#process safety management program

[osha-workplace-safety-training]

OSHA Workplace Safety Training, Consultancy: PCS Safety, California

PCS Safety: Providing quality workplace safety services Company & training including OSHA training to public/private sectors in California and throught United States..

Cal OSHA safety training for Workers – cal osha training coursesA Mandate: The Cal OSHA training module ensures that cal osha safety training workers are eligible for workplace safety osha citation for their positions regardless of industry. Its Known as california safety training

osha citation response Importance of Safety Work Permit by PCS safety Inc - osha certification California A safe system of work permit is an effective vehicle for communicating critical safety information. Safe Lifting Poster- Employers are encouraged to post this guide osha license to help workers follow OSHA’s ergonomic compliance and meet OSHA’s mandatory training requirement.

osha 40 hours- 40 hour hazwoper

labor law posters california -  First Aid Compliance for Your first aid training Workplace California Forklift Certification Requirements for Employers workplace first aid What is PSM – Process Safety Management Program, is it Important

Injury and Illness Prevention (IIP) Program Plan Kit : Under Title 8 of the California Code of Regulations (T8CCR) Section 3203, every California employer is required to have a documentable llness injury preventino program kit. At PCS Safety, Inc., osha injury and illness prevention program our Injury and Illness Prevention Plan Kit injury and illness prevention program osha will help you prepare and meet the legal requirements. The first step is conducting injury illness prevention program california the OSHA Inspections & Citation Representation, injury illness prevention program Citation & Appeals.

CAL-OSHA COMPLIANCE TRAINING

Cal OSHA Compliance Training : The Safety Program or Illness and Injury Prevention Program as required by Cal OSHA training requirements must encompass the following elements:

1)Compliance 2) Communication 3) Hazard Assessment 4) Accident/Exposure Investigation 5) Hazard Correction 6) Training and Instruction 7) Record-keeping Compliance is cal osha training courses something every organization with one or more employees must comply with all of the above-mentioned requirements. Cal OSHA Training materials (e.g., interactive videos, online training, and more) that address the topics required by OSHA, are vital documents that you need to prepare, as well as emergency response plans.

[101mobilemedicalsolutions]

The Growing Need for Mobile Medical Services in Alberton, South Africa

In recent years, the demand for mobile medical services has surged globally, and Alberton, South Africa, is no exception. As the healthcare landscape evolves, mobile medical solutions are becoming increasingly vital in providing accessible, efficient, and timely care. This article explores why mobile medical services are gaining prominence in Alberton and how 101 Mobile Medical Solutions is at the forefront of this transformation.

1. The Rise of Mobile Medical Services

Mobile medical services refer to healthcare that is delivered through mobile units, such as vans or buses equipped with medical facilities and personnel. These services have gained traction due to their ability to bring healthcare directly to individuals in need, eliminating barriers such as transportation and accessibility.

2. Meeting the Needs of Alberton’s Diverse Population

Alberton is a dynamic community with diverse needs. The area's growing population, combined with the increasing prevalence of chronic conditions, has highlighted the necessity for accessible medical care. Mobile medical services address these needs by offering:

Convenience: Mobile units can reach patients who might otherwise have difficulty accessing traditional healthcare facilities. This is especially important for those living in remote or deprived areas.

Efficiency: Mobile medical services can quickly respond to public health emergencies and provide on-site care, reducing wait times and improving health outcomes.

Comprehensive Care: From routine check-ups to specialized screenings, mobile medical units offer a range of services that cater to various health needs.

3. Benefits for Local Businesses and Industries

Alberton's industrial and business sectors benefit significantly from mobile medical services. For instance:

Employee Health Management: Mobile medical services can conduct on-site health screenings, occupational health assessments, and wellness programs, ensuring that employees receive timely care without leaving their workplace.

Compliance: Industries with stringent health and safety regulations can rely on mobile medical units to meet compliance requirements, such as drug testing, hearing tests, and physical examinations.

4. Enhancing Emergency Response

Mobile medical services play a crucial role in emergency response situations. Their ability to deploy quickly to disaster sites or accident scenes ensures that critical care is delivered promptly, potentially saving lives and improving recovery rates.

5. The Role of 101 Mobile Medical Solutions

At 101 Mobile Medical Solutions, we are committed to addressing the growing healthcare needs of Alberton. Our state-of-the-art mobile units are capable of providing the following facilities:

Mobile Occupational Health Services: Ensuring that local businesses comply with health and safety regulations.

Mobile X-ray Services: Offering diagnostic imaging services on-site.

Employee Medical Screening: Conducting comprehensive health checks for businesses.

Drug & Urine Testing Services: Providing essential testing for workplace safety and compliance.

Lung Function Testing and Vision Screening Services: Assessing and monitoring employees' health.

Audiometric Hearing Testing and Physical Examination Services: Ensuring overall employee well-being.

On-Site Clinic Management: Managing temporary clinics for large events or emergencies.

Employee Wellness Programs: Promoting health and wellness among staff.

6. Future Trends and Innovations

The future of mobile medical services in Alberton looks promising. Advances in telemedicine, portable diagnostic tools, and data management systems are set to enhance the capabilities of mobile units. These innovations will further improve the efficiency, accuracy, and reach of mobile medical services.

Conclusion

The growing need for mobile medical services in Alberton underscores the importance of adaptable, accessible healthcare solutions. With 101 Mobile Medical Solutions leading the charge, residents and businesses can benefit from comprehensive, on-site care that meets the evolving demands of the community. As mobile medical services continue to evolve, Alberton will remain at the forefront of this essential healthcare revolution.

FAQs

Q1: What types of services does 101 Mobile Medical Solutions offer?

A1: We offer a range of services, including mobile occupational health assessments, mobile X-ray services, employee medical screening, drug and urine testing, lung function testing, vision screening, audiometric hearing testing, and on-site clinic management.

Q2: How can businesses in Alberton benefit from mobile medical services?

A2: Businesses can benefit by ensuring compliance with health regulations, providing convenient access to health services for employees, and implementing wellness programs that enhance overall employee health and productivity.

Q3: Are mobile medical services available for emergency situations?

A3: Yes, mobile medical services are equipped to handle emergency situations, providing prompt care and support during crises, accidents, or public health emergencies.

Q4: How can I schedule a mobile medical service for my business or event?

A4: You can contact us directly through our website or phone to discuss your needs and schedule a service. Our team will work with you to ensure that we meet your specific requirements.

[batboyblog]

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #21

May 31-June 7 2024

As part of President Biden's goal to bring the number of traffic deaths to zero, the Department of Transportation has sent $480 million in safety grants to all 50 states, DC, and all the US territories. The grants will focus on trucks, buses and other large vehicles. Thanks to DoT safety actions deaths involving heavy vehicles dropped by 8% from 2022 to 2023 and the department wants to keep pushing till the number is 0.

The Departments of Interior and Agriculture announced $2.8 billion plan to protect public land and support local government Conservation Efforts. $1.9 billion will be used to repair and restore national parks and public land, restoring historic sites, as well as Bureau of Indian Education-funded schools. $900 million will go to conservation funding, allowing the government to buy land to protect it. Half the funds will go to the federal government half to state and local governments and for the first time ever a tribal Conservation Land Acquisition program has been set up to allow tribal governments to buy land to protect nature.

The Department of Transportation announced that it had managed to get customers nearly $1 Billion dollars worth of flight reimbursements. The DoT reached an agreement with 3 airlines, Lufthansa, KLM, and South African Airways to pay between them $900 million to passengers effected by Covid related cancellations and delays. This adds to the $4 billion dollars of refunds and reimbursements to airline passengers under the Biden Administration.

The Department of Interior announced $725 million to clean up legacy coal pollution. This is the 3rd pay out from the $11.3 billion dollars President Biden signed into law in the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law to clean up coal pollution and invest in communities that used to rely on the coal industry. The money will be spent across 22 states and the Navajo Nation. Closing dangerous mine shafts, reclaim unstable slopes, improve water quality by treating acid mine drainage, and restore water supplies damaged by mining.

HUD launches the first of its kind investment program in manufactured homes. Manufactured homes represent a major market for affordable housing and the Biden Administration is the first to offer support to people trying to buy. HUD hopes the program will help 5,000 families and individuals buy their own home over the next 5 years.

The Department of the Interior announced $700 million for long-term water conservation projects across the Lower Colorado River Basin. The Colorado River Basin provides water for more than 40 million people, electric power to 7 US States and is a critical crucial resource for 30 Tribal nations and two Mexican states. The project hopes to save more than 700,000 acre-feet of water in Lake Mead. In the face of climate change causing a historic 23-year drought, there is record low water levels at Lake Powell and Lake Mead. The Biden Administration has moved aggressively to try to protect the Colorado River and make sure there's enough water in the West.

HUD makes $123 million for fighting Youth Homelessness available. This represents the 8th round of investment in Youth Homelessness since 2021 for a total of $440 million so far. The Biden Administration is focusing on innovative answers, like host homes, and kinship care models, with emphasis on creating equitable strategies to assist youth who are most vulnerable, including BIPOC, LGBTQIA+, and youth with disabilities. This is part of the Biden Administration goal of cutting homelessness by 25% by the end of 2025

The Department of Agriculture announced a series of actions to strength Tribal food sovereignty. The USDA will grant tribes in Maine, Alaska, Montana, Nebraska, North Carolina, Oregon and Washington $42 million through the Indigenous Animals Harvesting and Meat Processing Grants to support native animal harvesting. $18 million for projects under the Tribal Forest Protection Act. As well as $2.3 million to support the service of Indigenous foods in school meal programs. The USDA also plans its first ever class of interns specifically focused on Tribal agriculture and food sovereignty. The USDA also plans to host a first ever international trade mission focused on Tribal Nation and Native Hawaiian Community businesses.

Bonus: President Biden, First Lady Jill Biden, and Secretaries of Defense Lloyd Austin and State Antony Blinken traveled to Normandy France to mark the 80th Anniversary of D-Day. They were joined by a handful of surviving veterans of the landings many over 100 years old.

[certifiedcodbabygirl]

clearly the only solution to the penpal au is you’re supposed to write to ghost but the entire task force hijacks the letters every once in a while. /hj /lh

Price also ends up doing that too once he realizes why the entire team becomes obsessed with writing letters

DUDE YES *smooches your brain*

Simon starts writing to you through a military penpal program Price had all of them in. Ofc, like the rat bastard he is, he drags his fuckin feet on it. Eventually, you manage to get him a little more willing to write back and it seems like he even looks forward to it. He's the first one to grab his letter from the container when they come. He claims it's to get it over with, but the other guys know better.

You'd think the other guys would be the ones more open to their penpals but NO. They managed to be paired with some of, who they call, the most boring people they could have met. Hell, even Price began to drag his feet after the 2nd letter back.

Simon seems to be the only one actually enjoying his exchanges, even if he tries to hide it. Johnny's the first one to get curious, wanting to know what the LT's got that's good enough to loosen the stick in his ass.

While Simon's out of the room, Johnny reads through the first couple letters Simon received. Your sweet words, stupid jokes, and genuine care are a stark contrast from the uninterested and short words he received from his penpal.

He stops writing to his penpal, not that they noticed/ cared, and grew the balls to write you one. He claimed his penpal dropped out, so they had to make do, not that you minded. And God, when you started to write back, he swore it was like he was a schoolboy all over again. Getting excited for the letters, heart racing as he reads your carefully written words, counting down the days till he gets another.

He gets ballsy one night and opens up to Gaz about what he did, not showing a single crumb of remorse. Tells him all about how sweet you are, how you show genuine care for his safety, even giving the idea of sending a care package. He could see that same thought process going through Kyle's mind, contemplating switching to you. He gave Kyle your address and told him to just come up with an excuse.

Now Kyle's a little smarter than Johnny, knowing that if Ghost finds out he's probably fucked. However, at the end of the day, he's a lonely man. He had this sweet thing like you just within reach and he's supposed to not take it? Yeah right.

He gave the same excuse Johnny did, claiming his penpal's schedule became too busy to write back, and just like that you had 3 soldiers wrapped around your finger. He sweet talked you, gave little puns here and there, really became like a lap cat. He wasn't as forward as Johnny and not as refrained as Simon. He gave you music recommendations when you say you like a certain genre, he gave you book recommendations, even sent you photos of him in front of a helicopter (you begged for it when he told you about him falling out).

Now, Simon isn't stupid. He isn't clueless. He noticed that the first couple letters went missing. Then he noticed Johnny being more eager to write. Same with Kyle. He noticed how they seemed to pull away from him when the topic was brought up. He's not a stupid man.

He might even be considered generous (don't say it to his face though, he'll take it as sarcasm). He knows the boys are talking to his penpal, but he'll be kind enough to share. His sweet lil thing. If you can keep up, that is. Your letters seem to boost morale and bring a small light that wasn't there before. They're all hard-working men, risking their lives to keep the world clean. They deserve this, don't they?

Even Price finds himself wanting in on it. If you can manage to bring Simon happiness (again, he won't admit it) and keep the other boys happy, surely you can take on one more. He sends you a letter, as their captain, and thanks you for what you've done. You're such a kind soul for giving these men some hope in their lives (laying it on thick, gotta keep em interested) and how much you've helped their performances.

They all write to you, their unofficial 141 penpal, and it works surprisingly well. The lines begin to blur a bit on being platonic and something else, but it'll be sorted out eventually. For now you're just theirs (Simon came around to it once he realized you had plenty of love to go around). You're the 141's, even if you don't fully understand what that means.

The first picture they send to you, around Christmas^ (I can't find the artist, please tag them if you know who it is)

[2smolbeans]

Thinking about the replacement student from that AU you wrote. Thinking about how it must have felt, to so suddenly go from mundane life to being deeply, obsessively loved. Thinking about how, to some people, that would be so /addicting/. Thinking about how they could have found out they’re nothing more than a prop, a test for MC. Thinking about how far they might be willing to go in order to feel that way again, to be loved like that again. I have… many thoughts about this lol

How the "Replacement" student felt after realising they were only a tool to test Mc

Yandere Obey Me Brothers x Mc (Replaced Au)

◇Read here for context◇

Tags: Implied nsfw, self-loathing, envy, replacement goes from hating you to being happy that they're not you, possessiveness, mentioned waterboarding, character backstory, story lore, just some light hearted stuff overall ^^

*this went unedited

__________________________

So for background, let's get to know our 'rival student'. In most of the Obey Me Replaced Aus, the rival student is always this perfect person who someone managed to bewitch the brothers and someone who wanted the worst for Mc. But this rival student, Alex, isn't what you expect. You see, Alex was your typical geek, always on her phone, scrolling, reading her books about fictional fantasy love interests, stealing away the main character into their magical world. When she was in her second year in college, she happened to come across an attractive man sitting behind a booth that showed an opportunity to study abroad. Seeing how no one was bothering to look at the table, she saw this as an opportunity! The more she talked and got to know the man, the more interested she was in this program. I mean living expenses, costs, and free money?! Why wouldn't she consider taking the exchange program? They're practically paying anyone who signs up!

So after grabbing the man's email and talking back and forth, she was able to read over the consent forms, the legal contracts, yada yada- and signed them all. After the transportation process and the whatnot, here she was at Devildom! At first, she had no idea where she was, infact she was mortified once she realised that she was in hell (or at least a certain part of it). But after the introduction and the promise of safety, especially after seeing some angels walking around- she was able to adjust! So what happened when she met the brothers? Well, she wasn't dumb. She knew these were the seven deadly sins just by seeing how they interacted with each other and hearing them bicker each others names. So, knowing the seven deadly sins, she kept her distance. She heard that there was supposed to be a human around in the house, but no matter how hard she looked - for some reason, she couldn't find you. It was like you were hidden..

As days went by, she noticed a few things. She noticed how the seven lords argued about some sort of 'schedule' that they seemed very competitive over. She noticed the way they were really..Well she couldn't explain it. But they were intense. Their aura alone was suffocating to be around. It was like they were ready to snap at any moment. They were friendly, but in a way that she knew if she pressed any further in a conversation, they would simply stare into her soul with an expression that would send her into a primal fear.

Eventually, after a while- she started to warm up to the brothers. She couldn't recall how or why, but it just happened! They connected so well that she almost forgot that they were the seven deadly sins! During this time, she had actually seen you from the corner of her eye. But if she was being honest, she was too distracted from all the exciting moments the brothers would entangle her in. She had never felt so..Loved before. The feeling of someone always validating your emotions, someone to call out to, someone to be in sync with. It was like her prayers had finally been answered! There was one time you had tried reaching out to her, but she was so entranced by the brothers and their tempting offers of intimacy- she might've brushed you off.

But of course, all things don't last forever - and I guess that's where the rose tinted glasses came off and realilty began to settle in. In reality, the brothers didn't love her. Of course, there had to be a motive behind all those gifts. Demons always have a motive, after all. And that motive so happened to be you. She was just a prop, a tool, an example to be made out of for you. Once she realised that, she grew bitter. It was terrifying how fast they were able to drop the act and reveal their true nature. She felt fooled, helpless, and pitiful. She played the role perfectly. The human fooled by sin.

So when she saw you being bombarded with the love she once had, she grew jealous of you. While you ungratefully received the love she wanted, she got the cold shoulder and mockings. While you would hide and try to blend in with the crowd, she would put herself out there and try over and over again to get their attention. Eventually, she felt the shame rush over her as she realised her desperation and pitiful attempts to win the 7 lords back. That still didn't stop her from hating you, though. She knows it was childish at first, but she despised you. What did you have that she didn't? Why were these unearthly lords so obsessed with you? Why couldn't anyone love her like they loved you..? Don't you see how lucky you are? It's not fair.

So, for a period of time, she was filled with envy. So much envy and bitterness that Leviathan himself would often feed off from her jealousy and snicker at her pathetic state.

Now, did Alex- this 'replacement student get over her grudge? Yes. But in an unfortunate way. After a period of self-loathing and wrath against you, she realised how much freedom was held back against you.

She noticed the markings of their packs littered across your body, she espically took note on how the eldest brother Lucifer would make sure to that your clothes would reveal those certain areas, even if it came off as..Exposing. She saw the way Mammon would cling onto you painfully tight. She recalled how uncomfortable you looked when his claws would push against your hip a little too hard. She remembered the time when she saw Leviathan drowning a poor angel that you talked to from one of your classes while you cried and begged for him to stop. She could remember the way he nonchalantly went on his phone while his tail wrapped around their body, pushing them up and down for long periods of time against the cold waves- only stopping when you agreed to his request with a smile on his face. There were nights where she'd hear you screaming in Asmodeus's room..Though she doesn't really want to talk about that..To save you dignity of course..She also doesn't look at Asmodeus's devilgrams as well for those reasons...Yeahh..She could go on a whole tangent about what she's seen, but she knows it's enough for her to realise that she really dodged a bullet. This was a blessing in disguise! A lesson to be learned!

So Alex stops trying to get attention on herself and continues on with her life. Learning witchcraft, magic, and the education that hell had to offer. She's still trying to get over that awful feeling of betrayal and jealousy. But the more she looks into their eyes, the more she realises how severe the situation is. Especially when one night, Belphegor had visited her dreams and gave her a nice little 'warning'. (She now tries to avoid sleeping as much as possible and has scars all over her body)

So every time you go missing and the brothers ask where you are. She'll just point to where she saw you run off and hide away somewhere to avoid seeing what happens next. Overall, when it comes to finding that love again and dealing with the losses, she copes in many ways. Either imagining scenarios in her head of what could've been or journaling in her book. But if you were to ask her if she would steal the brothers away from you, her answer would be an immediate no.

She couldn't imagine going through what you have to go through. At this point, it's a "love them, not me!" situation. So for now, please leave her alone, let her deal with her heartbreak, and just don't pull her into your circle of hungry demons.. Please.

.

.

A/N: Funfact, Mc had once snuck in a "help me" note to the replacement student. The replacement student in question ripped the note and pretended like nothing happened! It's not her fault that when you gave her the note that Beel was breathing down her neck!

Also.. Alex was given consent forms and an early notice about arriving at RAD. You? You didn't have that luxury..

Surprisingly, Satan and Lucifer are chill with her since they know that she understands the circumstance and plays by the rules. Because of this, she made a request to move to the house of purgatory in the guise of "not being in the way."

Mc tries to reach out to the replacement student because they know that Lucifer and Satan are on good terms with them..

But thanks for the ask!! If anyone has any questions or specific scenes they want out of my Yandere Obey Me Replaced Au-, let me know!

.

.

____________________________

[dreamdolldeveloper]

back to basics

mostly free resources to help you learn the basics that i've gathered for myself so far that i think are cool

everyday

gcfglobal - about the internet, online safety and for kids, life skills like applying for jobs, career planning, resume writing, online learning, today's skills like 3d printing, photoshop, smartphone basics, microsoft office apps, and mac friendly. they have core skills like reading, math, science, language learning - some topics are sparse so hopefully they keep adding things on. great site to start off on learning.

handsonbanking - learn about finances. after highschool, credit, banking, investing, money management, debt, goal setting, loans, cars, small businesses, military, insurance, retirement, etc.

bbc - learning for all ages. primary to adult. arts, history, science, math, reading, english, french, all the way to functional and vocational skills for adults as well, great site!

education.ket - workplace essential skills

general education

mathsgenie - GCSE revision, grade 1-9, math stages 1-14, provides more resources! completely free.

khan academy - pre-k to college, life skills, test prep (sats, mcat, etc), get ready courses, AP, partner courses like NASA, etc. so much more!

aleks - k-12 + higher ed learning program. adapts to each student.

biology4kids - learn biology

cosmos4kids - learn astronomy basics

chem4kids - learn chemistry

physics4kids - learn physics

numbernut - math basics (arithmetic, fractions and decimals, roots and exponents, prealgebra)

education.ket - primary to adult. includes highschool equivalent test prep, the core skills. they have a free resource library and they sell workbooks. they have one on work-life essentials (high demand career sectors + soft skills)

youtube channels

the organic chemistry tutor

khanacademy

crashcourse

tabletclassmath

2minmaths

kevinmathscience

professor leonard

greenemath

mathantics

3blue1brown

literacy

readworks - reading comprehension, build background knowledge, grow your vocabulary, strengthen strategic reading

chompchomp - grammar knowledge

tutors

not the "free resource" part of this post but sometimes we forget we can be tutored especially as an adult. just because we don't have formal education does not mean we can't get 1:1 teaching! please do you research and don't be afraid to try out different tutors. and remember you're not dumb just because someone's teaching style doesn't match up with your learning style.

cambridge coaching - medical school, mba and business, law school, graduate, college academics, high school and college process, middle school and high school admissions

preply - language tutoring. affordable!

revolutionprep - math, science, english, history, computer science (ap, html/css, java, python c++), foreign languages (german, korean, french, italian, spanish, japanese, chinese, esl)

varsity tutors - k-5 subjects, ap, test prep, languages, math, science & engineering, coding, homeschool, college essays, essay editing, etc

chegg - biology, business, engineering/computer science, math, homework help, textbook support, rent and buying books

learn to be - k-12 subjects

for languages

lingq - app. created by steve kaufmann, a polygot (fluent in 20+ languages) an amazing language learning platform that compiles content in 20+ languages like podcasts, graded readers, story times, vlogs, radio, books, the feature to put in your own books! immersion, comprehensible input.

flexiclasses - option to study abroad, resources to learn, mandarin, cantonese, japanese, vietnamese, korean, italian, russian, taiwanese hokkien, shanghainese.

fluentin3months - bootcamp, consultation available, languages: spanish, french, korean, german, chinese, japanese, russian, italian.

fluenz - spanish immersion both online and in person - intensive.

pimsleur - not tutoring** online learning using apps and their method. up to 50 languages, free trial available.

incase time has passed since i last posted this, check on the original post (not the reblogs) to see if i updated link or added new resources. i think i want to add laguage resources at some point too but until then, happy learning!!

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Fintech bullies stole your kid’s lunch money

I'm coming to DEFCON! On Aug 9, I'm emceeing the EFF POKER TOURNAMENT (noon at the Horseshoe Poker Room), and appearing on the BRICKED AND ABANDONED panel (5PM, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01). On Aug 10, I'm giving a keynote called "DISENSHITTIFY OR DIE! How hackers can seize the means of computation and build a new, good internet that is hardened against our asshole bosses' insatiable horniness for enshittification" (noon, LVCC - L1 - HW1–11–01).

Three companies control the market for school lunch payments. They take as much as 60 cents out of every dollar poor kids' parents put into the system to the tune of $100m/year. They're literally stealing poor kids' lunch money.

In its latest report, the Consumer Finance Protection Bureau describes this scam in eye-watering, blood-boiling detail:

https://files.consumerfinance.gov/f/documents/cfpb_costs-of-electronic-payment-in-k-12-schools-issue-spotlight_2024-07.pdf

The report samples 16.7m K-12 students in 25k schools. It finds that schools are racing to go cashless, with 87% contracting with payment processors to handle cafeteria transactions. Three processors dominate the sector: Myschoolbucks, Schoolcafé, and Linq Connect.

These aren't credit card processors (most students don't have credit cards). Instead, they let kids set up an account, like a prison commissary account, that their families load up with cash. And, as with prison commissary accounts, every time a loved one adds cash to the account, the processor takes a giant whack out of them with junk fees:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/14/minnesota-nice/#shitty-technology-adoption-curve

If you're the parent of a kid who is eligible for a reduced-price lunch (that is, if you are poor), then about 60% of the money you put into your kid's account is gobbled up by these payment processors in service charges.

It's expensive to be poor, and this is no exception. If your kid doesn't qualify for the lunch subsidy, you're only paying about 8% in service charges (which is still triple the rate charged by credit card companies for payment processing).

The disparity is down to how these charges are calculated. The payment processors charge a flat fee for every top-up, and poor families can't afford to minimize these fees by making a single payment at the start of the year or semester. Instead, they pay small sums every payday, meaning they pay the fee twice per month (or even more frequently).

Not only is the sector concentrated into three companies, neither school districts nor parents have any meaningful way to shop around. For school districts, payment processing is usually bundled in with other school services, like student data management and HR data handling. For parents, there's no way to choose a different payment processor – you have to go with the one the school district has chosen.

This is all illegal. The USDA – which provides and regulates – the reduced cost lunch program, bans schools from charging fees to receive its meals. Under USDA regs, schools must allow kids to pay cash, or to top up their accounts with cash at the school, without any fees. The USDA has repeatedly (2014, 2017) published these rules.

Despite this, many schools refuse to handle cash, citing safety and security, and even when schools do accept cash or checks, they often fail to advertise this fact.

The USDA also requires schools to publish the fees charged by processors, but most of the districts in the study violate this requirement. Where schools do publish fees, we see a per-transaction charge of up to $3.25 for an ACH transfer that costs $0.26-0.50, or 4.58% for a debit/credit-card transaction that costs 1.5%. On top of this, many payment processors charge a one-time fee to enroll a student in the program and "convenience fees" to transfer funds between siblings' accounts. They also set maximum fees that make it hard to avoid paying multiple charges through the year.

These are classic junk fees. As Matt Stoller puts it: "'Convenience fees' that aren't convenient and 'service fees' without any service." Another way in which these fit the definition of junk fees: they are calculated at the end of the transaction, and not advertised up front.

Like all junk fee companies, school payment processors make it extremely hard to cancel an automatic recurring payment, and have innumerable hurdles to getting a refund, which takes an age to arrive.

Now, there are many agencies that could have compiled this report (the USDA, for one), and it could just as easily have come from an academic or a journalist. But it didn't – it came from the CFPB, and that matters, because the CFPB has the means, motive and opportunity to do something about this.

The CFPB has emerged as a powerhouse of a regulator, doing things that materially and profoundly benefit average Americans. During the lockdowns, they were the ones who took on scumbag landlords who violated the ban on evictions:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/20/euthanize-rentier-enablers/#cfpb

They went after "Earned Wage Access" programs where your boss colludes with payday lenders to trap you in debt at 300% APR:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/01/usury/#tech-exceptionalism

They are forcing the banks to let you move your account (along with all your payment history, stored payees, automatic payments, etc) with one click – and they're standing up a site that will analyze your account data and tell you which bank will give you the best deal:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/10/21/let-my-dollars-go/#personal-financial-data-rights

They're going after "buy now, pay later" companies that flout borrower protection rules, making a rogues' gallery of repeat corporate criminals, banning fine-print gotcha clauses, and they're doing it all in the wake of a 7-2 Supreme Court decision that affirmed their power to do so:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/10/getting-things-done/#deliverism

The CFPB can – and will – do something to protect America's poorest parents from having $100m of their kids' lunch money stolen by three giant fintech companies. But whether they'll continue to do so under a Kamala Harris administration is an open question. While Harris has repeatedly talked up the ways that Biden's CFPB, the DOJ Antitrust Division, and FTC have gone after corporate abuses, some of her largest donors are demanding that her administration fire the heads of these agencies and crush their agenda:

https://prospect.org/power/2024-07-26-corporate-wishcasting-attack-lina-khan/

Tens of millions of dollars have been donated to Harris' campaign and PACs that support her by billionaires like Reid Hoffman, who says that FTC Chair Lina Khan is "waging war on American business":

https://prospect.org/power/2024-07-26-corporate-wishcasting-attack-lina-khan/

Some of the richest Democrat donors told the Financial Times that their donations were contingent on Harris firing Khan and that they'd been assured this would happen:

https://archive.is/k7tUY

This would be a disaster – for America, and for Harris's election prospects – and one hopes that Harris and her advisors know it. Writing in his "How Things Work" newsletter today, Hamilton Nolan makes the case that labor unions should publicly declare that they support the FTC, the CFPB and the DOJ's antitrust efforts:

https://www.hamiltonnolan.com/p/unions-and-antitrust-are-peanut-butter

Don’t want huge companies and their idiot billionaire bosses to run the world? Break them up, and unionize them. It’s the best program we have.

Perhaps you've heard that antitrust is anti-worker. It's true that antitrust law has been used to attack labor organizing, but that has always been in spite of the letter of the law. Indeed, the legislative history of US antitrust law is Congress repeatedly passing law after law explaining that antitrust "aims at dollars, not men":

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/14/aiming-at-dollars/#not-men

The Democrats need to be more than The Party of Not Trump. To succeed – as a party and as a force for a future for Americans – they have to be the party that defends us – workers, parents, kids and retirees alike – from corporate predation.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/26/taanstafl/#stay-hungry

Image: Cryteria (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:HAL9000.svg

CC BY 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/deed.en

[iheartnerdz]

💬 About Last Night (Miguel O’Hara x f!reader)

Summary: You and Miguel seemed to had a fun night last night, you storm out, and avoid him at all costs. However, you can’t find your phone, but you can’t face him yet; so you sneak back to his dorm hoping he’s not there to get your phone back

Content warning: 18+ and mentions of sex

A/N: First fanfic! I hope you guys enjoy ♡

Next chapter

— Chapter 1

Sunlight filtered through unfamiliar curtains, bathing the room in a soft, golden glow. You stirred, blinking against the light, a dull ache in your head reminding you of last night's festivities. Groaning, you rolled over, expecting to feel the familiar embrace of your dorm bed, only to find yourself in a much less familiar bed.

Panic began to set in as you took in your surroundings: a neat, minimalistic room with posters of various scientific formulas and bands pinned to the walls, and faint smell of expensive cologne. This was definitely not your dorm room. You tried to recall how you got here, but the details of last night were fuzzy.

A deep voice broke the silence, causing you to jump. "Morning, sunshine." You turned to see Miguel O'Hara, one of the star students in the biochemistry program, leaning casually against the doorframe, a smirk playing on his lips. "You were great last night."

Your eyes widened in horror as his words sank in. Great last night? What did that mean? Before you could process further, a scream erupted from your throat. The scream seemed to echo in the room, and you scrambled out of bed, your limbs tangling in the sheets.

Grabbing your shoes from the floor, you bolted past him, muttering incoherent words. You raced down the hall of the dorm building, your heart pounding in your chest, cheeks burning with embarrassment. The few students who were awake at this hour gave you curious glances as you darted past, but you paid them no mind, focusing solely on getting back to the safety of your own room.

Slamming the door behind you, you leaned against it, trying to catch your breath. Your roommate, Lily, looked up from her laptop, her eyebrows raising in surprise. "Where have you been? And why do you look like you just ran a marathon?"

"Do you remember anything from last night?" you asked, your voice shaky.

Lily frowned, closing her laptop. "Not really. We went to that party at Sigma Chi, and you were with me until you went to get another drink. After that, you kind of disappeared. Why? What happened?"

You hesitated, unsure of how to explain the bizarre situation. "I woke up in Miguel’s bed."

Lily's eyes widened. "Miguel? As in Miguel O'Hara, the guy who fucks anyone in sight? What happened?"

"I don't know!" you exclaimed, throwing your hands up in exasperation. "I have no idea how I got there or what happened. He said something about me being great last night, but I don't remember anything!"

Lily's expression turned serious. "Okay, let's think this through. Did he seem...I don't know, weird or anything?"

You shook your head, trying to recall the brief encounter. "He seemed amused, like he found the whole thing funny."

Lily stood up, placing a comforting hand on your shoulder. "We need to get to the bottom of this. Maybe he can explain what happened. You should talk to him."

The thought of facing Miguel again made your stomach churn. “Absolutely not.” You aspirated as you headed to the bathroom.

“Y/N!” Lily exclaimed.

“No! Screw him!” You slammed the bathroom door.

You undressed and looked in the mirror. Seriously? How did I manage to mess up this bad? You step into the shower and turned on the water.

The hot water did little to wash away the anxiety swirling in your mind, but it did help you feel slightly more human. Once you were dressed in fresh clothes, you felt marginally better, but the prospect of running into Miguel still loomed over you.

Chemistry class that you have with Miguel has ended, and you successfully avoided him like the plague. However, your relief was short-lived. As you reached for your phone to check the time, your stomach dropped. Your phone wasn’t in your backpack. In your hurry to escape Miguel’s dorm this morning, you must have left it there. The thought of going back filled you with dread, but you couldn’t just leave it.

That evening, you decided to sneak into Miguel’s dorm while he was likely to be out. You waited until it was late enough that most people would be at the dining hall or hanging out with friends. With a deep breath, you made your way to Miguel’s dorm, praying he wasn’t there.

The door was unlocked, much to your relief, but not surprised either. Easy access for girls, I guess. You slipped inside, closing it quietly behind you. The room looked the same as you remembered, and you quickly began searching for your phone. It wasn’t on the desk or the bedside table. You checked under the pillows and around the bed, but it was nowhere to be found.

Just as you were about to give up, you heard the doorknob jiggle. Panic surged through you, and you dived under the bed, holding your breath. The door opened, and you saw Miguel’s shoes step into the room, followed by another pair of shoes—strappy heels. Your heart sank.

“Nice room,” the girl said, her voice light and flirtatious.

“Thanks,” Miguel replied. “Make yourself comfortable.”

You could see their feet moving around, and then suddenly, the bed above you dipped as the girl slammed him down.

“Easy there,” Miguel chuckled.

But the movement had startled you, and you let out an involuntary yelp. The room fell silent.

“What was that?” the girl asked, her voice tense.

Miguel’s voice was cautious. “Sounded like something from under my bed.”

You froze as you saw Miguel’s shoes approach the side of the bed. He crouched down, peering under it, and his eyes met yours. You gave him a cheeky smile, despite your racing heart.

“Oh hey there, lovely weather we’re having here, huh?”

[arcielee]

Where Is My Mind?

Summary: Modern!FemaleReader’s subconscious has ruined her pussy. Paring: Aemond Targaryen x Modern!FemReader Word Count: 2579 Warnings: Smutty smut, masturbation, little bit of spanking, oral (fem receiving), p in v, language, drinking.  Author's Note: I did not think I would do a part 2, but I really appreciated the feedback from my first reader insert attempt and loved all the kindred spirits I apparently have on this godforsaken social media platform. ♥ Also, thank you so much @f4ll-for-you​ for your time to read this over! Tags (kindred spirits): @narwhal-swimmingintheocean​ This is dedicated to @fan-goddess​ because you made a call out to something and I already had 1k with that in mind.  Series:  Call It Dreaming

It had been three agonizing weeks since that night-that dream?-in Westeros and peace no longer seemed to be an option for your pussy.

At first, after you woke up, hot, bothered, and naked on the couch, you were grateful your roommates utilized a Friday night in a way that your school and work schedule did not allow. You were quick to wrap yourself in the blanket and flee into your room.

You took a moment in your full-length mirror to survey yourself: the thin gash between your breasts was not bleeding, but still had a delicious sting to it, and you had no idea where your clothes were. It must have been some sort of fucked up sleep walking? You cringe at the thought, promising to never watch House of the Dragon outside the safety of your bedroom again. 

It was a very sexy dream, you tell yourself, returning to your bed and collapsing back onto it. Your mind wanders back, remembering the warmth of his hands on your body, the ache between your thighs when he entered you, the sensations of his hard chest pressed against your body…

Your hand trails to your cunt, your fingers desperate to touch and tantalize yourself the way Aemond Targaryen had. Your brow furrows with your concentration, your breath quickens with your motion, and your orgasm comes but it is like the tepid stream of tap water and the faucet was twisted shut.

You almost cry. My subconscious has fucking ruined me.

The thought does not linger and you return to your busy schedule of classes from morning until the afternoon and then your internship that went well into the evening. It was self-inflicted, a last minute decision to throw yourself into a master’s program for historic preservation. Though the internship’s pay was pitiful, it was manageable, and you had peace with your work, taking pride in visiting sites, your documentation process and photography for your filework later. 

It had been perfectly soothing until fucking recently and now every quiet moment led to intrusive thoughts of a specific, fictional, one-eyed prince.

You refused to be broken by your mind, after all you were a modern, independent woman with items purposefully purchased for whenever a situation called for a DIY orgasm. Your free time was on the weekends and you politely decline your roommates’ invitation to go out with the lie that your lady time has arrived. Only after they left could you truly cater to yourself and what you needed. 

Candles are lit, fresh sheets, every toy out on the covers and you sprawl back on your bed, your hands careful to trace where his hands had been, the bruising grip of his large palms, allowing your mind to flutter back to the Red Keep…

…and much to your disappointment, you find that you are still unable to bring yourself the release you had felt that night. 

This is fine, your subconscious has not ruined you, you think as you scroll through your phone to find blood and flesh, assuming that is what your body was craving.

You had an ex that was a suitable candidate; you dated briefly when you both finished your B.A. but found the next steps of both your academic careers required too much time. It was an amicable end and you still sent the occasional text.  

These texts were unlike the polite ones sent before and he was quick to reply. A week later, you were wearing a fitted black dress with a ribbed texture and an apricot cardigan over it, and ankle boots. You walk to the small bar that is only a few blocks away from your apartment, leaving a bit early to request a spiced rum drink for some liquid courage. 

Your ex finally arrives and he is still just as traditionally handsome in a House Stark sense-oh my goddess, leave that G.R.R.M. thought alone-with a big smile beneath his beard and exuding the same golden retriever kindness as before. The conversation is pleasant, catching up on each other’s life updates until the rum floods your brain and the insatiable ache between your thighs demands action. 

You grab him and the two of you fall away into a corner of the bar, but the moment you taste his lips to your own, you knew no modern man would be able to soothe the consistent ache in your lower abdomen, to satiate the void that gnawed within you. 

He notes your change in your demeanor and breaks away. “Hey, it’s cool if we just remain friends,” he offers with his token, genuine kindness, completely unaware of your internal warfare with your mind. 

There is a moment you think to protest, but decide against it. “Yeah, thanks, sorry,” you reply with a defeatist sigh. “I have, just, really been off lately. I think it’s because of my lady time,” you renew your lie. 

“Oh? I could just walk you home, if you want?” You shake your head, “It’s okay. I am a few blocks away. Thanks anyway.”

Your steps are determined and you make sure to stop at the mart on the way home, grabbing a pint of mint chocolate chip ice cream and a cheap bottle of red dessert wine. In the solitude of your apartment, you grab two coffee mugs, one for ice cream and one for wine, making it easy to walk back to your room.

You throw off your cardigan and shoes, plopping onto your mattress, and fumble with the remote to turn on House of the Dragon, starting at episode eight. 

My subconscious has ruined me, was your last thought, bringing a spoonful to your mouth. 

And here you were, once again, standing in his same room and he, Aemond Targaryen, is seated in the same leather chair and facing the fireplace. The fire crackles loudly and gives a golden hue to the side profile of the prince. His posture is perfect, with one leg crossed on top of the other, his arm poised on the armrest and his thumb running the length of his fingertips and back again. 

“You lied to me.”

Your eyes widen as he pushes from his seat and squares off to you; he is wearing leather trousers and a loose, white tunic with the sleeves rolled up to show his toned forearms decorated with silver hair. His tunic is not laced up and his hard chest peaks beneath, moving with his steady breaths. 

Your heart pounds against your chest at the sight of him, your mind reviewing your last lucid dream of this perfect man who spoke so few words and you knew that you would not dare to lie to him, dream or not. You chew your bottom lip and allow your tongue to wet it, taking slow steps towards him, counting in-between each step to resist throwing yourself at his feet. 

“What do you mean, my prince?” Your tone is controlled, but you can feel the heat in your cheeks. 

He hummed and you swear you saw the hint of a smile touch his lips. “You said you were a whore that my brother had sent,” he continued, taking deliberate steps to close the space between you two. 

Oh, that, you remember the exchange and were quick to say, “My prince,” lowering your lidded eyes. “I had only said that I had been sent for your pleasure,” your tone is coy and your arms cross below your chest to showcase the bit of cleavage allowed with the scoop neckline, noting the dilation of his lavender eye that roams your figure. “You made the assumption that I was just another one of your brother’s whores.” 

You now can see the curl of his lips and you sigh your relief. He steps closer and reaches his hand to touch your jaw; his touch elicits a physical response and goosebumps ripple over your body, your nipples peeking beneath your dress. His lavender eye drinks in your figure. “You never did tell me,” he murmured, his voice dark and velvet.

“I have been sent for your plea-” you tried to begin, but he was quick to cut you off.

“Where are you from?”

Your mind floods with a response: How do I explain I am from the 21st century and he is the figment of my sexy imagination? Your eyes remain locked on the prince and you struggle to control your voice, “I cannot say.” 

His expression is unreadable and his only reply is his low hum, then his hand grasps onto your hips, turning you and bringing your body flush against his chest. He nuzzles into your neck, pushing your hair aside so his mouth can suck and nip at the nape. His large hands grip onto your stomach and follow your curves, moving to the hem of your dress and pulling it to your hips.

You moan from his warm touch as his fingers trace the lace of your cotton thong and move towards your center, titillating your slit. You feel your clit pulsing from his touch and he hums again, hugging you close with one arm wrapping around your waist and his other hand cupping your cloth cunt; his hips roll against you and you can feel his bulge grind against your ass. 

“So fucking wet,” he groans against your neck and more goosebumps ripple in response. 

“Yes, my prince,” you say with your exhale, twisting to face him and find his lips. 

He opens his mouth to deepen the kiss and your tongue responds with long, languid movements to drink in the taste of his mouth. Your arms wrap around his neck, bruising your lips against his own, and his hands trail the curve of your hips and to your backside, feeling the bare flesh of your ass. His palm rises and slaps soundly against your skin; you squeal in response. “My prince!” You pull back, your cheeks and nose flushed from kissing.

“You act as if no other man has handled you this way,” he smirks. “Wherever you come from, do the men there make you feel a certain way?” 

Fuck me, I have never felt like this, but you feel shy with his question and instead say, “My prince, I have been searching for the pleasure you gave me and I have yet find anything that compares…”

Your answer is petting his ego, yes, but gods he was pretty. You did not expect him to speak further and your body pines to feel his touch, his lips once more. “And when you search to recreate,” his lips curl with his words, “the pleasure I gave you, did you use your hands?”

His tone is low, husky with his question and your cheeks burn when you nod yes. 

“Show me. I want you to touch yourself.”

Before you can comprehend what he said, his hands grab the small of your waist and bring you back towards the bed. He pushes you back, your dress still bunched around your hips, and climbs on top to find your lips for a slow, lingering kiss before moving lower to grab the lace strings to remove your thong.

The cool air nips at the wetness between your thighs and he brings your fingers to his mouth, suckling to lube them. Your back arches from the tickle of his tongue to your fingertips and you pull back your hand, letting it fall between to caress your swollen slit, your eyes never leaving him.

He takes a step back and moves his hands to unlace the top of his trousers, his hand reaching to caress his cock and his steady gaze never leaving you. It feels sinful and you feel the first crest of pleasure wash over, a soft sigh slipping from your lips. 

“Daor,” his voice pulls you from the edge, his gaze darkened on you. “Nyke mērī vestās renigon.”

No. I only said to touch. 

He pulls the loose tunic over his head, his silver hair spilling onto his shoulders and his leather trousers low on his hips, his Adonis belt prominent on his toned abdomen. He moves to press his hands onto the peaks of your thighs, pushing the dress further up and you are quick to peel off the rest in time to see him dip between your thighs. 

His mouth finds your center and you smother yourself in the bunched fabric of your dress as his tongue runs your slit. Aemond pauses and peers at you for a moment. “I need to hear you,” he says, his breath warm on your cunt and you are quick to throw the dress aside. 

He returns his attention, his tongue lavishing you; your hands are eager to comb his silken hair and he hums his pleasure into your cunt. Your moans grow wanton and the pleasure builds towards your crescendo when he stops suddenly.

You prop yourself onto your elbows to look at him and the curl of his lips seem wicked. “I have been waiting for you to return to me,” he said simply. “You will not have your release until I decide.”

Before you can protest, he moves quickly, his hands sink into your flesh with his hold and flipping you onto your stomach, drawing you closer towards the bed edge until your legs drop and your feet touch the cobblestone. You feel his chest press against your backside and the tip of his cock pressing against your entrance before he sinks into you. You moan with his delicious stretch and he gives a low groan as he bottoms out in you, falling forward and pressing his lips to your spine. 

“Just as I remember,” he growls, before his hands grab onto your hips and he ruts into you with a brutal pace. Your arms stretch in front to grab hold of anything as you feel him crash against you, his hip bones digging into the softness of your ass and reaching a depth that has your nipples taut with pleasure. 

“My prince,” your cries are pitiful and you can feel his breath on your spine.

“Ñuha brōzi,” his tone husky. “Vestragon ūja.”

My name. Say it.

“Aemond, please,” you obey, the crescendo building again and you see stars flitting across your vision. “Aemond, Aemond…” 

He can feel the flutter of your cunt but his pace does not cease until he feels you clenching, crying out as your orgasm rolls over your entire body; his thrusts slow with his release and he falls forward, wrapping his arms around you to hold you flush against him for a moment. 

You are torn between the fortune of another successful sexy dream and your realization that your subconscious has absolutely ruined your pussy, but you push the thoughts aside when he pulls you back beneath the covers. You curl up against the prince, your head resting against his chest while his fingertips travel the length of your spine and back. 

“You said I kept you waiting,” you say shyly.

He hums at first and then he says, “I imagine you will leave me again.”

“I will need to,” you feel an ache with your words. “But I will stay as long as I am able to.” 

Aemond hums again and turns to pull you against his chest. You feel the press of his lips to your hairline and feel the flush of goosebumps with the murmur of his words, “Sȳz riña.”

Good girl. 

[dontmeantobepoliticalbut]

Illinois Governor JB Pritzker has signed a bill that is aimed at fighting homelessness.

Called “Home IL,” it will bring state agencies, nonprofit organizations and other advocates together. The bill focuses on an equity-based approach, which includes the voices and contributions of those who have experience homelessness.

It codifies the collaboration to move Illinois to “functional zero” homelessness by bolstering the safety net, targeting high-risk populations, expanding affordable housing, securing financial stability for unhoused individuals and closing the mortality gap.

“Every person deserves access to safe shelter and the dignity that comes with housing,” Pritzker said. “This is a first-of-its-kind multi-agency cooperative effort — bringing together state agencies, nonprofit organizations, advocates, and people with lived experience to prevent and end homelessness. I’m grateful for their dedication and believe that together, we can prevent and end homelessness once and for all.”

Rockford has already taken strides in this aspect. In 2017, it became the first community to reach “functional zero” levels among veterans and the chronically homeless.

Illinois’ Interagency Task Force and Community Advisory Council works across 17 state departments and agencies, as well as over 100 processes, programs and policies, to develop a comprehensive plan to combat homelessness.

The goal of the plan is to prevent shelter entry or ensure that shelter stays are limited and lead to quick transitions into stable living situations.

Pritzker has also committed about $360 million for the initiative in his FY24 budget. These investments include:

• $118 million to support unhoused populations seeking shelter and services, including $40.7 million in the Emergency and Transitional Housing Program.

• $50 million in Rapid ReHousing services for 2,000 households, including short-term rental assistance and targeted support for up to two years.

• $40 million in Permanent Supportive Housing (PSH) Capital funds to develop 90+ new PSH units providing long term rental assistance and case management.

• $37 million in Emergency Shelter capital funds to create more than 460 non-congregate shelter units.

• $35 million for supportive housing services, homeless youth services, street outreach, medical respite, re-entry services, access to counsel, and other shelter diversion supports.

• $21.8 million to provide homelessness prevention services to approximately 6,000 more families.

• $30 million for court-based rental assistance.

• $15 million to fund Home Illinois Innovations Pilots.

• $12.5 million to create 500 new scattered site PSH units.

“People experiencing the trauma of housing instability are our neighbors and community members who deserve to be treated with humanity and dignity. With this cooperative effort, Illinois is ensuring our state agencies can continue to collaborate, and that stakeholders are at the table with us, to support our most vulnerable in living healthy, well, and with dignity.” Lieutenant Governor Juliana Stratton said. “Our state is making it clear that we will continue to work together so we can all move forward, and we will focus on holistic strategies that bring us closer to ending homelessness in our state.”

[lastoneout]

It's also like super fucking infuriating to see people continue to argue that generative AI is the best way for disabled and/or poor people to make art because like, you know what helps make art more accessible? Giving poor and disabled people money.

Like take me for instance, I'm disabled. I get severe migraines and intense leg/back pain if I sit at my computer for too long, my hEDS makes holding pens and pencils hard, my ADHD makes it hard for me to start certain tasks and/or stop them before I potentially hurt myself, my neck also hurts if I look down too much, my dyslexia AND my ADHD both make it difficult to keep track of a story as I write and use correct spelling and grammar, plus, I need to prioritize taking care of myself and going to appointments and keeping my house clean and that takes up a lot of my free time. All of these things make creating the kind of art I want to create difficult if not occasionally impossible.

So what do you think would solve my problems better? Giving me money so that I can have a drawing tablet and desk chair that won't hurt my neck or back, another tablet + pen and a lap table and comfortable body pillows for drawing in bed, easier transportation to my doctors appointments, effective treatment for my chronic pain and migraines, the ability hire someone to help me keep my house clean, a spelling/grammar checker that isn't complete ass, and a therapist and psychatrist who can help me manage my ADHD better?

Or an AI program that takes my input and spits out a drawing or story made of stolen content glued together that, in the case of the art, I cannot meaningfully edit without starting over, which also destroys the environment in the process?

Seems pretty obvious to me. I don't need AI, I need help to manage the things that are actually stopping me from being able to write and draw.

Or take my mom. She's had severe rhumatoid arthritis since she was a small child, her hands are deformed and she relies on her wheelchair to get around. She doesn't need AI to help her paint, she needs special paint brushes she can actually hold, a table her wheelchair will fit at, and someone to help her with personal hygiene/keep her house clean/take her to doctors appointments so she actually has free time to paint.

Does that poor kid growing up in public housing with parents who are too poor to afford art classes or supplies or to send them to college really need a computer program to draw for them, or do they need support to help them take those classes, buy drawing supplies, and money so they can go to college.

Blind people can paint, deaf musicians exist, people with missing limbs find all sorts of ways to make art, people with parkinson's paint with typewriters, my mother can't hold a normal paintbrush and she makes some of the most beautiful watercolor paintings I've ever seen, Van Gogh had bipolar disorder and only sold like one painting when he was alive, I mean for real how many different artists have you heard of who's biographies start with them being born into poverty?

This is not meant to be inspiration porn, these people are just ones who were able to find ways to make art despite their struggles. They shouldn't have had to struggle at all, but god imagine how many more artisrs and writers we could have had if none of them had to overcome those struggles. It breaks my heart to think of all the wonderful art that never got to exist because no one helped the people who could have made it actually have the time, money, support, and safety they needed to make it. AI would not have saved them because making art isn't the problem, being disadvantaged is the problem. Living in a world that refuses to make room for you is the problem. Being fucking poor is the problem. Humans have always found ways to make art despite huge barriers, the solution isn't a computer that makes art for them, it's SUPPORT AND MONEY SO THEY CAN OVERCOME THOSE BARRIERS AND MAKE THEIR OWN ART.

As a last example: I love watching dancing and I would love to be able to dance, but I'm terrible at it(I got kicked off a dance team for not being able to learn the dance at all despite spending weeks on it, idk my brain wasn't made for dancing) and my disabled body makes it more pain than pleasure if not actively dangerous, anyway. Having a robot dressed to look like me dance next to me while I get to watch would not make me feel like I'm getting to dance. It would actually be extremely fucking demoralizing and frustrating. I would hate that!!

Having an AI spit out a painting or book would not make me feel like I got to paint or write a book. It's a fucking anamatronic doll running on stolen ideas and it will never be the same as getting to actually expirience the joy of creating art first hand. AI is not the solution. Helping people who need it is the solution. And I am CONSTANTLY pissed to think about all the time and money that goes into these fucking AI programs that would be better spent helping disabled and poor people get the help they need so they can make art themselves, all while the people running the nightmare plagiarism pollution machines pretend that their horrible inventions exist to help people like me.

[101mobilemedicalsolutions]

The Ultimate Guide to Understanding Mobile Medical Services

In today's fast-paced world, convenience and accessibility are paramount, especially when it comes to healthcare. Mobile medical services are revolutionizing the way we approach healthcare delivery by bringing essential medical services directly to individuals, whether at home, in the workplace, or remote areas. This comprehensive guide will delve into what mobile medical services entail, their benefits, and how 101 Mobile Medical Solutions can enhance your healthcare experience.

What Are Mobile Medical Services?

Mobile medical services refer to healthcare services that are provided in a mobile setting, such as a van, truck, or portable unit. These services can include a range of medical treatments, diagnostics, and preventive care, all delivered outside of a traditional hospital or clinic environment.

Types of Mobile Medical Services

1. Mobile Occupational Health Services

Mobile occupational health services are designed to cater to the healthcare needs of employees in various industries. These services often include health screenings, vaccinations, and drug testing, all administered on-site at the workplace.

2. Mobile X-Ray Services

Mobile X-ray services bring radiographic imaging directly to patients. This service is especially useful for individuals who have difficulty traveling to a clinic or hospital for imaging studies.

3. Mobile Clinics

Mobile clinics are equipped with medical professionals and a range of medical equipment to offer primary care, urgent care, and preventive services in a mobile setting. These clinics are often used in underserved or rural areas where access to healthcare is limited.

4. Employee Wellness Programs

Mobile medical services often include wellness programs designed to promote health and prevent illness among employees. These programs can feature health assessments, fitness coaching, and nutritional advice.

Benefits of Mobile Medical Services

1. Convenience

One of the most significant advantages of mobile medical services is the convenience they offer. Patients can receive care without having to travel to a medical facility, which is particularly beneficial for those with mobility issues or busy schedules.

2. Accessibility

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[clanwarrior-tumbly]

So, reader is a huge softy that has many talents in various carework, for bots and kids. They are hired as the new Daycare Assistant/Handler and/or jack-of-all-trades for the Pizzaplex and the first interaction they have with any of the bots is respectful and kind. Reader has no judgement on them for not being human and considers them just as much a person as anyone else.

This includes every Staff bot they meet. They call them by their serial code (Hey there, M-1056!) or a nickname if they know them well enough. They help any Staff bot they see when the bot can't do it by themselves, with prior consent ofc. Getting magnets unstuck to them, helping clean up with them, even helping Map-bot with handing out maps. So, when some parent that isn't listed on the pickup list starts yelling at the reader and getting aggressive towards the increasingly uncomfortable Reader, the Staff bots are...displeased. Their AI isn't as developed as the glamrocks or the daycare attendant, but that is their friend. Their honorary handler. So, imagine the shock when some of the staff bots did their best to push the aggressive parent back from Reader and get Reader to safety. Security flashlight beams into their eyes, mop tripping them over, the works. After everything, the Reader is just so happy because "I didn't expect to gain such good friends!"

You can add whatever other bots that react to it happening in front of them/told to them later, but I'd like Sun's and Moon's reaction if you could. Thank you.

It was late in the evening when the Attendant needed some extra help cleaning up Superstar Daycare. But lucky for him, you were working tonight and provided him with some STAFF bots to assist.

You didn’t exactly program them to do that, but rather asked them politely. Of course it was their duty as janitors, guards, and many other things, though you still treated them as if you would the Glamrocks or any other advanced animatronic.

Your respect towards robots goes beyond the superstars of the Plex--that especially included the STAFF bots.

Because of this, you became the sort of “jack of all trades” handler. From helping a Glamrock get ready for a birthday party to assisting a Map Bot who’s passing out maps by elevator....you could do it all.

Sure, the STAFF bots didn’t have very eccentric personalities or voices, nor were they configured to have complex thoughts or emotional processes. But they all seemed to enjoy your presence--getting tasks done for you faster, saying “thank you” for helping them out of sticky situations, and more.

Some coworkers didn’t know why you cared so much about those “blank slate” bots, considering they replaced a majority of their friends and colleagues. Though nobody ever got on your case about it.

Even management noticed how you’ve kept them in tip-top shape, helping the company cut back on repair and/or replacement costs.

It turns out they needed you more than you needed them.

So you were quite content with your role.

In the daycare tonight, you had a few Mop Bots and a pair of Security Bots to sweep the place while you stayed at the security station, looking over the pickup list on the computer and finding only one child remained on it. She was with Sun, who would keep her entertained with a puppet show while waiting for her parent to arrive.

Soon enough, someone did and approached your desk. 

“Hi, I’m here to pick up my daughter.”

Looking up, you smiled at them. “Good evening. May I just have your name, please?”

They told you exactly that, but much to your confusion..the name they gave didn’t match what was on the list. You checked the date and sure enough, it was today’s, so you were looking at the correct one.

“Ah, unfortunately I have a completely different name listed here.” You told them, seeing their slight frown. 

“Really? I could’ve sworn I gave it to that stupid grinning robot...” Their eyes flickered to Sun. “Unless it glitched and changed it entirely.”

You noticed he was silent now, staring over at you both. While you didn’t take too kindly to this person calling him “stupid”, you stayed calm. “I can assure you that’s not possible. Our Daycare Attendant has the highest level of security and protects the data of all visitors-”

“Yeah, yeah, yeah I don’t need you to explain it to me. Can I just get my kid over there?” They huffed, suddenly having a thin amount of patience. “It’s a school night and I got here late, so I’m kinda in a rush.”

“Sure thing, could you just confirm her name for me?”

And they did just that, too, but you were still adamant about releasing them to this person. Glitches that completely changed somebody’s name in the daycare’s database simply didn’t happen. 

So you decided to ask them one more question to be sure. “And for safety reasons, may I also ask what school she goes to?”

They immediately looked at you with disgust, caught off-guard. “Why? Do you need to know every little thing about her? Does this place need her blood type, too?” They sneered.

“...no, but every parent is given a form to fill out, and they’re required to include their child’s school.” You pointed out. “I would assume you did that when you dropped her off today.” 

“.....ohh, uh..I-I’m actually just a family friend.” They abruptly changed their entire story, looking a little nervous as they did so. “Her parents asked me to pick her up so I didn’t sign any form.”

You just stared at them like they were the dumbest person on the planet. Did they seriously think you’ll believe that?

As uncomfortable as you were, you tried to stay calm. “I’m sorry but your name isn’t listed anywhere on the child’s emergency contact list, so I can’t release her to-”

“God what is this, Fort Knox?!!” They suddenly snapped. “I didn’t drive all the way to this shitty place just for you to hold her hostage!! Just call her goddamn parents and they’ll be able to tell you!”

You flinched slightly. Even Sun and a few STAFF bots began looking back your way, though you did your best to get this guest out of here asap. You’ve rarely dealt with irate parents, so your nerves were getting worked up. “Hey, there’s no need to use that language in the daycar-”

“Sorry. It’s just....look, I get it,” they huffed. “This company has a history of kidnappings and shit, but you’re making this more difficult than it needs to be.”

“..and it’s for that exact reason that I can’t let you leave with her. You telling me you’re her parent, and then a family friend is just a little suspicious. You can’t be both-”

“Jesus..am I gonna have to snatch her from that robot myself?! I see why they replaced you all with those stupid machines..they wouldn’t give me all this crap!”

At this point, your hands were growing shaky as you reached for the security button. This person was clearly attempting a kidnapping, only getting angry because they got caught in a lie.

Meanwhile, Sun was extremely concerned over the aggressive guest, especially since the little girl didn’t seem to know that person at all. At that point, he was ready to let Moon take over so he could deal with this “parent” himself.

Though before any of that could happen, he noticed all the STAFF bots in the play area suddenly cease their duties, making their way over to you.

Now that they were more in-tune with human emotions, they could sense your discomfort and the guest’s growing hostilities. And seeing you being harassed was..displeasing to witness.

You were their friend. Their handler. You treated them all with the utmost respect.

You didn’t deserve anything less than that.

So they came to the rescue, as a Security Bot tapped the guest on the shoulder and spoke in a rather annoyed monotone voice. “Hello, friend. Profanity and aggression towards staff are against our rules-”

“Don’t touch me you-!!”

But as the stranger turned around to scream at the bot next, they were met with a bright light shining directly in their eyes. They yelled in slight pain, going completely blind for a moment as they backed away from your desk.

Then a Mop Bot positioned themselves behind them and “accidentally” stuck out their broom too far, making them trip and fall onto the mat, sending some party canister crashing down.

“OW! Son of a--what’s wrong with your damn robots?!” They shouted in panic, getting up and rubbing their eyes right as two more Security Bots took them by the arms. “HEY! Let go!! This is j-just a misunderstanding, alright?! I-I didn’t mean to shout at your employee!”

They looked to you, hoping you could give them another chance. But you simply smiled and waved as they were forcefully escorted out of the daycare.

Only when the large doors slammed shut did you breathe a sigh of relief.

‘Thank god that’s over..’

“Are you alright, [y/n]?”

Looking to the Security Bot now standing by you, you smiled and nodded. You couldn’t believe they came to your defense so quickly--without even being ordered to. “I am now. Thank you, S-0032.”

“Head of security has been notified. This guest will be permanently banned. Effective immediately.”

“Amazing..I’ve never seen them be so..protective before.”

You saw Moon jump onto the desk, gazing down at you curiously. But his smile seemed a lot bigger now. “I got a mess to clean up..but I’ll let you slide. Just this once.” He wagged a finger at the bot, before leaping away to attend to other matters.

In the meantime, you just laughed, seeing a Mop Bot approach you as well.  “I didn’t expect to gain such good friends. That was a great one, M0-1056.”

“Always happy to help, [y/n].” They nodded respectfully.

Even though neither of them could smile, you had a feeling they would be if it were possible.

[yanderes-galore]

If we’re allowed to request Glam Bonnie..

Can I get hc’s for a post RUIN Freddy and Bonnie sharing a darling? They’ve both been so alone for such a long time… so they quickly become infactuated as you rescued them. Maybe both of them even see you as some sort of savior.

Alright, sure! Here's an AU concept based around that. RUIN Freddy is not the actual one we see in RUIN for this concept.

Yandere! Post-Ruin! Glamrock Freddy + Bonnie Sharing Darling

Pairing: Platonic/Romantic - Sharing

Possible Trigger Warnings: Gender-Neutral Darling, Obsession, Transference, Clingy behavior, Overprotective behavior, Possessive behavior, Isolation, Entrapment, Dubious/Forced companionship.

Both of the bots have been best friends for a long time.

Even now in a ruined and burned Pizzaplex... the two bots still have a strong bond with one another.

The two are damaged and covered in ash, similarly to their other friends.

Although for the most part... they're in mostly good condition.

Functioning at least...

To them, you entering the Pizzaplex must have been fate.

You came into the ruined Pizzaplex for one reason or another, maybe to salvage the electronics you could.

In the process you end up catching the eye of the two sentient bots.

They haven't lost their mind like the rest and have lost minimal pieces.

You may have found them after being chased by one of the other malfunctioning bots in the place.

Last minute before you're caught... robotic arms pull you to safety.

In front of you stands Freddy and Bonnie, glowing optics watching you with surprise and concern.

At first they have no idea how to feel about you... but soon they begin to realize you're their savior.

Fate brought you to them to save them!

Under this belief, the two never let you out of their sight.

They trust you to lead them to the surface, hopefully to get fixed up again.

Think of Security Breach or Ruin... except instead of having one animatronic hover around you, it's two.

The two naturally want to take care of you due to their programming and admiration for you.

When you lead them out of the ruins of the Pizzaplex, the two are in awe.

By this point they'd follow wherever they can.

The two definitely feel indebted to you for saving them.

They're attached to you as you get help to have them fixed and you keep them in your home momentarily.

You see... maybe you work with Vanessa and Gregory who are trying to recover Freddy and Bonnie from the burned building?

That or maybe they call you to drop them off as they've heard you were calling people to fix up two Pizzaplex animatronics.

The news that Freddy and Bonnie can't stay beside you saddens them.

It also makes them panic since they'll have to leave their savior.

The two no doubt try to convince you otherwise.

Don't hand them over! They don't want to leave you!

Now... while the idea of the two being clingy with you is cute at first... you really can't keep them.

The two don't take the rejection well, either.

While you sleep the two manage to sneak out of the garage you keep them in.

Your phone line is cut, your cellphone is hidden, the doors are locked...

The two are careful as they begin to isolate you.

By the time you wake up, the two are standing beside your bed on each available side.

They have smiles on their faces... poor you has no idea what they've done.

By the time you find out... two will do whatever they can to keep you beside them.

They won't let you give them away.

They've found a new home and that's with you!

You're their savior... now they have to return the favor, no?

They'll be the ones to take care of you now... they'll be the ones to love you... you'll be all theirs now.

"Now now... what's wrong, Cottontail?"

"Don't you know you can't abandon friends, Superstar?"

[nenelonomh]

human resource management pt.1

currently revising for my business exam tomorrow, so here's an explanation of each human resource management topic. (i have found that translating my chaotic notes into tumblr post format is super helpful for revision).

but nene, what is hrm? human resource management (hrm) refers to the process of governing a business's workforce.

there are many hrm topics explored in ibdp, and i'm going to explain some of these topics with their definitions, and features.

demographic change refers to the shifts in the composition of a population over time. this could be age-structure shifts or shifts in a population's educational attainment. advantages of age-structure shifts include having a more experienced workforce, and the ability to provide work mentorship opportunities. negatives of this include workforce aging, skill gaps, and increased healthcare costs.

a skill gap means that employee performance and productivity may be hindered, which can impact the overall organizational efficiency. companies with skill gaps may struggle to keep up with competitors who have a more skilled workforce. this means demographic change can negatively impact business growth.

additionally, a business may have to deal with increased healthcare costs. a company may choose to invest in employee wellness programs (preventative care) or create negotiations with healthcare providers to combat this, and save wasted finance.

another hrm topic is employee welfare, which refers to the well-being, health, safety, and overall quality of life of employees within an organization. this is relevant since employee productivity is directly linked to employee welfare. features of this topic include good working conditions, benefits, health and safety measures, work-life balance initiatives, and paid leave.

advantages of an employee welfare focus include greater employee satisfaction, greater productivity, increased employee retention, and a better reputation for the business. investing in employee welfare seems like a no-brainer, however, these schemes require capital - which can be a burden for small businesses.

furthermore, when employees leave the company- the current scheme is redundant. the business is also faced with the challenge of creating a better scheme than its competitors.

one solution may be to invest in flexi-time (another hrm topic). flexi-time, short for flexible time, is a work arrangement where employees choose the starting and finishing times of their workday. the features of this topic include compressed hour times, working from home, and job-sharing.

flexi-time promotes better work-life balance in employees and allows for reduced commuting costs. the employee keeps their full pay and benefits and it is easy to manage transitions into retirement. can you see how this links to employee welfare?

disadvantages of flexi-time do exist, though. flexi-time may result in lower productivity, if the employee's work-life boundaries are blurred or they feel isolated and disconnected. this means that additional supervision of employees may be required, to prevent distractions. this strategy can also cause understaffing.

///

the hrm topics explored in this post include demographic change, employee welfare, and flexi-time. i hope you were able to learn something from this post!

i'm going to continue writing the rest of the topics, and i will link the following posts here:

part 2 | part 3 | part 4

thank you for reading! i look foward to any feedback or questions from other ibdp business students.

❤️ nene

image source: pinterest

[imagine-darksiders]

On the Ropes, ch. 24 - Facing Freedom

Fnaf Security Breach.

Montgomery Gator X Reader.

Latibule - 'A small hiding place. A place of safety and comfort. A different home from the one you come from.'

-------

It’s dark in the lonely stairwell at the top of Fazbear’s Megaplex.

Dark. And cramped. Small. Certainly, too small to comfortably admit an animatronic gator with shoulder struts almost an equal width to the meagre space it provides, who nonetheless has managed to wedge himself into the area meant solely for humans, his crimson optics kicking out just enough light to illuminate the sign that’s nailed to the door in front of him.

Wires prickling with anticipation, Montgomery half shutters his optics, glaring hard at the sign as though he can intimidate it in much the same way it intimidates him.

‘NO EXIT,’ it mocks in bold, red letters, ‘ROOF ACCESS ONLY.’

It isn’t so much the sign itself that unsettles him, more-so what lays beyond it.

And what lays beyond it is nothing more mundane than a roof.

The Plex’s Roof, which leads to the Outside.

Montgomery knows tragic little of the world outside the bounds of this building. The Plex itself is his world, always has been, and until this very night, he’s never once had any inclination to explore beyond its encompassing walls.

Why would he want to? Everything he needs is within - His charging station, his bass guitar, his golf course…

It was only a few hours ago, after you clambered into that taxi and sped from his sight, that something occurred to the gator, something that was immediately embarrassing to admit, yet equally impossible to ignore.

As it turns out, there is one thing on the Outside that he can’t get in here.

There are rules at Fazbear’s Megaplex. Those that pertain to the guests, and those that the animatronics are beholden to. Guests may not enter the premises after the front gates are locked, and the animatronics may not leave the premises at all.

It’s a good thing then, Monty supposes, that the rules were intended to be followed by those animatronics for whom rules are paramount. Bots like Freddy and the Daycare Attendant, for instance, whose watertight programming leaves very little room to stray from the parameters of their protocols.

It’s how they were designed, after all. Most especially the bear. Freddy was always meant to be an unwavering and infallible role-model for children to aspire to – someone who says please and thank you, who never raises his voice, or snaps his teeth… Someone who follows the rules… Freddy’s a good example.

Sometimes Monty wonders if he wasn’t meant to be anything other than the bad example. The band’s own black sheep dressed up to look like a gator.

Have to have Bad so you know what Good looks like, right?

‘Don’t be like Montgomery, kids. He’s a rule-breaker.’

The animatronic’s optics droop for a moment, falling away from the sign in front of him, plastic brows slotting together to send a bleak frown at the doorhandle instead.

Well… Whether his design was intentional or not, he’s glad the mechanics got lazy with his programming, mostly because it means he has the processing power to override the meagre safeguards that were put into place to keep him inside the Megaplex.

Theoretically, he could have left whenever he wanted to. He just… didn’t want to.

Until tonight.

Green-tipped fingers slide through the darkness and alight upon the silver, lever handle, hesitating there for a few seconds whilst the gator boots his processor into gear, and not for the first time, ponders over what he’s about to do.

The prospect has been buzzing through his joints every hour since you left, rendering him restless on his axis.

“…This is stupid,” he grumbles to the empty stairwell, though his claws never leave the door handle.

It is stupid. And in fact, he’s had to run no less than four diagnostic checks on himself in the last six hours, all in an effort to find the glitch in his coding that’s nigh insistent upon him leaving the Plex for the single and solitary purpose of checking up on you.

… Stupid Freddy, and his stupid point… ‘I don’t like to think of her dealing with this by herself…’

Yeah? Well, neither does Monty.

Three days ago, he’d have laughed brazenly in the face of anyone who told him he’d be taking a vested interest in the well-being of a cleaning lady. Well, more fool him, because in just a few days, that little cleaning lady had hooked him like an expert angler, but it was Montgomery Gator who landed himself his first and only friend.

Closing his optics, Monty focuses on the steel hidden beneath his frame, a reminder that he’s built quite literally of the strongest stuff.

Montgomery Gator isn’t scared of going Outside. Outside should be scared of Montgomery Gator!

“Rah!” he exclaims suddenly, shoving down the handle and throwing the door open. It swings outwards, clanging loudly against the brick wall outside with such force that it starts to shudder closed, only to be thrown open once more as Monty shoulders through it, stomping purposefully out onto the roof of the Plex.

All at once, he receives a general alert about the abrupt drop on external temperature, though he dismisses it with a flick of his snout.

Trailing to a halt several steps from the door, Monty puffs excess air from his nostrils, watching a cloud of billowing steam rise up towards the night sky.

Behind him, the door swings shut with a metallic ‘clunk.’

“Huh,” he ponders aloud.

That was… easier than he thought it was going to be. Nothing’s shutting down, none of his systems are telling him to get back inside…

“I… did it?”

… Tilting his head skywards, Monty’s optics slide open to their maximum extent, wide with wonder.

Far above him, an uninterrupted blanket of sleek blackness sweeps across the entirety of his optical range. He almost shrinks underneath the weight and vastness of it.

There are no corners to it. Nothing standing between it and him to break up the view.

It’s the sky.

He knows about the sky, of course, but to actually see it for the first time…  He never realised how… unending it was.

And, oh, the stars. Monty spins in a slow, lazy circle, keeping his head craned back as a smile begins to pull at the silicone of his lips. Billions of tiny, little lights, like the glittering linoleum in the Plex, but out here he’s looking up instead of down.

His gaze moves North just a little, and there, he witnesses for the first time the crescent moon hanging over him, a tiny thumbnail of white against an otherwise pitch-black sky, yet somehow commanding the horizon.

Faz Co. All this time, they’ve been keeping the animatronics inside, and… Freddy, Chica, Roxy – all of them – they don’t know what they’ve been missing!

Monty didn’t know, at least, not until now.

But he did it. … He’s Outside.

Montgomery Gator is standing outside the Megaplex!

A wide, triumphant grin peels across the gator’s snout. Spinning around on a heel, he puffs his chest out at the doorway he’d just come through, nodding at it as if it were an adversary he’s just put in its place.

“Ha!” he barks, then again, “Ha!” Because this feels like a poignant moment. Like he’s just beaten… something, even if he isn’t sure what that is right now.

Rolling his shoulders, he points his head towards the edge of the roof, where a distant, orange glow is peeking over the lip of the outer wall. He braces himself, despite knowing what he’s about to see – the car park – the city beyond, but he’s never seen it from this vantage point.

Approaching the wall, he places his palms on the brickwork and peers out into the world beyond.

The car park stretches out in every direction he looks, like another void or a sea swathed in a thin layer of glittering frost. Or the sky, perhaps.

Raising his optics, Monty follows the rows of streetlights that retreat into the distance until their pretty glow is lost among the glare of the city’s skyline.

“There it is,” he mutters to himself, tipping his head to one side and eyeing the distant buildings and high-rises, “… Looks bigger from up here.”

But no further than a mile, by his sensors’ estimate.

With his lithium battery sitting at a comfortable ninety eight percent charge, he’d wager he has six hours, tops.

Belatedly, he sets an internal timer for five.

He can’t afford to get stranded halfway back to the plex, after all.

The city lights seem to wink at him, beckoning and daring, as if to inquire, ‘Well? Are you coming, or are you all talk?’

It’s a risk… Hell, this whole endeavour is a risk. If he’s found out, it’ll be curtains, and he can kiss his position in the band goodbye. Best case scenario, they’ll strip him for parts and shove his endo back into the basement with all the others.

Worst case?

… Well. He doesn’t like to think of the worst-case scenario.

Not for the first time, Monty has to wonder if he’s really about to risk his very existence for a cleaning lady.

But then, he only has to remember the little glass figurine sitting on his desk in the green room to banish all doubt from his processor.

Okay… Just this once, maybe you’re worth the risk.

Besides, no one need know he’s even gone.

He’s already pulled your home address from the employee databanks, and all he needs to do now is get there undetected, have a look through a window or something to make sure you’ve made it back safely, then return to the Megaplex without being spotted.

A simple enough plan, with only three, easy steps.

Monty scoffs softly to himself, planting a hand on each of his jutting hips, his tail swaying to and fro in apprehensive, sweeping motions.

How hard could it be?

Running a diagnostic check on his pneumatic cylinders, Monty sets his sights firmly on the city lights flickering ahead.

In the corner of his HUD, a red light blinks lazily to life, overlayed by a very important set of coordinates.

For as awestriking as the sky and the stars are, for Monty, there’s someone out there in the World that’s more important.

In a single bound, he leaps clear over the roof’s safety parapet and plummets like a meteor to the tarmac below.

The impact is quite literally ground-breaking. The force of a several-tonne animatronic hitting a solid surface rocks the carpark, causing the very earth itself to shudder in apparent surprise.

Luckily for the gator, given his affinity for jumping down from his catwalks in Gator Golf on a regular basis, the mechanics – sick of repairing his stabilisers every other day – had conceded to simply buy the most robust shock-absorbers on the market and promptly installed them into Monty’s legs, all without his input, of course.

He couldn’t be more pleased now, however. The heavy-duty springs catch much of his weight when he lands, screeching at the strain, yet stabilising the gator as they decompress, leaving his robotic joints no worse for wear.

Straightening up, Monty stretches out the wires in his neck with a satisfied grunt.

He doesn’t even spare the Plex a backwards glance.

-----

Monty supposes he ought to be grateful that the icy November chill has driven all but the hardiest humans indoors, and those that have bravely ventured out trudge up and down the city streets keep their heads tipped down, tucked into the raised collars of winter coats.

They’re certainly not looking up.

So, none of them see the enormous, dark shape bounding across the gaps between each building.

There is much that Monty would have liked to marvel at as he leaps across the city like it's a scaled-up version of his golf course. The humans walking down below. The rusted 'oldness' to some of the buildings that gather dust and frost like cloaks. 

The wind might have felt nice against him, he supposes, if he were a human, and if he had skin, not plastic, silicone and metal.

But the little numbers ticking down in the corner of his HUD remind him of why he set out on this journey in the first place. Time is hissing away like sand through an hourglass, and he'd much prefer to fill it with fulfilling his prior motive than to satisfy a casual curiosity.

Air whistles past Montgomery’s audials as he soars in a graceful arc down onto the roof of a rundown old factory. If his geological tracker is steering him right, he should be almost on top of your address.

He keeps low as he steals across the roof, almost pulling himself along on all fours just to keep out of sight until he crawls to a halt at the frost-stroked parapet.

Hesitant, he pokes his snout above the edge of the wall, peering past it to survey the building sitting adjacent.

According to his internal tracker, this is definitely the right place; a dreary tower of flats, piled on top of one another and stretching out from side to side, sporting windows that are far smaller than the ones the Glamrocks have separating their green rooms from Rockstar Row.

‘Huh. Must be for privacy,’ Monty assumes.

He notes that most of the windows are dark. Only a few spill forth soft, yellow light, just enough to chase away the darkness that tries to encroach into the homes within.

He wonders which window you’re waiting behind. If you’re waiting there at all.

The resounding ‘wham!’ of the animatronic hitting the alley floor rattles several metal dustbins nearby and sends a small, furry animal scampering out of an overturned box, hissing and spitting back at the gator as it flies out into the street beyond, disappearing just as swiftly as it had emerged.

Gritting his jaw in a grimace, Monty freezes for several, long moments, his pistons locking tight, audials strained to pick up the sound of any humans who might be inclined to investigate the jarring disturbance.

Lo and behold, not five seconds after the ground ceases to shudder, from somewhere overhead, he catches the distinct sound of wood scraping over itself – a window sliding open.

As swiftly and silently as an enormous animatronic can, Monty slinks backwards into the deeper shadow of the building, concealing himself beneath a rusty, iron fire escape that climbs the wall. Pressing his frame against the bricks, he tilts his head up to stare apprehensively through little, metal slats at the underside of a chin that pokes itself out of the window several storeys above him.

He curses at himself for growing careless. Surely, he hasn’t come this far just to get himself caught now…

As Monty’s apertures narrow to focus in on the human overhead, he very nearly releases an incredulous laugh when the figure tilts its gaze down, and a weary face reveals a little more of itself to the gator.

Of course… What providence, that the face he sees belongs to the very human he’d come looking for. Serendipity. He understands the definition, but has never yet felt its influence, until now.

An unknowable fondness softens Monty’s optics, shuttering them slightly as he watches you briefly scan the alley from left to right, but never quite hazarding a glance to the darkness directly below the fire escape.

You thusly miss the animatronic peering up at you from the shadows.

“Cats?” he hears you wonder aloud, rubbing at your thinly-clothed arms and shivering at the cold, November air nipping at your skin. Before Monty can snort aloud at the idea of mistaking a gator for a feline, you duck back inside and pull your window down once more, sealing it shut with a decisive ‘thunk!’

At once, the animatronic’s posture goes slack.

That had been close.

His intention was never for you to see him, he only came to find out if you made it back safely. And, hey! Mission accomplished! You’re back in your home. Good. You appear to be moving around by yourself okay. Even better.

Everything is all right. He can go back to the Plex now with a weight lifted from his shoulder struts.

He waits a moment in the dark.

Then he waits a few seconds longer.

Those few seconds turn into a minute, then two…

“Hmm.”

Shooting a scowl at his legs, Monty briefly considers running a troubleshoot to determine why they aren’t cooperating. He would… If he weren’t already well aware of the reason.

Perhaps… A quick peek through your window, just to be sure… Just to prove to himself that… that…

His processor fumbles for a flimsy excuse.

That there aren’t any major hazards in your home that he needs to take note of.

Yeah. Yeah, that’ll do.

‘Ugh, I’m startin’ to sound like Fazbear,” he grouses, laying a huge paw over his snout and shaking his head, discomfited. But that does get him to think… Freddy has a lot of friends. What would Freddy do in this situation?

Well, setting aside the fact that Freddy would never leave the Plex in the first place… Freddy would try and make sure his friends were okay, right?

Monty twists his neck to face the ladder of the rickety fire escape.

His processor ticks over, pushing an idea into his motherboard.

Just a peek.

The metal walkway could carry him right past your window, he could just take a look inside on his way to the roof.

Where’s the harm in that?

You came to check on him after the endo attack, is it so wrong if he wants to do the same for you?

‘No! It ain’t!’ he tells himself firmly. The idea is gaining traction, and Montgomery’s yellow chest sticks out as though he means to challenge his own hesitation.

He’s Montgomery Gator! He does what he wants - and if what he wants is to make sure that his… his only friend isn’t about to go climbing up unstable ladders or picking fights with strange endos, then… then so be it.

With a determined nod, Monty doesn’t hesitate any further.

A few strides carry him to the bottom of the fire escape where he plants one, cumbersome foot on the first step.

The thin slab of metal immediately screeches in protest under the unprecedented strain heaped upon it, but although the steps bow and dip as he begins to haul himself up towards the first platform, the whole contraption fights valiantly to hold itself together.

Step by step, the gator climbs, reaching the first section, then the second, then the third.

Your window should be on the fifth floor by his count.

Deep in his chassis, he feels a tiny spark of excitement flicker to life, likely the result of a loose wire, but the sudden prospect of seeing a human’s home for the first time – and not just any human’s home, but your home - is an altogether exciting development.

What might he see in your green room?

A vanity, perhaps? Like the ones the Glamrocks have? Maybe even a large sofa, set to one side of the room, plush and comfortable, just as you deserve. Do you have any photographs, like the ones you have in your cleaning cupboard at the Plex?

Eagerness propels the gator further up the fire escape, until at long last, he rises to a cautious halt on the platform outside the fifth-floor window…

Careful not to let his swaying tail whack against any of the bars and alert you to his presence, Monty slinks forwards, ducking his head low to peer through the frosted glass.

A pair of thin, cream-coloured curtains have been pulled across the width of the window, though there’s still a gap between them, wide enough that he can see a generous portion of your home beyond.

The room inside isn’t… entirely what he’d been expecting.

It’s longer than his green room, with a modest sitting area near the window, and a kitchen sitting at the far end that would sadden Chica if she ever found out how cramped it is. The fridge alone looks as though the door wouldn’t open without clanging against the counters opposite.

Frowning, Monty drags his optics back towards the sparse living room. There is a sofa, as he suspected, but yours makes the one in his green room look like a luxury.

Brown, faux leather has been stretched taut over a blocky frame, hard and unforgiving and about as inviting as a slab of concrete.

A television sits opposite, square and small, its screen utterly dark. And between the two, he studies a table that’s been stained all over with brown rings from many a mug that missed the intended coaster.

There’s still one thing in particular that Monty has been trying to find, however. For all his searching and scrutinising, he hasn’t spotted hide nor hair of you.

The gator’s brows click together audibly as he scans each corner of the living space, then on to the kitchen. But the only thing of note is the little saucepan sitting on top of a black cooker, a trail of steam wafting up towards the ceiling. Grunting, he drags his optics to the right, where they finally land upon a nondescript door set into the East wall.

‘Could you be behind there?’ he muses.

As if in answer to the silent question, the door abruptly swings open, and Monty’s shoulder struts sag with relief to see the familiar form of his – of you! Of you - hobbling into the room.

In a moment where he’s taken in by blind excitement, he raises a massive paw, curls it into a fist and makes to rap it against the glass, pulling up short just before his knuckle joints make contact.

Monty blinks, shaking his head and giving his fist a perplexed glance before he slowly lowers it to his side.

Shifting forwards to peer through the glass once more, Monty watches keenly as you pause in the empty space between the kitchen and your living room, where you spare the steaming saucepan a quick look. Then, in another second, you twist yourself about and begin to limp in the direction of the window.

Jolting, Monty drops his head, shying back to conceal himself a little more from the light that creeps along the tip of his snout.

It comes as yet another relief when you stop heading for the window.

Easing back on his rigid struts, Monty instead watches you edge between the coffee table and sofa, manoeuvring your crutches about in the unaccommodating space until at last, you collapse back into the ratty cushions with a wince, and promptly discard the crutches in a haphazard mess on the floor to your left, throwing them down as if they’re nothing but hateful things worthy of your disdain.

The television sits neglected in its little corner, the screen still dark and blank, but you don’t reach for the remote that sits on the table in front of you.

To the gator’s mounting confusion, you proceed to sit quietly for several long, uneventful minutes, hands folded in your lap whilst you gaze down the length of your body. Monty may not have the shiniest processor on the factory line, but even he can tell that your eyes are adhered exclusively on the cast enveloping your leg.

He should… probably get out of here…

Once again, the nagging operations running through his head lay their hackles down. You’re safe… So, he can go.

Right now.

Somehow though, despite logic, the gator’s focus remains locked unwaveringly in your direction.

There’s a software in each animatronic – one of the first ever implemented into newer models like the Glamrocks. A facial-recognition scanner, wired from their optics to their CPU. At first, it was merely intended for use as a feature that identifies individual faces. That’s how they could tell the thousands upon thousands of guests apart from one another, not to mention the staff.

After all, what child wouldn’t feel special when their favourite animatronic remembered their names, remembered them?

Over time, management decided they were onto something with that particular technology. And thus, the software was revisited, then tailored for an additional purpose.

Soon enough, the animatronics were upgraded with the ability to not only recognise faces, but to read emotions as well, to an extraordinary degree. Tiny twitches in the brow, muscle contractions in the lips, as miniscule as they might be, would be picked up, and the bots would react accordingly.

Staring at you now, Monty registers the tiny, downward tilt of your lips and the pinched skin wrinkling between your brows, not to mention the way you’ve slouched into the sofa as though your strings have been cut, and some half-rate puppeteer has left you there like a discarded plaything.

In short, you look nothing short of miserable, sitting there, glaring dolefully at your leg in a cast, prompting several alerts to ping across Monty’s motherboard, urging the animatronic to approach and make you happy again.

And as if to affirm what his sensors are alerting him to, he watches on in dismay as you blink and a single, glistening tear is squeezed out through your lashes, marking a lazy path down your cheek, and dripping off the tip of your chin.

Something that, were he human, Monty might label as ‘guilt,’ starts to squirm through his circuits. There’s something so terribly inconsiderate about him witnessing your tears in the privacy of your own home, a place where you should feel safe and unobserved. Goodness knows he gets sick of all the gawking from time to time, of all those hands pressed up against his showroom window, eyes on stalks.

But what’s he doing now? To you?

Now that you think you’re free from prying eyes, your composure has slipped off like an ill-fitting mask.

He shouldn’t be here… He shouldn’t be seeing this, certainly not without your knowledge. 

Tail drooping, Monty lifts one, hefty foot and places it carefully behind himself, fully intent on leaving now lest he do something stupid… again.

He’s just seconds from twisting his head away from the window when, without warning, you suddenly snap upright in your seat.

Startled, Monty freezes, wondering if he’s been spotted, but a glimpse of you tossing your head towards the kitchen directs his wide optics to the real catalyst.

The saucepan that had been happily steaming away on the hob has promptly turned into a broiling, spitting mess of white bubbles. Scalding water spills over the lip of the pan, hitting the glassy surface with an angry hiss, then creeping towards the edge of the counter where it begins to drip in rivulets down the side.

In a flurry of flailing limbs, you struggle to haul yourself up off the sofa, and Monty picks up the slew of profanity pouring out of you, even through the glass, vulgar enough that he can almost picture Freddy clutching at imaginary pearls.

You succeed in getting to your feet at last, but in your rush, you try to step over your discarded crutch, perhaps assuming you might make it across the kitchen without it.

Sadly, however, Monty is helpless except to watch on in mounting horror as the toes exposed by the open end of your cast whack into the metal pole, and you unleash a shrill squawk of pain, toppling forwards to land with a sickening ‘thud’ on the carpet, barely throwing your hands out in time to keep your nose from hitting the floor first.

Monty is moving before he even registers the fire exploding to life in his processor.

Strong, black-tipped claws bury themselves into the bottom of the window frame, splintering wood as they find purchase. You must have locked if after investigating the ‘mysterious’ noise outside, but for the animatronic, the little, silver latch doesn’t stand a hope in Hell’s chance against his sophisticated motors.

Wood scrapes violently over wood as Monty hauls the window up in one, great thrust, slamming it home and squeezing himself through the gap he creates, and subsequently gouging several notches out of the frame with his shoulder struts.

Within mere seconds, he’s flown across the room and upended the coffee table with a sweep of his burly arm. In the very same motion, he stoops down over your back, his scanners going haywire.

Palms flat to the floor, you’ve barely had time to push yourself off your chest before Monty’s large palms find purchase on your ribs.

You immediately turn rigid beneath his touch, though the gator pays that little mind as he begins to pry you gently off your carpet with a care he’s known only to reserve for children – and more recently, a certain cleaning lady.

“Easy, easy” he rumbles, ex-venting a puff of steam from his nostrils as his system acclimatises to the warmer air inside your home, “I gotcha.”

Montgomery Gator has never been the type of bot who’s inclined to look before he leaps.

He wants to be. So badly. Primarily because - of all the animatronics at the Plex - Monty is the one for whom action and consequence are as known to him as his own tail.

His processor just… doesn’t think sometimes.

It might be quite alarming, for instance, to be a human, alone in your house, with no prior knowledge of an animatronic’s proximity, to then suddenly be made aware of its presence when it promptly leaps through your window and starts picking you off your feet, gears whirring and metal clanging loudly with each thudding footstep.

But that little snippet of information didn’t occur to Monty.

Why would it when his friend might be hurt?

So, he really isn’t expecting the shriek that explodes out of you, nor for you to suddenly come alive under his hands, wriggling and struggling, slamming your fists down on his forearms. “NO!” you holler, your voice hoarse with desperation.

Taken aback, Monty almost loses his grip on your sides, but at the last moment, he twists you around to face him and drops you – albeit gently – on the sofa, wincing as your flailing, uninjured leg catches him in the knee-joint. Not because you’ve kicked anything out of alignment, but because when it comes to a battle between metal and flesh, metal is always the last to yield.

Though you let out another undignified yelp, the moment you’re free, you lurch backwards into the cushions, arms pushing you deeper amongst them whilst your eyes frantically scan the looming bot in front of you.

Holding out his palms in a pacifying gesture, Monty blurts, “Hey! Lady, relax. It’s just me!”

Recognition instantly blooms across your face, softening the terrified pinch of your brows for just a few, precious seconds. In that time, Monty has the unexpected, yet not unwelcomed privilege of someone looking at him like they’re relieved it’s him, and not some other bot.

Then, of course, the relief spreading over your features is sucked back in and twisted up until the corners of your mouth turn down and your eyes once again bulge in their sockets, horrified by what they’re seeing.

“M-Monty!?” you stammer, tripping over his name as you gape up at him, slack-jawed.

Ah… Shifting awkwardly on his feet, the gator quirks a floppy smile down at you, casting a surreptitious optic to his HUD, and the results that confirm you’re entirely unhurt by your impromptu fall.

So far, things are not going according to his fool proof, three-step plan…