#low-cost document sharing

[eshare]

Say goodbye to expensive, complicated file-sharing tools. eShare.ai offers a smart, secure, and pocket-friendly file management app that’s built for individuals, teams, and businesses on the go. Share, store, and manage your files anytime, anywhere—without breaking the bank.

[batboyblog]

Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #39

October 18-25 2024.

President Biden issued the first presidential apology on behalf of the federal government to America's Native American population for the Indian boarding school policy. For 150 years the federal government operated a system of schools which aimed to destroy Native culture through the forced assimilation of native children. At these schools students faced physical, emotional, and sexual abuse, and close to 1,000 died. The Biden-Harris Administration has been historic for Native and Tribal rights. From the appointment of the first ever Native American cabinet member, Secretary of the Interior Deb Haaland, to the investment of $46 billion dollars on tribal land, to 200 new co-stewardship agreements. The last 4 years have seen a historic investment in and expansion of tribal rights.

The Biden-Harris Administration proposed a new rule which would make contraceptive medication (the pill) free over the counter with most Insurance. The new rule would ban cost sharing for contraception products, including the pill, condoms, and emergency contraception. On top of over the counter medications, the new rule will also strength protections for prescribed contraception without cost sharing as well.

The EPA announced its finalized rule strengthening standards for lead paint dust in pre-1978 housing and child care facilities. There is no safe level of exposure to lead particularly for children who can suffer long term developmental consequences from lead exposure. The new standards set the lowest level of lead particle that can be identified by a lab as the standard for lead abatement. It's estimated 31 million homes built before the ban on lead paint in 1978 have lead paint and 3.8 million of those have one or more children under the age of 6. The new rule will mean 1.2 million fewer people, including over 300,000 children will not be exposed to lead particles every year. This comes after the Biden-Harris Administration announced its goal to remove and replace all lead pipes in America by the end of the decade.

The Department of Transportation announced a $50 million dollar fine against American Airlines for its treatment of disabled passengers and their wheelchairs. The fine stems from a number of incidences of humiliating and unfair treatment of passages between 2019 and 2023, as well as video documented evidence of mishandling wheelchairs and damaging them. Half the fine will go to replacing such damaged wheelchairs. The Biden administration has leveled a historic number of fines against the airlines ($225 million) for their failures. It also published a Airline Passengers with Disabilities Bill of Rights, passed a new rule accessible lavatories on aircraft, and is working on a rule to require airlines to replace lost or damaged wheelchairs with equal equipment at once.

The Department of Energy announced $430 million dollars to help boost domestic clean energy manufacturing in former coal communities. This invests in projects in 15 different communities, in places like Texas, West Virginia, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Michigan. The plan will bring about 1,900 new jobs in communities struggling with the loss of coal. Projects include making insulation out of recycled cardboard, low carbon cement production, and industrial fiber hemp processing.

The Department of Transportation announced $4.2 billion in new infrastructure investment. The money will go to 44 projects across the country. For example the MBTA will get $400 million to replace the 92 year old Draw 1 bridge and renovate North Station.

The Department of Transportation announced nearly $200 million to replace aging natural gas pipes. Leaking gas lines represent a serious public health risk and also cost costumers. Planned replacements in Georgia and North Carolina for example will save the average costumer there over $900 on their gas bill a year. Replacing leaking lines will also remove 1,000 metric tons of methane pollution, annually.

The Department of the Interior announced $244 million to address legacy pollution in Pennsylvania coal country. This comes on top of $400 million invested earlier this year. This investment will help close dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining.

Data shows that President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act (passed with Vice-President Harris' tie breaking vote) has saved seniors $1 billion dollars on out-of-pocket drug costs. Seniors with certain high priced drugs saw their yearly out of pocket costs capped at $3,500 for 2024. In 2024 all seniors using Medicare Part D will see their out of pocket costs capped at $2,000 for the year. It's estimated if the $2,000 cap had been in effect this year 4.6 million seniors would have hit it by June and not have had to pay any more for medication for the rest of the year.

The Department of Education announced a new proposed rule to bring student debt relief for 8 million struggling borrowers. The Biden-Harris Administration has managed despite road blocks from Republicans in Congress, the courts and law suits from Republican states to bring student loan forgiveness to 5 million Americans so far through different programs. This latest rule would take into account many financial hardships faced by people to determine if they qualify to have their student loans forgiven. The final rule cannot be finalized before 2025 meaning its fate will be decided at the election.

The Department of Agriculture announced $1.5 billion in 92 partner-driven conservation projects. These projects aim at making farming more susceptible and environmental friendly, 16 projects are about water conservation in the West, 6 support use of innovative technologies to reduce enteric methane emissions in livestock. $100 million has been earmarked for Tribal-led projects.

[chibistarlyte]

i was notified by my SIL that denver was added to the mass deportation raid list, so i wanted to share information in case anyone needs to know what to do if they're targeted, no matter what city (images first, followed by text)

.

I am sending this message to everyone. Please forward to anyone you know who may need to know about these rights and resources as Denver was just added to the deportation raid list.

You DO NOT need to open your door.

You DO NOT need to let them into your home.

You DO NOT need to speak to agents.

You DO NOT need to sign absolutely anything.

Even if you are not a citizen, you have rights under the constitution. These include the right to be silent and the right to not have unlawful search. Even if you believe your rights are being violated, don't resist. It won't help.

Be prepared. Do the following:

1. If an officer knocks on your door: Do not open the door. Teach your children not to open the door. Officers must have a warrant signed by a judge to enter your home. ICE “warrants” are not signed by judges; they are ICE forms signed by ICE officers and they do not grant authority to enter a home without consent of the occupant. If you are unsure if a warrant is signed by a judge, do not open your door. Do not let them in.

2. If they do take you, do not lie about your status. Dont say anything. Find lawyers in your area. Don't call unless you need to. Those with lawyers are significantly more likely to not be deported. You can find low cost nonprofits here: https://www.immigrationadvocates.org/legaldirectory/

3. Create a safety plan. Know your emergency contact numbers. If you have children, let the school know who else can pick up your children if needed. Provide authorization in writing to an emergency contact allowing them to make legal and medical decisions for your child.

4. Emergency documents. Gather documents showing the length of time you have been in the United States; the most recent two years are most important. This can include U.S. income tax returns, utility bills, leases, school records, medical records, bank records, or other documents. Make sure your emergency contact knows where to find your documents.

5. Print a red card or find places that are giving them out. They are printed in multiple languages and outline your rights. You can present them or show them through your window to any ICE agent who may approach you. DO NOT OPEN YOUR DOOR TO GIVE IT TO THEM.

https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas

[crowlore]

hey! you! music enjoyer!

now, while i've got you, please help to circulate this fundraiser!

i've shared ahmed's fundraiser on my blog before, and this campaign is thoroughly documented. you can find it linked on line 163 of el-shab-hussein and nabulsi's spreadsheet, line 79 of the butterflyeffect project spreadsheet, and listed as family #76 featured by paliliberation. funds remain low nearly 2 months after my first sharing his fundraiser, sitting at only £9,860 of the £81,000 goal.

@ahmedkhabil needs help to provide for himself, his parents, his wife, and their two children until they can evacuate to egypt. his father is terribly injured and their child is sick. they need far better medical treatment than is currently available in gaza, as the cost of medicine continues to rise. the campaign has just been updated today (october 5th) with this photo, describing the ever increasing cost of food:

please, even if you cannot donate, reblog this post!

[noorpersona]

Rivals: Kuroo Pt. 4

The rest of the workday passed in an absolute blur, but not because you were particularly busy. No, it was because your entire being was consumed by the pure, unfiltered rage left in the wake of that damned meeting.

The audacity. The unbelievable audacity of that man.

Every email you typed was just aggressive. Every signature you scribbled onto a document felt like a personal vendetta. Your coworkers—bless them—had learned long ago when not to disturb you, and today? Today was one of those days. The office air vibrated with your irritation. It was a miracle your laptop hadn’t combusted from how hard you were typing.

It didn’t help that Kuroo had been radio silent since the meeting. No smug texts. No emails with thinly veiled condescension. Not even his usual passive-aggressive ‘let’s be efficient about this’ notes on shared documents. And somehow, that just made it worse. If he had been obnoxious, you could’ve snapped back, directed your anger somewhere productive. But this? This was infuriating.

And yet, despite your bubbling fury, before you knew it, the workday had ended. Your inbox was miraculously empty, your desk was cleared, and as far as you were concerned, you were free.

Or so you thought.

Just as you were reaching for your bag, he appeared.

“Ready to go?”

You turned, staring in sheer disbelief at the sight of Kuroo standing in your doorway, hands shoved into his pockets, looking far too pleased with himself.

“You’re joking.”

His smirk widened. “Nope. Let’s go, partner.”

You scoffed, grabbing your bag and slinging it over your shoulder. “I would rather stick forks in my eyes.”

Kuroo let out a low chuckle, completely unfazed. “Dramatic as ever, I see.” He stepped inside, crowding your space, forcing you to tilt your head up to meet his gaze. “Well, in that case, I’ll have to enjoy this nice, expensive meal all by myself.”

You blinked. “What?”

He pulled a sleek, black company card from his pocket, waving it slightly between two fingers. “Boss was so impressed by our initiative that he gave us the company card. Told us to ‘treat ourselves for all the hard work.’” His voice dipped into a mocking imitation of your boss’s tone, clearly enjoying your irritation.

You glared at the card, then at him. “Congratulations. Enjoy your dinner.”

You turned, fully intending to walk past him and go straight home, but the bastard was faster.

“I dunno…” he drawled, stepping in front of you. “Wouldn’t it be a shame to let all that corporate money go to waste? I mean, fancy restaurant, high-end menu, and best of all—” his grin widened “—you don’t have to pay a single yen.”

You exhaled sharply, crossing your arms. “Kuroo, I am not—”

“Think about it.” He leaned in slightly, lowering his voice, that damn velvety persuasion dripping from his words. “A fancy meal. A good meal. The kind you never let yourself splurge on. No cost, no strings attached. Just food.” He tilted his head, golden eyes glinting with amusement. “You’d be an idiot to turn it down.”

You hated that he made a good point. You hated that he knew he made a good point.

Your stomach growled, betraying you.

Kuroo’s smirk stretched into full-blown victory.

You sighed through your teeth, pinching the bridge of your nose. “Fine. But I am not staying for long.”

“See? That wasn’t so hard.”

You rolled your eyes so hard you nearly saw another dimension.

The restaurant was ridiculously fancy. The kind with dim lighting, heavy linen napkins, and wine lists thicker than a legal textbook. It was the kind of place you’d never go to under normal circumstances, but if you had to be here? At least work was paying for it.

The second you stepped inside, the ambience suffocated you. Everything was polished, designed to exude luxury—from the gold-rimmed glasses to the pristine white tablecloths. The waitstaff moved with precision, their uniforms crisp, their smiles just polite enough to suggest they were paid too well to care about your personal drama.

Kuroo, of course, fit right in. The bastard looked completely at home as he strolled toward your reserved table, the picture of ease as he pulled out your chair with a flourish. You gave him an unimpressed look but sat down anyway, because if you were already suffering through this, you might as well be comfortable.

The waiter appeared moments later. “Can I start you both off with a drink?”

Kuroo leaned back, looking completely at home in the upscale atmosphere. “Yeah, I’ll have—”

“No.”

Both Kuroo and the waiter turned to you, surprised at the sharp finality in your voice.

You gave the waiter a tight-lipped smile. “No, thank you.” The waiter’s eyes flickered between the two of you, clearly sensing the undercurrent of tension thickening the air. His polite smile faltered for a second, as if debating whether he should pretend not to notice or awkwardly excuse himself from whatever this was. Ultimately, he chose the professional route, nodding swiftly before glancing at Kuroo for his decision.

Kuroo raised a brow, clearly amused. “Come on, one drink won’t kill you.”

Your jaw clenched. “I think I’ve had enough of that mistake.”

The words hung heavy between you, and Kuroo—damn him—grinned like he was reliving every second of that so-called mistake.

His gaze flicked over you, lingering for just a second too long, his smirk deepening. He knew exactly what you were referring to, and he was enjoying this far too much.

You snapped your menu shut, leveling him with a glare.

Kuroo hummed, clearly unconvinced, his smirk deepening as he drummed his fingers lazily against the table. “If that were true, you wouldn’t be so riled up right now.”

You exhaled sharply, narrowing your eyes at him. “I’m riled up because you’re insufferable.”

His chuckle was low, entirely too pleased with itself. “Sure, sweetheart. Keep telling yourself that.”

Just as you were about to fire back, the waiter returned, holding his notepad expectantly. “Are you ready to order?”

You snapped your head toward him, jaw clenched, fighting the urge to scream. Instead, you forced yourself to inhale deeply, gripping your napkin so tightly that it nearly ripped in your fist.

Then, without another word, you tossed it onto the table. “I’m done.”

Kuroo barely had time to react before you pushed back your chair and stood, your movements sharp, decisive.

“Miss—” the waiter started, but you weren’t interested. You turned on your heel, heading straight for the exit, determined to remove yourself from this disaster before you did something truly regrettable—like let Kuroo see just how much he actually got under your skin.

The cool night air hit your face the second you stepped outside, but it did little to soothe the irritation bubbling beneath your skin. You took brisk steps down the pavement, your heels clicking against the sidewalk, your mind racing with all the ways you wanted to strangle Kuroo Tetsurou.

And then, right on cue—

“Oi, wait up.”

You ignored him.

He called out your first name.

You froze. It wasn’t just the way he said your name—it was the fact that he had even said it at all. He never called you by your first name. You took a slow, measured breath before turning on your heel, and just as you did, Kuroo was already there, stopping just short of where you stood.

You narrowed your eyes, your pulse still thrumming with irritation. “What’s your game?” Your finger jabbed into his chest, frustration spilling over. “First the partner talk, then dinner? Do you really enjoy irritating me that much?”

Kuroo didn’t even flinch. Instead, that smug, lazy grin stretched across his lips, his head tilting as if he was studying you. “Is it so hard to believe I’d actually like your presence?”

You immediately narrowed your eyes, suspicion flaring in your chest. “Yes.”

Kuroo let out a low chuckle, tilting his head slightly as if amused by your absolute lack of faith in him. “Damn. Not even a little hesitation?”

You crossed your arms, unwavering. “Not even for a second.”

He sighed dramatically, placing a hand over his heart. “You wound me.” But there was a glint of something playful in his eyes, as if he was enjoying this more than he should.

Your nostrils flared. “Get this through your skull, Kuroo. What happened was a drunken mistake and will. never. happen. again.”

You barely registered how close you were, too blinded by anger. But Kuroo? He wasn’t even listening—not really. His gaze had dropped slightly, fixated on your lips, and the realization that he wasn’t entirely focused on your words sent a different kind of heat curling in your stomach.

Still, you forged ahead, your voice sharp. “We work on this and then go our separate ways.”

With that, you spun on your heel, storming away before he could get another word in.

Kuroo exhaled through his nose, running a hand through his hair as he watched you disappear down the street. He let out a quiet chuckle, biting his lip as his gaze lingered on the sway of your hips.

“Sure thing, sweetheart.”

--

The following weeks passed without much incident, a welcome shift in pace. Kuroo, miraculously, abided by your rules, keeping his distance and sticking to the professionalism you had desperately wanted. It was almost too peaceful, to the point where you half-expected some kind of elaborate prank waiting just around the corner.

The new campaign had been completed entirely virtually, and for once, it was tame, lacking Kuroo’s usual flair for reckless marketing ideas. You weren’t sure whether that was because he had actually listened to you or because he hadn’t been the one to come up with the campaign in the first place. Either way, you were free—at least for now—from dealing with the marketing department’s endless need for damage control.

For the first time in a while, your mornings felt normal. Predictable. Work was just work, and the tension that had gripped your chest since that night had started to dissipate.

Then, one morning, as you were getting ready for work, something felt off.

You barely noticed it at first, going about your usual routine, setting up your morning tea as you reviewed your schedule for the day. But as soon as you poured the steaming liquid into your cup, the scent hit you wrong.

A strong wave of disgust rolled through you. You frowned, staring at the tea, willing it to make sense. It was the same brand you always drank, the same process, the same everything—so why did it smell so… off?

You shook it off, deciding you were probably just being dramatic. But the moment the tea touched your tongue, your stomach turned.

You barely made it to the sink before you threw up.

Panting, you gripped the counter, staring down at the ruined tea, your mind racing. It had to be the tea. Had to be. Maybe the leaves had gone bad. Maybe there was something wrong with the batch. Without thinking twice, you grabbed the box and tossed it straight into the trash.

Wiping your mouth, you took a shaky breath, trying to convince yourself that was all it was—just bad tea. Just a fluke.

You brushed your teeth, grabbed your bag and left for work, doing your best to push the lingering unease out of your mind.

But the discomfort never really faded.

Throughout the day, your stomach remained uneasy, rolling in a way that made it impossible to focus. You chalked it up to lingering nausea, pushing through the growing discomfort as you answered emails and shuffled through paperwork. But every so often, an odd sensation would creep up—an intense sensitivity to smells you’d never noticed before. Someone’s coffee smelled unbearably strong. The printer toner was nauseating. The floral perfume of the receptionist as she walked past your desk made your stomach lurch.

You gritted your teeth and powered through, telling yourself it was just an off day. But by mid-morning, the nausea worsened, and you barely made it to the bathroom before you were violently sick again.

Panting, gripping the cool porcelain of the stall, you shut your eyes, a deep sense of unease settling in. This wasn’t normal. You had felt fine just days ago. And yet, here you were, dry-heaving over a toilet, feeling like absolute hell.

Something was wrong.

Swallowing hard, you cleaned yourself up and made your way back to your desk. The second you sat down, you pulled up your company messaging system and sent a quick request for the rest of the day off. Thankfully, your supervisor approved it almost immediately, responding with a short: Feel better.

You barely registered packing up your things before you were already out the door, the discomfort in your stomach growing worse with each passing step. The ride home felt like a blur, the mild motion of the train making your nausea flare. By the time you made it back to your apartment, you were drained, heavy with exhaustion as you kicked off your shoes and made a beeline for the bathroom to check your temperature.

No fever.

Frowning, you set the thermometer aside, rubbing your temples. If you weren’t sick, then what the hell was this? A stomach bug? Food poisoning? Stress?

Shaking your head, you made your way toward the kitchen, intent on grabbing some anti-nausea meds. But as you passed your calendar, something caught your eye. A tiny detail that made your blood run cold.

Your period.

It was late.

Your heart plummeted.

Panic clawed at your throat as you stared at the date, your fingers tightening against the counter. The realization hit you like a freight train, your brain scrambling to piece together every single event of the past few weeks.

Your hands started to shake.

No. No, no, no. It couldn’t be.

Right?

A lump formed in your throat, your mind racing.

But deep down, you had a feeling you already knew what the answer was.

Your heart pounded as you turned on your heel, practically stumbling toward the bathroom. Hands trembling, you crouched down and yanked open the cabinet beneath the sink, frantically digging through its contents. Spare toiletries, cleaning supplies, a half-empty bottle of mouthwash—

Then your fingers brushed against something small, rectangular.

Your emergency test.

You hesitated only for a second before pulling it out, staring at the box like it might spontaneously combust in your hands. A cold sweat broke out along the back of your neck. It was just paranoia. Just stress. But still, your body moved on instinct, tearing open the packaging, following the instructions with mechanical precision.

Minutes later, the test sat on the bathroom counter, its digital screen facedown as you paced the small space, arms crossed tightly over your chest.

You’re being ridiculous.

But the nausea. The exhaustion. The missed period.

Your stomach churned.

If this was real—if the test said what you dreaded most—there was only one possible father.

Kuroo.

Your breath hitched, panic seizing your lungs.

The mere thought of him sent your brain into overdrive. It was one thing to hook up with your workplace rival—a massive lapse in judgment, sure, but one that could be ignored, buried, forgotten. But this?

Your hands tightened into fists, nails pressing into your palms as you stood there, forcing yourself to breathe.

The seconds stretched endlessly. Your heart hammered against your ribs, drowning out everything else.

Then—

Beep.

The sound nearly made you jump out of your skin. Slowly, you turned to face the counter, the test waiting for you, its result now etched in stone.

Your fingers trembled as you reached for it.

You flipped it over. "..." "Shit."

[dipplinduo]

Hey!

So here's the thing: I love and am so grateful for this platform - for all of you who follow me, read my stories, and share a collective love for all things dipplinshipping, mintteashipping, and pokemon fandom alike. A primary focus of my account, in fact, is alllllll about fortifying a happy little escape zone where we can all be happy and have fun together.

This post is a rare "not about that" post. I'm gonna keep my personal feelings on this pretty brief, but here's the thing: I've been fucking livid. For awhile. I'm angry and disappointed with world leaders and people in power. And as an American, I'm feeling a lot around our government: its egregiously wealthy stakeholders - who wildly abuse their influence for self-gain - and the corruption that is a hate-motivated, white supremacist, capitalistic agenda. If you live in the US, or even anywhere else, I can promise you this: Your existence and presence is always valid, and is not defined by an executive order. If you follow me or watch my posts from time-to-time, I hope that you can continue to find a positive escape with what I promote here. And I hope you know how much you are loved and valued. Genuinely. Please know these are some free, 24/7 resources avaliable, too: General: National Crisis Line - Call 988 OR: chat at 988lifeline.org* - *Inclusive services for individuals who are deaf/hard of hearing Crisis Text Line - Text "HELLO" to 741741 Free 24/7 crisis support via text for anyone in need. Resources For The LGBTQIA+ Community: Trans Lifeline - translifeline.org Hotline: 877-565-8860 (run by trans people for trans people)

National Center for Transgender Equality - transequality.org Resources on legal rights, ID document changes, and advocacy for transgender individuals.

PFLAG - pflag.org Support groups, crisis intervention, advocacy, and educational resources for LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies.

Sylvia Rivera Law Project - srlp.org Legal aid and advocacy for low-income trans, intersex, and gender non-conforming individuals.

The Trevor Project - thetrevorproject.org

24/7 crisis counselling for LGBTQIA+ Youth (ages 13-24)

Resources For People of Color:

EmbraceRace - embracerace.org Provides resources for people of color, particularly families, to cope with racial trauma and political stress in culturally affirming ways. The Steve Fund - stevefund.org Mental health resources for young people of color LatinoJustice PRLDEF - latinojustice.org Provides legal advocacy and community education for Latinx individuals on voting rights, immigration, and civil rights. Native American Financial Services Association (NAFSA) - nativefinance.org Financial services, resources, and advocacy for Indigenous communities. The Loveland Foundation - thelovelandfoundation.org Offers free or discounted therapy for Black women and girls. Asian Mental Health Collective - asianmhc.org Mental health resources for Asian and Pacific Islander communities Inclusive Therapists - inclusivetherapists.com A therapist directory that centers the needs of marginalized populations

Resources For Immigrants and Undocumented Individuals: Immigrant Legal Resource Center (ILRC) - ilrc.org Provides legal resources and training for immigrants and their advocates.

National Immigration Law Center (NILC) - nilc.org Advocacy for the rights of low-income immigrants.

RAICES (Refugee and Immigrant Center for Education and Legal Services) - raicestexas.org Offers free or low-cost legal services for immigrants and refugees.

Border Angels - borderangels.org Supports undocumented individuals with immigration services and humanitarian aid. Resources Around Abortion: ReproCare Healthline - reprocare.com Hotline: Text "CARE" to 707-827-2273 Emotional support, information, and logistical assistance for people managing abortion care. Access Reproductive Care (ARC) Southeast - arc-southeast.org Provides funding and support for abortion access in the Southeastern U.S., including transportation and lodging assistance. Aid Access - aidaccess.org Telemedicine consultations and abortion pills access by mail for people who face barriers to in-person care. Center for Reproductive Rights - reproductiverights.org Litigates cases to protect and expand access to reproductive health care and abortion rights worldwide. Advocacy and Involvement Resources: Alliance for Justice - afj.org Join campaigns focused on protecting civil rights, access to justice, and equity for marginalized communities. Center for Popular Democracy - populardemocracy.org Supports marginalized communities through campaigns on racial and economic justice, immigration reform, and healthcare. Human Rights Campaign (HRC) - hrc.org Opportunities to volunteer, participate in advocacy campaigns, and fight for LGBTQIA+ rights through events and local organizing. National Immigration Law Center (NILC) - nilc.org Advocate for policies supporting immigrants, including DACA, workplace protections, and healthcare access. Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) - edf.org

Advocate for climate change response initiatives via donations and campaign support

Please feel free to reblog/comment and add to this list.

with love,

dipplinduo

[robin-evry]

What about a Max Caulfield! Yuu from life is strange!

𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐅 𝐌𝐀𝐗 𝐂𝐋𝐀𝐔𝐅𝐈𝐄𝐋𝐃!𝐘𝐔𝐔 𝐖𝐀𝐒 𝐈𝐍 𝐓𝐖𝐒𝐓 📸🖼️

Maxine Caulfield, better known as Max (born September 21, 1995) is the main protagonist of Life is Strange. She is an 18-year-old aspiring photographer and senior at Blackwell Academy. She left her mom and dad in Seattle for the seaside town of Arcadia Bay, Oregon, where she grew up. After saving her childhood friend Chloe Price from being killed by Nathan Prescott in one of Blackwell Academy's bathrooms, she discovers she has the ability to rewind time and even stop it in its tracks. On the search for clues to solve the mysterious disappearance of Rachel Amber, Max must also discover how to use her powers to help Chloe find her missing friend.

Max!Yuu is rarely seen without their trusty vintage camera. They’ve started a photo journal of their time in Twisted Wonderland, capturing both the beauty and chaos of the magical world. The students find it fascinating, though some (like Leona and Vil) might be more critical of being photographed without permission.

Their time-rewinding ability is subtle but game-changing. They might use it to fix awkward social interactions, avoid minor disasters (like food exploding in the cafeteria), or redo pop quizzes. However, constant rewinding gives them a deep sense of déjà vu, leaving them emotionally drained at times.

While Max!Yuu and Grim bicker occasionally, they're quiet nature has a grounding effect on him. They often capture candid photos of Grim in his most mischievous moments, which he secretly loves. Over time, Grim becomes their most photographed “subject,” jokingly calling himself their “muse.”

Malleus has also become one of their subjects to photography, max!yuu admits that malleus is perfect for posing as well describing him to be quite beautiful and as well they get some money on the side from sebek buying their malleus photo to hang on the wall. Malleus also keeps some photos.

Malleus feels at ease around them, appreciating their calm demeanor and artistic view of the world. They often share deep conversations under the stars, with them documenting the ethereal beauty of the night sky over Diasomnia. Malleus finds it comforting to be seen through their compassionate lens.

NRC photographer, Crowley started to ask them to photograph places, people or anything, so he doesn't need to spend an extra cost to hire a photographer, who needs one when you have max!yuu.

They also get a job as a magical creature photographer where they take photos of the magical creatures of twst and then study it and admire it, and after analysing it into perfection they sell at a low or high price depending on the animals.

The emotional toll of rewinding time becomes apparent in their quieter moments. They sometimes isolate themselves to recharge, sitting alone in Ramshackle with only Grim for company. Their friends grow to notice this and subtly support them, offering small gestures like snacks or quiet companionship.

In the past, max yuu has also used their abilities to prevent some of the deaths of the character, ruggie originally died in the original timeline back in savanaclaw arc, but max!yuu created a new timeline where ruggie gets to live.

Vil and Max!Yuu form an unexpected bond over art. Vil critiques their photography with a sharp but constructive eye, pushing Yuu to improve. Over time, Vil secretly admires how Yuu’s work reveals sides of him he didn’t think others could see, such as vulnerability and quiet strength.

As well as rook, since max! Yuu usually have permission to photograph people with consent like Leona and malleus, rook would come up to them and both of them discuss the pictures as well as art stuff

If Max!Yuu ever has the chance to leave Twisted Wonderland, they’d take one final group photo with all their friends, placing it at the heart of their memory wall. It would be the picture they cherish most, representing the strange, magical world that became their second home.

[generallyjl]

interested in a custom DIY sticker or getting a blank to make one yourself? help Yousef afford urgent medical treatment for baby Majd!

Yousef and his family (@youseffamilys-blog) are trying to survive genocide in Gaza. Majd, his young son, suffers from chest issues that impair his breathing and require both ongoing treatments and ultimately surgery. with the destruction of Gaza's medical care systems, medicine and surgery options are scarce and extremely expensive, making it especially difficult for families like Yousef's that have been robbed of a reliable form of income to afford treatment! Yousef has shared that it costs $350 per week for Majd's treatment, in addition to $2,000 for the surgery he urgently needs and another $2,000 for a tent for the family.

the campaign is vetted! as @/a-shade-of-blue has documented previously: their original GFM was shared by 90-ghost and was listed at #406 in the Butterfly Effect Project verified fundraiser list. the campaign has also been supported by @/northgazaupdates and shared by @/el-shab-hussein. (the family is now fundraising through chuffed because GFM blocked the transfer of donations.)

please share widely, follow Yousef at @youseffamilys-blog to keep up with the campaign, and donate!

if you send me proof of donation, I will either make you a custom sticker (permanent marker on adhesive vinyl) or send you a blank section of adhesive vinyl for you to create something yourself!*

proof of donations can be sent to my inbox or messages, and I will cover the mailing cost myself (including outside of the u.s.) more examples and details below the cut

*I have a limited amount of adhesive vinyl available, and will try to publish edits to this post if I begin to run low. if this is a concern for you for whatever reason, you can message me first to confirm that I still have material available (I have a full time job and will not always be able to reply immediately).

more examples (images not described):

[satrs]

𝙐𝙨𝙚𝙙 𝙩𝙤 𝙗𝙚 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨.

ꜱʏɴᴏᴘꜱɪꜱ; you two just divorced but he can't find peace with the fact of letting you go.

ꜰᴇᴀᴛᴜʀɪɴɢ; Michael Kaiser x fem!reader

ᴡᴏʀᴅ ᴄᴏᴜɴᴛ; 2.1k

ᴛᴀɢꜱ; NSFW CONTENT! MDNI! angst. fluff. hurt to comfort. oral (fem! revieving)

ᥲ/ᥒ ꜝꜝ ✎ having an intense kaiser brainrot rn. I'm tired so sorryyy if it seems rushed aaaa

It was all over.

With a simple and quick swing of his hand, he was the one to complete the divorce papers, feeling bitter at the feeling.

He noticed your demeanor relaxing at that, clearly irritated by your action. Why do you seem so relieved? Did you really anticipate this moment that much? Was he really the person you painted him to be?

He knew that he made mistakes, grave ones even. But there is nothing that couldn’t have been prevented by a serious talk between the both of you.

But you were just so over his antics, leaving you alone for nights on end, not answering your calls, and making you worry about him- just overall not giving you the attention and love he once did at the beginning of your marriage.

Of course, you knew that he had a lot to do as a professional soccer player, but not being able to spend the little free time he had with his wife? That’s just ridiculous.

And to be honest, looking back at it, he didn’t really recognize your pleas and worries- until it was too late.

„Y/N don’t you think we can still talk about this? I know I was an asshole but we can still work things out.“ You scoffed at his pleas, taking ahold of the signed divorce documents before turning on your heels to walk out of the room, not sparing him another glance.

„You wanna talk things out now? After I tried so many times? We're done, Kaiser. That’s where your stubborn head is bringing you.“ He gritted his teeth at the sound of his last name, not daring to say another word, watching you walk out of his sight as he felt his heart sink.

He lost you. The one and only person he loved and cared for. His lovely wife. Why did he let things come so far? Why did he not listen to you and talked about your troubles? Why. Why. Why. The only word filling his mind.

✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲

Every day after the incident when he stepped into your once-shared home, a wave of coldness wrapped around him as he felt how lonely it was without you here.

You would usually greet him with tons of kisses, a bright smile on your face regardless of his sour expression, trying to cheer him up with food, a movie marathon, cuddles, or sometimes, mind-numbing head.

He plopped down onto the couch, sadness washing over him as he let out a shallow breath. Oh, how he missed cuddling with you, kissing you, touching you.

He just now realized the consequences of his reckless actions. He realized that you had slipped through his fingers. His head fell into his hands, fingers brushing through his hair in frustration.

He can’t believe it. And he doesn’t want to. Don’t you know that he needs you? Loves you? You knew how hard he would be before entering the relationship, knowing his nature. So why would you give up on him- on the both of you so fast?

Did you find someone new while he was gone and overseas? Was that the reason for your quick decision? He felt sick in the stomach at the thought of someone other than him by your side. He couldn’t stand the thought, face growing bitter.

His head soon came up into view, low eyes gazing around the empty room. He couldn’t let you go, not in the wildest of his dreams could he imagine you away from him. So he knew what he had to do.

His body moved on its own, strolling into the bathroom to take a quick shower, cooling off from his steaming thoughts.

He will get you back at any cost. He will prove to you that he is still the same Michael you became fond of, the one you dedicated your life to by the vow around your finger.

✲꘏ ꘏ ꘏ ꘏✲

The doorbell rang and he swiftly moved to open it. But as he saw who was standing at the doorstep, he felt his heart sink into his pants. "H-hey. How're you doing?" Your eyes halted right at the towel wrapped around his hip, torso bare for your eyes to see, blue rose tattoo still how you had in your memory, the inc decorating his toned figure. Then your gaze lifted to his face, hair damp and still wet from the shower, some waterdrops gliding down his neck, his wedding ring still attached to his finger.

You got back to yourself, pushing past him and ignoring his caring questioning. You just wanted to get the rest of your clothes, that's it. No need for small talk or anything else. He is no longer your husband, so you shouldn't feel obliged to answer him, or do anything for him.

But as you made your way through the place you once called home, you noticed how messy the place was. Of course, it would be, since he was barely at home, who would clean up the mess? You found yourself mouth open, close to questioning Michael about - this. And about his well-being. Even if you didn't want to admit it to yourself, deep down you really missed him those past weeks.

You missed his presence, and the feeling of his lips on yours whenever he came home, or the way his hands caressed your hips, asking you what was on the menu today. And you also missed those special intimate moments with him, when the both of you were so vulnerable for one another, moans and groans filling the bedroom as you gave each other your whole.

"Please Y/N, let's talk. It's been a few weeks and I really miss you." Careful steps approached your figure as you stood in front of your closet, picking out what you came for. "I just came to get my clothes. Like I said last time, there is nothing to talk about."

You purposely kept your back turned to him because you knew- you knew the moment you would turn around and look into those eyes of his, you would give in.

"Baby please," he began, hand softly placed on your shoulder, causing your movements to halt. "I miss you." His hand traveled down your arm, goosebumps appearing on your skin as you felt his hands intertwining with yours.

You promptly turned around, shoving his hand off of yours, heart filling with guilt at your action. "Don't you baby me." But you had to. It was over and the both of you had to move on.

Your furious eyes soon turned soft at your thoughts, eyes sparkling guilt inside them as you felt your eye sting, tears threatening to escape. He noticed, his hand flying up to your face to hold it, thumb stroking your cheek and making a mental note as you leaned into his touch. As he saw your hand ball into fists he noticed that you to still had your wedding ring on.

He pulled you towards his chest, your tears now flowing down with no way of stopping, taking out all your frustration and anger that you build up over the past years on him. "You're an asshole. Never once did you want to talk but now? Now after everything is done?"

He cooed at you, trying to stop your tears. He hated seeing you cry and he hated it even more that he was the reason for it. "I know. I'm sorry. Please just give me one more chance. I will prove it to you."

Your teary eyes stared up at him, sniffling as you inspected his face for any reaction. As you noticed the painful and guilty look on his face you made your decision. Your arms flew around his neck, lips attacking his, surprised gasp leaving his mouth before he leaned into the feeling.

God you missed this so much. Him, his lips, everything that was about him and him only- Michael. You softly moaned into his mouth as you leaned into the feeling you've missed for so long, one leg wrapped around his hip as the towel slightly loosened around it.

He himself couldn't think straight anymore, groans escaping his lips as he felt your lower region press up against his. He swiftly took ahold of your rear, lifting you up and moving to your once shared bed, intending on proving himself to you. He had to show you how sorry he was and how much he really loved you, all the pain and sorrow he had caused for you shall disappear.

He carefully lays you down, as if you were made out of glass, towel around his hips now long forgotten as he hovered above you, lips back on yours again. His hands traveled over every part of your body, not leaving one single spot unnoticed.

"Stop teasing", you whined in frustration, earning a low chuckle from the man above you. "I'm sorry baby. Just missed you so much." His fingers made quick work to your pants, finding their way into your panties, a soft sigh passed your lips.

Michael's lips attacked your neck, hot and wet tongue attacking your skin as his hand worked wonders in your panties. "So beautiful." His other hand sneaked under your shirt and bra, softly fondling your breasts. "My beautiful wife." You subconsciously moved into his touch, moans escaping your lips at his words.

His mouth moved down your neck, littering wet kisses onto your stomach, stopping with his face right over your clothed heat. "Love you. So much. Never letting you go." He growled at the sight of the wet patch visible on your panties, impatiently tearing the small cloth from your body, taking in the sight of your glistening heat.

You let out a cry of pleasure and tangled your fingers into his hair as you felt his mouth on your pussy lips, tongue drawing what seemed to be hearts on your puffy clit. The odd but familiar feeling caused a shiver to run down your spine, toes curling in euphoria.

The grip on his hair tightened as you felt yourself growing closer and closer to the edge. There was no way to deny it- you really did miss your husband. And the wonders his tongue worked inside of you too.

"J-just like that Micha' fuck." Your mind was clouded in pleasure, unable to keep a straight mind. The man moaned, no- whimpered into your heat at the sound of the nickname rolling off your tongue. He was determined to fill your whole body with pleasure, ignoring his throbbing cock as he moved his hand under your shirt to get ahold of your soft tits. "Give it to me. All of it." His growl against your folds threw you over the edge, loud moan erupting from your throat as your thighs clenched tightly around his head, nearly suffocating him.

You were panting as you came down from your anticipated high, meanwhile, Kaiser crawled back up, close to your face now as he caught his breath. "Please baby," he began, hand creeping up to hold your face, eyes full of love and devotion as he looked at you. "let's try again. I'll make up for every second we lost."

You hesitated, shying away from his touch as your lips formed a thin line. "You won't regret it Y/N. I swear to you from the bottom of my heart that we'll go back to how it used to be. Don't you want that too, baby? Like the good old days?"

Your eyes met his, gaze wandering between his features, admiring his beauty. Of course, you wanted to. You really did. Another try wouldn't hurt, right? Maybe you did overdo it with the divorce. All in all, the both of you had your wrongs to correct, no one was in innocent.

Looking back to it, both of you did overcome so many burdens and struggles. So who would say you couldn't manage this?

You let out a sigh as you came to your conclusion. "Okay." Your simple word caused the man's eyes above you to light up, he quickly embraced you in a tight hug as he lifted you up and spun the both of you around, peppering you with lots of kisses as you giggled at his action. He then threw the both of you onto the bed, laying next to you as he drew shapes onto your hip, a lovestruck expression painting his face. "Stay?"

His question caused you to look at him, soft smile on your lips. You nodded, getting up on your elbows as the man raised an eyebrow at you when you straddled his lap, flashing him a sly smirk. "Nonono, I'm fine you don't need to-" Your lips against his cut his words off, sigh escaping his lips. Your still needy cunt was seated right on top of his hard length, your movements causing him to lowly moan as he held your hips in an attempt to stop you.

"You don't seriously think I'll leave you like that Micha'?" Your question was rather rhetorical. "Let me go next with making it up to you, 'kay?"

And how could he refuse his loving wife when she sat ontop of him so cutely, hips needily grinding onto him?

"I'm all yours."

ᵃˡˡ ᶜᵒⁿᵗᵉⁿᵗ ᵇᵉˡᵒⁿᵍˢ ᵗᵒ k-azus.°

[cognitivejustice]

Locally adapted, decentralised innovation is reshaping what environmental monitoring in Africa

Projects like AirQo in Uganda and Clarity Nodes in Nairobi are deploying low-cost particulate matter sensors to create real-time urban air quality maps.  

These portable devices, calibrated against reference stations, are not housed in government ministries—they’re installed in schools, markets, and transit corridors. 

This hyperlocal, community-focused deployment marks a decisive shift toward monitoring as a distributed public good. 

In the water space, compact mobile testing kits—some linked to smartphones—are enabling NGOs and universities to test for E. coli, nitrates, and fluoride in boreholes and streams.  These kits don’t require lab infrastructure or formal training, making them ideal for community-led sampling in rural areas. 

Remote sensing is also playing a vital role. Satellite data from programs like Sentinel and MODIS is being used to track vegetation loss, algal blooms, and surface water dynamics.  

In Lake Victoria, a hybrid approach pairs satellite analysis with on-the-ground sensors—offering a model for blended, multilayered monitoring frameworks that don’t depend on centralised equipment alone. 

Perhaps the most transformative development is the rise of citizen science networks.  

In Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda, residents are using hand-held air monitors to document conditions in their own neighbourhoods.  

These datasets are often shared via open-access platforms, where they inform city planning and regulatory debates. They also demonstrate a growing confidence in decentralised data ownership and interpretation. 

Universities across the continent are enabling much of this innovation. Institutions like the University of Cape Town and Makerere University are not only building and testing sensors but also training local technicians and hosting data platforms. Their work has become a central node in an emerging, distributed monitoring ecosystem. 

Source

[handweavers]

i'm trying to clear out some old work of mine / mostly small handwoven samples partly to clean up my studio and partly to help make ends meet, and they'll all be pay what you want + shipping

no amount too low or high, just tell me what price you want to pay and optionally why you like the piece and it's yours. i'm willing to ship anywhere in the world if you'll cover the shipping cost. i can take e-transfer from canadian bank users and paypal from international, these are the easiest methods for me at the present. all pieces will ship from ontario, canada

all pieces will come mounted to cardstock for ease of display/framing, with a hand written thank you note, an invoice for proof of purchase, and documentation (materials, dimensions, date, signed confirmation of authenticity)

i'm going to post them here first before sharing what remains with my other channels. everything is ready i just need to take photos, so the post will be up within the next day or so 🤎

please do not feel obligated to buy anything from me, there are others who are experiencing greater financial hardship than i am and in more need of your help. put simply, if you like my work and to wish to own something i have made this is a chance to do so - no pressure. love u all

[trainsinanime]

Tram de Liège

After a lot of delays, the new tram line of Liège, Belgium finally opened today, bringing this mode of transport back to the “glowing city” after 58 years. So obviously I left work early and travelled through two countries to check it out.

The line had been planned since the late 2000s, and just about everything about it had been controversial, from its existence to its PPP financing model (which got ruled illegal by the EU not once but twice until they finally got it right) to its construction and delays.

As it stands, the line is almost 12 kilometers, almost all of it at the western bank of the river Meuse, with a single short branch over the river to Bressoux, serving the Expo Centre and also the depot. Three sections are wireless, and trains travel through them on battery power. Personally I think that’s at least two too many; wires would not have massively disturbed the view of the Pont Atlas or the new station quarter at Liège Guillemins, the city's striking main railway station.

As usual for these types of projects, a lot of city spaces got extensive renewals as part oft eh tram project, and between you and me, they were urgently needed. Liège has not always been a very nice city. In places, these improvements have meant reducing space for individual motor traffic and adding bike lanes. However, a number of new bike lanes are just the dreaded “share arrow” on four lane roads; this could be better.

Extensions at either end to Seraing and Herstal (yes, the one from the guns) are possible and some construction started back in 2023, but they got cancelled in 2024 due to high costs.

Costs are a major issue here. The line was very expensive, with a final bill of 530 million euro. In comparison, the line T9 in Paris, probably not a city with low construction costs, has a similar length and only came to 480 million euro (both figures include rolling stock and a dedicated depot and workshop, and come with the caveat that my French is atrocious and I may have misunderstood French Wikipedia here). So the Liège Tram is not quite crazy expensive, but definitely expensive.

The trains seem and feel very French, but are actually from Spanish CAF, part of the Urbos family. They are 45 meters long, 2.65 meters wide, fully low floor, with wide open spaces for standing passengers and persons with reduced mobility, but relatively few seats (though the seats all have USB charging ports).

Today, operations were fairly rough, I’m not going to lie, with lots of breakdowns and issues. I travelled the entire network, and ended up in two trams that just randomly stopped for ten minutes, presumably while the driver was trying to fix some issue. As a result, while headways are supposed to be good, actual headways were essentially random. On a more regular level, I would say signal priority is not yet handled perfectly, there are a number of places where trams had to stop due to red traffic lights.

Ticketing also left me baffled. I think I had a valid ticket, but I’m not actually sure. The Dutch-Belgian-German border region has a special day pass, the Euregioticket, valid in all trains and buses in the regions of Aachen (Germany), where I live, Maastricht (Netherlands) and Liège. But all documentation for it predates the tram, so there’s no point that actually says it’s valid on trams. The ticket validators on the trams certainly couldn’t tell me. Half of them were out of service anyway. And for the others, I have no idea how to get them to read a QR code on my phone, if they even have a camera for that. They’re supposed to, according to an employee of the operator I spoke with at a station, but I certainly didn’t see it. What the validators do is magically open the wallet app on my phone, which would probably have scared the shit out of me if this hadn’t been something I’d seen before. Some types of chip card readers for public transit just do that, apparently, regardless of my phone's settings. It was probably fine, I guess?

But don’t let the negativity fool you. The line is on track to be a huge success. Many of the trains I was in were rather full. Not quite packed, but definitely well used. A lot of that is probably people just trying it out (I noticed several people who did the same end-to-end-and-back runs as me), and a lot of it is that people are forced to use it, since the bus network was changed do that many bus lines now end at tram stops. But still, this clearly will be the backbone of the city for many years to come.

Now let’s hope my own city of Aachen manages to do the same before too long. We need more trams in this world.

[soleilceirinen]

When the darkness comes (Thomas Shelby x Shadowhunter!Reader) - Part 1

Summary: you are a shadowhunter investigating the sudden rise of yin fen in the Downworld, the trail leads you to Small Heath and a blue eyed gangster.

A/N: I'm obsessed with Cillian Murphy, it's a fact. I also have an obsession with Shadowhunters (the books, especially The Infernal Devices). I had this idea in my head for a while so I said, why not? I don't think it's necessary to have read the books to understand the fic, although it probably helps. Also, it may not be accurate with the timeline of the series but honestly, I don't care.

(I just wanted to share my obsession, I think when Cillian was young he looked like Will Herondale in The Infernal Devices and now that he's older he looks like Will in The Last Hours. He is described with high cheekbones, full lips, blue eyes, dark hair... in my mind Cillian is Will).

English is not my first language, sorry if there are mistakes!

MASTERLIST - PEAKY BLINDERS MASTERLIST - Part 2

During the past few months, the use of a drug called yin fen had grown exponentially among the inhabitants of the Downworld. The head of the London Institute trusted you enough to put you in charge of the investigation into who was bringing it to England, and worse yet, who was exporting it to America. You were committed to finding out, no matter what it would cost.

Those most affected by its consumption were werewolves, which was expected and somehow broke your heart since you were quite fond of the species. But that was not the end of it, at some point mundanes had discovered the silver drug and had begun to consume it uncontrollably. It could never end well, as a nephilim you had to put an end to it.

After spending the last two weeks busy with the investigation of the shipments, you had finally found a trail that led you to a place called Small Heath.

-

You had heard many names, the most repeated ones had been the Shelby family and the Peaky Blinders. Above all of them, the most frequent was Thomas Shelby. The people you talked to for information seemed to be afraid to even say his name out loud, some of them refused to answer your questions but others went so far as to describe him as the devil himself. 

That made you worry. What if that man was a demon? It was a possibility, in that case you should notify the Enclave immediately but first, you needed to be completely sure of it.

It had been raining all day so when the afternoon came, you realised that it was not going to stop anytime soon. You stretched your back and got up from the small table where you had been sitting for hours now. It was cluttered with documents and information about The Shelby Company Limited and its members. You took a quick look at the one-bedroom apartment you had rented, it was a mess. Shrugging, you approached the armchair where you had left your shadowhunter gear in the morning and started getting ready to go outside. Maybe in the Garrison you could find more clues.

You had a glamour on, which meant that you were invisible to the mundane eye. You had also marked yourself with a rune of stealth, so you moved in complete silence. Walking around the interior of the pub and carefully observing the customers, you sighed tiredly. There was nothing suspicious.

You left the pub and took shelter from the rain at the entrance. When you first heard about the Garrison, you hoped it would be some kind of Downworlder lair but you only found a bunch of drunk mundanes. Not even one werewolf or a fairy barmaid. 

Two young men came out of the pub too and stood next to you while smoking and talking in a low voice, neither of them noticed your presence. 

"You should try it," one of them said. The other shook his head, letting out a puff of smoke. "Why not, Isaiah? It's better than Tokyo..."

The tallest one, Isaiah, threw his cigarette on the ground and adjusted his cap. "I don’t know, Finn. I've heard things, none of them good." 

“Nonsense,” scoffed the first one. 

Finn's name was familiar to you, if you remembered correctly, he was one of the members of the Shelby family. Although the possibility of him not being the same one was there, their conversation had caught your attention. They could be talking about any other drug but something deep inside told you that you were in the right place. 

As far as you knew, the effect of yin fen in humans was similar to that of cocaine, it was a strong stimulant. You examined the boys, looking for any sign that could tell you that they were addicted to the drug but they looked good with their tailored suits and freshly cut hair. In general, they seemed healthy.

It was very noticeable when someone was a yin fen addict. The drug used to drain the person’s colour, leaving a silver coloration in their skin, hair and eyes, as its name indicated: silver powder.

"They're coming," Finn said, pointing down the street with his lit cigarette. 

Looking in said direction, you saw a group of men dressed just like the two boys, with nice tailored suits and caps, approaching the Garrison. As they came closer, you moved to the side to let them pass. Despite being invisible due to the glamour, you were still very tangible. They passed by, ignoring you as you were expecting. One of them, a tall man with a moustache, hugged Finn enthusiastically, laughing and gesturing for them to enter the pub.

You watched as they got in, unaware of the pair of blue eyes that were staring at your figure. The man didn’t even blink when you looked back at him. 

He was pale and had dark circles under his eyes as if he had not slept in days, almost like a vampire. He could have been one except for the fact that he was holding an almost finished cigarette in his hand, and it was well known that vampires avoided fire as much as possible since they could burn like paper. With each drag he took on the cigarette, the tip of it lit up like a small orange eye in the rain. 

His blue eyes roamed your body up and down, he then raised an eyebrow at your appearance. You were dressed all in black like most shadowhunters did, with your hair tied in a braid and the tip of two seraph blades protruding over your shoulders. You carried more weapons, but these were not visible to the man. 

He could see you.

It made your heart pound in your chest with anticipation. You stared back at him in silence, hesitating about whether you should talk to him or get ready to fight him.

You could not do one thing or the other, because at that moment, the man with the moustache came out of the pub and put his arm over the man who was staring at you. “Tommy! Come in, we’re waiting for you. What are you doing here in this rain? You’re soaked…”

Tommy as in...Thomas Shelby? 

Tommy nodded towards you. The other man looked at your direction, it caused you the same feeling as always when someone looked at you while wearing a glamour, as if instead of seeing you, he saw through you.

"What is it, brother?" he wondered, winking his eyes in a vain attempt to see something.

Tommy looked from you to the other man with a confused expression. You remained silent. He dropped the rest of his cigarette to a puddle and ran a hand over his face, shaking his head. After one last glance in your direction, he turned and lightly pushed his brother towards the pub. 

"I think I'm seeing spirits like Polly, Arthur," he muttered in a hoarse voice while they walked away.

The last thing you heard before they disappeared behind the doors of the Garrison was Arthur's muffled laughter.

[secularprolifeconspectus]

Clementine Kearns, abortion coercion, & infanticide

Tonight I spent 3 hours on the phone with the father and mother of a baby who was brutally murdered by an abortion provider. Tommy (pictured above), her father, wept to me, and Jane (name changed for privacy), her mother, is traumatized. Jane named her daughter Clementine.

We believe that not only was Jane coerced into this procedure and her body violated by the Cherry Hill Women's Center, but also that her baby, Clementine, at 20 weeks gestation (youngest surviving baby was 21 weeks), was born alive and dissected for body parts.

Here's what we know.

Jane was suffering from "pre-partum" depression. Facing the societal pressures of an unplanned pregnancy, she fell into anxiety and rumination. She convinced herself that she was weak, that she would be a bad mother, and that she did not have the means to take care of Clementine. In March of 2024, after months of mental distress, she reached a point of crisis and became desperate to end her pregnancy.

Jane had a history of struggling with mental health and had been in therapy for years prior to her pregnancy; she wrestled with low self-esteem and self-doubt. By extension, her abortion mindset came from a place of self-harm, not self-preservation. She deserved compassion and intervention. Instead, at 5 months pregnant, the abortion industry took advantage of her.

She called the Cherry Hill Women's Center, hoping for counseling on her options and to ask questions about Clementine. She was looking for help and for answers — not for an abortion appointment. What she didn't know is that Cherry Hill uses a third-party service to schedule their appointments; so rather than a counselor, she encountered a salesman.

Jane told the scheduler that she had no money for an abortion. The scheduler quickly assured her this wasn't a problem, as they had a means to "fund" her abortion. Suddenly she was no longer making a free choice, as the only option presented was a free abortion for her freedom. At no point in time was she told that the means to make her abortion "free" was to offset the cost with Clementine's valuable body parts.

On March 12th, still in a state of crisis, Jane attempted to regulate herself with a hit of marijuana (legal in New Jersey) before driving to Cherry Hill. She vaped marijuana all the way to the facility, and struggling to cope, smoked even more in the parking lot. Needless to say, she was under the influence upon entering the facility and couldn't give consent. Her medical records state that her heartbeat was 99 beats per minute, the upper limit for an adult, indicating acute distress.

During consultation, a registered nurse asked Jane whether she had used any drugs in the past three months. Jane openly stated that she had smoked just before. The nurse reassured Jane that it was not an issue, sharing that she had smoked during her own pregnancy and prior to the scheduled procedure. The nurse then documented that Jane had smoked on the day of the procedure and signed off on the record with her signature, dated 3/12/2024.

According to her medical documents, that day the providers checked for and affirmed that there was fetal cardiac activity — in other words, they made sure Clementine was alive so her organs would be fresh for harvesting. They didn't mention the possibility of experiments or present any related consent forms; they didn't disclose to Jane that they were preparing for donation to fetal research.

Jane was under the impression that they had induced the demise of her baby, so Clementine was already dead. She was left unaware that the providers deliberately neglected to sign off on the use of a feticide injection. To assure Clementine would be a "pure" specimen, they didn't inject her with a feticide prior to the abortion procedure.

This also meant they couldn't give Jane local anesthesia prior to the insertion of dilapan. Now, Jane is under 5 feet tall and around 100 lbs. It's notable that she is so small, because the providers stuffed five dilapan into her cervix. She also was only 23 years old and had never had her cervix dilated. (As a person with a uterus, I must say — what the fuck, OW.) They didn't inform her that they were altering her procedure by giving her more dilapan than normal. They sent her away to let the dilapan expand overnight, for nearly 24 hours.

Jane came back to Cherry Hill on March 13th to complete the procedure. Her heart rate was recorded at 111 beats per minute. At 9:48am, they gave her 600mg of misoprostol and 30 units of pitocin. During the surgery, they gave her another 30 units. The average administration of these drugs for inducing childbirth is 100mg of misoprostol and 10 units of pitocin over 4-7 hours — they gave her SIX TIMES that amount total. She went into labor within the hour.

This was not a normal labor. At 9:48am, Jane told the nurse the pain from her cramps was at level 4. By 10:47am, she told the nurse her pain was 8 of 10. (In recall, she described it as "level 11".) She didn't understand that she was experiencing contractions, and she was in the worst pain of her life. She was afraid she might be dying. The providers didn't explain to her what they were doing, or that she was about to give birth. She was completely in the dark.

At 11:21am, the workers wheeled Jane back to the procedure room. She told them, "I can't move. I'm cold. I'm afraid." Just outside the door, they were stopped. A nurse presented her with a clipboard and a piece of paper, with no further explanation: the consent form for tissue donation to fetal research.

Again, Jane thought her baby was already dead, and in that moment she was fearing for her life. She had no idea what this form was, and she didn't know that she had any other choice; she had to trust the providers. The form had no line for a date, nor a date on it. Blindly, she signed.

Jane didn't know that a student of the Complex Family Planning Fellowship would be practicing a "complex" procedure on her that day. She didn't meet her, nor the abortion provider that was training her. They forced her onto the table, and she began screaming. That's when they held her down and gassed her, and she went unconscious.

The procedure began at 11:23am and ended at 11:31am. For reference, it normally takes an experienced abortionist 15-45 minutes to perform an extraction abortion, taking the baby out in pieces. This procedure, done by a trainee, took eight minutes. EIGHT minutes. Jane's medical records recorded that she lost 25 units of blood; women who received an extraction normally lose much more. They also recorded that a suction cannula and curette were not employed until the end of the procedure. The doctor signed out at 11:31am.

Between the extreme dilation, the abnormal amount of labor-inducing medication, the lack of feticide and anesthesia, the short timespan and "complex" nature of the procedure, the minimal blood loss, the timing of the use of tools, and the vagueness and errors in the documentation, this doesn't indicate that Clementine was extracted. Altogether, this indicates she was delivered whole.

Clementine was alive and born. They didn't rush her to a NICU. They didn't even give her comfort care. They harvested her organs. She was murdered on the counter.

At least, that's what Tommy and Jane think likely happened. They believe Clementine's organs were taken by Cercle Allocation Services, a fetal tissue procurement company with ties to Advanced Bioscience Resources. Tommy didn't even know Jane was getting an abortion at the time.

The next day, Tommy and Jane started calling the facility, asking for Clementine's remains. At first the workers told them that they didn't know where the remains were; a day later, that they couldn't say where the remains were. To add insult to injury, the facility blocked their numbers, and Jane has had an infection from the procedure for eight months.

Last night on the phone, Tommy and Jane told me that all they want is a funeral for Clementine. They want to recover whatever they can of her, and bury her in a garden dedicated to other victims of abortion and the people who fight for them. Tommy said to me, "I love my daughter... I want to have a place to visit her... She's all I'm living for."

We miss you, baby Clementine. I'm so sorry.

Jane did not give free and informed consent. She was taken advantage of, violated, and traumatized. Clementine suffered, was killed, and her body was desecrated. This was all done by an insidious industry that preys upon vulnerable people to make a profit.

Justice for Clementine. Justice for Clementine's mom. And justice for all victims of fetal trafficking. Fuck the abortion industry. We will end fetal research, and we will abolish abortion.

[i-want-it-all-or-nothing-at-all]

Why you should NOT purchase an STP device

This is advice for newly out transmasculine people, particularly ones who plan to use men's public restrooms. I've been out for 10 years, and I want to share my experience with the next generation. Here are some things I wish I knew when I first came out:

1. STPs can be expensive. They were more expensive when I first came out, but still, if you're a broke kid or broke young adult or broke anyone, you have to think carefully about what you spend your money on. When I came out, I was lucky enough to have fairly masculine women's clothes to wear, but some people buy a whole new wardrobe, including chest binders. You may spend money on changing legal documents, and that can cost hundreds or thousands of dollars depending on the document and the government you live under. Medical care may also be hundreds or thousands of dollars for you, depending on your insurance. Many companies who make STPs are also in the U.S., and if international shipping rates apply to you, that's an additional expense. If there's something you can go without, it's definitely an STP.

2. I had to buy half a dozen STPs before I found the right one for me, and this is very common. When you read through reviews, one common thing people say is "This is the best one I've tried so far" or "this is not as good as the one I already own." Also, I'm 5 foot tall, so I struggled to find something small enough to look natural, fit comfortably between my somewhat thick thighs, and hold enough liquid that I could use it without spills. If I had bought the right one the first time, I would have saved close to a thousand dollars. The reality is that you will probably have to buy multiples before you find the right one for you.

3. Plenty of cis guys use the toilet to pee and avoid urinals. The privacy is very nice to have. Having an STP is not likely to meaningfully help you pass if that's your primary reason for wanting one. Everyone's life is different, but I've personally never been in a situation where having something realistic would have helped me pass in front of cis men staring at my naked body, and even the most realistic (and expensive) ones aren't that realistic. Other than at the doctor's, I'm not in situations where I am naked in front of strangers, ever. But more importantly, my preferred STP would never allow me to pass. It's designed to be functional, not realistic, and in my experience, the ones that focus more on being functional are better. You'll be in situations where you want to be able to use it to pee much more often than situations where you want it to look realistic if your life is anything like mine. Get on hormone blockers early if you can, or on T early. It makes a huge difference.

4. On the topic of passing. I thought an STP would help me pass. I was desperate to pass. But the reality is that no one is staring at our crotches most of the time. The truth is that, unless you were genetically blessed, your chances of passing are low if you aren't on T in most circumstances. Even once you're on T, if your genetics aren't in your favor with how T will affect you, you won't pass well. It's a truth I'm still wrestling with, still trying to accept about myself. I hate making phone calls because my voice is too feminine. Building muscle helps, too. I have a chronic pain disorder and a condition where my knees are deteriorating from my use of them, so heavy exercise isn't possible for me. My hips are wide, my voice is high, and that's just how it is.

5. Peeing standing up is not all it's cracked up to be. Not for me, at least. Half the urinals I've peed at have had urine all over the floor. I'm also not very good at convincing my body, which has been trained for years to pee only sitting down, that peeing while standing is fine, actually. Not to mention, I never feel 100% empty when I pee standing up. Having to control your stream is also a pain. It takes me three times as long to pee as the cis men around me. I've learned to just deal with it, but early on, it made me feel like I stood out like a sore thumb. If your dysphoria is bad, the stress of doing something so public may worsen it for you.

Now, for those of you who can afford an STP comfortably and want to know what I use, it's the Flip-N-Tuck. It took some getting used to since the way you wear it is different from anything I had used before. I like that you can wear it with any underwear. I think the shape, size, and length of the urine cup are great. I wish the shaft could be a bit longer, but I think that would interfere with how it packs. Using it has a big learning curve, but not in the way other STP devices do. The positioning of the urine cup was super easy for me, but it might have to do with the fact that I've used so many other STP devices before this one. What is awkward about it is flipping it. It involves a lot of moving things around down there, which is why I prefer to use it when the urinals have a divider. It makes peeing take a bit longer, but it's worth it to me since I feel so confident I won't have any accidents with it. Confidence that I won't pee all over myself goes a long way to getting my muscles to relax so I can actually pee. However, my very favorite thing about the Flip-N-Tuck is that it doesn't go between my thighs. I find that way more comfortable with my thick thighs, though it would be even more comfortable if the balls were smaller or just nonexistent. I find their presence unnecessary.

However, the Flip-N-Tuck is $165 plus shipping on the FTM Essencials website, a very pretty penny for anyone on a budget. For a more budget friendly option that I also had no accidents with and fit between my thighs well enough, I recommend something like the Number One STP, which is $52 plus shipping on the same website. Rigid is always better for peeing if you ask me. The biggest issue with the Number One STP is that it's not at all like a packer. You're going to want it very between your legs because you'll look like you have a weird bulge. The thing is, rigid generally is better for peeing while softness is generally better for packing. That's the genius of the Flip-N-Tuck to me. It's rigid, but the flipping makes it still tuck well. Regardless, you may still not have $52 plus shipping to spare.

The TLDR is that there are so many better things you could spend your money on than an STP device. They are the farthest thing from an essential.

[calm-with-anxiety]

If I see or hear people defending their votes for Trump with “well I didn’t really know her policies and plans for her presidency” I will burst into flames. We live in a time where almost every piece of information is in your hand, you could’ve Googled her plans, it was on her fucking website for weeks, it was 80 pages of policy and how they planned to pay for it. Like you chose to be an uneducated voter that got information from commercials and short form video.

The economy line is bullshit because his plans will make everything more expensive, tariffs are payed for by you, you think the multibillion dollar company will take on the extra cost to buy and ship goods by lowering the CEO salary, no, they will make the item more expensive because they never promised you a $200 tv, but they did promise stockholders a dividend of $10/share. His mass deportation policy will cause the economy to collapse because immigrants, legal or illegal, do the jobs that others look down on. You never see a line of white guys in overalls hoping to be hired for below minimum wage to pick fruit for hours in the sun, you don’t see young white men showing up to construction jobs that the builder has subcontracted so it’s cheaper to build. The bedrock of the U.S. economy is cheap labor and a majority of that is immigrants who are looking for jobs that don’t require knowing perfect English and have employers that look the other way when you don’t have documents because they know you will work for anything.

Don’t even get me started on healthcare, outside of women’s healthcare which will get worse, if he finally gets rid of the affordable care act, aka Obamacare, they will replace it with nothing. The man was president before and after John McCain put his thumb down they never tried to make a new policy that wasn’t throwing the whole program into the trash. Also the affordable care act is more than just low cost healthcare, it put in place pre-existing conditions, for those too young to remember, the insurance companies could deny you coverage all because you might get cancer one day because your mother had it, you would have to pay out of pocket for an inhaler because asthma was a pre-existing condition, even if you were diagnosed with it later in life. Don’t forget what the vaccine situation will be, especially if he puts RFK jr. anywhere near it, like there is actual fear that Polio will come back because guess what? Most people under the age of 40 are not vaccinated for it because it was considered eradicated due to the mass vaccination of children in the 50s and 60s. When you complain about feeling like shit after getting the flu shot or a Covid booster, that is the vaccine working in your body, your body is doing an internal workout so if and when you come in contact with those viruses you won’t be getting extremely sick or die because someone doesn’t know how to cover their cough.

I think this election was proof that you can have all the information and still know nothing because you chose to know nothing. People vote with their eyes, not their mind. Gas where I live has been under $3.00 for months, it’s been under $2.50 at the warehouse stores for weeks, but because an ad on tv said prices are rising people believed the tv over their own experience. People saw grocery prices increase and blamed the administration when in reality corporations took advantage of Covid shortages, raised prices, recorded historic profits, and didn’t start bring prices down until this summer after people realized what was happening to some extent and even then they didn’t return to pre-2020 prices because the profit still needed to be high, they looked at the $2 increase in a bag of chips over 4 years and blamed democrats and not Lays.

This is going to be a painful 4 years, for many people here and abroad, Ukraine will have to depend on Europe which is starting to lean conservative as well and the war in Gaza will take an extreme shift that will make the last year look like a paper cut in terms of humanitarian assistance and a possible end. It’s already getting on my nerves as people tweet “we keep fighting” and “we need to be strong so they can’t do all they plan to do like the first time”, it’s not going to be like the first time, the adults in the room he had with him, many who came out and supported Harris, are gone and now it will be yes men that he was told to put there by the extreme right like the supporters of project 2025 and billionaires. And for those saying “well maybe he will die in office”, you think JD Vance is better? He allegedly picked him because DT jr. suggested him and if you have ever seen jr. and his takes you would know Vance can be worse.

This is gonna hurt for many people that will now be seen as lower than second class citizens and you won’t even have lower prices to show for it as that seemed to be the reason you voted for him, enjoy your expensive goods as people lost rights.