#Card Less Cash Withdrawal

[theres-whump-in-that-nebula]

Day two of rapidly pounding down two to three cups of coffee in one sitting like a fucking maniac:

I did my dishes, disinfected and de-scaled my kitchen sink, swept the floors, rearranged the ingredients I have out on the counter, wiped down my microwave, the stove, and the countertops with vinegar water.

[szarina]

For the yandere Zayne series, I wonder what he'd do if reader just... decided to leave? An impulsive decision of a pregnant woman. With Zayne on a long shift, packing everything she could in less than an hour and fleeing on the first train to another city. How far is Zayne reach? Would he use force? He wouldn't hurt the reader, but how far can we push him without consequences?

❆ ₊⋆ content warnings. abuse of power + stalking

A loud thud can be heard inside the huge walk-in closet. The suitcase clattering and it made you wince before pulling the drawers hastily. Shoving your clothes and whatever you can get your hands on and dumping it to your suitcase.

The onesies, onesies. You repeatedly chant under your breath before kneeling in front of a another drawer. The onesies you made for the twins, you will be needing it. You didn't hesitate before gripping the side of the cabinet to pull yourself up. It was hard for you when your pregnant belly is in the way.

You grab a another bag on the way. Prenatal vitamins - check. IDs - check. Personal belongings - check. The emergency packet of money you saved, credit cards. You're going to withdraw some funds, you didn't think much of it and within minutes, you were punching the codes he installed, for security, he said. You memorized it by listening to the dial tones of the certain numbers. It would notify him for sure but he's too busy while he's operating.

How did you know that? It was a coincidence. You were barely waking up after a nap when you heard the call. A patient of his needing immediate surgery and he can't refuse that and when you hear the sound of his car leaving the house and without thinking, you immediately ran upstairs.

You didn't have the plan and what you were doing is in impulse but you can't bear to stay another second in this house. You ignored the pain of your limbs. The gentle flutters of your twins that must be sensing your distress. Adrenaline was also one of the factors why you were doing this.

A taxi was waiting outside. You made sure to leave your phone in the house. You have no need for it and then, you slam the door shut of the taxi and you were on the nearest train station, about to catch the next train of whatever city it will take you.

There was a nearest ATM machine located in the train station. You adjust your beanie and pulling your coat tighter. Hoping that it was enough to conceal and see that you're not really pregnant but only the natural roundness of your stomach.

Grabbing the paper bills, you gently tuck it inside your wallet. You were glad for hiding your card and can be used for emergencies like this. It will be the last time you're using it and you will be using cash in the foreseeable future.

Purchasing a ticket in cash were a breeze. The teller didn't gave much of a peep. Occupied talking to their phone and didn't you gave much of glance. You hold the ticket like it was your lifeline. It's a ticket for the farthest city the train can reach but this was also your freedom.

As you board the train, with your suitcase besides you. A little hope fills you. It wasn't much and it will drastically change your life. You rub your belly softly. “It's okay. Mommy's tough. We're going to be fine. Just the three of us.” A teary smile is all you can muster as you feel them move inside you. This was better. You didn't need him.

The moment he sees that notification on his phone of the silent alarm that you left. He was already pinging all the hospitals in the region under the guise that you were probably visiting for a health checkup. They didn't ask questions from him since you're the esteemed wife of him.

Private investigators were already dispatched and were hot on your trail. He didn't panic, it will only bring the unnecessary matters.

They got twelve hours to find you. Cameras are being checked in the city's vicinity especially train stations and airports. You were only given 12 hours before you can truly hide and settle somewhere. He won't chase you. He will find you. You need him and you were in a sensitive condition. It will be bad for the babies to be away from their father and he's not too trusting of you handling your own matters. You will need him.

When he finds you, he didn't barge and force you to be back again. He lets you stay wherever you are but it doesn't mean he won't take care of you. There will be anonymous deliveries of care packages and food that he knows you'll crave.

Don't be surprised when he's ringing your doorbell. He won't mean no harm. He was only checking that his pregnant wife is fine.

[paper-mario-wiki]

hey, it's totally reasonable to be scared, but also, think to yourself: what was the last generation that showed this much insistence on the fact that money doesnt exist and that capitalism visciously and inhumanely exploits the poor in a system which benefits only the elite? like, in all the kinds of non-academic mass media youve consumed (books, television, movies, history, etc) from, say, before 2010, how often did you hear anticapitalist rhetoric spoken without some tone of mockery?

at the very least, dont forget that it's not just you languishing in some obscure and overlooked political niche by yourself. seems that everyone all at once is noticing that the world stage on fire. that's not good, but i doubt that nothing good will come of it.

keep speaking up about what ails us. keep sharing/donating to relief and mutual aid funds. keep checking on your friends. remember, in a world where physical cash makes up less than 10% of the currency in the economy and the rest is theoretical numbers on a screen (i give $5 in cash to the bank, and i spend it with my card. you come to the same bank and withdraw the $5 in cash. the bank just added five ghost dollars to the economy) prioritize humans and human connection.

[1americanconservative]

wearebreitbart

🔴🔴🔴 On Thursday’s “Alex Marlow @marlownews Show,” Sen. Joni Ernst (R-IA) @senjoniernst talked about wasteful spending on government credit cards. Ernst said, “[T]he federal government, through GSA credit cards, has 4.6 million active credit cards and accounts…we have a little less than half that number in federal employees.” She added that “a lot” of card usage occurs during federal holidays and on days like New Year’s Eve at “nightclubs, bars” and on “Sunday afternoons, okay, a big UFC fight or something pay-per-view.” And there are also cash withdrawals at casino ATMs. Ernst further stated that about 500,000 cards have now been canceled. “The Alex Marlow Show,” hosted by Breitbart Editor-in-Chief Alex Marlow, is a weekday podcast produced by Breitbart News and Salem Podcast Network. You can subscribe to the podcast on YouTube, Rumble, Apple Podcasts, and Spotify.

[yearningaces]

Well... Between 2 jobs, 16+ hour shifts (I've got a solid 20 hour between my two jobs tomorrow back to back) and so fourth

My debit card was stolen. I had less than a thousand in my account. I only have $0.33 cent in my account now. Submitted the fraud claims, they're going to refund me back within 10 days, got a grace period on my bills so I have 10 days to get the few hundred I need to pay them thankfully, because I have a history of no missed payments.

I'm not asking for cash, I'll make it ok but I'm just... So fucking tired, man. I'm killing myself working while studying for a better degree and what little I do have was stolen. What pisses me off is they were mostly cash withdrawals so the fucker gets to keep the little bit I did have.

It just makes me wanna cry, and throw up. Gut wrenching all damn day because of it.

[crystalninjaphoenix]

Remember Me?

Switch AU

A JSE Fanfic

I almost forgot to queue this for today XD But luckily I remembered just in time! Did you guys think that everything would be alright for the Switch guys once they escaped IRIS? Well someone is here to remind them that he exists! The group is hiding out somewhere new, and have brought Will and Michelle to stay with them, just in case. They decide to test some spells Marvin can do with his cards, and everything seems to go well until a certain gray man interrupts them... Been a while since I've written Distorter, I've forgotten how fun he is fjdkaslh Anyway, have fun reading :3c

More of This AU | | First Chapter | Previous Chapter | Read on AO3 under CrystalNinjaPhoenix

———————

Anti paced back and forth in front of the sofa. Jackie, sitting there, watched him walk back and forth, moving his head but nothing else. “You look as nervous as the day you adopted Will.” He laughed. “I-it’s funny that you’re once again anxious to see him.”

“Of course I am.” Anti shook his head. “IRIS had me convinced for a bit that he didn’t even exist. A-and I... well, it’s not... We’re on the run! I want to see Will as much as you want to see Michelle, but do you think it’s safe? What would IRIS do if they found them?”

“I don’t know if IRIS cares about children,” Jackie said slowly. “I-I hope they don’t. But honestly, I think they’ll be less safe on their own. Besides IRIS and Distorter, there are all the normal things that are a threat to eleven- and nine-year-olds. Like kitchen appliances. That’s an exaggeration. I know they’re smart enough to not mess around with that. But you know what I mean.”

Anti nodded. He continued to pace across the living room. The group had found an apartment to rent in this new city. It was small for them, and more expensive than the hotel room they’d stayed in for the first two days, but they needed more space with how many people they had in the group. Even with Aoife insisting on returning to and staying in Mirygale, they still had eight people—and now ten, with Rama picking up Will and Michelle. 

The apartment had two bedrooms, one with a queen-size bed and one with a bunk bed and a single twin-size bed. Jackie and Rama claimed the former, while Marvin, JJ, and Schneep shared the second. Anti and Jack were stuck on the sleeper sofa in the living room. Stacy was the wild card, not sure where she wanted to stay, but eventually decided on buying an air mattress and sleeping in the room with Jackie and Rama. Right now, all the others were crowded into the two bedrooms, wanting to give Jackie and Anti space to reunite with the kids. 

Jackie fiddled with his hoodie strings. “Do you think we should get some new phones soon? I-I’m really nervous about Rama going off on their own... I know we have the flat’s landline, but... it’s different.”

“We only have so much cash,” Anti said. “I wouldn’t put it past IRIS to track card purchases or withdrawals, so I don’t think we should get more until we absolutely have to.”

“Yeah... and do you think we’re getting to the point of ‘absolutely have to’ yet?”

“No. We can put off the phone purchase. And when we eventually have to buy stuff, we should take out small totals a little at a time, adding up to the big withdrawal.”

Jackie tilted his head. “You, uh... Do you have practice with that? When you... were on your own?”

Anti paused. “I never got to the point of people wanting to track my cash. But... well, uh... When I was desperate, I used... cards. And I learned that... big purchases wouldn’t go through.”

“Oh, Anti,” Jackie breathed.

“I-I regret it now,” Anti said quietly. “Like I do most things from my past.” He looked at Jackie nervously.

Jackie sighed. “Well... that’s bad, but I guess people could get new cards. It’s not the worst thing, huh?” He smiled. “Don’t worry, Aodhán, I know it’s different now. I just... I hope none of us have to resort to that.”

“We won’t,” Anti said firmly. “I promise. If I promise anything, it’s that we’ll never be desperate enough for that.” He looked away. “I... promised myself that. For Will. W-when I adopted him.”

Jackie nodded. “I-I think I understand that now,” he said quietly.

“...and I’m glad you do,” Anti said, even softer.

They fell silent for a few minutes, until there was a knock at the door. Anti immediately hurried over to open it, hand instinctively going to his pocket—even though his pocket was empty, no knife inside to comfort him with its defense. He pulled the door open a crack, and saw Rama on the other side. And with them, two little faces. “Hi, Uncle Anti,” Michelle whispered. She glanced around conspiratorially, like she was pretending to be a spy. “Can we come into the secret place?”

“Of course you can,” Anti said, and opened the door wider so they could all come inside. Jackie stood up, Michelle rushed at him, and he hugged her tight. They started to talk, Rama joining in, but Anti’s focus wasn’t on them. He closed the door, and looked at Will. Had he always been this tall? He was just about the height of Anti’s shoulder. Anti stared at him, and cleared his throat. “I-I don’t think we’ve really, uh... H-hey—”

Suddenly, Will rushed forward and wrapped his arms around Anti, squeezing him tight. Anti gasped, unsure how to respond to this. Will wasn’t normally a hugger... he would, the same as any other kid, but... Anti didn’t expect it right now. But here he was, and he could feel some wetness getting on his shirt from where Will’s face was buried in it, and a similar wetness was coming to his own eyes. “I... I missed you,” Will breathed.

“...I missed you too, bud,” Anti said, wrapping his arms around Will and hugging him tight in turn.

The two of them stood there for a while, just holding each other. Until, finally, Will wriggled out of his grip. “Um... so.” He fidgeted awkwardly. “R-Rama didn’t explain much. Just that we were like... on the run. A-are the police going to get us? Or... the gray man?”

Anti winced. “Maybe the second one. But we’re actually more worried about... D-did they tell you about IRIS? About... where I disappeared to?” He hesitated to share this. But he wanted to be honest with Will. If the height was any indication, he’d grown up quite a lot. He wouldn’t share everything. There were some details a child didn’t need to know. It probably wouldn’t help Will to hear about some of the ‘tests.’ But he deserved to know the big picture.

The two of them sat down on the sofa and talked. Jackie and Rama got up, showing Michelle around the apartment, small as it was. After that brief tour, they went into the bedroom with the queen-sized bed and started blowing up a second, smaller air mattress for Michelle to use when she wanted.

“Do you get all this?” Anti asked, finishing off his explanation.

“It’s like a science fiction show,” Will said. “So... this IRIS company wants to get the gray man. Distorter?”

“Well... I think so, at least?” Anti said. “But it’s more complicated than that.”

“They want to test what he does and that means testing you guys, too. I get that part.” Will nodded. “And JJ has magic, which they’re curious about too.” He paused. “Do you... do you think that means they’ll come for me and Michelle, too?”

“I don’t think they care about kids,” Anti said, repeating what Jackie said earlier. “But there’s a chance that something will happen while you’re on your own. You know?”

“Like... Distorter,” Will said quietly. He pulled his feet onto the sofa and folded his legs.

“Yeah.” Anti nodded. “Has he... been bothering you at all? Have you had any bad dreams?”

Will narrowed his eyes. “What’s the password?”

Anti smiled slightly and leaned over. “Minecraft,” he whispered.

Will nodded. “No... I-I don’t think so. But I do think that... I’ve been remembering stuff while I’m asleep. Stuff about when Michelle and I were in his house.”

Anti sat up straight. “Oh? Do you... want to talk about it?”

“I-I don’t... think so...” Will trailed off. “Um... things were weird in there. The rooms kept changing. Michelle was freaked out. I-I tried to keep her... keep her safe.”

“I see.” Anti nodded. “That’s... very brave of you. I-I’m proud you did that. Now... i-it’s time for the rest of us to keep you and her safe.”

Will smiled slightly. “Th-thanks, Dad.” He looked around. “So, uh... a-am I sleeping with you on the sofa? Like when I was little with nightmares?”

“Probably,” Anti said. “But Jack’s also been sleeping on the sofa. We don’t have much room, so it might be the three of us sharing it. But if you’re not comfortable with that, we could buy another air mattress today for either you or Jack.”

“Um...” Will thought about it. “I-I’ll try it for tonight. But only if I get to be on the edge and you’re in the middle.”

Anti smiled. “Hey, I don’t blame you for not wanting to sleep next to Jack. He’s a kicker.”

“What did you say about me?” Jack walked down the hall and poked his head into the living room.

“I said you kick in your sleep, dumbass,” Anti said.

“Hey, well, you toss and turn and hog the blankets.” Jack looked at Will. “Hey, Will.” Sam hopped out of Jack’s hoodie pocket and flew over to Will. “Ha. Sam’s happy to see you, too.”

“Wicked.” Will grinned. “Where’s Sam sleep?”

“Well, they don’t really sleep at all, but I make a little nest for them out of my hoodie and they rest in there when they want,” Jack explained.

“Aww.” Will’s grin softened into a smile, and Sam landed on his shoulder.

Anti felt his eyes start to water again, but he took a deep breath and pushed that back. “Are you hungry? We have some groceries. Not much, but we could make mac and cheese.”

“Ooo yeah!” Will’s eyes lit up.

“Ha. I’ll get started on that, then.”

———————

Marvin sat cross-legged on his bed, staring at the cards before him. The joker cards were face-up. He’d made sure to carefully scratch away the fake X over the runes over the past couple days, and now the angled spirals were in full view.

Schneep rolled over on his own bed nearby, peering down at Marvin; he’d taken the top bunk on the bunk bed, while Marvin had the single twin bed. Jameson was left with the bottom bunk. He’d tried to sleep on the top bunk the first night they were here, but he’d had a terrible nightmare, tossing and turning, and the other two insisted that he take one of the beds on the ground for the rest of the stay here. Marvin couldn’t climb up the ladder to the top bunk, so Schneep was left to sleep there for as long as they stayed in this apartment, and Jameson decided to claim the bottom bunk, as he feared Marvin might also have trouble with the lower bed. “Marvin?”

“Oh? Did I wake you up?” Marvin asked, looking up at him. “Sorry ‘bout turnin’ on the light. I wanted t’look at the cards, an’ the light from the window jus’ wouldn’ cut it.” They had the curtains drawn all the time, afraid that someone would be able to look in and somehow let IRIS know where they were.

“No, I was waking up anyway,” Schneep muttered. “Mein Gott... my sleep schedule is fucked.”

Marvin laughed. “I think all of ours are.” He looked down at the cards again. “Did you talk to Michelle and Will at all when they showed up yesterday? Or were you sleepin’ the whole time?”

“I think... I was sleeping the whole time,” Schneep said slowly.

“T’at probably isn’ a good sign,” Marvin said. “You’ve been sleepin’ so much lately.”

“My body needs to recover, I suppose.” Schneep sat up. “Perhaps I need to get out of the house. But...” He trailed off.

“Afraid?” Marvin asked. “Me too. Stacy and Jack are real lifesavers, bein’ brave enough to go out.” He paused. “Maybe... maybe I coul’ be brave enough to try, too. If I... can figure something out wit’ t’ese cards.”

“Hm.” Schneep leaned on the guard rail around the edge of the top bunk. “I would go with you, if there was some magic to protect us. What are you thinking?”

“The problem wit’ the cards is t’at it’s easy to mess them up,” Marvin said. “Knock one out of place, and the spell will end. So I was t’inkin’ if I taped them down to a board of some sort... we have packing tape an’ a cutting board t’at coul’ work.”

“You checked?” Schneep asked, the corner of his mouth twitching.

“Yes. But it’ll be awkward walkin’ around wit’ a cutting board. So I want t’be sure the combination works.” Marvin hesitated, then pushed aside the jokers. He wouldn’t need those for this, he was pretty sure. Maybe if he used the eye-like runes on the red fours? Somehow?

Schneep climbed down from the top bunk. “Should I ask the others if they want to go out for fresh air?”

Marvin nodded. “Go on. T’ough I don’ t’ink I can handle too many people at once.”

“I’ll talk around.” With that, Schneep headed out into the hallway.

Marvin frowned, biting his lip. The name of the game is hiding... Maybe these ones on the black eights, then? The rune on them means ‘darkness’ or ‘secret.’ Maybe if he used them to cover the eye runes... and then used the ace of clubs or ace of spades...

In the living room, Stacy was busy making a sandwich for lunch, while Anti, Jack, and Will played a card game on the counter. Anti was pretending to sneak a peek at Will’s cards, which made Will grin as he made sure to hide it. “Hello, you all,” Schneep said. “Marvin is thinking about doing some magic to protect us while we are out. If he succeeds, would any of you want to come with the two of us?”

“Huh?” Anti looked over. “Like, where would you be going?”

“...we did not talk about that,” Schneep said slowly. “We only vaguely mentioned going out... Well, it is circumstantial based on if he can figure something out, anyway.”

“Uh... well...” Anti looked at Will. “It has been a while since I went on a walk or something. But...”

“Y-you can go out if you want, Dad,” Will said.

“Are you sure?”

“Mm-hm. I can hang out with Uncle Jack and Stacy.”

Anti still looked uncertain. 

“How about I go ask the others first?” Schneep offered. “They are all in the bedroom.”

“What, you don’t think me or Jack will want to go out?” Stacy asked jokingly. 

“...Do you?”

“Nah, I go out often enough.” Stacy shook her head. “But it’d be nice to be asked, you know?”

“Yeah, I feel the same,” Jack said. “I’m good with staying. If Anti goes on whatever walk you guys are going on, I’ll stay here to watch the kids.”

“Got it.” Schneep nodded, and went back down the hall towards the second bedroom.

Inside, JJ was entertaining Michelle with some magic tricks. The two of them were sitting across from each other on the floor. JJ was causing small flurries of crystalline magic to appear on the floor between them, growing like a flower and then shrinking, only to grow again in another formation. Michelle was laughing, asking him to do one that looked like a star. Meanwhile, Rama and Jackie were sitting on the bed together, snuggling. Jackie lifted his head. “Yeah, Volt?”

“Marvin thinks he may be able to come up with some sort of protective spell so that we can walk about at our leisure,” Schneep said. “If he came up with something, would you all want to come on a walk or some such?”

Rama shook their head. “No, I drove a while all yesterday, I’m tuckered out. Jackieboy?”

“Maybe...” Jackie said slowly. “Maybe, uh, Michelle can come?”

“Huh what?” Michelle looked up. “Where are we going?”

“Probably just around outside,” Schneep said.

“Oh, there is a park nearby you can visit, maybe?” Rama said. “A small one, but it does have swings for the kids. Maybe you can take Michelle and Will with you, Jackie. If Anti wants to go with and bring Will, I mean.”

“I think he wants to get out of the apartment, but is worried about Will,” Schneep said. “Bringing him along might be a good solution.” He looked at JJ. “Jamie? What about you?”

Jameson shook his head. I don’t think... I’m ready for that. As he signed, his hands shook slightly. But if you and Marvin are, I’m proud of you guys. He smiled a little.

Schneep smiled back. “I am too.”

“Aw, t’ank you, Jems.”

“Gah!” Schneep jumped into the air—literally, grabbing onto the side of the doorway and bracing his feet against it to keep him suspended two feet off the ground.

“Oh, very impressive!” Marvin was suddenly behind Schneep, holding a handful of cards.

“What the—Marvin?!” Schneep gasped, and dropped down to the ground. “What are you—h-how did I not hear you?!”

“I t’ink I found a combination t’at works.” Marvin held up the cards. “But it’s six cards. T’at’s quite a powerful spell, an’ it seems the tiniest movement will upset it. But hopefully once we tape them down, it’ll all work out.”

“Are you going to cover the cards in something?” Jackie asked. “Because it seems like a bad idea to just apply packing tape directly to their surfaces.”

“...I woul’ve t’ought of t’at eventually, I’m sure,” Marvin said slowly. “In any case, anyone who wants to try t’is out wit’ me shoul’ gather together, I need to see if t’is’ll effect multiple people at once.”

The people interested in going outside gathered in the living room, where Jack and Stacy watched and reported on if the cards were working to truly make them disappear. They found that the cards provided a circle of invisibility—an “AOE effect,” as Anti called it—and if you got too far from the cards you would no longer be invisible. They also found that using half the cards would still provide invisibility, but in a smaller radius—and sound would still be heard, whereas sound in the six-card’s circle would not be heard by people outside.

Having determined all this, they went about trying to find a way to keep the cards secure in one position. They settled on putting the cards on a cutting board, wrapping it and the cards in saran wrap, and then covering that in packing tape. Luckily, all these supplies were on hand in the apartment, thanks to Stacy and Rama going shopping. “I think the tape was one of your guys’ suggestions, though,” Stacy said once all was said and done.

And with that settled, it was time to actually test it by going outside. Anti and Jackie were coming, along with their kids. Obviously Marvin was too, and Schneep—though he was a bit paranoid about it. And with it starting to get late, he insisted that they postpone this until tomorrow. The others agreed. Marvin was starting to feel fatigued, anyway. And going tomorrow would allow them all time to mentally prepare. Going outside while IRIS was looking for them was nerve-wracking to Jackie and Marvin—and Anti too, though he tried not to show it, for Will’s sake. But all of them were determined to try. Not just for fun. But because if they were going to eventually drive IRIS away, they’d need to sneak around them or confront them or something.

The group had dinner, then all went to their separate sleeping areas for the night. The cutting board with the cards was left at the end of the hall near the bathroom. Meaning anyone who wanted to go to the bathroom would be temporarily invisible as they passed into its circle of effect, but there wasn’t really anywhere more convenient to put it. So it was left there until the morning.

———————

A morning which dawned bright, but quiet. It seemed not many people were taking advantage of the sunshiny day. Then again, this apartment wasn’t in the best part of this city. It was clear that the neighborhood wasn’t maintained that much, judging by the chipped paint and faded signs and general grime of everything. But it was better than being in IRIS.

The six of them—Marvin, Schneep, Jackie, Anti, and the two kids—set off around midday. Schneep had the cards and cutting board shoved into a backpack on his back, so the others tried to stick close to him. Luckily, today was a good day for Marvin, so he was able to keep up... though he grumbled about how IRIS still had his cane and the wooden one they picked up from a petrol station felt less good in his hand. Jackie patted his shoulder and assured him that the park Rama had spotted wasn’t too far.

The park wasn’t as good as the ones they were used to back in Mirygale, but after so long being  stuck in IRIS’s clinical rooms, and then being cramped into a small apartment, any amount of greenery was amazing. The small square of grass was walled in by a waist-high brick fence, and had a couple trees growing in lines down the middle and sides. There was an iron swing set and sandbox for the kids, along with several benches. And though the swing set had rusted chains and the benches had rotted wood, Michelle and Will were excited anyway. “Dad! Dad Dad Dad, can you push me when I swing?!” Michelle asked, tugging on Jackie’s hand.

Jackie smiled. “Of course, pumpkin.” He looked at the others. “Uh... sounds like you guys will have to hang out close by.”

“I can... go on the swings too,” Will said. “And Dad can... push me.” Clearly, he didn’t want to admit how eager he was to swing.

“Yeah, I’ll do that, bud,” Anti chuckled. “No problem. Just know you won’t get too high. You’re getting pretty big.”

“That sounds like quitter’s talk.”

“Ha! It sure does.”

Schneep glanced at Marvin. “I suppose that means we will take turns sitting on the last swing in the set?”

“No, I’m takin’ it th’ whole time,” Marvin said, hurrying to catch up with the others. Schneep burst into laughter.

The kids took their places on the swings, and Anti and Jackie pushed them. Michelle yelled and whooped in delight every time she reached the height of the swing arc. Will was a bit more subdued but he still couldn’t keep a big grin off his face. Marvin sat in the last empty swing while Schneep leaned against the pole supporting the swing set and watched the kids go. The ground was plain dirt under the swings, and their feet occasionally kicked up dust, but that was all part of the fun.

It was nice.

So why did Schneep have a creeping feeling that there was danger around the corner?

He shook his head. No, he was just being paranoid. There were no problems. They had nothing to worry about.

After a while, Jackie took a step back. “Alright, pumpkin, my arms are getting tired. I’m going to take a break for a bit. You can push yourself, right?”

“Yeah, Dad!” Michelle said cheerfully. She kicked her legs back and forth, keeping up the momentum. “I’m gonna go to the mooooon!”

Jackie laughed fondly. “Anti? Wanna sit down for a break too?”

“Nah, I’m not a pu—coward,” Anti said, and Will giggled.

“Jackie, you have to be careful not to leave the range of the spell,” Schneep said. “The benches are too far away for you to sit on.”

“Oh... yeah, you’re right.” Jackie paused. 

This rule about staying so close to the spell seemed stupid, didn’t it? It wouldn’t hurt if he was visible for a few minutes. 

Jackie shook his head. Even if the rule was a little too strict, he wouldn’t want to upset his friends by breaking it. “I’ll just sit down over here,” he said, walking a few feet away from the swing set and sitting down on the grass. “I’m still in range here, right?”

Marvin glanced back at him. “I t’ink so. You sure you want to sit behind the swings?”

“Well I’m not sitting in front where shoes can go flying off,” Jackie said. “I learned that lesson when Michelle was little.”

“Mm. Good point.” Marvin shrugs and turns back around. But Schneep looked uneasy. He didn’t say anything, but Jackie could tell.

It’s fine, though. Nothing was going to happen. This was the better place to sit anyway.

Jackie watched Michelle swinging from behind. Her long hair was pulled back in a ponytail that swayed in the wind, and she continued to laugh and shout. It was so good to see her again. What was he thinking, staying with IRIS? Did he really think it would be better if she didn’t see him? Or... did IRIS just convince him it would be? Was he just that scared? Looking back on it, being trapped with Distorter had really messed him up. Once IRIS was taken care of, maybe he should ask JJ or JJ’s magician friends if the magic community had therapists as part of it. Because though he’d tried normal therapy, it was difficult to really explain everything when he was trying to hold back on the supernatural elements...

Do you remember the house well, Jackie?

Of course he did. There was no way he’d ever forget it. The oppressive air in there, the way he felt dazed and confused all the time, and though it was a small house, he never really seemed to know where he was within it. And all the things Distorter had done... 

Keep thinking about that.

He didn’t want to. But he couldn’t stop. His thoughts were dredging up old memories and images against his will, and he was falling downwards into a deep expanse of them, feeling almost physical pain as they invaded his mind. The freezing, the burning, the drowning, the blades, the chemicals—No! Stop! Stop this!

I can make it stop. Just... smile for me.

A gray fog started to seep into his mind. Jackie started, scrambling to his feet, a warning shout forming in his voice—

Or I can make it worse.

And instantly, he wasn’t outside anymore. He was in a kitchen in a plain, ordinary house, lying on the cold tile floor, his vision growing fuzzy as he stared at all the bottles of household cleaning chemical lying on the floor next to him, the taste of them still choking his throat.

Your choice.

The fog returned, and instinctively, instantly, Jackie ran into it.

“Jackie?” Schneep turned to look at him. He’d stood up. “What is it? Did you want to... leave or something?”

But Jackie didn’t answer. He only stared, his eyes glazing over... and dripping blood.

“Shit!” Schneep cursed. He rushed over to stand in front of Michelle. “Marvin! Anti! He’s here and he’s got Jackie!”

Anti’s head snapped over, and he immediately rushed into action, grabbing Will and pulling him off the swing. “Schneep you protect the kids!” he hissed.

“I’m not going to hurt the children.” That was Jackie’s voice saying that, but... the words clearly weren’t his. “I like the kids. We had fun together. And I’m a better father than you were, anyway, Aodhán.”

“Don’t you dare make Jackie say that!” Anti snapped. Michelle had also scrambled off the swing, and now she and Will were staying behind him, staring with wide eyes.

Marvin got off the swing and reached into his jacket pocket. “Volt, where is he?!” He asked, pulling out his cards.

“I—” Schneep’s head darted around wildly. “I-I do not see him!”

“Of course you don’t.” The corners of Jackie’s mouth were pulled upwards, forming a smile that was not his. “You think I have to be nearby to affect you all? I’ve been in all of your heads for so long now, I know the way in no matter how far apart we are.”

“You’re lying!” Anti shouted. “We know there’s a limit to your range!”

“But it’s one that can be widened with time.” Jackie’s body took a staggering step forward. Schneep and Anti spread their arms out, trying to block his way to the kids in unison, while Marvin scrambled through his cards, fanning them out and staring at the runes. “And like I’ve said, I’ve been with all of you for so, so long now. I don’t have to see or hear you to know where you are. So good job on the little spell of yours. It will work on IRIS, but not on me.”

Marvin’s face went pale. “You—I-I won’ let you—”

“Yes you will.”

And suddenly, Marvin was not out in the park. He was back in the house on Aspen Street, back in the basement... back in that box. Held up by strings, listening to applause as his body shook with pain, his leg in agony.

Anti yelled out in shock as he saw Marvin collapse to the ground, cards spilling everywhere as blood started to pour from his eyes.

“You too.”

And then Anti was not in the park, either. He was young, stuck in his childhood home, freezing up in his attic room while the sound of loud shows on the TV blared through the floorboards. He was young, but getting older, the room shifting to a bar that reeked of a sharp scent—

He stumbled, breathing heavily. No! No, he wouldn’t fall. He wasn’t there anymore. He was here, in the park, with his friends and his son. 

Schneep had gone to help Marvin up, but he spared a glance to Anti, watching as blood trickled from one of his eyes as he fought to stay standing. “Dad?” Will said, clinging to his side. “C-come on, Dad! Don’t—d-don’t—” The boy couldn’t finish his sentence, trailing off in fear. Michelle was frozen in place, staring at Jackie.

“You... bastard,” Schneep growled, looking around for any sign of Distorter. “In front of the children?!”

“It’s upsetting for me too,” Distorter whispered through Jackie’s voice. “To know that they’re upset. But don’t worry. I can make sure they’re happy afterwards. They’ll forget all their struggles and they’ll just be happy.”

“That isn’t fucking healthy for them, you—Show your face, coward!”

Jackie’s forced grin grew wider. “No, I don’t think I will. It’s not cowardice to try and avoid a fight, you know. It’s just common sense. Besides... it’s not fair that you’ll be the only one fighting. It’s not fair that IRIS fucked your head to make you into their special weapon.”

Schneep winced. He looked down at Marvin, limp in his arms, and tried to shake him awake.

“How does it feel, not being able to know what’s inside of your body? How does it feel, knowing that when IRIS finds you again, they’ll do all they can to beat your personality and will out of you?”

“Shut up!” Schneep shouted, his voice cracking as tears came to his eyes. “Get out of my friend’s head!”

“Why? He wanted me here. So I listened, like any good friend would.”

“He would not want you to control his every action!”

“Ohhh, but Volt.” The nickname sounded wrong as Jackie said it, used in a different inflection than Jackie would usually use it. “That’s so much easier than not doing it yourself. And I’m so much nicer about it than IRIS is. So you should really let me try it out on you—oh no wait, that’s not even an option anymore.” Jackie—Distorter giggled. And then suddenly lunged forward.

Michelle shrieked. Schneep managed to scramble backwards, pulling Marvin with him, and Will pulled Anti back as well, causing him to gasp in shock. Distorter laughed again, and lurched at Schneep and Marvin, practically falling onto them. Schneep’s reactions kicked in. He pushed him away, grabbed him, and shoved him to the ground, pinning him down. And there he froze, conflict in his eyes.

Distorter grinned, the expression unnatural on Jackie’s face. “Are you going to shock your friend?” he whispered. “This is fully him, you know. It’s not like there’s a ghost in his body. It’s him. Are you going to attack him anyway, like a good little weapon?”

Schneep flinched, drawing back a bit—but then Jackie’s hand shot out and grabbed Schneep’s wrist, pulling him back. Distorter made Jackie press Schneep’s hand to his own chest, continuing to grin the whole while.

“Fucking do it, then. It’s what you’ve been made for, after all.”

For a moment, everything was frozen. Schneep was in shock, finding himself unable to move.

“Y-you...”

Schneep looked towards the sound of the voice. And so did Jackie, Distorter turning his head curiously.

“Y-you...” Anti said again, struggling. “You... fuck... right off.” He shook his head. “You... do not control me. You... cannot control Schneep. You... fuck off. Jackie. Jackie!” He shouted. “Tell him to fuck off!”

Distorter laughed through Jackie’s voice. “Are you serious? Oh, what are you trying to do, Aodhán?”

“Don’t you fucking call me that,” Anti hissed. “He’s not me anymore. And you are not me anymore, either. Do you understand that?”

Distorter blinked. “I was never ‘you,’ what the hell are you talking about?”

“Oh no, but you wanted me to be. You wanted me to be whatever you are—whatever you had been before. The man who did something unspeakable and then ended it for himself. That’s what you wanted me to be. You want me to hurt my friends, and then myself. You told me as much.” Anti’s unbleeding eye flashed with rage. “Well guess the fuck what, bitch? I’m not going to let you. Because you do not control me. I’m done letting you control me. I know I’m more than that now.” He staggered forward towards Schneep and Jackie, collapsing to his knees next to them. “And if I can fight you off, then Jackie definitely can. Because he’s so much stronger than I am. You hear that, Jackie?! If I can do it, you can do it too! A-and if you can’t do it right now, that’s o-okay! Because m-me and Schneep are here to help you!”

The glazed look in Jackie’s eyes flickered. “A-An...ti?”

Anti looked past the two of them. “You too, Marvin! You’ve been through so much with this fucker, you can pull through this, too! W-we’re here o-on the other side, w-waiting to help you.”

Marvin blinked slowly. The blood trickle coming from his eyes seemed to pause for a second. 

Jackie made a choked sound. His back arched, eyes rolling back. Schneep scrambled away to give him space. “Y-you think that this... this...” Distorter hissed. “This power of love bullshit will overcome me?”

“No... I know it will,” Anti growled. “Because I know what you really are, Distorter. Not who you are—or should I say, who you used to be. I know what you are. I know what overcame him. I know because I’m very familiar with it myself. And that’s why I know you can’t stand up against this.”

Michelle took a few steps forward. “D-Dad...?” She whispered. “I... um...” She hesitated, unsure what to say. “I... love you.”

Jackie’s eyes welled with tears. Tears that spilled over the edge, washing away the blood. He suddenly gasped as the glazed look in his eyes disappeared. “M-Michelle? G-guys?”

Michelle ran forward, toppling over on top of Jackie and hugging him tight. Jackie let out an “oof!” as his breath was knocked out of him, then sat up, hugging Michelle to his chest.

And a second later, Anti saw the images taking up half his vision—images of his past—fade away, along with the pressure and fog trying to fill his mind. Marvin suddenly sat upright, gasping for breath. Schneep looked back and forth between them all. “Is... i-is it over?” he asked hesitantly.

Jackie wiped the blood from his face. “I... don’t really know what just happened, but... I guess?”

Marvin groaned. “Fuckin’ hell... why now? Bastard.”

“He wanted to remind us he was still watching,” Anti muttered. “If he wanted to put up more of a fight... he could have. But this was just him testing the waters.” He looked around uneasily.

Schneep cleared his throat. “Should we... reconsider taking care of IRIS first?”

“I think we need to ask Jackson and the others about that,” Anti said. “And for that... we need to get back to the apartment.”

“I woul’ be ready for t’at,” Marvin said, gathering up his cards. “But... we can’ jus’ stay in the apartment all the time. Even if... Distorter is out here.”

Jackie looked at Michelle. “You ready to go back yet, pumpkin?”

“I, uh...” Michelle bit her lip, considering that. “I-I liked swinging. And I like being out here. And he’s gone now, right? So... maybe we can just... be out here for a bit longer?”

“Y-yeah.” Will nodded shakily, holding onto Anti’s hand. “Let’s just... hang out for a bit.”

Anti chuckled. “Well, who are we to deny kids what they want? When it’s something like this.”

“...I suppose that Distorter is not likely to be back,” Schneep said slowly. “But he still may be nearby. A-and that...” He trailed off.

“We can’t let him control us, Henrik,” Anti whispered.

Schneep took a deep breath, and nodded. “You are right. I suppose we can stay out for... a bit longer. But not too long.”

“We need t’see if t’ere’s a laundromat nearby,” Marvin said, putting his cards back in his pocket. “Look at us. Me an’ Jackie covered in dirt.”

Anti laughed. “We’ll look around on the way back, I guess. Might be hard to use one if we’re still invisible to others, but hey, for the future. Now... what are we doing while out here?”

“I have an idea!” Michelle raised her hand. “Let’s draw stuff on the ground. We can do tic-tac-toe or something!”

Jackie smiled. “That’s a great idea, Michelle. Or what about hangman?”

“Yeah!”

Anti sat down on the ground. “Games it is, then.”

And so, the next hour or so passed by playing small games, drawn in the dirt, and also by swinging and going on walks around the park, looking at the trees and picking up interesting rocks. Distorter had slowly faded from their minds... but the memory of the encounter lingered in the back of their thoughts.

[secure-affair]

Cash App ATM Limit: How Much Can I Withdraw from the ATM Using Cash App?

Cash App has quickly become one of the most popular mobile payment services in the U.S., offering users the flexibility to send, receive, and withdraw money with ease. One of the standout features of Cash App is its Cash Card, a customizable Visa debit card that allows you to access your funds through ATMs. But like all financial services, limits apply, especially when it comes to withdrawing money. In this article, we will break down the Cash App ATM withdrawal limits, how you can increase them, and everything else you need to know.

What Is the Cash App Daily ATM Withdrawal Limit?

Cash App enforces strict daily ATM withdrawal limits to ensure security and manage user transactions efficiently. As of 2025, the Cash App daily ATM withdrawal limit is: $310 per day

This limit applies to all standard ATM transactions made using the Cash Card, whether you're using an in-network or out-of-network ATM. Once you hit this limit, you won't be able to withdraw more cash until the 24-hour period resets.

It's also important to note that ATM providers may charge additional fees, and these fees are separate from the withdrawal limits set by Cash App.

What Is the Cash App Weekly ATM Withdrawal Limit?

Alongside the daily limit, Cash App also has a weekly ATM withdrawal cap. This is in place to prevent excessive withdrawals and promote account security. The Cash App weekly ATM limit is: $1,000 per 7-day period

This means that even if you don’t hit the $310 daily maximum every day, once your cumulative ATM withdrawals reach $1,000 within a rolling 7-day window, you’ll have to wait until part of that period resets to withdraw more.

What Is the Cash App Monthly ATM Withdrawal Limit?

While Cash App doesn’t officially list a monthly limit on ATM withdrawals, based on the weekly limits, we can infer the estimated monthly withdrawal cap: Approximately $1,250 - $1,500 per month

This estimate can vary slightly depending on the calendar and the timing of your weekly withdrawals, but generally, users are limited by the weekly cap more than by a fixed monthly limit.

How to Check Your ATM Withdrawal Limit on Cash App?

If you're ever unsure about how much you have left to withdraw, you can easily check your limit inside the Cash App. Here's how:

Open the Cash App.

Tap the Cash Card icon on the home screen.

Select “Limits” or “ATM withdrawals” (options may vary slightly).

You’ll see a breakdown of your current usage and how much you have left to withdraw.

This real-time insight helps you avoid declined transactions at the ATM.

How to Increase Your Cash App ATM Withdrawal Limit?

Many users wonder if it’s possible to increase the ATM withdrawal limit on Cash App, and the answer is: yes, but with conditions. Cash App allows you to access higher limits once you verify your identity.

Steps to Verify Your Identity:

Go to your profile on the Cash App.

Provide your full legal name.

Enter your date of birth.

Input the last four digits of your SSN.

Submit any additional documents if requested (like a government-issued ID).

Once your identity is verified:

You will gain access to higher overall Cash App limits, though ATM withdrawal limits typically remain capped at $310/day.

However, verified users may have fewer restrictions on other types of transactions, such as spending, bank transfers, and receiving money.

Important: Cash App ATM withdrawal limits are not currently increased even after verification, but Cash App frequently updates its terms, so staying verified ensures you’re first in line for future limit increases or beta features.

Can I Withdraw Cash without a Cash App Card?

No. To use ATMs with Cash App, you must have the Cash Card. Cash App does not support card less ATM withdrawals. You’ll need to order your physical card (which is free) through the app and wait for it to arrive before you can withdraw any cash from an ATM.

Are There Any ATM Fees with Cash App?

Yes, but with a twist.

ATM providers typically charge a fee, often around $2.50 to $3.00.

Cash App itself charges a $2.50 fee per withdrawal.

However, if you set up direct deposit of $300 or more per month into your Cash App, you’ll be eligible for ATM fee reimbursements for up to 3 withdrawals per 31-day period, and up to $7 in fees per withdrawal.

This makes setting up direct deposit a smart move if you frequently use your Cash App Card at ATMs.

Quick Summary of Cash App ATM Withdrawal Limits

Limit Type                                                               Amount

Cash App Daily ATM Withdrawal Limit         $310 per day

Cash App Weekly ATM Withdrawal Limit     $1,000 per 7 days

Estimated Monthly Limit                                    $1,250 - $1,500

ATM Fee (Cash App)                                            $2.50 per transaction

ATM Fee Reimbursement            With                         $300+ direct deposit

(FAQs)

Q1: Can I withdraw more than $310 from the ATM in one day?

No. The maximum you can withdraw from the ATM using your Cash App card is $310 per day, regardless of the number of transactions or ATM machines used.

Q2: Can I use multiple ATMs to bypass the limit?

No. The daily and weekly withdrawal limits apply across all ATMs combined, so using different machines won't increase your allowance.

Q3: Will my limits increase over time automatically?

No. Your limits won’t increase unless you verify your identity and Cash App updates its policies. Even after verification, Cash App ATM withdrawal limits usually remain the same.

Q4: Can I request a limit increase from Cash App support?

No. Cash App does not currently offer personalized ATM limit increases through customer support.

Q5: How do I avoid ATM fees with Cash App?

Set up a direct deposit of $300+ per month, and you’ll qualify for ATM fee reimbursements for up to three withdrawals per month.

Q6: Does the ATM limit reset at midnight?

Yes, the Cash App daily limit resets every 24 hours, typically based on your account’s time zone.

Q7: Can I withdraw from international ATMs?

Cash App’s Cash Card does not support international ATM withdrawals. It can only be used within the United States.

Q8: What if I try to withdraw more than my limit?

The transaction will be declined, and you’ll receive a notification from Cash App.

Q9: Can I withdraw money without paying fees at any ATM?

You’ll still encounter ATM operator fees unless you qualify for reimbursement via direct deposit.

Q10: Is there a way to withdraw more than $310/day?

Not through ATMs. But you can send money to a linked bank account and withdraw higher amounts from there.

[theoriginaltrash]

She shaved her hair down to less than an inch, and swept the fallen pieces into the miniature galvanized bathroom trash can. The empty bleach powder packet lay among the hair. Leftover developer would be fine, not an uncommon item for someone like her to have under her bathroom sink. But the bleach would be a giveaway. She lit the torn paper edge of the packet, the hair combusted quickly around it, and it all smelled terrible. The head start she would have if she followed her own plan perfectly would mean that scent was long-dissipated by the time anyone even knew to look for her. She emptied the bucket into the wind in the back alley behind her neighbor’s garage.

In a final walkthrough of what she was leaving behind that she might actually miss, she scrolled hastily through the photo reel of her phone. The phone was to remain plugged in on the counter for anyone with permission to view her location to assume nothing other than a misanthropic staycation, for a while. The memories of the photos, however, were reduced to just the photos themselves, as she could no longer access the emotions, but had memorized the precise tilt of the subjects’ heads, something she hadn’t even known at the time they were taken. She had already cleared all of the data she could think to clear from her phone, and resigned herself to putting it down one last time.

She knew her plants would likely die, but was grateful to have had them instead of children, though she still felt they did not deserve this fate. She hadn’t emptied the food from her fridge, to avoid suspicion by way of a rancid garbage bin left in the driveway too long, and wondered what would happen to that, too. She was sure there was no way to identify every detail she may have missed in the planning, never having been a true crime fan, but wondered if anyone would be looking particularly hard for her anyway. The bill collectors, maybe, but her impact on the world was quite small, and she was replaceable in all aspects of her life. She had emptied her bank account in cash withdrawals over time that no one flagged as suspicious, as she wasn’t particularly wealthy, and a couple thousand dollars here and there was not concerning. There was, however, enough left to cover her autopaid bills for two to three months. She believed that would be enough time. The collection agencies would get nothing.

Some of the cash amounted to physical bills that she sewed into the scant pieces of wardrobe she had already stashed throughout the bottoms of reusable grocery bags in the trunk of her unassuming white RAV4. She hadn’t purposely purchased one of the most common vehicles in the country, nor in the most popular color, but she received these pieces of intel amongst her research as fate. Atop her clothing was actual groceries, as it appeared innocent enough.

The rest of the cash had largely been spent on a stack of the most unassuming Visa gift cards she could find, ones without printed ribbons or obnoxious calligraphic proclamations of being a gift card. If only the latter was available, it landed with the others she planned to use quietly at gas pumps, never interacting with the clerks, and wearing whatever she wanted over her face and head to obscure her identity from the cameras.

Across town, a home sat silently empty, dust gathering on furniture the woman who lived and died there had not updated in 70 years. The style had come back around and, having lived gently, her estate was worth a small fortune. Intestate, every known relative of hers was publicly fighting from their homes as close as 200 and as far as 2,000 miles away, through social media, mostly. Everyone had a lawyer, every lawyer had the case closed, or so they said. The woman who lived and died there also had an identical white RAV4, essentially living and dying itself in her unlocked garage. She had met the woman in a grocery store parking lot when the woman confused the car for her own. When the confusion died down, they laughed, and the woman, in her loneliness, provided an abundance of information to a perfect stranger. They loosely kept in touch.

It was time to go. She had wondered how she would feel at this moment for so many moments prior that the feeling was now too muddied with her past projections to tell. She left the doors to her home unlocked, drove directly to the woman’s garage. The plates were an easy switch, and she wiped the handle of the screwdriver well before placing it back on the dead woman’s shelf. The plan, now, was only to never go back. She could picture nothing else.

[darkmaga-returns]

Kuwait has forced over one million citizens to hand over their biometric data in one of the most extreme pushes for digital ID. Kuwait introduced a national electronic ID (eID) that they say will assist with identification verification, digital signatures, E-government access, and the secure exchange of data. The deadline to file for this mandatory program was September 30 and the consequences for failing to comply were swift.

On October 1, the Ministry of Interior announced that those who failed to submit their data would be prohibited from all electronic services such as withdrawals, transfers, and account transfers. One cannot even withdraw cash. Around 35,000 people have been blocked out of their bank accounts and are unable to even view the balance. A few weeks later, those in noncompliance has their electronic bank cards deactivated. Visa, MasterCard, and K-Net all abided by the government’s rule.

Beginning on November 1, The Kuwait Banking Association stated it will implement a “complete block” on all accounts, which means one cannot even withdraw funds if they go to the bank in person. Expatriates have until December 31 to submit their biometric registration.

The government has reported an uptick of 6,000 new registrants per day compared to 600 since they began blocking citizens from accessing their own bank accounts. The government called this a “phased approach,” believing they’ve offered leniency to the public.

The issue here is that governments globally are strapped for funds and believe that they can increase revenues by at least 35% if they hunt down their citizens for taxes. Then we have the layer of the Great Reset put forth by Klaus Schwab and the World Economic Forum that is aiming to create a One World Government complete with a global database to track absolutely everyone. Australian journalist Maria Zaric has called it a “digital prison.” Once you’re locked in, you’re locked in. People will be less likely to speak out against the government, protest, or refuse vaccinations if they know their government can immediately exile them from society. This is more than a mere identification as it provides the government with instant access to all of your information and they will track your every movement. This is only the beginning of a massive wave of tyranny. Our computer has been warning that we have been entering into a more authoritarian mode that will reach a head in 2032.

[bruinhilda]

Dear bank my primary accounts are at:

Stop. Fucking. Flagging my cards!

I buy something at the convention center. Flagged for fraud. I withdraw money from a bank machine I've used several times before. Flagged. I buy audiobooks from Big Finish, a company I've thrown money at repeatedly over the years. Declined and flagged. I take advantage of an e-book sale and buy five cheap e-books in less than five minutes. Flagged so hard that I had to call back 30 minutes after the fraud department unlocked it because retrying a single purchase flagged it again.

And all of two weeks later?

Fucking flagged again! My bank thinks a SINGLE $3 e-book purchase from a MASSIVE retailer is fucking fraud! Please note that I'm making this sort of purchase REGULARLY. This is not in any way shape or form a suspicious change in my purchasing behavior. But they decided to decline pretty much all of my subscriptions for Dad's medical supplies over it today. And I was told that even though they've unlocked it AGAIN, that I shouldn't make any purchases for at least 24 hours, because too many transactions were denied in a 24 hour period, so any activity at all will be flagged and lock the card again. So I have to wait until Friday to re-authorize things that my father is running low on, which will delay their delivery.

And at this point, I have no guarantee that it won't immediately lock again ANYWAY. I have bill payments coming up. They were declined last month, causing a mess I had to drop everything to fix. I'm pretty sure the same goddamn thing is about to happen again. It's gotten to the point that I'm afraid if I use my card at a grocery store I've never used it at before, it's going to fucking flag it as fraud. Ditto if I just withdraw money from the local bank machine to pay cash instead.

Though at this point, I suspect that they've installed a crap program sold to them as an "AI upgrade" that is just randomly flagging things. Meaning my card could be stolen and used to buy scamcoin.dot.sucker.com and the system will totally ignore it while declining my lunch order because the total was a "weird amount." (An actual reason I was given for my e-book purchases getting flagged.)

[nippon-nomad]

日本へようこそ！

So you’ve decided to take that leap of faith and book a ticket to Japan have you? Congratulations; You’re in for a treat! Whether you’re drawn to the Island nations plethora of ancient Temples and Sacred spaces or the hustle and bustle of the cityscape, Japan and the Japanese people will leave a lasting impression on you that you will undoubtedly carry with you for all your days.

Japan, as we know it today, has a long history of being known for its distinct culture and traditions, some of which extend back to 300BC, what is referred to as the 'Jomon period'. Many elements of the Japanese culture developed fully undisturbed by outside influences and continue to be practiced with the utmost precision and dedication to the ways of old.

A finely balanced mix of unyielding tradition and ever evolving state of the art technologies, there are numerous other reasons why Japan is considered to be one of the world’s most fascinating countries.

So what exactly can you expect to find in Japan? Here’s a basic breakdown to make planning your trip that bit easier.

Language: The national language of Japan is Japanese. English wayfinding is widely available in major cities such as Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto however sparingly found in smaller, countryside towns. Other languages commonly found include Chinese and Korean, with a smattering of other Foreign languages also available.

My advice, no matter how short or long a stay you have planned, is to learn even the most basic of Japanese. You’ll be amazed how accommodating the Japanese people can be when even the most basic of attempts at speaking Japanese is made and who knows, you might just end up making some new friends simply just by trying!

As the saying goes, you’ll never know if you don’t go!

Currency, Credit Cards & ATMs: The official currency is the Japanese Yen (JPY).

In Japan, cash is still very much king. While payment by card is becoming more widely accepted in restaurants and stores, my strongest recommendation is to carry a fair amount of cash with you. This applies to travel in major cities (where thankfully ATM’s are more widely accessible; hello 7-11 cash withdrawals!) as well as smaller, less well-appointed country towns.

At the time of posting 100 Japanese Yen (basically the equivalent of our dollar) buys $1.08 AUD and 69 US cents.

Banking: For cash withdrawals majority of Japanese banks will accept foreign cards (though be prepared to be stung by nasty transaction fees if you don’t have a bank card with 0 transaction fees on international withdrawals (hello Citibank!) with some exceptions.

Things to be aware of when your stash of cash starts to dry up is that not any and all ATM’s will accept International bank cards. I mean this literally; I have been stuck in a situation where my Australian bank card would not physically fit into the card slot of an ATM machine. Don’t be like me. Don’t be that person.

Other things to note is that some ATM’s as well as the cards themselves may have a restriction on what time of day money can be withdrawn. Not only that, but often, ATM’s located in banks are only available during banking hours (typically 9AM to 3PM) and not the full 24 hours some of us are used to.

Additionally, depending on your bank and card type, you may incur a daily cap (often￥300,000 which is equivalent to about (at time of posting) just over $3000AUD) on the amount of money that can be withdrawn from your card and account.

Power Plugs: Power plugs in Japan are type A and B. Plug type A is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and plug type B is the plug which has two flat parallel pins and a grounding pin.

The standard voltage is 100 V, and the standard frequency is 50 / 60 Hz for those wanting to know.

To save yourselves suffering from having a dead phone or no charge in your camera battery (the literal worst thing for photography enthusiasts) I can’t stress how lifesaving a universal adapter is. Using a universal adapter takes the hassle out of having to purchase dedicated Japanese plugs for your devices and what not.

Just make sure that whatever plug and or adapter you go for has surge protection and a converter for hairdryers and hot tools. Let’s not be causing the entire hotel to experience an electricity surge now.

Safety: Japan is one of the safest countries in the world and is perfect for solo travellers.

Being a woman and one that enjoys solo travel, I can personally attest for the safety of Japan. While not recommended (let’s use some common sense here people), the chances of getting mugged while meandering around the streets at 3AM are pretty much zero to none.

It goes without saying that it pays to be aware of your surroundings and do what you must to keep yourself safe, day or night-time. If travelling in groups, be sure to keep an eye out for one another and organise a dedicated time and meeting spot in the case that one of you does get lost (it happens to the best of us!).

In the case of an emergency, you can reach emergency services on the following numbers:

Police: 110

Coast Guard: 118

Ambulance and Fire Services: 119

Emergency telephone numbers can be called from home phones, mobile phones and public phones. When making an emergency call from a public phone, neither money nor a pre-paid telephone card are necessary.

Although there are a few operators who speak English, if you do happen to find yourself in a situation where you need to call upon emergency services, you should be prepared to explain your situation in Japanese, so that the operator can assist you in the best way possible. It is advisable to speak slowly and specify if you need an ambulance (救急車です,  kyuu-kyuu desu) wish to report a fire (火事です, kaji desu), or need to report a crime to the police (犯罪です, hanzai desu). 

[classicquid]

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It is not necessary for you to give the lender any of your pricey assets or real estate. Furthermore, those with a poor credit history—default, late payments, insolvency, CCJs, etc.—can also apply for short term loans UK direct lender financial aid. Since there is no credit check involved, poor credit history is not a problem. Who is eligible to benefit from this scheme? The following requirements must be met by the borrowers in order to receive financial assistance from these loans:

1. The applicant must be an adult who is at least eighteen years old and a permanent resident of the United Kingdom.

2. He should have a long-term, UK-based bank account in his name that is no older than six months.

3. The borrower must also have been a regular employee of the same company for the last six months.

4. To be able to return the loan amount on schedule, he must make the required salary of at least £1,000 each month.

5. He ought to reside permanently in the United Kingdom. How is the plan applied for?

Applying for this short term cash loans is simple. All you have to do is provide some information (name, address, loan amount, account number, etc.) on an online application form. All you need for this online service is a PC and an internet connection. After approval, the money is sent into your account in less than a day. You can avoid waiting in line or going to the lender's office by using this service.

You are under no obligation to use any other form of identification in place of your debit card. Thus, those who are renters, non-homeowners, etc., can apply for short term loans direct lenders with ease. Debit card not used. Additionally, the loan amount helps you to pay for other little expenses such as unexpected auto repairs, school fees, medical bills, the purchase of new appliances, and other household necessities. In light of this, this financial plan is quite helpful for obtaining financial assistance during difficult times.

A short term loans UK can also refer to an advance of funds obtained through an ATM or bank transaction using an existing credit card. This sum typically maxes out at less than £1000 and is typically a fixed portion of the borrower's credit limit. As long as the amount you withdraw stays below your cash advance limit, this option is typically less expensive than a loan and offers greater flexibility.

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[paydayquid]

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Do you require financial support? Before borrowing, there are some things you should be aware of. To ensure there is no risk involved, examine the many loan offers from lenders and select the best one. You can apply for short term loans UK direct lender if you do not currently possess a debit card. Debit cards aren't thought of as the perfect device for successful and quick cash provision.

You can obtain amounts ranging from £100 to £1000 with the help of short term loans UK direct lender, and the money is released after a brief repayment period. Additionally, you can use the fund for a variety of financial needs, like covering medical bills, power bills, food store bills, your child's tuition or school fees, travel expenses, and so on.

Many borrowers find it extremely challenging to fulfill all of the lender's conditions, particularly those with a poor credit history. Nevertheless, short term loans direct lenders are available to assist people with minimal requirements. To be eligible for the direct deposit cash, customers must be United Kingdom residents, be at least eighteen years old, be employed permanently, have a stable source of income, and have an open checking account.

There's no need to spend a lot of money looking for a loan because short term loans UK are now accessible online seven days a week. To send information to the lender for confirmation, the applicant must fill out an application form available on the internet. The same day, the authorized financing is directly deposited into the customer's account.

Are you able to make the monthly payments?

It is true that if you take out a same day loans UK, you will just have to pay back one payment each month as opposed to numerous that can have different due dates. Still, you have to think about the bottom line. You still owe money even though debt consolidation loans could be less expensive than paying off several different loans or obligations. You must still withdraw the appropriate amount each month from your bank account on schedule.

might you pay a certain amount each month, or might it change?

This could vary based on the kind of loan you take out and the conditions of that short term loans direct lenders. Loans with variable rates could have lower figures than those with fixed rates. They do, however, provide you with the assurance that you always know how much you must pay each month. This might work better for you in uncertain times when you have other expenses and bills to consider. Whether you're considering secured or unsecured loans, always consider all your options before applying for anything.

For example, you should make sure you don't accrue debt on credit cards or retail cards again if you take out a loan to pay off an existing, more costly loan as well as one or more balances on such cards. Although it's tempting, doing this could increase your debt. Your goals when consolidating debt are to pay off debt faster, pay off less interest, and make smaller monthly payments. All of these things are possible for you, but only if you approach them sensibly.

[beardedmrbean]

Chancellor Olaf Scholz spoke of a "historic moment" after his federal government and the premiers of the 16 states agreed on a series of measures to amend Germany's refugee policy.

Benefits for refugees are more generous in Germany than in many other EU countries. Conservative politicians have described this as a "pull factor" attracting refugees to Germany, and have suggested paying out less or no more cash to new arrivals.

Currently, it takes an average of six to 18 months for an asylum application to be processed. Until now, applicants would receive higher benefits after they had been in the country for 18 months. That threshold will now be extended to 36 months. Until then, the reduced rate of €410 (about $440) per month will apply. Benefits such as food in state accommodation are offset.

After the announcement of the changes, Finance Minister Christian Lindner (FDP) wrote on X, formerly Twitter, that this could lead to savings of €1 billion. This would "not only relieve the burden on states and municipalities," he wrote, it would also "reduce the appeal of the German welfare state."

Payment cards instead of cash

Currently, adults living in initial reception facilities receive food at their accommodation, and an additional maximum of €150 (about $160) per month in pocket money for personal needs such as phone cards, toiletries or travel tickets. This "pocket money" is enshrined in law, and the constitutional court has ruled that it cannot be arbitrarily reduced.

A special working group will now map out ways to switch to payment cards instead of cash payments from early 2024.

Such debit cards are being used in other countries, such as France. Instead of being given cash, refugees would receive a card, to which social authorities would regularly transfer the allowances which can be used to pay for purchases in supermarkets. However, it's not possible to withdraw cash from the card.

It has long been legally possible to provide refugees primarily with benefits in kind, but the states and local authorities prefer not to because it requires more resources and turns out to be much more expensive than simply paying out cash.

"The principle of benefits in kind was already tried in the 1990s, and then again in 2015 and it turned out not to be practical," said Niklas Hader of the German Center for Integration and Migration Research in Berlin.

It will now also be made easier for asylum-seekers to take up charitable work while they are waiting for their applications to be approved.

Border controls to remain

The stationary controls introduced in October at the borders with Poland, the Czech Republic and Switzerland will be maintained "for a long time," according to Chancellor Scholz.

Refugees who want to enter Germany from other EU countries should be sent back to those countries directly, if possible. It is therefore planned to carry out checks before refugees reach the German border. This is already the case in Poland.

Asylum procedures set to speed up

Asylum procedures are to be accelerated; the aim is to limit the duration to six months, including appeals in court. The EU-led countries in particular would like asylum procedures to take place outside of Europe, for example in Africa.

This option is to be examined, but there are considerable legal concerns and doubts about its feasibility. Bavaria's state premier, Markus Söder, of the center-right CSU, said after the meeting between the federal and state governments that he felt things were moving in the right direction, but it was still not enough.

"We have to keep up the pressure to limit immigration to Germany," he said.

More federal funds

To date, the states have had to renegotiate with the federal government every year about who pays what costs for the care of refugees. Now, there is to be a lump sum of €7,500 per refugee per year.

So far in 2023, some 220,000 migrants have made an initial application for asylum. And of the 1 million Ukrainian refugees from the war, more and more are now registering with the authorities to be housed by the state.

Cities and municipalities have long been asking for support with accommodation, ranging from a simplification of legal procedures to an increase in social housing programs.

'Not much to be gained' from tougher deportation rules

At the moment, there are around 250,000 people in Germany who have had their asylum applications rejected. Some people simply cannot be tracked down by authorities. But 200,000 of them can't be repatriated as there is either no country willing to take them in, or their country of origin is a war zone or they themselves have serious health issues that cannot be treated in their countries of origin.

In late October, the government drafted a bill to increase the number of deportations. However, the high number of refugees in most cities and municipalities currently consists of new arrivals.

Across Germany, mayors and district councils are saying they no longer know where to accommodate the refugees who are allocated to them according to a fixed distribution formula.

In October, 600 of Germany's 11,000 municipalities took part in a survey conducted by Mediendienst Integration together with migration researchers from the University of Hildesheim. Almost 60% of them described the situation as "challenging, but [still] feasible." But 40% percent report being "overloaded" or even said they were "in emergency mode."

The lack of accommodation is just one factor. There's also a shortage of administrative staff, and not enough spots in nurseries and schools, language courses and counseling services for traumatized refugees.

[siodium]

KOREA DAY 7: MYEONGDONG AND HONGDAE STREETS 🐈‍⬛

our last full day in korea!! decided to roam around myeongdong and hongdae more bc we didn't have any specific plan. except to have isaac toast for breakfast/lunch. the shrimp sandwich was delicious~

also spotted a kimbap place next to isaac toast and i realised i haven't had kimbap at all during this trip?? so i got one just to check it off my mental to-do list. i had a bit of trouble chewing through the seaweed but otherwise the taste was pretty good.

afterwards we went to a cat cafe (cat playground 고양이놀이터 myeongdong branch) that we saw on our way to isaac toast!! there were so many cute and floofy cats there!! some of them looked so grumpy like i owed them money but that's cute too.

dinner was at a jeon place in hongdae?? unfortunately i didn't catch the name of the restaurant. the seafood jeon was sooo good omg. there was also honey makgeolli on the menu and i wanted to try so i ordered but our server wanted to see both of our IDs even though i was the only one drinking (ban doesn't drink) and ban left her phone in the hotel so she didn't have any form of ID on her. the exchange that ensued was so funny LMAO. it was a comical back and forth of "pls i'm flattered that you think i'm not even 19 years old but i'm actually almost 30" and "no i need to see your ID". in the end i did a google translate of "she doesn't have her phone with her and she won't be drinking" on my phone and the server let us have the alcohol heheh. i'm glad that i didn't have to forgo the drink bc it was actually so tasty (and also hard to find in sg?? i heard).

after dinner, we strolled around hongdae and checked out some of their clothing stores. saw a rly nice skirt but i didn't get it cuz i couldn't justify $80 for the last piece. :/

we wanted to stretch out our last day as much as we could so at around 10 pm when the stores started to close, we went to get a mango cheesecake bingsu at sulbing to share~

ofc couldn't pass up an opportunity to take more pics at a photobooth for the last time on this trip!! we're pros now.

more pics (mostly cattos) + our chaotic return flight day under the cut ↓↓↓

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KOREA DAY 8: LOTTERIA, MADE BY, BACK HOME 🐸

we had a flight at 11 am but we overslept and only woke up at 10 am. 💀 it was not a good idea to leave all the packing to the last minute bc we were at it til 4 am?? ? there was no delay this time so we had to re-book our flight. luckily there was a t'way flight back to sg at 7 pm on the same day. phew almost got stuck in korea lmaoo.

welp after securing our flight tickets, we went to lotteria for lunch. no pics cuz i was kinda hungry bUT THE SHRIMP BURGER WAS SO GOOD. pls come to sg, lotteria sunbaenim.

we had less than 5 hours til check-in and it wasn't a lot of time but we decided to head back to the city area bc there was nothing to do at the airport. that caused another round of chaos LMAO. the trip to the city took about 1.5 hours which meant that we had pretty much only an hour to do whatever we wanted to do. we could only visit one last place due to the time constraint, so we went to check out a stationery store (made by) in hongdae that i bookmarked but we haven't been to. i dropped a good $50 there on cute stationery (and also partly out of stress bc i was upset about losing my hookkahookka studio tortoise keychain bUT it turned out i still had it?? the bead chain got stuck to one of my magnets so i didn't see the keychain when i was packing my suitcase).

what we didn't account for was that the airport railway would take 5000 to 6000 won per trip?? and ban didn't have enough on her transport card for our return trip to the airport. sooo there was a bit of panic at the station trying to find an ATM to withdraw cash to top up her card.

not us almost missing our flight for the second time in a day. @w@ we legit had to run across the airport to make it for check-in.

i've never heard of t'way but it's a korean budget airline?? the plane was so empty though. the entire middle section had like nobody?? and ppl were lying down across the seats trying to sleep??

i seriously considered to go lie down as well until the plane went free falling for like 3 seconds?? ppl were screaming and there was no announcement or anything to address what just happened?? idk after that ban and i were too scared to move out of our seats (i gave up my toilet going plans too) so we just stayed awake together for the rest of the flight watching a studio ghibli movie and some episodes of vanitas no carte (!! it was on my to-watch list for a long time and i finally started it!!). nothing else happened after that though.

anyway we made it back to sg safely!! i joined ban's family (minus her mum) for supper at a ramen place before heading back home to s L E E P.

[iifl-loan]

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