#secure online payment processing

[paymmcashtocode]

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[foloosi]

How to Reduce Cart Abandonment and Close More Sales with the Right Payment Gateway

Cart abandonment is a major challenge for online businesses. A slow or complicated checkout process can turn potential customers away. Choosing the right payment gateway ensures a smooth, secure, and hassle-free payment experience—boosting conversions and sales.

Here’s how the right payment gateway helps: ✅ Faster Checkout – Reduce friction with quick and easy payment processing. ✅ Multiple Payment Options – Accept cards, wallets, and local UAE payment methods. ✅ Secure Transactions – Build customer trust with PCI DSS compliance. ✅ Seamless Integration – Connect with your website or app effortlessly.

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[antonyshelton]

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[justforpay12]

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[glidexpay]

GlidexPay: Simplifying Payments for Businesses in the Digital Era

In the digital age, where convenience and efficiency drive consumer choices, businesses must adopt reliable and secure payment systems to stay competitive. Whether you run an e-commerce store, offer digital services, or operate a subscription-based platform, the need for a robust payment gateway is non-negotiable. This is where GlidexPay comes into the picture—an advanced payment gateway designed to streamline transactions and foster trust between businesses and their customers.

The Growing Importance of Payment Gateways

As more businesses migrate online, the need for efficient and secure payment gateways has grown. Payment gateways bridge the gap between merchants and customers by facilitating smooth financial transactions over the internet. These systems not only authorize payments but also ensure that sensitive customer data, such as credit card information, is securely transmitted.

However, not all payment gateways are created equal. Customers expect seamless transactions, while businesses demand reliability, scalability, and security. A poor payment experience can lead to abandoned carts, lost sales, and dissatisfied customers. This makes selecting the right payment gateway critical for online businesses.

What is GlidexPay?

GlidexPay is a leading payment gateway solution that focuses on providing secure, quick, and user-friendly transaction processing for businesses of all sizes. With features designed to enhance both customer experience and business efficiency, GlidexPay offers more than just basic payment processing.

Features that Set GlidexPay Apart

Global Reach and Multi-Currency Support

One of GlidexPay’s standout features is its ability to process transactions in multiple currencies, making it easier for businesses to expand internationally. By allowing customers to pay in their local currency, GlidexPay removes a common barrier in cross-border commerce and helps businesses tap into new markets.

Seamless Integration

GlidexPay offers an easy-to-use API that allows developers to integrate it into websites, mobile apps, or e-commerce platforms with minimal effort. This seamless integration ensures businesses can start accepting payments quickly without long delays or technical headaches.

Security and Compliance

Security is at the heart of GlidexPay. It employs encryption, tokenization, and complies with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) to ensure that sensitive payment data is protected. Additionally, GlidexPay’s fraud detection system actively monitors transactions, flagging suspicious activities to prevent fraud before it occurs.

Mobile Optimization

With the rise of mobile commerce, it’s crucial for businesses to offer mobile-friendly payment solutions. GlidexPay ensures that customers can make payments on-the-go, providing a smooth user experience across all devices, whether desktop, tablet, or smartphone.

Recurring Billing for Subscription Models

For businesses that operate on a subscription model, GlidexPay’s recurring billing feature is a game-changer. It allows businesses to automate payments, reducing manual administrative work while ensuring consistent cash flow.

Real-Time Transaction Analytics

GlidexPay offers businesses a real-time dashboard that tracks transaction data, allowing merchants to monitor sales, identify trends, and optimize their payment strategies. This insight into customer behavior and payment preferences is invaluable for businesses aiming to improve their operations.

Exceptional Customer Support

Technical issues can arise at any time, and when they do, businesses need quick solutions. GlidexPay offers round-the-clock customer support, ensuring that businesses can get assistance when needed, minimizing downtime and ensuring smooth operations.

Why Businesses Choose GlidexPay

Increased Conversion Rates:

By offering a frictionless checkout process, GlidexPay helps businesses reduce cart abandonment and boost conversion rates. Customers can complete transactions with ease, knowing that their data is secure.

Scalability:

GlidexPay is built to grow alongside your business. Whether you're processing hundreds of transactions or millions, GlidexPay can scale effortlessly, offering the same reliability and speed.

Enhanced Customer Trust:

In an era of frequent data breaches, customers are more cautious than ever about sharing their financial information. GlidexPay’s commitment to security and transparency gives customers the confidence they need to complete their transactions.

Adaptable to Multiple Industries:

From retail and e-commerce to travel, hospitality, and digital services, GlidexPay caters to a wide array of industries. Its flexible features and customizable options make it an ideal choice for businesses across different sectors.

The Future of Payment Gateways with GlidexPay

As technology evolves, so do consumer expectations around payment solutions. GlidexPay is already at the forefront of integrating advanced technologies like Artificial Intelligence (AI) for fraud detection and Blockchain for enhanced security. Furthermore, with the growing adoption of cryptocurrencies, GlidexPay is preparing to introduce crypto-payment support, allowing businesses to accept digital currencies alongside traditional payment methods.

In the future, GlidexPay envisions even faster transactions, lower processing fees, and more personalized checkout experiences tailored to individual customers. By keeping pace with industry trends and maintaining its focus on security and user experience, GlidexPay is well-positioned to lead the charge in the next wave of payment gateway solutions.

Conclusion

In a digital-first world, businesses need a payment gateway they can rely on, and GlidexPay provides just that. With its commitment to security, seamless integration, and a suite of features designed to simplify online payments, GlidexPay is the go-to solution for businesses aiming to enhance their payment processes and improve customer experience. Whether you're a startup or an established enterprise, GlidexPay offers the tools and support you need to grow and succeed in the global market.

[eazypaytech]

EMV, EMV Certification, EMV L2 Certification, EMV L2 Certification

[magnigeeks]

SHOPIFY PAYMENTS: SIMPLIFYING TRANSACTIONS FOR YOUR CUSTOMERS

In the dynamic world of e-commerce, the ability to provide a seamless and secure payment experience is paramount. Shopify, a leading e-commerce platform, understands this necessity and has introduced Shopify Payments as an integrated solution to streamline transactions for both merchants and customers.

Understanding Shopify Payments:

Shopify Payments is a payment gateway designed to simplify the online purchasing process for businesses operating on the Shopify platform. It eliminates the need for third-party payment processors, offering an all-in-one solution that seamlessly integrates with the Shopify ecosystem.

Seamless Integration:

One of the key advantages of Shopify Payments is its seamless integration with the Shopify platform. Merchants can set up and manage their payment processes directly within their Shopify dashboard, eliminating the need for additional third-party accounts or complex integrations. This streamlines the entire process, allowing businesses to focus on their products and customer experience.

Diverse Payment Options:

Shopify Payments supports a wide range of payment methods, catering to the diverse preferences of customers globally. Whether it’s credit cards, debit cards, or alternative payment methods, Shopify Payments ensures that businesses can offer a variety of options to their customers, enhancing convenience and accessibility.

Enhanced Security:

Security is a top priority in online transactions, and Shopify Payments prioritizes the protection of sensitive information. It is fully PCI compliant, adhering to industry standards for secure payment processing. With end-to-end encryption and fraud prevention measures, customers can have confidence in the safety of their transactions.

Streamlined Checkout Experience:

Shopify Payments contributes to a smooth and efficient checkout process. The integration allows customers to complete their transactions without being redirected to external websites, reducing friction and increasing the likelihood of successful purchases. This user-friendly experience can lead to higher conversion rates and improved customer satisfaction.

Automatic Updates and Reporting:

Shopify Payments provides merchants with automatic updates on transactions and settlements directly within their Shopify admin. The platform also offers detailed reports and analytics, giving businesses valuable insights into their sales performance, customer behavior, and payment trends.

Multi-Currency Support:

For businesses with a global customer base, Shopify Payments supports transactions in multiple currencies. This feature allows merchants to sell internationally without the hassle of currency conversions, providing a more transparent and convenient shopping experience for customers around the world.

Customer Trust and Brand Loyalty:

By utilizing Shopify Payments, businesses can build trust with their customers. The integration of a reliable and secure payment system enhances the overall brand image, fostering customer loyalty and encouraging repeat business.

In conclusion, Shopify Payments stands out as a robust and user-friendly solution for handling transactions in the e-commerce realm. From its seamless integration with the Shopify platform to its diverse payment options and emphasis on security, Shopify Payments plays a crucial role in simplifying the payment process for both merchants and customers, contributing to a more efficient and trustworthy online shopping experience. To know more visit us at https://magnigeeks.com

[makeitmingi]

When Flowers Bloom In The Dark [Chapter 8]

Genre: Romance, Mafia!AU, Violence, Angst, Slow burn

Pairing: Hongjoong x Reader (y/n)

Characters: Florist!Reader, Mafioso!Hongjoong, Mafioso!Seonghwa, Mafioso!Yunho, Mafioso!Yeosang, Mafioso!San, Mafioso!Mingi, Mafioso!Wooyoung, Mafioso!Jongho

Summary: When you appeared and wept at his mother's funeral, Hongjoong found himself wanting to find out more about you. A regular girl, who owns a flower shop in his territory and has a relationship with the mother that he hasn't spoken to in years, why hasn't he ever noticed you before?

[Warning(s): 18+ for violence, use of weapons, smoking, alcohol consumption, slight gore, gang affiliation, tattoos and character deaths. Minors DNI. This is a work of fiction and does not represent the Ateez members in real life.]

Word count: 3.2K

"You can add a layer of natural compost to provide the plant with the nutrients its missing. Then add a layer of this mulch right at the top, it'll help keep the moisture in. Your plant should be fine right after." You smiled, handing the bag of mulch and natural compost to the customer after she paid.

"Okay, I'll go home and repot it properly. Do I stick to my regular watering schedule?" She asked.

"Water it every alternate day instead. Since we're retaining moisture, there's no need to water it every day now. Or it might drown the plant." You informed.

"Ah, I don't want that to happen." She giggled and you nodded with a laugh.

"Come back if you need any other help." You told her, walking her to the door. She bowed her head and left your store.

Once she left, you went back to working on online order pick ups. You recently received a big order for a huge event so you were trying to clear orders and you were not able to take in anymore new orders.

"Excuse me. Are you open?" The door opened.

"Yes, I am. How can I help you?" You wiped your hands and went out to greet the customer.

"I need a bouquet for a friend in the hospital. Do you do that? Maybe a small teddy bear, I don't know..." She smiled in embarrassment. But you knew what she meant and what she wanted so you waved her further into the store.

"Do you know the person's favourite flower? If not, there are sunflower bouquets, those are popular because of how bright they are." You chuckled.

"She doesn't have a favourite flower... Let's just go with the sunflowers. I know she likes blue, can that be added?" She asked.

"Of course. I'll wrap the flowers in baby blue tissue, there'll make it really pretty." You smiled.

"Thanks." She sighed and sat down to wait. You hummed softly to yourself as you picked out the sunflowers and began to trim the stems, remove the excess leaves and arrange them.

"I'll add some extra flowers on the side if that's okay, just to bulk up the bouquet." You checked with the customer.

"Sure." You nodded.

She watched as you laid everything out in a bouquet arrangement and tied the stems together with a rubber band first. Then you wrapped the bottoms with wet tissues and began to wrap the whole thing in decorative tissues. The girl watched you as you worked, securing the bouquet together with a ribbon.

"These are the designs of small animal plushes we have. You can pick one and I'll add it to the bouquet. Also, you can write the card." You placed the box on the counter for her to pick.

"This one. She likes cats." The girl explained. You placed a holder and positioned the flowers while she wrote the card.

"All done. Is there anything else I can do for you?" You asked as you walked her to the counter.

"No, that's all. Thanks for all your help, the bouquet is beautiful. I don't know anything about flowers. I just know you get it for people when they're sick." She shrugged.

"Of course, happy to help." You showed her the bill and processed the payment on her card.

"Thanks again." She bowed and walked out of your store.

"Now, where were we?" You continued to work on your online orders. Suddenly, someone tapped you on the shoulder, making you flinch and jump, letting out a small yelp in surprise.

"Sorry! I didn't mean to scare you, I forgot to ask for a name card." The girl from earlier asked.

"Sure, sorry about that. I overreacted." You tried your best to maintain composure as you went to retrieve a name card for her before she left again. Your heart was racing, you didn't know why you reacted so badly to someone touching your shoulder.

Who were you kidding? Of course you knew. Because it was like the guy that was at the club. You shivered as a flash of what happened passed in your head.

And at the same time, you wondered if the guy would come back and sought revenge against you. Or was he even alive?

"Don't think about that." You scolded yourself with a frown. You didn't know the state Hongjoong left the guy in, he could be dead or alive.

"Focus on work." You let out a long, shaky exhale and proceeded to throw yourself back into your work. Hopefully, that will be the last that you encounter Hongjoong.

You didn't know what he did and what he was but at this point, you'd rather not find out.

"Hi. I'm here to pick up order #2140?" A male came in.

"Yes, sure. Let me help you get that. Can I see the order confirmation? Just to be sure." You wiped your hands against your apron. He nodded and showed you in email.

"That's great. Here it is, order #2140. You can check that everything is to your liking. Then you can pay." You told the customer. He scanned the bouquet and nodded in approval, going to settle the payment. It was a standard bouquet that you had on the website, an anniversary bouquet that was quite popular.

"Have a nice day." You wished as he left. Since there was a little bit of lull time, you stopped working on orders and worked on your botany.

"Tincture." You opened your botany book. Tinctures were made of dried and/or fresh plants and herbs, steeped in either vinegar or alcohol to extract their properties.

"This, this and this." You sought through your collection to find what you needed.

Following the recipe, you picked out the herbs that you needed and placed them into a glass jar then added concentrated alcohol.

"Ready in 4 weeks? Wow." You wrote the date and type of tincture on a piece of tape and taped it to the jar. Then you placed the jar on the shelf to let it mature.

"Hi (y/n). Here for today's pick ups." The delivery man came through the back door like always.

"Hey, Mr Kim. Let me see which orders are for delivery." You went to the area where all the prepared flower orders were.

"Looks like it's all these here." You gestured. He nodded and began to bring the flower boxes out to where his truck was parked in the alley. You helped him carry the bouquets while he picked up more of the wreaths and flower boxes.

"You've got the addresses already right?" You confirmed. He hummed and scanned all the barcodes on the order invoices against his checklist to make sure everything was there.

"There's a bouquet missing it seems. Order #418?" He showed you the screen.

"Hmm. Let me check, it could be mixed up with the pick up orders." You went back into the store and looked for it.

"Roses bouquet with black and grey tissue." You checked the description on your order list. Maybe you had missed out on the order while wrapping the flowers.

"Sorry, Mr Kim. Let me quickly put that bouquet together." You bowed and apologised.

"No worries. It happens." He waved you off.

"Feel free to have some tea while you wait." You gestured to the pot of tea that you always brewed in the shop, it's usually for yourself or familiar visitors like delivery men. You quickly picked out the flowers that you needed and made the bouquet. It was a standard rose bouquet with baby's breath surrounding the red roses.

"There, sorry again for delaying you." You handed him the bouquet once it was done, all wrapped in the layered tissue and secured with a thick, silver ribbon.

"No need to apologise, (y/n). Thanks for the tea. Have a nice day." He patted your shoulder and left to make the deliveries.

"You too!" You waved as the truck drove off. After that, you went back to getting orders sorted.

Finally when you sat down, you winced as you lifted your leg. It was a sprained ankle, nothing too major but you've been hiding the bandage under pants and the pain with a smile.

"Hello~" Jihoon entered through the back door and you quickly put your leg down, making sure your pant leg covered the bandage.

"Jihoon, what are you doing here?" You blinked in surprise.

"Well, hello to you too, neighbour. I'm here to deliver you a warm lunch! You're welcome." He held up the paper bag and the iced drink that he was holding.

"Thanks, Jihoon. Let me know how much everything is and I'll wire it over." You smiled gratefully as you stood up. At your words, Jihoon shot you a flat look. He knew you would insist on paying but he didn't want you too.

"Hush, just eat. Don't worry about paying." He sat you back down and cleared your table so he could put the sandwich and drink down.

"Hmm..." You shot him a look but sighed in defeat and patted the seat beside you. Before sitting down, Jihoon poured himself a cup of tea from your warmed tea pot.

"This is nice. What is this?" He pointed, taking a sip.

"Mixed dried berries with raspberry leaf." You replied, taking a bite of the warm sandwich.

"Isn't that what pregnant women drink?" He raised an eyebrow. You shot him a surprised look but nodded in confirmation.

"Yeah, my mom gave a lot to my cousin when she was pregnant with my nephew. Supposed to make birth easy or something. I swear she even bathed in it once." Jihoon scoffed.

"It'll help with muscle cramps too, it's an anti inflammatory and anti oxidant." You explained.

"Hopefully it'll get rid of my calf muscle pain then." Jihoon chuckled and took another sip. You laughed and continued to eat your sandwich, enjoying your chat with Jihoon. Mrs Kim was always your lunch time companion, Jihoon must know that you would feel the absence of her presence and come.

"Do you miss her?" Jihoon asked. Your hands stopped and you paused your chewing before nodding your head with a hum, knowing he was referring to Mrs Kim.

"You know that she was the closest thing to a mother figure that I have ever had." You replied.

"Mhmm. I also know you didn't even give yourself a break." Jihoon stated.

"I don't need a break, Jihoon. Continuing and distracting myself with work is what helps me, not sitting at home and crying." You shrugged, standing up and going to toss the trash.

"Don't you have a cafe that needs running?" You chuckled, changing the subject so you wouldn't harp on that topic for too long.

"They'll survive without me." Jihoon waved you off. You laughed and shook your head.

You and Jihoon continued to chat until your lunch break was over and you chased him out. No doubt his workers were good but you didn't want to be the reason why their boss slacks. So after giving him a bouquet of flowers to decorate his shop with, he left.

"Welc- Hongjoong sshi." You blinked, stopping in your tracks. Having heard the bell, you thought that there was a new customer. You didn't expect Hongjoong to come in.

"Good afternoon." Hongjoong bowed his head as he entered your shop.

"W-What can I help you with?" You blinked.

"I... wanted to make sure you got your ankle looked at." Hongjoong cleared his throat awkwardly.

"Oh! I'm fine, it's just a sprain. Nothing big. Please, have a seat and make yourself comfortable." You forced a small smile and gestured to the seats by your work table.

"I'm glad. Thanks." He unbuttoned his jacket and sat down on the stool. You poured him a cup of tea and offered it to him.

"Please, don't let me stop you from your work." He gestured to the materials that were scattered around.

"So, how have you been Hongjoong sshi?" You asked to try and prevent an awkward silence from falling down on the both of you. You kept your head down, focusing on the bouquets you were preparing to put in the display and fridges for walk in customers. Hongjoong watched you, sipping his tea.

"Same as always. What about you?" He asked back. You had stated clearly the last time you met that you didn't want the incident to be brought up again but Hongjoong couldn't help it.

"Fine. Same as always, too. Just here, running the shop, fixing orders, you know..." You shrugged.

"Hongjoong sshi, I don't mean this in any way at all but what's the real reason you came here?" You finally asked him.

"(y/n) sshi, I feel like I owe you yet another apology." He confessed with an honest look on his face. The way he looked at you, it just reminded you of Mrs Kim.

"If it's about what happened last week-"

"No, I mean, yes. Partly. I... I know we're practically strangers but I've been treating you unfairly." Hongjoong sighed

"Okay, now you've lost me." You chuckled. Hongjoong was relieved that you laughed, making this conversation a whole more lighthearted than he thought it would be.

"Like I said when we first met here... Whatever my relationship with my mother was shouldn't have clouded my view or attitude towards you. It's just... I don't know... It seems like we knew her as a different person entirely." He rubbed his temples.

"I get it..." You nodded your head with a hum.

"But that shouldn't excuse how I've been towards you. I have to deal with my demons myself." He confessed.

"It's okay, Hongjoong sshi. I know it can't be easy with everything that's been happening. And honestly, it's conflicting to me too." You empathised with him.

"So I'm not crazy." He cracked a smile.

"Far from." You giggled, fixing up the bouquet. You momentarily left the conversation to put the bouquets in the fridge.

"But still, I apologise." He insisted.

"There's no need to but if you insist, apology accepted. And I think at this point, we can drop the formalities." You turned your head to say to him as you arranged the bouquets.

"I'd like that." He smiled kindly as you returned to the work bench. You noticed his ears turning a light shade of pink. Dropping formalities didn't immediately mean a friendship but at least you two were no longer just strangers. Whether you liked it or not, the universe keeps making your paths cross.

"(y/n), I have another request, if it's okay with you." Hongjoon gulped as he mentioned. You nodded.

"I'm not ready to talk about my mother. My relationship with her, your relationship with her. I'm not ready... But when I am, I hope you'll help me." He looked at you with desperate eyes.

"Of course, Hongjoong. Any time. Whenever you're ready." You smiled softly.

RINGGGG

"Ah, hang on." Hongjoong clicked his tongue, annoyed that his phone broke that moment you were having. He looked at his phone to see Yunho calling.

"What?" He hissed, turning away slightly. You weren't gonna eavesdrop so you just continued your work.

"Look, Yunho. Just... hire another gardener, you don't need to tell me this! You make decisions too, all 8 of us do. If you need some sort of approval, ask Hwa." Hongjoong threw his head back with a groan.

"Fine, fine... Yeah, sure. I'm not sure why you want to add to my workload with this but I'll look when I get home later... Yeah, whatever. Goodbye." Hongjoong hung up with a grumble, glaring at his phone as he did.

"Everything okay?" You stifled a laugh.

"Oh, yeah. It's nothing. One of my brothers can't seem to hire a gardener himself all of a sudden." Hongjoong clicked his tongue and rolled his eyes.

"Well, if it's not too much. If you're too busy to find a gardener now, I could help you in the mean time." You offered.

"What? Really? I don't want to make you busier, I'm sure you have a lot to do with the shop." Hongjoong shook his head.

"I wouldn't have offered if I couldn't. My shop is closed Sundays and Thursdays anyway, I could go once a week on those days to tend to the plants." You shrugged.

"Just until I have the time to find a gardener." Hongjoong said.

"Sure, whatever you're comfortable with. Do you have a picture of your backyard?" You asked.

"Oh, let me see. Although, I don't know what plants we have." Hongjoong took his phone out and scrolled through his pictures, trying to find the last time he took a picture of the backyard garden. When he finally found one, he showed it to you. Your eyes widened at the huge backyard. The fenced garden only took a portion of it.

"Wow... That's a big garden..." You couldn't help but be in awe.

"It is. But you'll just need to tend to the fenced area. The rest of the field behind it is not necessary." Hongjoong informed. That was where they killed or practiced weapons sometimes.

"Sure, I'll be there on Monday." You smiled, excited to be working in such a big garden space.

"Here's the address." Hongjoong took the small piece of paper from the table and scribbled it down for you.

"Thank you." You took the paper and tucked it into your pocket.

"When I came in here, I didn't think I would leave after having offered you a job." Hongjoong admitted, rubbing the back of his neck. You nodded in agreement.

"You never know what the universe has in store for you." You chuckled and cleared your work table.

"Thank you, (y/n). I have to return to work now but I'll see you soon." Hongjoong slid off the stool.

"You're welcome, Hongjoong. Thank you for stopping by. I'll see you Monday." You walked him to the door. He nodded and bowed politely before exiting the shop. You watched as a chauffeur opened the door for him to enter a luxury car before returning to drive off.

"What just happened?" You asked yourself in disbelief as you walked back to your shop counter. You told yourself you should steer clear but here you were, offering to work for him.

But it was too late to regret now, what's done is done. You knew you couldn't go back on your word.

You'll just go, tend to plants and leave. Simple.

"I'm not ready to talk about my mother. My relationship with her, your relationship with her. I'm not ready... But when I am, I hope you'll help me."

Hongjoong's words from earlier replayed in your head. It was so different, he looked and sounded so involuntarily vulnerable.

To be frank, you were not ready too. You were fond of Mrs Kim, she took care of you, cared for you.

But were you ready to hear how sour Hongjoong's relationship with her was? No, you were not ready to hear any of that. Especially since that wound still felt so fresh.

"I hope I don't regret this." You muttered to yourself.

~

Series masterlist

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Brian Barrett at Wired (02.27.2025):

If you’ve felt overwhelmed by all the DOGE news, you’re not alone. You’d need too much cork board and yarn to keep track of which agencies it has occupied by now, much less what it’s doing there. Here’s a simple rubric, though, to help contextualize the DOGE updates you do have time and energy to process: It’s worse than you think. DOGE is hard to keep track of. This is by design; the only information about the group outside of its own mistake-ridden ledger of “savings” comes from media reports. So much for being “maximally transparent,” as Elon Musk has promised. The blurriness is also partly a function of the speed and breadth with which DOGE has operated. Keeping track of the destruction is like counting individual bricks scattered around a demolition site.

You may be aware, for instance, that a 19-year-old who goes by “Big Balls” online plays some role in all this. Seems bad. But you may have missed that Edward Coristine has since been installed at the nation’s top cybersecurity agency. And the State Department and the Small Business Administration. And he has a Department of Homeland Security email address and, by the way, also had a recent side gig selling AI Discord bots to Russians. See? Worse than you think. [...] Similarly, you’ve likely heard that the United States Agency for International Development has been gutted and the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau has been put on ice. All true, all bad. But here’s what that means in practice: Fewer people globally have access to vaccines than they did a month ago. More babies are being born with HIV/AIDS. From here on out, anyone who gets ripped off by payday loan companies—or, say, social media platforms moonlighting as payments services—has lost their most capable defender. Keep going. The thousands of so-called probationary employees DOGE has fired included a significant number of experienced workers who had just been promoted or transferred. National Science Foundation staffing cuts and proposed National Institutes of Health grant limits will combine to kneecap scientific research in the United States for a generation. Terminations at the US Department of Agriculture have sent programs designed to help farmers into disarray. On Wednesday, the Food and Drug Administration canceled a meeting that would have given guidance on this year’s flu vaccine composition. It hasn’t been rescheduled.

Don’t care about science or vaccines? The Social Security Administration is reportedly going to cut its staff in half. The Department of Housing and Urban Development is going to be cut by as much as 84 percent. Hundreds of workers who keep the power grid humming in the Pacific Northwest were fired before a scramble to rehire a few of them. The National Parks Service, the Internal Revenue Service, all hit hard. So don’t make any long-term bets on getting your checks on time, keeping your lights on, buying a home for the first time, or enjoying Yosemite. Don’t assume all the things that work now will still work tomorrow.

Speaking of which, let’s not forget that DOGE has fired people working to prevent bird flu and to safeguard the US nuclear arsenal. (The problem with throwing a chainsaw around is that you don’t make clean cuts.) The agencies in question have reportedly tried to hire those workers back. Fine. But even if they’re able to, the long-term question that hasn’t been answered yet is, Who would stay? Who would work under a regime so cocksure and incompetent that it would mistakenly fire the only handful of people who actually know how to take care of the nukes? According to a recent report from The Bulwark, that brain drain is already underway. And this is all before the real reductions in force begin, mass purges of civil servants that will soon be conducted, it seems, with an assist from DOGE-modified, automated software. The US government is about to lose decades of institutional knowledge across who knows how many agencies, including specialists that aren’t readily replaced by loyalists.

Wired has a solid article on how bad the DOGE-ificiation of government has gotten.

[wileys-russo]

floral hearts II a.putellas x reader

based on this request here floral hearts II a.putellas x reader

"gracias." alexia smiled tiredly at the young boy on the register, tapping her card to pay for the bag of groceries sat on the counter in front of her.

a day off was supposed to mean rest. but for alexia it normally meant racing around tying up all the loose ends which seemed to fall apart while she was at training throughout the week.

her car was serviced and washed, apartment tidied and deep cleaned, countless loads of laundry washed, folded and put away. she'd done her groceries and was looking forward to cooking one of her mami's family recipes.

ready to relish in the comfort of a good home cooked meal eaten hot rather than the reheated meal prep she was used to throughout the week when in a rush from one commitment to the other.

but of course in her haste she'd forgotten a few key ingredients, including trash bags and toilet paper which she knew she would need and not have time to grab throughout the week.

so tucked away from prying eyes in a matching hoodie and sweats she'd raced back on foot to the corner store.

alexia's leg bounced impatiently as her payment took time to process, the boy apologizing as she sent him a small smile which never quite met her eyes.

as the machine beeped she sighed assuming that meant it had cleared, but when a large red cross flashed she inhaled sharply as the boy again apologized and fumbled about trying to reset it.

her eyes darting around the store alexia's body began to tense as she noticed a group of teenage boys hovering by the doors, their gazes locked on her and trading cards in hand as her eyes squeezed shut.

they weren't unknown to her, in fact she was hardly surprised to see them given they somehow popped up everywhere and anywhere demanding she sign things for them.

the security at the training complex had photos of them and always knew to shoo them off as alexia wasn't the only player they seemed to target. but today there was only alexia and after brushing them off outside her apartment complex the midfielder knew they wouldn't be giving up so easily.

it wasn't as if they were fans, if they were alexia would have no issues signing a few cards or taking a quick photo with a polite smile. but it was never a photo they were after, or a smile, it was a signature.

a signature on something alexia knew would be copied and pasted from greed, which would then be sold online for money and the boys would re-appear another day and the cycle would start over again.

tapping again alexia was relieved when the payment went through near instantly, quietly assuring the boy it was okay as he apologized again for the trouble and she grabbed her bag.

her lips pursed into a thin line she hadn't even reached the door yet before the begging started, and her stomach clenched seeing two of them with phones up recording the interaction.

ignoring them entirely she breezed past and out the doors, hearing their voices follow after her as she suddenly wished she'd driven rather than walked, their insistent begging only drawing the attention of others.

"not today." alexia shook her head firmly as she was forced to stop at a crossing and they caught up to her, cars zooming across the road preventing her from continuing on forward.

"no photos." alexia pushed away one of the boys phones which was thrust in her face, clearly still recording as they held out pens and cards and continued their begging.

alexias chest tightened as more attention was drawn to her, not missing the judgemental eyes cast upon her by passers by who didn't know the real story, and for a moment alexia considered just signing a few things for the sake of saving her reputation.

but then the crossing turned green and she took off, long legs striding quickly and putting a small bit of distance between her and the boys who hurried after her still yelling, their words harsher now as they accused her of favoritism and refusing to sign because they weren't girls.

eyes darting about for an escape alexia quickly stepped into the flower shop on the corner, hurrying to hide herself as she heard the boys come thundering in after her and she winced, ready to just step out and give into what they wanted if she had any hope of getting home.

but before she could take another step a figure appeared, watering can in one hand and a broom in the other. "oye chicos! none of that in here, out!" you told the boys off sternly and pointed back to the street, knowing too well they weren't going to be customers.

"out!" you repeated firmly, ignoring their protests you remained unwavering, hand pointing to the door with a raised eyebrow as they deflated and retreated, insults slung your way under their breath as you rolled your eyes, door slamming after them with a jingle.

putting the broom down behind the counter alexia watched as you moved about watering some of the plants stacked up near the door, clearly talking to them quietly which caused a small smile to appear on the catalan's face.

the midfielder now finally able to breathe paused for a moment to take in the small store. she'd walked past countless amounts of times and always admired the gorgeous floral arrangements in the window, the bouquets different every day and always with the freshest and in season flowers.

"oh sorry! i didn't hear anyone else come in." you turned around and jumped slightly noticing the blonde hovering a few feet behind you, a slight blush coating your cheeks.

"no no sorry i was just-" alexia stumbled over words trying to explain the situation, a rosy pink blush on her own face as you now faced her and alexia took you in properly.

your hair was pulled back loosely with a cream coloured clip, a few loose strands framing your face and a pair of glasses pushed on the top of your head. your lips were plump and now watching her become so flustered they'd quirked up into a small smile, showcasing two tiny dimples in the corner of your mouth.

"they were bothering you?" your smile turned downward now, manicured eyebrows furrowing as you caught onto what she was trying to say.

"sí. i am so sorry for bringing them in here, it is beautiful and i would have hated if they broke anything." alexia shifted the bag of groceries on her shoulder as you waved her off.

"i am glad you felt safe enough to seek shelter here, please anytime. plus, it is a little hard to break a flower." you teased lightly with a dazzling smile that alexia swore she might move mountains for to see directed her way again.

"can i help you with anything? though i would understand if you'd like to get home now they are gone." you smiled a little softer this time, moving back behind the counter and putting the watering can down.

alexia wracked her brain for an excuse to spend a little more time, quite captivated by your beauty and a little desperate to learn more.

"eh, a plant?" she guessed with an awkward smile. "any particular sort of plant?" you questioned with an amused twinkle in your eyes. "easy to keep alive." alexia attempted a joke, rewarded with a quick peal of laughter from you as you dropped your glasses down onto your nose and nodded for her to follow you.

as you lead her toward the back alexia's eyes were drawn to the dizzying collection of flowers in your arsenal, some of which she hadn't even seen before.

she was amazed at just how perfect all of the arrangements were. never too much greenery, all with a few fresher buds that were yet to flower so they would last longer, intensely bright pops of pinks and orange contrasted with softer tones of lavender and coral.

catching sight of herself in a small mirror alexia's eyes widened in horror and she yanked her hood off her head, running hands through her hair in an attempt to style it.

her face was bare and alexia winced at the deep seeded bags unable to be hidden beneath her eyes, run a little ragged this week with countless commitments outside of football all piling up on top of her which is what had her so in need of this day off in the first place.

"these are all very low maintenance." she caught up to you as you'd reached the back of the shop which was more of a nursery, countless pot plants hanging from the eaves and stacked up on stands, every single shade of green one could imagine.

you started to walk her through the plants which, as requested, were the hardest to kill, explaining how often to water them and where they would best be sat in either direct or filtered sunlight, indoor or outdoor.

but alexia was far too interested in a different sight.

the catalan only looking on with a pining gaze as your mouth moved and your hands gestured from plant to plant, it was as if someone put you on mute as alexia didn't register or hear a single word you said only nodding on dumbfounded.

the footballer studied each little feature of your face, delighting herself as she discovered something new. like the tiny bouquet of tulips tattooed behind your ear, or the tiny crescent moon shaped scar which lay just above your eyebrow.

"do any of those sound like they might work?" you asked, snapping alexia out of it as she panicked and hastily pointed to the first plant she laid eyes on. "one of my favorites." you smiled happily, picking it up carefully and turning to head back toward the counter as alexia hurried after you.

"oh no please, on the house." you gently pushed away her hand, card held between her fingertips ready to pay. "no no i couldn't-" alexia started but with a firm look from you she fell silent as you nodded satisfied.

"does your boss like when you give things away for free?" alexia teased, shifting her bag on her shoulder to be able to pick up the plant. "mm she doesn't mind." you smiled knowingly and alexia paused for a moment.

"did you need something else?" you asked with slight concern as the captain caught herself and cleared her throat, thanking you again and hurrying out of the store.

you watched her go with a slight smile of amusement, carefully watching out the window until she was out of sight before you grabbed your keys out, locking the front door and flipping the sign to closed.

"clean up time mis bebés." you called out with a clap, speaking to the flowers and the plants of course as you grabbed out your phone and played some music, starting to tidy up your store which you were supposed to have done a half hour ago.

~

now home and having eaten dinner alexia sat at the kitchen counter, empty bowl in front of her as she stared down the plant sitting in front of her.

"you better not die." alexia warned the little plant sternly as she stood, and having not listened to a word you said moved it to a little often sun bathed spot by her balcony doors.

having already showered and changed alexia washed up her dishes from dinner, putting the leftovers in a tupperware and sliding it into the fridge before sinking into her sofa.

flicking on the television and a random soap opera alexia's mind drifted anywhere but the characters on the screen, wandering back to her interactions with you this afternoon.

her eyebrows furrowed as she wracked her brain trying to remember the name of the store, but unable to and with it just on the tip of her tongue she grabbed out her phone. knowing it was within walking distance it didn't take her long to find it on maps.

opening instagram instead now she typed it in and sucked her bottom lip into her teeth, perking up as indeed the store did have an account which she clicked into and followed right away.

a small smile graced her face as she scrolled through the feed which was gorgeously draped with all every dizzying colour of the rainbow, alexia shaking her head in sheer wonder of the perfectly curated bouquets on display.

she recognized it was you holding up each one of course, though your face was always hidden by the floral arrangements adding in a thrilling sense of mystery to the page.

her chest filled with a slight sense of pride and maybe a little sprinkling of victory that she knew who was behind each one, able to map out your face in her mind, your dazzling smile haunting her as did the melodic sound of your laughter.

it was then that alexia promised herself she would see you again, and this time under slightly less ragged conditions.

~

and see you again she did.

you looked up from where you'd been trimming some marigolds ready for an order for tomorrow when the bell had chimed signalling you had a customer, likely one of your last ones for the day given you closed in a few minutes.

with over seven orders to get done tonight you had a long few hours ahead and so you'd be lying if you said you weren't relieved that you recognized the customer in question.

"you again." you smiled fondly at the footballer as she made her way to the counter, alexia now no stranger since your initial run in you now both felt quite comfortable around one another.

though alexia was always hesitant if your friendly demeanor was simply an impulse, or if your soft spoken tone was only thanks to your people skills and customer service background.

but today the air felt just a little different, and your smile didn't quite meet your eyes, not dissimilar to alexia's the day she'd sought solace in the shop she now knew to be yours.

the day you'd finally put her out of her misery after giving her yet another little free gift in a small bundle of poppies and wild vine was one which had her blushing in embarrassment as again she'd questioned if you would be in trouble for not charging her.

"i know the boss quite well, she won't mind." you echoed as you often did with a wink, alexia rolling her eyes and insisting she pay.

"alexia. this is my store, i can give away my flowers and my plants to whoever i like, please take them." your hand had settled on top of hers as her fingers drummed against the counter pushing for you to let her pay.

"oh." was all she managed out, and your features softened at the clear embarrassment present in hers, quickly changing subject and moving forward without another word much to the taller girls relief.

"hola chica." alexia smiled and your cheeks warmed as she gently pressed her lips against them in greeting, the two of you quite familiar now as it had been nearly two weeks since your initial encounter.

"so who are we buying for today then capi?" you raised an eyebrow in amusement as alexia pushed herself off the counter and began to wander around, eyes roaming what was left for the day with a shrug.

"because on monday it was your mami, wednesday for your hermana, friday it was another plant, saturday for your amiga's birthday, tuesday for your mami again and now..." you recounted all of the various times alexia had popped in.

"eh..." alexia struggled to think of a reason bar the actual one which was just to see you. "for yourself maybe? the right flowers bring very good energy into a home." you suggested as alexia nodded, head turning away from you to hide the flush warming her neck.

"what do you suggest then cari?" alexia asked, projecting a confidence she did not currently feel as still she wandered the store and did not meet your eye which followed her steps.

"when is your birthday?" you asked, resuming your trimming of the marigolds on the counter making sure to still keep her in your sight. "february fourth. why?" alexia glanced at you curiously over your shoulder as you smiled.

"mmm aquarias, of course." you hummed with a nod, carefully wrapping up the marigolds and setting them aside. "and what does that mean?" alexia huffed, turning to look at you properly with a slight frown as you rounded the counter.

"nothing. but your birth flower is..." you held up a finger, slipping past her and hoping you still had some out the back. alexia waited patiently as you disappeared, a few minutes passing as she contemplated checking on you.

glancing at the time on her watch guilt flooded her seeing technically you were supposed to be closed right now, and with a few steps she found herself at the front door and flipped the open sign to show so, not wanting you caught off guard by any new customers.

also knowing it was unlikely you would make her pay for whatever you were constructing out the back she took a twenty dollar note from her pocket and slid it under your bell on the counter with a small smile.

her head turned as footsteps sounded and you returned. "iris and violet, also primrose! but unfortunately i need those for an order tomorrow." you smiled apologetically, a bundle of bright purple flowers clenched in your hand wrapped in some brown paper with a lavender colored ribbon.

"they are beautiful, gracias." she accepted them as you held them out to her with a satisfied smile at her obvious delight, of course as alexia expected dismissing her attempts to pay for them.

"you look busy, i will leave you be cari. thank you again for these, they are perfect." alexia thanked you, again the taller girl kissing your cheek and with a small smile she was headed for the door as you hesitated.

"alexia." you spoke, her hand on the door she turned with a raised eyebrow.

"i might be misreading this, and if i am i apologise. but if you would like to see me you don't have to keep coming in for flowers you do not need, you can just...ask me out." you played with the sleeves of your cardigan, trying to disguise the fear of rejection as her eyes widened.

"oh." was again all she managed out seeing a flash of worry cross your face. "i have misread. i am so sorry!" you apologized, humiliation filling your chest as you darted behind the counter and ducked down as if needing to find something, hoping she would just leave.

you heard the door and deflated a little, pushing yourself up and jumping in surprise at the hazel eyes which met yours, alexia giving you a slightly awkward smile.

"would you like to go out on a date with me? please." "sí ale, i really would."

~

hearing your alarm go off you awoke on instinct, hand darting out to tap it off as you rubbed your eyes and sighed, taking a few moments to allow your body to wake up a little, the time only three in the morning.

you attempted to get out of bed but an arm caught your midsection, pulling you back under the covers with a grunt. you smiled with a shake of your head, rolling onto your side and propping yourself up on one arm.

"ale. mi amor i have to go!" you whispered softly, pushing her hair out of her face as one eye cracked open and glared up at you. "take a day off." the footballer mumbled, grip on you only tightening making you laugh.

"you take a day off." you teased, poking at her nose as her lips pushed into a slight pout and both her eyes now slowly opened. "can i come with you?" the next words out of her mouth surprised you, eyebrows raised as your finger traced across the soft and tanned skin of her face.

"querida its too early, you only went to bed a few hours ago and you have training at nine." you warned with an apologetic smile, pressing a tender kiss to the crown of her head and squirming as her nose tucked into your neck and she exhaled tiredly.

"i can sleep after training princesa, i want to come. please?" she asked hopefully as your thumb gently wiped some of the sleep from the corner of her eye. "ale i don't know, i don't want you exhausted for training." you sighed with a slight frown.

"we have been up late doing things before and i would still get up at five to go for a run and i am fine." alexia smiled suggestively, hand dragging across your stomach causing goosebumps to prickle your skin. "things hm?" you grinned, her free hand clasping the back of your neck and pulling you down into a proper kiss.

"did that convince you to let me come?" alexia smiled cheekily as she let you up, your head spinning a little as you sighed, smile ghosting your lips.

"sí, you can come."

~

"i told you it was too early precioso." you laughed, squishing the catalans cheeks in your hand as her chin rested on your shoulder and her body latched tightly onto yours from behind.

"m'fine, go get your flowers bebita." alexia mumbled, softly kissing your neck and nodding for you to step forward into the warehouse. the time was now just past four, the perfect time as hardly anyone had arrived to the wholesalers markets yet and you would have first pick of everything.

alexia letting go of you she settled for holding your hand instead, following after you as you went from seller to seller, making your orders and signing for them with a smile, alexia watching fondly as you conversed with the friendly faces you saw each morning.

she'd only come with you once before, blown away by the stunning flowers on offer and just how many lay ready to be bought in the large warehouse. as time passed it began to fill up with more people, alexia letting go of your hand and allowing you to be a little faster as she kept a close eye on you, sipping at her coffee.

"okay amor. done! daniel will drive the truck back with everything in it once its all loaded." you returned to your girlfriends side, waving at the man across the room who wiggled his fingers and returned to flirting with one of the sellers making you chuckled.

her arm stretched over your shoulders the two of you made your way out of the now very busy market, heading for where alexia had parked still insisting on driving despite the fact she was half asleep.

reaching the car you waited patiently by your door, knowing if you tried to open it for yourself the blonde would only tug you back and kick it closed before opening it for you.

"hola." alexia smiled as her body pressed into yours, interlocking fingers as you were pushed gently into the side of her car. you were caught off guard as her head dipped and her mouth met yours, nipping at your bottom lip and with a squeeze of your hips and a little gasp her tongue slipped in.

though just as quickly as it had started she was pulling away, hovering over you with a soft smile which was mirrored on your own features, eyebrow quirked curiously.

"and what was that for?" you asked as her hip bumped you out of the way and she opened your door for you.

"just for you." alexia grinned, stealing another quick kiss as you slid into the car and she closed the door before rounding to her own side. "oh gracias!" she laughed playfully as you leaned over and pushed her door open for her.

your head falling to the headrest you watched as she slipped her key into the ignition, lovesick smile on your face and adoration in your eyes at the woman sat across from you.

meeting your gaze alexias own face softened and she leaned across to press her lips to yours once more, mumbling a few words against them.

"mi preciosa niña de las flores."

[mariacallous]

When the claims representative, whom I’ll call Steven, sat down at his computer around 7:15 A.M. last week, he had already been awake for an hour and a half. The morning routine for him and his family is best described as “fend for yourself,” he said. That day, he waited for his older son to shower before taking his turn; neither he nor his wife had time for breakfast. He had joined the Social Security Administration two decades ago, and came to specialize in one of its more complex and lesser-known functions: providing a form of welfare called Supplemental Security Income, or S.S.I., to people who are disabled or extremely poor. But the S.S.A. is so understaffed that Steven does a bit of everything. “My job is to be kind of like an octopus,” he said. The agency’s administrative budget had not kept up with its rising workload as more people aged into retirement. Now news outlets were reporting that President Donald Trump and Elon Musk, via Musk’s DOGE outfit, planned to fire up to half of the agency’s sixty-thousand-odd employees. (The S.S.A. later said that its goal was to lose seven thousand.) DOGE had also gained access to S.S.A. databases. “We don’t know how long we’ll be here,” Steven said. “Some people are really pissed. Others are sad and emotional. Others are making plans.” A couple days earlier, Trump had delivered a long self-congratulatory speech to Congress, in which he accused the S.S.A. of “shocking levels of incompetence and probable fraud.”

Steven lives in a Midwestern town near where he was born and raised, which means that he occasionally recognizes a relative or a family friend in a case file and has to recuse himself. Three days a week, he’s at a cubicle in a regional field office, one of twelve hundred across the U.S. The other two days, he works from home, at a plastic folding table in the corner of his bedroom. He was on the early shift. His laptop was propped up on a neon-green bin, the kind typically used to store Legos or crayons. It was flanked by two large monitors, creating a triptych. All around him were piles of kids’ clothes and books. Near his left foot was a tiny metal car; he had taped yellow notecards reading “clock,” “fan,” and “shelf” to a clock, fan, and shelf for the benefit of his youngest child, who was learning to read. Steven’s wife made drop-offs at kindergarten and day care, then came home. She has her own office setup downstairs.

The day officially started when Steven logged on to a dozen software programs. One had a blocky monochrome interface that looked like it was from the late nineties. Another was labelled “Workload Action Center,” in a light-brown, slanted font of a similar vintage. Steven kept a list of his passwords, which he had to routinely update, on a scrap of paper next to his keyboard. He scanned something called a “Tickle List” that highlighted urgent cases. His primary task was to conduct nonmedical “redetermination” interviews (code: “RZ”)—part of the S.S.A.’s process for insuring that current recipients are still eligible to receive benefits. More than seven million Americans of all ages count on S.S.I., and sixty-eight million seniors receive earned retirement payments. Social Security is the largest government program in the country and most recipients’ main source of income. It was envisioned by Frances Perkins during the Great Depression. “Redeterminations are the highest priority,” Steven said. “We should have three to five people on them at every office. Sometimes there’s only one.”

He put on a wireless headset that connected to his laptop and an online phone system. The first redetermination call was with a parent who was receiving S.S.I. on behalf of a disabled child. “Hi, this is Steven, from Social Security Administration,” he said. “I’m just calling to see if you’re able to do the redetermination appointment.” His stomach growled. The bottom-right corner of his center screen flickered with notifications. He stayed with the caller. Date of birth? Marriages? Job placements? He clicked “yes” and “no” bubbles and typed in numbers. He had much of the script memorized. “Any items held for potential value?” he asked. “Promissory notes, real property or business property, or ABLE accounts?” S.S.I. is allocated based on an applicant’s income, assets, family size, and other factors. It often takes a year, and the help of a lawyer, to get a decision. (Earlier in Steven’s career, the time frame had been three to six months.) If an application is rejected, the case can be appealed to an administrative-law judge, and the wait for those hearings is around two years.

“That was the last amount verified,” Steven continued. “Has that changed?” While waiting for the program to advance to the next screen, he glanced at e-mails on his rightmost monitor. There were more from headquarters and human resources and the employees’ union than usual. Since November, three S.S.A. commissioners or acting commissioners had come and gone: Martin O’Malley, Carolyn W. Colvin, and Michelle King. The guy in charge now was Leland Dudek, whom Trump had elevated from a middle-management role for his eagerness to help DOGE access S.S.A. files, a vast library of individual medical, housing, family, and financial records. Dudek announced plans to eliminate six out of ten regional headquarters; several directors left the agency. In an all-staff e-mail, Dudek wrote:

Criticism, contempt, stonewalling, and defensiveness are the four forces that can end any relationship and weaken any institution. . . .

Elections have consequences. . . .

Now, under President Trump, we follow established precedent: we serve at the pleasure and direction of the President. Only the Courts or Congress can intervene.

The latest e-mail from headquarters stated that, “effective today,” employees were prohibited from engaging in “Internet browsing” of “general news” or “sports” on “government-furnished equipment.”

Steven was almost done with the redetermination. Hard cases, like an overpayment that needed to be clawed back, could “make the conversation longer, vulgar.” This one was easy; the payments, of around a thousand dollars per month, would continue. “You will receive a summary statement regarding the information that we discussed,” he said. He moved on to a second call. This one, too, involved a young adult whose caretaker—in this case, a nonprofit organization—was the payee. “Hello. This is Steven from Social Security. How are you?” His cellphone buzzed. Since Trump’s reëlection, he had been in a prolific, darkly humorous group chat with fellow S.S.A. workers in the Midwest. He referred to them as his sisters and brothers. The incoming message was a link to a news story about the imminent closure of S.S.A. field offices in the area. One man in the chat, who voted Republican but had grown skeptical of Trump, wrote, “Fucking unbelievable. . . . This would devastate our agency’s ability to serve the public.”

Meanwhile, the redetermination call was getting tricky. A new source of income seemed to be complicating the calculation of resources. Steven put the nonprofit on hold and logged into Equifax. He walked across the room to grab a plastic bottle of water and took a swig. “I’m trying really not to go off the deep end,” he said. If his office closed, and the neighboring offices closed, many people would have no way of getting benefits. For one thing, applications for Social Security cards and certain forms of S.S.I. had to be submitted in person.

Steven worried about his own well-being, too. His kids were on his health insurance. He and his wife had to take care of his father. S.S.A.’s human-resources division had sent an e-mail titled “Organizational Restructuring—Availability of Voluntary Reassignment, Early Out Retirement, and Separation Incentive Payments to ALL ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES—No Component or Position Exceptions,” which seemed to pressure workers to leave. “A lot of this stuff is intentionally degrading,” Steven said. “They’re trying to do whatever they can to get people to resign.” Recently, he and other field-office staff were told that their jobs were safe because they were “mission critical.” That was reassuring, but only “a little bit.”

When the Equifax search proved inconclusive, Steven told the nonprofit, “I’ll have to put this on the back burner for a bit until I can get some info.” All three of his screens were noisy. In Microsoft Teams, a supervisor was asking for updates on specific cases. Another window showed the names of people waiting in the lobby of the field office, in real time. He stared at a name in the queue. “This one, I’ve been playing phone tag with her,” Steven said. He opened a chat to alert a colleague at the office.

The work is surprisingly personal. A Social Security file contains a lot of intimate information. From a quick glance, Steven can tell where a recipient was born, what language they speak, whether they’d been involved in the child-welfare system, if they are married, whether that marriage had ended as a result of divorce or death. He has some colleagues whose “attitudes suck to high heaven,” caused by a mix of stress and a suspicion of the poor. “I love helping people,” he said. “You’re the first contact for them.”

Next, Steven had to get “on the phones.” Fielding random calls on the S.S.A. hotline isn’t technically part of his job, but he didn’t question the assignment. For several weeks, everyone had been required to help out. “Good morning. Social Security. This is Steven,” he said. “What is your Social Security number, please? All right, starting with your name and date of birth . . .” He wrapped up his first few calls rather quickly. He sent out a missing tax document, scheduled a father for an in-person appointment to get a Social Security card for his baby, and confirmed bank information for a recipient’s direct deposit. A fourth call, involving a lost check, was more complicated. He rubbed his forehead with his thumbs and forefingers.

Steven later received two mass e-mails. The first reminded all S.S.A. employees to send their “mandatory weekly assignment”—the “What Did You Do Last Week” e-mail, with five bullet points summarizing what they had worked on—directly to the government’s Office of Personnel Management, not to anyone in their actual agency. The second one was yet another plea for workers to quit or take early retirement. It warned that some who opted to remain in “non-mission critical positions” might be reassigned to S.S.A. call centers. No definition of “non-mission critical” was offered.

“I just keep wondering, How long can I be doing this?” Steven said. Many years before Trump and DOGE, there was a period when he could not sleep. “The job would cause me to wake up in the middle of the night,” he said. “You know how your brain can’t shut stuff off, or you’re just dreading going in the next day?” He was troubled by certain cases—a girl who had been abused in foster care, only to end up with a grandmother who stole her S.S.I. checks. He was also haunted by the need to reach case quotas, never explicitly stated but often implied. “Cutting corners happens in this industry, when representatives are trying to just get something off their list,” he said. “So then it’s like, ‘I got that done.’ But did you really help the person?” His latest sources of worry were a news article in which O’Malley, the former S.S.A. commissioner, predicted “system collapse and an interruption of benefits” within “thirty to ninety days” and an affidavit by a former agency official that described DOGE’s violation of privacy protocols and the likelihood of “critical errors that could upend SSA systems.”

Steven has never been a zealot for anything except his favorite football team, but now he believes that he and his co-workers are part of an “underground movement” to prevent the destruction of Social Security. Trump and Musk, and more conventional Republicans, talk obsessively about rooting out fraud at the S.S.A. Mistakes and overpayments do occur, but the agency’s inspector general recently found that less than one per cent of benefits distributed between 2015 and 2022 were improper. Steven believes that mass layoffs will result in vulnerable Americans not getting the money they’re entitled to. “We service people at their best and worst times,” he said. “People heading into retirement, surviving spouses, widows, widowers. It used to be we’d get complaints from the public. We’d start off a call by apologizing. ‘We’re understaffed!’ ” Now, he went on, “people are apologizing to us.” ♦

[arabela25]

Full letter under the cut

Dear trusted and treasured Eurovision Song Contest community,

The EBU has listened to and engaged closely in the conversations among Members, our fans and in the media following this year’s Eurovision Song Contest (ESC).

I want to again congratulate the winner JJ and the team from ORF. His performance and song rightly, clearly and validly won the Contest and we want to make sure any ancillary conversations do not overshadow this epic achievement.

The ESC voting system includes multiple security layers and a comprehensive set of rules to ensure that a valid result is generated. Our voting partner - Once Germany GmbH - uses redundant systems and multiple platforms to ensure the correct delivery of votes to the central system.

For the Eurovision Song Contest, specially designed systems are used to monitor and prevent fraud. Additionally, more than 60 individuals in Cologne and several others in Vienna and Amsterdam monitor the voting process in each country and maintain direct contact with telecommunication and broadcasting partners globally. All results are verified through an 8-eye principle by the CEO and senior employees of Once, who collectively have over 40 years of voting experience.

Independent compliance monitor EY oversees and authenticates the results. Every decision related to the outcomes is documented and assessed. The entire process, including the result calculation of the platform and the voting results is thoroughly reviewed and verified by EY.

All audience voting, be it SMS, call or online shows evidence of the motivation of communities or diasporas around certain contestants. This can be for many reasons including personal attributes, back stories, geographic affiliations and current affairs. Historically the ESC has been as open to this as other singing and music competitions and reality television.

Every year the Reference Group for the Contest, which contains representatives from and acts on behalf of our Members, studies the data provided by our voting partner Once to make recommendations of any actions available to us to ensure our rules and systems remain fail safe and take into account contemporary external factors such as advances in technology and external influences. This process will happen as it always does in June this year.

Alongside the discussions of the Reference Group, one aspect the EBU will be looking at is the promotion of our acts by their delegations and associated parties. Such promotion is allowed under our rules and acts to celebrate the artists, increase their profile and launch future careers – it’s very much part of the music industry - but we want to ensure that such promotion is not disproportionally affecting the natural mobilization of communities and diasporas we see in all entertainment audience voting.

Another example is the number of votes we allow per person – 20 per payment method. This is designed to ensure that audiences of all ages can vote for more than one of their favourite songs and there is no current evidence that it disproportionally effects the final result – but the question has been asked and so we will look at it.

The EBU and I will be, as we always do, engaging our Members for their views on this and other matters.

I’ll end as I began, by congratulating JJ and ORF who won the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.

Best wishes,

Martin Green CBE, Director of the Eurovision Song Contest, European Broadcasting Union

[universalaigroup]

UniversalAiGroup.com Review: Registration Process

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Would you like to explore any other aspects of this broker?

Date of Establishment of UniversalAiGroup.com

The broker was established in 2022, but its domain was purchased much earlier, in 2020. This is an important detail that says a lot about the company’s reliability.

Why does this matter? Typically, fraudulent brokers buy domains just days or weeks before launching their service and then disappear suddenly. However, in this case, we see something different – the domain was purchased two years before the company officially launched. This seems like a solid argument in favor of legitimacy.

Moreover, this gap in time suggests that significant preparation was done before the platform went live. Establishing a financial service takes time: licensing, platform development, payment system integration, and assembling a team. UniversalAiGroup.com reviews appears to have followed a thorough process, not just "built a website overnight."

Given this, we think this broker is trustworthy, as it has a clear history of existence, which is further validated by its timeline.

License and Regulation of UniversalAiGroup.com

UniversalAiGroup.com reviews is regulated by the FCA (Financial Conduct Authority), which is one of the most respected and trusted financial regulatory bodies in the world. The FCA is known for enforcing stringent regulations to protect traders and ensure market integrity.

Why is this important? When a broker is licensed by the FCA, it indicates a high level of trustworthiness. Brokers with such regulation are subject to rigorous audits, transparency requirements, and strict operational standards. This makes it far less likely for them to engage in fraudulent activities. A broker with FCA regulation is a strong indication of legitimacy, as only brokers that meet the FCA’s strict standards are granted licenses.

Moreover, this type of regulation means that UniversalAiGroup.com review is committed to maintaining a safe trading environment for its users, adhering to best practices in terms of customer protection and financial stability. The fact that this broker operates under FCA regulation is another solid reason to trust them.

This looks like a reliable indicator of UniversalAiGroup’s commitment to providing a secure and regulated platform for its clients.

Trustpilot Reviews for UniversalAiGroup.com

UniversalAiGroup.com reviews has a Trustpilot score of 3.9, based on 6 reviews. While this score may not be as high as some other brokers, the fact that all the reviews on Trustpilot are positive (4-5 stars) suggests that users have had a good experience with the platform.

Why does this matter? In the world of online trading, positive reviews, especially when they are all high-rated, speak volumes. It’s rare for a broker to have nothing but favorable reviews, and the fact that all reviews are 4 or 5 stars shows that users are generally satisfied with the service.

However, it’s also important to consider that the number of reviews is relatively small. A low number of reviews can sometimes mean that the broker is either new or hasn’t yet gained widespread user feedback. Still, the quality of the reviews here provides a promising signal that this broker is on the right track.

UniversalAiGroup.com review

After reviewing the key factors that contribute to the legitimacy of UniversalAiGroup.com review, it’s clear that this broker presents several promising signs of trustworthiness.

The FCA regulation ensures that UniversalAiGroup.com reviews operates under strict standards, providing security and transparency to its users. Coupled with the fact that its domain was purchased well ahead of its official establishment, we can see that this broker has taken time to build a solid foundation, rather than rushing into the market.

While the Trustpilot reviews are still in their early stages with just a few entries, all of them are positive, which suggests a good user experience so far. Additionally, the variety of payment methods and the accessibility of mobile apps offer flexibility and convenience for traders.

Overall, UniversalAiGroup.com review appears to be a broker that prioritizes its users' security and satisfaction. Its combination of FCA regulation, positive early reviews, and solid operational setup make it a broker that deserves consideration for any trader looking for a reliable platform.

[goolreview9]

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