Click here to sign-up!

More below the cut or read them here

Mods | Sign-Ups | Rules | Schedule

Continued…

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a writer?

► Create a complete, previously unpublished fic for the event that is independent from your previous works (no sequels or prequels are allowed) and longer than 10.000 words.

► Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partners.

► Keep the setting and plot of your fic a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as an artist?

► Create at least two pieces of complete, previously unpublished artworks. If you’re paired with one writer, you’ll create two pieces for one fic, but if you’re paired with two, you’ll make one artwork for each fic.

► Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s).

► Keep the details of your illustration a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

What is expected of me if I get accepted to the Big Bang as a beta reader?

Work closely and communicate regularly with your collaborator partner(s). Provide technical spelling and grammar corrections, along with language, characterization, structure, and plot feedback to the writers if they ask for it. The extent to which writers decide to incorporate this feedback is up to their own consideration. Keep the setting and plot of the fic a secret, and don’t talk about it publicly outside the event’s server.

Do I need to get my fic for the event beta read?

We encourage the fics to be beta-read, however it isn’t required. You can also invite your personal beta(s) to the server if you’d like, or you can be matched with one in the event.

How will the matching of artists and writers happen?

After writers submit their Project Proposal on August 30th, all summaries, tags, and snippets will be shared anonymously with artists. From September 5th-12th, artists will fill out a survey listing their preferences for fics they might like to illustrate. Mods will announce writer-artist pairs on September 16th.

If I apply and get accepted as a writer, is getting art for my fic guaranteed?

Artists have the right to decline any work they do not wish to illustrate, so while we will do our best to match each fic, writers are not necessarily guaranteed an artist partner. However, we try our best to keep an even match of writers and artists, and it is likely that all writers will be paired up. All writers can also still produce a long fic to be proud of with the support of the Big Bang discord community. Other benefits of being in the Big Bang are getting your fic added to the AO3 collection and reblogged by the Tumblr blog.

Can I apply for multiple roles?

Anonymity in the lead-up to the pairings is very important for this event. For that reason, you can only be accepted as either a writer or an artist. However, writers and artists can also be betas, as well as pinch-hitter artists who can be called on to step in if needed.

What happens if I need to drop out of the event?

If you need to drop out, please contact a moderator ASAP so they can inform you of the procedure! If you ‘ghost’ and fail to communicate your change in status, you may not be able to participate in next year’s event. Exceptions will be made for extraordinary incidents affecting a participant’s ability to communicate.

What happens if my partner drops out during the event?

If you’re an artist or a beta, you can choose to work with another writer. If you’re a writer, the mods will make every effort to find an artist to fill in for you (this person is called a pinch hitter).

Can writers collaborate on fics?

Yes, writers may collaborate on a fic. In this case please indicate so in both of your sign-up forms.

What kind of content is allowed?

Your work can be about any ship(s) (or no ships!) The Big Bang is a chance to commit to a big project with an unusual amount of support, so feel free to be creative! Crossovers are strongly discouraged, though, as we can’t guarantee that artists/betas will be familiar or interested in the other fandom.

Are NSFW fics allowed for the event?

Yes, NSFW fics—both Mature or Explicit—are permitted. If a fic has sexual content warranting either of those ratings, however, it must be disclosed on the project proposal so that it’s only shown to artists who are willing and able to see NSFW content. Likewise, a fic’s NSFW status should be disclosed in postings on the server’s #beta-requests channel. You’ll be able to brainstorm and discuss these works on a specially designated part of the server. All characters in NSFW works must be aged-up (18+), and adult-child ships or beastiality are not allowed.

Who can work on an NSFW fic?

You may only apply to write, beta, or make art for an NSFW fic if you’re over 18.

Can I share part of my fic/art with anyone during the creation period?

We ask you to keep your idea and progress as private as possible except for the Big Bang’s Discord server. This requirement is in order to preserve the anonymity of the writers before the artist pairing process, and to keep the suspense and excitement in the general fandom about the pieces.

I already shared some details of my fic before I knew about the Bang. What now?

Let us know in your sign up form! We’ll make case-by-case judgements based on the situation. It’s alright if you’ve previously brainstormed the concept publicly or discussed potential details with friends. Our goal is to preserve anonymity for artist pairings and the posting period, so if you’ve done so, we’d ask that you hide/delete the posts and refrain from further public discussion.