#thought about including anthrax

[wormgremlin]

Let's talk about scary diseases! Just some of my favorites. (I am not trying to fear monger or anything else; I just like 'em; there are lots of other diseases).

The black plague! Yersinia pestis!

Yes it still exists! There are intermittent outbreaks, especially in regions of the US including Tahoe and Colorado. It's a bacteria spread by fleas via rodents. I haven't heard of any AMR strains... yet. It is however still scary. There are occasional outbreaks, but at least within the US, they're fairly well contained. There are three types: bubonic (swelling of lymph nodes), pneumonic (respiratory), and septicemic.

Septicemic has no specific visible symptoms and is thought of as causing "sudden death." It can either be just septicemic or a result of untreated plague going septic. So regardless of susceptibility... can and will still kill you dead!

Meliodosis! Burkholderia mallei/pseudomallei!

A naturally multidrug resistant bacteria that is honestly under discussed. It's endemic in certain areas, makes its home in the soil and is sometimes aersolized during dry seasons. It causes severe granulomatous disease much like another famous antibiotic resistant bacterium. It was even known about in ancient Greece for causing disease in donkeys and horses... not surprising given the basket ball sized granulomas it can form.

It was using in the American Civil War as a bioweapon to infect horse water troughs. Horses and other equines can get it as well. It isn't antibiotic resistant because of humans, but because it encodes an eflux pump in its membranes to be able to deal with environmental toxins. We have no effective vaccine to date! It is treatable but requires extensive antibiotics.

The consumption! Mycobacterium! Tuberculosis!

It's called consumption for how it causes wasting. It's another granulomatous disease. It can also be a foodborne illness and is a large reason for the standardization of pasteurization of dairy. It's also that lovely respiratory illness that killed Satine in Moulin Rouge. It's incredibly tricky and actually infects and replicates inside the cells the body normally uses to kill bacteria! There are a lot of variants including multidrug resistant strains. It circulates in a lot of different countries, including the US despite their delusions. Multidrug resistant TB is a big issue in Russian prisons, with AIDS and other immunocompromised patients, with a lot of countries with lax antibiotic policies. The list goes on. But basically, yes it's scary.

The Green Brothers have recently taken massive offense about how TB is treated. Which good! TB treatment should be affordable and accessible... but sometimes, well the XDR strains are scary and hard to treat, man... There used to be a vax, of an attenuated version of bovine TB (M. bovis -- which they recently decided isn't actually it's own species), but well. It wasn't properly attenuated or mutated back, ND they basically injected a few kids eith TB... not good. Fun fact! The UK is having a really hard time getting TB out of their cow populations because badgers!

A pox upon your house! Pox viruses!

We eradicated smallpox... right? We did! Except here's the thing. Before small pox eradication, hobby scientists faced little regulation... people could have freezers full of small pox and experiment at home. And they did. The government tried to collect all the samples, but well... you never really know. Plus things like monkey pox roll around. Which yknow, not too bad all things considered. Easily vaccinated, small pox/monkey pox...

Unless someone happened to write a paper on how you can genetically modify mouse pox so no vaccine currently designed is effective at preventing disease and the same principles could be used with other pox virdae... that wouldn't happen right, who would do that *sweats* (it happened. They did it. And published it. Yay. Science.)

What would happen if the black plague had a resurgence?

It is still around and people contract the plague. We now have antibiotics to treat it. This is why antibiotic resistance is so scary.

[dadupbuck]

911 fic recs: March 2025 bookmarks edition

Since posting one fic a post had turned a bit overwhelming, I am now logging everything I read and making a list of every 911 fic I bookmarked to recommend! Here is for March :)

If you wanna know more about what I read, once I post this I will be making a statistics post on my main @smilingbuckley

These are in order of when I read them (last to first) so it's not ranked or anything. Also, can contain spoilers!

I try to tag the authors but since not everyone has the same ao3 username I might not tag some people

ALSO please be aware some of these are E rated with E-rated summaries included!

Mama I'm In Love (With a Criminal) by Diazaster287

Rated E | 7,2k | Buddie | 8x11 spoilers! | 5+1, protective Eddie, crack treated seriously, getting together, possessive Eddie, idiots in love, oblivious Buck, smitten Eddie, Tommy & Buckley parents bashing, kinda unhinged Eddie my beloved 😂, he has a silver star so its ok, dom/sub undertones at the end

5 Times Eddie does something illegal to make Buck smile, and one time Buck joins him in an illegal activity

Thought the plane was going down (how'd you turn it right around) by @lover-of-mine

Rated G | 1,9K | 8x11 spoilers| Buddie | getting together, first kiss, love confessions, unlabeled Eddie

Eddie is back. Buck is in love with him. He's being very normal about it.

Everyone knows (but you) by toffeewise

Rated T | 1,1k | Maddie & Hen & Karen | 8x11 spoilers | Outsider POV on Buddie, texting, oblivious Buck

maddie enlists the help of hen and karen to confirm that everyone knows buck is in love with eddie

Splash by tiredwrites

Rated E | Buddie | 8,6k | smut, possessive Eddie, Buck has a vagina (not specifically stated if trans or intersex)

“And,” Hen tacks on, rolling her eyes from where she’s leaning against Chimney, “Buck’s never confirmed it, but y’know, that name is not because he’s a firefighter,” Hen wiggles her eyebrows at him and slowly holds her hands up, placing them a good seven or eight inches apart, insinuating something with the position.

It takes Eddie an embarrassingly long moment to realize Hen is holding up what they believe Buck’s dick size is; however, the only thing Eddie can think about is how wrong they are.

He knows what Buck is packing in his pants—a false alarm of anthrax exposure hitting Buck and Eddie had revealed certain things to the brunet after being hosed off in an opaque tent completely naked next to his best friend—and it isn’t a dick. No, it’s something that absolutely haunts his dreams—so often, it was why he and Ana had broken up. He couldn’t stop thinking of the soft, pale pink pussy that’s fat and powdered with a thatch of neat blond curls his friend hides.

Gonna save me, call me baby by heartbeatdiaz

Rated E | 14,5k | Buddie, Buck & Maddie | AU, doctor Eddie, OBGYN Eddie, pregnant Maddie, canon divergence - has s8b spoilers, hurt Buck, hurt Maddie, angst with a happy ending

“Sorry again, uh, Doctor Diaz.” He says and reaches a hand out to shake it with the man's. “I'm Buck. Evan Buckley, but everyone calls me Buck.”

“Eddie. And oh, I thought—” The doctor raises his eyebrows so high that they almost reach his hairline, gaze flicking to Maddie and then back to Buck. “Sorry. You must be the husband.”

“God, no!” “Gross.” Both Maddie and Buck say at the same time, making identical, disgusted faces.

Eddie 2.0 by @bellabrady

Rated G | Buddie | 4,9k | season 8b spoilers | unhinged Buck, cat owner Buck, texting, crack, getting together, feelings realization

After Eddie moves to Texas, Buck adopts a stray cat and names it Eddie.

Brojob by WendigoBaby

Rated E | 6,8k | Buddie | friends to lovers, gay Eddie, getting together, pre-relationship Buddie, mutual pining, fluff and smut | s8a spoilers

eddie asks buck to show him a good time and they find joy along the way.

I blinked and suddenly I had a valentine by macksdramaticshenanigans

Rated G | 10,7k | Buddie, Buddie & Jee-yun | getting together, valentine's day, uncle Buck, uncle Eddie, matchmaker Jee, love confessions

Jee thrusts the card out towards Eddie. “For you,” she says, cheeks dimpling as her smile turns shy.

It reminds Eddie so much of Christopher, when he was this age. So sweet, so earnest. His heart squeezes in his chest as he accepts Jee’s card.

And— it is just about the cutest fucking thing Eddie’s ever seen, honestly.

The card, clearly handmade, is shaped like a bumblebee. A yellow teardrop body, striped with crooked lines of black marker. Its head is shaped like a heart, with two pipe cleaner antennae sticking out, and this teeny tiny u-shaped smile and a pair of googly eyes glued to make up its face. The kicker, though, are the wings — two big, slightly misshapen pink hearts (clearly cut out by Jee-Yun herself) protruding from either side, each with a little message scribbled out in Jee’s loopy handwriting. The one on the left reads “BEE mine” and a grin breaks out across Eddie’s face, an amused chuckle slipping past his lips. The one on the right, though — it brings an embarrassing lump to Eddie’s throat as he reads, “Happy Valentine’s Day Uncle Eddie!”

Uncle Eddie.

Oh.

Stick with me by Buddieaya

Rated E | 10,9k | Buddie | fake dating/relationship, soft Buddie, humor, fluff, pre-relationship, gay Eddie, truth or dare, getting together

a dare, fake dating, a freak out and lots and lots of stickers.

Have my hoodie (have all of me) by @becausebuckley

Rated T | 3k | Buddie | fluff, feelings realization, sharing clothes, getting together, first kiss

when buck visits the diaz house one morning, he's confronted by the sight of his best friend wearing his clothes. written for flufftober day 7: hoodie weather!

In Case of Emergency: Break Glass by WillowFlycatcher

Rated T | 1,6k | Buddie | post 8x06, fluff, first kiss, mild hurt/comfort

It’s just a hug, but Eddie can tell he’s broken the glass on this thing they’ve been quietly letting sit on the shelf for years. It’s hardly their first time in the emergency room, and barely an emergency by their standards, but for some reason today feels like as good a time as any to let it shatter. Or maybe Eddie has just finally run out of reasons not to.

Cheeseburger in Paradise by bookwork0303

Rated E | Buddie | 20,2k | pre-relationship, vacation, getting together, friends with benefits, feelings realization, mutual pining, love confessions, idiots in love, light angst, authot didn't tag humor but this fic was so hilarious at times it feels worth adding

“Swingers,” Buck gasped, eyes wide and mouth agape, “Eddie, they’re swingers.”

Immediately, Eddie blanked, fork clattering against his dish as he ran through every possible way he could try to deny it. More or less recovered, he eventually shook his head and laughed, “What? No. No, they’re not.”

“Yes,” the other gritted out, frantically gesturing back at the two couples at the bar, “they are.”

Turning in his seat, Eddie watched as the pair of husbands quite literally swapped wives, getting rather cozy with their new partner for the evening. And... ok, damn. Sure. Clearing his throat as he turned back around, he was willing to make a partial concession, “Ok. Fine. Maybe those four are, but—”

That’s when Buck got to pointing: “And them. And them. And definitely them.” Each assessment more damning than the last.

We could share a lifeline by brookewormed

Not rated, but safe to read | Buddie | 5K | mutual pining, 5+1, pet names, friends to lovers, idiots in love, love confessions

5 times buck calls eddie baby and one time eddie does

Love Me Most by EiraLloyd ( @unlifeira )

Rated T | 11,3k | Buddie | canon divergence, AU - different 7x05, idiots in love, friends to lovers, mutual pining, unlabeled Eddie, feelings relationship, insecure Eddie, Eddie has a sexuality crisis, nervous Eddie

Eddie’s not impressed that Buck and Tommy’s first date was supposed to be dinner and a movie. He thinks he can come up with something more creative, and he takes Buck on a date to prove his point. It’s a fake date, obviously. It’s not like he’s in love with Buck or anything

Through tooth and claw (to where you are) by allisonRW96

Rated T | 18,6 K | Buddie, Buddie & Chrie | hurt/comfort, worried Eddie, worried Chris, hurt Buck, TW: animal death & attack, TW: rabies, protective Buck, protective Eddie, getting together, canon typical violence, blood & injury

With a reverent hush, Christopher said, “Whoa, it’s so close.”

And it was almost as though Buck needed to have that obvious fact pointed out to him before the vague dread of animal instinct that had been pooling in his stomach could solidify into a real, actionable fear.

It’s so close.

Something’s wrong.

It's a long way back (take me home) by @justapoet

Rated M | 15,3k | Buddie | 8x09, angst with a happy ending, gay Eddie, men crying, non-sexual intimacy, hurt Buck, caring Eddie, getting together, love confessions, medical inaccuracies, Eddie takes care of Buck, bathing/washing, idiots in love

Eddie leaves, and Buck struggles. Eddie comes back, and Buck is struggling - physically. He's taken care of. And nothing is left unspoken.

White lies & a couple of dumb mistakes by justhockey

Rated M | Buddie | 17,1k | accidental marriage, drunken shenanigans, secret marriage, idiots in love, roommates, mutual pining, jealous Eddie, family fluff, misunderstanding, slow burn, feelings realization, getting together, first time, catholic guilt, angst with a happy ending

Eddie and Buck get married, move in together, and then fall in love. In that order. Kind of.

Take me, take me (I'm yours) by @markofalover

Rated E | 5,4k | Buddie | secret relationship, teasing, sexual tension, fluff and smut

Buck overcorrects. Eddie spirals.

Nothing Says Romance Like a Homicide Cover-Up by @cavevulpis

Rated T | 7,4 | TW: graphic description of violence | Buddie, Buck & Athena | injured Buck, engagement, established Buddie, Athena acting as Buck’s parental figure, BAMF Athena, marriage proposal

Buck loses an engagement ring, Athena’s trying to catch a criminal, and proposals are catching like wildfire.

[nobite02]

Dean and Metallica

Dean was born in 1979, which puts him in Generation X. Even though he is technically at the tail end of this generation (generations are not decided by birth years; I will die on this hill), his personal experience would have been more typical of the middle of the generation. It's generally accepted that music taste develops in adolescence and early adulthood, around 12-25.

Many of the bands we see as Dean's favorites were at the peak of their popularity in the mid-70s to early 80's. This would include Led Zepplin, AC/DC, Black Sabbath, Kansas, Lenard Skynard, and Blue Oyster Cult, which are all of the classic rock variety. Still, there is also Iron Maiden, Motörhead, and Def Leppard, which are more hard rock moving into metal categories. All of these bands have their most popular albums, which come out from anywhere between 1974 and 1984, which would make Dean around 6 years old. Suggesting that these are the bands that John may have listened to.

However, Metallic is also one of Dean's favorite bands. Metallica was formed in 1981, and their first 5 albums were extremely popular from 1883 to 1991. The black album, or their self-titled, came out in 1991, meaning Dean would have been 12, right around the time people developed their music tastes.

We don't see Dean enjoying much of the popular Gen X music, such as any of the prominent grunge bands: Nirvana , Peral Jam, or Alice In Chains . Alt-rock, such as Weezer, Green Day, REM, and Rage Against the Machine. Other metal bands popular in the 90s include Mega Death, Pantera, Slayer, and Anthrax. We see evidence of glam metal through the fake names they use and bands like Warrant, Kiss, Mötley Crüe, and Poison, but it's minor.

Metallica is well known for popularizing the thrash metal genre, which began to develop in the early 80's. Many elements that categorized the genre come from punk and hard rock of the late 70's and 80's. Eventually, moving into more of a hard rock style with the black album and later albums. Many of their influences include classic and hard rock bands of the 70s, all of which have been mentioned. All to say that Metallica was new in the 80s and "underground" and would have been popular among teens rather than adults who liked rock.

John, an enjoyer of typical "classic" rock, would have likely found Metallica too fast and chaotic. Dean, being 12 when The Black album came out, would have likely found it on his own (though other kids or just listening to the radio) and began developing an interest in Metallica. John and Dean likely would have fought about it due to John not liking it, the pushback of normal adolescents' developmental stage, and the sense of self-development.

Enter Sandman and Some Kind of Monster are referenced/played in the show. Enter Sandman is the top track from Metallica and was released in 1991 on the black album. Some Kind of Monster is from their 2003 album St. Anger.

This was a lot to say that Metallica sticks WAY out from many of the other bands Deans enjoys. To me, it appears something HE chose to listen to vs. what John listened to. Metalica's lyrics often address addiction, war with anti-war statements, religion, and mental health.

I suggest listening to Dean's favorite Led Zeppelin song, "Ramble On," against any Metallica song. Some of the top ones are "Enter Sandman," "Master of Puppets," "Some Kind of Monster," and "One."

Most of this is pulled from my head, from what I know from my parents, my history of rock and roll class I took 4 years ago, and some minor googling. PLZ share any other thoughts you all have. I'd love to hear them!

[captain-mj]

Celebration or Funeral

Graves invites the crew out to a bar for seemingly no reason and hopefully no ulterior motives.

Price was dumbfounded at the audacity honestly. Graves had sent out an invite to the 141 and Alejandro and Rodolfo. Even included plus ones if they had a partner to bring.

He didn't understand at all. It was so bizarre. The invitation was safe. They had a team to check for anthrax and the like. But everything had been given the seal of approval.

There was a time, date, location, even coordinates in case they didn't know the place. He had checked. It was a bar in Texas that was close enough to the border that the Los Vaqueros wouldn't have to travel too far from home. It was close to where they had chased Hassan originally.

The 141 would have to fly of course, but that's cause they were stationed in Urzikstan at the moment.

Price mentioned it offhandedly to Farah, planning to toss it out and never ever seeing that traitor again.

But Farah had smiled at him. "Oh! Yeah, Alex and I were going to go. I'm glad Phillip decided to invite you guys."

"Phillip? You guys are on first name basis now?"

She frowned at him, immediately looking displeased. "Price, remember what we talked about. We've been working together for a while now."

"You can't trust him."

"I never said I did. I simply ask you trust me." Farah huffed. "And I will be going to their outing. He does this with his closest Shadows often and Alex and I always have a nice time. Maybe you all need to come along. It might be good to clear the air since we will continue to work with each other."

Price really wished he could convince Farah to stop working with him, but if she insisted on doing so, he would be there. "Fine. I'll come."

The other three agreed to come immediately, not wanting Price to walk into an ambush, relatively, alone.

The plane ride was... uncomfortable to say the least.

Ghost was currently glowering at Alex who kept glancing over at him and grimacing. He'd sigh passive aggressively and Alex would turn around to glare at him back.

"And why are those two acting like jilted lovers?" Price aske Gaz and Soap.

"Oh, Alex said he and Graves had become friends and Ghost is made because the two of them and Alejandro are friends. He considers it a betrayal to their friendship." Gaz explained.

"Ah. Are you also upset, Soap? You did get shot."

Soap nodded. "Well. I am pissed. But with Makarov around, Graves helping Farah to fight him, and him betraying Shepherd to throw him under the buss, I'm trying to stay level headed about it."

It was a shockingly grounded take. Price wished he could do the same. Inside, the anger was too hot. Too volatile. He didn't know what it was about Graves that just got under his skin, but forgiveness wasn't on the table.

Honestly he wanted to just beat him into the ground. Hurt him like he had hurt Soap and Ghost in Los Almas. Like he had hurt the Vaqueros.

He felt like a rabid dog when he thought of it. Normally, he was so much better at keeping his emotions in check.

Farah patted him suddenly and he glanced up at her. "Do you want a drink, old man?"

"Yeah. I could use one." He stood up and followed her to the cabin. The plane used to be a private one, but it had been repurposed for Farah and her Freedom Fighters. It was better for long distances than a helicopter and it had better optics when they had to make speeches or talk with government operations.

Farah didn't keep much alcohol on board, but she did keep a thing of whiskey for the two of them to share. She poured them both a glass and he took it from her gratefully.

"I understand why you're upset."

"And I understand why you're working with him." Price interrupted. "I do. I promise. It's just an adjustment. Especially finding out you socialize with him."

"Mostly I socialize with Oz actually."

"Oz?"

"His second in command! He's great. Very cool. He's shown me how to play video games." Farah smiled so softly, almost like she was embarrassed.

Price smiled a little himself, thinking of Farah being... normal. She had fought for so long. Her entire childhood spent in hell. If she enjoyed spending time with this "Oz" guy, he must not be awful. "Okay. I'm going to give all of them a chance, alright?''

"Thank you, Price. I do appreciate it." Farah squeezed his arm. "Really. I hope we can all work amicably."

They settled back down with the others and rested for this rest of the plane ride.

The moment they touched down, Farah and Alex were quickly getting out. Price bit his tongue and hung back, the 141 one quickly following his lead, even though Gaz did glance at Alex and Alex did glance back.

"Try to play nice. No unnecessary fights." Price ordered, patting Gaz's back.

"Aye, Captain." Soap responded.

Ghost stayed very quiet, only giving the slightest nod.

"At ease."

They didn't really separate. Maybe it was unease at being on unfamiliar turf or the fact that they were all enemies.

Alejandro was smoking near his car, Rudy at his right. His body language shifted, relaxing at the same time the grin appeared on his face. "Hermanos!"

Soap smiled. "Alejandro, Rodolfo. Long time no see."

Alejandro grabbed his hand and pulled him into a hug. Soap did the same with Rodolfo.

Gaz nodded at them. "Colonel Vargas. Sergeant Major Parra."

"I feel we're on a first name by now, Sergeant Garrick." Rodolfo smiled at him. "Nice to see you again."

Alejandro nodded but jumped into business. "Our invitation said this was an... apology. You guy's mention anything about this?"

"No. Just an invitation."

"Interesting. Let's head inside."

The bar itself was full of people. It took Price a moment before he realized it, but, with the exception of the bartender, every person in the room was a Shadow. All of them were in civvies, but he recognized a few of them from chance in encounters. They all talked about their work with no issues.

Alex had a cowboy hat on. For some reason, this was something he noticed immediately. He was currently downing a pint, trying to drink it faster than a dark haired woman who was currently beating him.

Farah was chatting animatedly with a giant man with strange makeup on. HIs hair was set up a bit like a vikings would be. He was smiling at her and nodding excitedly.

Price didn't like it.

The giant man looked at him and quickly looked... embarrassed? It was an odd look on such a big man.

Farah followed his gaze and waved Price over. He quietly walked over, keeping an eye out on everyone. Most people were drunk or getting there so there weren't many threats.

Oz smiled at him, standing up. Price didn't like that he had to tilt his head up to look him in the eye.

"It is nice to meet you, Captain. You too, Colonel. The rest of you." Oz seemed unsure of himself.

"Oz, I'm assuming?"

"Yes, sir." Oz nodded.

Farah smiled. "We were talking about a game he showed me! It's called Terraria. It's so much fun!"

"Now, Osmond." There was that familiar accent. Graves was smiling, looking... stupidly casual. A flannel shirt, tight jeans, a belt buckle. A walking stereotype of American. "Please tell me you haven't converted Farah to your nerdy shit."

"Hey!" Farah defended him. "It's fun!"

Graves shook his head, a bright blush on his face from intoxication. "Whatever you say, ma'am." He looked at them. For a moment, he made eye contact with Price and it was like a lightning bolt. But then his eyes skipped right over to him to Alejandro. He took a deep breath. "It's nice to see you again, Colonel. And you, Sergeant Major."

"The feeling is not mutual."

Graves stepped a bit closer, on the very edge of his personal space. "Alright. Hit me."

Alejandro frowned.

"One free hit. Consider it the start of us getting even with each other. There's no guns in here. No one is going to stop you and I'm not going to hit you back. So, hit me."

Alejandro weighed his options for a split second before socking Graves so hard on the side of his jaw that Oz had to catch him before he stumbled.

Graves took a split second, blinking involuntary tears from his eyes. He faced him again. "Great. Your drinks are on us." Despite the freshly blooming bruise, he still managed a rather charming smile.

Alejandro shook his head but stepped back. Rudy didn't.

"Only fair I let you have one, yeah?" Graves smiled right before Rodolfo hit him hard in the stomach.

"Stay out of Los Almas." Rudy hissed to him.

"I was planning on it, amigo." Graves managed to straighten up after a minute. "You four aren't getting a hit."

"Gonna let me shoot you later?" Soap growled at him.

Graves laughed. "Nah. Have as many shots as you want though." He nodded at them and walked away, clearly hurting a little but playing it off.

Price ordered the most expensive whiskey available. He downed a shot, keeping an eye on Graves as he went to each table. His hands touched every Shadow's shoulder. It was a light touch but Price recognized it. He did the same thing when the 141 came back from missions. A light touch to let him know they were alive.

"John." Simon muttered. "How are we feeling?"

"I'm following the Colonel's lead. He seems to be trying to run up a tab. I'm going to do the same. Farah also seems... happy. A normal friendship outside of the military will be good for her. Or as close as this is."

Ghost nodded and sat next to him. They observed them for a good minute before Gaz slunk to Price's other side. Soap was mingling.

There was country music playing. It sounded modern, but Price didn't exactly listen to the genre. He sighed and ordered another whiskey, hoping to keep himself just drunk enough to relax but not so drunk he couldn't fight.

As the songs flipped through, Price got tipsy enough to mildly enjoy himself. His friends had left him at some point, not too far away, just around.

Something came on the radio and Graves climbed on to a table. The top few buttons of his shirt had been undone and he was panting a little bit.

"Turn that motherfucker off!"

"Come on, Graves it's just one song!"

"No! I've hated that motherfucker for ages and suddenly he wants to prounce around like a little bastard. That motherfuckers went to a fucking private school! Get his ass off my radio!" Graves hissed.

Price swallowed thickly. Maybe it was the whiskey, of which he was a few glasses down. Maybe it was the sudden anger and passion in his face. But he felt flushed from more than alcohol.

The next song, which sounded like a love ballad to him, seemed to please Graves who started to sing along. Despite the table being wooden, it held his weight as he stomped his boots on it. He smiled brightly as he did and someone handed him a whiskey bottle to drink during the chorus.

Price made eye contact with him and quickly glanced around to talk to his team.

HIs team which was not there.

Ghost and Simon had started to banter, making fun of people in the room despite never looking away from each other.

Gaz, who now had that cowboy hat on, had gotten swept up in Alex, the two of them currently dancing. Alex was a little out of step, his prosthetic leg probably making it harder.

Farah was now dancing with one of the pretty Shadows. The two of them twirling around.

Even Alejandro and Rodolfo were staring at each other, Rudy's hand was on Alejandro's chest.

Fuck. He didn't have anyone around.

Price looked back up at Graves who had looked away but somehow a few more of his buttons had come undone. His head tilted back, showing off a pretty neck. Fuck, his chest was heaving, breath puffing out of him.

They were making eye contact again. Graves licked his bottom lip and drank more of his whiskey.

Price got up and went to the bathroom. He took off his hat for a moment and splashed his face with water to try to sober up a little.

"Price." That fucking accent sounded from behind him. Maybe he should've hid in one of the stalls. But that would've felt juvenile.

"Graves." He looked in the mirror at him.

The man smiled. "Sorry if I'm interrupting. You alright?"

"Yeah. Why wouldn't I?" Price growled out, watching those red cheeks got redder.

Graves shrugged a little. "Don't know. Maybe I'm projecting on ya a little." He looked away, drinking more of the bottle.

"I'm angry."

"is it all at me?"

"No. Not just you." Price sighed and straightened up. He walked over until he was standing over him. Graves straightened up a little but he let Price take the bottle from his hand. His eyes followed his lips as he took a long drink.

Graves sighed. "Good?"

"Cheap tasting." Price tried to tease him, but it fell flat.

The pretty blue eyes peering up at him wouldn't let him go. It was infuriating. He found himself leaning down, lips pressing against Graves's, tasting the whiskey off of them. His tongue darted out to deepen it. For a blissful moment, his mouth opened up to let Price in.

Then he was turning away. "This isn't going to fuck up your team, is it?"

Price blinked and it was like reality slammed into him. "It is."

Graves smiled sadly. "John, I'd love to. But I'd be a right ass fucking up what you got going on. I think I've done enough damage."

"It'd feel great. God, I'd treat you right."

He laughed and Price felt his stomach clench. The rest of the whiskey bottle was slipped into his hand. They shared another kiss, tongues chasing each other.

"If you're sober, and still want to, go ahead and call me."

[mariacallous]

This summer, the Supreme Court is poised to overturn a cornerstone of administrative law known as "Chevron deference." Established in the 1984 case Chevron v. NRDC, this doctrine instructs courts to defer to federal agencies' interpretations of laws where the underlying statute is ambiguous (or even silent). Absent Chevron, Congress could be forced to be much more specific in how it crafts legislation, delegates authority, and conducts regulatory oversight. If it refuses to adapt, agencies could be incapacitated and service delivery could stall.

Ironically, the effort to dismantle Chevron and return responsibility to the legislative branch may happen amid a historically unproductive and divided Congress. Briefing and oral arguments for Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, the case challenging the 1984 decision, raised questions about Congress' preparedness. And outside the Court, commentators fear Congress may be too broken to fix.

As close watchers of efforts to modernize Congress over the past decade, we don't share that pessimism. But a lot will have to change. In the 40 years since Chevron was decided, Congress has seen worsening dysfunction and atrophy. Staffing on House committees has shrunk by 41 percent. Critical support offices like the Congressional Research Service and the Government Accountability Office have downsized by more than 25 percent. Meanwhile, the complexity of the federal bureaucracy has increased immensely.

While Chevron is often described as diminishing congressional authority, that's not entirely accurate. Rather than stealing authority from Congress, the ruling created the political conditions for Congress to be deliberately ambiguous, and punt contentious policy details to the executive branch. This change was then followed by a hollowing out of committee expertise, increased dependence on lobbyists, centralization of power in leadership, and more gridlock. As attorney Paul Clement argued in Loper Bright v. Raimondo:

Chevron is a big factor in contributing to gridlock. And let me give you a concrete example. I would think that the uniquely 21st-century phenomenon of cryptocurrency would have been addressed by Congress, and I certainly would have thought that would have been true in the wake of the FTX debacle. But it hasn't happened. Why hasn't it happened? Because there's an agency head out there that thinks that he already has the authority to address this uniquely 21st-century problem with a couple of statutes passed in the 1930s.

A post-Chevron world could force Congress to increase its internal capacity, invest in expertise, overhaul its processes, better monitor implementation, and respond more quickly. If not, depending where SCOTUS comes down, things could start to break.

Massive institutional reforms in Congress are rare and usually come in response to a crisis or scandal, whether post-Nixon budget changes, post-Jack Abramoff lobbying reform, or post-9/11 security changes (including the embrace of email after Anthrax attacks).

More recently, we saw continuity upgrades accelerated during the pandemic, and Congress is now responding with remarkable haste to responsibly adopt AI tools. Since 2019, a bipartisan modernization effort in the House has produced and implemented over 100 reforms, creating a virtuous cycle in which members, staff, and outside experts work together to improve the institution.

Post-Chevron, these efforts need to be dramatically expanded. This will require not just incremental adjustments but a comprehensive upgrade in resources, staffing, and operations. It will require a major increase to the legislative branch's budget even as the U.S. faces a difficult fiscal outlook. Indeed, while Congress is a mere 0.1 percent of federal expenditures, it has long been a salient and politically expedient place for politicians to make cuts.

One key area where Congress will need to improve is its regulatory monitoring and oversight. AEI scholars Kevin Kosar and Philip Wallach proposed a vehicle for this change: a new "Congressional Regulation Office" (CRO). The CRO would undertake critical tasks such as conducting benefit-cost analyses of significant agency rules, performing retrospective reviews to assess the effectiveness and impact of existing regulations, and identifying redundancies or conflicts across the regulatory landscape. Another approach would be to build this function inside of an existing agency, such as the Government Accountability Office or the Congressional Budget Office.

In addition to building a new regulatory support function, Congress will need to bolster its staff capacity and technology resources, with a particular focus on committees with substantial regulatory jurisdiction, as well as support agencies.

Unfortunately, to date, we are unaware of any major hearings or other efforts in Congress to address this challenge. Meanwhile, court watchers see that an upheaval to Chevron is coming. Regardless of where you come down on the merits of the case, it's crucial to get ready. While most will be focused on the November election throughout 2024, some of the biggest changes coming to Congress may soon be decided by nine votes.

[howlingday]

Hyena!Faunus Ruby SUPERPOST

Weiss: UGH! WHAT IS THAT SMELL?!

Ruby: Me~!

Blake: Urp! Did you roll around in trash?!

Ruby: Yup~!

Yang: Uh, why?

Ruby: Because I am the leader~!

Fun Fact! Hyenas will roll around in dung and carcasses they've found. The exact reason is unknown, though one theory states that the action serves as a means of improving their status within the group.

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

Weiss: Ruby, I need you to stay away... I'm incredibly sick, and-

Ruby: (Finishing Weiss' soup) Pah! Sorry, did you say something, Weiss?

Weiss: ...I'm gonna throw up.

Fun Fact! Hyenas are immune to almost every disease, including anthrax and rabies. It is believed this was a development in their evolution to improve their role as scavengers. There have even been cases in which trash consumed by the hyenas helps improve human immunity by removing harmful pathogens and preventing them from spreading, such as anthrax and bovine tuberculosis.

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

Ruby: You gonna eat that?

Yang: (Hands over steak bone) Nah, you go ahead.

Ruby: (Crunches bone)

Blake: ...Wow.

Yang: You think that's impressive? Wait 'til it comes out!

Ruby: (Mouth full of bone shards) Yeng, dun be grosh!

Fun Fact! Hyenas will eat and digest bones. This diet results in their dung not only being nearly completely white, but also rich in calcium, which is good for soil, and contain bone shards used by birds for nests.

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

Yang: Ruby Rose!

Ruby: (Gulps)

Yang: I thought you grew out of your teething phase!

Ruby: I did!

Yang: (Holding up a half-eaten rubber eraser) Then what's this?!

Ruby: ...Treat?

Yang: NO TREAT!

Fun Fact! Although there are health benefits to having hyenas around, they are still considered a pest for their tendency to chew on and eat rubber, such as from tires of airplanes. This is especially enticing to hyenas when there is dung on them. This behavior can negatively impact humans to the point plane wheels are protected with barbed wire!

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

Ruby: Jaune! Jaune!

Jaune: Mm, what? (Yawns) What time is... (Looks around, Atop Beacon Tower) HOW-?!

Ruby: C'mon! C'mon! Let's play!

Fun Fact! There are reports of hyenas attacking humans, including an elderly man who was dragged from his bed over 80 miles away from his home, and when the search party found his body, his lower half was completely missing. Authorities urge residents to stay indoors at night with all openings shut.

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

Ruby: (Crying)

Blake: Are you okay?

Ruby: I'm sorry, baby. I-I have to. Forgive me. (Pulls out screwdriver, Holds down Magnhild)

Yang: Yeah, she... gets like this every time she upgrades a weapon.

Ruby: (Pries open casing, Blubbering) F-F-Forgib me, zwee behbeh...

Blake: That's... uncomfortable.

Nora: No kidding.

Fun Fact! Hyenas will practice infanticide to improve their status within the group. A female will always be a member of the group, and this heirarchy is usually determined by violence. An observed hyena targeted and killed her sister's two cubs to establish herself higher in the pecking order.

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

Ruby: One day, Jaune and Ren will leave, and they'll find their own harem of sexy girls to fall in love with.

Pyrrha: Uh, that's not going to happen.

Ruby: Why not?

Nora: Renny is gonna stay with me, forever and ever!

Ruby: What about Jaune?

Pyrrha: W-Well, hopefully, he can stay as our leader.

Ruby: ...DISGUSTING.

Ren: Huh?

Jaune: What do you mean?

Ruby: I am disgusted, and revolted, and even though I dedicate my life to the ways of our Huntress ancestors, THIS is the thanks I get?! (Climbs into garbage can)

Jaune: Ru-

Ruby: (Slams lid shut)

Fun Fact! Hyena males will be given a choice at adulthood, aka 2 years. If they choose to stay in the pack, they will maintain the status their mothers have achieved, though their choice of mate is severely limited by other females to prevent incest. Males who leave will have more females to choose from, though they will have to fight for their place in a heirarchy. It should be noted that the highest ranked male is still lower than the lowest ranked female.

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

Ruby: (In the pool)

Blake: (In the pool)

Ruby: ...

Blake: ...

Ruby: (Smiles)

Blake: ...Oh, that's nasty.

Fun Fact! During the dry season, hyenas will sit in any water mud puddle they can find. They will remain in this water, even while using it as a bathroom.

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

Dino Krakata Gigantia Faunus Summer

Summer: (Towering over her classmates) Hm... I see no foes...

Summer: ONLY PREY.

Fun Fact! Dino Krakata Gigantia was the megafauna ancestor of hyenas, weighing more than 800 pounds and standing more than 6 feet long. Evidence shows they too shared a powerful set of jaws for crushing and eating bones.

[aumarchive]

Interview with Nakayama Hisashi, former member of Hikari no Wa (Aum Shinrikyo branch)

cw: cults, domestic violence, sexual manipulation, conspiracy theories, verbal abuse

Do not harass anyone mentioned here. I'm only citing Mr. Nakayama's name and website because he let me do so.

Do not tag as true crime

Originally posted on Reddit by me

Matryoshka dolls are a well-known symbol of Russian arts and crafts; a majestic doll that, by the hands of others, is forced to reveal itself smaller and smaller until, finally, its tiny, hollow interior becomes visible.

Though they have dozens of tales attached to their creation and meaning, none of it is grounded on reality: these dolls were invented pretty recently with fully comercial purposes. Matryoshka aren't exactly meaningful for their land's mythology, nor original. But at least they're cute and saleable.

So is Fumihiro Joyu, ex-spokesman and executive of Aum Shinrikyo.

Joyu is the kind of person who will never run out of stories to tell about; graduated from Waseda University, one of Japan's most prestigious institutes to this day, he quickly lost interest on the labour market and used his knowledges in a new, weird yoga classroom, which would later become the infamous Aum Shinrikyo. And Aum surely got Joyu busy; he served as a spokesman, public relations representative, head of Aum's russian branch and almost as one of its men of action: in 1993, he attempted to spread anthrax in Kameido, Tokyo. It failed miserably.

But he only became infamous in 1995, when he defended the cult against allegations that they were responsible for the subway sarin attack at all costs. His devotion didn't earn him any prestige, just a lot of fans willing to steal and auction off his dirty socks and a saying attached to his name: ああいえば上祐 (Aa ie ba Joyu, which roughly translates to "If you say so, Joyu"). After being sentenced to three years of prison in late 1995 due to charges of perjury and forgery of private documents, he declared that "Master Asahara is a guide, a savior, and everything to me". It seemed unlikely that his adoration would be shaken.

But after being released from prison in 1999, it seemed that Joyu had a change of heart. He didn't leave Aum (in fact, Joyu became its De Facto representative under the name Aleph), but tried to reform it, reflect on its multiple incidents and eliminate Asahara Shoko's influence. In 2007, after a series of conflicts with Asahara's wife, children, and other executives, Joyu announced he was going to leave Aleph and launch a new organization: Hikari no Wa. According to its website:

Hikari no Wa is not a religion. This is a classroom where you can learn the wisdom and philosophy of happiness from the East and the West, including Buddhist thoughts, meditation methods, and modern psychology, without believing in a specific guru, god, or sect.

The classroom, of course, was met with protests and doubts. The U.S Department of State only lifted its designation as a terrorist foreign organization (TFO) as late as 2022, and Japanese police still surveils it.

Since then, despite still being considered a controversial figure, Joyu has made attempts to clear his image; according to Hikari no Wa's website, the classroom pays compensation to the victims of the subway sarin attack, deprogramms Aleph believers and apologises for its representative's former criminal activities. Joyu also seems to have invested in unusual methods of self-promotion, such as taking part in a hiphop EP where he sings while an edit of the 1995 subway attack plays in the background. He also published a book on how to identify dangerous cults despite his status as a potential cult leader.

There is very little information about Hikari no Wa in English. Its only known activities are events and speeches about spirituality held by Joyu himself, its alleged "Aum liquidation" and its "Pilgrimage to Sacred Places".

However, around February 2024, I stumbled upon a fairly obscure site: stop-hikarinowa.com. According to itself, its purpose is to:

Ask Hikari no Wa to disband.

Promote the exchange of information and people-to-people exchanges on the issue of Hikari no Wa.

Provide support for Hikari no Wa members to withdraw from membership.

Disseminate information to society about the problems of Hikari no Wa.

In addition, we will carry out all activities that we deem necessary for issues related to Hikari no Wa and Aum Shinrikyo.

It also claims Hikari no Wa is, in fact, a cult:

Just like Asahara in Aum Shinrikyo, I think it boils down to the fact that Joyu is in control of everything in Hikari no Wa. It's true that Hikari no Wa changed its doctrine because it wanted to get rid of probation, and it also said that it was a philosophy and thought class. All of the reforms that have been carried out over the past 10 years have been carried out at the discretion of Joyu. This fact proves that it is possible to return to the doctrines and operations of the past with the sole intention of Joyu. As long as he's under inspection, he can't do anything as crazy as Aum (and this is the same for Aleph), but if it were to be removed, no one would be able to stop him from running wild like he did with Aum. The guru becoming a dictator is common to other cults, but if a cult that has crossed the line in the past is allowed to go unchecked, it will be a different danger than other cults. The danger of Hikari no Wa varies greatly depending on what happens to the government's surveillance, but at least it seems that it is an organization that cannot guarantee even safety without national surveillance. * On "Frequently Asked Questions"

I contacted its representative, Nakayama Hisashi who's both a former Aum believer (from 1996 to 2007) and a Hikari no Wa one (from 2007 to 2016) and managed to interview him on March 30, 2024.

The interview go as follows:

Q: Tell us about yourself. You joined Aum to find out more about its practices, but what made you stay for such a long time? A: It was cosy. Aum believers are serious and selfless, so it was really healing to talk to such people.

Q: From what I have read, despite precarious living conditions, including poor diet and cockroach-infested flats, Aum believers formed a strong sense of community. What was daily life like when you joined the organisation? A: Food was considered a bother, and the idea was that it was good if you could get the minimum amount of energy. Even cockroaches were souls that were trying their best to live, and we looked after them with compassion. Such different values from the world were fresh and a strong sense of community existed. It was a similar life in Aum and in Aleph. In Hikari no Wa we secularised, so the ordained people remained Aum, but they disliked the filthy environment.

Q: When did you first come into contact with Joyu? What was your first impression of him? A: Around 2005. My first impression was that he was a hard-working practitioner.

Q: Were you aware that he was at odds with the Asahara family? Were there any tensions within Aum in the late 2000s? A: Initially I did not know that there was a conflict. Inside Aum, the explanation was that Joyu was in training, so I didn't think there was a conflict. Believers like me were not informed of anything. When Joyu came out of prison and the Group Regulation Law was passed, believers though Aum was going to be destroyed, so there was a sense of tension, and although there were people who opposed Joyu's methods, none of us thought that there would be a split later on.

Q: When Hikari no Wa was formed in 2007, why did you join it instead of staying with Aleph? What convinced you? A: Because they sympathised with the idea of social reconciliation by acknowledging the incident. And I was banned from Aleph for having contact with Joyu.

Q: What were the first days of Hikari no Wa like? I have seen a video from around 2009[1], and it seems that many people protested its existence. A: Hikari no Wa was not trusted at all, even if they said they were reflecting on Aum. I thought that if I reflected sincerely, society would one day understand me. Perhaps it was only the believers who were deceived by Joyu's words that he had reflected on his life.

Q: What was your daily life like? Did you go to work or interact with normal society? Did you talk to family and friends? A: I moved from one job to another and worked on construction sites for a long time. I told my family about it, but my wife was vehemently against it, so I didn't talk much about being a believer. Once I mentioned that I was a member at work, but I was discriminated against so quit my job. Since then, I stopped talking about Hikari no Wa to my friends. But I did have normal social interactions outside of the classroom.

Q: I assume you are familiar with the B.I.T.E model, which lists cult behaviour. Let's use it to ask some questions. To what extent was your personal life regulated by Hikari no Wa? Was your diet, social or sex life regulated by the cult, or did you need permission to make major decisions? A: I was a noisy believer [laughs], so I was never dominated by the cult. But they were giving detailed instructions to other people on how to spend their money. I would immediately announce it on social media, so I guess the cult was also cautious. It seems that I was treated differently from the others.

Q: I watched some videos from Hikari no Wa's Youtube channel[2] and they seem to travel frequently. At the same time, they pay compensation to Aum victims. I wonder if a tremendous amount of money is being taken from its believers, or if Joyu is making money in other ways. A: The pilgrimages are a means of collecting large sums of money from believers. Devotees are desperate to join in (laughs). "Why is it so expensive?" I asked him, and he excused himself by saying, "Because I'm compensating them". Compensation is the excuse for the high participation fees. But we couldn't operate on that alone, so some of our staff went out to work, and I think we took a lot of money from the rich and quiet believers.

Q: Hikari no Wa page claims to be a place to learn psychology and natural doctrine, without any religious elements. Is this true? Joyu is not licensed to talk about psychology, and he seems to be getting increasedly incoherent. A: I was confused too. In the classroom, I was reading sutras and doing zazen[3]. And then they said, "It's not a religion", so I thought they were deceiving the world. I think that Joyu himself probably doesn't know what he is doing anymore (laughs).

Q: I saw you accuse Joyu of still being an Aum believer and simply hiding Asahara. Can you elaborate on that? A: When I left Aleph, Joyu said to me: 'I will surely share my reincarnation with the Venerable Master (Asahara). So if you follow me, you will surely meet the Venerable Master again." In other words, following Joyu means that no matter how much you deny Asahara, you are recognised in the doctrine of Aum. Joyu still does not deny reincarnation; if there is reincarnation, then Joyu and Asahara will meet again, and people who are closely related to Joyu will meet Asahara again. The only way to deny this is to deny reincarnation or to dissolve the organisation and live modestly. Because of this idea, everything that Joyu says and does to get people to recognise him is to hide Asahara. There's no retraction or apology to his followers for what he said at that time. I don't think he is remorseful at all.

Q: Wait, that's big! Do you have evidence? A: It was just my experience because it was in a private conversation. I've told the public security authorities and I also think it's evidence for the renewal of my observation, but it's just my testimony, I don't think it's evidence.

Q: That is unfortunate, but I still think it stands out. From reading various discussions of yours, it seems that there is sexual manipulation going on within Hikari no Wa. Can you tell us a bit more about it?" I saw terms such as "sexy business". A: It's a technique known in Japan as 'shirokoi business'. In Aum, love was also an affliction, but having romantic feelings for the Venerable Master (Asahara) was considered a good thing. Intense romantic feelings of wanting to be recognised by the Master and to keep him to oneself were considered to be a form of faith. Joyu frequently appeared in the media during the Aum Affair, which gave rise to a group of fans called "Joyu Gals". Such Joyu fans started coming to Hikari no Wa. Not only 90s Joyu fans, but also new fans are still coming to Hikari no Wa through YouTube and events. They are taking money by cleverly utilising such fan psychology and romantic feelings. The method is to stimulate women's romantic feelings and dominate them by saying, for example, "I have a connection with you from the past". In Japan, there are 'host clubs' where men entertain women, and the sales method is similar to this. Although there was only one victim, I was consulted by a victim who said she actually had sexual relations with Joyu. But at the strong request of the victim, we don't really take it up.

Q: I have also read that Joyu is prone to domestic violence, please elaborate on this. A: Joyu has a strong desire for control, so he would yell at staff and others when he didn't like something, and sometimes beat them up. When I asked someone who was actually hit, he said that he had his karma taken away (laughs). I think this is a typical example of Aum thinking, which is pro-violence. I criticised him a lot, so I don't think he does violence now, but I think he still uses words to corner his opponents. Joyu has a male-dominated mindset, so his desire for domination over women is particularly strong, and I think it tends to lead to violence.

Q: Have you witnessed physical or verbal violence? or have you been subjected to violence? Again, there is no intention to invade your privacy. If you do not wish to answer, you do not have to. A: I have never been hit directly. However, when I quit, I was verbally abused. I saw him shouting at staff on many occasions. Old believers know this all too well. He didn't have any anger control at all (laughs).

Q: Why did you start to leave Hikari no Wa? Did other members also quit? A: I loved Hikari no Wa, not Joyu, so I wanted society to be a comfortable and secure place for the followers who gathered there. In reality, however, the believers were only paying money and being used. I wanted to reform that, but I couldn't do it and was forced to quit. I was also exhausted, so it was probably just as well. There were more than 100 staff members at the time of the Aleph Joyu Faction, but by the time Hikari no Wa was established, there were only about 60, and now there are less than 10. Those who had survived Aum and Aleph gave up on the Joyu and quit. Originally, Aum was a cult with two sides of the same coin, and only those close to them would have known the true nature of the guru, but as it became smaller and smaller, I think the number one reason is that the true nature of Joyu could not be hidden and came to the surface (laughs). The same is true of Aleph, as the closer to Asahara you were, the less you remain in Aleph. The only people left in Aleph now are people who don't know Asahara directly. The same is true of Hikari no Wa, who fled as they learnt about Joyu's character. People who found out that he was the king of the naked left. Conversely, the staff who remain now are people who don't want to admit that Joyu is naked, so they may no longer run away. It's pitiful.

It's important to note that, in July 11th 2018, it was revealed Joyu witnessed the murder of a female believer[4] back in 1991, though he didn't say anything until he could no longer be charged for it, and he still avoids this topic. Nakayama says:

After I left, it was revealed after Asahara's execution that Joyu had left female followers to die during his Aum days and had been covering it up for a long time. When I found out about the incident, all the slight remaining feelings I had for Joyu were gone. I thought that everything I had been working on with hope, saying that I would reflect on the incident, was a lie. I now seriously hope that the cult will be disbanded.

Moving on.

Q: Sorry to digress, but I was very interested in Hikari no Wa's instance on science. Joyu often talks about psychology, even if he's not licensed to talk about it. And he apparently gathered at events without masks during the pandemic. A: Right. What the Joyu says publicly, he says it with an awareness of what society will think of him. He pretends to be a sensible person. But in his true feelings, he thinks completely differently, and what he says and what he does are completely different. If you look at what he does, not what he says, you can see what he really thinks.

Q: Sorry to be too straightforward, but is Joyu a conspiracy theorist? I'm not talking about extreme and flash cases like Qanon. It's about things like "this disease can be cured with X, Y and W" A: He has not been vaccinated. This may be because he believes that vaccines are not desirable from a parrot doctrinal point of view and that if he practices, he will not get infected. I don't want to call it a conspiracy theory, but I think he thinks that practising is a better way to fight infection than vaccines or medicine.

Q: That's bad. Do believers have the freedom or critical skills to get themselves vaccinated? A: It might be different for different people. Maybe many people think the same way as Joyu. That is, that practice is more effective than medical treatment. If Joyu would be asked by his followers, he would not deny the vaccine, but he would not dare to recommend it either. Since many people are dependent, I think many of them would not take the vaccine themselves if Joyu had not taken it.

Q: Sorry to change the subject again, but there is one more thing I wanted to know. I browsed through some of the accounts and posts and found screenshots of Joyu himself talking about and endorsing Vajrayana[5]. One of them was yours[6]. Is it authentic? A: I always think about the risk of a court case when I send out screenshots, so I don't fake it. Hikari no Wa always say it'll go to court and then ask me to delete it.

And, then, the interview ended. I had more to ask, but it was 3 AM and I didn't want to waste more of Mr. Nakayama's time.

It's important to note that all of this is simply alleged and I'm solely giving voice to a former member. Joyu has still a large platform, with around 17k followers on Twitter, and appears on documentaries and interviews as an cult expert of some sorts. It's not uncommon for former cult members to study about it later on, but Joyu didn't go through any deprogramming initiative, not even during his time in prison. And, of course, it's certainly unusual for an ex-believer to establish a "non religious' (though with holy pilgrimages) and "non guru centered" (though he's the only member with an online presence) organization.

Do not track and harass former Aum/Hikari no Wa members. Mr. Nakayama gave me permission to say his actual name and site, but this experience has been traumatic to many people.

During my research, I found a quote associated with Joyu in some foruns and websites, but couldn't find any proof it was actually his nor the context in which it was supposedly said.

A snake that doesn't shed its skin will die

Matryoshka are self aware, I guess.

[black-arcana]

Ex-BUTCHER BABIES Singer CARLA HARVEY Shares Debut THE VIOLENT HOUR Single Feat. CHARLIE BENANTE, JOHN 5

Founding vocalist for the metal band BUTCHER BABIES, comic book author, artist, novelist, and the holder of multiple degrees in mortuary science and thanatology, singer/musician Carla Harvey has released "Sick Ones", the first single from her new project THE VIOLENT HOUR, via Megaforce Records. The new track, available today, was co-written by Harvey and her fiancé, ANTHRAX drummer Charlie Benante, and features MÖTLEY CRÜE guitarist John 5.

"'Sick Ones' is a rock 'n' roll anthem about cutting the toxic people out of your life," said Harvey. "It's a call of freedom, a fist-to-the-face to anyone who has tried to hold you down, hold you back or dim your light. It was written at a vulnerable time in my life when I was forced to end relationships I thought would last forever.

"When choosing a theme for this song," Harvey added, "I thought about a phrase I had scrawled across a journal from 1999: 'Cut The Sick Ones Loose.' Those words became my mantra over the last couple years and felt perfect to chant over Charlie's guitar riffs. 'Sick Ones' also features an absolutely shredding guitar solo by John 5 that brings this thrasher to a whole different level."

"'Sick Ones' has a modernized NWOBHM (New wave of British heavy metal) vibe to it," said Benante. "The riff is very catchy and stays with you like a good riff should. 'Sick Ones' is just the tip of the iceberg for this project. Many of the songs we crafted for THE VIOLENT HOUR are unlike anything Carla has ever done as a vocalist, reflecting different moods and a new beginning. The music flowed out of me because I had this motivation, this drive...it was unstoppable."

Harvey is cut from a very unique cloth. She loves to be challenged and is of the opinion that fear is a great motivator in life, that when you throw yourself into what it is that you're most afraid of, when you're uncomfortable, you feel alive and are the most creative. When she decided to exit BUTCHER BABIES after 15 years, it indeed felt scary. But she definitely grew from the experience. "Since I was a kid," she said, "I've questioned everything. I listened more than I spoke to take in the world around me, and I tried to make art out of the discord."

THE VIOLENT HOUR's first music video was directed by Vicente Cordero/Industrial Films and is due out April 25.

Carla was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan — a tough place for her to grow up in as she is bi-racial, and Detroit was a racially divided city during that period. While her preference was always to be at home creating art and music, she held a variety of "day jobs" from a "perfume counter girl "at Detroit's F&M, sold clothes at RAVE in the local mall, and worked at a gas station, while playing in local bands at night, all to save up enough money to move to Los Angeles to follow her dreams. She did just that; at twenty she put all her belongings in her car and navigated from Detroit to Hollywood with a paper map. Throughout her time in Los Angeles, she worked as an actress for multiple TV shows, including "Rules Of Engagement", and played in various local bands trying to find her sound. While art and music were always her primary focus, she always got straight As in school, and craved education (especially science),Carla found mortuary college and was named valedictorian in her bachelor of mortuary science program. She worked as a funeral director and embalmer, eventually founding her own grief counseling service. In addition to her music career, Carla is a grief specialist for the innovative death care company Parting Stone that transforms cremated remains into environmentally friendly stones that the departed's family can hold, treasure and honor. She's also a passionate collector of memorabilia, from the Incredible Hulk to Elvira to vintage Barbie Dolls, and more. She still has her drink tickets from her first time at Hollywood's Rainbow Bar & Grill in the late '90s, a laminate and poker chip with Lemmy's face on it from his last birthday party, and giant KISS dolls. Carla finds authenticity and rawness intoxicating: her favorite artist is Robert Williams, actress is Juliette Lewis, and Charles Bukowski, who wrote "Ham On Rye", is her favorite author. She contends that no matter what may lay ahead for her, she's always considered herself "just a Midwest blue-collar kid with big dreams."

Photo credit: Stephanie Cabral

[prpfz]

Back again!!! I’m rewatching Criminal Minds and naturally need to start writing Spencer again. I’m looking for someone who wants to play Hotch.

I’m 21+. I’m experienced and lit and comfortable with multi-para to Novella style seeking the same. I’m VERY angst friendly which is more than fair for this pairing. I don’t have any triggers but would always respect yours! I am fine with dark themes, which is also pretty standard for a show like this. I’m pretty active and can usually do daily replies and would ideally appreciate the same, but real life comes first.

I love writing side characters and would adore someone who feels the same - happy bringing in other CM characters. I’m OOC friendly and enjoy sharing memes, playlists, headcanons, etcetera. Everything you want to include in the plot will be fine with me! Share all your character thoughts.

I don’t have an exact plot in mind, but if we figure out the general season we want to write in then I’d enjoy going through the motions. A sort of colleagues with benefits thing starting up, keeping it a secret from profilers who see everything. That forming into love…

A few specific moments I’ve thought of are around the LDSK episode, following the hostage situation. The anthrax episode, after Spencer is released from hospital. Maybe something starts if Hotch learns about Diana. Also the Foyet era, around the episode Haunted in Season 5 where we see how foolish Hotch is being with his own life - he could certainly use a different outlet. I’m up for all the angst. We can go post Haley in the later seasons. We can do an infidelity arc. Let’s do anything!

If you have a plot you’ve been keen to use for these two then let me know!

Like and I’ll reach out! I’d love for you to tell me a bit about yourself (age, writing style, thoughts on the pairing etc) so we can get started! Please be actively involved in plotting! 💼

give a like and anon will get back to you

[roosunday]

Back again!!! I’m rewatching Criminal Minds and naturally need to start writing Spencer again. I’m looking for someone who wants to play Hotch.

Please only like this advert if you’re interested! Read the full advert please.

I’m 21+. I’m experienced and lit and comfortable with multi-para to Novella style seeking the same. I’m VERY angst friendly which is more than fair for this pairing. I don’t have any triggers but would always respect yours! I am fine with dark themes, which is also pretty standard for a show like this. I’m pretty active and can usually do daily replies and would ideally appreciate the same, but real life comes first.

I love writing side characters and would adore someone who feels the same - happy bringing in other CM characters. I’m OOC friendly and enjoy sharing memes, playlists, headcanons, etcetera. Everything you want to include in the plot will be fine with me! Share all your character thoughts.

I don’t have an exact plot in mind, but if we figure out the general season we want to write in then I’d enjoy going through the motions. A sort of colleagues with benefits thing starting up, keeping it a secret from profilers who see everything. That forming into love…

A few specific moments I’ve thought of are around the LDSK episode, following the hostage situation. The anthrax episode, after Spencer is released from hospital. Maybe something starts if Hotch learns about Diana. Also the Foyet era, around the episode Haunted in Season 5 where we see how foolish Hotch is being with his own life - he could certainly use a different outlet. I’m up for all the angst. We can go post Haley in the later seasons. We can do an infidelity arc. Let’s do anything!

If you have a plot you’ve been keen to use for these two then let me know!

Like and I’ll reach out or, even better, DM me! I’d love for you to tell me a bit about yourself (age, writing style, thoughts on the pairing etc) so we can get started! Please be actively involved in plotting!

[lightandheatao3]

The Bunker - Criminal Minds

Chapter 10: The Truth

Summary: Spencer Reid wakes up in a locked bunker to find half the current BAU and two of its departed members unconscious on the floor. The old team is back together but the reunion is not what any of them would have wished for. An Unsub from their past has decided it's time they all stop keeping secrets, even if it means exposing them by force.

Hotch and Derek have been pulled back into a world they tried to escape. Emily, Rossi, and JJ are doing their best to keep it together. Spencer is falling apart.

AKA a found family is reunited and forced to go through the most nightmarish version of family therapy imaginable.

Set months after the end of Criminal Minds: Evolution. Evolution referenced, but not necessary to understand the story.

Chapter Summary: The gang play a game.

Read chapter 10 on AO3 or under the cut. All comments and reblogs are extremely appreciated <3 I would love to know what you like about the story :)

Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3 Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7 Chapter 8 Chapter 9

Spencer had been half convinced that the brown paper bag was going to burst open with a billowing cloud of fine white powder containing spores of deadly anthrax. He couldn’t get the image out of his head.

There had been too many times in his life where he was fairly certain he was about to die, and the anthrax exposure had honestly not even been the most harrowing, all things considered. He hadn't been restrained, or beaten, or drugged, or alone.

But something about the insidiousness of turning his own body against him was sticky. It adhered to his nervous system in a different way to acts of violence.

Hours after the bag had revealed its contents as six bottles of Ensure, he was still flinching at specks of dust.

The vital nutrients from the ensure- including the protein that had been desperately lacking in their all fruit diet even prior to the outright starvation- were working their magic. He had some semblance of energy again.

He had hoped that the return of their food supply would restore his capacity to feel, but no such luck. The best he could summon up was vague irritation.

It was getting harder and harder to tell when he was dreaming or awake.

The Unsub had left them to starve just long enough that they were all convinced that she was going to let them die like that. He wasn't so sure that this was better.

They all speculated on the likelihood of the next delivery reverting back to fruit. The Ensure was certainly the better option for keeping them from dying of malnutrition, but a liquid diet had its own concerns. The lack of door on the en-suit toilet continued to be a crushing blow.

“I feel like we should be doing something,” said Emily. “Like planning our next move.”

“Agreed,” said Derek, who had been tapping his foot non-stop for one hour, three minutes, and 28 seconds. Spencer had been counting the seconds in his mind because... well, it was something to do. “We need to force her into making another move.”

“We’re still recovering from the last move we forced her to make,” said Hotch. “I agree we need to take action, but right now we’re all too weak to take the physical strain of what happened last time.”

Emily looked like she was about to argue, but after a second, she just said, “Maybe. Let’s see if these deliveries keep coming and reassess when we know for sure that our food supply is consistent.”

“Or we could take more extreme measures,” said Derek.

There was a chill that rippled through the room.

“Like what?” asked JJ cautiously.

Derek opened his mouth to speak, but hesitated. His eyes flickered over all of them. They caught Spencer’s for a moment, and he knew instantly what Derek wanted to say, because he’d had the same thought himself.

They probably all had.

If the Unsub was determined not to let them die, they all knew what to do to provoke her.

Still, they stared questioningly at Derek in a façade of ignorance.

“Never mind,” he said. “Emily is right. We’ll reassess when we know more.”

He'd hoped that getting food would feel like a victory.

The second delivery came sometime later, maybe 12 hours, maybe days, he didn’t know. The third delivery came some time after that. This one brought a return of the fruit, but retained the bottles of Ensure. The fruit and the shakes combined to make a relatively sustainable diet, actually. It could theoretically be maintained for a long, long time.

It did not feel like victory.

They were alive. They were going to stay alive.

For what? For an endless fluorescent day? For mind-numbing tedium? For four walls and an unpredictable cycle of humiliation and discomfort?

The worst of it was how quickly the routine set in.

They went back to sleeping all at the same time to imitate night and day. They went back to daily exercise. They structured their lives around the food deliveries.

Soon, they had a delivery with a little bottle of soap. A reward for good behavior, presumably. He was genuinely grateful for it, which made him feel physically ill to realize.

When was the right time to make a move? How long would they need to endure this before they considered drastic measures?

Nobody wanted to be the first to bring it up.

Spencer found himself longing for another note. Another shocking reveal. Anything, anything at all. Sometimes he would stare up at the vent and fantasize about seeing gas leak out just to feel the adrenaline rush. He wanted to get high. He would do anything to get high.

“Reid.”

His head snapped around to the sound. Rossi was clicking his fingers from across the room, trying to get his attention.

“What?”

“It’s your turn, kid.”

“Why do we keep doing this? You can’t possibly believe it’s actually making a difference.”

“What the fuck else do you have going on in your busy schedule?” shot back Rossi.

“Closing my eyes and pretending I’m alone,” he said irritably. “I was enjoying it.”

“Come on Spence, you know if Rossi doesn’t get at least an hour a day to pretend he’s at a high school girls sleepover party he chucks a tantrum,” said JJ, leaning her head back against the wall behind her and looking as if she’d find reading the dictionary less boring than this.

“So, you can force us all into yoga and go on and on about keeping us healthy, but god forbid I try to keep us sane, that’s just taking it too far,” said Rossi sarcastically.

"Can you all just shut the hell up?” snapped Emily. “We all get one activity. That’s the deal. Spencer, I know you're annoyed that we won't just let you sleep 24/7, but stop bitching for one goddamn second and take your turn.”

“Fine. Dare.”

They all groaned. “You can’t pick dare every time,” said Derek.

“I don’t recall that being in the rules,” said Spencer.

It was round four and he’d already had to try and do a handstand (he couldn’t), see if he could hold his breath longer than Derek (he could but he nearly passed out doing it), and put on a spirited performance of Lady Macbeth’s ‘out damned spot’ monologue (which sounded less spirited than completely monotone).

“The rest of us are playing properly. You have to as well,” said JJ prissily, despite her earlier criticism of Rossi behaving like a teenage girl.

“No, because I already know what you’re going to ask,” said Spencer. “Just give me the dare.”

A chorus of boos echoed in the concrete room. “Come on Reid, if I had to tell you all that story about my disastrous first date with Hayley, you can have your turn,” said Hotch with an amused smirk.

“Yeah,” said Rossi. “You don’t know what we’re going to ask.”

Spencer huffed but relented. “Yes, I do. But whatever. Truth, if it will get you to stop being assholes about it.”

They all looked at each other, barely a second passing before they came to a silent agreement.

Emily threw her hands up to indicate that she wasn't a part of this, but even she looked liked she wanted to see how it all played out.

“Why did you start using again?” asked Derek, like he could trick Spencer into talking using the rules of the game.

He groaned, crossing his arms over his chest. “I already told you-”

“Yeah, yeah,” interrupted Derek. “Addicts relapse, there’s no rhyme or reason for it, yadda yadda yadda. I call bullshit.”

"How would you even know?" he snapped.

He wasn't really upset, honestly. He'd have to be able to summon stronger feelings than mild annoyance for that to happen. But fighting was something to pass the time. They all did it, but him and Derek made into something of a sport.

It was strange. They had never fought before in any meaningful way. Prior to being in the bunker, Derek was possibly the person he trusted most in the world to be calm and even handed with him no matter what. Maybe that was why it was so easy to prod at him: because he knew it could never break anything between them.

Or maybe it was because Derek felt so betrayed and hurt by him that it was already broken.

Either way, it was something to do.

"Because I know you," said Derek. "Something obviously happened, man, we can all see that."

They all nodded in agreement. Hotch's brows were furrowed and he had dropped the playfulness he'd had only a minute ago, but he hung on every word of the conversation. Even Emily shrugged apologetically, not disagreeing with their assessment.

"Now who's full of shit? You don't know anything. You didn't even know I was using."

Derek opened his mouth to bite back, but JJ beat him to it.

“Come on, Spence. We’re all stuck here. Are you really never going to talk about it?” asked JJ.

“That’s the plan,” he said petulantly. “Since every time I do talk about it you all think you know better, anyway.”

“Fine,” said Rossi. “If you refuse to tell us about whatever made you relapse,” he said, refusing to consider Spencer’s stated position that there was no dramatic triggering event, “we will ask you a different question.”

Derek and JJ looked at each other, both seeming very unwilling to let the subject drop. With a gentle "Come on, guys," from Emily they finally acquiesced.

"Give us a minute to think of a new question," said Rossi diplomatically, as if it would be rude to skip his turn.

"Whatever," said Spencer. "I need the bathroom."

He got up and they all politely focused their attention on each other and away from the doorless bathroom. They raised their voices while he relieved himself, and he pretended they weren't there.

It wasn't an ideal system, but they all pushed through.

After washing his hands, he paused a moment. He reached down to the bolt that was just under the right side of the metal sink, helping to affix it to the concrete wall.

While there was no door, the sink was recessed, not visible to the camera. He fiddled with the bolt silently while the others continued to pointedly not look his way. It was loosening a little more each time he went in there.

He hadn't mentioned it to any of them yet, and nobody else seemed to have noticed it.

He entered back into the main room and retook his position on the floor.

"Good timing," said Rossi. "I believe we have reached an agreement," he said, like the foreman of a jury.

"Don't worry," said Emily with a half smile. "It's nothing too objectionable."

"What-" started Rossi, before he was cut off.

“Why do you do it?”

It took a moment for Spencer to process who had spoken.

Everyone turned to stare at Hotch, who was in turn scrutinizing Spencer. He’d seen that look before, many times since waking up in the bunker.

Hotch was looking at him like he was trying to solve a puzzle with impossibly high stakes.

"Do what?" he asked, not following the train of thought.

Hotch hesitated. "Why do you use drugs?"

"I..." he looked at the others, hoping one of them might explain what he was missing, but they all looked just as baffled as him. "We just went over this-"

Hotch interrupted him. “I'm not asking why you relapsed. I'm asking why do you keep using? What do you get out of it?”

Spencer squirmed. There was something heavy in the way Hotch spoke that broke through the numbness enough to make him feel self-conscious. “Come on Hotch, you are- were- a profiler. What can I tell you that you don’t know?”

The rest of the group was looking back and forth between the two of them, dead silent, leaned forward like there was nothing in the world more important than hearing what both of them had to say.

“I know the science and the psychology, sure. I’m not asking about why people use drugs, I’m asking why you do it.”

There was something in the tightness around his eyes. In the rigidity of his posture.

He needed this.

For whatever reason, Hotch needed the answer to this question.

For the thousandth time, he wondered what had happened to this man in the years they'd been parted.

There was a time, after Tobias, where it could have changed everything for him if Hotch had just sat him down and spoken to him like this. If he had really cared to know the answer.

Was that what this was? Some kind of guilt for all the conversations that didn't happen when they should have?

No. There was something else. He didn't know what it was, but it was important.

As he studied Hotch, he thought about that young, terrified version of himself that wanted nothing more than for someone to force him to confront his demons before they grew too big.

Maybe they could both get something they needed, even if it was far too late to make a difference for either of them.

“Okay,” he said. "Let me think."

The others all held various expressions of shock. JJ’s eyes widened. Derek looked him up and down. None of them moved, almost as if they were afraid to spook him. Like one wrong move and he would never speak again.

How could he make this make sense to any of them?

They all approached his substance use like they approached a profile. They had to find the root cause, look for patterns, identify triggers. They didn’t understand that none of that mattered.

Whatever it was that Hotch wanted from him, he decided, he would try to give it to him. They were all probably going to die down here anyway.

He started with a deep breath. “When I was a kid, I never understood why my mom wouldn’t get treatment or why she would always go off her meds,” he said softly. “She was functional when she was on them. It made her life easier, and it made my life easier. I knew they had side effects, but even then, I couldn’t comprehend how she could choose to be unwell even though she knew how much damage it was doing to both of us.”

He paused. Took another breath. He was glad to be numb. He hoped his capacity to feel deeply never came back. The others looked at him with soft, sad eyes.

Not Hotch, though. Hotch was looking at him like his students did when he was giving a lecture on a topic they knew would be on the exam.

He blocked the rest of them out, focusing all his attention on his studious pupil.

“I think I get it now,” he said. “Despite the paranoia and the agoraphobia and all the awful parts, she used to talk about these incredible things that she would see and experience that nobody else could. Like she knew a secret the rest of us weren’t privy to. Sometimes… that’s how I feel with all of you,” he admitted. “When you tell me you don’t understand why I use opiates, it’s like you’re telling me you don’t understand why I eat or drink or breath. And I get it now. I get why she couldn't fight it. It's exhausting, having to fight something that's such an intrinsic part of you."

"But you did fight it," Hotch pointed out. "You were clean for years."

"Sure. But it was never easy. I spent a lot of that time thinking about what I was missing."

Hotch frowned. "And what is that?"

Spencer bit his lip, not sure how to explain it. "The thing about IV opioids is that they feel pretty great," he settled on, and it felt like telling a small child that the thing about the sun is it's pretty hot. "Whatever you're imagining, it's far better than that.”

The response sounded flippant, he knew, but what the hell else was he supposed to say?

Hotch was nodding as he took in the words. His thoughts were inscrutable to Spencer, so all he could do was wait for a reaction.

From what little he knew of Hotch's youth, he wouldn't be shocked if he'd at least dabbled in narcotics before straightening out as a teenager. He sincerely doubted that any of that rebellion had involved needles, though. It was hard to compare. IV narcotics were a world away from the experiences that any of the rest of them had, and it was hard to articulate how different it was.

How could he explain it? Hey guys, have you ever known true peace for the first and only time in your life? I don't believe in god, but I'm pretty sure I experience divinity every time I shoot up?

“Can it really feel good enough to be worth what it costs you in all other parts of your life?” asked Hotch eventually. It was the obvious question, really. “Good enough to be worth the withdrawal symptoms? The risk to your career? The strain on your relationships? Or the hundred other problems that come from being in active addiction?”

“It’s not like that,” he said simply. “You’re looking at it the wrong way.”

“Okay. Then what’s it like?”

“When you're clean, you have a hundred problems. When you're using, you have one problem, with one solution.”

“It’s a pretty big problem,” said Hotch.

“It’s also a pretty spectacular solution.”

Hotch stared at him for a long time this time. There was silence, the kind you could hear your own heartbeat in, but it didn’t feel heavy. It felt like they were alone in the room.

“Dare,” said Hotch.

Spencer tilted his head, trying to decipher what he could possibly mean.

Hotch broke eye contact. He looked at the rest of the room. “It’s my turn, isn’t it? I pick dare.”

At once, the spell was broken.

Whatever Hotch had been looking for, he'd apparently found it.

Spencer leaned back against the wall, pulling his knees up and resting his arms on them. Derek put a hand on his shoulder for just a moment, a small gesture of support, but otherwise they let him be.

The others breathed out their stalled breaths and put their heads together to brainstorm a dare for Hotch to do. For about the length of time it took to drink a bottle of Ensure, they kept glancing at him with varying degrees of curiosity and concern, but eventually the atmosphere shifted from forced nonchalance to genuine play.

The game continued on, and they all went back to bickering and snapping at each other as a way to stave off boredom as much as any kind of genuine irritation. When it came to his turn, they silently skipped over it.

Apparently, he’d finally done enough to be left alone for a while.

During one truth for Derek, which left him telling an elaborate story about the time he got kicked out of a nightclub after a friend spiked his drink when he was 20, Emily leaned over and whispered to him.

“You okay?” He didn’t say anything, but he bumped his shoulder against hers in an attempt at reassurance. She looked around to make sure nobody was paying attention to them, and whispered again, “Thank you. For telling us that.”

He leaned in and whispered back, “Whatever is going on with him, I hope it helped.”

She squeezed his arm. “Me too.”

She turned her attention back to the game.

He tuned out once again.

One big problem: Escape the bunker.

One spectacular solution: Force the Unsub to reveal herself somehow. Put them in a position to make a move.

She didn't want them to die. It was the one thing they could be really certain of. Whatever she wanted, it involved keeping them alive, likely for a long time.

They needed to create urgency. They needed something so dire, that she would be forced to enter the room and intervene before she had time to knock them out with gas.

The tedium, the daily trudge of survival, these things were not his strong suit. People who can function like that don't do heroin. People who can endure hardship with grace and fortitude don't stick needles in their arms.

But finding the simplest solution to the direst problem, no matter the risk to himself?

He was an expert at that.

He could break her. He knew he could. It was just a question of if he could do it without breaking everyone else.

[fierykitten2]

Made a new playlist with over 3000 songs (yeah I’m amazed too. A lot of them are dupes though I know there are many versions of The Black Parade (album) on there). I have some stuff to say about it

I want to make some kind of funny comment about how you can get the cheerfulness of some really fun band on here (probably TØP or Anthrax) followed by the gloom of another band (probably Slayer or Black Sabbath) but the thing is I think all the bands on the playlist have at least a few songs about dispair - MCR have an entire album about dying of cancer, P!atD have Don’t Let The Light Go Out, FOB have Novocaine (because I can’t think of anything darker), TØP have many songs about despair, Metallica have an entire album about death, Megadeth have quite a few songs about death, Anthrax have Black Lodge, Slayer are just known for that tone, Judas Priest have an entire album about how the government sucks (also apparently Brain Dead is really dark but unfortunately the albums by the band with that singer aren’t on Apple Music so I don’t know how it goes. I did try to look for it one time with the knowledge there was a Judas Priest song about locked in syndrome and I found Locked In. That’s actually how I warmed up to Locked In. I also wanted to listen to those two albums for the first time alongside listening to the albums by Iron Maiden with a different singer (I believe that was Blaze) but I couldn’t find the Judas Priest albums so I never got around to it. I did today listen to Futureal for the first time and it’s a great song), Iron Maiden have some darker songs I guess Bring Your Daughter To The Slaughter’s a good example and Black Sabbath have quite a few songs as well with a darker tone so yeah. If anything I’d say the biggest contrast in tone is going from an Anthrax song to a Slayer song but I wanted to make the joke about two bands I hadn’t put together on a playlist before. I guess it would be funny if after Planetary ended I got God Is Dead though

One of the earliest songs I listened to on this listen of some of the playlist was Novocaine. Anyway, little while later The Phoenix came on and I could see it was The Phoenix. I seemed to have the vague thought it was the FOB song I thought was more well-known than it probably actually is (I was thinking of Centuries) and multiple times (I think it was a few more than four times) I wanted to sing the lyrics to Novocaine instead of The Phoenix including believing the “na na na na na” stuff at the beginning of Novocaine was in The Phoenix. I swear I know The Phoenix well

I also got Planetary fairly early and was for some reason convinced I didn’t have a song I associated with the Proto Beasts to match how I associate Planetary with the Neo Swords (comparing it to Skin O’ My Teeth, another song I associate with the Neo Swords without having a Proto Beast “counterpart”). The next time an MCR song turned up it was Destroya which is exactly the Proto Beast “counterpart” to Planetary I forgot existed. A better example of a second song I associate with the Neo Swords without having a Proto Beast “counterpart” is Electric Eye. Technically I associate The Hellion with both trios but if I know Electric Eye is immediately afterwards I can associate it with just the Neo Swords (I actually had to take a break from making this post because Skin O’ My Teeth turned up and the next song I didn’t skip was Black Curtains which I associate with the Proto Beasts so I just got immediately back up again. Next was New World Order which I associate with both trios but I couldn’t be bothered to get back up again)

Fittingly the first song that I got was Sugar We’re Going Down (first FOB song I listened to) and as I’m writing this part I’m listening to I Write Sins Not Tragedies, the song I used in order to get into P!atD at the same time

I feel like I’m not getting many FOB, TØP of Slayer songs but Slayer definitely doesn’t surprise me. If anything, I’m surprised I listened to one (yes, just one - Expendable Youth). And I think I’ve had about one P!atD song

[novella-writers]

Back again!!! I’m rewatching Criminal Minds and naturally need to start writing Spencer again. I’m looking for someone who wants to play Hotch.

I’m 21+. I’m experienced and lit and comfortable with multi-para to Novella style seeking the same. I’m VERY angst friendly which is more than fair for this pairing. I don’t have any triggers but would always respect yours! I am fine with dark themes, which is also pretty standard for a show like this. I’m pretty active and can usually do daily replies and would ideally appreciate the same, but real life comes first.

I love writing side characters and would adore someone who feels the same - happy bringing in other CM characters. I’m OOC friendly and enjoy sharing memes, playlists, headcanons, etcetera. Everything you want to include in the plot will be fine with me! Share all your character thoughts.

I don’t have an exact plot in mind, but if we figure out the general season we want to write in then I’d enjoy going through the motions. A sort of colleagues with benefits thing starting up, keeping it a secret from profilers who see everything. That forming into love…

A few specific moments I’ve thought of are around the LDSK episode, following the hostage situation. The anthrax episode, after Spencer is released from hospital. Maybe something starts if Hotch learns about Diana. Also the Foyet era, around the episode Haunted in Season 5 where we see how foolish Hotch is being with his own life - he could certainly use a different outlet. I’m up for all the angst. We can go post Haley in the later seasons. We can do an infidelity arc. Let’s do anything!

If you have a plot you’ve been keen to use for these two then let me know!

Like and I’ll reach out. I’d love for you to tell me a bit about yourself (age, writing style, thoughts on the pairing etc) so we can get started! Please be actively involved in plotting! 🥰

Like if interested!

[nursingwriter]

Vaccines The issue at hand is why federal agencies will not take liability for the use of the Swine Flu Vaccine or the Anthrax Vaccine, both of which are clearly needed and could save many lives if administered in a wide basis. The issue was first raised with the swine flu epidemic in 1976, at which time President Gerald Ford wanted to immunize the entire country. The program faced many delays and critical newspaper articles, and only some 24% of the population was vaccinated before the program was canceled in the face of growing concern about the vaccine. One reason why the program was stopped was because of evidence that the use of the vaccine was connected to an increase in Guillain-Barreacute Syndrome (GBS), a rare paralytic disease similar to polio. It was not clear that the vaccine was causing GBS, but it was thought that the vaccine might be a trigger for GBS (Warner, 1999, para. 11). A vaccine for anthrax was considered after the terrorist use of anthrax in letters to various persons and institutions in 2001, not long after the 9-11 attacks. The threat of anthrax as a weapon caused the Department of Defense to undertake a program of vaccination for the troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, a move challenged by lawsuits claiming scientific evidence of the ineffectiveness of the vaccine. The Center for Disease Control, however, suggests the use of the vaccine when warranted and states, There is a vaccine to prevent anthrax, but it is not yet available for the general public. Anyone who may be exposed to anthrax, including certain members of the U.S. armed forces, laboratory workers, and workers who may enter or re-enter contaminated areas, may get the vaccine. Also, in the event of an attack using anthrax as a weapon, people exposed would get the vaccine (Anthrax: What You Need to Know, 2003). The process for approval of a vaccine is stringent and keeps errors to a minimum. Approval is sought from the Food and Drug Administration. The basic mission of the FDA has remained "to assure that the products it regulates are safe and truthfully labeled" (Hutt & Merrill, 1996, p. 2). However, the current role of the agency encompasses a much larger mandate, that including a role in the development, testing, introduction, and marketing of these products. At one time, the actions of the agency focused on the enforcement of clear-cut statutory prohibitions, while it now includes choosing among alternatives in controlling advanced technologies (Hutt & Merrill, 1996, p. 2). The regulatory responsibilities of the FDA are embodied in the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act from 1938, since amended. This legislation was passed in response to a need for "legally mandated quality and identity standards for foods, prohibition of false therapeutic claims for drugs, coverage of cosmetics and medical devices, clarification of the FDA's right to conduct factory inspections, and control of product advertising" (Swann, 1998, section 2). A primary role for the FDA exists in the introduction of new drugs, and this is covered in the Code of Federal Regulations 21CFR310.303, which states, new drug may not be approved for marketing unless it has been shown to be safe and effective for its intended use(s). After approval, the applicant is required to establish and maintain records and make reports related to clinical experience or other data or information necessary to make or facilitate a determination of whether there are or may be grounds under section 505(e) of the act for suspending or withdrawing approval of the application (Title 21, 2005, Part 310). This latter provision can be difficult given the fact that some drugs may have to be taken for a lifetime, so that the acquisition of the necessary data for determining the safety and effectiveness of long-term use of such drugs requires extensive animal and clinical testing as a condition of approval. The act goes on to note, Nonetheless, the therapeutic or prophylactic usefulness of such drugs may make it inadvisable in the public interest to delay the availability of the drugs for widespread clinical use pending completion of such long-term studies. In such cases, the Food and Drug Administration may approve the new drug application on condition that the necessary long-term studies will be conducted and the results recorded and reported in an organized fashion (Title 21, 2005, Part 310). This provision has created a number of controversies over the years because of the failure of companies to fulfill the requirement in a timely manner or because critics believe the FDA has been either too harsh or too lenient in enforcing this provision. The rigorous approval process is designed to assure safety and also to reduce subsequent lawsuits, and the federal government in recent years has seemed more concerned with liability issues than with assuring the health of citizens. This has been especially true with respect to vaccines that the government might have to mandate, and this concern has increased with concerns about terrorism and the possible use of disease as a weapon. In 2005, legislation was considered under the heading Biodefense and Pandemic Vaccine and Drug Development Act of 2005 (S. 1873), intended to strip Americans of the right to a trial by jury if harmed by an experimental or licensed drug or vaccine that they are forced by government to take whenever federal health officials declare a public health emergency. The claim was that this legislation would speed up the adoption of drugs and vaccines and would give the Secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services the sole authority to decide if a manufacturer violated laws on drug safety while preventing citizens from challenging this decision in the civil court system. The law would establish the Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Agency (BARDA) as the agency concerned with advanced research and development of drugs and vaccines in response to terrorism or flu outbreaks. The agency would also operate in secret to keep any damaging information about vaccines from the public (Congress Set to Pass Law Eliminating Liability for Vaccine Injuries, 2005). Part of the impetus for such legislation was the annual changes in the flu vaccine, caused by the fact that the strains of flu undergo rapid mutation so that a new vaccine is needed each year. The government believes that many drug companies avoid manufacturing flu vaccine out of liability concerns and thus wants to eliminate those concerns. A news report finds that no company "wants to invest hundreds of millions of dollars and five-to-seven years in building an egg-based vaccine plant when the whole industry is on the verge of switching to a radically new way of making the product.... Sometime in the next decade, flu vaccine will start to be grown in cell cultures, not eggs. It is a technology far more clean, predictable and expandable than the egg-based way of old" (Brown, 2004). However, Mello (2005) notes that there are many reasons to believe that the flu vaccine is not considered an attractive product for drug manufacturers for reasons other than liability and that shortages are likely to continue because of these other reasons even if liability were removed from the process (p. 1820). In addition, the drug industry is already protected from liability for the production of seasonal flu vaccines and other childhood vaccines by the Childhood Vaccine Injury Act of 1986, which denies more than 75% of claims. The Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (BARDA) is within the Office of the Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services and provides "an integrated, systematic and approach to the development and purchase of the necessary vaccines, drugs, therapies, and diagnostic tools for public health medical emergencies" (Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority, 2007, para. 1). BARDA manages Project BioShield, covering the procurement and advanced development of medical countermeasures for chemical, biological, radiological, and nuclear agents and also the advanced development and procurement of medical countermeasures for pandemic influenza and other emerging infectious diseases falling outside the auspices of Project BioShield. BARDA also manages the Public Health Emergency Countermeasures Enterprise (PHEMCE). Such an approach might in itself be justified as a way of streamlining the process and making the whole more efficient, but the concerns about liability create an administrative view that protects the process and the companies and bureaucrats involved but makes protection of the public oddly secondary. One analyst notes that the effect would be to "undermine the public good by handing a blanket exemption from liability lawsuits to pharmaceutical companies engaged in biomedical security research. If a company working under BARDA were to injure or kill people through reckless testing or distribution of a vaccine, the injured parties would have no recourse to seek just compensation through the courts" (Develop a vaccine against official secrecy, 2005). The agencies seem to place money over safety in this sot of program. References Anthrax: What You Need to Know (2003). Retrieved September 15, 2007 at http://www.bt.cdc.gov/agent/anthrax/needtoknow.asp. Biomedical Advanced Research and Development Authority (2007). HHS.gov. Retrieved September 15, 2007 at http://www.hhs.gov/aspr/barda/index.html. Brown, D. (2004, October 17). How U.S. Got Down to Two Makers of Flu Vaccine. Washington Post. Develop a vaccine against official secrecy (2005). Roanoke.com, retrieved September 15, 2007 at http://www.roanoke.com/editorials/wb/wb/xp-39477. Congress Set to Pass Law Eliminating Liability for Vaccine Injuries (2005). Retrieved September 15, 2007 at http://www.prnewswire.com/cgi-bin/stories.pl?ACCT=104&STORY=/www/story/10-19-2005/0004172810. Mello, M.M. & Brennan, T.A. (2005, October 12). Legal Concerns and the Influenza Vaccine Shortage. JAMA. 294, 1820 Warner, J. (1999). The Sky is Falling: An Analysis of the Swine Flu Affair of 1976. Retrieved September 15, 2007 at http://www.haverford.edu/biology/edwards/disease/viral_essays/warnervirus.htm. Read the full article

[the-firebird69]

This guy's a f****** dead dick he's been messing with me for a long time. In westborough the f** had him punch me as Matthew sweat you thought I was a boy and I was crying and crying and I can see you get down and say you'll be okay it's just a punch in the stomach and knocked the wind out of you it's not a big deal and I said leave me alone you said go inside and you'll be fine and you left I went inside and laid down and fell asleep I can remember what he said you don't have to hold a grudge but it's okay if you do but you made me really mad you said when he's leaving he said it yeah and I said this I don't think I'll hold the garage I tried not to then they hit me up the Rock by accident and it's stupid idiot Trump and I sue that piece of s*** he's raped me over and over it's f****** loser and he was forced our friend here into a show to watch one not into it and his masturbating in front of everyone and then he did it again in front of Alicia and the police at the apartment and this guy is a freaking idiot he's an animal the Mac proper are having to do stuff he knows what it's like and it's been shot at by Tommy f because this s*** and Tommy F can't control themselves it is awful you should see how awful it is for him this is Matt sweat was a friend and it was a stupid car the Volkswagen it didn't even do that grave and he says no it did pretty good but really it's not the Mac proper I figured that out and it's this idiot and he had everything and now he doesn't and he's still a huge dick and yeah he didn't have all that stuff at that time and boy and see a f****** loser I'll tell you what I don't think that he's there inside his head and it's Joel Watts he used to just drift off and he wasn't he wasn't aware of what we were talking about or what we're doing and he's very sick in the head he's the guy with the cats in the lawn mower Steve seizure and we have to get that guy out of here David stager and we need him out and the propane I mean his son is a nut I don't know what these people are drinking or doing this making them so crazy but they're insane people listen here tormenting our friend they sit there doing stuff over and over it's horrible and the girl hit in the car accident and she couldn't see right she was drunk and they poisoned her and my daddy says he heard it and she's okay but boy she's some kind of nutcase too and he says you have to heal fully are you going to be insane and I think anthrax and she said I appreciate it instead it makes people into kind of zombies and she went and got the medicine and it's horrible this red tide is horrible but that poisonous awful and makes people really stupid and these guys are somehow exposed and he says her going to Pennsylvania and they hit people with it who go up there and even up there he's he thinks he's on tourist area is just a tourist trip and these guys were going out there and it was the wrong subject I guess night of the living Dead filming locations they go up there and they get infected somehow and they come down here...

Emily blunt

Uh oh and you stupid s**** went up there including her daughter and you did something gross we think cuz you think you're going after Mac proper leadership perhaps you are sick in the head

Kamala

Olympus

[allthemusic]

Week ending: 24th December

Well, one of these tunes is certainly not like the others, and precisely none of them thrill me - though they're about the most predictable thing that could happen around Christmas 1959.

Rawhide - Frankie Laine (peaked at Number 6)

Just when we thought his presence was gone from the charts for good, Frankie's back to defend his title of "most entries in this blog". To nobody's great surprise, at least if they've been following any of the rest of Frankie's career, it's a Western theme he comes back with - in fact, of of the Western themes of all time. You think Western themes, this is probably gonna be in your top 5, alongside tunes such as the theme from The Good, the Bad and the Ugly, or the theme from High Noon.

Unlike those themes, though, this is from a TV show, not a film. The show was called Rawhide, and ran from 1959 to 1965 on CBS. It was, unsurprisingly, a Western serial drama focussed on a group of cattle drovers in the 1880s, working on a cattle drive. The plots were surprisingly realistic and naturalistic, and dealt with all manner of gritty, sometimes controversial themes, including anthrax, wolves, banditry, morphine addiction and racism.

The music fits this perfectly, with the whole thing starting with what sounds like a chant, a men's chorus singing the now iconic intro of rollin' rollin' rollin' rawhide! It creates a chugging, driving effect, evoking the monotony of riding for hours, of head aafter head of cattle filing past. And the pace and tone this sets holds strong throughout the whole song, which never slows down, just keeps chugging along, with a steady doo-doo-doo continuing in the background as Frankie takes the lead.

Frankie, for his part, is also giving his all, singing about how you've got to keep rollin' rollin' rollin, though the streams are swollen' and how he must continue through rain, wind and weather / hell-bent for leather / wishin' my girl was by my side. It's an image of a life that's hard and lonely, if not without a certain romanticism and rough masculinity - all of which is underscored by the middle part, with the almost frenzied delivery of lines where Frankie almost screams at his colleagues to move 'em on, head 'em up, head 'em up, move 'em on / Cut 'em out, ride 'em in, rawhide! It sounds physical, like you can hear the exertion that the job demends, the sheer physical toughness of it all, and then we add in a key change upwards and a bunch of hearty hyah noises, presumably as Frankie uses his rawhide whip on the cattle he's droving. It genuinely sounds a bit unhinged by the end - Frankie's holding absolutely nothing back, here!

I kind of expected to dislike this as a piece of cheesy, campy silliness. And yes, there's definitely something a bit camp about it. But I think the energy that Frankie throws at it has actually endeared this song to me a lot more than I expected - there's a sort of fun to it, an adventurous romance that you can't help but be sucked into. And I'm clearly not the only one to think this - the song's been used and/or parodied in film after film, as a signifier of rugged cowboy antics.

More and More Party Pops - Russ Conway (5)

I don't think Russ' case is helped either by the absolutely terrible recording quality of the only version I can find of this track, or by the fact that I've just listened to a completely different Russ track that I actully didn't mind. In comparison to the tentatively pretty enjoyable Snow Coach, this is just not as memorable - and all that despite the fact that it nominally did better than Snow Coach?

I think some of that might be down to the established "Party Pops" branding. People who bought the previous edition last year and enjoyed it are more likely to buy this one, after all, and I can kind of see the appeal of the medley format for a Christmas party - it's doing a similar thing to those end of year mashups of all the year's hits that you get around New Year nowadays. Or at least I assume it does - the song certainly changes enough to make me think it's a medley, though I don't recognise literally any of the tracks that seem to have made it in, barring the classic "shave and a haircut" riff at the end, which does give a certain Cockney charm.

Okay, a bit of research suggests that it is indeed a medley, beginning with The Sheik of Araby, a 1921 Tin Pan Alley hit and jazz stadard, a more mysterious tune called Who Were You With Last Night, and a music hall tune referencing the rag and bone trade, called Any Old Iron. I know precisely none of these, though the same source suggests a Part 2 exists including, along with two other mystery tunes, a version of Tiptoe Through the Tulips. Which, while it's a fun little number, isn't enough to make me want to track down Part 2, it it really exists - two and a half minutes of this is more than enough of Russ for me, I think.

Piano Party - Winifred Atwell (10)

In further proof that the British record-buying public have questionable taste, this track, despite being clearly of better quality than More and More Piano Pops, did not do as well. Why, I don't know - it's zippier, chirpier and better recorded than Russ' stuff, and even includes at least one song that I recognised straight off, a jaunty version of Baby Face, which was a Little Richard hit all the way back at the start of the year.

I actually get familiar vibes from a few more of the songs here, too, possibly because one tune that's included is Comin' Thro' The Rye, which gave us the rock and roll-ified version Rockin' Through the Rye a while back, and which also sounds a whole lot like Auld Lang Syne - a similarity that surely helped this along, in a season Christmas and New Year's parties. There's also touches of Frosty the Snowman, later on, which is almost certainly a coincidence - though the song has existed since 1950, which is a good decade or two earlier than I'd assumed that song came out.

Aside from this, there's not much I recognise, but I still appreciate the verve that Winifred brings to it all - she swaps between songs quicker and plays in a slightly wilder, less controlled way than Russ does, and it's great. I particularly like the left hand bassline that comes in at about the minute mark, all low and menacing and slightly jazzy - it's not a huge part of the song, but it's a real virtuoso performance. As Winifred's yearly hits go, this is one of my favourites, honestly - she's giving it so much, and honestly her playing is kind of impressive, in its own right.

As I said, one song here stands out, both in terms of genre and also in my reaction to it - though I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I appreciated Winifred's annual outing, this time round, too. Still, it was Rawhide that really won me over, with it's silly hyah whip sounds and the sheer gusto that Frankie throws at it. Between him and Winifred, I think we're set for sheer enthusiasm for - oh, shall we say a year? That sounds about right to me.

Favourite song of the bunch: Rawhide