#child care services industry

[larcomelegallimited]

Solicitors in Waterlooville, Portsmouth | Larcomes Legal Limited

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If you are looking for financial settlement advice or have questions regarding points raised in this article, our specialist family law solicitors in Portsmouth and Waterlooville can help. We have the knowledge and experience to help you and your family regardless of the complexity of your situation. We will explain all the options available to you and ensure you are aware of the costs involved, guiding, and supporting you through every step of the process.

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Please note that this article is not intended as legal or professional advice. This is a general news article only and updates to the law may have changed since it was published.

[childcare-la-puente-ca]

Why is it good for kids' health to play football?

Introduction: This sport is an ideal choice for individuals who want to develop long-term cardiovascular fitness, muscle tone, and coordination. High-level team activities like football imbue learners with team spirit, discipline, and strategic thinking which are the key points for their social aspect. The Daycare City of Industry CA is also a place for your child's development, where he will be cared for and taught to nurture your child's health and growth. How does it work on health?

Social Interaction: Through fostering teamwork, communication, and cooperation, football works towards enhancing social skills. Team members earn from their interaction and by using teamwork, players appreciate the essence of building relationships and understanding the importance of working on the field during their playing time as well.

Discipline Development: With the use of this sport, children tend to learn about keeping order, as they follow the rules and strive to accomplish the set goals as a team. This installment of heroism involves discipline, dedication, and diligently following procedures that yield the outcome desired.

Bone Density: Football is the other sport that also supports bone health as it is based on weight-bearing activities like running and hanging. These also develop the bones forming healthy mineral content in them leading to a reduction of fragile conditions like osteoporosis in the future.

Balance Enhancement: Quickly shifting between side to side and properly handling kicks, brings about balance and coordination. Participants are shown to be updating their balance which equips them both in the game and in their overall movement thereby limiting injuries.

Stress Relief: During play, running with the ball and avoiding defenders is a stress-buster that gives players physical activity along with a positive sense of team spirit. The pleasure of playing with as well as the association with the teammates serve as the release channels for the mood enhancers hence promoting optimal mental health. The whole event will provide an alternate healthy outlet for stress and, therefore, will give away from a good diet of mind. Confidence Boost: Football players collect confidence from practice and competition experiences; the experience of scoring goals or learning a new footballing skill gives players a sense of achievement. Such positive outcomes as getting approval and recognition from the coach’s side as well as teammates contribute to feeling worthy and becoming that transformative process of becoming who we want to be.

Conclusion:

In this context, football is an extra-curricular enticement to inculcate the spirit of a healthy kid. Whether it is psychological or cardiovascular, the sport is an excellent tool that allows an individual to become better physically, mentally, and socially. A physically healthier person is a gain of successfully addressing milestones in the game. What is more, it also lifts the morale of a person and leads to mental well-being. Also, we offer a Walnut Montessori Academy and Daycare La Puente CA where there is a nurturing environment, putting together both care and education, to cater to the wholeness of children's development.

[reasonsforhope]

Federal regulators on Tuesday [April 23, 2024] enacted a nationwide ban on new noncompete agreements, which keep millions of Americans — from minimum-wage earners to CEOs — from switching jobs within their industries.

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday afternoon voted 3-to-2 to approve the new rule, which will ban noncompetes for all workers when the regulations take effect in 120 days [So, the ban starts in early September, 2024!]. For senior executives, existing noncompetes can remain in force. For all other employees, existing noncompetes are not enforceable.

[That's right: if you're currently under a noncompete agreement, it's completely invalid as of September 2024! You're free!!]

The antitrust and consumer protection agency heard from thousands of people who said they had been harmed by noncompetes, illustrating how the agreements are "robbing people of their economic liberty," FTC Chair Lina Khan said. 

The FTC commissioners voted along party lines, with its two Republicans arguing the agency lacked the jurisdiction to enact the rule and that such moves should be made in Congress...

Why it matters

The new rule could impact tens of millions of workers, said Heidi Shierholz, a labor economist and president of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. 

"For nonunion workers, the only leverage they have is their ability to quit their job," Shierholz told CBS MoneyWatch. "Noncompetes don't just stop you from taking a job — they stop you from starting your own business."

Since proposing the new rule, the FTC has received more than 26,000 public comments on the regulations. The final rule adopted "would generally prevent most employers from using noncompete clauses," the FTC said in a statement.

The agency's action comes more than two years after President Biden directed the agency to "curtail the unfair use" of noncompetes, under which employees effectively sign away future work opportunities in their industry as a condition of keeping their current job. The president's executive order urged the FTC to target such labor restrictions and others that improperly constrain employees from seeking work.

"The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy," Khan said in a statement making the case for axing noncompetes. "Noncompetes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand."

Real-life consequences

In laying out its rationale for banishing noncompetes from the labor landscape, the FTC offered real-life examples of how the agreements can hurt workers.

In one case, a single father earned about $11 an hour as a security guard for a Florida firm, but resigned a few weeks after taking the job when his child care fell through. Months later, he took a job as a security guard at a bank, making nearly $15 an hour. But the bank terminated his employment after receiving a letter from the man's prior employer stating he had signed a two-year noncompete.

In another example, a factory manager at a textile company saw his paycheck dry up after the 2008 financial crisis. A rival textile company offered him a better job and a big raise, but his noncompete blocked him from taking it, according to the FTC. A subsequent legal battle took three years, wiping out his savings. 

-via CBS Moneywatch, April 24, 2024

--

Note:

A lot of people think that noncompete agreements are only a white-collar issue, but they absolutely affect blue-collar workers too, as you can see from the security guard anecdote.

In fact, one in six food and service workers are bound by noncompete agreements. That's right - one in six food workers can't leave Burger King to work for Wendy's [hypothetical example], in the name of "trade secrets." (x, x, x)

Noncompete agreements also restrict workers in industries from tech and video games to neighborhood yoga studios. "The White House estimates that tens of millions of workers are subject to noncompete agreements, even in states like California where they're banned." (x, x, x)

The FTC estimates that the ban will lead to "the creation of 8,500 new businesses annually, an average annual pay increase of $524 for workers, lower health care costs, and as many as 29,000 more patents each year for the next decade." (x)

Clearer explanation of noncompete agreements below the cut.

Noncompete agreements can restrict workers from leaving for a better job or starting their own business.

Noncompetes often effectively coerce workers into staying in jobs they want to leave, and even force them to leave a profession or relocate.

Noncompetes can prevent workers from accepting higher-paying jobs, and even curtail the pay of workers not subject to them directly.

Of the more than 26,000 comments received by the FTC, more than 25,000 supported banning noncompetes. 

[astrosky33]

The Best Career for you: Asteroid Industria

◉ Industria is an asteroid in astrology that can represent the long term career industry you will work in. Based on the readings I’ve done this asteroid is very accurate in predicting your long term career

◉ Asteroid Code: 389 -> How to find asteroids

House Meanings

Asteroid Industria in the 1st house

Your career will be a major part of your identity (more so than others careers would). Your career may change or constantly be testing your outlook/view on life. This career will be something you’re very passionate and ambitious about. You may use lots of mannerisms in this career. It most likely is going to involve your physical body, fighting, beauty, confidence, and/or individuality

Ex: Athlete, Model, Makeup Artist, Fighter

Asteroid Industria in the 2nd house

Your career will be a major source of stability (not just financially but also emotionally) for you in your life and your career may boost your self esteem/self worth. It is going to revolve around material items. It most likely is going to involve either your singing voice, finances, cooking, giving, receiving, and/or material resources

Ex: Singer, Banker, Accountant, Chef, Product Designer

Asteroid Industria in the 3rd house

In your career you will use your voice to spread an important message. You will express many of your ideas to others. It most likely will involve communication, literature, teaching, transportation, influencing, social media, the mind, and/or phones

Ex: Author/Writer, Social Media Influencer, Driver, Teacher

Asteroid Industria in the 4th house

Your career will be in an industry where you’re using lots of emotion toward your work and/or caring for others. It won’t be a job far out of your comfort zone. It likely will involve houses, home related things, food, and/or self-care

Ex: Real Estate Agent, Nurse, Baker, Home Designer

Asteroid Industria in the 5th house

Your career may revolve around you and be in an industry where a lot of spotlight/attention is on you. You’re going to work in an industry where you use your talents. It’s going to be a career you really enjoy and that makes you happy! It likely will involve entertainment, romance, events (such as a festival or concert), children, talents, and/or drama

Ex: Actor, Event Planner, Child Psychiatrist, Talent Agent

Asteroid Industria in the 6th house

Your career will have a set schedule and steady income. In this career industry you’ll constantly be working on self improvement. It likely will involve health, fitness, hygiene, your analytic nature, animals/pets, and/or giving service to others somehow

Ex: Doctor, Nutritionist, Fitness Trainor, Dentist, Vet

Asteroid Industria in the 7th house

Your career will be one that’s based around equality or partnership. You’re going to be working towards harmony or peace in this career. It will likely involve commitment, marriage, attractiveness/attraction, contracts, conflicts, negotiations, and/or equality/sharing

Ex: Wedding Planner, Lawyer, Model, Fashion Designer

Asteroid Industria in the 8th house

Your career will be one that’s based around a lot of transformation, power, or mystery. In this career industry you’ll constantly be working on changing for the better. It will likely involve crime, death, taxes, psychology, surgery, investments, the stock market, business, loans, secrets, your inheritance, reproduction, and/or spiritual transformation

Ex: Detective, Psychologist, Tax Preparer, Surgeon

Asteroid Industria in the 9th house

Your career will be one that helps you grow a lot as a person. In this career industry you will learn a lot more than most people do in their career. It will likely involve travel in general, air travel, exploration, television, media, teaching, higher education (college/uni), religion, beliefs, ideologies, philosophy, interviews, courts, law, cultures, ethics, viewpoints, and/or languages

Ex: College Professor, Pilot, Newscaster, Photographer

Asteroid Industria in the 10th house

You are more likely than others to be very successful when having this placement in your chart. Your career will teach you how to set long term goals for yourself and succeed. It will likely involve being in charge/a boss, business, peoples reputations/images, sense of mission, responsibilities, being famous, and/or status

Ex: Manager (anywhere), Publicist, Movie Director

Asteroid Industria in the 11th house

You’re more likely to gain wealth from your career with this placement since the 11th house represents financial gains -> read more here. Your career will be one that introduces new ideas to the world and may be a more unique career compared to most peoples. It will likely involve technology, film, politics, science, inventions, chaos, sudden change, friendship, groups, desires, manifestations, hopes/wishes, humanitarianism, social networking, clubs, and/or parties

Ex: Engineer, Scientist, Film Producer, Politician

Asteroid Industria in the 12th house

Your career is one that will transform you spiritually. In this career industry you will heal others. It will likely involve spirituality, hypnotism, isolation, music, karma/karmic debts, hidden enemies, the subconscious mind, subconscious memory, sleep, dreams (the ones you have when you sleep), old age/people, mental health, fears, losses, endings, impersonations, closure, self-undoing, bed pleasures, intuition, illusions, and/or the afterlife

Ex: Therapist, Song-Writer, Astrologer, Psychic

➠ [READ] the examples listed aren’t the only possible careers for each house only some, so there can be more interpretations than the ones listed

𝗖𝗔𝗥𝗘𝗘𝗥 𝗥𝗘𝗔𝗗𝗜𝗡𝗚! 𝗜 𝘄𝗶𝗹𝗹 𝗮𝗻𝗮𝗹𝘆𝘇𝗲 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗶𝗻𝗱𝘂𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗶𝗮 𝗮𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗼𝗶𝗱 𝗽𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗼𝗻𝗮 𝗰𝗵𝗮𝗿𝘁 𝗶𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱𝗶𝗻𝗴

𝗦𝗨𝗕𝗦𝗖𝗥𝗜𝗕𝗘 𝗧𝗢 𝗠𝗬 𝗣𝗔𝗧𝗥𝗘𝗢𝗡 𝗶𝗳 𝘆𝗼𝘂 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗮𝘀𝗸 𝗺𝗲 𝗾𝘂𝗲𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗮𝗻𝗱 𝗵𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝗮𝗰𝗰𝗲𝘀𝘀 𝘁𝗼 𝗺𝗼𝗿𝗲 𝗰𝗼𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘁

𝗠𝗬 𝗠𝗔𝗦𝗧𝗘𝗥𝗟𝗜𝗦𝗧

© 𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐨𝐬𝐤𝐲 𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐞𝐝

[mire-7viii]

When the message is that people often "choose" prostitution because there's no safe alternative, you are describing the absence of choice. The core of the problem.

The solution is not to make that choice more bearable, but to create better options. People prefer focussing on minimising the damage instead rather than drawing a line. It is nothing short of putting a bandaid on a severed limb. It's better to help prostituted women get out of that industry entirely. Any others who choose to prostitute themselves are uniquely privileged in who their clients are, what they do, who they work for, and when they can exit the industry. They are the minority in prostitution, pornography, cam-work and strip clubs.

While in contact with humans and/or their fluids, every other profession (doctors, dentists, nail techs, kitchen workers, etc.) mandates their employees (sometimes the clients/patients also) to wear sanitized and protective gear.

Prostitutes are not allowed these protective measures because it does not appeal to the client. Prostitutes could get permanently blinded when their clients ejaculate in their eyes, for example, and they're not allowed protective gear for their eyes when the client can see her face or when she's on camera. The clients are not wearing condoms. They're paying people to put themselves in harm's way for their gratification.

Prostitutes are uniquely at risk far more than any other profession for the sole benefit of the client and safer care is just a soothing balm on the conditions of prostitution. With how often they're in contact with human fluids, they would be wearing hazmat suits in any other environment. However, they need to look aesthetically pleasing, so they cannot have illnesses reliably prevented or the risk minimised.

A better bandaid is for their clients to always wear protection and that they need to be screened for illnesses beforehand, as well as leave behind their contact information in case something goes wrong, that is not happening because of privacy laws and because of their preferences as consumers: they want their needs met, not the safety of their "worker." You only need to listen to interviews with sex buyers and with frequent pornography engagement to know this to be true.

The way people describe healthcare in the face of legal prostitution feels too little too late. While well-intended, the truth is that the "workplace" of prostitution is inherently dangerous and no medicine afterwards cannot change the fact that any damage already happened. "Sex worker" are less similar to the working people and more similar to gladiators of whom the majority were slaves who fought, often to death or permanent injury, for the entertainment of the privileged.

Prostitution is not like any other job. If it were, then things like familial relationships would not reveal the contradiction.

Someone, I forget who I'm sorry, already said it better than I can, but if prostitution was the same as any other job, then having your parent, an uncle, your adult child, or a cousin as a client would not be an immediate problem.

It, however, clearly is a problem.

While having a family member as a client in any other field can be uncomfortable, perhaps a bit embarrassing. Your emotions might get in the way of doing the best you can, say, for example, as an attorney or a mortician. However, having a family member as a client in prostitution is inherently different. We know instinctively that sex is intimacy, not a service or any other form of labour, no matter the price tag you place on it.

In sex and sexual acts, you are in a territory of mutual respect and mutual consent. Once the money is on the table, it becomes a negotiation, coercion, you are buying or renting and the product is a human being. It is presenting something to a person to persuade them into being intimate in a way they would otherwise not be willing to do for free.

It is in no way the same as someone not liking their job, how they labour or provide a service in exchange for financial aid. None of those involve intimacy. In fact, while not always perfectly adhered to, sexual harassment is prohibited at work, something women had to advocate for it to be considered an offense at all.

In prostitution, in "sex work," letting sexual harassment happen is "the job."

This also raises questions about the increase of human trafficking and substance abuse in places where prostitution is already legal, such as The Netherlands, Belgium, and Germany. Legalisation has arguably made it more difficult to stop illegal pimps and operations: as long as the prostituted people don't outright endanger themselves by explicitly stating they're trafficked or abused, the government cannot act on suspicions. After all, it is legal. It also makes it easier to trick vulnerable people and children because they're told they're just working. It takes only a few interviews to understand children are groomed this way as well. If clients even care, they too can easily be convinced they're renting or buying a non-trafficked, legal prostitute.

While I agree no prostitute, cam-worker, stripper, or whoever falls under "sex work" should be penalised or criminalised, making the industries legal helps no one.

The Nordic Model ("sex workers" are not targeted by law enforcement but those with whom they do business are) is a far better option. Creating safe and good alternatives for those considering prostitution or "sex work," especially for those escaping the industry, is a far better option.

By advocating for legal "sex work" you may think you are listening to "sex workers," but you are catering to a privileged group within a devastating industry that destroys lives globally. While you think you're being kind, you are silencing the marginalised majority trapped in an industry you don't understand.

The sex industry is incompatible with humanity.

If someone is free to choose "sex work," they are equally free to choose anything else that does not perpetuate harm for those less fortunate than them.

[currymanganese]

Richie's journey is not over

I've done my fair share of hating on Richie, but @caiusmarciuscoriolanus 's and @post-woke 's meta on him has gotten to me. As a companion piece to this post about Carmy's future in the culinary world here, here's why I think Richie may be the one to actually leave the industry someday, or at least that he may find a fulfilling secondary vocation by the end of the series.

1. Along with Marcus, but to a greater extent, Richie is Carmy's narrative foil, if Carmy stays in the restaurant world, as Carmy's foil, Richie may want to leave someday:

Before the start of the series and in season one, he was the dutiful "son/brother"-figure that stayed in Chicago and stuck it out with Mikey (since Mikey pushed Carmy away) while Carmy globe-trotted and became a master at his craft. He resents Carmy for not coming to Mikey's funeral and for being MIA after his death, and perhaps also for being absent from pitching into the family business even prior to Mikey's death and the business' decline. He also resented the changes Carmy, and by extension, Sydney, made to the restaurant during season one, and by the beginning of season two expresses insecurities about his place in the restaurant, and by extension, his place in Carmy and the Berzattos' life. Hence, in season two Richie goes out of his way to have Carmy's reassurance that he would not be "dropped" and he also apologized to Natalie for some unspecified long-standing slight or slights, and enjoyed a much improved relationship with the surviving Berzatto siblings until his argument with Carmy in "The Bear".

During this war of words, after Richie called Carmy, Donna, Carmy retaliated by claiming that he should've cut Richie off, that Richie wouldn't be able to make a living or support his child without him, and accused him of being a leech with an obsession with the Berzatto family. Regardless of whether Carmy truly believes these things about Richie or not, and regardless of whether they are true or not, the venom behind this outburst may have left Richie questioning his security at The Bear, and the sincerity of Carmy's earlier promise to not abandon him, which has silently been one of Richie's greatest fears since season one, with his admission to Carmy in Braciole that,

"You're all I have left."

Also, keep in mind, season two already began with Richie questioning his purpose and place at The Bear, while Carmy ended the season questioning his vocation and his place at the restaurant,

"Maybe I'm just not cut out for this."

Similarly, their love interests / the women from their pasts are associated with one another, Carmy's (now ex) girlfriend , Claire, and Richie's ex-wife, Tiffany:

"Tiff used to babysit Claire!"

Since both Richie and Carmy reached a turning point professionally and experienced upheavals in their relationship(s) in season two (with each other and with their love interests a la Claire breaking up with Carmy, and Tiff informing Richie that she's moving on and getting married), we'll have to wait until the dust settles in season 3 or beyond to see whether the words Carmy spoke in anger to Richie may push him away, even if only temporarily, to the point that Richie may be moved to "abandon Carmy / The Berzattos / the restaurant before they abandon me", or even to see if he has truly found the answer to his question of what his purpose and vocation is in life, and whether that lies in customer service and working the expo or overseeing the front of house at The Bear, or elsewhere.

It's also interesting to me that the book Richie is shown reading in Season 2, 'Unreasonable Hospitality: The Remarkable Power of Giving People More Than They Expect', by Will Guidara, apparently stresses the value of imparting a sense of excellence and care for one's customers and peers / working relationships no matter the industry, and highlights that the lessons the author learned in the restaurant/hospitality industry can also be applicable to other fields.

Which leads me to my next point;

2. I believe that Richie serves as an author avatar for Christopher Storer himself on some level, and Storer ultimately left the food service industry to become a writer/ director and work in the film industry, hence it's another reason that it would not come as a surprise to me if Richie ends up leaving The Bear, even if it's only temporarily:

C Storer has expressed before in podcast interviews that Richie's character is based on his older male cousins growing up, with whom he enjoyed spending time with in his teens as an escape from his own dysfunctional home life as a child of divorced parents that lived with a mother struggling with addiction. This explains the "Cousin" moniker and surrogate brother role Richie occupies in Carmy's life clearly enough. However, I also think that Richie and Mikey to some degree, (as Storer also struggled with substance abuse in the past) may be partially based on Storer's own life before he found his vocation and settled into a relationship with his long term partner, Gillian Jacobs, who, interestingly, stars as Richie's ex-wife Tiffany in the show.

This is just speculation on my part, but there is something in Richie's dynamic with The Berzattos that may be a reflection of, or at least partially inspired by C Storer and his younger sister, Courtney's, real life surrogate family, the Zuccheros; which is the family that owns Mr. Beef, the Italian sandwich shop that show and The Original Beef of Chicagoland is based on.

According to Joanna Calo in this podcast, see around the 48 minute mark, Chris and Courtney Storer worked at Mr. Beef when they were younger, before Chris left the food industry to become a writer/director and moved to LA. However, Chris Storer has maintained a friendship with the current owner of Mr. Beef, Christopher Zucchero, since kindergarten, and the pilot of The Bear was filmed on location in Mr. Beef, the rest of season one was filmed in a set that was a faithful recreation of Mr. Beef's premises, and Chris Zucchero also had a cameo appearance as ChiChi, Carmy's meat connect that haggled with him in the season one pilot.

As if all this wasn't enough of powerful testament to the bond that the Storers have with the Zuccheros, Chris Zucchero has stated in interviews that Chris Storer used to direct him and their friends to do recreations of movie scenes when they played together as children, and that there was never a doubt in his mind that Storer would've become a film director someday, a level of faith which mirrors Carmy's faith in Richie's people skills and his aptitude for a new role front of house. Chris Storer also promised Chris Zucchero to make a show about Mr. Beef years ago, and The Bear is a fulfillment of that promise.

The former proprietor of Mr. Beef, Chris Zucchero's father, Joseph Zucchero, also seems to have had a fatherly relationship with the Storers (Chris Storer has disclosed that he and his siblings did not have a close relationship with their own father after their parents' divorce), and particularly with Courtney Storer. Chris Zucchero has even joked in interviews that his father loved Courtney more than his own children, and that Zucchero Sr. served as a surrogate father to many in his community.

In my opinion, even if Richie shares no other connection to Chris Storer's life and personality, beyond Richie being an amalgamation of the cousins Chris Storer grew up with; the tight-knit bond of devotion and affection between Richie and Mikey and The Berzattos certainly appears to be somewhat reminiscent of Christopher Storer's own loyalty to his longtime friend, Chris Zucchero's family.

As such, this may be completely off-base, but hear me out;

3. What if Richie's character journey eventually mirrors Christopher Storer's personal career trajectory and takes him on the path of becoming a writer, perhaps even to the point of publishing a heartfelt article about, or story inspired by: his life, his job, Mikey, The Berzattos, The Original Beef and The Bear?

Since we are unfamiliar with much of Richie's backstory and skillset beyond his time in the restaurant, I'm basing this possible career shift on one aspect of Richie's personal interests we are privy to; Richie appears to be surprisingly well-read, and it is generally assumed that excellent authors tend to be avid readers, just as renowned filmmakers tend to be cinephiles themselves.

In the pilot episode - when the creators took time to create character establishing moments for Carmy, and most of the regular cast, despite Richie's initial abrasive interactions with Carmy, Richie is shown to also be affable and well liked, or at least respected, by the staff and prompts them to have an informal icebreaker over Syd's family meal by asking them to express what they are thankful for.

This moment establishes Tina's (at the time hidden) sentimental heart of gold when she answers, "I'm thankful for all y'all mfs! 😜", and Marcus and Ebra's sense of humour and easy rapport with Richie /their irreverence and lack of fear of him when Marcus makes a joke at Richie's expense and Ebra chimes in to mock his body odour. However, when Richie's turn to express what he's thankful for, out of all the possible people or things the writers could've used to telegraph what is important to Richie, and who he is as a person, in this moment Richie says he's thankful for the classic sci-fi author, Philip K. Dick; who famously wrote the dystopian novel 'Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?'' which ultimately served as the inspiration for many sci-fi works, including the Blade Runner films. Even if he intended for his answer to be light-hearted or flippant, it may be a case of "the truth being hidden in jest" that he expressed gratitude, not for his daughter, not for any other relationship or personal possession, but for Mr. Philip K. Dick.

In season one Richie makes another offhand/indirect reference to this sci fi author and his story, by addressing the crew as, "replicants" (a term for lifelike artificial humans from Blade Runner, i.e. robots) when he shows up late to the staff meeting wherein Carmy is about to initiate the brigade system by delegating Syd to lead the crew. Since these are two sci-fi story references that Richie makes within the first 3 episodes of the show, after season one would be forgiven for just thinking that Richie may be a fan of classic sci-fi books or films and nothing else, however, season 2 shifted this understanding of Richie's characterization for me when, again, he references yet another renowned writer/novel in the season 2 pilot.

Thanks to fans on The Bear's subreddit - it appears that the writing he referenced this time was Haruki Murakami's 'Colorless Tsukuru Tazaki and His Year's of Pilgrimage' as he paraphrases the story, including the main character being deserted by friends because of a lack of a 'life /interest' besides "trains". Richie uses the book to effectively articulate his own feelings of aimlessness, and fear of abandonment to Carmy. This conversation with Carmy where Richie uses the book as a tool to communicate his own anxiety/ need for reassurance to Carmy also ultimately served as a catalyst for Richie being sent on the opportunity to stage at the 3 Michelin star restaurant in season 2 episode seven.

It is during this episode that Richie undergoes some much needed character development, and is shown studiously reading Unreasonable Hospitality in a montage as he undergoes his metamorphosis into the earnest, professional, and essential FOH/BOH team member with renewed confidence that we see him as in episodes 8-10; apologising to Nat, helping her to vet the new FOH potential hires, even taking over the expo on the soft opening night and helping Sydney to avert disaster as she takes over functioning in Carmy's stead in the season finale. When addressing the new FOH staff prior to the soft open he again quotes a novel by a renowned author with existentialist themes, 'Siddhartha' by Herman Hesse as he urges the new staff to, "listen better".

Whether Richie eventually leaves the industry or The Bear or not remains to be seen, but I'm looking forward to seeing where his character development will take him, and I'm looking forward to Season 3 and beyond.

It is now clear to me, underneath all Richie's machismo bluster and bravado lies a surprising level of perceptiveness, a philosophic/existential curiosity and sensitivity that, in addition to his love for reading and gift for gab, may potentially lend itself to him developing a compelling written voice should he ever have the desire to write stories of his own.

Perhaps he may be steered to do so if he seeks out counselling for himself, whether via Al-anon or otherwise; as journalling / writing and tapping into a creative pursuit is often recommended as a coping mechanism for processing trauma/grief?

I also think that, much in the same way that Carmy confessed to seeing his cooking as an art and a means of communication in his Al-anon monologue in Braciole in Season 1; it is telling that Richie repeatedly uses what he has read as a means to express himself and communicate with others in some of the moments that he is most happy, uninhibited, sincere, and/or vulnerable.

P.S. @thoughtfulchaos773 Thanks for the nudge - I dug this out of my drafts because of you - stay wonderful 😊❤️

If you've read this, thanks for reading and feel free to chime in!

[reality-detective]

It’s time for me to have another rant! 👇

Buckle up!!! ⚔️🛡️

The State of America:

I am angry. As an American, I am sick and tired of what this country has become. I do probably curse more than I should, but I am pissed off.

Our schools: Children are being indoctrinated by school teachers about sexual activity rather than things they should be learning about. You know, like civics, math, real history and science? What grown ass adult wants to discuss sexual intercourse with a minor? I’ll tell you, a social deviant fucking pervert. That’s who. I will not expose any child to that madness ever.

Our military: Our military is the weakest it has ever been. I have friends that are still in the military and they cannot wait to get out. Not because of their lack of service to this country, but the lack of leadership. The good ones are tired of getting slammed with “woke” PowerPoints on shit that doesn’t even matter to military readiness. It’s dumb. And our adversaries are laughing at us. I can’t even recommend someone to join the military until it is returned to its rightful place as the strongest military in the world.

Our southern border: The southern border is a dumpster fire. More illegal aliens and fentanyl are pouring through the border at record rates. The saddest part about this is the Democrats are wanting ILLEGALS to vote for any and all elections. Democrats only use their party for votes to continue their reign of power, while their own districts are literal shit-holes. Republicans are not safe from this and they really aren't much better. If they wanted the border shut down they would too. Always remember that Americans being murdered was never enough to shut the border down.

Joe Biden: I will never accept the thought that Joe Biden got 81 million votes. You cannot make me believe that the alleged President of the United States of America got the most votes in American history, then was kicked out from running by his own party. Give me a fucking break.

Kamala Harris: This Indian American woman locked up more black men than I have ever seen in my life. She doesn’t care about black people. Never has and never will. She just wants your vote.

Mainstream Media: These retards have been fed so much propaganda that they actually think Donald Trump will incite a civil war if he doesn’t win the 2024 election. You all have an extra chromosome if you truly believe that. There are some that are just gaslighting but a large portion of the population is too stupid to vote if they can’t decipher this.

Speaking of Donald Trump: This man has been given more bullshit to a public servant that I have ever seen in my life. For crying out loud, it has been over 2 weeks since the Deep State almost took his life and no one has been held truly accountable. They are all behind it until proven otherwise. Imagine if that was the other way around. Democrats would want to put the nation on lockdown like they did during COVID.

National debt: As of today the United States is at $35,000,000,000,000.00 in debt. How irresponsible of adults. I will never be gaslit to send money overseas anymore especially since Americans are struggling to put food on their table. How outrageously treasonous.

And to top all of this off. I am a white male that was in the military and now I'm considered a domestic terrorist by some. How unbelievable is this? The same ones that are backing the Military Industrial Complex. The same “elected leaders” that I served, don’t have our backs when we return home. The military are the ones that uphold and defend the Constitution, not them.

This is not what America should be about. This is not the country I served. Not anymore.

ENOUGH IS ENOUGH!!! 🤔

God Bless America. 🇺🇸

[cityofmeliora]

What do you think about Copia’s childhood? I saw your post about Terzo’s, so I started wondering. Where do you think he was raised, who do you think he was raised by, how did it contribute to who he is today?

YESSSSSS YES YES YES YES THIS IS THE ASK I'VE BEEN WAITING FOR RAAAAHHHH–

ok so first, i just wanna be clear that this post isn't gonna include anything about Cardi's twin because i'm still waiting to see what happens next in the lore before i try to write anything involving him.

with that out of the way,

like all my Ghost headcanons, my headcanons about Cardi are built on the foundation that the band Ghost lore is about 1) an evil satanic cult, and 2) a dysfunctional showbiz family from Los Angeles.

basically, i think Cardi had a very lonely childhood. and he has psychological issues caused by a lifetime of Sister Imperator's insane parenting. his anxiety in Rite Here Rite Now, about how being Papa is all he wants to do and all he thinks he could do, SCREAMS of "unethical Hollywood parent who molded her child to be a star" to me.

i do think Sister 'raised' him, or was at least present in his life since he was a child ("You'll always be my little Cardi.") and she just... didn't him she was his mom / Nihil was his dad. (i guess it's quite similar to children of catholic clergy IRL, who are sometimes raised by family but never told about their true parentage, or know the truth and are told to hide it.)

Cardi is autistic, obviously, but i also think his awkwardness is him being socially underdeveloped because he comes from an isolated cult environment. he was a weird satanic homeschool kid who almost never interacted with anyone outside the Ministry, and he was basically left to watch movies and listen to music and play video games all day. i like the idea that Cardi had dance training when he was young, though. that was probably the only time he really got to interact with others. and because he grew up in the Los Angeles area, on the occasions he did get to go out, he was always surrounded by the entertainment industry and people trying to rise to stardom.

anyway, i think this was all somewhat intentional, or at least worked in Sister Imperator's favor, to mold him into a neurotic showbiz baby in service of her evil satanic death cult. (though i don't think he cares about the cult aspect of Ghost at all. he's been in it his whole life because he didn't have a choice and has never known anything else. he really just wants to be a rock star.) growing up without the love of friends + family, Cardi filled that void with games / music / film. so... of course he wanted to be an entertainer when he grew up– that was his only avenue for human connection.

and i think Cardi kinda knew Sister Imperator was giving him special treatment and pulling strings to put him in position to become Papa, though he never understood why.

a major point in my Terzo character analysis post is that he was very ambitious and he loved being an entertainer and a showman, but he was frustrated because he wasn't allowed to express his full potential. i wrote that his mindset was "i know i'm good enough. and i could prove it if they would just let me."

and ever since i wrote that, i can't stop thinking about how Cardi feels the exact same way.

he's super talented. he's worked very hard. he's proud of his accomplishments. he's proven he's capable! but Sister Imperator doesn't respect him. she infantilizes him. she keeps the training wheels on. she doesn't want him to be capable!

Sister Imperator does not allow Cardi to have independent thoughts or make real decisions for himself. she allows him the illusion of autonomy when she needs to, but every time he shows a little bit of awareness of how fucked up his life actually is, she shuts him down to keep him under control. she purposefully hides information from him so he won't know anything she doesn't want him to know. she intrudes on his privacy because his bedroom doesn't have a door.

i think their relationship has been like this his whole life.

you can see examples of this manipulation / obfuscation throughout the Chapters, and you can see a lot of it in Rite Here Rite Now.

first off, the opening narration gives the context / background information that sometime in late 2021, when Cardi was 51 years old, he found out his two bosses are actually his parents, and his mother kept this a secret from both him and his father his whole life. which is. wild. to say the least.

(i think when he found out, he was disappointed by the realization that he got to where he is because he was secretly a nepo baby and not because he was doing a good job on his own.)

moving on. in Rite Here Rite Now, Cardi's main source of stress was that he fully believed his parents were going to murder him and then put his body on display to sell VIP tickets for his successor's concerts. this was genuine fear, and he had a legitimate reason to believe they would do that to him because they actually did that to his three older brothers! and in the later Chapters, Sister Imperator and Mr. Psaltarian were totally fucking with his head and making him think he was going to die!

he asks Sister why he can't continue being Papa for longer –because he doesn't want his parents to kill him when they're done with him– and she just brushes him off and tells him to keep playing his show. then in the Miasma scene, Cardi has a critical moment of awareness and asks what the hell is actually going on in his life and who's in control.

PAPA EMERITUS IV: One thing I do not understand… All these things… here, all of this stuff, and all of these things we're doing, where we go, and when, and to where… Who decides these things? I mean, who's calling the shots?

this is totally fair! he has a right to know this information!

in response, his parents completely avoid answering the question. they shut him down and basically tell him he sounds ungrateful for the life he has.

SISTER IMPERATOR: You waste so much time and energy worrying about what's been and what's next, who's next and whatnot. As with all things in life, it circulates. Everything that has a beginning has an ending. There just has to be an orderly transition.

she never tells him the truth. she just tells him to stop worrying. stop thinking.

they never tell him they're not going to kill him. They Never Tell Him They're Not Going To Kill Him. THEY NEVER TELL HIM THEY'RE NOT GOING TO KILL HIM.

Cardi spends the last third of the movie making peace with the idea that he is going to die soon and his parents will be the ones to kill him. after Respite On The Spitalfields, he seems resigned to his fate. he tells the Nameless Ghouls they're not doing an encore. he says "Fuck it." but Sister Imperator, still explaining nothing, tells him to do the encore and he unenthusiastically gets back on stage.

SISTER IMPERATOR: Even though you don't understand right now, sooner or later, you will know what I'm talking about. Things –events– are unavoidable. Now you go back out there and give them one hell of an encore. And that's all you have to worry about. PAPA EMERITUS IV: Okay. SISTER IMPERATOR: Off you go.

by the beginning of Square Hammer, he decides he is actually happy with the life he has and he's okay with whatever's coming. and he still expects he's going to die... only for them to totally fake him out.

Sister Imperator dies instead. in the letter she leaves him, she tells him, "My son, I'm sorry I could not find it in my heart to tell you about my condition. I was afraid you might lose your sometimes frail concentration." more obfuscation. more infantilization.

at the end of the letter, she promotes him to head of the Clergy. he takes on his new job assignment as Frater Imperator and he seems to think he'll have more power now that Sister Imperator is "not in charge anymore." i'm not so sure about that.

and this isn't even getting into all the other weird shit going on between them in that movie! why was Cardi literally unable to see her wheelchair and medicine until the Spoksonat scene? why couldn't he remember his twin brother who he spent time with as a child? either Cardi is even more mentally unwell than we know, or Sister is messing with his head in even more ways than we know. maybe both. probably both.

i do believe Sister Imperator loves Cardi. that does not negate the fact that she is also manipulative and dishonest and has no respect for him, and that made her a terrible parent. she caused him a lifetime of unnecessary confusion and suffering in furtherance of her goals. yes, he is often childish and irresponsible. but i think the way she treated him didn't allow him to mature on his own.

the worst part about all this? i think he's convinced himself that he loves her, too. (he doesn't actually know how to feel about her. it would be too painful to think about.)

in summary, to me, Cardi's life is like The Truman Show, except it's the bad ending where the producer (Sister Imperator) successfully convinces him to stay in the bubble.

this was supposed to be a headcanons post and it totally turned into an analysis post, but i cannot help it. i just love Cardi so fucking much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I JUST WANT CARDI TO BE SAFE AND HAPPY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

btw i think his actual legal given name is Cardinal Copia Imperator. yeah. i believe Sister Imperator actually named him that.

[lewmagoo]

would love to read your take on “i’m tired of you speaking, i need something in your mouth” and “what if i just leave you here, wet and needy?” with rhett 😵‍💫😵‍💫😵‍💫

-floydsmuse 🦋

i took the liberty of using mdm rhett because that big mean daddy is perfect for this 🤭

if there was one thing rhett didn’t tolerate, it was petulance. he always shut down bratty behavior, but he would figure out the source of it first. it was a mental list that he’d go over in his head, trying to understand why you were misbehaving. were you stressed? tired? were your hormones going haywire? were there any outside factors pushing you into this state of argumentativeness and irritation? he’d learned that there was always some sort of reason. however, trying to get an explanation out of you wasn’t always the easiest.

sometimes, you just needed him to take control. you needed him to assume his role as the dominant in your relationship. he would first give you a warning. he only afforded you one, and if you didn’t correct your behavior, he would then enact the punishment that he saw fit to give you. on this particular day, you’d been especially irritable. rhett gave you some grace, because you had just started a new job, and were trying to get accustomed to working again. a friend had started a coffee shop in town, and you’d agreed to help her during the first few weeks after her grand opening, because she was understaffed and desperate for the help. food service was not an industry you wanted to work in ever again, but you’d made an exception in order to support your friend.

in turn, you were reminded of why you’d left the industry altogether. working at the coffee shop turned out to be more high stress than you were anticipating, and because of this, you were tense and irritable. which, unfortunately resulted in you mouthing off to rhett. the first few times you responded in exasperation, you’d apologized to him (after he prompted you with a raised eyebrow, a look that you affectionately called the “daddy look”). although today, you didn’t know what had gotten into you. as rhett drove home after picking you up, all you gave him were short, impatient answers when he asked how your day was. the snapping was grating on his nerves, and he found his patience wearing thin.

"sweetheart, watch your tone," he warned, as the two of you walked into the house that evening. the timbre of his voice wasn’t sharp. it was even and gentle, though there was a cautionary undertone. for whatever reason, his warning only bothered you further. you folded your arms across your chest and huffed, much like a child. “don’t call me sweetheart." big mistake. "y'sure this is the game you wanna play?" came his gruff reply. jutting your chin out in defiance, you said, "i don't care." after which you turned on your heel and marched toward the stairs to go up to the bedroom. that was the straw that broke the camel's back. "don't you walk away from me." he caught your arm, his grip firm but not painful, careful of his strength. "i've been patient the entire ride home but i've had about enough of this damn attitude. this brat act ain't gon' fly with me."

when you opened your mouth to protest, he squeezed your cheeks so you couldn't. "'m tired of you speaking, i need somethin' in your mouth." and there it was. the sense of dominance exercised over you. he was taking your control away, and you gladly let him. the blue of his eyes had grown considerably darker, like storm clouds gathering on the horizon. "kneel." and you dropped. he tilted your chin up, tracing his fingers over your lips. instinctively, you parted your mouth, and he slipped his middle and ring fingers inside. he held your gaze as he slid those fingers farther and farther back, and said, "suck." so you did, wrapping your lips around the digits and taking them as far back as you could, showing him how hard you'd been working lately to tame your gag reflex so you could deepthroat him.

his tongue darted out to wet his bottom lip as he watched you, entirely turned on at the sight. "you been practicin', haven't you?" he asked, momentarily distracted from what was essentially your punishment. he had to take a moment to express his awe. but his praise, although degrading, made you glow with satisfaction beneath him. "yes sir, i have," you gasped, pulling your mouth off him long enough to respond. already, your brain was beginning to quiet down as you focused only on him. the man you loved. the man you wanted to please above all others. it was truly a wonder how quickly he could flip that switch for you and bring you into a better headspace.

his lashes fluttered, and he took in a breath. "atta girl." his fingers were back in your mouth again, and you dutifully sucked them, swirling your tongue and drooling, treating it as if you were sucking his cock, because you hoped that was what he'd give you next. but he wasn't about to let you off the hook that easy. he let you continue on, fully enjoying the show, and fully aware that the sight of it was getting him hard. you could see it, too. his thick cock straining against the confines of his jeans. so appealing even when it was hidden beneath a layer of fabric. he could see your gaze shifting to it every so often, and after a little while, he pulled your head back and gripped his cock with his other hand. "y'want it?" he asked, as if he was presenting a treat to his pet.

eagerly, you nodded. "yes daddy." he smiled, and it was full of fake pity. "that's too bad. only good girls get daddy's cock. and you ain't been very good tonight, have ya?" at that, you whined in frustration, and he couldn't help but notice the way you rubbed your thighs together. a wicked smirk tugged at his mouth. "you little slut. suckin' my fingers got you wet, didn't it?" he crouched in front of you then, still holding your face in his hand as he reached into the front of your jeans to check. sure enough, he came in contact with your slick pussy. his smirk turned into a dirty grin. "dirty fuckin' girl." when you tried to grind against his hand, he immediately withdrew it, leaving you humping the air. "bet you're hopin' i'll fuck ya, hm little darlin'? but you're forgettin', this is a punishment." he stood again, ignoring your pathetic whine.

"i don't wanna hear it." and then, "what if i just leave you here, wet an' needy?" he stepped back, just to test your reaction. "no!" you exclaimed, reaching out and wrapping your arms around his legs. "please daddy, i'm sorry! i'll do anything!" there it was. that sense of repentance he was hoping for. he lovingly cupped your cheek, watching as you nuzzled into his palm. "anythin'?" he echoed, and you nodded against his thigh. "yes, anything." trailing his tongue against his teeth, he hummed. "alright then. y'can start by suckin' daddy's cock. show me all them new tricks you learned while you were practicin' on your toys. and after that, i just might fuck that needy pussy of yours. sound like a deal?" you were already scrambling to unbuckle his belt, desperate to have your mouth filled. "yes daddy," you agreed.

tagging my mdm rhett girlies: @withahappyrefrain @rhettabbotts @hangmanapologist @floydsmuse

[dairy-farmer]

Is me agaaaain~ o/ I'm back on my nonsense and practicing my writing! Had Thoughts(tm).

While Civilian Tim is my Beloved♡. You know what ELSE doesn't get explored enough? Betas in ABO fics! The overlooked everyman. The common masses. Not SPECIAL enough.

Expected to bow to the whims of Alphas and cater to, nay, CODDLE Omegas. To fall in line and be lead. Subservient. Nature's wallpaper in the Grand Drama of Alpha and Omegas.

All because they don't have to suffer a heat or rut. All because they didn't get that few extra organs and a hormonal boost. As though there aren't superhumans and aliens running around.

Everyone talking about Pack this and Pack that. About how IMPORTANT it is. How PRECIOUS. Only to stutter to a stop and dismiss you when you bring up Betas. Because they're focused on what THEY decided were the Protagonists of Life. And who CARES about the rest of us, huh?

We're just foot soliders and drones.

And Tim's parents expected an Alpha son. Had plans, of course, for the unthinkable. An Omega. But when he tested positive for likely presenting as a Beta? Humanity's MOST COMMON presentation? It's like he became worthless to them. Was assumed destined to fail. To be weak and unworthy.

Because of his genitals. His hormones.

Because he DIDNT stink up the house.

On the bright side, he gets away with a LOT. The down side? He is a very, VERY smart child with a chip on his shoulder. Little time for the dramatics of life's Specialist Babies.

When Bruce won't LISTEN to Robin? Because (and he can only assume) "hur dur me big strong head alpha. Me always right!" Well FUCK Batman! He stuffs Wayne Manor with picture print outs of HARD EVIDENCE showing Robin did No Such Thing!

When ROBIN apparently decided to flee in the night like some Victorian Omega Waif to locations unknown? Non-emergency JLA number, bitch. He knows it. Get Superman'd.

The Bats seem to settle. His Parents come and go. He hacks their emails and changes their Wills. If THEY won't take him seriously, HE will do it for both of them. Like HELL is he letting them pawn HIS company off to someone else.

Then Haiti happens.

And... he wish he could say he was surprised when he didn't even notice, until he was told. They were never Pack. That would require his Parents to have TRIED. To have CARED.

Bereavement services try to coddle him. Alphas, like VULTURES, circle. Trying to "guide" the poor RICH young Beta in his time of emotional vulnerability. If there weren't cameras, he would bite. Parasites. All of them.

The Omegas are no better. Showing up, "concerned" for him. Trying to feed him and coddle him like an infant pup. Insert themselves into his life. He gets a cold and rather nasty reputation, rather quickly.

Thank god for fake, Alpha, uncles. Social services were making noises about "supportive families" and the "need for pack bonds when grieving". Ha! So say the Alphas, he notes. The Omegas. There Beta co-workers were pretty silent. But when have they ever noticed THAT?

Strangely enough, and you'll be SHOCKED, really, his Uncle FULLY supported Tim in all he did! How Odd! He rises to become the youngest CEO in the country.

He fires half his board outright. They're corrupt and worse? Bad at business. Chosen because "Alphas are natural leaders". His ASS they are. The business take a hit, of course, lots of speculation and scathing articles. At least they do until Drake Industries has RECORD breaking quarters.

Turns out hiring the legitimately qualified, makes for better business.

Who'd have THOUGHT!

He admits. He gets distracted, building the family (not Pack. Never Pack.) business to unprecedented heights. He no longer has TIME for his night time... bird watching. But he keeps an idle eye out. And they grow in number, not shrink. So it's probably fine.

But then? Not long after he's officially an adult. After his "Uncle" TRAGICALLY goes for a one man flight over international waters, for a "vay-cay" at the summer home, only to "perish" when the plane goes down? Who strolls into his office like he has ANY right to be there? Brucie "Secretly Batman" Wayne.

They don't have a meeting planned. Why is he HERE. Stinking up his office with Alpha Scent.

.....the plane was a Wayne Aeronautics design. Fuck(tm).

Bruce plays the "oh he feels SO GUILTY" card. Tim counters. Bruce is pulling out the Full Himbo. Clearly suspicious. Oh god damn it, batman thinks he's murdered his fake uncle. And, well, he DID. But there WAS no fake uncle!

Somehow Tim finds himself dragged to lunch. Brucie's arm casually slung over his shoulders. Great. Now he's going to stink for hours.

And Bruce? Is putting clues together. Timothy "The Dragon" Drake. Beta. Known to be actively hostile to both Alphas and Omegas alike. Rumors suggest Pack trauma or extreme bond loyalties. No scent but his own on him. Not even any lingering traces. His Uncle, supposedly his Alpha, never scented him?

That coupled with records suggesting a complete lack of bonds with his birth Pack and absence of scentmarkers...

Pack Trauma. Very, VERY Feral. Likely takes most Pack-bonding overtures as signs of aggression. Highly likely he killed his Uncle in response to either real or perceived aggression.

Bruce wonders how it slipped his notice. Slipped EVERYONE'S notice. Got this bad. He... already knows. The answer does not sit well with him. It's because Tim is a Beta. He grits his teeth. Others may have failed Timothy Drake, but he refuses too.

Tim wishes he WOULD. He feels harassed. Bruce is EVERYWHERE. And he's gotten his kids in on it. Tim's poor, poor office REAKS. He! REAKS! Why are they so TOUCHY??! Cease! Desist!

Worse? The questions about his "uncle" abruptly dry up about a week and a half in. Which means they DEFINITELY found some evidence that there was never an uncle. He has a pounding headache and HATES this. He was FINE on his own. Why does this have to happen NOW? At least they are leaving him alone currently. He pops some headache meds.

A shrill noise screeches in an echoing pitch throughout his office. Ow.

Wait.

Oh Fuck.

He scrambles for his phone. That is the Gotham Wide Alert. Who-? Ivy. Heading their way. He slams the building wide evac button, setting off alarms in every room in the tower. Gets up to grab his briefcase, his suit jacket, to evacuate with the rest of his company.

He turns, reaching, only to be met with vines, already rearing back to break his office windows.

CRASH.

Safety glass everywhere. Trying to run is pointless. Instinct still demands it. Living green as strong as steel beams has him around the waist. He is yanked backward out into open air. Hundreds of feet to the ground below him. Writhing Green has swallowed half his building already.

The alert was USELESS. "On her way" his ASS! His people are trapped!

The scent of flowers fills his nose...

His body feels... weird, when he manages to blink back to awareness. There are other CEOs. All of them are complete bastards. Arrogent nepotism picks to the last. Daddy's perfect Alpha offspring, handed the world. They're panting. Flushed. Sweaty and fighting the vines, humping... the.. air...

Oh, gross.

Where? Ivy. Talking to a camera. Gesturing to them. Tim struggles to concentrate. His head feels... soup. Slooshy and warm. Big ol skull of soup. One of the other CEOs is trying to reach him. Panting at him. He kicks. Disgusting! He thinks he hisses.

Ivy pauses. Turns to look at him. Squints.

He's not an alpha she declares. No shit. She shrugs. He'll still pay for- wait, WHAT!? That was Erkins! He FIRED that fucker! He's actively working to FIX the damage that idiot caused to the wetlands!

Soup brain saves the day. He's dragged to the side. Her bad, apparently. Hold that thought and she get you an antidote shortly. Now, where was she?

Letting the hostages go, says Batman.

Ivy disagrees. Violently.

It would be cool to watch up close, if Tim didn't feel like his skin was hypersensitive and damn near on fire. He feels nauseous. Please stop jostling him. He feels gross and sweaty. He... he THINKS? He's been Pollened?

He's heard it's the closest a Beta can get to being in Heat. And for Alphas and Omegas it can be lethal if not treated promptly. Of course, no one gives a SHIT that it's incredibly hard on a Betas body. Since, you know, they aren't MADE to go into heat! Oh god. He might puke.

Hands are cutting him free from his vine prison. Working his shirt and undershirt up enough to expose stomach. The pinch of a needle. The burning stops building. The nausea starts to fade. Tim cracks open an eye, no longer needing to grit everything closed to keep from hurling.

Nightwing. Omega.

He's brushing sweating hair back from Tim's face. Rubbing feeling back into Tim's limbs. He smells... nice? Good cologne on clean sheets. Normally Tim HATES being coddled. He doesn't feel good. He'll allow it.

Dick seems to be picking up on that. Is trying so, so hard not to look PLEASED and EXCITED that Tim is letting him take care of him. Scoops Tim up and is off before Bruce can tell him not too. Reprimand him for taking advantage of the situation.

It honestly doesn't even suprise Tim that Dick knows where he lives. Distantly he wonders if Dick even remembers that Tim is not supposed to know. That if he gets handsy as Nightwing, Dick will have to back off.

Deposited on his bed. It doesn't seem so.

Off go shoes and jacket, shirts and pants. Anything that might be infected or uncomfortable. He's brought water. Blankets nested around him. Limbs gently massaged. Dick looks GIDDY.

He still feels too hot and too cold. Uncomfortable.

Soothing noises, whispered against his skin. Hands trail down, following a skimming mouthing. Beneath the comforter pulled atop them to tuck him in. He can not see what-

He's swallowed alive. Hands gently, but without mercy, holding his hips still as an incredibly skilled mouth works his clit. Tim gasps for air. He might be shaking. Whimpers and cries dripping from his mouth as he tries desperately to rock up into the impossible heat consuming him.

Then long, calloused fingers are sliding inside of him. He.. he can't tell how to react. He's wet but not... his body doesn't MAKE slick. And yeah, it feel kinda... but does he...

The fingers angle. Pounding against SOMETHING and suddenly there are stars behind his eyes. Whimpering as he's finger fucked, eaten with in and inch of his life. He orgasms but... but it's not? Enough? W-why? Pollen. Oh god.

Dick is making soothing little noises. Pressing kisses to his face and neck. But if he's up here, how will he- Tim is pinned. Gently, sweetly, as Dick slides home.

He whines. High and displeased. Likes dislikes this. Dick shushs him. Rocking his hips. Kisses and kisses. Everything's okay. He's got you. But Tim refuses to settle.

The air of the room shifts, floors creek just slightly under heavy boots. Dick keeps rocking his hips, eyes locked with Bruce's. He's NOT going to get up. Timmy needs a pack. Needs LOVE. He's feels so, so good. And Dick is taking such good care of him. He NEEDS them.

And.. Can Bruce really argue? Tim is alone. Brilliant, gorgeous, and alone. Drifting over to scruff him? Can Bruce REALLY say he does not look like he was MEANT to be there? Beneath Dick. Soft and safe. Warm and loved? Taken care of by their pack?

He can't.

He scuffs his boy. HIS. And Tim goes limp, Dick shuddering on top of him. Face pressing against Bruce's hand, where it holds Tim's neck, arms hiking up Tim's hips. Thrusting for real. Putting his back into it.

Punching out cries from Tim with every slam against his spots. He can't move, scuffed as he is. Can only stare up. Watch as Batman, Bruce, watch HIM.

Watchs him getting... getting FUCKED. He sees Batman reach for something down the bed. Textured leather is rubbing against his clit, moments later. Dick groans in his ear as Tim spasms around him, Bruce's teasing making him tighter. I.. It's too much. Too vulnerable. Too much!

He being filled. He whines.

Gets a pack bite for his trouble, from Dick.

Then Dick's being shoo'd to the side and Tim is choking on air. Dicks cum the only thing making it slick enough. Beta's don't STRETCH like that! Big. Too big. Can't BREATHE.

But Bruce makes him breathe. Rocks and rocks until he's in. Until he's so full everything feels permanently different. Pressed down into a nest and trapped under a solid wall of Alpha. Whimpering, conquered, and held. Told over and over that Bruce has him. It's okay now.

Not enough ROOM to argue. To THINK. Whatever he wants.

He fuck Tim slow and careful. It's still almost enough to cry. But he promises not to knot him. He PROMISES. It would hurt him. Tear things. He won't hurt Tim. He whispers soothing noises. Holds Tim still, as he works himself in and out of a hot, perfect little vice.

Keeps his word. The knot stays OUT of Tim's poor, tight, little body. It'd never fit. He seed doesn't either. Gushing and spurting around the edges. Making Tim jerk and cry out. His abused little hole oozing thickly. Bruce bites him. Of course he does, he can't lose this chance.

They'll figure out details in the morning.

Damian will be THRILLED. He'd been planning a long term seduction plan for weeks. And Jason will no doubt drag Tim off to scent him the second he's able. Betas are said to be calming influences in a pack. Assuming the can all SHARE. Helping Tim settle in is going to be a wonderful group project.

He's touch starved, feral, and deeply wary of any sign of affection. Pampering him is undoubtedly going to be a group effort. But watching Dick cuddle his newest pack member? Tim relaxed in exhausted but peaceful rest? Bruce knows it's worth it.

👀👀👀👀👀👀👀!!!!!!!!!! beta tim being brought into the pack and made a member whether he likes it or not!!!

[bedrockfactory]

What's the tovoxran(?) society like, is it comparable to how it is or was anywhere on earth?

Thanks for asking! Sorry for extremely late response too, I needed some time to think about it.

I think Tovoxran society can be comparable to that of humans to a certain extend. Here are some facts about it, the first ones can be about their overall civilization tho:

- First of all, the term "Tovoxrans " is pretty much how humans and a few other species call them. The original name of their species (and how they call themselves) is "Tharr". This is totally not a trial to change their name

- Mainly before they invented technology for space travel and colonization of other planets, they lived in large, densely populated cities built around volcanoes. Later, their technology allowed them to build gigantic heat generators instead of having to settle around volcanoes.

- Due to their economy (and kind of their whole civilization too) being heavily industry-based, their cities and pretty much their whole planet is extremely polluted. Their planet's nature has always been the last thing they cared about, hence their civilization' expanding has forced various animal species to retreat from their natural habitats.

- They were forced to enter the space stage for various reasons, the main ones being massive overpopulation and a shortage of resources on their home planet.

- They have a council-based government, which was supposed to rule the whole Empire, but in practice, their management is limited to their home planet and a few closest colonies. The vast majority of the Empire's territory is ruled by corporations and industrialists.

Bonus illustration of a Tharr factory

  Now some facts more regarding their society:

- Underage Tharr (I'm now going to be calling them like this I hope it's not a big problem) is raised by one parent, usually of the same gender as them (son is raised by his father and a daughter is raised by her mother). There can be exceptions, for example when the parent of the same gender as the kid has died or can't take care of a child from another reason.

- They are a gregarious species and tend to stick together. A Tharr leading a completely solitary life is a rare sight.

- Their society and way of thinking is extremely ultilitarian, hence they tend to avoid to produce or use things that aren't that much necessary for their lives. It also means that for example, there aren't multiple brands producing bottled water or things like this. Water is water after all.

- Majority of their population inhabits mining colonies on various planets belonging to the Empire.

- Tharr society is still very stratified and divided to 3 main classes. 1st class are the most educated and important individuals, including industrialists, exceptionally important scientists and diplomats. 2nd class are mostly Tharr with more common jobs and service proffesions. Main occupation for the 3rd class with only basic education is usually a soldier or a "workforce" like an industrial worker, like a miner, factory or refinery worker (don't forget that Tharr supply many other Empires with raw and refined materials so it's kinda necessary). Also the class doesn't necessarily define the respect an individual receives, it's more like a division in terms of living conditions. In most cases 2nd class and 3rd class are very similar.

- Individuals getting the least respect from others are definitely the ones unemployed from choice. They are considered lazy and unnecessary by others.

[calqlate]

RE: LOVE & LIFE | ZERO

— YOU, YOUR BELOVED HUSBAND, AND A PRETTY STRANGER

SERIES MASTERLIST | NEXT CHAPTER

PAIRING(S): zhongli x f! reader + diluc x f! wife! reader

SUMMARY: As the wife of the famous big shot in the wine industry, you have everything you could ever ask for — a beautiful mansion, endless wealth, servants at your beck and call... However, you lack the one thing you yearn for: love. With your beloved husband neglecting you and being stuck in a loveless marriage, you decide to end it all, only to be stopped by a man whom you have never met before, and who also coincidentally happens to be your soulmate. In addition, there just might seem to be more than what meets the eye in regards to your peculiar soulmate, and you just might have to find that out for yourself.

CW(S)/TW(S): contains mentions of suicide attempts

You — the daughter of the respectable [L/N] family, a wealthy family renowned for their extensive network of trade services.

Diluc — the sole son of the esteemed Ragnvindr family, a wealthy family which made a name for themselves from their wine business.

A contract made by both of your grandparents — that was how you came to be the madam of the Ragnvindr household. Now, you were the most powerful lady in the city of Mondstadt, with both your dignified family backing and the reputable Ragnvindr family supporting you. With wealth, fame, and power in the palm of your hand, what more could you possibly ask for?

Love. That was the one thing you wanted the most but did not have: you have loved your husband dearly ever since you were a child. Sure, he was not your soulmate and your timer said that you had ages more to wait before you met your actual match, but who cared? Not everyone married their fated beau, and you could care less about who yours turned out to be. All that mattered was that you loved him, and you were more than ecstatic to learn that you were to marry him. That itself was enough for you.

However, that was not the case for him: on the day of your wedding, he had zero expression on his face, devoid of affection or even any amicable feelings when he looked at you. The moment you set your eyes on him on the altar that day, you knew that he was simply tolerating you and that this was simply for publicity reasons.

So with love out of the picture, you found the simplest way out of this unwanted marriage: suicide. No one was happy in this union and there was no way to annul the marriage without offending anyone. So, what better way than to end your own life?

And then this pretty stranger entered the picture — he was known as Zhongli and he hailed from the docks of Liyue Harbour. You learnt that he worked in the Wangsheng Funeral Parlour and he was an associate of the Fatui Network, a Snezhnayan trading group which your husband despised the most. So by default, he was on your blacklist, too. Other than that, you had no connection to him whatsoever.

So why was this pretty stranger in tears, begging you to stay alive for him?

[bibibbon]

What MHA lacks: proper world building

In a series like MHA world building is something that is very important. Sadly, a lot of the world building we have is inconsistent and all over the place.

In my opinion, the world building aspect of MHA was definitely introduced a bit too late and the stuff that we did have in earlier seasons is inconsistent and never really followed through properly. This is stuff like:

Quirkless discrimination - honestly, this one is SO INCONSISTENT that you can argue that it doesn't exist and that Izuku just suffered for the sake of suffering. We have little to no knowledge when it comes to the whole idea of quirklesness and how a quirkless person is treated. Also, Izuku is the only one who has really faced this type of behaviour since we don't see it with characters who were quirkless like mirio, shigaraki, all might and even yuuga.

heteromorphs discrimination - we definitely know this exists but it was only ever introduced and heavily focused on in the final arc. To be honest the plot point itself doesn't make sense as there are many heteromorphs heros and people in society who seem just fine. I think it could work but it definitely needs to be established and built on a whole lot more.

Quirk marriages - I honestly feel like this plot point was just introduced for the sake of the todoroki family and nothing else. I think it was stated that this is an old outdated practice and that it's been made illegal but shouldn't we see other victims of quirk marriages and not just the todoroki family.

Child hero's - this is mainly a focus on both hawks and lady nagant and while I think this is an interesting plot point it definitely should of been built and expanded on a whole lot more. You can argue that it doesn't truly make any sense considering that it was originally stated that Japan was oversaturated by heroes.

The hero safety commission - all we get when it comes to them is that they are bad people who end up getting destroyed at the end and exploit children with powerful quirks. We don't know many things like what's their job? How do they help hero's? What's their relations with the government? What are their motives? Etc etc

The laws and legislations in MHA - see in any other show this wouldn't be needed but considering that this is MHA where heros work for the government as glorified soldiers with costumes then we kind of need a link in laws and legislations in MHA. The most prominent law is the vigilantism one but thats it.

Other stuff like the foster care system or child protective services - honestly, this is one of my major problems with MHA because you're telling me with all of the situations that there are we never see eri have a social worker or something similar like it doesn't make sense. We know orphanages exist but that just about it really.

Crime and the underworld in MHA - this is pretty vague but what I mean by it is the exploration of what really goes on in the underworld which can show things like drug trafficking, quirk trafficking, mafias or gangs ( just like overhauls)

Quirk experimentation - This could of been so much more especially with the stuff that the doctor and overhaul both gave us. How overhaul was right about the origin of quirks and how the doctor has made it possible to pass on quirks and so many other things

Misogyny and sexism - I really don't know if this came by accident but there is a lot of misogyny in MHA literally can be seen in the sports festival and that could of been a great plot point of how unfairly woman are treated in day to day life and the hero industry horikoshi does almost NOTHING about it and just sexualises the characters even more

People and their quirks - it's acknowledged there are people who struggle to control their quirks and it's a problem that hori never explored in his society. Also why is it that only heros get to use their quirks what if you have a quirk suited for your job you should be able to get a permit to use your quirk right?

These are all missed opportunities when it comes to the world building of MHA and it's own society. I must admit that some points are explored but there really isn't much depth to it as it should have and it doesn't help at all that MHA is a series that NEEDS world building for it to work.

[sourcreammachine]

GREEN PARTY MANIFESTO 2024 SUMMARY

tldr: there's a feeling of tension in this manifesto, between youthful zennial climatic ecosocialism and old-guard hippy-liberal environmentalism. this year the greens may well go from 1 MP to the dizzying heights of 2 (there's whispers on the wind that they may even get 3...), and the green council delegation is at 800-odd now, so this could easily be a changing-of-the-guard moment

with the great Berry and the ok Denyer in parliament the party could have more momentum in battling the starmerite government, and with that, it has the ability, the possibility to pick up more momentum. this is a big opportunity in the party's history - over the next five years it can and could be pushed into a holistic ecosocialist movement by the centrally influential mass party membership, and remove the last dregs of its tunnel vision to provide a lefty movement for everyone, green and pink, a Newfoundland coalition. with votes at 16 on the cards and this potential evolution of the party, 2029 could be a big moment for this country's left. whether or not the greens play the role of keystone is up to them

it is also the only manifesto to use the term 'neurodivergent'

💷ECONOMY

wealth tax of 1% on individuals with assets over §10m and 2% for assets over §1b (an extremely humble proposal), reform capital gains and investment dividend taxation to be at the same rates as income taxation, remove the income-based bands on national insurance contributions, ie raising total income taxation by 8% at §50k/a, – altogether raising government revenues by upwards of §70b/a

stratify VAT to reduce it for consumer stuff and hike it for stuff like financial services

permanent windfall tax on banks for whenever they get windfalls

perform a holistic land survey to get the data needed for a new, effective Land Tax

abolish the tax relief on existing freeports and SEZs

heavy carbon tax to raise a boatload of billions, rising progressively over a decade to allow industrial adaptation, for a ~§80b state windfall for five years that'll be for green investment as this windfall starts to recede

renationalise water and energy

§15 minimum wage, 10:1 pay ratio for all organisations public and private (ie §150 sort-of maximum wage, ~§300k/a), mandatory equal pay audits, 'support' lower hours and four-day weeks [clarification needed]

unambiguously define gig workers as workers with contract rights from day one, repeat offenders of gig-slavery will be banned from operating in the country

every City bank required to produce a strategy with a clear pathway to divestment of all fossil fuels "as soon as possible and at least by 2030", every City non-banking organisation simply to be banned from having fossil fuel in their portfolios, credit to be banned for repeat City climate offenders, mandate the BoE to fulfil the funding of the climate transition and climate leadership of the City, FCA to develop measures to ban fossil fuel share trading in the City and immediately prohibit all new shares in fossil fuels

"we will explore legal ways for companies to be transformed into mutual organisations"😈

develop regional cooperative banks to invest in regional SMEs, coops and community enterprises

diversify crop growth, promote local agricultural cooperatives and peripheral urban horticultural farms, give farmers a sort of collective bargain against grocers

aim towards a circular economy: require ten-year warranties on white goods, rollout of right-to-repair

tighten monopoly laws on media with a hard cap preventing >20% of a media market being owned by one individual or company and implement Leveson 2

🏥PUBLIC SERVICES

abolish tuition fees and cancel standing debt

surge nhs funding by §30B, triple labour's spending plans for everything, the entire budget, the entire state, everything

free personal care, with occupational therapy being part of this

35h/w free child care (eg seven hours over five days, or seven days of five hours)

renationalise many academies under local authorities, abolish the "charity" status of private schools and charge VAT

surge funding for smoking-cessation, addiction support and sexual health service

surge funding for public dentistry with free care for children and low-earners

free school breakfasts in primary school and free school lunches for all schools

one-month guarantee of access to mental health therapies

online access to PrEP

let school playing fields be used in the evenings by local sports clubs

greater funding for civic sports facilities and pools

🏠HOUSING

unambiguously-under-the-law nationalise the crown estate for an absolute fuckton of land and assets for housing and for green energy and rewilding for FREE

rent control for local authorities, ban no-fault evictions and introduce long-term leases, create private tenancy boards of tenants

local authorities to have right of first refusal on the purchase of certain properties at aggressive rates, such as unoccupied or uninsulated buildings

all new homes to be Passivhaus standard with mandatory solar panels and heat pumps

§30B across five years to insulate homes, §12B of which is for social homes, and §9B more for heat pumps, and §7B more for summer cooling

planning law reform: council planning mechanisms to priorities little developments all over the place rather than sprawling blobs, demolitions to require as thorough a planning application as erections, new developments required to not be car dependent

planning laws to require large-scale developments feature access to key community infrastructures such as transport, health and education, often mandating the construction of new key infrastructures, support nightlife and local culture in planning regulations

exempt pubs and local cultural events from VAT

building materials to be reusable, builders' waste rates to be surged to encourage use of reuse

750k new social homes in five years

🚄TRANSPORT

'a bus service to every village', restore local authority control and/or ownership of their busses

renationalise rail via franchise-concession lapsing, slowly assume ownership of the rolling stock (currently leased, and would continue to be so under labour's implementation of renationalisation) by buying a new train when the stock needs to be replaced

electrification agenda across the rail network, strategic approach to rail line and station reopenings

bring forward (sorta, the tories suspended it but labour says they'll reinstate it) the new petrol car ban from 2030 to 2027, existing petrol cars targeted to be off the road by 2034, investigate road-price charges as a replacement for petrol tax, hike road tax proportionally to vehicle weight, drop urban speed limits from 50kph to 30kph (or from 30mph to 20mph if you only speak Wrong), mass funding for freightrail and support logistics firms transitioning away from lorries

§2.5b/a for footpaths and cycleways, target of 50% of urban journeys to be extravehicular by 2030

frequent-flyer levy, ban on domestic flights within three-hour rail distance, remove the exemption of airline fuel from fuel tax, prioritise training of airline workers into other transportational jobs

👮FORCE

abolish the home office, transfer its police/security portfolio to the justice ministry and its citizenship/migration portfolio to a new migration ministry separate from the criminal justice system

abolish the kill the bill bill and restore the right to protest

recognise palestine, push for immediate ceasefire and prosecution of war crimes, back the south africa case, "[support] an urgent international effort to end the illegal occupation of palestinian land"

grant asylum-seekers the right to work before their application is granted

end the hostile environment

abolish Prevent

end routine stop-and-search and facial recognition

commission to reform 'counterproductive' drug regime, decriminalise personal possession

amend the Online Safety Act to "[protect] political debate from being manipulated by falsehoods, fakes and half-truths", ie actually protecting 'fReE sPeEcH' and not everything that rightists imply by that phrase

decriminalise sex work

reform laws to give artists IP protections against ai

cancel trident and disarm

push for nato reforms (in its and our interest, they're not russophiles, they're not galloway, it's ok): get it to adopt a no-first-use nuclear policy, get it to prioritise diplomatic action first rather than military reaction, get it to adopt a stronger line on only acting for the defence of its member states

right to roam🚶‍♂️

🌱CLIMATE

zero-carbon by 2040, rather than the ephemeral ostensible government target of 2050

stop all new oil/gas licenses, end all subsidy for oil/gas industries, regulate biofuels to end greenwashing, end subsidies for biomass

decarbonise energy by 2030, minimum threshold of energy infrastructures to be community owned, "end the de facto ban on onshore wind" with planning reform

massively expand the connections between the insular grid and the UCTE continental grid to increase electricity import and export and prevent the need for energy autarky

more targeted bans on single-use plastics

"give nature a legal personhood" ok grandma let’s get you to bed

§2b/a to local authorities for local small-business decarbonisation

"cease development of new nuclear power stations, as nuclear energy is much more expensive and slower to develop than renewables. we are clear that nuclear is a distraction from developing renewable energy and the risk to nuclear power stations from extreme climate events is rising fast. nuclear power stations carry an unacceptable risk for the communities living close to facilities and create unmanageable quantities of radioactive waste. they are also inextricably linked with the production of nuclear weapons. green MPs will campaign to phase out existing nuclear power stations." because some people just can't let go of the seventies. nuclear is good. nuclear is our friend

invest in r&d to find solutions to decarbonise 'residual' carbon in the economy, such as HGVs or mobile machinery

increase unharvested woodland by 50% (no time frame given), grants to farmers for scrub rewilding, rewet Pete Boggs, make 30% of the EEZ protected waters and ban bottom trawling

§4b/a in skills training to stop gas communities getting Thatchered, prioritising shifting these workers into offshore wind

a.. licensing scheme for all pet animals? you guys sure about that one

regulate animal farming with a goal of banning factory farms, ban mass routine antibiotics, ban cages/close confinement and animal mutilation

ban all hunting including coursing and "game", ban snaring, ban hunt-landscaping such as grouse moors, end the badger cull, mandate licensing of all animal workers with lifetime striking off for cruelty convictions, compulsory hedgehog holes in new fencing, 'push' for 'ending' horse and dog racing [clarification needed], new criminal offences for stealing and harming pets, 'work towards' banning animal testing

🗳️DEMOCRACY

proportional representation for parliament and all councils

abolish voter ID

votes at sixteen

votes for all visa'd migrants

restore the electoral commission's prosecutory powers and remove the cap on fines it can impose on parties

increase Short Money, especially for smaller parties

create a manifest legal category of organisation for think tanks, to allow better enforcement of lobbying and funding restrictions

consider fun new measures for political accessibility such as MP jobsharing and allowing public provision of offices for all parliamentary candidates

🎲OTHER STUFF

Self-ID including nonbinary recognition, including with an X passport marker

"work towards rejoining the eu as soon as the domestic political situation is favourable", join the eea now (with restored free movement)

let local authorities invest shares in sports teams, including professional ones, dividends ringfenced for public sports facilities and coaching

right to die

[walkergirlsposts]

Ah yes, M&G anon, because it helps an actor's career when they tell America's most-watched television network No when asked to lead a television series. /s/

Frankly, I don't care what Jared's telling people in these M&G's (if that anon has any believability). Actors just don't turn down an opportunity like that in an industry that has an over 95% unemployment rate. It's simply not done. So, whatever lip-service Jared is selling at those, it's simply because he doesn't want to get people's hopes up or confirm anything that he contractually can't share (or won't share because it may not happen - because of CBS, not him).

That's why Misha was lying last year when he said he "turned down" an offer. Lol He's in no position to turn down any offer not with child support and alimony bleeding him dry. Not many actors turn down offers. With Jared it's more he doesn't like confirming what he's not allowed to share.

[dreaminginthedeepsouth]

Lincoln Project

* * * *

VP Harris challenges Trump on immigration

September 19, 2024

Robert B. Hubbell

On Wednesday, VP Kamala Harris spoke at the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute’s 47th Annual Leadership Conference in Washington, D.C. Harris took on Trump's nightmarish threat to deport millions of immigrants if he is elected.

Harris said,

While we fight to move our nation forward to a brighter future, Donald Trump and his extremist allies will keep trying to pull us backward. We all remember what they did to tear families apart, and now they have pledged to carry out the largest deportation, a mass deportation, in American history. Imagine what that would look like and what that would be? How’s that going to happen? Massive raids? Massive detention camps? What are they talking about?

Harris’s speech is here: Harris delivers remarks at Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute leadership event.

As VP Harris said, it is a dangerous fantasy to believe that Trump could deport ten million immigrants. An operation of that scale is beyond the resources of the federal and state governments combined. Although the effort would not succeed, it would lead to economic chaos as the labor pool is jolted by the sudden disappearance of workers who fill entry level service jobs, harvest America’s crops, provide home care for the elderly, and provide significant portions of the workforce in construction, hospitality, and manufacturing industries.

If you don’t have time to watch Harris’s entire speech, I recommend viewing the segment in which she frames reproductive rights as one of the freedoms guaranteed to Americans. She also notes that 40% of Latina women live in states with Trump abortion bans: Harris addresses impact of Trump abortion bans on Latina women.

VP Harris’s comments on abortion and reproductive freedom are powerful and moving. She continues to be an effective, focused campaigner who is sticking to the Democratic messaging of “freedom” and “an opportunity economy.”

As a reminder, Kamala Harris’s Opportunity Economy focuses on making the lives of middle-class Americans better. Her proposals include a $6,000 tax credit for families with newborns, expansion of the child tax credit, expansion of the earned income credit, a $50,000 deduction for new business owners, making rent affordable, incentivizing the construction of 3 million starter homes (as opposed to McMansions), subsidizing $25,000 of the down payment for first time homeowners, and reducing the cost of prescription drugs. See Issues - Kamala Harris for President: Official Campaign Website.

The Federal Reserve cuts interest rates by 0.5%

The Biden-Harris administration significantly reduced inflation levels while sustaining robust growth in the US GDP. As a result, the Federal Reserve announced today that it was cutting the prime interest rate by 0.5% and suggested that additional cuts would be forth coming. See Federal Reserve Board - Federal Reserve issues FOMC statement.

Even Trump admitted that “it was a big cut,” although he suggested the timing was political. In truth, the cut was overdue. The Fed waited too long to reduce rates. See Common Dreams, Fed 'Waited Too Long' But Finally Cut Interest Rates. As noted in the Common Dreams article,

Center for Economic and Policy Research senior economist Dean Baker also welcomed that the Fed is changing course, saying: "This is a belated recognition that the battle against inflation has been won. Contrary to the predictions of almost all economists, including those at the Fed, this victory was won without a major uptick in unemployment."

Kamala Harris and Joe Biden achieved the nearly impossible—avoiding a recession while taming inflation. They deserve great credit for doing so—and voters are starting to realize that fact. See Harris closes gap with Trump on the economy, new Pennsylvania poll shows | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette.

Per the Post-Gazette,

Pennsylvania voters no longer prefer former President Donald Trump over Vice President Kamala Harris on the economy in a poll that shows the Democratic presidential nominee all but erasing the deficit on which candidate can best handle the top issue for voters this fall. In a Quinnipiac University poll of likely Pennsylvania voters released Wednesday, Trump’s advantage over Ms. Harris was just 50% to 48%, a two-point advantage well within the survey’s margin of error of plus or minus 2.7 percentage points.

Harris continues to do everything just right. While there is no guarantee of success, we should be gratified that we have a candidate who is running such a terrific campaign!

Trump's effort to cram voter suppression bill through Congress fails

Trump ordered Speaker Mike Johnson to make a futile attempt to pass a continuing resolution for the budget that included the GOP voter-suppression bill that would require proof of citizenship to register as a voter. (Note that our nation has survived for 235 years without requiring proof of citizenship to register to vote.) The bill was doomed to fail—and Mike Johnson knew it. But Trump ordered him to jump and Johnson’s only question was, “How high, sir?”

See Roll Call, Johnson's stopgap funding package goes down to defeat.

To be clear, Trump wants to force the US into a financial crisis for political advantage. He said on Truth Social,

If Republicans don’t get the SAVE Act, and every ounce of it, they should not agree to a Continuing Resolution in any way, shape, or form.

But extremists in the GOP caucus know that Mike Johnson will cave. Per Marjorie Taylor Greene, “Johnson is leading a fake fight that he has no intention of actually fighting.”

Americans deserve better than a House GOP caucus willing to hold the budget hostage for Donald Trump.

Trump's desperation is showing

Trump is promising tax cuts like a man who can smell defeat. On Wednesday, he promised New Yorkers that he would remove caps on federal deductions for state and local taxes (SALT). Trump's position is absurd because he proposed and obtained the SALT caps as a way of punishing taxpayers in New York, New Jersey, and California (among other states). Now that he senses that he might lose, he is telling voters in those states that he will remove the caps he instituted.

Members of Congress immediately trashed the idea. Although capping the SALT deduction was unfair to taxpayers in states that fund their operations and pay into the federal coffers, reversing the policy would add $1.2 trillion dollars to the deficit. See HuffPost, Donald Trump’s Latest Tax Pander Flops In Congress.

Trump's flip-flop is a sign of his willingness to promise anything to anyone to be re-elected. Trump's desperation is a more reliable sign of the state of the race than the polls!

Wall Street Journal debunks JD Vance immigrant / cat story

The Wall Street Journal published an article on Wednesday that reported (a) the city manager of Springfield told JD Vance that there was no evidence to support the cat-eating immigrant story before JD Vance doubled-down on the false claim on social media, and (b) the woman who filed a police report claiming her cat had been taken by Haitians later found her cat hiding in the basement of her house.

See Wall Street Journal, How the Trump Campaign Ran With Rumors About Pet-Eating Migrants—After Being Told They Weren’t True (This article is accessible to all.)

Per the WSJ,

[Vance] asked point-blank, ‘Are the rumors true of pets being taken and eaten?’” recalled [Springfield City Manager] Heck. “I told him no. There was no verifiable evidence or reports to show this was true. I told them these claims were baseless.” By then, Vance had already posted about the rumors to his 1.9 million followers on X. Yet he kept the post up, and repeated an even more insistent version of the claim the next morning.

The WSJ article takes a deep dive into the situation in Springfield and is well worth your time to read the entire article. The WSJ reporters lay out in detail how Vance and Trump are exploiting an immigrant population that is helping Springfield to grow and prosper after decades of decline:

The local economy boomed. Business owners said they were grateful to have workers eager to work long shifts and do what it took to meet production goals. New subdivisions sprung up in the cornfields outside town. New restaurants opened. The Haitian flag flew at City Hall.

Growth came with growing pains. The number of non-native English speakers in the public schools quadrupled to more than 1,000 children. The local clinic and hospital were overwhelmed with people fleeing a country where healthcare had been scant. Traffic increased, as did frustration with drivers more accustomed with the chaotic streets of Port-au-Prince than the orderly grid of Springfield.

One thing is clear: Vance and Trump know the rumors have no basis in fact but continue to promote them—thereby hurting the people of Springfield. Trump claims he will visit Springfield—over the objections of the mayor and the Governor of Ohio (both Trump-supporting Republicans!). The fact that Republicans in Ohio understand the cynical dishonesty of Trump's propaganda is a good sign

[Robert B. Hubbell Newsletter]