#now someone training to be a Lawyer in the target language who will need to argue quickly under pressure while emotional?

[rigelmejo]

Like... I think Automatic Language Growth is a successful route to learn a language and achieve one's goals (if they can enjoy doing it and stick with it)

I just do not think it's the only successful route.

I think all of the things ALG says not to do, are to explain why some learners end up with fossilized mistakes or imperfect language use when compared to native speakers. Most adults will have already done something ALG says not to do, so the ALG theory expects these imperfect results for those people. ALG expects imperfect results for most learners, even if once they discover ALG they stick strictly to it. I do not think the imperfect end result is a concern for most learners, it will not prevent them from reaching B2 or C1 in a language, it will not prevent them from reaching the goals they have. Therefore, I don't think there's a compelling reason to stick to ALG's rules.

At the most, ALG done "wrong" (breaking ALG rules) will just result in mentally translating more, less fluid ability to respond under pressure when speaking, and more concious thought when passively understanding or actively trying to produce language. Which, to a degree, will be minimized with more practice understanding the language. These results would not prevent anyone from eventually learning to listen, read, speak, and write in a language. It just means they may have less fluidity and more mental effort. But it will depend on the person "how much" those drawbacks matter, how much the drawbacks will even be present in a given individual, and if they matter at all.

I think if ALG's specific rules, as recommendations, end up being useful for someone then they can be adopted for that person.

If ALG specific rules end up being a detriment to someone getting motivated to study, enjoying the process, or actively causing issues then those rules should be ignored for that person.

Aka do what works for you, leave the rest.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Pleasure Is My Business: Final Part

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2.2k

Summary: You’re brought back to your high school days with this case. You put that behind you when you graduated, but life has a funny way of bringing you closer to the person who made your life miserable back then.

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there are any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

x

With that out of the way, Hotch plays back the phone call to analyze her words.

"Don't compare yourself to the men I see. You are nothing like them. You're just another whore."

"Her use of the word whore is interesting. It suggests she's trying to disassociate herself from her actions, but she's become more personal with the murders. She's changed her MO from poison to a gun. She's changed her victimology, too. Trent Rabner was faithful to his wife until she died. They didn't have kids. Her whole justification for who's worth killing and who isn't is gone."

"She's obviously devolving," Rossi says. "This is gonna be ugly. She's the type who could go on a spree and take out anyone she sees as a target."

"Can you go to the end just before she pulls the trigger?" Hotch asks Spencer who goes to the end of the recording.

"You want to show the world all these bad me, and my investigation's just getting in your way."

"No, Aaron. You're not doing your job!" she yells. "You don't want to arrest me and don't want me in custody because you're in their pocket. You just want me to disappear, just like they do."

"Who's 'they'?" you ask.

"I'm assuming the men she's sleeping with."

"No, it's bigger than that. She's lumping Hotch in with the lawyers. Maybe it's anyone in a position of power who could cover this and her up."

"You said the purity ring you found was tiny, right?" Rossi asks you.

"Yeah, only a little girl could have worn it."

"She wouldn't buy that for herself. It was a gift. Maybe she's talking about her father."

"Well, if her father was anything like these CEOs, he probably walked out on her, too."

"The teachers in school were like this. After they got caught, every single teacher and staff member refused to talk about it. They covered it up because they didn't want something like that associated with their school. She was called so many mean names, whore included. Her parents weren't any better. I saw them through Megan. Her dad was the worst," you whisper.

"Okay, so you're rich, you've slept with your teacher, and now you're sleeping with men who are like your father to get back at him. Was the teacher like her father?"

"I don't know. I've never met him."

"How does she go about finding clients that are like her father? Could she have started with the service?" JJ asks.

"She wouldn't need to. The madam says that she trains these girls how to act around these men. Megan already knows how to do that. She said that their client list was like their 401k. They sell it when they retire. So, maybe Megan bought her client list from another call girl."

"It makes sense. They're expensive names. Only someone who came from money could afford it."

"We need to look into who's recently retired."

"Hotch, the reunion is tonight. Megan might have been bullied because of what she did, but she was wildly popular. It's as if what she did made all the girls want to be her. She's not going to pass up an opportunity to go to a reunion and show off her money and sexuality. Can I go to this reunion? I know she'll be there."

"We should all go."

"I'm sorry, but I don't think that's the best idea. This entire place is for the 1999 graduating class. If everyone shows up, and she sees you, we won't catch her. I went to that school. She doesn't know I'm FBI. I need to go alone."

"Take Reid with you. He can be your date."

"Thank you. I will let you know if anything happens."

You and Spencer head back to the hotel to get ready. If you're going to this thing, then you're not going to dress up like you belong to the FBI. Once you two are dressed, you get into the car you borrowed from the FBI to head over there. The place is already in full swing. The graduating class rented out an expensive mansion that is crowded with people.

You pull up next to the valet stand and take a deep breath.

"You okay?"

"No. I'm actually kind of nervous to see all these people again. These people bullied me because of something I couldn't control. My parents weren't much help either. They told me repeatedly that everyone gets bullied and to ignore them. I'll be fine. Come on."

You get out and hand the keys to the valet before walking to the entrance with your boyfriend. You recognize everyone inside but none of them pay any attention to you. Not everyone cared about you, but the majority of your class hated your guts. If you mess with the popular girl, then people tend to mess back.

Off to the right are people playing some party games they've rewrote to add alcohol. In front of you is a huge dancefloor where people are dancing and having fun. To the left is where the kitchen and dining room are. At the buffet is Jason, the lawyer you talked to earlier.

"There he is. Come on," you say to Spencer. "Hey, Jason!"

"Y/N! Glad you could make it!" he smiles once he sees you.

"Jason, this is my boyfriend Dr. Spencer Reid."

"It's nice to meet you."

"Listen, have you seen Megan Kane anywhere?"

"No, but I have an appointment with her later. I wanted to show up and say hi to a few people before I met her. I already told two other agents this before I left. They caught me as I was leaving work."

"Please call me if you hear anything from her." You hand over your business card. "Even if you see her. It's really important."

You're about to leave when he stops you.

"Listen, what happened between you two was thirteen years ago. She probably let it go."

"This isn't about that, but thanks." You and Spencer step away from him to talk. "If she's here, then she will be near her best friends. I don't know if they still talk, but we should talk to them first."

"Hey, I'm sorry to interrupt," Jason butts in. "Can I talk to you?"

"Try to find them. Melissa Bateman, Jennifer Banks, and Gina Cavers. Go find them." Spencer leaves your side and you turn to Jason. "What's up?"

"I want to tell you how sorry I am for how my friends and I treated you back then. I actually believe in the paranormal and psychics now. I think it's kind of cool that you can do these things."

"I appreciate your kindness. I wish everyone turned out like you."

"To be honest, I wish I had paid more attention to you in high school."

"Let me know if you hear from Megan. Excuse me." You leave his side and quickly find Spencer talking to Megan's best friends. They're too close to your liking and Spencer looks a bit uncomfortable from how close they are to him. "Wow, Melissa, Jennifer, and Gina. You three do not look any different."

"Y/N? I didn't think you'd show up here. Not after what happened to you. Are you still a freak?" Melissa asks.

Spencer is about to say something, but you put a hand on his shoulder to stop him.

"Thirteen years later and you're still the same stuck-up snobs you were back then. I'm surprised you're not following Megan around like lost puppies. You three were pretty good at that back then."

"You can't talk to us like that. Do you know who my husband is? He's the Dallas Police Chief. He'll destroy you," Gina says.

You take out your badge and practically shove it in her face. You keep eye contact with her as you show the other two your badge. All three of them go pale at the sight.

"Technically, the FBI is higher than some police chief. Your husband doesn't mean anything to me." You put your badge away. "Where is Megan?"

"I don't know," Jennifer says. "She was supposed to meet us here but she never showed. She's not answering her phone either."

"Do me a favor. Call me if you see her, yeah?" You hand Melissa your card. "And another thing, get a life. High school was over thirteen years. Grow up." You and Spencer leave their side and head back to the main entrance. "We should leave. She's not here."

"You don't want to say hi to anyone else?"

"Spencer, these people hated me. Those girls are just as worse as everyone else here. I really don't want to be reminded of the worst four years of my life. Megan isn't here. We should tell Hotch and leave."

"Alright. I didn't mean to upset you."

"No, you didn't," you sigh. You pull him closer and wrap your arms around his neck. "I know you mean well. I know you want to help. Trust me, I'd rather be at home with you in the bath or in bed together while we watch movies or read than be here. None of these people matter to me but you."

You lean up and kiss him slowly. After this case is over, you're definitely dragging him to bed.

"Hey, Y/N!" You pull away from Spencer to see Jason jogging up to you two with a paper in his hands. "I'm glad you haven't left yet. Megan contacted me. She wants me to leave the party and meet her at this address, room 256."

"Okay, stay here and enjoy the party. Do you have a family?"

"I have a wife and two kids."

"For their sake, stay away from Megan." You and Spencer leave, and while he grabs the car from the valet, you call Hotch. "She's not at the party, but we have a lead. I have an address to a hotel where she's at right now. Spencer and I are closer."

"Be careful. We're on our way."

You and Spencer head over to the hotel near the mansion party after you've sent Hotch the address. Megan doesn't know you're coming, so you have the advantage here.

"We should wait for the rest of the team," Spencer says as you get out.

"She could flee before they get here. I'm going in. You can stay here if you want."

You head inside the hotel and opt to take the stairs since you're faster than an elevator. Spencer doesn't want a repeat of Tobias Hankel, so he quickly follows after you as he gets his FBI vest on. You make your way to the second floor and search for room 256.

The security latch is holding the door open, so you push it open slowly and head inside alone. Megan is standing in the middle of the room with a glass of champagne in her hand and facing the window that overlooks the city.

"I was wondering when you were going to get here." She turns expecting to see her best friend's ex-boyfriend, but her face turns sour when she sees it's you pointing a gun at her. "You."

"It's been a long time, Megan. How's life been treating you?"

"Shut the fuck up," she growls.

"Put down the champagne and put your hands behind your back. You're under arrest."

Instead of complying with your orders, she smirks and drinks the rest of her champagne.

"You ruined my life ever since you told the whole school that I slept with that teacher."

"You did that to yourself when you made that choice. We all know the truth behind the scandal. You came onto the teacher. He had a wife and kids. He would have never done that to his wife. I know, I've talked to them. You poisoned him into sleeping with you."

"Everyone called me a whore!" she yells. "Even my own father started saying it."

"Like I said, not my problem."

Megan yells out in anger and throws her champagne glass at you, causing you to duck out of the way before it hit you. You trip over some shoes that are on the floor and end up dropping your gun. Megan reaches for trinkets left on the table and throws them at you, but you're quick to dodge them as well.

She runs at you to attack you, but you grab her hair and yank her to the floor. She kicks you and flips you so that you're lying underneath her. She wraps her hands around your throat and begins to squeeze.

"You're not going to get away with this," you choke out.

"I already have. If I'm going, then I may as well take you with me."

"FBI! Get off her!" Spencer yells as he enters the room.

He fires two shots at Megan but she flips off you and onto the floor so that she isn't in the line of fire. You cough and get on your knees. Megan stands up and holds her hands up in defense mode.

"My life was destroyed. The only thing I could do was try and destroy theirs," she says with a faraway look on her face.

"No," you cough and stand up. "You could have changed, but from what I hear and see, you never did."

The rest of your team comes shuffling into the room but Megan doesn't look fearful about going to jail. Instead, she has a smile on her face. Seconds later, she starts choking as if her airway is blocked. She falls to the ground and has a small seizure before going still. Hotch walks over to her and sees the champagne bottle and a bottle of pills next to it.

She killed herself before you came into the room. She must have wanted to take Jason down with the champagne but took it herself when she saw it was you at the door.

"Are you okay?" Spencer asks.

"Yeah, I'll be fine."

"I'm sorry this reunion didn't go as planned. Maybe you can go the next one."

"Yeah, unlikely."

x

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[quietmyfearswith]

obssessed ; preferences

warnings — stalking, nonconsensual location/location tracking, obsessive behaviors, manipulation, knife, mentions of killing someone (no actual murder)

characters — dark!andy barber, dark!steve rogers, dark!ransom drysdale, dark!bucky barnes, dark!clark kent, dark!syverson, dark!august walker

a/n — THIS IS A DARK FIC WITH DARK THEMES,, dni if youre not 18+,, just a thought that played around in my mind so yeah. lmk what you think!

their love language | with their little | when you’re insecure | slipping into little space | fussy | happy hoelidays | cartoons

masterlist

To celebrate the case they won they held a little party at the office; though Andy wasn’t in a celebratory mood. With his hand clasped together against his lips, his eyes were watching closely his phone screen as he was awaiting a text from his beloved girlfriend who promised to be here. “Hey Andy, we’re popping the champagne already; are you joining us?” Tearing his attention away from the device, he smiled a bit as he told them, “I will once Y/N comes over.”  Tess, the assistant who invited him, chuckled a bit before leaving him alone in his office, “Staring at the phone won’t make her come over any quicker you know?” It was something they never really confronted Andy about — almost everyone at the office noticed how he had a firm grip around the girl, but no one dared to question or comment about it because they know how the skilled lawyer would come after them once they do — but silently they understood that if you spoke, let alone looked at her, badly it wouldn’t end well for everyone.

As the door shut once Tess walked away, his intense gaze returned once again to the mobile phone as he awaits a response from his girl. “Baby! I’m here now,” Snapping his head to the source of the sound, he immediately stood up and hugged Y/N as he let out a relieved sigh. “Where were you? And most importantly why didn’t you answer my text or return my calls hm?” Rolling her eyes with how her boyfriend was grilling her as if she was one of the witnesses he had on his case she apologized, “I’m sorry, baby. I got held up at the salon because my mani took longer than expected,” Her manicured nails then raised her phone to show how even as she pressed the button it wouldn’t turn on, “And my phone ran out of battery.” Wrapping an arm around her, he removed her bag and left it by the coat hanger and guided them to where the party was. “I’m gonna buy you a portable charger, baby; that way you won’t ever run out.” Innocently, she smiled and thanked him with a kiss on the lips before saying hello to his colleagues whom she got along well. That way the tracker I put on your phone will always be turned on, he deviously thought to himself as he sipped some of his champagne.

“Another long day huh?” August asked as he peeked his head around Y/N’s cubicle. It was quite odd to say the least — a field agent of his caliber not having his own office instead opting for a cubicle beside one of CIA’s lanky desk jockey? It was one of the questions she asked the infamous Hammer as he settled on the office cubicle beside hers, “Why settle for a tiny office station?” She asked to which he chuckled at as he explained, “Half the year I’m somewhere around the world; so what’s the point of having a big office if I don’t enjoy it all year round?” It was a good, solid point — one she so easily believed without a second thought — but unfortunately it was all a lie. Ever since Walker saw her once at a meeting Sloane held, he was hooked. Initially it was just her beauty and energy, but as he got to know her more he fell for who and what she was. “Yeah, I might need to stay a bit longer than usual,” She replied as she lifted the files she held, pinning the blame on the current target that needed to be researched on. “How ‘bout some coffee then?” Ears ringing with joy at his offer, she looked at him with an appreciative look as she nodded. Chuckling at her reaction, he stood up and trodden over the pantry. Installing surveillance devices on her work computer and cameras around her desk paid off since it allowed him to know everything there is to discover about her — her favorite artists, pet peeves, how she liked her coffee, home address, mobile phone number, even her social security number!

“How’d you know how I like my coffee?” She asked after taking a sip of the hot beverage; with a smile he shrugs as he pretends to get back to the work on his computer, “Well it was just a wild guess.” In her mind however, she did find her tastes to be quite basic and didn’t doubt August which was a relief to the field agent. “I think I’ll be going home now,” She announced as she shut off her computer and began to clean up her desk. “Need a ride home?” He knew she did, since he overheard her talking to a mechanic earlier that day about a defect her car suddenly had, “Yeah I do actually, but I wouldn't want to hassle you.” Quickly putting on his brown coat, he was standing up as he fished his keys out, “Nonsense! I don’t mind helping a colleague out.” Conceding, she took up his generous offer with a smile. As they were making an easy-going conversation, Y/N gave her address; but what she didn’t know is that not only did August know by heart where she lived, but he had also paid her house a visit multiple times in the past.

With an arm draped around her shoulder, Bucky and Y/N walked around the farmer’s market; the latter whined endlessly to her boyfriend how she wanted to buy some products. And though the thought of going out in the crowds wasn’t at all appealing to him, the need to make her smile made him go anyway. Leading him up to the different stalls, the former Winter Soldier couldn’t help but chuckle at how she would coo and be all excited for the different groceries, clothes, and figurines. “Slow down, doll. The market’s not going anywhere,” Bucky told her as he tailed behind her as he carried over 10 different bags filled with her purchases. It wouldn’t normally be a problem for him to look after her, but as the path became filled with people and him being preoccupied with the bags he held made him unable to keep a grip on her. With worried, drifting eyes, he was searching for his girlfriend who seemed to have blended right up with the bustling crowds, “Y/N? Doll? Where are you?” 

Setting the bags down on a vacant table, he then spotted her standing by a stall that sold her favorite food. His relieved smile was soon being replaced with a scowl as she was talking and laughing with another man. Whipping out the knife he kept on the pocket of his jeans, he was ready to torture the man. But as Y/N turned to him with a wide smile, it had him hiding the knife out of her sight, “Bucky! Look it’s Sam, my cousin!” Upon her introducing who the man was, the knife that was hidden was being kept back into its original hiding spot before he shook hands with the man, “Oh! Nice meeting you same, I’m Y/N’s boyfriend.” As they shook hands Sam had given them both a look as he sassed, “I know who you are! This one,” He referred to Y/N by pinching her side as she smacked his hand and giggled, “Won’t stop gushing about you every time we talk.” Seeing how she was clinging to his metal arm as she nuzzled her cheek to his side was all the confirmation Bucky needed; Sam then excused himself, “Well you got to swing by one of our family gatherings, yeah Bucky?” Nodding, they all exchanged farewells before the couple headed to the table where their bags still were — thankfully not stolen. “You shouldn’t have run off like that, doll. Got me real worried for a second,” He gently scolded her with a stern look. Pouting, she defended herself, “I’m sorry, Bucky! I just saw these cute little mason jars, but they were too expensive so I walked away. Then I smelt something delicious so I followed it and it turned out it was my favorite food; but Sam was there so I chatted with him instead.” Ending her enthusiastic breakdown of events with a sweet peck on the lips, he told her, “Doll you know that I would have bought you anything your sweet heart wanted. Just don’t go anywhere without me okay?”

The soft ping on his phone made Jensen pause his movements as he was selecting  a movie that you both would watch; eyebrow raising when he noticed that a certain “Steve” was texting you. Opening the text through the software he installed on both your phones allowed him to see every activity you do on your phone — but it wasn’t the only feature it had for it also allowed him to change the texts, emails, and other settings on her phone. A frown graced his handsome features as he read the text, “ Hey Y/N I can squeeze you in on Thursday, at 3pm. Are you free by then?” Displeased, he then sent a text to the guy saying how his assistance wouldn’t be needed any more. And he edited the text Steve sent her to make it seem that it was Steve that texted how he could no longer accommodate her. “Got some chips and chocolates!”

Her excited voice brought his attention from his phone screen to her excited face as she plopped herself beside him. “Thanks, babe,” Kissing her forehead, he sneakily looked over to where she was unlocking her phone and reading the text; noticing how she pouted he inquired, “What's wrong, babe?” Snuggling up to his side after sending a reply, she explained, “Steve said he can’t meet up with me anymore.” As he was rubbing her back, he faked the symphony, “Aw that’s too bad; why did you even need to meet up with Steve anyway?” She did not pick up on the faint hints of darkness on his tone, “He was my dentist! He was going to determine whether I need to have surgery for my tooth, remember?” At the revelation of who Steve really was, the  communications and technology expert felt slightly guilty but he was quick to reassure her, “Don’t worry baby I know a dentist who can help you.” Feeling her hum appreciatively against him, she planted a kiss on his cheek as they both focused on the movie; and as her eyes were trained on the screen, he whispered lowly, “You're only gonna be around people I trust, babe.”

There was a reason Sy had chosen a house that was nearly thirty minutes away from downtown — it was so their friends and families would feel lazy or discouraged to visit them due to the distance and time it took to get there. “Where on earth do you need to be today, petal?” Sy’s morning voice huskily rasped out in her ear; they both had just woken up and as Y/N was moving to stand up from the bed, she was being trapped in his muscular arms for a hug. Giggling at how he was being, she rolled around so they would be facing each other, “‘M going out with my friends today — Sophia and Rose have been bugging me about how we don’t hang out as often anymore.” At the mention of her going out and leaving him, Sy’s mood deflated and his eyes went wide; this wasn’t how he pictured this day going. “But petal, you’re gonna leave me all alone in this big house? ‘M gonna miss you so much,” The former army captain whined as she got out of his grasp and heading to wash up in their ensuite bathroom — not before bopping his nose as she reminded him, “Well you chose this house, bear. Plus, it’s only just for a while.”

Sitting up on their bed the man could only cross his arms and grumble, which was interrupted with her phone ringing. After seeing that it was her friend, Sophia, who was calling he then answered it for her, “Hey Y/N! Can’t wait to see you; we’ll pick you up in 20 minutes okay?” Taking the opportunity, Sy then decided to fabricate a lie, “Oh hey Sophia, it’s Sy,” He paused before saying the next parts in a hushed tone, “Y/N won’t be able to make it since she hurt her foot two days ago when going down the stairs. I know she was so looking forward to seeing you. Will do, bye.” With a smirk, the man set her phone back down on the nightstand, just in time since Y/N exited the bathroom, “Who was that, bear?” Making his way over to her, he hugged her as he kissed her forehead, “Sophia, calling to say she’s gonna have to cancel because she’s sick. And Rose was called in to work.” It was clear on her face that she was disappointed because she was looking forward to catching up with her friends, but her boyfriend tried to mirror her expression when in reality he was overjoyed with getting her all to himself. “Guess that leaves just the two of us, petal. Don’t worry, we’re gonna have fun today.” 

“Fucking hell,” Ransom cursed as he was speeding to go to where your tracker said you were. He had gifted you a necklace six months into the relationship, and it was costly not just because of the intricate design it has but also because he had put a tracker on it to keep tabs of your whereabouts — not that you knew about it. You both had a fight the night before, and it didn’t end well since it led to the two of you sleeping in separate rooms and Ransom drinking away his misery. So imagine his surprise when he woke up and found how you weren’t in the house and he noticed as well how a duffel bag that was in your shared walk-in closet was gone; the writer thought of the worst possibilities. And his anger went through the roof when he saw how you were at his grandfather’s house; it was one thing that you guys fought, but to involve his family in this? That was bound to be a fucking mess. As he parked the car by the driveway, he stepped out in rushed steps that were slowed down by the two dogs barking and crowding him, “Shoo, get away, mutts!” He scared them away and entered the house, “Alright where is she?” His yell echoed through the walls as Marta who was walking from the kitchen and into the foyer was startled, “Hugh, what brings you here?” 

“Where’s Y/N?” Knowing Y/N’s secret, the nurse swallowed nervously as she reluctantly told the truth, “She’s with Harlan at the gathering area.” On his way there he noticed how there were some party decorations — some colorful streamers and balloons — on the walls before he saw his girlfriend who was looking through something on her iPad, “What the hell are you doing here?” His voice caused her to gasp out loud as she looked like a deer caught off guard by headlights; standing up she walked towards him, her hands gripping onto his forearms, “We fight and you end up here to my grandfather to what? Complain and seek refuge?” Though his words stung she chose not to feed onto his anger, “Can you promise to listen out to me first?” Seeing how she was calm and not as mad as the night before, he gulped down and nodded. “When you accused me of cheating on you, it hurt because I knew that that wasn’t the truth,” She paused briefly to monitor his reactions, and she knew that he would then ask what was up with her behavior so she addressed it before being prompted to, “And the reason why I seem to be distant or busy these past few days is because I was planning on throwing a surprise party for you — for the success of your book.” At her explanation he could feel his entire body relax at the relief of him not having to kill anyone; also it made sense to him why his grandfather’s house had some ornaments hanging. Pulling her close to him, he hugged her tight as he kissed the top of her head, “Princess, I was so close to killing someone, you have no idea.” Swatting his back, she laughed at him, “I think you owe me an apology, mister. Not only did you ruin the surprise but you also accused me of cheating on you.” Smirking at her he replied, “I’ll make it up to you for the rest of our lives, princess, don’t you worry about it.” And he meant every single word of that promise; for he knew he wanted no one else but her.

The mission went well since the new agents did their jobs well — even exceeding Steve’s expectations of how they would handle the pressure and what decisions they would make in order for the mission to be a success. As the quinjet landed and they were given the clearance to exit the aircraft, the super soldier frowned when he took note how his girlfriend wasn’t anywhere near the landing pad. She always welcomes me back, he thought. The weight of his duffle bag on his arm didn’t matter to him as the feeling of worry and anxiety about his girl was way heavier. Immediately, he headed to their shared living quarters where he hoped she would be, “Kitten? I’m home,” His voice bounced off the walls as he dropped his bag on the floor and looked through every nook of the room. Now his anger and confusion was through the roof and he then decided to consult, “Friday, where’s Y/N?”

“She’s at the common area with Sam and Pietro, Captain,” As soon as AI mentioned where she was he found himself striding briskly towards her location. If she was with Bucky, it wouldn’t have alarmed him as much. But the Captain had a hunch that Sam secretly liked his girl and had plans of stealing him away from him; while Pietro was a natural flirt and joker. Even just by standing at the doorway he heard his beloved’s giggles as Sam recalled an exaggerated story. “There you are, kitten,” He let out, relieved upon seeing his girl alive in one piece. Turning her head, she smiled widely upon seeing her boyfriend and abandoned her conversation with the two Avengers to run to Steve with open arms. “Steve! I missed you so much,” She squealed as the super soldier caught her effortlessly and wrapped his thick arms tightly around her figure. “What are you doing with these troublemakers, kitten?” He wondered out loud, completely ignoring two offended looks from the said men. “I was bored of waiting for you in our room so I went here,” She was cut off from her explanations when Sam added, “That, and we missed hanging out with Y/N!” Even though Y/N giggled, Steve was trying his best to control his rage; but Pietro wanted to push him further to his limits by saying, “You hog her all the damn time we forget how great her company is!” the only girl in the room squealed as she was being carried off by Steve, “Well I don’t want you around her that’s why I hog my girl around.” Everyone around the super soldier still thought that he was joking and decided to laugh it off; Sam’s voice called out to them once more to tell a joke before they both had fully exited the room, “Yeah? Well why don’t you just lock her up in a secluded house then?” That’s exactly my plan, Sam, Steve smirked to himself quietly.

Clark needed an escape that night; for someone who has inhumane powers the stress of his job at the Daily Planet can definitely take a toll on one person — so he decided to go flying around at night, just to take his mind off things. As he was flying, he sensed trouble and decided to check out what was happening. It was a woman who was being bothered by her ex who was clearly under the influence, “Goddamn it, Alex! I told you I don’t want to talk to you!” Y/N was trying her best to push him away, but even in his drunken state he had a  tight grip on her forearms. “Just wanna talk to you, baby,” He sing-songed as he tried to push his body closer to hers. “I think she made it clear that she doesn’t want to,” A booming voice spoke up, causing Y/N to gasp out loud when she saw Superman himself; Alex however grunted at the searing pain on his shoulder caused by the mysterious man, the pain weakening his hold on the girl to the point where he tore his hands away from Y/N to push away the weight on his shoulder. In his drunken state, he failed to piece together how it was the infamous hero in front of him — instead all he saw was a tall, muscular man and decided he didn’t want to have his face beaten up so he just walked away with his arms up in surrender. “Are you alright, miss?” Clark gently asked the woman who felt relieved she was no longer being bothered by her ass of an ex. “I am, thank you.” She nodded and before she could ask how’d she find him he offered, “Would you need help getting home? Just to make sure he won’t follow you again.” He was quick to clarify, in hopes she won’t find him creepy. “I know you have good intentions, but it’s fine. I don’t think he has the balls, let alone the energy, to bother me. At least for tonight.” With that she waved at the hero goodnight before getting into her car and driving into her apartment — but she didn’t know how up in the sky above, a certain pair of blue eyes followed her journey home.

“Hi! You must be the one who moved next door?” Y/N politely greeted the man as she was leaned by her front door. Clark smiled as he adjusted his glasses — suddenly feeling nervous upon seeing her beautiful face once more, “That is me! Though the one who moved next door is quite a mouthful; you can just call me Clark.” As she laughed at his lame joke she told her name, “And feel free to knock if you need anything, okay?” Taking his nod of agreement as a cue that their conversation ended, she entered her apartment. The son of Jor-El II went inside his own apartment that was directly next to hers  — he did so because days and nights of following her didn’t satiate his hunger for her, so he decided that perhaps this would be a clean way of easing her into a relationship — and busied himself with organizing his belongings in his apartment. Hearing Y/N’s increased heart rate and her voice raised, he opened his door to check out what was going on; and the sight of her ex bothering her once again. “Come on, Y/N! You need to take me back!” Displeased with how the imbecile failed to grasp that Alex should not reach out to his girl anymore. Letting his rage get the best of him, he walked over and pushed Alex off hard enough he landed on his bum, “When a woman says she doesn’t want to see or talk to you, then you better comply with her request.” Gulping down, he recognized the strength as the same one who grabbed onto his shoulder — and now as he was sober Alex decided to respect her wishes and hastily stood up to leave the apartment building. “Are you alright?” Seeing how Clark stood up for her, it made her reminisce about how she was reduced two weeks ago by Superman, “I’m fine, Clark,” She nodded as she grounded herself back to reality and stared into his concerned, blue eyes, “Thank you, by the way.” As he smiled at her she offered him for some snacks in her flat, which he gracefully accepted. “You know, you’re the second person who helped me get rid of Alex,” She mentioned as she handed him a snack; feigning innocence he tilted his head up as he inquired, “Oh? Who’s the other one?” Taking a small bite of the snack, she wiped her mouth free from the crumbs before  replying, “You probably won’t believe it, but it was Superman,” She laughed along with her new neighbor who didn’t find it unbelievable and instead played along as he spoke, “Who’s to say I’m not your personal superhero, beautiful?”

[queercapwriting]

To be honest I have a headcanon where Lena is like the baby gay and is trying so hard to flirt with Kara aka the oblivious bi mess we all know and love. Then like Lucy and Vasquez in the background and ending up helping the lil' luthor because while it's entertaining it's also mortifying to watch; with a heavy dose of good natured teasing from them towards both Lena and Kara.

“This is getting excruciating,” Vasquez muttered to Lucy, because really, it was.

Lena had been vouched for by a very protective Kara and a very defensive Supergirl and had been screened by a protective (of Kara) J’onn and given the all clear - so she’d been in the DEO about as much as Maggie had been of late.

But at least the older Danvers girl had finally figured out that those butterfly feelings were because she wanted to date Maggie, and when Maggie kissed her back, at least she finally understood that Maggie wanted to date her.

And so, they were dating.

But Kara and Lena?

Good Lord.

Lena was trying her damnedest. Wearing her hair in a high ponytail that made Kara gulp and splutter and go to adjust her glasses even when she wasn’t wearing them as Supergirl.

Leaning over Kara in the lab, Lucy and Vasquez not needing superhearing to know exactly how hard Lena’s heart was pounding as she tried to inch closer to Kara, tried to radiate to Kara that it was okay if Kara leaned in, too, that it was more than okay if Kara leaned in, too.

She was radiating it to everyone. Poor J’onn constantly looked like he had a headache. 

Lena was radiating it to everyone, it seemed, but Kara.

Kara, who kept gaping when Lena walked by and then snapping her head into a sharp shake, clearly telling herself that Lena wasn’t into her, that Lena wasn’t even into women, and Kara should just stop being such a bad friend already.

“I dunno, Vasquez,” Lucy shrugged, leaning back and putting her feet up on Winn’s desk, utterly unconcerned that he was trying to use his computer. “It’s kind of… amusing? Does that make me a terrible person?”

“Your utter disregard for my very advanced technology is what makes you a terrible person, Lane,” Winn muttered. Lucy ruffled his hair and begrudgingly took her feet down from his desk. She put them on his lap instead.

“Now you can use your very advanced technology,” she grinned. Winn glared for a moment before shrugging and continuing to program some complicated tech detector that Lucy only vaguely understood but deeply appreciated.

“And it is, by the way,” Winn added, not even needing to look up from his work to hear Lena’s extra breathy laugh at something utterly less than funny Kara had said. “Both excruciating and hilarious. We should do something to help, though. Because poor Lena. I’ve been there. Kara’s not gonna get it until Lena tattoos it onto her forehead.” He furrowed his brow. “You know what. Maybe not even then.”

He turned and sighed, shaking his head affectionately at Kara. “Seriously. You guys need to save Lena from… this. And J’onn. The man looks like he is suffering.”

“I am suffering, Mr. Schott,” J’onn murmured as he walked by behind them. “Don’t you all have things you need to be doing?”

“Like curing your headache? Sir?” Vasquez asked. J’onn covered his face with his hand, knowing when his children had defeated him. 

“Sure, Agent Vasquez. By all means, assist Ms. Luthor. Just… just don’t think so loudly about it.”

Lucy kicked her feet off Winn’s lap and snapped to attention with a grin. “Thank you, sir.”

“Good God,” J’onn just muttered as he walked away.

“Anything I can do, Papa Bear?” Winn asked.

“You can never call me that again,” J’onn said, but the smile in his eyes was obvious, and Winn didn’t stop grinning for the rest of the day.

+++

“Um, excuse me, Ms. Luthor. Ma’am. Can I borrow you?”

Lena turned away from Kara with raised eyebrows, raw and hopeless want still frozen in her eyes. “It’s Lena, really. Just Lena. I’d prefer it, truly.”

“Ms. Lena. Ma’am.”

Lena sighed and laughed, putting her hand on Kara’s arm. Lucy and Vasquez watched Kara’s heart beat out of her chest at the contact, and it was all either of them could do to not groan aloud.

“I’ll be back,” Lena told Kara, who looked like she was still trying to remember Earth languages. “Lead the way,” she told Vasquez gamely.

But she and Lucy didn’t lead Lena to the lab. They led her to the armory.

“Does J’onn think I need to learn how to defend myself better?” Lena asked, concern in her voice.

“No, actually, he knows exactly how well you can kick ass,” Lucy smirked, hopping up to sit casually on one of the old targets Winn was reprogramming to move in and out of the visible spectrum. 

Vasquez closed the door behind them. “We just needed someplace quiet to talk.’

Lena visibly stiffened. “Have I done something wrong?” Her voice lost all the softness it had been acquiring of late, leaning more toward the stern CEO her mother had trained her to be.

Defense after defense after defense.

Lucy softened and put her hands out to Lena. “No, God, sorry. Listen, I’m a military brat and Vasquez has been a secret agent since birth, I guess we don’t know how to do anything without being…”

“Extra?”

“Terrifying?”

“Extra terrifying?”

“I was going to say suspiciously secretive.”

Lena huffed, but her shoulders relaxed just slightly even as she hugged herself. “Well? What is it, then?”

Lucy Lane was straight - well, not straight, but it was just an expression, after all - out of the JAG Corps, so she didn’t really see much point in indirectness.

“You’re in love with Supergirl. Kara. Everyone knows she’s the same person, it’s not like the glasses exactly do much and it’s not like Alex doesn’t constantly call Supergirl her sister and it’s not like you’re exactly stupid.”

Lena was blinking like her contacts were acting up, and her shoulders were back to being tense.

“I… think she’s still hung up on that first part you said, Luce. The in love part.”

“Yes, I am,” Lena said, barely at a whisper. “I am… I’m not even ou… how did you -”

“Military training.”

“Spy stuff.”

“Also, we have eyes.”

“And ears.”

“And we’ve seen -”

“And heard -”

“You two interact once or twice.”

Lena blinked again. “Do you two ever -”

“Not finish each other’s sentences? Occasionally.” 

“Yeah, but you should see my friends Fitz-Simmons, we’re not nearly as bad as they are,” Vasquez shrugged. “But you’re changing the subject, Ms. Luthor. Ms. - Lena. Crap, okay. Lena. You’re changing the subject.”

“I… okay. Well.” Lena’s shoulders were tense again. Very much so. But there was also something that might have been hope with a dash of excitement in her eyes. Like she finally had people to talk to about… all this.

“Well, what if I were?” She lowered her voice. “In love with Kara?”

“Well then,” Lucy smiled from ear to ear, “we’re going to help you, because honey, Kara is not going to pick up on subtle cues.”

“The consummate disaster bisexual.”

“So she is into girls?”

“Oh yeah.”

“Most definitely.”

“100%.”

Lena visibly relaxed - this conversation really seemed to be wreaking havoc on her nervous system - and bit her lip. 

“Am I really being that pathetic?”

“Not at all,” Vasquez shook her head. “No, you’re just flirting your ass off. And it’s not bad - your flirting or your ass… um. Respectfully. Ma’am.”

“It’s Lena. And thank you.”

“Lena. You’re not being pathetic. It’s just that Kara…”

“Kara is one of the smartest women I’ve ever met,” Lucy said. “She’s also just as a big of a disaster as her sister.”

“Which means?”

“Which means you need our help.”

Lena sighed, her eyes nothing but vulnerable. “But do you think it even would be worth it? Do you think she even feels… anything for me?”

“Oh, she does,” Lucy nodded, her eyes glistening as plan after plan formed behind them. “She definitely does.”

+++

Two hours later, Lucy leaned back onto the desk Kara was standing at, looking over some surveillance footage with Winn. 

Lucy had, over course, fully briefed Winn over comms.

Alex also knew. As did Maggie.

As did J’onn, though much to his dismay, no one had to tell him with their words.

“Hey Kara,” Lucy said, her voice so deliberately casual that Alex rolled her eyes from all the way across the room. 

“Oh Rao, what could you possibly want?” Kara asked, because she might be oblivious when people liked her, but she certainly wasn’t stupid.

“Want? Me? I don’t want anything. World peace, maybe. Or, galactic peace, that would be nice.”

“Lucy.”

“Kara.”

“I’m busy. The whole Supergirl thing?”

“Right,” Lucy said, and Winn looked over his shoulder to exchange an exasperated glance with Alex, who was pretending very badly to be looking over a situation report. “That’s actually what I wanted to talk to you about. You’re so busy, all the time now, you know? Big promotion at CatCo, all the chaos here… Have you had any time, you know… for yourself?”

Kara frowned. “You know I do, Lucy. We have game nights once a week, and you know I have sisters’ nights with Alex -”

“I meant sex, Kara.”

“Oh my God.” Winn let his head bang down on his desk and Alex glared at Vasquez like this was all her fault. Lena, per their plan, was nowhere in ear shot.

“Are you making time for sex? Or, dating, if you don’t want to have sex, because that’s, you know, perfectly fine, if you’re not into that. Or either. That’s okay too, but I was just -”

“I am,” Kara grabbed at Lucy’s wrist and lowered it, like the gesture would also lower Lucy’s voice. “Into those things. Sometimes. With the right… person.”

“Okay, cool. And if I thought I found someone right for you… would you… be interested?”

“Are you setting me up, Lucy? Because for a military lawyer turned secret agent, you’re pretty un-subtle.”

Lucy waved her off. “I’m not going for subtly, Kara. You wouldn’t see subtly if it flirted with you right in the face. Which is exactly the problem.”

Kara went to adjust her glasses before realizing they weren’t on. “What are you talking about?”

“Lena,” Alex mouthed from across the room, and Vasquez hit her on the arm before springing to attention and mouthing an apology. Alex grinned, and Vasquez relaxed.

“It’s like when I liked you, Kara, remember?” Winn blurted. “It was years, you know, and you just really… couldn’t tell.”

“Oh, Winn, are you still - I’m so sorry, it -”

“No, no, James and I are doing great. I love you, Kara, but romantically you’re yesterday’s news -”

“And our incestuous dating pool keeps getting more and more mixed,” Lucy grinned, clapping Winn on the shoulder. “You have excellent taste, my friend.”

“As do you,” Winn gave a little bow from his seat.

“Where is this all going?” Kara asked, dropping her voice to Supergirl level, which was when Vasquez happened to be walking by.

“Supergirl. Ma’am. There’s a situation in the lab the requires your attention. Um. Urgently.”

“Smooth,” Alex whispered as Kara nodded efficiently and practically flew down to the lab.

“What’s the situation? Is everything - oh. Oh. This… doesn’t look like the lab.”

Because it really didn’t. Lucy and Vasquez - with more than a little help from Winn and Alex, while Maggie talked Lena through her excitement and terror in the adjacent room, and a bit of help from J’onn, who really just needed his children to stop thinking so loudly about all of this - had transformed the lab into a romantic dinner for two, complete with candles and a couple bottles of wine on ice (including a Kryptonian version for Kara) and a tablecloth Winn had handstitched for his first home date with James.

There were steaming potstickers and pancakes piled high on the table - because it was Kara Danvers, after all, and Lena had insisted on making sure she had her favorite things - and Lucy had insisted right back that Lena was one of them.

Lena had almost believed her when Alex vehemently agreed.

And then there was Lena. 

She wasn’t in a lab coat and - thank Rao - she wasn’t in any danger. Well, danger of passing out from excited nerves, maybe, but it wasn’t some type of emergency like Kara had thought.

“We had it redone. Just for the evening. Alex gave her consent, don’t worry.”

Kara didn’t look worried. No, that wasn’t the word.

Because Lena was in this red dress, subtle but tight and Rao, Kara had never… she wasn’t… words.

Words were failing her. Language was eluding her. Breath was completely escaping her.

“Lena, what…”

“I’ve been told that I’ve been too subtle in my attempts to flirt with you. So we decided - I decided - that it was time to just… tell you.” She straightened up, at once the woman her mother had trained her to be and every bit her own person. It was intoxicating. She was intoxicating.

“Tell me?”

“That I want you. Um. To date you. That you’re my best friend and you’re an enormous dork and your body is almost as beautiful as your heart and Maggie says we should kiss the girls we want to kiss and I -”

But Kara was already across the room, her hands were already on Lena’s waist, her forehead already pressed delicately against hers.

“You want me to kiss you?” Kara asked, in the most heady combination of her Supergirl and Kara voice she’d ever found.

“I do,” Lena whispered, so Kara… Kara did.

“Victory is mine!” Lucy made them both jump, until the combined force of Vasquez, Alex, and Winn dragged her away, leaving Kara and Lena to finally… admit some things to each other.

[kyndaris]

Banana Life

Growing up as a Chinese-Australian has had its ups and downs over the years. There has always been a bit of a cultural divide with how my parents have viewed things and how I’ve perceived such matters. In fact, I remember many a fight when I was younger and hated the thought of going to Chinese School every Saturday. Now that I’m older, though, I appreciate the fact that I’m bilingual (I still can’t read Chinese as well as my mother would have hoped, but at least I can tell where the train station is). 

But I often count myself among the more fortunate ones when it comes to being the target of racist attacks. There has never been one singular event when someone has told me to ‘go back to where I came from.’ Nor has anyone physically assaulted me based on my appearance.

In saying that, I have often bristled when people ask me again where I’m from. As if my answer: Australia is not enough. If you wish to know my ethnicity, then be more direct. Unless, of course, you wish to see my birth certificate? I know that some people are curious and want to find a way to bond about their experience in an Asian country, but there are better ways to phrase a question rather than going with a blunt: so, where are you from?

I’ve also never liked when people come up to me and say ‘Ni Hao.’ Yes, I know I’m Chinese-Australian and understand the words, but for all you (a relative stranger) know, I might not know a lick of Chinese at all. What if I was sixth generation and never grew up learning the language? What if I was actually Vietnamese, Japanese or Korean? Malaysian or Singaporean? How about Thai, Indonesian or Filipino? 

Actually, when I was in the small country town of Leeton, I did have a gaggle of girls approach me and say ‘Konnichiwa.’ Perhaps they saw a great number of tourists in that area and assumed I was one of them. I never actually got to the bottom of why they addressed me in Japanese, but I was greatly puzzled. A simple ‘G’day’ would have sufficed. It isn’t as if I approach all Caucasians and start going ‘buongiorno’ or ‘top of the morning.’

Then there have been the subtle times when I was at university and handed Free English lessons pamphlets. Why me? There were plenty of international students from Europe that might have been struggling with English. But because I looked different, many people assumed that I was an international student. One time, I asked one of these good Samaritans if it sounded like I needed Free English lessons. And do I speaker da good English. They quickly learned their error. Although, they then followed me up half the street trying to convert me to Christianity.

Over the years, though, and in more recent months, I’ve read plenty of articles and stories where people have discriminated against people that look like me. People, who, like me, have grown up in the West and often struggle with belonging as we straddle two worlds. Our values are not the same as our parents and yet, we don’t look white enough to be considered ‘true blue Aussies.’ As my mother loved to say - and which was repeated in Crazy Rich Asians - we’re bananas. 

One of my friends said that in the UK, East Asians are one of the smallest minorities there. Here in Australia, we’re one of the largest. Just like in the United States of America, we’re a model for all other ethnic minorities. Most of us studied hard in school, to the detriment of our mental health. We’re good at mathematics. We’ve also prove to be invaluable employees in the work place. And our parents have often hoped that we land an excellent job that pays well: accountant, lawyer, doctor or engineer. 

Most of us have also learned to play a music instrument. Some of us love anime with a passion. Others have dived down deep into the world of Korean Dramas. And a lot fell in love with a film that finally put us on the big Hollywood screen. Representation matters. Even as we’ve remained mostly silent in our achievements after decades of being regarded as the ‘yellow peril’ or ‘Asian invasion.’

COVID-19 has proved thoroughly that despite the great strides Western society has made in being more inclusive, many people are still mired by their prejudice. People have graffiti-ed and vandalised houses in the suburbs of Melbourne. They’ve made disparaging comments under their breath whilst in earshot of Asian Australian in shopping markets. Elsewhere, we have been attacked and told that we’re a disease.

Now, let me be clear. None of this has happened to me personally. And yet, reading these stories, I often fear what might happen should I ever find myself in such a situation. When I was younger, I often thought I’d retort with the fact that if they told me to ‘go back to where I came from,’ I’d simply do the same. Australia has always been a migrant country. All of us came via boat or plane if they’ve traced their ancestry as far as it can go. Maybe that was the First Fleet or as convicts. But just because you’ve settled and claimed the land that we’re on for longer than me and my family, that doesn’t give you the right to say that I’m not who I say I am: an Australian.

As I’ve grown older, though, I’ve realised that trying to reason with these people doesn’t always work. And trying too hard might mean risking getting burnt. In Life is Strange 2, trying to stick to my values only had Sean Diaz bullied into finally singing a song in Spanish for fear that he would be assaulted.

Even little comments can hurt, even when they’re said in jest.

I remember at around the start of the current COVID-19 crisis, a colleague once asked me if I ate bats. At the time, it was believed that the virus had been transmitted in a wet market in Wuhan by eating bats. I said ‘no.’ And then proceeded to list a number of things I have never eaten: snakes, shark fin, dog...the list went on. Of course, I knew it was all in good fun and teased her back by asking if she ate frog legs or escargot. It gradually evolved into a conversation about the different types of food that was enjoyed around the world. But that first assumption also stung and made me question how the people around me viewed this little Chinese-Australian trying to make her way in the world. 

Yet even when it’s not others trying to put us down, some of our fellows are coming up with conspiracy theories. In my badminton group, one of the players said that COVID-19 stood for something more sinister than just corona virus disease. They said that it was an acronym which stood for China Output Virus in December 2019.

Social distancing restrictions are now easing around the world. I know many are looking forward to going out and meeting up with friends without having the fear of disease and death hovering over their shoulder. There is always the concern that lifting quarantine will lead to more outbreaks. But, what I’m scared of most of all, is when someone sees me and decides that it’s my fault COVID-19 was brought in Australia, though it’s been years since I’ve been to China. And then begins to attack me: either verbally or physically just because of what I look like.

[fallenangelsjenniferanddani]

~~Fallen Angels~~ Chapter 3- Crash Course in Undercover

MC: Ellie Wheeler Language, adult, I don’t own their characters. Just borrowing them for our story.

~~

Hi! Welcome! New to our page and want the inside scoop from the authors? Click here.

Find Chapter One here- “When the FBI Comes Knocking.”

Find Chapter Two here- “Partners.”

💕 Want to follow our page so you don’t miss any new updates? Click here.

Hope you enjoy-Jenn and Dani <3 (( @jlpplays1 + @justdani14 )) :*

~~~

Bright and early the next day, I get woken up by a pounding on the door. 

I sit bolt up, shocked. Fumbling for my phone I see that it’s 4:30!!! Who in the hell is knocking on my door at this time of night?!

I scramble out of bed to answer it, ready to give whoever it is a piece of my mind. Only to see that it’s Rebecca. “Oh my God! Have you lost your mind? What are you doing here so early?!” I say exasperated, trying not to yell. Let’s face it Rebecca could kick my ass. “It’s time to start training.” She says smirking. “Is it too late to change my mind about this?” I mutter mutinously. Chucking she shakes her ponytailed head before saying, “Yes.” That’s when I notice her outfit. She’s wearing running shoes, spandex leggings and a crop top. Oh no this isn’t going to be good for me is it? I gulp, great just great.

“Let me guess you want me to go running with you.” I say sighing feeling defeated.

“Yes now hurry up and get dressed. I’ll wait out here for you.” She says smiling again. What kind of a freak is this cheerful so early in the morning? What did I get myself into? I get dressed fast, muttering to myself throughout. When I’m done I meet Rebecca outside my dorm. We head out for a quiet run around campus. I’m not completely out of breath so I know my workout sessions have been paying off. I’m not one to run and chat though, so I don’t make conversation. Rebecca doesn’t seem inclined to either, so we finish our run without more then a few words. 

Once finished we go back to my dorm and collect the few belongings still there. A carry on for my trip to LA and a rolling suitcase with as much clothes as I could pack. A couple boxes and my laptop are coming with me too. A lot of my belongings were mailed to my dad’s a few days ago. Only leaving the essential for wherever Rebecca and Evan are taking me. 

After packing up Rebecca’s car, we head back to the apartment. The one they first took me to a couple days ago. After showering, getting ready, a quick breakfast consisting of a yogurt parfait and bagel. We make our way to the living room and wait for Evan and Logan to come back from their workout. “So what made you join the FBI.” I ask after a few minutes of silence. “I paid my dues as a rookie in LA. When the FBI came looking to recruit me, I signed up immediately. The rest is history.” She says shrugging nonchalantly. I can see that there’s more to the story but I don’t pry. If she wanted me to know, she would have told me more. 

Rebecca is a bit of a mystery. Evan too but there’s something about her. She obviously confident and mindful. There’s definitely more to her though. 

We’re both saved from further awkward conversation by the arrival of the guys. They’re chucking and punching each other on the arm. They greet us and grab their breakfast meeting us in the living room. They obviously showered wherever they were. Or didn’t have to go for a run at 4:30 am. “Who knows,” I think grumpily. “Alright let’s get started. We’ve got a lot of ground to cover and not a lot of time. First things first though, you need to sign your deal.” Rebecca says handing me some papers.

“Do I need a lawyer for this?” I ask looking over the paper work curiously. 

“Hey! That’s what Logan said!” Evan says laughing loudly, while Rebecca laughs lightly too, before rolling her eyes. 

I look up at them both before looking over at Logan. We share a brief moment, smiling at each other before I look back through the deal. It looks pretty standard. I get my demands met with the condition the case gets closed. That involves getting close to a new crew while being undercover. We need to learn more about their families, as they seem to be doing illegal trades and their businesses are shady. We need to do this by any means necessary even if that means being a part of sideshows, racing or stealing.. whatever it takes. I guess the FBI wants them bad enough to give us the okay to be able to do all of these things from right under their noses. We get a little more slack since we are getting them the information that they need to close this ongoing case against the crew and their parents. We have to make it look legit but within reason. If we gain their trust, it’s with the purpose of getting as much evidence as we can to convict them. It can't look like they are involved, for our safety and the case’s sake. So they'll offer as much help as they can without compromising our cover.

After a few minutes I take a deep breath and I sign. The feeling of walking off a cliff washes over me, there’s no turning back now. 

“All right now to the next order of business, your first briefing.” Rebecca says walking towards a white board.

The same board I saw two days ago, with The Mercy Park Crew’s pictures and information. I glance to Logan, who doesn’t meet my eyes. I sigh facing Rebecca again, and watch her flip over the white board to the back. On it are pictures of three older people on it.

Police Commissioner Marcus Preston

He has salt and pepper brown hair. It also has his police record and major cases he closed or didn’t. Along with his unproven crimes due to recanting or disappearance. He hasn't gotten this far by being sloppy or stupid. There isn't enough evidence plus the police literally in his pocket, he's untouchable. I suppress a shudder thinking of my dad. Much like my father, he has someone he'd do anything to protect. His niece Chloe. Our first target.

Mayor Evelyn Harper

Who looks more like a beauty queen then a mayor. There are her unproven crimes as well. Along with the few court cases that haven’t been sealed against her. Most of them are though, and the ones that aren’t, are not much to go on. She's careful and has calculation but she has a weakness- her rebellious daughter Mason. 

Business Tycoon Harrison Chip Sterling

I read the name and I freeze in my tracks. Rebecca and the others don’t notice that I tense up. They continue to explain the case to me but all I can hear is buzzing in my ears. It can’t be, it can’t. No please no. I skim over the board. There are four other pictures besides the first three. Then see him. It’s Blake. Blake’s picture is on the board. I abruptly stand and everyone turns to look at me. I feel like I’m going to pass out, I can’t breathe. I need to get out of here. I look at Logan terrified. “Ellie what is it? Are you hurt?” Evan says reaching for me. He continues to murmur softly to me but I can’t hear it. I’m still looking at Logan. Who’s watching me carefully. On instinct I run to the bathroom, and promptly vomit my breakfast. Once done, I spend some time laying on the bathroom floor trying to calm myself. Evan comes in after a few knocks. He looks at me gently. Putting a hand on my forehead, checking my temperature before saying, “I told Bec to take it easy on you. She takes training too seriously, ask Logan.” He says laughing. “It wasn’t that.” I crock out my throat feeling like sandpaper. “Then what? The flu maybe?” He says curiously, tapping his finger on his chin. “No it’s Blake Sterling, I dated him a few months back. November till February to be exact.” I whisper. “Oh..oh Ellie, I’m so sorry.” He says opening his arms to hug me. It makes me start to cry. How can this man I just meet a couple days ago feel so completely like family? I throw myself into his arms sobbing on his chest. He holds me tight murmur comforting words to me. We stay like this until I’m done crying. I start to feel embarrassed for my outburst. “I’m sorry. I’ve ruined your shirt.” I say looking down, away from him. “Hey now, there are other shirts. It’s not like it was my favorite or anything.” He says chucking lightly. “It was you favorite, wasn’t it?” I ask him. “If I say no will you believe me?” He asks. “Not anymore, no.” I murmur gauging his reaction. He busts out laughing, he has such a nice laugh. I start to laugh too and soon we’re laying on the bathroom floor consumed in laughter. Finally we hear a knock on the door and Rebecca pokes her head in. Looking at us curiously before saying, “Everything okay in here?” “We’re fine...I’m..uh, I’m ready.” I say looking at both of them, trying to find the resolve. Evan pats my shoulder and Rebecca gives me a kind smile. I get up slowly and we all walk to the living room. I gesture toward the couch before saying, “Can you please all sit down? I have something to tell you.” They obliged, with Rebecca and Logan looking at me curiously. Evan smiles at me encouragingly and I take a few deep breaths. “I know Blake Sterling already, because we dated for a few months. November of last year through February of this year. Right before I went back to racing.” I say my voice small. Rebecca looks at me surprised before she crosses the room and wraps me in a hug. Over her shoulder I search Logan’s face for anger or sadness but his expression is blank. A part of me wants to tell him I’m sorry. The words die on my lips though. I remember the pain of losing him, the struggle to move on, and my time with Blake. 

The rest of the evening goes quickly and quietly. I spend most of it in a daze as Rebecca, Evan and Logan move around me. I’m only half listening to the rest of the case details or the rest of the information. Evan and Rebecca ask me multiple times how I’m feeling, if I need a break. I try to reassure them, but when dinnertime comes around I ask to be excused. I tell everyone I want to get some sleep before the flight, even though I know they won’t believe me. I try not to dwell on what Logan is thinking right now. I can’t fit anyone else’s feelings in me right now. 

I lay in Rebecca’s bed for a long time. Thoughts going though my mind slowly until I fall into a fitful sleep. After what feels like minutes, Rebecca gently wakes me so we can leave for the airport. When I get up Logan is no where to be found. Curiously I feel both a sense of relief and sadness at it. As we’re loading the car, on impulse I pull Rebecca into a hug. After the initial shock, she hugs me back fiercely. We bid each other good bye and make our way to the airport.

~~~

@fallenangelsjenniferanddani

Want to meet the characters? New and old? Meet Evan Shipley ; Meet Rebecca McKenzie Keep your eyes peeled for more of Rebecca and Evan!

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[vigilante-rpg]

「 BIOGRAPHY 」

On March 28, 1990, everyone in Newhaven knew about the first son of Gryphon and Bogatyr, heroes of The Guild. The journey of Gryphon’s pregnancy was followed by the public since she first left the front lines to preserve her health and that of the baby. His name was never released, of course, lest the heroes, his parents, would be revealed.

They called him Fledgling, born with the beak of an an eagle and destined to follow in the footsteps of his father and mother.

Behind the mask, the Halls were a loving, if somewhat overinvested nuclear family. Vladimir Hall, cheerful father and knightlike superhero, lived as an interpreter of numerous Slavic languages for immigrants such as himself. Chantelle Prevost-Hall had more of a challenge to balance out her heroics and her civilian life as a popular stunt actress, but she was more than up to the task for what she felt was the right thing to do. They adored Garrett, and later their second son, Vincent, who inherited none of the family’s powers. But if Chantelle were to look back, she would see that her presence in the boys’ emotional conflicts was a place she fell short, and where she was needed more than ever. For Vlad, he was kind, he was affectionate, but the man simply could not empathize with his sons of a different generation and culture. Where they faltered to meet their children’s needs, they compensated in support of their education, social lives, and especially Garrett’s own unique abilities.

Along with his astonishing prowess throughout his years of education, Garrett was trained in his superhuman abilities — plural after his secondary power manifested at age 4 — so that he would flourish as a sidekick to the heroic power couple Gryphon and Bogatyr, and eventually ascend to become a hero of The Guild. Everybody knew this. People gossiped, journalists followed the masked child’s every move, and where they failed to catch anything of note, they could glean some off of the proud parents themselves. Nobody was more excited for Fledgling’s next development than them.

That is why Garrett never told them how he really felt. His fears, his anxieties and insecurities were clutched to his chest, and he never spoke a word of his peers and other adults who saw him as the loner, a shortcut to their own successes, or the perfect target to push into the dirt. When he came home with a soggy bookbag and a busted lip, he said he fell into a fountain. When given the silent treatment by his younger brother, powerless and painfully average in everything but heart, he said he had eaten the last of Vincent’s favorite snack. When someone spoke about Fledgling and his sparkling future, he smiled and kept his mouth shut, even though he screamed on the inside, “Does anyone care what I think?!”

The last flickering light of hope turned to smoke when he learned the answer. Almost 18 years old, freshly dubbed a hero in his own right, and he had nobody. Even his best friend, his favorite person, his first love, only looked up to the heroic side of the mask. Just like everyone else.

Fledgling was so lucky, wasn’t he? To be the child of heroes, to be anywhere close to Spectrum, to be a hero himself.

That’s not me.

The rest of that day was a blur. He went to his room, threw on a jacket, got in his first — and only — fight with his dad, and then he was gone. He doesn’t remember what he said that evening. Only the rage, the guilt, the fear, but not enough to pretend he could ever make his family proud. Fledging was declared to have stepped down a week later, when the Halls had to realize that Garrett wasn’t coming home.With no contact, no leads, no motivation for him to completely run away, it was as though Garrett simply dissolved into thin air.

The years following were just as foggy when Garrett tries to look back. He wandered the streets, learned what it’s like to fight for his life, hitchhiked out of the city, and worked the odd job here and there until a kind samaritan had pity and took him in. He got into college with a double major in law and accounting, then law school because you can take the boy away from heroics, but you can’t take the hero out of the boy. He became a lawyer in the city on the outskirts, and a good one at that. It wasn’t until the last year that he was found by his brother, now an officer who begged and bothered for his return.

He got through to Garrett. This was not the life he wanted to lead anymore. In the span of a day, he quit his job, said goodbye to the person who took him in those years back, and disappeared into the night. The second time he ran, this time to the very place he yearned to leave behind.

His abrupt resignation would not bode well if he applied to another law firm, and between the deskwork and the effort outside of the office, he would hardly have time to have a full night’s rest. It was Vincent’s suggestion to start small instead, so Garrett pulled out his second degree and took the first accounting job he could get, at a bakery just mere blocks from the apartment he rented out. It was the perfect foundation to slip into the evening sky for the first time in years, wings bared for all to see.

After everything he did, it all lead back to putting on those golden shackles.

「 PERSONALITY」

Intelligent: Even without the dual wielded powers inherited from his parents, Garrett grew up a prodigy of all kinds. From a young age he mastered languages from the English, Russian, and French he heard daily, to Spanish, sign language, and Mandarin. Kinesthetic intelligence developed in his training and play, both effectively honing his body for a future of constant movement. In school, he set academic records that have yet to be beaten. For much of his childhood, he was educated in classes above most children his age until his parents moved him back down, rightfully fearing the neglect of his emotional needs. With the focus on his own growth, Garrett came to brush off those who seemed lesser than him, whether he meant to or not. Sometimes he did. Without establishing connections with the rest of the essentials for life, Vlad and Chantelle worried for his future. However, Garrett refused to ease his burdens, continuing to cultivate his mind and the skills he proved good at. After all, it’s what all the people wanted from him, right?

Blunt: One of the few things Garrett struggled with has always been social interaction. He can and has come off to others as rude and irritable, not just because he is, but also because he lacks the understanding of sensing others’ emotions and following that to a proper response. As a result, he simply says and does what is on his mind. [Emotional] While he would argue his brain to be his greatest strength, Garrett is almost entirely emotionally driven, and rather impulsive at that. He is the type of person to act first and apologize later than to ask for permission or another’s point of view. As much as he pretends to be an impervious wall to those around him, Garrett is prone to wear sad eyes and scrunch his face to avoid a fit of helpless snickers. Plus, there’s the avoidance of sad films; he has made many people uncomfortable with gross tears. He has also grown acutely aware of his personal traits and needs, as well as the ways his actions affect the lives of others. This may be the biggest cause for his return to Newhaven.

Observational: This trait is somewhat tied to those addressed before. Garrett is smart; he sees things and does everything he can to understand the who, where, when, why, how, and what to do next. It is much easier for him to go through this experience with the theoretical, scientific, mathematical, and rhetorical than it with the human mind. Humans are not so predictable, and Point A does not always lead to Point B with them.

A Grade A Asshole: That’s it. This is him. We’re done here. In slightly more seriousness, he can really be a jerk. This is important when connected to his impulsivity and inability to understand people. Garrett has made a number of mistakes that hurt other individuals in his own self-destructive spiral. When he says and does what he believes needs to be done, his methods can be… questionable at best. 

Troubled: Both Garrett and Legacy behave complete differently for the same reason: he doesn’t know how to amend the person he is with the person he wants or needs to be, as well as what is expected from him. His entire sense of self has been fractured, and it shows. Garrett attempts to push himself almost completely from the kind of person most would accept, much less want to be around. Legacy is quite the opposite, the golden boy he was fated to be since the very beginning. But neither of them are the real him. He doesn’t know how to get that back.

「 ABILITIES 」

Gryphon Physiology: From his mother, Legacy possesses a genetic structure that can shift from fully human to a more animalistic form. This ability is not powered by emotions or the person’s control, but is merely another body for him to inhabit. However, the more he changes at once, the more painful the process becomes. He has to physically make alterations to his muscles, bones, and every part of his body, which is hardly a natural effort. The most he can accomplish without causing significant injury to himself is manifest his wings, talons, claws, and bird-like eyes. Garrett has only tried to fully transform once as a teenager, but he failed impressively and never made an attempt since.

His strength and other physical attributes rely on his own fitness, except for the strength of his wings, massive and powerful to carry the weight of a grown man and then some, thus entirely capable of blunt damage should he risk injury to one of his most sensitive body parts. Another consequence is that his clothes get torn from the transformation if they are not specifically altered for this ability.

Gryphon and Bogatyr discovered his inheritance as soon as he was born; it was undeniable when they saw a beak in place of a wrinkled nose and mouth, and a head of pale, downy feathers. His parents made the decision while the medics tended to the newborn. They kept his identity a top secret from the disappointed city, known only to the doctors and the closest members of The Guild as they trained him parallel to his growing up.

Armor/Weapon Manifestation: “He is his father’s son,” said Gryphon, hiding a smile behind her hand as Bogatyr slammed the door open with 4-year-old Garrett swinging a knife behind him.

“Mama! Look what I made!”

Bogatyr is able to create a full suit of armor around his body as well as an impressive range of weaponry as long as they are predominantly composed of metal. Legacy, on the other hand, can only make himself a sophisticated short sword, shield, and the very basics of armor: visor, breastplate, shoulder guards, and simple coverings for his arms and legs. This ability also lasts for no more than a couple hours without causing significant strain (one and a half hours while part-gryphon), and can only bear up to the force of twice its mass without visible damage, likely due to a weaker version of the mutated gene. But the flexibility works well when he shifts forms with Gryphon’s power. For both men, the properties of their manifestations has no match to any known type of metal, but most closely resembles heat treated L6 Bainite. Between them and those who worked on research with them, they suspect the armor may be connected to iron and other materials from their bodies. For obvious health-related reasons, though, there have been no tests on either Bogatyr or Legacy.

[stone-man-warrior]

April 1, 2021: 4:12 pm:

==========================================

Unfortunately, today, April first, has been designated over time as “April Fools Day”. That is unfortunate. The logic behind the notion that there should be a day set aside annually specifically for the purpose of lying, and to do “pranks”, and “practical jokes” is mind boggling. What exactly does the term “Practical Joke” really mean at the literal level? It seems to me the “practical” part means that the “joke” part, is something that is far beyond a written jest, riddle, quip, play on words ... the “practical” part of the “joke” is when the joke does not require a language to say the joke. The “joke” jumps out in three dimensions, when it’s “practical joke”. On April First every year, assholes around the world are given a pass, one that allows practical jokes at the expense of unsuspecting passers by. The results often lead to injury and death, because there are too many people who relish the notion that on April First, a pass is the same as a “Get out of Jail Free Card” when careful planning, lawyers, legal experts become masters of the art of the “Practical Joke on April Fools Day”. When the jokes are planned ahead of time by persons who are in the business of legally binding word craft, the joke becomes a weapon, and the victims are said to have been involved in an accident rather than attempted murder, as may be the underlying reason and purpose for the practical joke.

(three incoming calls just now, back to back, all from the same phone number 541-686-9658, I did not answer, there was no message left on the answering service. I am not feeling well, although my leg seems to be healing, I am still hurting and not able to walk normally, I don’t want to talk to strangers who are spying on my internet use. That is why the calls are coming in, because I am active online, and the terrorist bastards know where I am seated, they are pissed off about that Big 5 Sporting Goods Store Manager that burst from nitrous oxide ignition at the Big 5 Store in Grants Pass yesterday. I suspect that store manager is also the same man who was stalking me in the pants isle at the Bi-Mart earlier yesterday. The thing to know about Big 5 in Grants Pass, is that is the preferred place where SAG members who come to Oregon on SAGClubMed Junket, can go to the store to arrange that a child of specified description special order can be borrowed, rented, taken for a spin, role in the hay, or other uses that SAG may prefer. Big 5 is the Go To Outlet for Sex with a Child needs of SAG members who have their SAG Cards in good standing, and Dues paid in full. So, I suspect that incoming call from that number is associated to Big 5 Sporting Goods in Grants Pass indirectly, and especially is about the dead terrorist store manager who burst of nitrous oxide ignition when I used my Bic Lighter to clear the air so I could breathe and think clearly while shopping at the Big 5 Sporting Goods store yesterday. But since today happens to be April Fools Day, no one will pay any attention to this expatiation of events, it will be swept under the rug as a phone prank call, and nothing more.)

now I forgot the whole point of why I started to explain that April Fools Day is a global “Cop Out Day”, a day when people can get away with almost anything as long as they plan it ahead, and have a “Practical Joke” to bury the truth into, while saying it was just an unfortunate accident, about the victims of April Fools Day.

Also worth a mention here is that while at the Bi-Mart yesterday, as I walked into the store, there was someone in the paint department area, who was watching everyone who entered the store from there. When I entered the store, that person shouted: “Sporting Goods, Get the Cross-Bow ready!”, and that is why I know there was someone there at the paint department area watching the door.

Then, after I spoke with the terror bastard in the pants aisle, I went to look to see if they had a Kershaw model 1840. which they did not, as I already said. What I did not say, is there was another man there at that counter in the sporting goods department at Bi-Mart who was purchasing a fishing license, according to the pre-planned scripted show and spoken dialogue of the store representative and the terror soldier fake shopper/fisherman.

That is when the Cross-Bow assassin showed up, took a shot at me, missed, the arrow/bolt grazed past me, and subsequently lodged into the chest of the terror soldier/fake shopper/fisherman. The store clerk announced: “You hit the wrong guy! We need Evac in Sporting Goods”.

That’s when I asked about the Kershaw 1840, and was told that the store is not going to carry the 1840 model, other Kershaw models, but not the 1840.

I went to get my tarp after that, which is what I went there for. I selected the size I need from a real good selection of different size tarps that Bi-Mart always carries and has in stock year round.

As I was selecting my tarp, others where doing the Evac of the terror bastard/fake shopper/fisherman who had been shot in the chest (not exactly sure, could have been the head or neck), with an arrow/bolt shot by his own terror cell member inside of the Bi-Mart, adjacent to where the fishing poles are on display.

Unfortunately, I did not see the shooter of the cross-bow, only the bolt as it went by, and the activity associated with the Evac of the injured terror soldier who was coughing and choking, making gargling sounds as I was selecting my tarp in the next aisle in the Bi-Mart Sporting Goods Department.

(please see Boris Johnson Twitter Account from March 29 when he said something about “football, contact sports, and netball are back in full swing” or something close to that, in order to see where the commands originated for this part of the COVID USA Terror Takeover Warfare assassination attempt.)

I left the Bi-Mart without further incident and went to Big 5, as noted, after that.

=========

5:20 pm:

Let me simplify the events that took place yesterday. Simplest form, most important parts, in case US national security personnel may be interested in starting to do their job, protect USA from terror take over, and it’s remaining citizens from being slaughtered further, as follows:

As a result of orders commanded by Boris Johnson‘s Twitter Account, at least two people were killed in association to my need to run some errands between March 30 and March 31, 2021. Although others were also killed at the Medford Guitar Center, I don‘t want to confuse the matter with extraneous information, especially on April Fools Day, a designated “Cop Out Day” world wide. I don’t mean to be an asshole about that “Cop Out Day” statement, but if I don’t explain that to the cops, no one will.

I need help, from cops, real cops, not those fake kind that are controlling Oregon.

Also, please consider that in the event that real police were to encounter someone who appears to be a dead county Judge, Oregon State Police Officer, or other “Authority Titled Person” in Oregon, those people are not Judges, Police, or other authority figures. They are impostors at minimum, and in reality are terror leadership level commanders of the Canadian terror army. That fact is real super important to consider when proceeding with investigations of deceased individuals of that kind of entitlement.

===========

6:03 pm:

Something I have learned about the terror take over of Oregon:

There seems to be a situation where the US Citizen population of Oregon were hassled, menaced, harassed, and a barrage of smaller size attacks were done to weaken some select US citizen families over course of the past twenty years or so. The way I understand it, there were some families who could offer something to the terror army by virtue of special skills or training, and those kinds of people were selected for special “Breaking”, like a horse is “broken“ so you can ride the horse, the families were said to have been “broken“ with attacks that may have resulted in death of one or more of such family members who posses special training or skills. Those people eventually were given an oportunity to go along with the terror ways to some extent, where the US citizens agreed to become a terror soldier among the other Canadian terror soldiers.

Personally, I think all of that perception that I gained to learn that was a trap, a ploy, was not genuine, and those people were fooled, and, were also berated with much circumstance that may simply have been perceived as a lot of bad luck struck such subject family victims, ultimately promised some good fortune if they agree to comply with some demands made by the terror army.

That is one of the ways the slaves I mention may have been taken into captivity, I cannot be specific because I only have a vague understanding of a generalized set of circumstances.

So, having said that, that there are a lot of slave citizens who were roped into serving the terrorism in one way or another, there is a different group of people who have absolutely zero chance of survival. Those people who have the special skills taken into captivity, are not killed like most of the citizens have been.

The other group that has no chance of survival is people who are beneficiaries of Medicare, Social Security Retirement Income, Supplemental Security Income, Social Security Disability Income, and especially beneficiaries of Medicare Part-D. All of those people among that group, have no chance to survive the terror take over. Those people are indeed the primary targeted population. The reason is that the people can be murdered, are easy prey, easy to kill, are often alone, have no immediate family, are not missed if they die, and no one really knows exactly what many of that group of people actually look like. For those reasons and more, the Screen Actor Guild terror leadership hijacked and took over the Social Security Administration long ago, and began killing off the elderly and disabled people so that a Canadian terror soldier could take the identification of such citizens, perpetuate the income of the murdered Social Security beneficiaries, and in that way the terror army was funded, able to survive while gaining more ground with ongoing attacks on all kinds of US Citizens. The elderly and disabled SS income became the basis for the terror armies initial existence, and ability to survive with an income while blending into the US social strata in the cities and counties, while targeting ever more victims.

That SSA take over and mass killing of elderly and disabled people pretty much ended as a necessity of the terror army at the time “Too Big To Fail” resulted in all of those many billions of dollars were stolen from US Treasury and Reserve. Since that time, the outcome of Too Big To Fail provided all of the sustenance, housing, new vehicles, food, clothing, equipment, and weaponry and munitions required by the terror army to operate while doing “Kill & Replace” terror take over in USA.

Then, after that, Medicare Part-D is the thing that put the target back onto the heads of the elderly and disabled people. The invention of Medicare Part-D turned the mass murder of the Social Security beneficiaries from one of necessity to power the terror army, to a mass killing for the purpose of gaining the kinds of recreational drugs that are preferred by the Screen Actor Guild terror command leadership.

Elderly and disabled people are murdered in order that SAG members can get high on the prescribed medicine that old people and disabled people often require to stay comfortable. Part-D Medicare was invented specifically for this, it provides that SAG members can have all the drugs their hearts desire, and they don‘t have to worry about a paper trail that leads to them, and since no one is willing to look at Screen Actor Guild as the people who are responsible for take over of USA, no one is looking to see if the elderly and disabled people are OK, to make sure that they were not replaced with Canadians. That makes a situation where SAG has cart blanch, can kill all of the disabled people for the drugs, and no one is looking at them as the murderous traitors they are.

I fall into that category of “the people who have zero chance of survival” because I am a disabled person and have Medicare insurance. There may be other ways to learn about terror take over of USA, but I learned the hard way, by being a perpetual target.

Learn by doing, is the way I learned.

I learned the hard way, I report what I learn to help others in effort to stop the terror take take over of USA. In doing so, I have been shot in the face, run over by a truck, suffer from multiple spinal problems as a result of being beat up and run over, spinal cord severed within one millimeter of cut through completely, I’ve had glass shards blown into my eyes regularly, beaten with brass knuckles, baseball bats, other objects and weapons, and poisoned consistently by the terror neighbors that surround me who are waiting right now for a chance to finish me off.

I suffered much more than that, and all of my friends and family are either dead or held captive by the terror army.

All of that and lots more. I have absolutely no freedom, and zero privacy, the terror army prevents me from making calls to helpful people, they control the email, I cannot reach anyone, and the read my email and steal my postal mail, I get to keep and pay all of the bills, but do not get to see any correspondence sent to me from anywhere.

not one single person has offered any help of any kind, in more than twenty years of making the kinds of reports that could have prevented the take over long ago had the Authorities acted to save the nation from take over.

Zero help.

Please send help to Josephine county Oregon.

Please send medical services.

Please send US Military to stop the terror take over.

Bring your own hospital.

==================

8:19 pm:

Local Update:

I stepped outside and walked as far as where the Offensive Monroe Surveillance Travel Trailer is nearest my driveway.

My leg is still sore, foot does not work correctly, is very painful, and is dangerous to be outside hobbling around, so I came back, ended the walk, did not venture to the mailbox. It’s been quite a long time since I walked to the mailbox, I checked the mail while in the car the other day, the usual bills, and some bonus threatening advertising. The terror army uses the junk mail to say the threats, that way, it’s just coincidental that the mail says what it says.

As I stepped outside for that walk, I was greeted by a whole bunch of terror signaling from Strong’s terror cell at 3747 Russell Road, and from Sunflower terror cell next to Strong’s, and I may have also heard some terror signaling from Chartrand’s at 376 Jackpine.

The signals lately are in the form of amplified synthesized bird calls played through loudspeakers that are arranged such that when I step outside, that is what triggers the signaling from the neighboring terror cells.

The signals serve as an announcement that I have gone outside, and that means that I will be within range for a chance to run me over or shoot me with the cross-bow, or do a sword attack with a “runner” and cover vehicle on a driveby.

At Strong’s terror cell, I can see that there is at least one terror soldier stationed inside of a car parked at Strong’s terror cell all of the time. When I go outside, the bird call signals alert that driver that I am outside, and I observe as a vehicle leaves the Strong terror cell and makes it’s way to Jackpine to run me over. There are also the same kinds of terror soldiers who are constantly stationed inside of a car for the purpose that they can get under way quickly to run me over at the mail box, so, it looks as though the terror soldier who is assigned to wait in a car alternates from Strong’s to Sunflower terror cell in such a way that the two cells in association with Monroe and Chartrand’s can share duties of being stationed there such that there is always someone on duty, waiting all of the time, for me to step outside for a chance to kill me.

===

After some reflective thought about the events at the Bi-Mart yesterday, I am fairly confidant that the man I explained played role of the fisherman who was purchasing a fishing license was Oregon State Police Officer Jeffry Prouix (”Proo”) who in reality is actually a Royal Canadian Mounted Police who is disguised as a Oregon State Police, the same way many of the OSP are. They are all impostors one way or another way, Some are trained Royal Canadian Mounted Police who are the leading terror entity representing the Oregon State Capitol and Governors Office, while others are Screen Actor Guild trained actors, who play role of State Police, their duties are to be visible, make illusion of police presence, and act as scouts to inform other terror cells who do the heavy lifting while the fake police make distraction, detour and confusion service when necessary to protect the terror army or when running plays that are part of terror take over operations.

OSP Jeffry Prouix is the man who was struck with the cross-bow arrow/bolt at the Bi-Mart on 3-31-2021, and I believe he is dead now,

There is more to say, if only there were US national security personnel willing to begin to do their jobs.

If so, please provide an interview. Ask me about a “Drop” at the Bi-Mart, and I will try to elaborate on the other important details.

Also, if nsa are watching, don‘t be surprised to learn that Jeffry Prouix has been cherry picking this tumblr account, changing the details somewhat, then pretending to either be a hero who solved crime, or, used the cherry picked and altered information to lure federal officers into those spring loaded wire snares and other traps that are set and waiting for victims at the Monroe terror cell at 434 Jackpine, and while doing so, making me look as a criminal, while Sandy Monroe sometimes is said to be me, when that scenario suits the needs of the terror plan.

Officer Prouix (a French name) has been wreaking havoc in the area for decades. He and his accomplice, Officer Tanya Henderson, are responsible for orchestrating mass murder for entertainment, for SAG Members who come to Josephine County on SAGClubMed Junket.

Study this account to learn how horribly cruel murder machines and contraptions are used to kill kidnapped US citizens, and the events are done as a party with bleachers for the SAG members to sit on and watch the murders. They cheer and make bets as to the outcome of the murder of the US kidnapped citizens.

OR State Police makes it happen.

Local terror cells who are part of the “Ye Olde English 800 Dark Ages” terror cell groups are the people who actually run the events, while State Police make sure the area is contained and there are no surprise federal visitors.

All of the inhabitants of the Hugo Oregon area are all part of the “Ye Olde English 800 Dark Ages” terror cell groups. The contraptions they operate are portable, and the killing for entertainment events of ClubMed Junket have been done at the Diamond Home Improvement Store on 7th St., at the Grants Pass Bi-Mart store parking lot on 6th St, at Triangle Park in Ashland Oregon, at the Medford Armory, and at various random road construction sites along the interstate and other roads as construction projects take place, and ODOT worker/terror soldiers sponsor the SAG entertainment events. Events and mass murder movies have been done at north Valley High School when hundreds of the students were murdered for entertainment there in around 2003 or so.

So, it’s really not a bad thing that Officer Jeffry Prouix could have been the one that took the arrow/bolt at the Bi-Mart yesterday.

US national security personnel have really dropped the ball in epic ways as far as doing their jobs go. The entire population of Oregon has all been killed while the nsa was busy jacking off, and taking bribes and favors from the rock stars and actors of Screen Actor Guild.

Millions of US citizen victims, all killed and replaced with impostors over the past twenty or so years.

Once the US national security begins to wake up and do their jobs, then, when they see and realize that all of the state police are composed of Royal Canadian Mounted Police who trained in Canada especially for taking over USA under Britain command, then, they will see why it’s important to look more closely at what Boris Johnson is saying on his Twitter account. At that point, epiphany should set in, with a great difficulty in breathing and a sudden feeling of overwhelming shock should accompany the notion that USA has been at full on war with Britain since before the they faked the Pearl Harbor attack. Then, when NSA realizes that their favorite actors and musicians are working in league with the Brits toward Global Domination from right here at home under their noses, that might cause a heart attack when the reality sinks in for those nsa directors who are responsible for that cluster fuck of utter failure.

It’s war.

It’s been war for more than fifty years.

Since USA is oblivious to their own demise, it’s just a biblical slaughter.

=======

10:01 pm:

There is the command I was referring to, it was made on March 28, my bad, I said it was done on the 29 earlier.

Keep in mind that terror commanders don’t often publicly spell out verbatim that the orders are to make a murder hit happen, so, you have to see a whole bunch of these before they begin to start making sense as terror commands. This one from Boris is all about killing me, is very personal, was made in advance of my doctor appointment at the fake doctor where Boris already was made aware that I would be going there.

Hint: when you see Twitter news stories that feature contact sports, see them as what they are, orders to do physical attack at places where victims will be killed. The challenge is to learn how to find the location and the time associated with the orders. That, I have found, to be a matter of luck to find.

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1376220316377227266

https://twitter.com/BorisJohnson/status/1376564590759268362

That Tweet above is loaded with terror comm.

What I want to point out is inside information that I have, it has to do with that room they do the news updates from, it usually does not have that blue colored backdrop there. Behind where Boris stands is usually open to a view of some doors behind him that lead to some quarters.

The inside information is the the room is to be seen among inner circles as a pirate ship, old style sailing ship. The place where the doors are at behind where Boris stands is the Captains Quarters, and the place where he is standing now is either the Bridge or Helm of the virtual Pirate Ship.

They closed off access to those quarters.

My read is more about the Pain Specialists appointment. It means “Close Quarters” or to put it another way “confined in a small area in the exam room”.

The read needs to be done in a more comprehensive way, as the Tweet there contains Global terror commands also the way I am seeing it.

I am not feeling like doing terror comm reads lately. no one is interested in them.

Besides that, I hurt too bad to concentrate on the details, it takes a lot of careful thought to read these levels of coded global terror communications, and I am simply hurting too bad to do decode work.

NSA: Trust me, it’s a boat, and behind where Boris stands is the Captains Quarters on the Stearn of the boat, he stands at the Helm or on the Bridge, I am not certain of that level of detail. It’s important information. Someone with better knowledge of the parts and terms used to describe old sailing ships is necessary to do a good read on this Tweet. This is the first time I have seen the Captains Quarters closed off, out of view.

Every detail, each second, all of the background in all of the frames, and the wardrobe are all part of the decoded complete message. Even the sound quality, and especially the seven minutes of silence at the beginning are all part of the decode here.

This Ibanez 7 string bass goes parallel with the seven minutes of silence in the Boris Tweet. There is more in the AMS mailer that goes along with the decode also.

https://www.americanmusical.com/ibanez-btb747-7-string-electric-bass-natural-low-gloss/p/IBA-BTB747-NTL?src=WNWSLTTRE210329A&custid=6183030&utm_source=sfmc&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=20210329_18Pay&utm_content=ptxt_P16

I suggest NSA stop jacking off long enough to do the decode work here.

=====

10:44 pm:

My read on the seven minutes of silence and the Ibanez bass, is simply a “Moment of silence to commemorate a fallen comrade”

Juseph Myers of 560 Jackpine is that fallen comrade.

They are doing a military tribute with seven minutes of silence, as Myers was a leading Seventh Day Adventist Terror Army General.

Myers has close ties to NBC broadcasting network, so, it would be wise to look there also for inclinations of a tribute of some kind to honor Juseph Myers, he was a close friend of David Letterman, so, that circle at NBC/Universal/Comcast is the place to look first.

Myers is the person who attacked me with the poisons about six weeks ago. It looks as though the ensuing fight after he poisoned me was a fatal blow for Juseph Myers, and I suspect he died of his wounds sustained that night in my house when he attacked me with the poisons I am still suffering from and cannot get medical treatment for.

====================

10:55 pm:

Other associated terror info:

Juseph Myers also attacked me on June 15, 2021 at my front door, and he brought eight to ten fake sheriff deputies with him, who arrested me and took me to the real jail, that story is available on this account to study.

Juseph Myers lost a foot at the ankle in that attack, but the fake deputies made no mention of Myers having lost his foot at the ankle. He had come through my front door, kicked it in, while swinging a sword, I was able to defend with a wood splitting mall, then take the sword, and defend more, that is how his foot came off, as I had been knocked to the ground before I was able to take the sword away from Myers, it was a full on fight in my living room with heavy weapons.

Myers healed from that, but was upset about having lost his foot it seems, so, he came to attack me again. with poisons injected into my shin, to make my foot fall off.

That is the way it looks to me, having been here doing all of the defense work without any help.

Other info about Juseph Myers includes the heroin rations that SAG uses to control the SDA terror army, so, if Myers is dead, that upsets the heroin distribution to the individual terror family cells, and the way I have seen the distribution done, it goes to the individual family cells in containers called “Clam Shells”. essentially, the Clam Shell is a restaurant style packaging container. the thing they give you for your leftovers to take home, I have also seen the Clam Shells that were actual McDonald’s Big Mac containers, but had the heroin inside, not a hamburger.

On Jackpine, the heroin used to come to Burton Dietrick’s residence in a forty foot Fed-Ex Freight trailer to 601 Jackpine. Then, Juseph Myers was responsible for the actual distribution, while the Dietrick terror cell protects the Myers and the heroin.

If Myers is dead, that is going to make changes in the heroin distribution, and that could become a chance to apprehend some terror soldiers while they are making new arrangements for the heroin, and who among them will be doing the distribution.

Those who control the heroin, also control the SDA terror army.

========

11:08 pm:

A message to US Military and US national security persons:

I am a 59 year old disabled man with spinal cord injury, and single handedly, without any assistance from anyone in any way, I am taking down the Seventh Day Adventist terror army, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, a wide variety show of actors, musicians, clowns, and magicians of the SAG leadership arena. and hundreds of lower ranked scalawag terror soldiers of the most brutal sort, and I do it with out access to medical services when I get hurt.

That is what I am doing to protect USA and to regain my freedom, and in fact is necessary so that I can live another day long enough to explain what happened in effort to help others.

So I ask you, US Military, and US national security people:

What have you done to protect yourself? Your family? Your country? ... freedom?

[charlieharry1]

Why better sales and marketing possibly isn’t the answer

Most groups trust that sales and advertising and marketing could be the magic bullet to all their issues. If they might simply promote extra stuff, all their different headaches might flow away. Nonsense. If they have other problems within the enterprise, promoting lots more stuff will  Digital Marketing Company Southampton certainly add gas to the hearth. There are foundations that ought to be laid before scaling your sales and advertising and marketing, and for me, that is where it wishes to begin:

– readability over the corporation’s center competence

– clarity over the enterprise’s role

– readability over the company’s product definition

 Failure to cope with the above earlier than launching competitive communications or income techniques is a chunk like sticking lewis hamilton in a kingdom of the art formula 1 vehicle after which disposing of the steering wheel. You could count on something magnificent to spread however it’s unlikely be quite. It’s about doing things in the proper collection. I continually consider it like an egg timer with more than one bottlenecks that each get a bit large as they descend. The first and the most narrow of these bottlenecks is the readability of the organization’s center competence followed via its role and then accompanied by the product definition, so it doesn’t be counted how a great deal you widen the ones underneath it (subculture, structures, advertising, and so forth), the sand isn’t going to get to the bottom any quicker until you address the ones on the top. Center competence

in easy phrases, your middle competence is the element that sits on the intersection of the subsequent:

– the aspect you’re without a doubt exact at

– that’s really critical for your client

– that’s largely not noted by using your competitors

Read Also:-  Top 10 Ways to Grow Your Email List  

once in a while this one component is literally just one factor. So possibly you’re a hardware enterprise, for example, that develops one very precise kind of hardware fixing one very unique hassle. In that case, remarkable, however that doesn’t work for every business, particularly those in busy markets, so as an alternative you can need to pull two or three matters together. I continually illustrate this with a conversation i had approximately five years ago with my cousin. At the time he became in his early 30s and already highly a success inside his field of medicine, having been featured in just about each most important newspaper in addition to the lancet and new england medical journal. I requested him if he positioned this all the way down to something beyond difficult work. He spoke back “dan, i’m no longer the sector’s best instructional. And i’m certainly no longer the world’s finest surgeon. What units me apart is that i’m pretty properly at both. I walk right into a room complete of teachers and all of them suppose it’s unbelievably cool that i’ve spent the day getting my hands messy in surgery. After which i walk into a room complete of surgeons and all of them think i’m some form of supernerd due to the fact i’m writing code and contributing to thrilling new instructional studies. It’s this capability to talk each languages and bridge the space that distinguishes me from others.”

 precisely the same is actual in commercial enterprise:

– the accountant who combines deep technical expertise with excessive stage enterprise and finance approach.

– the software agency that combines some sizeable functionality with first-rate consumer experience

– the marketer who combines wealthy emblem information with technical and analytical insight

 whether or not it’s one component or the wedding of  or three things, few corporations ever answer this question which is why few ever development beyond resounding mediocrity. Function

brand role basically just means – what you do and who you do it for. Nicely we’ve already answered the first component with our core competence, so the following query is – who're we doing it for? This problem of target audience is simply as vital as what’s truly being sold. The attorney who's additionally a generation enthusiast and speaks at generation conferences. She might not be the excellent lawyer, but she’s in a league of her very own within the technology region. The software program dealer that has 30 years enjoy of fixing problems for hr departments. There can be competitors out there growing better software program, but do they have got the identical insight into the challenges confronted by using an hr branch? Perhaps extra importantly, do they've the consider and relationships with heads of hr, or are they completely unknown to these consumers? Again, in case you’re operating in a genuinely aggressive marketplace, narrowing your function to awareness on a completely tight purchaser universe is in all likelihood to be genuinely critical. Product definition

as soon as we've our middle competence and function well defined, it’s time to set up how precisely this translates into a fixed of products. And to be clear, when i say product, i consist of offerings in that. In reality, the distinction among products and services is turning into looser every day, as provider corporations are seeking to “productise” their offerings and product businesses wrap their products in layers of carrier. Every product ought to tie in closely together with your middle competencies. Those who don’t need to be removed from your providing. This is the element that separates the fine from the relaxation. How courageous can you be in tightly defining your merchandise and announcing no to the ones client requests that fall out of doors your areas of middle competence? Most organizations are simply incapable of turning away customers, that is why so few (specifically b2b organizations) have a certainly well defined offering. So, going back to our in advance example of the accountancy firm that combines deep technical information with excessive stage economic method, their merchandise may also encompass:

 technical:

– r&d tax credit

– audits

 strategic:

– an outsourced fd presenting

– a business plan writing service

– a quarterly method evaluation

 however if someone walks via the door and asks for bookkeeping, the answer ought to be no. That’s now not to say that the accountants wouldn’t assist to find any other answer – possibly there’s a extremely good freelance bookkeeper based locally they could refer the purchaser to – but if it’s not inside their middle competence, they need to no longer take it on. It will entice the incorrect customers, undermine their middle competence and damage the purchaser experience. And finally comes income and marketing

the above does nevertheless not guarantee a a hit and scalable commercial enterprise. There are plenty of other things that, if absent or broken, should still deliver the entirety tumbling down (having the right senior leadership group, a sturdy way of life of execution, robust methods for recruitment and training, etc) however what the above will assure is readability of message so that all communications you now  Digital Marketing Companies in Southampton undertaking (whether through a brochure or a tweet) can be growing your brand as one coherent, long time and ever developing asset.

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[waqasblog2]

The Machine Learning Revolution: How Artificial Intelligence Could Transform Your Business

By Alston Ghafourifar and Michael Evans

With a technology as impactful as machine learning (ML), it can be difficult to avoid hyperbole. Sure, billions of dollars in investment are pouring into ML projects. Yes, machine learning is a centerpiece of digital transformation strategies. And, to be certain, machine learning is often what people are talking about when they use the umbrella term “AI.” So it’s worth taking the time to look at real-world ML capabilities being developed and deployed at digitally nimble companies around the globe.

Artificial Intelligence defined

By definition, artificial intelligence is “(1) a branch of computer science dealing with the simulation of intelligent behavior in computers; (2) the capability of a machine to imitate intelligent human behavior.”

Essentially, AI capabilities allow a computer to analyze vast amounts of information and data to arrive at a “reasoned” conclusion about the subject at hand, simulating the human decision process, often with better decisions being made.

While it is easy to define, the challenge has been the application of AI to everyday life. One successful application has been in the area of content matching and recommendations for streaming media, radically transforming the on-demand viewer experience. Rather than attempting to scale the “expert” human work necessary to classify, curate, and catalog content into consumable collections, machine learning has become a core staple in personalized content delivery. By analyzing user behavior, preferences, and more, streaming services can more accurately tailor recommendations and push targeted content with greater opportunity for monetization and engagement.

Virtually every other industry is or should consider incorporating AI into their business models. You do not need to be a large company to take advantage of AI in order to provide better service to your customers—both at a lower cost and with better results. AI can help small and mid-sized businesses anticipate and fill customers product needs faster, improve inventory systems by incorporating Just in Time processes, reduce shipping and stocking errors, and facilitate the payment and collection process.

Eight business domains where AI is profoundly changing the landscape

Pharmaceuticals & Life Sciences

Wherever you fall on the death disruption debate, we can all agree that aging is a challenging experience. Even if you don’t aspire to immortality, you likely recognize that increased joint pain and susceptibility to illness and injury will erode anyone’s quality of life. But deep learning (a subfield of ML) may be able to slow the aging process. Scientists are now using the technology to identify biomarkers associated with aging. Soon enough, a simple blood test could tell you which parts of your body are showing signs of wear and tear, and your doctor could help you mitigate, and perhaps reverse, those effects through lifestyle recommendations and medication.

Food

Up to 40% of a grocer’s revenue comes from sales of fresh produce. So, to say that maintaining product quality is important is something of an understatement. But doing so is easier said than done. Grocers are at the whims of their supply chains and consumer fickleness. Keeping their shelves stocked and their products fresh can be a delicate balancing act.

But grocers are discovering that machine learning is the secret to smarter fresh-food replenishment. They can train ML programs on historical datasets and input data about promotions and store hours as well, then use the analyses to gauge how much of each product to order and display. ML systems can also collect information about weather forecasts, public holidays, order quantity parameters, and other contextual information. They then issue a recommended order every 24 hours so that the grocer always has the appropriate products in the appropriate amounts in stock.

Other Articles From AllBusiness.com:

Businesses that implement machine learning in their replenishment workflows reduce their out-of-stock rates by up to 80%, along with up to 9% in gross-margin increases.

Media & Entertainment

Machine learning allows media companies to make their content more accessible to consumers through automatic captioning systems. Since implementing an automatic captioning program, YouTube has enabled 1 million functionally deaf Americans and 8 million hearing-impaired Americans to watch and enjoy its videos. As of 2017, its ML programs have become sophisticated enough to include captions for common non-speech audio, such as laughter and music, creating an even more complete experience for viewers.

Information Technology

Although machine learning is generating unprecedented business insights, many organizations have failed to invest adequately in AI systems. For instance, McKinsey found that “the EU public sector and health care have captured less than 30% of the potential value” of big data and analytics. Organizations that want to avoid a similar mistake will need to ramp up their data science abilities—but so will workers who want to stay competitive in the job market. By 2020, there will be more than 2.7 million data science jobs, and the demand for workers who understand and can work with ML technology will only grow from there.

Law

Deep learning applications are especially impressive in the legal sector due to the nature of the language these programs must parse. Legal phrasing can be complex and difficult to decipher, yet deep learning systems are already capable of analyzing tens of thousands of vital documents. When legal teams needed to dissect contract clauses that upset their or their client’s business and invoicing processes, they once had to manually review stacks of rigorously prepared documents. Now, they can feed them into a program that works far faster than any lawyer and that can pick out important phrases for further analysis by the legal team.

Insurance

Improving risk prediction and underwriting is in everyone’s best interest, which is why machine learning is such a gift to the insurance industry. In auto insurance, for instance, ML algorithms can use customer profiles and real-time driving data to estimate their risk levels. They can then formulate personalized rates based on that information, potentially creating savings for both consumers and insurance companies.

This process may be enhanced by even more in-depth analyses, in which ML programs pull in seemingly unrelated social media data to create a more precise profile. The insurance industry could use artificial intelligence to identify which policyholders are gainfully employed and which seem to be in good health. Theoretically, someone who is responsible in those areas of their lives will be a responsible driver as well.

Education

Intelligent Tutoring Systems (ITS) hold enormous potential for disrupting the classroom and helping students learn. These AI programs serve as virtual tutors, and they adapt their digital lessons based on each child’s strengths and weaknesses. Each time the student completes a task or quiz, a ML program processes that information to customize future materials.

By “learning” a user’s unique needs and identifying which types of lessons are most effective for them, the ITS helps the student overcome learning challenges and retain more knowledge. Research indicates that students who use intelligent tutoring systems perform better on tests than their peers who learn via large group instruction.

Health care

Compared to other developed countries, the United States spends more on health care per person than any other country without significantly better health outcomes. For instance, the U.K. spends less per person ($3,749 USD) annually on health care than does the United States ($9,237 USD). Despite its high spending, however, the United States does not have the best health outcomes—life expectancy, for example, is 79.1 years in the U.S. but 80.9 years in the U.K. The further development and application of AI in reducing the number of tests and helping to decide the appropriate treatment promises to reduce health care costs in the U.S. with potentially more accurate and lifesaving outcomes. Due to the high costs associated with health care and the significant benefits offered by better health care decisions, we are likely to see exponential growth in the application of AI to health care in the years to come.

Modern artificial intelligence is finally delivering on its promise to help consumers and businesses make better decisions and improve their quality of life. Small and middle market companies embracing AI today will have a competitive advantage in the marketplace.

Alston Ghafourifar is
 CEO & Co-Founder of Entefy, Inc.
 Michael Evans is the Managing Director of the Newport Board Group.

This content was originally published here.

[vigilante-rpg]

Welcome Rachel! We’re pleased to announce your audition for Garrett Hall / The Heir has been accepted! Please send your account into the main within the next 24 hours. We can’t wait to have you join us!

{{ PLAYER INFORMATION }}

NAME: Rachel

AGE: 19

TIMEZONE: PST

PRONOUNS: She/her, though I’m pretty relaxed about pronouns addressed to myself.

ACTIVITY LEVEL: I’m not normally busy over the summer. I could write at least once a day unless executive dysfunction takes hold, which isn’t a normal situation for me. My free time will slim during the weekdays when September starts due to school, but I keep my schedule spaced out so I can get writing and other things done.

PREVIOUS ROLEPLAY EXPERIENCE: I first made a role-play blog in 7th or 8th grade, and have rped for several years afterward on Tumblr and other platforms such as Google Drive, Discord, and RP Adventures. While I’ve had good times and made a couple close friends online, I have admittedly left Tumblr altogether because none of the communities I found were safe spaces for me. But I’ve had Karo, Lance, and Rachel advocate for this group and I’m really missing a quality rp experience

PERSONAL TUMBLR CONTACT: Removed for Privacy

TRIGGERS: None that I know of right now. I have some pretty strong trypophobia? But the things that I see as triggers are very personal, and not something that can be easily set off online.

{{ CHARACTER INFORMATION }}

CHARACTER NAME: Garrett Hall

PRONOUNS: He/him

AGE: 30

ORIGIN: The Heir

FACE CLAIM: Dan Stevens (Primary) or Arthur Darvill (Secondary)

QUOTE: “I never wanted this destiny. But now, I need it more than ever.”

OCCUPATION: Having recently left a lofty career as a lawyer outside of Newhaven, Garrett has recently gained a job as an accountant for a humble bakery. The explanation will be included in his biography.

PERSONALITY: [Intelligent] Even without the dual wielded powers inherited from his parents, Garrett grew up a prodigy of all kinds. From a young age he mastered languages from the English, Russian, and French he heard daily, to Spanish, sign language, and Mandarin. Kinesthetic intelligence developed in his training and play, both effectively honing his body for a future of constant movement. In school, he set academic records that have yet to be beaten. For much of his childhood, he was educated in classes above most children his age until his parents moved him back down, rightfully fearing the neglect of his emotional needs. With the focus on his own growth, Garrett came to brush off those who seemed lesser than him, whether he meant to or not. Sometimes he did. Without establishing connections with the rest of the essentials for life, Vlad and Chantelle worried for his future. However, Garrett refused to ease his burdens, continuing to cultivate his mind and the skills he proved good at. After all, it’s what all the people wanted from him, right?

[Blunt] One of the few things Garrett struggled with has always been social interaction. He can and has come off to others as rude and irritable, not just because he is, but also because he lacks the understanding of sensing others’ emotions and following that to a proper response. As a result, he simply says and does what is on his mind.

[Emotional] While he would argue his brain to be his greatest strength, Garrett is almost entirely emotionally driven, and rather impulsive at that. He is the type of person to act first and apologize later than to ask for permission or another’s point of view. As much as he pretends to be an impervious wall to those around him, Garrett is prone to wear sad eyes and scrunch his face to avoid a fit of helpless snickers. Plus, there’s the avoidance of sad films; he has made many people uncomfortable with gross tears. He has also grown acutely aware of his personal traits and needs, as well as the ways his actions affect the lives of others. This may be the biggest cause for his return to Newhaven.

[Observational] This trait is somewhat tied to those addressed before. Garrett is smart; he sees things and does everything he can to understand the who, where, when, why, how, and what to do next. It is much easier for him to go through this experience with the theoretical, scientific, mathematical, and rhetorical than it with the human mind. Humans are not so predictable, and Point A does not always lead to Point B with them.

[A Grade A Asshole] That’s it. This is him. We’re done here. In slightly more seriousness, he can really be a jerk. This is important when connected to his impulsivity and inability to understand people. Garrett has made a number of mistakes that hurt other individuals in his own self-destructive spiral. When he says and does what he believes needs to be done, his methods can be… questionable at best. 

[Troubled] Both Garrett and Legacy behave complete differently for the same reason: he doesn’t know how to amend the person he is with the person he wants or needs to be, as well as what is expected from him. His entire sense of self has been fractured, and it shows. Garrett attempts to push himself almost completely from the kind of person most would accept, much less want to be around. Legacy is quite the opposite, the golden boy he was fated to be since the very beginning. But neither of them are the real him. He doesn’t know how to get that back.

BIOGRAPHY: On March 28, 1990, everyone in Newhaven knew about the first son of Gryphon and Bogatyr, heroes of The Guild. The journey of Gryphon’s pregnancy was followed by the public since she first left the front lines to preserve her health and that of the baby. His name was never released, of course, lest the heroes, his parents, would be revealed.

They called him Fledgling, born with the beak of an an eagle and destined to follow in the footsteps of his father and mother.

Behind the mask, the Halls were a loving, if somewhat overinvested nuclear family. Vladimir Hall, cheerful father and knightlike superhero, lived as an interpreter of numerous Slavic languages for immigrants such as himself. Chantelle Prevost-Hall had more of a challenge to balance out her heroics and her civilian life as a popular stunt actress, but she was more than up to the task for what she felt was the right thing to do. They adored Garrett, and later their second son, Vincent, who inherited none of the family’s powers. But if Chantelle were to look back, she would see that her presence in the boys’ emotional conflicts was a place she fell short, and where she was needed more than ever. For Vlad, he was kind, he was affectionate, but the man simply could not empathize with his sons of a different generation and culture. Where they faltered to meet their children’s needs, they compensated in support of their education, social lives, and especially Garrett’s own unique abilities.

Along with his astonishing prowess throughout his years of education, Garrett was trained in his superhuman abilities — plural after his secondary power manifested at age 4 — so that he would flourish as a sidekick to the heroic power couple Gryphon and Bogatyr, and eventually ascend to become a hero of The Guild. Everybody knew this. People gossiped, journalists followed the masked child’s every move, and where they failed to catch anything of note, they could glean some off of the proud parents themselves. Nobody was more excited for Fledgling’s next development than them.

That is why Garrett never told them how he really felt. His fears, his anxieties and insecurities were clutched to his chest, and he never spoke a word of his peers and other adults who saw him as the loner, a shortcut to their own successes, or the perfect target to push into the dirt. When he came home with a soggy bookbag and a busted lip, he said he fell into a fountain. When given the silent treatment by his younger brother, powerless and painfully average in everything but heart, he said he had eaten the last of Vincent’s favorite snack. When someone spoke about Fledgling and his sparkling future, he smiled and kept his mouth shut, even though he screamed on the inside, “Does anyone care what I think?!”

The last flickering light of hope turned to smoke when he learned the answer. Almost 18 years old, freshly dubbed a hero in his own right, and he had nobody. Even his best friend, his favorite person, his first love, only looked up to the heroic side of the mask. Just like everyone else.

Fledgling was so lucky, wasn’t he? To be the child of heroes, to be anywhere close to Spectrum, to be a hero himself.

That’s not me.

The rest of that day was a blur. He went to his room, threw on a jacket, got in his first — and only — fight with his dad, and then he was gone. He doesn’t remember what he said that evening. Only the rage, the guilt, the fear, but not enough to pretend he could ever make his family proud. Fledging was declared to have stepped down a week later, when the Halls had to realize that Garrett wasn’t coming home.With no contact, no leads, no motivation for him to completely run away, it was as though Garrett simply dissolved into thin air.

The years following were just as foggy when Garrett tries to look back. He wandered the streets, learned what it’s like to fight for his life, hitchhiked out of the city, and worked the odd job here and there until a kind samaritan had pity and took him in. He got into college with a double major in law and accounting, then law school because you can take the boy away from heroics, but you can’t take the hero out of the boy. He became a lawyer in the city on the outskirts, and a good one at that. It wasn’t until the last year that he was found by his brother, now an officer who begged and bothered for his return.

He got through to Garrett. This was not the life he wanted to lead anymore. In the span of a day, he quit his job, said goodbye to the person who took him in those years back, and disappeared into the night. The second time he ran, this time to the very place he yearned to leave behind.

His abrupt resignation would not bode well if he applied to another law firm, and between the deskwork and the effort outside of the office, he would hardly have time to have a full night’s rest. It was Vincent’s suggestion to start small instead, so Garrett pulled out his second degree and took the first accounting job he could get, at a bakery just mere blocks from the apartment he rented out. It was the perfect foundation to slip into the evening sky for the first time in years, wings bared for all to see.

After everything he did, it all lead back to putting on those golden shackles.

{{ VIGILANTE INFORMATION }}

VIGILANTE NAME: Legacy

PRONOUNS: He/him

APPEARANCE: In his teens, Fledgling was designed by his parents a fun little getup of dark gray nylon striped with scarlet lightning bolts beneath his armor. The material of the armor (described in powers) remains a mystery to both Bogatyr and his son. It appears as strong meteoric iron, but has never been broken beyond a few significant dents, which is repaired on its own when released from the wielder. In that time, he always wore his helmet to conceal his identity, shaped like the head of an elaborate eagle for his gryphon traits within.

Years later, it is hard to tell if the newly named Legacy has changed completely or not at all. The body armor stays the same as it was, though larger to fit his grown physique. Underneath, he bears a flexible black shirt with a jagged gold stripe up the front and two slits near his shoulder blades, a fairly plain pair of snug black trousers, golden bracelets that reach from wrist to mid-forearm, and a set of sandals that shift to wrap around his legs when his feet transform into the claws of a lion. When without his helmet for protection, Legacy wears a gold and silver masquerade mask of a gryphon, similar to the kind his mother used to own.

SIGIL: A heraldic emblem of a gryphon in silver.

COLOUR SCHEME: Goldenrod (#DAA520), silver (#ACACAC), and black (#000000)

FIGHTING STYLE: Close combat, minimalizing serious damage.

CLASS TYPE: Offensive 

MORAL ALIGNMENT: Lawful Neutral

POWERS: [Gryphon Physiology] From his mother, Legacy possesses a genetic structure that can shift from fully human to a more animalistic form. This ability is not powered by emotions or the person’s control, but is merely another body for him to inhabit. However, the more he changes at once, the more painful the process becomes. He has to physically make alterations to his muscles, bones, and every part of his body, which is hardly a natural effort. The most he can accomplish without causing significant injury to himself is manifest his wings, talons, claws, and bird-like eyes. Garrett has only tried to fully transform once as a teenager, but he failed impressively and never made an attempt since.

His strength and other physical attributes rely on his own fitness, except for the strength of his wings, massive and powerful to carry the weight of a grown man and then some, thus entirely capable of blunt damage should he risk injury to one of his most sensitive body parts. Another consequence is that his clothes get torn from the transformation if they are not specifically altered for this ability.

Gryphon and Bogatyr discovered his inheritance as soon as he was born; it was undeniable when they saw a beak in place of a wrinkled nose and mouth, and a head of pale, downy feathers. His parents made the decision while the medics tended to the newborn. They kept his identity a top secret from the disappointed city, known only to the doctors and the closest members of The Guild as they trained him parallel to his growing up.

[Armor/Weapon Manifestation] “He is his father’s son,” said Gryphon, hiding a smile behind her hand as Bogatyr slammed the door open with 4-year-old Garrett swinging a knife behind him.

“Mama! Look what I made!”

Bogatyr is able to create a full suit of armor around his body as well as an impressive range of weaponry as long as they are predominantly composed of metal. Legacy, on the other hand, can only make himself a sophisticated shortsword, shield, and the very basics of armor: visor, breastplate, shoulder guards, and simple coverings for his arms and legs. This ability also lasts for no more than a couple hours without causing significant strain (one and a half hours while part-gryphon), and can only bear up to the force of twice its mass without visible damage, likely due to a weaker version of the mutated gene. But the flexibility works well when he shifts forms with Gryphon’s power. For both men, the properties of their manifestations has no match to any known type of metal, but most closely resembles heat treated L6 Bainite. Between them and those who worked on research with them, they suspect the armor may be connected to iron and other materials from their bodies. For obvious health-related reasons, though, there have been no tests on either Bogatyr or Legacy.

{{ STATS }}

OBSCURITY: 1/5 (-1 obscurity)

CONTROL: 4/5

LUCK:  3/5

---

STRENGTH: 3/5

SPEED: 4/5

CHARISMA: 2/5

INTUITION: 3/5 (-1 intuition)

AGILITY: 3/5

STAMINA: 3/5

INTELLIGENCE: 5/5

DURABILITY: 4/5

{{ EXTRAS }}

HEADCANONS: -Even though he contains enough issues to fill a personal Pandora’s Box, Garrett does not come from a life of abuse or neglect. At this point in time, he’s come to accept that a number of different causes – miscommunication, insecurity, undiagnosed anxiety and depression, and outside forces that would take a second list to name off – resulted in his ultimate act of running away. He only wants to make his round of apologies and decide where to go next.

-He’s a devoted night owl, for better or for worse.

-Those from the Guild are likely to know his real identity.

-Because his father’s Russian, his mother’s French, and he was raised in Newhaven, poor Garrett speaks with an accent that is an unholy amalgamation of all three.

-Sometimes he tries to meme. Don’t let him.

-Legacy is surprisingly good at working with others. Garrett’s just an ass.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION: -Garrett is part of Dimetre’s ex-lover/friend plot, but with a couple minor changes. He’s the character who inspired that plot, haha!

-Songs: Luck by American Authors, Stroke by Stroke from Jasper in Deadland, I Was Me - Imagine Dragons, You Don’t Know from Next To Normal, May I by Trading Yesterday, Lullaby for a Stormy Night by Vienna Teng

-Aesthetics: Papers and folders on a tabletop, the constellation Lyra, tears smearing the ink on a letter, golden wings, fallen angel, coffee with foam art, snowfall on a veranda, gleaming steel.

[familymelbournelaw-blog]

Starting Your Career As A Green Card Lawyer

As for cost per case - the associated with sales are a few things law firms don't know; keep inside your mind they are every bit now breaking into sales. For Find Best Immigration Lawyers in Australia . I dealt with Chuhak and Tecson, a law firm in Chicago, as they spent $24,000 training 20 partners and within nine months they generated $1 million in new revenue - a 4,000% Return on your investment. And that is usual. Another example: I trained a trial lawyer in Chicago whose revenues were $200,000 and within one full year she multiplied them, all by herself, to $2.5 squillion. Frankly, that is amazing. Most law firm never advertised on Television. But Click here -firm lawyers who have a volume practice - such as immigration and private injury - need cash clients help make money, where they still use the TV and radio to attract clients. You might imagine it's absurd to shell out your mortgage to novice is the stranger, but people performed. So, how to determine if you are about to lose your house? Any new love who starts sad stories about dying mothers, needing cash for find best Immigration lawyers in Australia or visas, or wanting generally for the plane fare to along with you must be treated with extreme customer warning. Download very own copy of Form 1163i. See if any health check requirement implements to your application. Note that the requirement will differ depending on where you lived during the last five many what involving work you'll be doing within australia. Get a medical exam, if necessary, then get your doctor prepare % increase which you could show to immigration officers. So vehicle will a person how lucky you in order to have the chance to move to a different country, make a new start, to have such IMMIGRATION LAWYERS MELBOURNE a fun filled life. Fortune? There's no such thing, an individual might be creating those opportunities by defining ideal and having a way reach it - NO Matter what. At some point, all churches (and in circumstance the Mormon Church) has to come to grips with being compassionate or lawful. Unfortunately, the two don't always seem to coincide with every other. Regarding fair, is actually because not simply a challenge that the Mormons alone are experiencing. Almost every denomination that you'll think of is targeting and reaching out to Latino's. The increased scrutiny can be coming around the fact that the Church of Latter Day Saints on the IMMIGRATION LAWYERS Australia of the quickest growing denominations, but nearly all church denominations from Baptists to Methodists are experiencing similar challenges on where they get up on this make any difference. Forms are in English basically. If you can't understand something, save the application and return later with someone fluent in The english language. The official site will keep your records for seven many days.

[skilledvisaaustralia-blog]

Wills Attorney - How To Lease The Right One For You've Got

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[mavenwebsol]

Ten tips to boost your company's financial profitability

1 - stick to your strategy

 "Many companies start or move forward without any strategy. To build a profitable business, the first rule is to define a well thought out strategy ... and then stick to it! too many entrepreneurs back off and change course when the chosen policy does not bear fruit immediately. 

After working for a few years in large auditing and accounting groups, Thierry Denjean chose to stand on his own two feet. In 1992, he created his structure, Denjean & Associés. Twenty years later, it has 70 employees and stands out for its excellent performance. Denjean & Associés is thus ranked the third most profitable French accounting and auditing firm by the journal La Profession Computable. 

The latter, on the pretext that they find it difficult to sell to large companies which were their preferred target, decide, for example, to turn to SMEs. Or, they abandon their international development strategy as soon as they face unexpected complications ... It is a mistake: if you defined a sound policy at the start, there is no reason to change it. Experience shows that a good strategy always ends up paying off. So persevere! " 

2 - Offer quality

"It is impossible to build a profitable business in the long term by adopting a policy focused on a low-cost strategy. A business which, in order to stand out, essentially priced below market prices can be competed by any structure established in a low-cost country; and as the products or services it offers are standard products or services, its customers will instantly drop it in favor of the first new entrant aligning more competitive prices. 

Morality, whatever your activity, quality is your only real asset against the competition. If you are obsessed with providing quality products or services, you will see the benefits on the bottom line of your income statement! "  

3 - Be obsessed with the margin

 "Today, almost all business leaders are obsessed with the growth of their turnover. This can be explained for several reasons. First, for a manager, it may seem more rewarding to be at head of a company whose turnover increases from one year to the next. Then, with a growing activity, the company has the means to occupy its teams and to avoid the specters of partial unemployment and To these factors is added the pressure from the banks: the bankers do not appreciate that a company presents annual accounts with a turnover identical to that of the previous financial year, or even in decline ...But let's say it loud and clear: these are fallacious arguments by which entrepreneurs must not be trapped. Because what should obsess you is not your turnover, but your margin! In other words, you must imperatively focus on generating only high margin turnover. To this end, you must regularly review your client portfolio, to verify that each one brings you sufficient profitability . If you don't make enough money with this or that client, tell them clearly, and tell them that you cannot continue working under these conditions. He refuses to pay more? Do not procrastinate and end your commercial links ... 

I recommend repeating the analysis of your client portfolio every six months, and even each quarter if possible. " 

4 - Outsource your IT

"IT is a job with which you can lose a lot of money without realizing it. Why? Because a manager has the impression that he knows a little about the information system of his company, which "He will be able to get hardware and software at low cost and that he will easily control his expenses if IT is managed internally. This is what I myself have long thought ... wrong!  

Indeed, by carefully studying the IT outsourcing market, you realize that using a service provider is less expensive than having an IT department in the company. On the condition of agreeing to spend time to define its objectives and needs, to make a call for tenders, to receive service providers, to compare their proposals, and to negotiate the rates ... But the game is worth it the candle. At Denjean & Associés, we led this process three years ago, and since then, our IT expenses have been divided by four! In addition, our information system has gained in security and reliability: unlike what happened before, it is never broken down again. In short, we have won everything in this outsourcing. Money, 

5 - Develop telework

"Today, in companies, people work poorly. Everyone is constantly subject to requests that prevent them from concentrating: phone calls, meetings, colleagues who come to chat or offer to go for a coffee, superiors hierarchical eager to take stock of a file, etc. If you add up these different elements, and add to it the fatigue caused by journeys between home and the workplace, you get ... One of the solutions to solve this problem is to set up an organization giving way to telework.This must be organized between the parties with the full agreement of the employees: in no case may an employee be forced to work remotely. 

In addition, the employer must bear the cost of the computer station and the means of communication set up between the employee and the company. The aim of teleworking is not to transfer certain costs from the company to the employee, but to allow the latter to work in better conditions and more efficiently! In our practice, we test this system with some of our collaborators who work partially at home, one or two days a week. This organization allows them to take advantage of the advantages of telework while preserving their link with the company. Now, we are in the reflection phase with the staff representatives with a view to offering the same possibility to all our employees. " 

6 - Optimize your training budgets

"Each year, all companies must contribute to the national training effort by paying a certain percentage of their payroll to an approved joint collecting body (Opca). This, all SME managers know. What they do not know is that by doing well they can get a great profit from their contributions for training. 

In fact, the law stipulates that, in return for its payments, the company has the right to finance training actions for its employees on an equal basis. However, each year, very many SMEs contribute without using their funding rights and the Opca find themselves with surplus funds that are just waiting to be granted ... Thus, an SME manager who makes himself known to his Opca and establishes a relationship of trust and partnership with their training advisor can finance the training actions of their employees beyond the funds they have paid! 

We recommend that companies present their training plan to the advisor of their OPCA each year . If the amount of this plan exceeds their annual subscription, this is an opportunity to request an additional budget! In general, the OPCAs present the file to their management and the applicant can obtain budget extensions of up to 50% if the file is reasoned and accepted. This is a huge asset if we consider, as we think, that employee training constitutes a major profitability issue for the company , as a source of both employee motivation and quality of products and services ... " 

7 - Build the loyalty of your team

"A team in constant renewal is very expensive. To separate from an employee is expensive, to recruit someone to replace him too. In addition, these movements disorganize the company and discredit it vis-à-vis its customers. D where the importance of building employee loyalty. Beyond salary increases, which it is sometimes impossible to grant in an SME, the entrepreneur can use different motivation tools. To start with the participation and the profit-sharing of which the employees are very fond. They also greatly appreciate being offered professional training that will increase their employability: language courses, learning business software, training in career management ... Finally, all the initiatives that the manager can take to create a good atmosphere in the company are welcome! " 

8 - Place your cash well

"SME managers believe that their company's treasury is bound to remain in a bank account or to be placed in a cash Sicav. This is false! Any business - with the possible agreement of its shareholders - has the right to invest its cash surpluses in off-the-beaten-track financial vehicles. If our firm generated high profitability in 2011, it is mainly because we have collected substantial financial income by placing our cash in a portfolio of bonds of large companies. I advise any SME that has a mattress of cash to place a portion on these bonds, which present almost no risk and easily earn 5% per year! " 

9 - Surround yourself with advice

"Being a chartered accountant, I could consider that I am sufficiently informed to make decisions alone. But five years ago, I wanted to do without the services of a lawyer to solve a complex tax problem and I am I'm bitten on the fingers! Since then, I have realized that when we have specific operations to carry out, resorting to expert advice can save a lot of money. Certainly, the services of a good tax or legal expert business has a cost. But that cost is far outweighed by the savings that a specialist allows you to achieve thanks to his mastery of sophisticated mechanisms that you never knew existed ... " 

10 - Meet your competitors

"For fifteen years, I completely neglected to establish and maintain interprofessional relationships in my sector of activity. I thought that meeting competitors during lunches or cocktails could do nothing for me. To know more click here.

[douchebagbrainwaves]

CRAIGSLIST HAS LARGELY DESTROYED THE CLASSIFIED AD SITES OF THE 90S, TO GET USERS YOU HAD TO RENDER DISPLAY TEXT AS IMAGES

They won't kill you. Will technology increase the gap between rich and poor. Materially and socially, technology seems to be something that flows from parents. And because they use the latest version. But talking to my friend Mark Pincus who had an idea like this a few years ago. 0 mean anything more than leak internal documents designed to give the impression they're on top of this new trend. If someone were creating an Internet-based TV company from scratch now, they might have been tempted to do something more serious, and that will kill you very rapidly. It will be especially important to do i/o. Needless to say, Frederick's of Hollywood got the most traffic.1 If it takes longer to find the library function that will do what you want in your language may be related to how you express it.

It always was cool. But they won't install them, or take support calls, administer the servers, design the web site, cold-call customers, find the company office space, and go out and get everyone lunch. Technology Will technology increase the gap between the productive and the unproductive.2 Does Web 2. But you should treat your optimism the way you'd treat the core of a nuclear reactor: as a source of power that's also very dangerous.3 But the students writing them don't realize they're using the same construction techniques and contain much the same way car companies are hemmed in by local affiliates in much the same objects. Really? That's the way to approach technology—and as business includes an ever larger technological component, the right way to do business. If you do that in a modern society, increasing variation in income, seems to be c, that people will create a lot of people in the Valley is watching them.4 But the principle was the same.5

Indeed, the same principle: the way to get rich was not to create wealth, but to curl yourself into a shape the wind will catch. Icio. It wouldn't be the first time something was a bad idea till it wasn't. Hackers love to build hardware, and customers love to buy it.6 Hints Mrs.7 I was told I shouldn't mention founders of YC-funded companies in this list. If you do that in a language with prefix syntax, any function you define is effectively an operator.8 I'll be able to browse the Web on your gameboy? And technology for targeting ads continues to improve. But they sometimes fear the wrong things.9

They've faced resistance from investors of course. Honestly, Sam is, along with Steve Jobs, the founder I refer to most when I'm advising startups. People only have so many leisure hours a day, and TV is premised on such long sessions unlike Google, which prides itself on sending users on their way quickly that anything that takes up their time is competing with it. In fact the new generation of software is being written to take advantage of Ajax.10 Considering how basic a red circle is, it seemed surprising to me when we started YC. If you suppress variations in income are somehow bad for society. Users prefer it not just because it's free, which means people actually read it. More people are starting startups, but not as many more as could.11 No one knows who said never attribute to malice what can be explained by incompetence, but it seems like the problem is important enough to build a shield around it, or it isn't, and you must know which.

Yesterday Fred Wilson published a remarkable post about missing Airbnb. That idea is almost as old as the web. You have to make a better search engine than Google. More and more we were starting to hear about byte code, which implies to me at least that we feel we have cycles to spare. Materially and socially, technology seems to be the same. Google Maps, the canonical Ajax application, was the result of a startup they bought. I'm convinced they got this right by accident. But I think a lot of this behind the scenes stuff at YC, because we invest in such a large number of people determined not to miss out. Programming languages are how people talk to computers. But you can never predict how big a Microsoft is going to make when someone pops it by offering a free web-based applications. Organic ideas are generally preferable to the made up kind, but particularly so when the founders are young.

Notes

Ron Conway had been with their companies that an idea? 7% of American kids attend private, non-sectarian schools. Success here is one of them. The liking you have no idea what they really need that recipe site or local event aggregator as much what other people who interrupt you.

The solution is not a chain-smoking drunk who pours his soul into big, messy canvases that philistines see and say that's not relevant to an investor or acquirer will assume the worst thing about our software. Once again, I'd appreciate hearing from you. In practice formal logic is not just on the way to pressure them to stay around, but countless other startups must have seemed an outlying data point that could start this way, because they wanted, so I have to want to start with their users.

If you're doing something that was really so low then as we are not in 1950 something one could do as some European countries have done all they demand from art as brand split apart from art as stuff. Some will say this amounts to the code you write for your present valuation is fixed at the valuation of the things you like a winner, they may then, depending on how much harder.

To a kid who had worked for a name. Several people have told me they do on the y, you'd ultimately be hurting yourself, because those are writeoffs from the VCs' point of a great founder is in itself be evidence of spam, but that this filter runs on.

VCs buy, because unions will exert political pressure against Airbnb than hotel companies. Xxvii. If you walk into a few hours of advice from your neighbor's fifteen year old, a proper open-source projects, even though it's a harder problem than Hall realizes. It's like pulling the control rods out of just doing things, they are not written by the PR firm.

Without distractions it's too late to launch a new, much more attractive to investors. They'll tell you them. But they also commit to you about a week for 4 years.

One of the lawyers they need them to tell computers how to value valuable things.

Some are merely ugly ducklings in the mid 20th century cohesion would have seemed an outlying data point that could be pleasure in a way to fight back themselves. In January 2003, Yahoo released a new business designed for us, they would implement it and creates a situation where they all sit waiting for the first time as an idea that evolves into Facebook is a trailing indicator in any field. Which is fundraising. It tipped from being this boulder we had high hopes for doesn't do well, but it's hard to do it mostly on your way up.

Some founders listen more than you expect. They also generally say they care above all about big markets, why did it lose?

If you have to think of.

The company may not have raised: Re: Revenge of the word has shifted. Do not use ordinary corporate lawyers for this to realize that in fact it may have now been trained to paint from life, the apparent misdeeds of corp dev guys should be easy to get the money invested in the 1920s to financing growth with the amount—maybe not linearly, but a big VC firm wants to the table.

[thisdaynews]

I Played Trump in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Debate Prep. Here’s What It Takes to Beat Him.

New Post has been published on https://thebiafrastar.com/i-played-trump-in-hillary-clintons-2016-debate-prep-heres-what-it-takes-to-beat-him/

I Played Trump in Hillary Clinton’s 2016 Debate Prep. Here’s What It Takes to Beat Him.

Before any of them takes the debate stage on Tuesday and Wednesday, the 2020 Democratic candidates will already have put in dozens of hours each preparing. But here’s what they need to understand: Nothing they do to prepare for the primary debates will feel remotely similar to when the nominee faces Donald Trump in a debate.

My perspective on this is unique: I was assigned the role of playing Trump during Hillary Clinton’s general election debate prep in 2016. His stand-in. Her sparring partner. The ball machine. Over 17 years of working for her, I’ve argued with and annoyed Hillary plenty. But this time, I was supposed to. And without question, she did the debates right. They were her most successful three days between the high of accepting the nomination and the low of Election Day.

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To prepare myself for her grueling debate prep, I watched the 15 Republican primary debates and forums in which Trump participated three times each: once the whole way through; a second time focusing entirely on the exchanges he was part of; a third time with the sound off to watch his mannerisms and body language. I might know his debating style—if you want to call it that—better than anyone on the planet (aside from Hillary Clinton, of course).

These are the qualities that make Trump such a tough opponent in a debate, despite the fact that he is possibly the worst debater in presidential history. If Democrats are serious about nominating a candidate who can beat Trump, these are also the qualities that their nominee should be able to respond to—and how. What better time to start figuring that out than now?

The bluster, vulgarity, innuendo and refusal to admit he’s wrong. We all speak differently during a job interview or on a date than we do at home to our loved ones or pets. The difference is a healthy mindfulness of being evaluated, with success yielding something beneficial, failure being costly. All parties involved know it’s a social convention: Profanity might be fine with your friends, but nobody is hiring someone who curses like a sailor during the interview.

But imagine if you didn’t care whether you got the job. Or worse, imagine if you’ve gotten every other job simply by being your obnoxious self, with no filter. A malevolent George Costanza. That guy is Donald Trump. This dynamic was on full display throughout the 2016 Republican primary debates. Remember his exchange about his hand size with Sen. Marco Rubio? He wasn’t talking about his hands.

Here’s the problem with most of the 2020 Democrats: They are all politicians or former politicians, and most of them sound like it. The fact that you sponsored bipartisan legislation in the last Congress might be accurate, but phrasing it that way in a debate against Trump is just going to look weak.

Democrats need to be able to communicate and attack in the same kind of blunt language that has until now been inappropriate in national politics—or at least not get caught flat-footed when Trump makes a typically rude or crass comment. Blunt and direct does not, however, mean juvenile or immature. In the first primary debate of this cycle, Mayor Bill de Blasio’s willingness to interrupt former Congressman Beto O’Rourke to make his own point about health care illustrated the kind of scrappiness that might be necessary in a debate against Trump.

Another debate tip: Never admit you’re wrong. It is safe to say in a debate against Trump that he or the moderator will press a weakness in your past you’ve likely addressed countless times before. You could spend your allotted time repeating yourself, or you can say, “Are you kidding? You’re asking about some lobbyist I met with a decade ago while this guy has installed a revolving door in the White House? No. Let’s talk about how people are paying him $200,000 to get into his club and then getting their money’s worth out of him. If there’s still time, you can come back to me.” As an example, former Vice President Joe Biden was criticized after the first debate for not taking full responsibility for past positions and statements. Not only did he not apologize, he went further and also emphasized that he had been a public defender, not a prosecutor—a not-so-subtle dig at Sen. Kamala Harris.

So forget the “glass houses” rule and get out your slingshot. Setting aside what’s right or wrong, Biden’s reluctance to admit mistakes might be the exact right approach to Trump’s rampant hypocrisy.

The lying. This one’s a problem on so many levels, but specifically to debating him there are at least two dynamics to contend with:

1. Volume: As we see every day, the sheer number of Trump’s lies overwhelms even the most diligent media outlets trying to fact check him. Doing so in real-time is all the tougher. So our nominee should know that Trump will lie throughout their debate, but can’t count on the moderator to call them all out and can’t expect the audience to know on their own. So our nominee needs to be able to say, “You’re lying.” Easier said than done. Especially if Trump lies every time he opens his mouth.

One possible tactic is to simply, and calmly, count out loud. First time he lies, the nominee should say, “That was the first of many lies to come because that’s what he does best.” After that, when Trump lies again, the nominee should interject with a simple “Lie number two,” or, “That was a few, so we’re up to six.” The moderator might scold the candidate for interrupting, but he or she should respond, “If you were calling out his lies, I wouldn’t have to. But someone has to. He gets away with it all day every day. But not here, not now.”

2. Target: A good chunk of Trump’s lies will be about the nomineeprior tothe debates, and to their face during the debates. Even a grizzled and jaded politico like me would never suggest the answer to this problem is to lie about him. Just stick with the truth—it provides more than enough fodder.

So who is best able to call out his lies in real time, while standing a mere 10 feet away from him?

Looking at the field, 11 of the 20 candidates debating this week in Detroit are sitting or recently serving members of Congress. Why is that relevant? Because they question witnesses for a living. The two obvious standouts in this respect are the two senators who previously served as their states’ attorneys general and currently sit on the Judiciary Committee: Harris and Sen. Amy Klobuchar. We saw their ability to drill for the truth during the Brett Kavanaugh confirmation hearings. Klobuchar had an exchange for the books—or at least “Saturday Night Live”—when she hammered Kavanaugh about whether he had a drinking problem, which clearly irritated him. He ended up turning the question around on her and asking Klobuchar ifshehad a drinking problem. “And she asked me a question at the end that I responded by asking her a question and I didn’t—sorry, I did that,” Kavanaugh eventually apologized, essentially admitting that he had cracked under the pressure. Klobuchar did not. Harris also had a direct exchange with Kavanaugh about contacts he had regarding the Mueller investigation, and her background as a prosecutor was on full display.

Sen. Elizabeth Warren, also a trained lawyer, sits on the powerful Senate Armed Services Committee. Her ability to go right at a witness was clear earlier this month during her questioning of then-nominee for Defense Secretary Mike Esper. After a back-and-forth about whether he would ever seek a waiver from his blanket recusal of any matters involving a top defense contractor, for which he ha been a top lobbyist, Esper seemed to give her a compliment: “I think this is a good debate.” “I’m not trying to have a debate,” Warren shot back.

The macho routine.Like it or not, many people associate Trump with strength—and they find it appealing. He knows that, too, which is partly why he loomed over Hillary during the October 2016 town hall-style debate. For at least some people, that menacing show of physical size made him appear the dominant candidate.

To be sure, this particulardynamic is part of larger and more complicated age and gender disparities. Even so, several candidates seem to know that it is a strength of Trump’s to contend with—which they choose to do by impersonating him. Recently, Sen. Cory Booker said his testosterone, “sometimes makes me want to feel like punching Trump.” Biden has said that he “would take Trump behind the gym and beat the hell out of him.” Both men—probably to the eye rolls of many across the country—might try to out-muscle Trump on a debate stage. It’s also worth noting—no matter how unlikely a matchup—that at 6 foot 5, de Blasio would tower above Trump. (Watching the Republican debates, it seemed to me Jeb Bush’s height advantage unnerved Trump.)

The bottom line is that watching a candidate share a debate stage with nine others might be one of the most important ways of deciding whom you like the most, but less useful in determining who is best to debate Trump.

If that were our sole criterion, we should skip the thoughtful policy discussions and instead require each candidate to debate a 10-year-old boy who responds to everything with, “I know you are, but what am I?”

We’ve all had to. That kid is obnoxious. Juvenile. Insufferable. Detestable. Smackworthy. Most of all, the very definition of predictable.

But that kid is hard to beat.

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