#fire department software

[eprfireworks]

The Future of Fire RMS: Trends to Watch in 2025

Staying updated with emerging trends and technologies in fire safety is crucial for enhancing public safety, compliance, and operational efficiency. Recent developments highlight the integration of advanced technologies like AI-driven fire detection, IoT-enabled sensors, and cloud-based data management systems. These innovations improve real-time monitoring and response capabilities, ensuring quicker emergency interventions.

Additionally, evolving regulations emphasize the need for rigorous compliance and third-party testing. Organizations increasingly seek certified fire safety products and systems that meet higher standards, such as minimal smoke and droplet production during fires, to enhance occupant safety.

Collaboration within the fire safety sector is also growing. Partnerships between technology providers, fire departments, and safety organizations are driving research and the development of robust solutions. This collaborative approach not only addresses current challenges but also anticipates future needs in fire prevention and mitigation.

Key Trends in Fire RMS for 2025

The following key trends and advancements reflect the growing focus on leveraging technology to optimize fire department operations, enhance data-driven decision-making, and improve overall safety outcomes through fire department software.

Cloud-Based RMS Solutions

Cloud technology revolutionizes Fire RMS by offering scalable, cost-effective, and secure data storage and sharing solutions. These systems provide real-time access to critical data, enabling collaboration across departments and ensuring availability even during disasters. The adoption of cloud-based RMS is expected to grow as it reduces IT infrastructure costs while improving disaster recovery capabilities.​

AI-Driven Incident Analysis

Artificial intelligence (AI) transforms data analysis in fire departments by enabling predictive analytics and real-time decision-making. AI can identify patterns in incident data to forecast risks and optimize resource allocation. This trend enhances operational efficiency and contributes to proactive safety measures.​

Integration with IoT and Smart Technologies

Integrating Internet of Things (IoT) devices, such as smart sensors and connected infrastructure, enhances situational awareness in fire departments. IoT technologies provide real-time updates on equipment performance, environmental conditions, and incident locations, improving response accuracy and effectiveness.​

Focus on Cybersecurity

As digital fire department records management systems become more interconnected, protecting sensitive data from cyber threats is critical. Modern RMS solutions prioritize cybersecurity through advanced encryption, secure access controls, and compliance with stringent data protection regulations, ensuring the integrity of sensitive incident and personnel data.​

Mobile Accessibility

Mobile-friendly RMS platforms allow firefighters to access and update records directly from the field. This mobile functionality improves response times, minimizes redundant data entry, and enhances operational workflows. Features like voice-to-text capabilities streamline reporting, even in high-pressure situations.​

Integration of Advanced Data Analytics

Data analytics enables fire departments to gain deeper historical and real-time data insights. These tools help identify trends, optimize resource usage, and evaluate response strategies, ultimately leading to improved service delivery and public safety.​

Compliance with Emerging Standards and Regulations

With evolving public safety and data management standards, Fire RMS systems are being updated to ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations. Automated compliance tracking and reporting tools are becoming essential for meeting these requirements while minimizing administrative overhead.​

[Also read: Thinking of An Upgrade? Here’s Why You Should Update Your Fire Department RMS]

Challenges in Adopting New RMS Technologies 

Adopting new Records Management Systems (RMS) technologies presents several challenges, particularly for fire departments striving to modernize operations. Here are some challenges that you may come across. 

Cost Implications for Small and Mid-Sized Fire Departments

The upfront costs for purchasing and implementing modern RMS technology, such as cloud-based systems or AI-driven tools, can be prohibitive for smaller fire departments with limited budgets. This includes hardware upgrades, subscription fees, and long-term maintenance expenses. Departments often struggle to justify these expenditures against their operational priorities.​

Training and Onboarding Complexities

Introducing new technologies requires substantial training for firefighters and administrative staff, many of whom may not be familiar with advanced software systems. Onboarding can be time-intensive, requiring comprehensive resources to ensure staff are comfortable with the new system and its functionalities. Resistance to change among personnel can also hinder the smooth adoption.​

Ensuring Interoperability with Legacy Systems

Many fire departments still rely on older, legacy RMS platforms that may not integrate seamlessly with newer technologies. Transitioning to modern fireworks RMS systems involves addressing compatibility issues, migrating historical data, and maintaining operational continuity during the switch. Without proper planning, interoperability challenges can lead to fragmented workflows and inefficiencies.​

Mitigating these challenges requires strategic investments, phased rollouts, and partnerships with technology providers who offer scalable solutions, training support, and legacy system integration.

Recommendations for Fire Departments

These recommendations can guide fire departments in adopting fire department management software technologies effectively, minimizing risks, and maximizing operational benefits.

Prioritize Cybersecurity Measures for RMS

Cybersecurity must be a top priority with the increasing reliance on digital platforms. Fire departments should implement robust security protocols to protect sensitive data from breaches, including encryption, multi-factor authentication, and regular vulnerability assessments. Working with RMS providers who prioritize compliance with cybersecurity standards, like HIPAA or NIST frameworks, can further safeguard critical information​.

Invest in Scalable and Modular RMS Solutions

Choosing scalable systems allows departments to expand functionalities as needs evolve, ensuring longevity and cost-efficiency. Modular RMS platforms enable departments to customize features based on operational priorities, such as incident reporting, personnel management, or resource tracking. This flexibility is particularly valuable for departments of varying sizes and resource levels.​

Engage Stakeholders in Selecting and Customizing RMS Systems

Involving key personnel—including firefighters, administrative staff, and IT teams—in decision-making ensures the chosen RMS aligns with operational requirements and user needs. Stakeholder engagement fosters a sense of ownership, reduces resistance to change, and helps identify essential features and integrations for optimal functionality.​

Regular Training for Staff to Adapt to New Technologies

Comprehensive and ongoing training programs are critical for successful RMS implementation. These programs should include hands-on tutorials, workshops, and access to support resources. Regular refresher courses can help staff stay updated on new features or best practices, ensuring effective system use and reducing errors.​

Conclusion

Adopting cutting-edge fireworks fire reporting is no longer optional for modern fire departments—it’s essential for enhancing efficiency, improving safety, and ensuring data-driven decision-making. By investing in scalable, secure, and user-centric RMS platforms like those offered by EPR Fireworks, fire departments can seamlessly integrate advanced features such as AI-driven analytics, real-time data management, and IoT compatibility into their operations.

EPR Fireworks prioritizes innovation while addressing fire departments’ unique challenges, from cost constraints to interoperability with legacy systems. By choosing a robust RMS solution, departments can optimize resource management, streamline reporting, and focus on what matters most: protecting lives and property. We’re here to help, so if you’d like to schedule a demo of our fire RMS get in touch with us. 

[hirazuki]

Day 2! Lots of fun with Kimblee, a surprising amount of people were really excited to see him XD (it's also kind of funny that the building fire that happened next door occurred while I was wearing him >.>)

Met up with a bunch of homunculi for some photos and then hung out at a bar for more photos food; Envy and Greed had a little worm!Envy with them and it was SO CUTE 😭😭😭

And then went as Zenos to the Final Fantasy concert -- I've been to Distant Worlds several times, but this was my first time going to A New World; it was soooo beautiful. The musicians and the conductor were clearly enjoying themselves so much too, their arrangements were gorgeous and their ending piece was hilarious.

I'm so used to seeing FFVII dominating the cosplay scene at these things, but there were so many FFXIV cosplayers at this one! Everyone looked amazing; Fandaniel nearly leaping over the seats once he spotted me way in the back made my evening 😂

[romerona]

Ethera Operation!!

You're the government’s best hacker, but that doesn’t mean you were prepared to be thrown into a fighter jet.

Bradley "Rooster" Bradshaw x Awkward!Hacker! FemReader

Part I

This was never supposed to happen. Your role in this operation was simple—deliver the program, ensure it reached the right hands, and let the professionals handle the breaching.

And then, of course, reality decided to light that plan on fire.

The program—codenamed Ethera—was yours. You built it from scratch with encryption so advanced that even the most elite cyber operatives couldn’t crack it without your input. A next-generation adaptive, self-learning decryption software, an intrusion system designed to override and manipulate high-security military networks, Ethera was intended to be both a weapon and a shield, capable of infiltrating enemy systems while protecting your own from counterattacks in real-time. A ghost in the machine. A digital predator. A weapon in the form of pure code. If it fell into the wrong hands, it could disable fleets, and ground aircraft, and turn classified intelligence into an open book. Governments would kill for it. Nations could fall because of it.

Not that you ever meant to, of course. It started as a little experimental security measure program, something to protect high-level data from cyberattacks, not become the ultimate hacking tool. But innovation has a funny way of attracting the wrong kind of attention, and before you knew it, Ethera had become one, if not the most classified, high-risk program in modern times. Tier One asset or so the Secret Service called it.

It was too powerful, too dangerous—so secret that only a select few even knew of its existence, and even fewer could comprehend how it worked.

And therein lay the problem. You were the only person who could properly operate it.

Which was so unfair.

Because it wasn’t supposed to be your problem. You were just the creator, the brain behind the code, the one who spent way too many sleepless nights debugging this monstrosity. Your job was supposed to end at development. But no. Now, because of some bureaucratic nonsense and the fact that no one else could run it without accidentally bricking an entire system, you had been promoted—scratch that, forcibly conscripted—into field duty.

And your mission? To install it in an enemy satellite.

A literal, orbiting, high-security, military-grade satellite, may you add.

God. Why? Why was your country always at war with others? Why couldn’t world leaders just, you know, go to therapy like normal people? Why did everything have to escalate to international cyber warfare?

Which is how you ended up here.

At Top Gun. The last place in the world you wanted to be.

You weren’t built for this. You thrive in sipping coffee in a cosy little office and handling cyber threats from a safe, grounded location. You weren’t meant to be standing in the halls of an elite fighter pilot training program, surrounded by the best aviators in the world—people who thought breaking the sound barrier was a casual Wednesday.

It wasn’t the high-tech cyberwarfare department of the Pentagon, nor some dimly lit black ops facility where hackers in hoodies clacked away at keyboards. No. It was Top Gun. A place where pilots use G-forces like a personal amusement park ride.

You weren’t a soldier, you weren’t a spy, you got queasy in elevators, you got dizzy when you stood too fast, hell, you weren’t even good at keeping your phone screen from cracking.

... And now you were sweating.

You swallowed hard as Admiral Solomon "Warlock" Bates led you through the halls of the naval base, your heels clacking on the polished floors as you wiped your forehead. You're nervous, too damn nervous and this damned weather did not help.

"Relax, Miss," Warlock muttered in that calm, authoritative way of his. "They're just pilots."

Just pilots.

Right. And a nuclear warhead was just a firework.

And now, somehow, you were supposed to explain—loosely explain, because God help you, the full details were above even their clearance level—how Ethera, your elegant, lethal, unstoppable digital masterpiece, was about to be injected into an enemy satellite as part of a classified mission.

This was going to be a disaster.

You had barely made it through the doors of the briefing room when you felt it—every single eye in the room locking onto you.

It wasn’t just the number of them that got you, it was the intensity. These were Top Gun pilots, the best of the best, and they radiated the kind of confidence you could only dream of having. Meanwhile, you felt like a stray kitten wandering into a lion’s den.

Your hands tightened around the tablet clutched to your chest. It was your lifeline, holding every critical detail of Ethera, the program that had dragged you into this utterly ridiculous situation. If you could’ve melted into the walls, you absolutely would have. But there was no escaping this.

You just had to keep it together long enough to survive this briefing.

So, you inhaled deeply, squared your shoulders, and forced your heels forward, trying to project confidence—chin up, back straight, eyes locked onto Vice Admiral Beau "Cyclone" Simpson, who you’d been introduced to earlier that day.

And then, of course, you dropped the damn tablet.

Not a graceful drop. Not the kind of gentle slip where you could scoop it back up and act like nothing happened. No, this was a full-on, physics-defying fumble. The tablet flipped out of your arms, ricocheted off your knee, and skidded across the floor to the feet of one of the pilots.

Silence.

Pure, excruciating silence.

You didn’t even have the nerve to look up right away, too busy contemplating whether it was physically possible to disintegrate on command. But when you finally did glance up—because, you know, social convention demanded it—you were met with a sight that somehow made this entire disaster worse.

Because the person crouching down to pick up your poor, abused tablet was freaking hot.

Tall, broad-shouldered, with a head of golden curls that practically begged to be tousled by the wind, and, oh, yeah—a moustache that somehow worked way too well on him.

He turned the tablet over in his hands, inspecting it with an amused little smirk before handing it over to you. "You, uh… need this?"

Oh, great. His voice is hot too.

You grabbed it back, praying he couldn't see how your hands were shaking. “Nope. Just thought I’d test gravity real quick.”

A few chuckles rippled through the room, and his smirk deepened like he was enjoying this way too much. You, on the other hand, wanted to launch yourself into the sun.

With what little dignity you had left, you forced a quick, tight-lipped smile at him before turning on your heel and continuing forward, clutching your tablet like it was a life raft in the middle of the worst social shipwreck imaginable.

At the front of the room, Vice Admiral Beau Cyclone Simpson stood with the kind of posture that said he had zero time for nonsense, waiting for the room to settle. You barely had time to take a deep breath before his voice cut through the air.

“Alright, listen up.” His tone was crisp, commanding, and impossible to ignore. “This is Dr Y/N L/N. Everything she is about to tell you is highly classified. What you hear in this briefing does not leave this room. Understood?”

A chorus of nods. "Yes, sir."

You barely resisted the urge to physically cringe as every pilot in the room turned to stare at you—some with confusion, others with barely concealed amusement, and a few with the sharp assessing glances of people who had no clue what they were supposed to do with you.

You cleared your throat, squared your shoulders, and did your best to channel even an ounce of the confidence you usually had when you were coding at 3 AM in a secure, pilot-free lab—where the only judgment you faced was from coffee cups and the occasional system error.

As you reached the podium, you forced what you hoped was a composed smile. “Uh… hi, nice to meet you all.”

Solid. Real professional.

You glanced up just long enough to take in the mix of expressions in the room—some mildly interested, some unreadable, and one particular moustached pilot who still had the faintest trace of amusement on his face.

Nope. Not looking at him.

You exhaled slowly, centering yourself. Stay focused. Stay professional. You weren’t just here because of Ethera—you were Ethera. The only one who truly understood it. The only one who could execute this mission.

With another tap on your tablet, the slide shifted to a blacked-out, redacted briefing—only the necessary information was visible. A sleek 3D-rendered model of the enemy satellite appeared on the screen, rotating slowly. Most of its details were blurred or omitted entirely.

“This is Blackstar, a highly classified enemy satellite that has been operating in a low-Earth orbit over restricted airspace.” Your voice remained even, and steady, but the weight of what you were revealing sent a shiver down your spine. “Its existence has remained off the radar—literally and figuratively—until recently, when intelligence confirmed that it has been intercepting our encrypted communications, rerouting information, altering intelligence, and in some cases—fabricating entire communications.”

Someone exhaled sharply. Another shifted in their seat.

“So they’re feeding us bad intel?” one of them with big glasses and blonde hair asked, voice sceptical but sharp.

“That’s the theory,” you confirmed. “And given how quickly our ops have been compromised recently, it’s working.”

You tapped again, shifting to the next slide. The silent infiltration diagram appeared—an intricate web of glowing red lines showing Etherea’s integration process, slowly wrapping around the satellite’s systems like a virus embedding itself into a host.

“This is where Ethera comes in,” you said, shifting to a slide that displayed a cascading string of code, flickering across the screen. “Unlike traditional cyberweapons, Ethera doesn’t just break into a system. It integrates—restructuring security protocols as if it was always meant to be there. It’s undetectable, untraceable, and once inside, it grants us complete control of the Blackstar and won’t even register it as a breach.”

“So we’re not just hacking it," The only female pilot of the team said, arms crossed as she studied the data. “We’re hijacking it.”

“Exactly,” You nodded with a grin.

You switched to the next slide—a detailed radar map displaying the satellite’s location over international waters.

“This is the target area,” you continued after a deep breath. “It’s flying low-altitude reconnaissance patterns, which means it’s using ground relays for some of its communication. That gives us a small window to infiltrate and shut it down.”

The next slide appeared—a pair of unidentified fighter aircraft, patrolling the vicinity.

“And this is the problem,” you said grimly. “This satellite isn’t unguarded.”

A murmur rippled through the room as the pilots took in the fifth-generation stealth fighters displayed on the screen.

“We don’t know who they belong to,” you admitted. “What we do know is that they’re operating with highly classified tech—possibly experimental—and have been seen running defence patterns around the satellite’s flight path.”

Cyclone stepped forward then, arms crossed, his voice sharp and authoritative. “Which means your job is twofold. You will escort Dr L/N’s aircraft to the infiltration zone, ensuring Ethera is successfully deployed. If we are engaged, your priority remains protecting the package and ensuring a safe return.”

Oh, fantastic, you could not only feel your heartbeat in your toes, you were now officially the package.

You cleared your throat, tapping the screen again. Ethera’s interface expanded, displaying a cascade of sleek code.

“Once I’m in range,” you continued, “Ethera will lock onto the satellite’s frequency and begin infiltration. From that point, it’ll take approximately fifty-eight seconds to bypass security and assume control."

Silence settled over the room like a thick cloud, the weight of their stares pressing down on you. You could feel them analyzing, calculating, probably questioning who in their right mind thought putting you—a hacker, a tech specialist, someone whose idea of adrenaline was passing cars on the highway—into a fighter jet was a good idea.

Finally, one of the pilots—tall, broad-shouldered, blonde, and very clearly one of the cocky ones—tilted his head, arms crossed over his chest in a way that screamed too much confidence.

“So, let me get this straight.” His voice was smooth, and confident, with just the right amount of teasing. “You, Doctor—our very classified, very important tech specialist—have to be in the air, in a plane, during a mission that has a high probability of turning into a dogfight… just so you can press a button?”

Your stomach twisted at the mention of being airborne.

“Well…” You gulped, very much aware of how absolutely insane this sounded when put like that. “It’s… more than just that, but, yeah, essentially.”

A slow grin spread across his face, far too entertained by your predicament.

“Oh,” he drawled, “this is gonna be fun.”

Before you could fully process how much you already hated this, Cyclone—who had been watching the exchange with his signature unamused glare—stepped forward, cutting through the tension with his sharp, no-nonsense voice.

“This is a classified operation,” he stated, sharp and authoritative. “Not a joyride.”

The blonde’s smirk faded slightly as he straightened, and the rest of the pilots quickly fell in line.

Silence lingered for a moment longer before Vice Admiral Beau Cyclone Simpson let out a slow breath and straightened. His sharp gaze swept over the room before he nodded once.

“All right. That’s enough.” His tone was firm, the kind that left no room for argument. “We’ve got work to do. The mission will take place in a few weeks' time, once we’ve run full assessments, completed necessary preparations, and designated a lead for this operation.”

There was a slight shift in the room. Some of the pilots exchanged glances, the weight of the upcoming mission finally settling in. Others, mainly the cocky ones, looked as though they were already imagining themselves in the cockpit.

“Dismissed,” Cyclone finished.

The pilots stood, murmuring amongst themselves as they filed out of the room, the blonde one still wearing a smug grin as he passed you making you frown and turn away, your gaze then briefly met the eyes of the moustached pilot.

You hadn’t meant to look, but the moment your eyes connected, something flickered in his expression. Amusement? Curiosity? You weren’t sure, and frankly, you didn’t want to know.

So you did the only logical thing and immediately looked away and turned to gather your things. You needed to get out of here, to find some space to breathe before your brain short-circuited from stress—

“Doctor, Stay for a moment.”

You tightened your grip on your tablet and turned back to Cyclone, who was watching you with that unreadable, vaguely disapproving expression that all high-ranking officers seemed to have perfected. “Uh… yes, sir?”

Once the last pilot was out the door, Cyclone exhaled sharply and crossed his arms.

“You realize,” he said, “that you’re going to have to actually fly, correct?”

You swallowed. “I—well, technically, I’ll just be a passenger.”

His stare didn’t waver.

“Doctor,” he said, tone flat, “I’ve read your file. I know you requested to be driven here instead of taking a military transport plane. You also took a ferry across the bay instead of a helicopter. And I know that you chose to work remotely for three years to avoid getting on a plane.”

You felt heat rise to your cheeks. “That… could mean anything.”

“It means you do not like flying, am I correct?”

Your fingers tightened around the tablet as you tried to find a way—any way—out of this. “Sir, with all due respect, I don’t need to fly the plane. I just need to be in it long enough to deploy Ethera—”

Cyclone cut you off with a sharp look. “And what happens if something goes wrong, Doctor? If the aircraft takes damage? If you have to eject mid-flight? If you lose comms and have to rely on emergency protocols?”

You swallowed hard, your stomach twisting at the very thought of ejecting from a jet.

Cyclone sighed, rubbing his temple as if this entire conversation was giving him a migraine. “We cannot afford to have you panicking mid-mission. If this is going to work, you need to be prepared. That’s why, starting next week you will train with the pilots on aerial procedures and undergoing mandatory training in our flight simulation program.”

Your stomach dropped. “I—wait, what? That’s not necessary—”

“It’s absolutely necessary,” Cyclone cut in, his tone sharp. “If you can’t handle a simulated flight, you become a liability—not just to yourself, but to the pilots escorting you. And in case I need to remind you, Doctor, this mission is classified at the highest level. If you panic mid-air, it won’t just be your life at risk. It’ll be theirs. And it’ll be national security at stake.”

You inhaled sharply. No pressure. None at all.

Cyclone watched you for a moment before speaking again, his tone slightly softer but still firm. “You’re the only one who can do this, Doctor. That means you need to be ready.”

You exhaled slowly, pressing your lips together before nodding stiffly. “Understood, sir.”

Cyclone gave a small nod of approval. “Good. Dismissed.”

You turned and walked out, shoulders tense, fully aware that in three days' time, you were going to be strapped into a high-speed, fighter jet. And knowing your luck?

You were definitely going to puke.

Part 2???

[jellyfishsthings]

Family Chaos

navigation , dc navigation

WARNINGS: funny miscommunication (not really)

requests are open

dividers by @cafekitsune

It started with a tweet.

@GothamTeaSpill: “BREAKING: Dick Grayson spotted with mystery woman near Blüdhaven docks. 👀 Trouble in paradise?”

Steph saw it first. She gasped so loudly, she dropped her cereal spoon into her mug of tea. “OH MY GOD.”

Tim peered over her shoulder. “Wait, isn’t that Dick’s old patrol partner from like... two years ago?”

“EXACTLY,” she hissed. “That’s not HER. Which means—”

“Scandal,” Cass finished, appearing behind them like a ghost with excellent eyeliner.

Within ten minutes, the photo had been blown up, analyzed, run through facial recognition software, and fed into a group chat titled 💔 EMOTIONAL DAMAGE CHAT 💔.

Jason was the first to react. “If he cheated, I’m keying the Batmobile. His Batmobile.”

Damian, with all the fire of a boy betrayed: “I will strike him from my mental family tree.”

Dick walked into the kitchen, blinking sleepily and wearing your oversized robe. “Morning. Why is everyone staring at me like I ran over Alfred?”

Silence.

You strolled in behind him, still brushing your teeth, glanced at the phone being waved at you, and blinked.

“Oh, yeah. That’s Ivy. She used to work with his department. She’s married. Nice girl.” You shrugged and walked away.

Everyone blinked at you.

Tim  whispered “Why is she so calm?”

Jason answered “Denial. It’s the first stage.”

What they didn’t know—and what you absolutely were not going to tell them—was that Dick had already shown you the photo the night before. Ivy had waved him down to ask about security for her niece’s art gallery. You trusted him. 100%.

But the theatrics were just too juicy.

So, naturally, you grabbed your phone and typed into the group chat: “We need to talk.”

Pandemonium.

Phase One: Interrogation

Dick sat on the couch with a confused frown while the rest of the family assembled around him like a very emotional jury.

“Dick,” Steph said solemnly, “is there something you need to tell us?”

“Did I eat someone’s leftovers?”

Cass turned on a lamp dramatically.

Tim held up a whiteboard titled: Timeline of Lies.

Jason handed him a stress ball shaped like a broken heart.

“Wait,” Dick said slowly, “Is this... is this about that photo?”

Steph gasped. “So you admit there’s a photo?!”

“There’s a photo of me talking to someone, yeah. Her name is Ivy. She’s married. My angel has met her before. We literally helped her move last year.”

"The betrayal" Tim gasped from somewhere.

“I remember her,” you said sweetly from the corner. “She made lemon squares.”

Damian narrowed his eyes. “Then why the secrecy?”

“There was no secrecy!”

You sighed. Loudly. “It’s not like he’s ever done something to break my trust... until now.”

Dick’s head snapped toward you. “Babe?!”

You didn’t answer.

Cass handed you a blanket like it was a courtroom shawl of mourning.

Jason muttered, “Say the word and I’ll help you disappear him.”

You wiped a fake tear. “I just don’t know who I am dating anymore.”

Dick looked like he was rapidly losing his mind. “I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING.”

“Tell it to the group chat,” Tim said coldly.

Phase Two: Emotional Damage

Later that night, you found Dick sitting alone in the Batcave, holding the same photo.

“Are you mad at me?” he asked, miserable.

You sat beside him, took the photo, and gently kissed his cheek. “No, baby. I knew it was nothing the whole time.”

He turned to you, eyes wide. “Wait—what?”

You smiled. “I saw the photo last night. You told me. But they didn’t know that. And honestly, watching them stage an emotional intervention with a slideshow? Comedy gold.”

Dick buried his face in his hands. “You’re evil.”

“You love it.”

He sighed, then laughed. “Tim used the phrase ‘emotional infidelity arc.’”

You giggled. “Jason tried to teach me how to key your car.”

“Which one?”

“Alright it was the motorcycle.”

He gasped. “That’s even worst.”

You looped your arm through his. “Don’t worry. I’d never let them touch the Nightcycle.”

He beamed. “You do love me.”

Group Chat Fallout - Bonus Scene

Steph: “Wait. YOU KNEW?!”

Cass: “She played us like a fiddle.”

Jason: “I am somehow both furious and impressed.”

Tim: “Next time I’m running background checks.”

Damian: “You are all clowns.”

You sent one final message to the chat:

Plot twist: I’m the mastermind. 🃏

Dick added: And I’m the himbo.

Everyone agreed. Even Alfred.

[saywhat-politics]

"Unfortunately tossing a scarf over the GDP numbers doesn't change the fact that their policies have us careening toward a downturn."

All signs are pointing to a coming recession as U.S. President Donald Trump imposes tariffs on close trading partners, oversees mass firings of civil servants, and pushes for cuts to public services—but by firing economists, advisers, and other experts tasked with advising federal agencies on economic shifts, the administration is working to ensure that the government and the public can't read those signs.

As Politico reported Friday, experts serving on the Bureau of Labor Statistics' (BLS) Technical Advisory Committee were informed this week that they were no longer needed, leaving the BLS without a panel that has long advised the Labor Department on how economic changes can impact data collection.

A page for the committee was removed from the Labor Department's website, along with one that had information about the Data Users Advisory Committee, which has advised on how businesses and policymakers can use the agency's economic reports.

"It would be a bad sign for a software company to cancel all beta testing if you expect to keep making better software," Michael Madowitz, an economist at the Roosevelt Institute who served on the data users committee, told Politico. "This feels like the same sort of thing."

[tomorrowusa]

The MAGA-DOGE régime decided that the middle of hepatitis outbreak was a great time to close the CDC's Division of Viral Hepatitis.

After people started testing positive for hepatitis C in a coastal Florida town in December, state officials collected blood from patients, wrapped their specimens in dry ice and mailed them straight to the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta, Ga. The hepatitis C virus, which is spread through contact with infected blood and can lead to deadly liver cancer, is notoriously hard to identify. But if anyone could understand what was happening in Florida, it would be the Division of Viral Hepatitis in the CDC's headquarters. Using samples from the laboratory's collection of nearly 1 million frozen specimens, scientists helped make the initial discovery of the hepatitis C virus in the 1980s. In 2020, that research was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine.

Unlike Trump, the scientists at the lab knew what they were doing.

The scientists at the lab knew what they were doing. Quickly, they analyzed the blood from Florida using their custom software and found that nine cases were genetically linked to the same pain clinic, where it was later discovered that a doctor was improperly reusing injection vials. By March, officials in Florida had restricted the doctor's medical license to limit the spread of the virus and packaged new patient samples to send to the CDC for testing, CDC employees told NPR. But on April 1, the outbreak investigation was brought to a halt. All 27 of the lab's scientists received an email from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services informing them that they were losing their jobs. Like thousands of other employees who received similar emails that day, the scientists were told they would be placed on administrative leave until June 2, after which they would no longer work for the CDC. The email said their duties were "identified as either unnecessary or virtually identical to duties being performed elsewhere in the agency." But the kind of genetic tracing that the CDC's lab performs is not conducted by any other lab in the United States or the world, experts interviewed by NPR said. While the lab remains shuttered, ongoing investigations of current hepatitis outbreaks have been stalled, not just in Florida, but also in Oregon, Pennsylvania, Massachusetts, New Mexico, Wisconsin, West Virginia and Georgia, according to CDC employees who work closely with the Division of Viral Hepatitis. The five CDC employees NPR spoke with requested that their names not be shared for fear of retaliation.

For all anybody knows, the scientists may have been fired by Apartheid Elon's teen buddy Big Balls.

The Trump administration is making people sick and keeping them sick. And this is just the start.

[justforbooks]

Pentagon’s Pizza Index has accurately predicted 21 global crises since 1983

As tensions rise in the Middle East, a curious, crowd-driven theory known as the “Pentagon Pizza Index” has caught fire online.

On June 12 and 13, users on X (formerly Twitter) reported a sudden spike in pizza deliveries near the Pentagon and Department of Defense in Washington, D.C., sparking speculation that the United States may be quietly entering crisis mode behind closed doors.

The timing? Just hours before Israel reportedly struck targets in Iran in response to Tehran’s earlier drone and missile attacks. And once again, pizza orders were booming.

Cold war roots of the pizza theory. What began as a Soviet spy trick is now a digital-age meme

The idea isn’t new. During the Cold War, Soviet operatives observed pizza delivery activity in Washington, believing it signalled crisis preparation inside U.S. intelligence circles. They coined it “Pizzint” — short for pizza intelligence.

This tactic entered public lore on 1 August 1990, when Frank Meeks, a Domino’s franchisee in Washington, noticed a sudden surge in deliveries to CIA buildings. The next day, Iraq invaded Kuwait. Meeks later told the Los Angeles Times he saw a similar pattern in December 1998 during the impeachment hearings of President Bill Clinton.

As former CNN Pentagon correspondent Wolf Blitzer once joked in 1990, “Bottom line for journalists: Always monitor the pizzas.”

WWIII warning: What is the Pentagon Pizza Index today? A meme, an OSINT tool, or a symptom of digital-age paranoia?

The modern Pentagon Pizza Index is tracked through open-source intelligence (OSINT) tools. These include Google Maps, which shows real-time restaurant activity, and social media observations. Pages like @PenPizzaReport on X have dedicated themselves to watching for abnormal patterns.

On 1 June 2025, the account posted, “With less than an hour to go before closing time, the Domino’s closest to the Pentagon is experiencing unusually high footfall.”

A few hours later, reports emerged of a fresh escalation between Israel and Iran. For believers in the theory, it was yet another sign that something bigger was underway.

The April 2024 pizza spike. A recent example that reignited interest

The most notable recent instance occurred on 13 April 2024, the night Iran launched a massive drone and missile strike against Israel. That same evening, screenshots from delivery platforms showed pizzerias around the Pentagon, White House, and Department of Defense tagged as “busier than usual.”

Multiple Papa John’s and Domino’s branches reported increased orders. The correlation prompted viral memes and renewed interest in the theory.

According to Euro News, a user on X posted on 13 June 2025, “The Pentagon Pizza Index is hiking.”

Inside the logic: Why pizza? Food, fatigue and national security

The concept is deceptively simple. When military staff face a national emergency, they work longer shifts and can’t leave their posts. They need quick, filling food — and pizza fits the bill.

Studies in behavioural psychology show that under stress, people prefer calorie-dense, familiar comfort foods. During high-alert operations, officials may work 16–20 hour days. That creates a visible consumption spike that outsiders can track.

And because platforms like Google and Uber Eats share real-time data on restaurant activity, amateur analysts can monitor these patterns — no hacking required.

World War III: Pizza as a proxy for preparedness. It’s not perfect, but it’s consistent

The Pentagon Pizza Index isn’t a foolproof system. It could easily be triggered by something mundane: a long staff meeting, a software glitch, or a nearby college football game.

That’s why modern OSINT analysts often cross-reference pizza spikes with other indicators — like unusual aircraft movements, ride-hailing activity, or power usage near government buildings. When multiple signs align, it suggests more than coincidence.

As a senior analyst put it: “You can’t bank a war call on a pizza. But if the Pentagon’s burning the midnight oil and feeding everyone, it’s worth a second look.”

Official silence, public curiosity. What the US government says — and doesn’t say

Despite the chatter online, the US government has made no mention of pizza deliveries as indicators of crisis.

Responding to speculation about American involvement in Israel’s airstrikes on Iran, Republican Senator Marco Rubio said:

“We are not involved in strikes against Iran, and our top priority is protecting American forces in the region. Israel advised us that they believe this action was necessary for its self-defence.”

Still, the Pentagon’s silence on the pizza theory hasn’t stopped internet users from speculating.

Humour meets anxiety in the age of digital vigilance

In an age where open-source tools let ordinary people track the movement of jets, ships, and even pizzas, the Pentagon Pizza Index sits at the bizarre intersection of humour and fear. It turns snack food into a warning system.

It’s also a reminder: not all intelligence requires a badge. Sometimes, the clue might be just down the road — in a Domino’s queue.

Whether you see it as absurd or insightful, one thing is clear: when the pizzas fly, people pay attention.

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[mariacallous]

The damage the Trump administration has done to science in a few short months is both well documented and incalculable, but in recent days that assault has taken an alarming twist. Their latest project is not firing researchers or pulling funds—although there’s still plenty of that going on. It’s the inversion of science itself.

Here’s how it works. Three “dire wolves” are born in an undisclosed location in the continental United States, and the media goes wild. This is big news for Game of Thrones fans and anyone interested in “de-extinction,” the promise of bringing back long-vanished species.

There’s a lot to unpack here: Are these dire wolves really dire wolves? (They’re technically grey wolves with edited genes, so not everyone’s convinced.) Is this a publicity stunt or a watershed moment of discovery? If we’re staying in the Song of Ice and Fire universe, can we do ice dragons next?

All more or less reasonable reactions. And then there’s secretary of the interior Doug Burgum, a former software executive and investor now charged with managing public lands in the US. “The marvel of ‘de-extinction’ technology can help forge a future where populations are never at risk,” Burgum wrote in a post on X this week. “The revival of the Dire Wolf heralds the advent of a thrilling new era of scientific wonder, showcasing how the concept of ‘de-extinction’ can serve as a bedrock for modern species conservation.”

What Burgum is suggesting here is that the answer to 18,000 threatened species—as classified and tallied by the nonprofit International Union for Conservation of Nature—is that scientists can simply slice and dice their genes back together. It’s like playing Contra with the infinite lives code, but for the global ecosystem.

This logic is wrong, the argument is bad. More to the point, though, it’s the kind of upside-down takeaway that will be used not to advance conservation efforts but to repeal them. Oh, fracking may kill off the California condor? Here’s a mutant vulture as a make-good.

“Developing genetic technology cannot be viewed as the solution to human-caused extinction, especially not when this administration is seeking to actively destroy the habitats and legal protections imperiled species need,” said Mike Senatore, senior vice president of conservation programs at the nonprofit Defenders of Wildlife, in a statement. “What we are seeing is anti-wildlife, pro-business politicians vilify the Endangered Species Act and claim we can Frankenstein our way to the future.”

On Tuesday, Donald Trump put on a show of signing an executive order that promotes coal production in the United States. The EO explicitly cites the need to power data centers for artificial intelligence. Yes, AI is energy-intensive. They’ve got that right. Appropriate responses to that fact might include “can we make AI more energy-efficient?” or “Can we push AI companies to draw on renewable resources.” Instead, the Trump administration has decided that the linchpin technology of the future should be driven by the energy source of the past. You might as well push UPS to deliver exclusively by Clydesdale. Everything is twisted and nothing makes sense.

The nonsense jujitsu is absurd, but is it sincere? In some cases, it’s hard to say. In others it seems more likely that scientific illiteracy serves a cover for retribution. This week, the Commerce Department canceled federal support for three Princeton University initiatives focused on climate research. The stated reason, for one of those programs: “This cooperative agreement promotes exaggerated and implausible climate threats, contributing to a phenomenon known as ‘climate anxiety,’ which has increased significantly among America’s youth.”

Commerce Department, you’re so close! Climate anxiety among young people is definitely something to look out for. Telling them to close their eyes and stick their fingers in their ears while the world burns is probably not the best way to address it. If you think their climate stress is bad now, just wait until half of Miami is underwater.

There are two important pieces of broader context here. First is that Donald Trump does not believe in climate change, and therefore his administration proceeds as though it does not exist. Second is that Princeton University president Christopher Eisengruber had the audacity to suggest that the federal government not routinely shake down academic institutions under the guise of stopping antisemitism. Two weeks later, the Trump administration suspended dozens of research grants to Princeton totaling hundreds of millions of dollars. And now, “climate anxiety.”

This is all against the backdrop of a government whose leading health officials are Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Mehmet Oz, two men who, to varying degrees, have built their careers peddling unscientific malarky. The Trump administration has made clear that it will not stop at the destruction and degradation of scientific research in the United States. It will also misrepresent, misinterpret, and bastardize it to achieve distinctly unscientific ends.

Those dire wolves aren’t going to solve anything; they’re not going to be reintroduced to the wild, they’re not going to help thin out deer and elk populations.

But buried in the announcement was something that could make a difference. It turns out Colossal also cloned a number of red wolves—a species that is critically endangered but very much not extinct—with the goal of increasing genetic diversity among the population. It doesn’t resurrect a species that humanity has wiped out. It helps one survive.

[memingursa]

I don’t know if I’ve even seen this argument, but even by “running as a business” standards Elon Musk is absolutely fucking up. He doesn’t do any work as only a moron would do anything like this. This isn’t even getting into the “A country with its own GDP isn’t a business.” argument by the way, this is just running on that baseline argument.

Like, okay. I’m going to make a confession I’m not proud of.

I’m a business major with an IT background.

I personally literally have more experience than DOGE’s dumbass incel nazi teenagers.

I was pressured into the degree by my father/general pressures of capitalism. I didn’t care for it, but i did have work(currently unemployed). I’ve worked projects as a contractor basically, so this is actually me speaking from experience.

You know most businesses when making major to even minor IT/structural decisions take time to make sure nothing breaks, right?

A change in even fucking like, updating clocking in software potentially could take months depending on the size of the corporation. There is possibly going to be an impact to daily operations even over minor shit with details you might not even think of.

Most companies take time to make sure what might be impacted before even beginning to work on a plan/major changes to their structure, especially if it’s a larger corporation.

Like this isn’t some fucking “woke” thing this is just basic operational procedure so you don’t accidentally fuck up something important.

And again, with the business argument.

Do you even know how many moving parts there are to the American government? Like. So much. Infrastructure, energy, housing, employment, education, taxation, a shit ton more than that and each is for 50 states for a country of 300 million people. Even if you wanted to “make it efficient.” you would need to spend all these 4 years of hell just trying to get an impact survey done with every department so key infrastructure doesn’t collapse (and that’s probably generous)

It’s been a fucking month and Elon Musk just has been breaking and fucking everything he could.

You need to take time actually like, testing and even making sure you know what you are affecting. Somebody with a bit of project experience like myself, or anybody who does any actual work can tell you this.

Elon Musk did not and has not done any of the work, and either he just wants to crash the country’s economy to try and become emperor, or he actually thinks this is how buisnesses should be run.

However, a business shouldn’t be run like that, and much less a fucking country should not be run like this.

Planes are literally fucking crashing every other day now, People who were overseeing key nuclear sites were fired and can’t be reached, and I really could go on. If this country was a business its ceo would be fired with a vote for no confidence.

[eprfireworks]

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[misfitwashere]

April 11, 2025

HEATHER COX RICHARDSON

APR 12

READ IN APP

On April 4, Trump fired head of U.S. Cyber Command (CYBERCOM) and director of the National Security Agency (NSA) General Timothy Haugh, apparently on the recommendation of right-wing conspiracy theorist Laura Loomer, who is pitching her new opposition research firm to “vet” candidates for jobs in Trump’s administration.

Former secretary of the Air Force Frank Kendall wrote in Newsweek yesterday that the position Haugh held is “one of the most sensitive and powerful jobs in America.” Kendall writes that NSA and CYBERCOM oversee the world’s most sophisticated tools and techniques to penetrate computer systems, monitor communications around the globe, and, if national security requires it, attack those systems. U.S. law drastically curtails how those tools can be used in the U.S. and against American citizens and businesses. Will a Trump loyalist follow those laws? Kendall writes: “Every American should view this development with alarm.”

Just after 2:00 a.m. eastern time this morning, the Senate confirmed Retired Air Force Lieutenant General John Dan Caine, who goes by the nickname “Razin,” for chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff by a vote of 60–25. U.S. law requires the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff to have served as the vice chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the chief of staff of the Army, the chief of naval operations, the chief of staff of the Air Force, the commandant of the Marine Corps, or the commander of a unified or specified combatant command.

Although Caine has 34 years of military experience, he did not serve in any of the required positions. The law provides that the president can waive the requirement if “the President determines such action is necessary in the national interest,” and he has apparently done so for Caine. The politicization of the U.S. military by filling it with Trump loyalists is now, as Kendall writes, “indisputable.”

The politicization of data is also indisputable. Billionaire Elon Musk’s “Department of Government Efficiency” (DOGE) claims to be saving Americans money, but the Wall Street Journal reported today that effort has been largely a failure (despite today’s announcement of devastating cuts to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration that monitors our weather). But what DOGE is really doing is burrowing into Americans’ data.

The first people to be targeted by that data collection appear to be undocumented immigrants. Jason Koebler of 404 Media reported on Wednesday that Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) has been using a database that enables officials to search for people by filtering for “hundreds of different, highly specific categories,” including scars or tattoos, bankruptcy filings, Social Security number, hair color, and race. The system, called Investigative Case Management (ICM), was created by billionaire Peter Thiel’s software company Palantir, which in 2022 signed a $95.9 million contract with the government to develop ICM.

Three Trump officials told Sophia Cai of Politico that DOGE staffers embedded in agencies across the government are expanding government cooperation with immigration officials, using the information they’re gleaning from government databases to facilitate deportation. On Tuesday, DOGE software engineer Aram Moghaddassi sent the first 6,300 names of individuals whose temporary legal status had just been canceled. On the list, which Moghaddassi said covered those on “the terror watch list” or with “F.B.I. criminal records,” were eight minors, including one 13-year-old.

The Social Security Administration worked with the administration to get those people to “self-deport” by adding them to the agency's “death master file.” That file is supposed to track people whose death means they should no longer receive benefits. Adding to it people the administration wants to erase is “financial murder,” former SSA commissioner Martin O’Malley told Alexandra Berzon, Hamed Aleaziz, Nicholas Nehamas, Ryan Mac, and Tara Siegel Bernard of the New York Times. Those people will not be able to use credit cards or banks.

On Tuesday, Acting Internal Revenue Service (IRS) Commissioner Melanie Krause resigned after the IRS and the Department of Homeland Security agreed to share sensitive taxpayer data with immigration authorities. Undocumented immigrants pay billions in taxes, in part to demonstrate their commitment to citizenship, and the government has promised immigrants that it would not use that information for immigration enforcement. Until now, the IRS has protected sensitive taxpayer information.

Rene Marsh and Marshall Cohen of CNN note that “[m]ultiple senior career IRS officials refused to sign the data-sharing agreement with DHS,” which will enable HHS officials to ask the IRS for names and addresses of people they suspect are undocumented, “because of grave concerns about its legality.” Ultimately, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent signed the agreement with Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem.

Krause was only one of several senior career officials leaving the IRS, raising concerns among those staying that there is no longer a “defense against the potential unlawful use of taxpayer data by the Trump administration.”

Makena Kelly of Wired reported today that for the past three days, DOGE staffers have been working with representatives from Palantir and career engineers from the IRS in a giant “hackathon.” Their goal is to build a system that will be able to access all IRS records, including names, addresses, job data, and Social Security numbers, that can then be compared with data from other agencies.

But the administration’s attempt to automate deportation is riddled with errors. Last night the government sent threatening emails to U.S. citizens, green card holders, and even a Canadian (in Canada) terminating “your parole” and giving them seven days to leave the U.S. One Massachusetts-born immigration lawyer asked on social media: “Does anyone know if you can get Italian citizenship through great-grandparents?”

The government is not keen to correct its errors. On March 15 the government rendered to prison in El Salvador a legal U.S. resident, Kilmar Armando Abrego Garcia, whom the courts had ordered the U.S. not to send to El Salvador, where his life was in danger. The government has admitted that its arrest and rendition of Abrego Garcia happened because of “administrative error” but now claims—without evidence—that he is a member of the MS-13 gang and that his return to the U.S. would threaten the public. Abrego Garcia says he is not a gang member and notes that he has never been charged with a crime.

On April 4, U.S. District Court Judge Paula Xinis ordered the government to return Abrego Garcia to the U.S. no later than 11:59 pm on April 7. The administration appealed to the Supreme Court, which handed down a 9–0 decision yesterday, saying the government must “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s release, but asked the district court to clarify what it meant by “effectuate,” noting that it must give “due regard for the deference owed to the Executive Branch in the conduct of foreign affairs.”

The Supreme Court also ordered that “the Government should be prepared to share what it can concerning the steps it has taken and the prospect of further steps.”

Legal analyst Joyce White Vance explained what happened next. Judge Xinis ordered the government to file an update by 9:30 a.m. today explaining where Abrego Garcia is, what the government is doing to get him back, and what more it will do. She planned an in-person hearing at 1:00 p.m.

The administration made clear it did not intend to comply. It answered that the judge had not given them enough time to answer and suggested that it would delay over the Supreme Court’s instruction that Xinis must show deference to the president’s ability to conduct foreign affairs. Xinis gave the government until 11:30 and said she would still hold the hearing. The government submitted its filing at about 12:15, saying that Abrego Garcia is “in the custody of a foreign sovereign,” but at the 1:00 hearing, as Anna Bower of Lawfare reported, the lawyer representing the government, Drew Ensign, said he did not have information about where Abrego Garcia is and that the government had done nothing to get him back. Ensign said he might have answers by next Tuesday. Xinis says they will have to give an update tomorrow.

As Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor recently warned, if the administration can take noncitizens off the streets, render them to prison in another country, and then claim it is helpless to correct the error because the person is out of reach of U.S. jurisdiction, it could do the same thing to citizens. Indeed, both President Trump and White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt have proposed that very thing.

Tonight, Trump signed a memorandum to the secretaries of defense, interior, agriculture, and homeland security calling for a “Military Mission for Sealing the Southern Border of the United States and Repelling Invasions.” The memorandum creates a military buffer zone along the border so that any migrant crossing would be trespassing on a U.S. military base. This would allow active-duty soldiers to hold migrants until ICE agents take them.

By April 20, the secretaries of defense and homeland security are supposed to report to the president whether they think he should invoke the 1807 Insurrection Act to enable him to use the military to aid in mass deportations.

—

[crazycurly-77]

Like an old married couple - Chapter 1

From the beginning right from the very start you and Gibbs were bickering like an old married couple. 

Why? Nobody knows. At least of all you two, but that's just how it were. 

You saw each other and were immediately at each others throat. You clash like ice and fire and nobody had the courage to step between you. 

Originally you were an FBI trained pilot, but since the NCIS needed a helicopter, a plane and someone who is able to fly them NCIS Director Jenny Shepard and your now ex-boss Tobias Fornell arranged that you transfer to the NCIS under the authority of Jenny. 

Since you had not to fly all the time and you have a talent for IT you were taking care of the joint venture software of FBI and NCIS and especially you were taking care of the users and what they are able to see and to do within this software. 

So you were reporting to Jenny, but your desk on which you were working from now on was right next to Gibbs - only separated by a thin sound insulation. 

Around you there were a lot of co-workers, but due to your special job you only had to do with each other professionally when there were problems with the software. 

Working there were really good and the people around you were really nice - except one of them. 

First of all there was your new boss Jenny. She was the director of the Washington Department of the NCIS, red headed, in her forties, determined, but kind. 

It seemed that she had some kind of connection to the team leader Gibbs. 

Then there was Ducky the coroner - a real gentleman and very kind and his assistant Palmer was a nice person too, but his intended jokes not always were understood. 

You and Abby the forensic scientist clicked immediately with each other. She was a little bit crazy and a goth and opposite to that you loved neon colors, but you were a little bit crazy too and you shared a good laugh every time you were together. 

In the office there was Tim - a cute and nice probie special agent. He seemed to like food, had really good knowledge of computers, but was really shy. 

Ziva was short, but seemed to be a very tough agent. She was a really sweet one, stylish and had sometimes troubles in finding the correct wording since she came from overseas. 

Tony…yeah, Tony…he was a “very special agent” as he always described himself. He was very good looking, not as young as Tim and Ziva, but a womanizer and very nosy. He was second in command after the team leader Gibbs. 

Finally there was…HIM. Leroy Jethro Gibbs the team leader and ex-Marine who had his desk right next to yours. 

He was in his fifties and very easy on the eyes with his salt and pepper hair, large trained body and eyes of the iciest blue you have ever seen. Every inch of him screamed authority, but his smile was of that kind to had you melt in a puddle. 

On the other side he could walk very silently so he was standing undetected behind you when you didn't expect it. When his team didn't think straight like him and were rambling he head-slapped them. He seemed to catch everything which was said or done. 

He never spoke much least of all about personal things and he was never without his holy coffee. 

What complicated the things between you two was that he didn't like modern technology and since you were supporting the software with which they all were working you were his declared enemy. 

(To be continued...)

------------------------------------------

Here you will find the other chapters of this story

Back to the overview of this story

Back to the main Masterlist

Back to the alternative Masterlist

------------------------------------------

[darkmaga-returns]

Trump Delays 50 Per Cent EU Tariffs. It Wasn’t Biden’s White House. Merkel: Europe will be ‘destroyed’. Putin Escaped Ukraine Drone Assault. Is AI Going To Kill All Of Us? Contrails vs Chemtrails

Lioness of Judah Ministry

May 26, 2025

Trump Delays 50 Per Cent EU Tariffs After Request From Brussels for Time to Make Deal

U.S. President Donald J. Trump said Sunday evening that he has agreed to delay additional tariffs on the European Union after receiving a call from EU chief Ursula von der Leyen requesting an extension to come to a trade deal.

After President Trump branded the EU “very difficult to deal with” and warned that due to its intransigence, it could face a potential 50 per cent tariff by June 1st, Brussels appears willing to negotiate. Taking to Truth Social on Sunday, the president said: “I received a call today from Ursula von der Leyen, President of the European Commission, requesting an extension on the June 1st deadline on the 50% Tariff with respect to Trade and the European Union.

GOP Senator Ron Johnson Says He Has The Votes to Stop The One Big Beautiful Bill (VIDEO)

President Trump’s One Big Beautiful Bill could face significant hurdles in the Senate after barely passing in the House last week, as GOP Senator Ron Johnson (R-WI) says he has the votes to stop the bill.

As The Gateway Pundit reported, the House passed the budget reconciliation bill by only one vote on Thursday after months of debate. President Trump has said he needs the budget reconciliation bill to pass in order to cut taxes for the working class, fund his secure border and mass deportation agenda, and follow through on creating the “Golden Age of America.” On Tuesday, President Trump delivered remarks to House Republicans on Capitol Hill, where he reportedly asked lawmakers to stop haggling over the bill and move it forward to his desk.

Supreme Court Temporarily Shields DOGE From Freedom Of Information Requests

The block will remain in effect for the time being, Chief Justice John Roberts ruled.

The Supreme Court on May 23 temporarily blocked lower court orders requiring the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) to respond to freedom of information requests in a pending lawsuit. President Donald Trump issued Executive Order 14158 on Jan. 20, implementing DOGE, an advisory body that recommends cost-cutting measures for federal agencies. The executive order directed the entity to “implement the President’s DOGE Agenda, by modernizing Federal technology and software to maximize governmental efficiency and productivity.” Chief Justice John Roberts issued what’s called an administrative stay that puts lower court orders on hold while the justices consider how to handle the case. Roberts did not provide reasons for his decision.

EPA Looks To Remove Biden-Era Carbon Limits From Coal & Gas-Fired Power-Plants

The 2024 regulation would have required steep emissions cuts from coal and gas plants using carbon capture technology...

An EPA spokesperson told The Epoch Times that the agency has been reconsidering the Biden administration’s power plant emissions regulations, commonly referred to as “Clean Power Plan 2.0,” since March. The Biden-era Clean Power Plan marks the third major attempt by the EPA to regulate greenhouse gas emissions from power plants. It follows the Obama administration’s original Clean Power Plan, which required power plants to shift toward lower-carbon sources of electricity.

[azsazz]

Hiii 👋 just wanted to say I adore your writing ☺️ I always get so happy when I see you’ve written something new 😁

I was curious to ask, what are some of your favourite modern AU jobs/roles for the bat boys (whether you’ve written about them or not)? Or just any ACOTAR characters?

CEO Rhys has been done a lot, but for good reason, it’s so perfect. He almost has to be effortlessly rich and/or in some position of power, like a prince, or a mafia boss.💰 I also kinda like to imagine him as a nepo baby set to take over his father’s company, but he breaks away or gets cut off, so with his very little actual job experience (as he was all set to inherit), he gets a barista job at a lil coffee shop. ☕️

Cass would definitely suit something physical, like an ice hockey player, or a firefighter, or a personal trainer. I could so see him being a gym teacher as well, imagine him coaching a kids ice hockey team. 💪🏽 He would SO volunteer to be a nude model in life drawing classes in his free time 😆 Though I hadn’t considered it before I read your stuff, I think he really fits a small town rancher too. I can so picture him in jeans, boots, and a flannel shirt, driving around in an old rusty faded red truck 👨‍🌾

Az could easily be in the FBI or something, but choosing something further away from his canon role, I seriously think he’d be an awkward computer programmer / software engineer nerd, or a twitch gamer, 👨🏻‍💻 with a secret anonymous OnlyFans or erotic audio patreon on the side. 😏 And I reckon he’d ride a motorcycle and tinker with it in his spare time, so might also enjoy working at a garage. 🏍️ I really love him in Midnight Muse, and think he suits a shy amateur artist / tattoo artist as well.

I also love the bat boy band idea I’ve seen a lot recently, where Rhys is the charismatic lead singer and guitarist, Az is the quiet songwriting bassist, and Cass is the energetic drummer. 🎶

Sorry it’s so long, I just love thinking about this stuff 😄

Hiiii!! Thank you so so much! I saw this message this morning but wanted to wait until I could give it my full attention and have my computer around, so thank you for your patience! 💙

Okay, some of my favorite AUs for the batboys? This is a wonderful question!

Rhys: Normally, I just think of Rhys as always having some sort of money/job inherited. So CEO, mafia, anything that puts him in a position of power, really, but i think it's mostly because those just reflect the books.

I do, however, love love love art school rhys. painter rhys. working at the local art supply degenerate rhys who still has wealthy parents but is trying to stick it to the man rhys. steals erasers and petty things from the art supply rhys. love him so much.

There's also something to be said about young adult rhys who's messing around with his little sister's best friend rhys. he gets me going too.

also captain of the hockey team rhys is a solid choice for him as well.

Cass: LOVE ME SOME RANCHER/COWBOY/SMALL TOWN CASSIAN. but, these are all very different. small town cass doesn't trust women, heart broken at a young age with the girl he thought was his forever. doesn't want to leave town, likes the ranch because its safe and its what he knows. cowboy cass or bull rider cassian, famous for breaking horses and backs. grumpy, gruff rancher cassian always gets me going tbh he's fucking hot as shit

i also always see him in a blue collar role like a mechanic or welder are the two i mostly attribute to him.

def something physical as well, we love hockey cass, rugby cass, wrestler (wwe lol) cass, dang i had another on my mind for sports cass but i forgot. sad. OH surfer cassian. jock type tho i can see him as. love the firefighter vibe for him too, he'd fill out the tight fire department t-shirt WELL LADIES and also volunteers for wet t-shirt contests. omg gym teach cass would be adorable as hell! oof another thought, contractor cassian ffs that would be so yummy

Az: Az i agree fits the FBI (stalker) vibes. i also like to think of him in finance or computer science too. omfg the erotic audio that's iconic and i'd def subscribe to that. hmmm what else could i see azzy doing...maybe something with music or writing...i could see him being a ghost writer of some sort and then one day his song plays on the radio and he's like hey i wrote that and literally no one believes him. something behind the scenes or where he can go unnoticed is mostly where i place him, tbh. honestly maybe even something military because he takes comfort in having a set schedule and people telling him what to do at every minute of the day. he'd fare well i think. perfect. operative because if the mission goes south and he gets captured he's not telling a soul anything.

Eris: idk why this thought came to my head but i was thinking about architecture but i think eris would be a fantastic interior designer lol. like i could see it. maybe i was just thinking about him furnishing az's new place and having a lil sparky. i could also see him as a lawyer too or something like that, something where he can be the know-it-all, smirking at them and looking down his nose at them...

Lucien: Architecture for sure. or professor. I could see him doing either of these. maybe even lawyer tbh, he would be good at that too, though i know he's immaculate at twisting stories and words so you gotta be careful of that.

Tamlin: poet? lol. professional gaslighter? jk i love tammy. maybe he installs security systems? haha just kidding just kidding. he's a tough one tho. idk why i added him but i guess also a musician but low-key soothing music, instrumental for sure...prob has a podcast where he just bullshits all day

hopefully i didn't rant for too long about this 🤭💙 this was so much fun though thank you for asking!

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk’s so-called Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) operates on a core underlying assumption: The United States should be run like a startup. So far, that has mostly meant chaotic firings and an eagerness to steamroll regulations. But no pitch deck in 2025 is complete without an overdose of artificial intelligence, and DOGE is no different.

AI itself doesn’t reflexively deserve pitchforks. It has genuine uses and can create genuine efficiencies. It is not inherently untoward to introduce AI into a workflow, especially if you’re aware of and able to manage around its limitations. It’s not clear, though, that DOGE has embraced any of that nuance. If you have a hammer, everything looks like a nail; if you have the most access to the most sensitive data in the country, everything looks like an input.

Wherever DOGE has gone, AI has been in tow. Given the opacity of the organization, a lot remains unknown about how exactly it’s being used and where. But two revelations this week show just how extensive—and potentially misguided—DOGE’s AI aspirations are.

At the Department of Housing and Urban Development, a college undergrad has been tasked with using AI to find where HUD regulations may go beyond the strictest interpretation of underlying laws. (Agencies have traditionally had broad interpretive authority when legislation is vague, although the Supreme Court recently shifted that power to the judicial branch.) This is a task that actually makes some sense for AI, which can synthesize information from large documents far faster than a human could. There’s some risk of hallucination—more specifically, of the model spitting out citations that do not in fact exist—but a human needs to approve these recommendations regardless. This is, on one level, what generative AI is actually pretty good at right now: doing tedious work in a systematic way.

There’s something pernicious, though, in asking an AI model to help dismantle the administrative state. (Beyond the fact of it; your mileage will vary there depending on whether you think low-income housing is a societal good or you’re more of a Not in Any Backyard type.) AI doesn’t actually “know” anything about regulations or whether or not they comport with the strictest possible reading of statutes, something that even highly experienced lawyers will disagree on. It needs to be fed a prompt detailing what to look for, which means you can not only work the refs but write the rulebook for them. It is also exceptionally eager to please, to the point that it will confidently make stuff up rather than decline to respond.

If nothing else, it’s the shortest path to a maximalist gutting of a major agency’s authority, with the chance of scattered bullshit thrown in for good measure.

At least it’s an understandable use case. The same can’t be said for another AI effort associated with DOGE. As WIRED reported Friday, an early DOGE recruiter is once again looking for engineers, this time to “design benchmarks and deploy AI agents across live workflows in federal agencies.” His aim is to eliminate tens of thousands of government positions, replacing them with agentic AI and “freeing up” workers for ostensibly “higher impact” duties.

Here the issue is more clear-cut, even if you think the government should by and large be operated by robots. AI agents are still in the early stages; they’re not nearly cut out for this. They may not ever be. It’s like asking a toddler to operate heavy machinery.

DOGE didn’t introduce AI to the US government. In some cases, it has accelerated or revived AI programs that predate it. The General Services Administration had already been working on an internal chatbot for months; DOGE just put the deployment timeline on ludicrous speed. The Defense Department designed software to help automate reductions-in-force decades ago; DOGE engineers have updated AutoRIF for their own ends. (The Social Security Administration has recently introduced a pre-DOGE chatbot as well, which is worth a mention here if only to refer you to the regrettable training video.)

Even those preexisting projects, though, speak to the concerns around DOGE’s use of AI. The problem isn’t artificial intelligence in and of itself. It’s the full-throttle deployment in contexts where mistakes can have devastating consequences. It’s the lack of clarity around what data is being fed where and with what safeguards.

AI is neither a bogeyman nor a panacea. It’s good at some things and bad at others. But DOGE is using it as an imperfect means to destructive ends. It’s prompting its way toward a hollowed-out US government, essential functions of which will almost inevitably have to be assumed by—surprise!—connected Silicon Valley contractors.