#trumpe instrument

[therealmackenson10]

“Mr. Mack- Somebody”

To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.

[schultesupply]

Rain Suits, Boots, Gloves A Triad of Protection Against the Elements

Stay dry and comfortable in any weather with the essential trio of rain suits, boots, and gloves. These protective gear items are designed to shield you from heavy rain, mud, and cold, ensuring you remain safe and productive, whether at work or during outdoor activities. Discover the best materials, features, and tips for choosing high-quality rainwear that offers maximum protection against the elements, keeping you warm and dry in the toughest conditions.

[danko420]

im so sick and mad about everything going on and not being able to do anything about it i may actually have to start a punk/metal music project >:/

[xcziel]

i am not kidding BLESS those jeans

if someone is somehow reading my blog and sharing last night's critique of the baggy pants vs choreo precision issue i would just like to say you are doing the work of the gods thank you SO much

[gianttankeh]

A new Off Brand album on Giant Tank.

Naebody saw this coming, and certainly naebody asked for it, but Off Brand have recorded a double CD set's worth of improvisations for ACTUAL musical instruments. You can stream, listen, download & buy CDs here.

[robertreich]

Project 2025: The MAGA Plan to Take Your Freedom 

A second Trump term would be more dangerous than the first — in part because of something called Project 2025, a plan to extend Trump’s grip into every part of your life.

Trump’s gross incompetence in his first term wasn’t all bad. It kept some of his most extreme goals out of reach. That’s why his inner circle, including more than 20 officials from his first term, have written a step-by-step playbook to make a second term brutally efficient.

At nearly a thousand pages, it’s longer than most Stephen King novels, and a lot scarier. The Associated Press wasn’t kidding when they called it “a plan to dismantle the US government and replace it with Trump’s vision,”

Project 2025 is a road map to ban abortion, give greedy corporate oligarchs everything they want, and strip Americans of our most basic freedoms — all without needing any support from Congress.

There’s more to it than I can get into, but here are three things I want you to know.

#1 How would Project 2025 work?

Every nonpartisan government agency would be turned into an arm of the MAGA agenda.

Some of the worst things Trump reportedly tried to do as president — like having the military  shoot protesters or seize voting machines to overturn the election  — were only stopped because sensible leaders in the military or the professional civil service refused to go along with it.

In a second term, there would be no sensible leaders in the military or professional civil service because Trump would fire anyone more loyal to the Constitution than to him.

Trump started the process in October 2020 with an executive order that would have let him fire tens of thousands of civil servants and replace them with MAGA henchmen. I’m talking about traditionally non-political positions, like scientists at scientific agencies and accountants at the IRS.

Trump could not act on the executive order then because he lost the election. If he wins now, he’s pledged to pick up where he left off and go further…

TRUMP: …making every executive branch employee fireable by the President of the United States.

#2 Project 2025 is about controlling Americans’ lives & bodies

Restricting abortion is such a big part of Project 2025 that the word “abortion” appears 198 times in the plan.

Trump largely made good on his campaign promise to ban abortion.

Thanks to Trump’s Supreme Court justices, 1 in 3 American women of childbearing age live in states with abortion bans. Project 2025 would make that even worse, without needing new laws from Congress.

Page 458 of the playbook calls for a MAGA-controlled FDA to reject medical science and reverse approval of the medications used in 63% of all abortions, effectively banning them.

Page 455 plans “abortion surveillance” and the creation of a registry that could put people who cross state lines to get an abortion at risk of prosecution.

Another way around Congress is to enforce arcane laws that are still technically on the books. Page 562 plans for a MAGA-controlled Justice Department to enforce the Comstock Act of 1873, which bans the mailing of “anything designed, adapted, or intended for producing abortion.” This could be used to block the shipment of any medications or medical instruments needed for abortions.

But Project 2025’s control of American families goes even further. It plans for government agencies to define life as beginning at conception — a position at odds with the process used for in vitro fertilization.

Page 451 declares that “Families comprised of a married mother, father, and their children are the foundation of a well-ordered nation and healthy society,” thereby stigmatizing single parents, same-sex couples, unmarried coparents, and childless couples.

Project 2025 even takes a stand against adoption, declaring on p. 489 that “all children have a right to be raised by the men and women who conceived them.”

#3 Project 2025 would turn America into a police state.

Maybe you live in a blue city or state, where you think plans like arresting teachers and librarians over banned books (which is on p. 5) could never happen. Well, guess again.

Trump has said one of the big things he’d do differently in a second term is override mayors and governors to take over local law enforcement.

Page 553 lays out how to do this, and even plans for Trump’s Justice Department to prosecute district attorneys he disagrees with.

Immigration enforcement is to be conducted like a war, with the military deployed within the U.S., and millions of undocumented immigrants rounded up and placed into newly constructed holding camps. This is outlined starting on p. 139.

Members of the Project 2025 team also reportedly told the Washington Post about plans to invoke the Insurrection Act to deploy the military against anti-Trump protests.

There is much more to Project 2025. There are more than a hundred pages of anti-environmental policies that would help Trump make good on what he reportedly promised to do for oil executives if they contribute a billion dollars to his reelection. It would make drilling and mining a top national priority while killing clean energy projects, barring the EPA from regulating carbon emissions, and replacing all government climate scientists with climate deniers.

There are even cartoonishly cruel plans like slaughtering wild horses. Yes, that’s really in there on p. 528.

I thought I understood the stakes of this election, but reading this plan… Well, it gave me chills. If Trump gets the chance to put this plan into place, he will. The country it would turn America into would be hard for any of us to recognize.

[sirfrogsworth]

To clarify, Biden sent a bill to Congress asking for 14 billion that 100% of Republicans voted for after stripping out all humanitarian aid.

Biden alone seems to be responsible in this narrative. But he is not. The direct instrument of this massacre is a corrupt far right government. And people want to risk giving power to an even more corrupt far right government with a much more powerful military?

How does that make sense?

All I'm asking is for people to think, "Then what?"

If your plan stops at, "I'm not voting for Biden." That is a bad plan.

How does that stop genocide?

What does not voting for Biden do to help Palestine?

If Trump is elected, what damage will he do?

These are basic questions and I don't think asking them means all of the death is meaningless to me. My very intention is to reduce harm and suffering and even more death.

Also, if you die, you can't stop anything. Dying is also a bad plan. I don't want to die. Please don't sacrifice yourself over voting.

Maybe there are alternatives we haven't thought of. We do have a year before the election. There have to be ways to influence this as a collective to help save lives that do not involve handing power to fascists or just... dying.

[ricky-yaps]

HELP ME GET MY SHIT TOGETHER ⭐️

a completely unoriginal notes game

MAX OF 3 NOTES PER PERSON PLEASE!

LIKE/RB INCREMENTS

EVERY 1 LIKE = 5 mins cleaning my depression room

EVERY 1 REBLOG = 10 mins touching grass

EVERY 5 LIKES = 1 glass of water

EVERY 5 REBLOGS = 30mins practicing art

EVERY 10 LIKES = 30 minutes writing

EVERY 10 REBLOGS = 30 mins practicing an instrument

MILESTONES

10 NOTES = Write a proper bio for this blog

25 NOTES = Go through my closet and donate what I don’t wear anymore

50 NOTES = Start presenting masc more

75 NOTES = Start keeping a daily-ish journal

100 NOTES = Start exercising every other day

200 NOTES = Learn how to draw from reference, start making fanart, and post it here

300 NOTES = Do a better job at brushing teeth

400 NOTES = Get some kind of job, even if it’s just tutoring

450 NOTES = Have a normal sleep schedule on weekdays (9:30PM-5AM)

500 NOTES = Start taking full-body showers every day

600 NOTES = Come out as queer and trans to my uncle

650 NOTES = Get really good at Fortnite (I don’t know man it matters to me)

700 NOTES = Start meal-prepping

750 NOTES = Start skateboarding more (learn to ollie)

800 NOTES = Start writing short stories again and post them to @fishbowlscrawls

900 NOTES = Start producing music again

1K NOTES = Start submitting poems to anthologies again

1.1K NOTES = Finish learning French and then start on Italian

1.25K NOTES = Come out to healthcare providers if Trump isn’t in office (otherwise just ask to start Nexplanon)

1.5K NOTES = Be social for once (actually try to make friends instead of waiting for someone to yap)

1.7K NOTES = Ask them to hoco (if there is anybody I don’t know yet)

1.75K NOTES = Start applying for college scholarships

1.9K NOTES = Start making plans to travel abroad in college

2K NOTES = Start actually studying and going to tutors and taking notes

2.25K NOTES = Limit recreational screentime (2hrs on weekdays, 4hrs on weekends)

2.5K NOTES = Stop smoking weed/drinking on weeknights

2.75K NOTES = Start properly budgeting

3K NOTES = Come out to my paternal grandparents

3.75K NOTES = Release an EP in summer of 2025

4K NOTES = Fix my wackass handwriting

COLOR LEGEND FOR GOALS

BLUE/PURPLE = hasn’t been reached

ORANGE/RED = reached; not completed

GREEN/PINK = completed!

CURRENT INCREMENT STATS:

MINS CLEANING ROOM = 240/???

(Room-cleaning put on hold because I’m moving; will replace with another goal when I move!)

MINS OUTSIDE = 960/1240

CUPS OF WATER DRANK = 32/32

MINS DRAWING = 720/720

MINS WRITING = 220/480

MINS PLAYING INSTRUMENT = 420/360

[timbit-robin-art]

I saw your Mio doodle and now I wonder about a Light Music Club X-Men Edition.. Scott can be on drums he'd be so good at keeping time... whatever Ororo is on (because she'd slay at every instrument) she has to ALSO be on vocals because I believe that's just canon..

maybe Logan can be their roadie

Ah, K-On. My one weakness. I went a little overboard when picturing this, so whoops.

I imagine this being in a universe where there’s still mutants, but Xavier isn’t making them use their powers to fight. Instead, the institute is for learning how to control their powers/providing refuge for mutants who have nowhere else to go, and they go to a mutant/normal human mixed private school for normal education.

Here’s some of my ideas for the club members so far:

Ororo is the bass player and lead vocalist. She’s been inspired to be in a band ever since she lived on the streets as a little kid, where she saw a bass player performing live. Freshmen year of high school, she hears someone absolutely going ham on the drums, and finds Scott playing on his own. It took a while, but she finally convinced Scott to join her. She’s the heart and soul of the group, and main character along with Scott. I don’t see her living at the institute, though Xavier keeps the offer open. Instead, she may live with a 19/20 year old Gambit, who’s living off of the Guild’s money and trying to lay low.

Scott is the drum player. After Xavier picked him off of the streets, he got a bit lost in the mansion and discovered a drum set in the music room (I imagine it used to belong to Erik/Magnus). Xavier sees that the boy has natural rhythm, and decides to find him a teacher. Scott forms a middle school band with the O5, but they had a falling out, causing everyone to go their separate ways. However, Scott is still very passionate about the drums, which is why he eventually joins Ororo. He may be more pessimistic, but his passion for the drums is more than enough to keep him going.

Kurt is the pianist. He’s a transfer student from Germany and has always wanted to be a part of a band like Ororo. It was him that suggested the idea of forming an actual club, and he’s the big idealist/optimist of the group. I can see him not knowing too much on how to play piano, minus the basics he learned from his mother (she taught him how to play despite his three fingers), so when he moves into the institute, Xavier teaches him how to play better. Even though there are some people at school who treat him just as bad as the mobs from his home, he’s still willing to get out there and play with the group.

Hank is the guitarist. He used to be a part of the same group as Scott, but after everyone split a part, he stopped playing entirely. I can see him being intrigued by the talk of a “light music club,” but after seeing Scott was there, he wants nothing to do with it. Eventually, he joins a practice session after Ororo gets through to him, and he realizes just how much he misses playing. Scott and him have the friends-turned-hostile-turned-back-into-friends relationship. Unlike the other three O5 members, his love for music trumps any hostile feelings after the falling out, and he’s willing to give it another go.

Ah, but you can’t have a club without a faculty member as your sponsor;

Mr. Logan was the only available candidate for this. After a lot of begging (and promises that they’d wash his motorcycle every weekend), they eventually get him on board. He pretends to hate it, but it slowly becomes obvious that he has a soft spot for the group. He sees the passion they all have, and it reminds him of when he was younger (hmm… what if Logan was the bass player Ororo saw when she was younger…).

Of course, if we follow K-On, we must have a 5th member that joins later on. I have no idea who that could be. I think there’s a lot of fun ideas depending on who.

[carryonafi]

my quiet blue tomb of you.

ashton irwin x reader; SMUT!! 🔞

a/n: okay now i’m getting WAY to confident with the smut but i just had this idea i needed to get out. most of these things were inspired by convos ive had with my friends and they were amazing with giving me ideas for this fic!! enjoy some hot drummer boy sex

cw: choking kink, hair pulling, recording sexual acts, a tiny tiny bit kinky ;)

words: 3k

ˏˋ°•*⁀➷

Your phone was set on the closest surface possible, already filming as you shuffled around the kit and settled onto the small stance of the stool. Ashton was beaming with you sitting between his legs, like he couldn’t have been in a better position and you just about trumped every single thing he’s ever achieved with this instrument. His head ducked to your shoulder, the rogue flyaways of his curls tickling your skin which sent the reaction of goosebumps all over your body.

“Cameras rolling, babe.” You warned playfully, only getting a soft hum in response as Ashton pulled away and reached for the pair of wooden sticks resting on the snare to your left. The video would be edited on your part anyway, you loved those fans to death, but you couldn’t give them too much attention.

The sensation of your boyfriend's body wrapped around yours was so, so desiring. Body heat radiated from him through your thin top and his bare torso, arms shadowing yours as he bared the sticks in your hands. The palms of his hands were rough, but they were able to give you the most gentle touch you’d ever felt. Fuck, it made you dizzy. His hair brushed against your cheek as he peered over your shoulder to help you.

“Play by yourself a bit.” He encouraged, making you giggle at the lack of context behind the words he was saying. Ashton only missed it by a beat, but his laughter followed yours soon after. “You know what I mean.” His fingertips brushed against your right side, sending another shiver down your spine.

Hesitantly, you looked around the kit and decided to bring the drumstick down onto the floor tom on your right side. Just once or twice.

“No need to be so ginger with it.” Ashton shook his head, once again wrapping his hands over yours to direct them. He adjusted your position a bit and you could feel the slow rise and fall of his chest, the soft beat of his heart and it just about made you sleepy. They say that when you’re with someone you love that these… endorphins release that make you all sleepy and warm, that was exactly how you were feeling. You barely registered Ashton’s voice. “Wanna play anything specific?”

“Teach me…” You paused, letting your head drop back against his shoulder to get the best look at him you could. “Jet Black Heart.” Confidence. That was very much what you wanted. He gave you a soft smile before blessing your temple with a peck of his lips, letting the kiss linger for a moment before you sat back up and let him guide your movement.

“Push your foot down on the pedal for me.” Ashton ordered in such a soft manner that it didn’t even sound like a direction, a suggestion that you were obligated to take from your trance. You did just that, bringing your foot down, but it barely made a sound. “With force, (Y/N). You can’t be gentle.” He corrected, making you sigh and ponder. These drums were meant to be beaten, meant to be abused into beautiful symphonies that you could only create with melodic and rough raps. You stomped down a bit harder, the boom was halted because of the soundproof walls of the basement — but it made a sound.

“Ohh!” You hummed in amusement, tapping the pedal a couple more times and smiling at the sounds it made.

“See? Sounds better, doesn't it?” Ashton rubbed your sides as you nodded, tilting your head slightly to get a look at him… and snuck a sweet kiss to his cheek.

“Mmhm.” You made a sound like an affirmative, waiting for his next direction that could make your heart flutter, and it did. He whispered to cross your arms, slowly guiding your hands while he told you when to push on the pedal. Almost everything you did was under his control, his heartbeat accompanied with yours and the sound of the drums ricocheting in your ears. The wooden sticks felt like they could slip out of your hands at any moment, you were so weak from his touch but so amazed at how easily he made this all seem. When he finished showing you the beginning, he played it all in one and turned to look towards the camera. A 2 minute video, that would be enough for them, right? Once again, you marveled in amazement at how the drums sounded.

“You’re a professional now, you should take my place.” Ashton let go of your hands, giving you the freedom to beat around on the drums a bit longer. No particular pattern in mind, only tapping away on the hi-hat to achieve that hissing sound that you always loved. However, you frowned when it didn’t work out the way you intended. Not the right part.

“Maybe not so much.” You turned back to Ashton again, staring straight into those dilated pupils and blown out hazel irises. Pure love. Pure love was all you could see and you knew you were mirroring that right back to him. His arm snuck around your waist, smiling sweetly as he hovered over your lips for a moment. Now this was what you were looking for, your hands had a mind of their own as you set down the drumsticks and cupped both of his cheeks. Your lips met soon, the pads of your thumbs smoothing over his cheekbones and index fingers tracing the rough of his sideburns. He hummed against your closed mouth, and you melted. Melted into lovely mush because of your adoration for this man, how easy it was for him to be the way that he was and charm with no effort at all. The noise just made you wanton, that kiss turned into lips parting and sliding against each other as the enticing sound of you pulling away made you dizzy each time. Your heart started to pound, arousal started to pool as you felt Ashton’s grip on your waist become tighter.

“Ash.” You sighed dreamily, hands sliding back to the rogue curls which rested on the nape of his neck right above that beloved tattoo. “The camera.” The tone you spoke in was slow, it almost sounded far away because you were so enthralled by the beginning of this make-out session.

“You’re gonna cut it, aren’t you?” Ashton asked quite rhetorically as he continued his journey along the point of your jawline, gasping as he bared his teeth against the sensitive skin of your pulse point. “Keep it on, save a little bit for yourself. Don’t have t’show anyone.” His words were muffled against your flesh, each syllable like a slow puff of loving smoke against you and further shaking your need.

“Mm.. ‘kay.” You huffed in defeat, shuddering as you felt him smile to your throat. The position you were in was quite uncomfortable, still twisting your body to meet his. Ashton took notice of this quickly, tapping your thigh and motioning for you to sit up so you could get more comfortable. Every little thing came so easy to him, it was beyond you. Within seconds, you were perched atop his lap with your feet placed firmly on the ground with the height of the drum stool.

“Fuckin’ perfect, you are.” Ashton’s hands wandered your body, calloused fingertips gliding along your hips and stomach as your top had ridden up slightly. Just enough to make him hungry. The instant change in his attitude made you stir, the sweetness from earlier had shifted into possession and you could see it in his eyes. Large pupils dark with lust and need, despite every act he put on he could never hide that desperation for you. This realization made you giggle, bumping your nose with his as you leaned in for another kiss.

“Mh. Love you.” You spoke like a secret, kissing him once in expectation for him to repeat it.

“Love you more. So much more, my girl.” Suddenly your heart soared again, the fuzzy feeling in your chest made you bold enough to drag your nails down his chest as your lips met for the hundredth time within the last 5 minutes. It was so soft, but so needy, so slow. You never understood the term “love drunk” until you shared everything with Ashton, he could never fail to make your heart flutter like he was kissing you for the first time again. Like he was touching you for the first time again, sharing hushed whispers of your three favorite words for the first time again, it was so magical. You were convinced that this would never go away, the honeymoon phase would last your entire relationship and that was the way it should be.

Now, you were growing much more impatient. Your hips began to slowly rock into Ashton’s and the friction had him sighing gratefully, giving you the perfect opportunity to slide your tongue over his bottom lip with a need to push this further.

“Greedy.” He laughed as your hips collided again, his voice cut off in a groan.

“Only for you.” You replied, grinning victoriously as he returned the favor and gripped your hips, dragging you down against him. A gasp passed your lips, the smile never faltering as the sultry tone dripped from your sounds. “Want it so bad.”

“Yeah?” The implications made you weak, nodding desperately. “I’ll give you what you want.” Ashton leaned in to continue what he was doing before, placing those kisses to your throat which felt harsh but so loving. Marks would be left behind, but ones that would only fade within a short amount of time. He would always give in, you were too good to pass up and he only played those games when he really wanted to.

His fingertips came into contact with your skin again, feeling over the dips of your sides and waist, cherishing you like this was the last chance he’d get to ever touch you. Momentarily, everything around you went quiet. No background noise, no fabric shuffling, just the soft kisses and sounds of Ashton’s lips traveling every inch your neck. You could hear the pounding of your own heart in your ears, tangling your fingers in his thick, fluffy curls as you sighed and breathed, every sound heavy with arousal. His hands inching towards the soft elastic of your pajamas, touch sending goosebumps rippling throughout your body. It was so much, but never too much. Never enough.

“Help me out, here.” Ashton murmured against your skin, muffled by your body. You obliged immediately, without hesitation as you knew exactly what he was asking. You shuffled around, lifting your hips so he could push off the material and expose you to those eyes. Those dark eyes, completely overtaken with lust. “Mm. I figured.” He hummed, seeing you completely bare underneath. You let out another soft laugh, music to his ears just like the music he created.

“You should know me by now.” Your voice came in an awful suggestive tone, the fabric of his pants now pressed to your bare core. “I like easy access.”

“Do you, now?” Ashton whispered, pressing wet kisses on your breasts as you kneaded your hands in his hair. “I suppose I trained you well.” He hummed into your curves, making you gasp as he gripped your thighs to move you closer and instead creating friction which felt much more intense due to there being a layer of clothing lost.

“I want you so bad, please — I know you want me too.” You breathed, shuddering as your hips met again which finally elicited a groan from Ashton.

“Why have you got to be so damn irresistible?” He cursed, sucking in a breath as your hands went to his sweats to do the same thing he had done to you. You both were eager, too eager to put in the effort and take them off all the way. Ashton was lifting your hips within seconds of you watching his cock spring free of the confines, your breath getting caught in your throat as if this was your first time. From the most innocent scenarios to times like this, there wasn’t a moment where you didn’t feel anxious butterflies or that familiar swirling in your head.

His fingertips dug into your flesh, creating that tightening sensation in your chest as he whispered soft praise against your neck. The way he eased you down, rubbing your hips yet roughly gripping your thighs and feeling his frame tremble beneath your own as you took his length told you that this sweetness wasn’t going to last long. The only thing you could do was let your hands go right back up to his hair, disheveled in the most gorgeous way ever imaginable. You breathed out a satisfied sigh, listening as Ashton echoed you and added more loving encouragement.

“Feel so good, baby. Look at me, come on, dear… wanna see those beautiful eyes.” The comment made you blush, but regardless of his command your head tilted back as you closed your eyes. The pleasure was all too much and you had barely done anything, this position was something different. Your internal guess of how long this loving act was going to go on for had been proven right, feeling the loss of his hand on your thigh as he instead gripped your throat. You gasped, a strangled whine tearing past your closed off throat.

“I told you to fucking look at me.” Ashton’s voice was husky and hot between you, the tone sending a shiver down your spine. Your own hand went to grab at his wrist, and it was then you noticed how tight his hold was on you. It made you dizzy, dizzy with arousal and dizzy from the fact that he was somehow safely blocking your windpipes enough to make you obey without question. Your eyes were locked onto his as you rolled your hips, watching Ashton’s eyelids flutter and his kiss-swollen lips part to let out a moan of his own.

“Fuck..” You said softly, eyes widening as both of his hands got tighter on you.

“Watch that mouth.” He said simply, and you knew right then and there to let him take over. Your body submitted completely, simply taking in the feeling of his hips lifting from the drum stool with ease and your own weight on top of him. You no longer needed to have a brain, you could let Ashton fuck you mindless and you knew he’d be satisfied.

Between the soft grunts and growls that he made and your own restrained moans, there were the sounds of skin and friction. It felt like heaven as he lost all self control, relentlessly fucking up into you with a hand on your throat to keep your gaze on his muted green irises. However, you could see that this position was getting pretty hard to keep up with. The line of frustration between his eyebrows and the sweat collecting in those curls that hung over his forehead, you tried to get his attention.

“Switch — bend me over.” You gasped, hoping your babbling made enough sense to him. It did, watching his strong chest rise and fall with each labored breath he took as he let go of your throat. You gratefully took in a deep breath, not getting to enjoy it much before Ashton firmly patted your thigh.

“Up.” He said without any elaboration needed, pushing yourself off of him with a quiet sound before standing up. He followed in your actions quickly, towering over you, bodies almost touching… you weren’t kept waiting any longer. Ashton’s arm wrapped around you, roughly fastening his grip on your waist as he spun you around and forced you down. This was not very steady, not at all. Your hands were placed on the high toms of his drum kit, which were not at all attached to anything stable. Not that you had to completely rely on it, since Ashton’s arm was all the way around you keeping you close.

“I’ve got you, I got you.” His other hand traced your spine, leaving goosebumps in his wake just as he braced himself and passed easily through your folds. Another desperate sound escaped you, trying to not put too much pressure on your hands and potentially knock something over. Ashton quickly built up his pace again, his hand slowly making its way up your back again before taking your hair with one sharp tug. This had you crying out his name, fingertips grazing against the material.

“Gonna cum. All over your fuckin’ back.” He rasped, thrusts becoming sloppy and uncoordinated. “Wanna see you covered. All mine.” Ashton rambled possessively, making your thighs shake with need to finally be brought over the edge.

“Please? Please — I…” Your words were cut off with a silent moan, closing your eyes to watch those shapes drift across your vision. You tightened around him, you could feel it because of the way Ashton had tried to speed up and keep his pace regulated. The orgasm that washed over you made him fail to keep composure, quickly pulling out of you and doing just as he had promised. Your ass and lower back painted in his cum, one beautiful sight Ashton couldn’t tear his eyes away from. You both panted and slowly collected your consciousness, unable to hold yourself on these drums much longer. Ashton felt your struggle, guiding you into a standing position with your back against his torso. Both of his arms snaked around you comfortably, warm, large hands on either side of you to remind you just where you were.

“That’s gonna be fun to watch.” He mumbled against your neck, pressing those open mouthed kisses to the hickeys he had left with pride and affectionately roughing up your skin with the stubble adorning his cheek. Once your eyes opened again, you looked over at your phone still set up on the desk nearby.

“Mm, I dunno. That whole “bending me over the drum kit” thing didn’t work as well as I thought it would.” You mused, leaning your head to the left to feel his sweaty hair against your skin. However, you didn’t regret one bit of that.

“I made it work, though. Didn’t I?” Ashton nuzzled your neck, making you laugh breathlessly as he tickled your skin. “You’ve got some weird fantasies.” He added.

“And you have only just scratched the surface.”

——

(some more cutie pics of ash to imagine for this one🤗)

[therealmackenson10]

“Mr. Mack- Somebody”

To be nobody-but-yourself — in a world which is doing its best, night and day, to make you everybody else — means to fight the hardest battle which any human being can fight; and never stop fighting.

[schultesupply]

The Ultimate Guide to Steel Blade Shovels Dutch Master for Maximum Efficiency

Steel blade shovels are one of the most versatile and essential tools for construction workers, landscapers, and homeowners alike. Whether you are digging trenches, clearing ditches, or moving large amounts of dirt, a reliable shovel is crucial to the success of any project. Among the various types of steel blade shovels, the Dutch master stands out as an innovative and efficient tool designed for specialized tasks such as ditch digging and excavation.In this comprehensive guide, we will explore the unique features of steel blade shovels, focusing particularly on the Ditchmaster, and how these tools can enhance your productivity and precision on the job.

[unforth]

We are one Iowa caucus into the absolute shitshow that is going to be the US 2024 elections, and I'm already sick of seeing takes downplaying the risk that Trump and his fascist followers represent.

Look. Around 1900, my mother's grandparents immigrated to the Lower East Side of New York City. They brought with them children born in Europe (Poland? Ukraine? which country they were in depends on what year we're talking about) - we're not 100% sure they were THEIR children, even, but there were three, and they were young, and they came. But my great-grandparents had siblings, parents, cousins, uncles, aunts, huge families. And while my understanding is that an attempt was made to convince those folks to move to the US, none of them ultimately opted to.

They all kept in touch as they were able, exchanging letters and pictures, but through World War 1, through the 20s, through the Great Depression, through the worsening situation in Europe in the 1930s, my entire extended family who chose not to immigrate...continued to stay.

I think we all know how this story ends.

I have an entire family photo album of people whose names I will never know, because after every single one of them died in the Holocaust, my great-grandparents and grandparents couldn't bear to even label them. And they were PEOPLE, poor, vibrant, eager to maintain connections with their loved ones abroad. One was a Klezmer musician, and we have photos of him with all the different instruments he played. They're so real on the page, and they all ended in ashes.

And you know how that started? Fascism started with every inch allowed, with every well-intentioned moderate who tried to maintain a middle position even as the whole ground shifted right beneath their feet and even "middle" became extreme, every "no that change isn't coming fast enough, I want instant full improvement NOW" liberal who felt that doing nothing was better than accepting a slower improvement in the (truly awful!) post-World War 1 living situation in Germany.

Most of the members of my extended family also downplayed the risks. They never imagined that the worst could happen to them. They never fathomed how bad things could become.

And now I have their example always before me to know and to scream:

I KNOW HOW BAD THINGS CAN BECOME. I KNOW WHAT HAPPENED TO MY FAMILY THEN.

I WILL NOT LET THAT HAPPEN TO MY FAMILY NOW.

People look at me like I'm crazy when I say I've got our passports ready (and have had since before the 2020 election).

Look. I don't know what will happen if Trump is elected, but there's a very real possibility he will, and he's been extremely clear about saying what he'll do. He did a lot of the things he said he'd do last time. I expect he'll continue to do the things he says he'll do. And the things he say he'll do will lead to the deaths of more people than we can imagine - in the US, in Palestine, throughout the world.

Don't tell me there's a middle ground here. Don't tell me I'm over-reacting. Don't tell me the worst won't happen. Don't tell me the risk is mild. Don't tell me we're safe.

We. Are. Not. Safe.

The lives of dozens, hundreds, of members of family were lost in the 1940s amid the horrifying statistic "6,000,000 dead Jews."

I will not let my life (as a Jew), my wife's life (as a disabled woman), my son's life (as a biracial boy), my daughter's life (as a biracial trans girl), be part of the statistics that come from our a second Trump presidency.

If you won't vote like YOUR life depends on it, vote like someone ELSE'S life depends on it, because IT DOES.

And if you can't even do that much, at least shut the fuck up and stop spreading your poison around. You're wrong. The danger is real. Downplaying it now won't make your conscience feel any clearer when it actually happens, and comforting everyone else downplaying it will just make you that much more complicit.

[mariacallous]

The nomination of Vice President Kamala Harris as the Democratic presidential candidate has shaken up the race in ways that have yet to fully play out. However, given the fact that she could become the first woman U.S. president, it is surely worthwhile to consider the role of the women’s vote in November’s election.

One need only look back to the 2022 midterm election, where the women’s vote was arguably instrumental in rebuffing a predicted “red wave,” leading Democrats to exceed electoral expectations. That election occurred less than five months after the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, allowing states to greatly restrict access to abortion. This led to a greater-than-expected Democratic vote among women, especially young women, for House of Representatives and other state candidates.

Now, just weeks after most polls had President Joe Biden trailing his Republican rival Donald Trump, the emergence of Vice President Harris as the Democratic candidate has already injected enthusiasm among many Democrats, especially women. As my Brookings colleague Elaine Kamarck has argued, women’s health, abortion, and reproductive freedom—issues Harris has championed—will once again be leading issues for this election. Harris has also voiced support for issues important to women including paid parental leave, child care, and the economy, as well as other policies that have the support of many younger and minority women. Indeed, the broader support of women’s groups for Harris’s candidacy has already been evident in funding and outreach.

With Harris’s nomination, will new enthusiasm and a voting surge among women be enough to power her to victory in November? To address this question, this analysis first reviews the role of women’s votes in recent presidential elections and which women’s demographic groups were most favorable to Democratic candidates. It next shows how gender differences in voter turnout have provided women with a numerical electoral advantage over men. The analysis proceeds to look at changes in the demographic make-up of women voters, from 2012 through the present, showing the rise of Democratic-favorable groups within their ranks. It concludes with a voter simulation of 2024 election results showing what recent polls imply, if we assume that the new enthusiasm for Harris translates into higher voter turnout and increased Democratic support among women, both dynamics that could help increase her chances for victory in November.

Women have a history of backing Democratic candidates in presidential elections

Examining gender differences in presidential voting preferences shows that women have voted for Democrats over Republicans in every presidential election since 1984.1

This is evident for recent elections, as seen in Figure 1, which shows the D-R (Democratic minus Republican) vote margins by gender for presidential elections between 2000 and 2020. In each case, the D-R margins are positive for women and generally (though not always) negative for men, and women voted more strongly Democratic than men, regardless of whether a Democrat or Republican ultimately won the presidency.

Election year 2020 showed sharp gender disparities for the seven battleground states, displayed in Figure 2. In each of these states, only one of which (North Carolina) Trump carried, women registered positive D-R margins compared with negative margins for men. The widest gender disparities were in the three “blue wall” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, as well the southern state of Georgia.

Gender differences also pervaded demographic groups in the 2020 presidential election (see figure 3), as was the case in earlier elections. D-R margins are higher for women than for men in groups where women voted strongly Democratic: Black voters, Hispanic voters, and voters aged 18 to 29. Even for non-college white women voters—who favored Republicans—the negative D-R margins are not as large as those of men. Only among Asian American voters were men’s D-R margins higher than women’s.

Women’s turnout rates are higher

Perhaps even more important than partisan preferences, turnout rates—the share of eligible voters who vote—will help dictate women’s influence in the coming election. Turnout rates for women have exceeded those for men in presidential elections dating back to 1980. Figure 4 depicts gender differences in turnout for presidential elections since 2000. The 2020 election showed the highest overall turnout rates in decades. Because of their higher turnout rates, and the fact that women live longer than men, the 2020 election had 9.7 million more female than male voters.

Largely because of their higher turnout rates, women comprised more than half of all voters (53%) in 2020. Yet their shares vary across demographic groups (see Figure 5).  Women comprised 58% of all Black voters, 55% of Asian voters and 54% of Hispanic voters. Fifty-four percent (54%) of voters aged 65 and older were also women. And among white non-college graduate voters, a group that tends to vote Republican, women still comprised a majority (52%).

The female electorate is becoming more diverse and highly educated

As the size of the female electorate increases, its demographic makeup is changing. Figure 6 shows the shifts in the profile of eligible women voters between 2012 and 2024 by race and education. Notably, there are gains in women’s groups that tend to vote Democratic—white college graduates and people of color—and a decline in the women’s group that tends to vote Republican—white non-college graduates. For the first time in a presidential election, the latter group will make up less than 40% of the women’s electorate.

The seven battleground states, shown in Figure 7, also display similar shifts in the demographic profiles of their female electorates. In each, there is a decline in the share of white non-college graduate women, and an increase in the share of women of color. This is occurring in the “whiter” states of Wisconsin, Pennsylvania, and Michigan, as well as the more diverse states of Arizona, Nevada, Georgia, and North Carolina. In Nevada, for example, the share of women who identify as white non-college graduates declined from 48% in 2012 to 35% in 2024, while at the same time the share of women who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian or other nonwhite races rose from 36% in 2012 to 47% in 2024. Thus, with respect to demographic attributes, the female electorates in each state have become more Democratic-leaning in their voter profiles.

Simulating the 2024 election after Harris announcement

Polls taken both before and after the shift from Biden to Harris as the likely Democratic nominee offer crude indications of what the 2024 election might hold. Three polls of likely voters conducted by the New York Times/Siena College on June 26, July 3, and July 25—after Biden bowed out of the race and endorsed Harris—reveal the changes that took place in men’s and women’s D-R voting margins (see Figure 8).

The D-R margins for women–at 14% for Harris vs. Trump on July 25, were especially high, though countered by a still-high negative D-R margin of 17% for men.

Still, the high women’s D-R margin favoring Harris greatly reduced the overall D-R margin compared with the earlier two Biden vs. Trump margins shown in Table 1. That is, in the two polls taken while Biden was still the assumed Democratic nominee, the negative D-R margins of -4% and -6% (44%  Biden vs. 48% Trump on June 26; and 43% Biden vs. 49% Trump on July 3) strongly favored Trump. Yet, the July 25 poll for Harris vs. Trump reduced the D-R margin to just -0.6% (47.5 for Harris vs. 48.1 for Trump) when we applied this to a simulation model discussed below.

Of course, the July 25 poll was taken just after Biden withdrew and endorsed Harris as the likely Democratic nominee. Clearly, Harris’s campaign had not yet fully begun and the immediate support from many women’s groups suggests that both female turnout and voting preference could increase on Harris’s behalf in the weeks and months ahead. To estimate these likely effects, we conducted simulations of national D-R margins—a base simulation—and two additional simulations based on assumptions of greater women’s turnout and a stronger voter preference for Harris (see Table 1).

All three simulations begin with the 2024 national female and male eligible voter populations reported in the Census Bureau’s monthly Current Population Survey. The “base” simulation applies the 2020 election female and male voter turnout rates, presented above, and the Harris vs. Trump voter margins from the July 25 poll shown in Figure 8. The second simulation alters the base simulation by increasing women’s turnout rate by 10%, from 68.4% to 75.2%, larger than the 5.1% rise in female turnout which occurred between 2016 and 2020. The third simulation alters the second simulation by also increasing the female D-R voting margin by 5 percentage points.

The results in Table 1 show that while the base simulation yields a small Trump advantage, a 10% rise in women’s turnout would bring a small Harris advantage. Moreover, both increasing women’s turnout by 10% and the women’s D-R vote advantage by 5 percentage points would yield a clear Harris win (49.2% Harris vs. 46.3% Trump). These assumptions, reflecting a rise in women’s enthusiasm for Harris between now and Election Day, could put a popular vote win for her well within reach. It is also possible that the strong Trump voter preference for men, reported in the New York Times/Siena College poll, could shift as more male voters become familiar with her campaign.

The impact of an energized women’s voting base

The simulations conducted here make plain that rising women’s enthusiasm for Kamala Harris’s candidacy could lead to consequential shifts in the 2024 election through increases in voter turnout and voter preference. This is especially notable given the recent history of women’s support of Democratic candidates in national and congressional elections. Beyond looking at polls alone, simulations such as these show how taking into account the eligible voter base and rising voter turnout rates can affect election results.

These simulations should not be viewed as predictions; much will depend on how well Harris can continue to energize an already favorable female voter base. It also depends on her performance in crucial battleground states, which will determine how she fares in the Electoral College. What these simulations do show is how an enthusiastic voting bloc, when translated into voter turnout and voting preferences, could impact the final election result this coming November.

[sniperct]

The whole article is worth a read but I pulled some money quotes.

In the conference room, Gambashidze was laying out his plans for a new target: Along with his colleagues, he began drafting what would become known as the Good Old USA Project. The project was supposed to influence the outcome of the US presidential election in favor of former president Donald Trump, specifically targeting certain minorities, swing-state residents, and online gamers, among others, in a scheme that included a full-time team dedicated to the cause.

They also specifically wanted to erode support for Ukraine and Biden and targeted gamers as the back-bone of the right-wing movement.

As well as getting Trump elected, the campaign’s secondary goals included increasing the percentage of Americans who believe the US is doing too much to aid Ukraine to 51 percent, and reducing the percentage of Americans who have confidence in President Joe Biden down to 29 percent. The plan lists a variety of audiences the campaign specifically wants to target, including residents of swing states, American Jews, “US citizens of Hispanic descent,” and the “community of American gamers, users of Reddit and image boards, such as 4chan.” The document describes this category of gamers and chatroom users as the "backbone of the right-wing trends in the US segment of the Internet.” In recent months, the Trump campaign has embraced many of the most influential figures within these communities, including many who share deeply misogynistic rhetoric on a regular basis.

And of course, they targeted social media, making sleeper groups intended to sway the election.

Meanwhile, Gambashidze and his colleagues used Facebook, Twitter, and Reddit to create community groups of Trump supporters, with one sample name given as “Alabama for America the Great.” The document also reveals that the Russians planned to use Reddit as a vector to disseminate their propaganda as it is a platform “free from democratic censorship.” Gambashidze’s plan outlined how Doppelganger would create 18 “sleeper cells” on social media platforms in each of the swing states, which would “at the right moment, upon gaining momentum, become an important instrument of influencing the public opinion in critically important states and portals used by the Russian side to distribute bogus stories disguised as newsworthy events.” It’s unclear if these so-called sleeper cells were created and, if so, whether they are still present on the platform.

They also targeted and looked at influencers, including politicians.

One of the key aspects of the Kremlin’s campaign is also to engage with influencers. According to the FBI’s affidavit, Gambashidze’s company ​​“extensively monitors and collects information about a large number of media organizations and social media influencers.” According to the Good Old USA project document, the Kremlin was seeking to work with influencers who are “proponents of traditional values, who stand up for ending the war in Ukraine and peaceful relations between the US and Russia, and who are ready to get involved in the promotion of the project narratives.” Among the types of influencers listed as possible collaborators are actors, politicians, media representatives, activists, and clergymen.

[shego1142]

At this point and up until the elections are over and the results are announced

I think that we should just call a spade a spade.

Anyone and everyone who is neigh-saying Kamala?

They're a Trump supporter.

Anyone and everyone who is a centrist, a "let's see both sides of things right now" type of person?

Trump supporter.

Anyone calling for people to "vote third party" right now?

Trump supporters.

Anyone calling for people to "just not vote" ?

Those are Trump supporters.

Because there are two really hard to swallow facts you need to hear:

#1.) This is, without a doubt, going to be the most important and instrumental election in American history.

#2.) Like it or not, the American Political System is a two party race. It wasn't supposed to be, sure.

But for right now it is. There's no ifs and or buts about it. The system is set up so that a third party candidate cannot win.

Every single vote that isn't counted for Kamala is a vote for Trump.

I don't care how leftist, or how progressive you think you are, if you're not willing to vote for Kamala then you're a Trump supporter.

If you are not loudly rallying behind and supporting Kamala, who is very likely our one and only chance of hope and progress, then you should either be quiet about it or else you are a Trump supporter.

If you're not willing to be an active participant in our society with how it works right now, then sit down and shut up and don't complain about anything.

If you think that they’re both equally bad then you must be privileged enough to feel safe in Trump’s America.

It’s a privilege for you to even consider voting third party or to consider throwing your vote away and not using it. It’s entitlement.

You feel safe saying that they’re the same.

But for us poor people, us queer and trans people, us disabled people, and for people of colour, for Palestinians and Ukrainians, and so so many more people, Trump’s America would not be safe.

Kamala could be our only chance at preserving our democracy and if you're not supporting her just for the sake of your own selfish performative white knighting about your "morals" trying to make yourself look good?

Then the only person you're benefiting is Trump.

So you're a Trump supporter.

If being called that doesn't feel good to you then maybe analyse why that is.

If being called a Trump supporter makes you upset, stop doing things that support him.