#we should not be having to deal with the union and getting written up | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

neil-gaiman · 1 year

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Dear Mr. Gaiman,

I’ve been meaning to write to you for a bit and today - May 1st - is a prefect bit of timing.

I’d like to address 2 1/2 things if I may: You recently posted a conversation you had about losing a cat and how much the death of a pet hits you. My spouse and I have and have had a number of pets - best friends really - pass away. One of the ways we have come to deal with their moving on is to make up a story.

(To be honest, yet another story. Our friends live very full lives, indeed.) Our Tuxedo cat, Tybalt, is now playing bass in a Journey cover band that tours. I travel a lot for work and that allows “Tybalt” to send us postcards telling of his latest adventures. Since today is May Day and the expiration of the Writer’s contract I wanted to say bravo to you for posting about it and the subtles of the issues at hand. Most people looking at Hollywood will not give carful consideration to what is at hand.

Since you have the currency of a celebrity that is thoughtful and nuanced your voice carries over much of the rhetoric. I thank you for that. I should say at this point that I also work in film and television and have for most of the last 30 years. I am a grip and enjoy the craft of my job.

While the concerns of your Guild are valid and should be addressed i would like to point out that your voice and those of your colleagues are heard. All the national pages and news outlets are carrying the story. As they should. In 2021, IATSE (the union the covers all the below the line craft people in the United Staes and Canada with approximately a 150,000 members) was set to renew our contact that August. Our asks for that contract were minimal and most of us assumed the contract would be updated with little haggling. The producers balked. They, in fact, wanted to get rid of a number of long held points in our contract. This went on for four months. Something that never happed in my 30 years of work. I won’t go into all the details. I assume that you have a passing familiarity with the issues.

My point to all of this is that our voice was never heard. All the news outlets merely interviewed the producers and only gave their side of the story. And this happens every time the is a contract or safety issue (Think “Rust”. Reporters never interviewed other armors. The closest that came to a below the line voice was an essay written by a Prop Master - who happens to be Martin Scorsese’s daughter.)

Most producers have little idea of what it takes to make a show. But they are the only ones who are quoted. Overlapping during these 4 months was the John Deere strike (with just over 10,000 members). And good for them.

It should be noted that their coverage was far greater than ours.

There are 7 stories about the John Deere strike in the New York Times morgue. There are none for the IATSE contract negotiations. I can go on but I feel I should wrap this up. If you’ve read this far, I thank you.

I have an ask for you. The half of my 2 1/2 things to say. When the IATSE contract comes up for re-negotiation next year, would you please put a posting on your social media sites about it?

The same as you have done for your Guild? It would give us a voice we have not had before. Thank You, Spider Goat P.S. Also thank you for all the wonderful stories you've written. I do so love visiting the worlds you've created.

I was pushing IATSE on Social Media last time -- for example

and pushing things like the @ia_stories Instagram link -

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by IATSE Stories (@ia_stories)

instagram

I will do it again. And I was disappointed by the outcome of the negotiations last time, too.

#IATSE

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balladofhollisbrown · 2 months

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"The Need For Topical Music", written by Phil Ochs

Before the days of television and mass media, the folksinger was often a traveling newspaper spreading tales through music.

It is somewhat ironic that in this age of forced conformity and fear of controversy the folksinger may be assuming the same role. The newspapers have unfortunately told the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the cold war truth so help them, advertisers. If a reporter breaks the "code of the West” that used to be confined to Hoot Gibson movies, he’ll find himself out on the street with a story to tell and all the rivers of mass communication damned up.

The folksingers of today must face up to a great challenge in their music. Folk music is an idiom that deals with realities and not just realities of the past as some would assert. More than ever there is an urgent need for Americans to look deeply into themselves and their actions and musical poetry is perhaps the most effective mirror available.

I have run into some singers who say, “Sure, I agree with most topical songs, but they're just too strong to do in public. Besides, I don't want to label myself or alienate some of my audience into thinking I'm unpatriotic.”

Yet this same person will get on the stage and dedicate a song to Woody Guthrie or Pete Seeger as if in tribute to an ideal they are afraid to reach for. Those who would compromise or avoid the truth inherent in folk music are misleading themselves and their audiences. In a world so full of lies and corruption, can we allow our own national music to go the way of Madison Avenue?

There are definite grounds for criticism of topical music, however. Much of the music has been too bitter and too negative for many audiences to appreciate, but lately there has been a strong improvement in both quantity and quality, and the commercial success of songs like “If I Had a Hammer” have made many of the profit seekers forget their prejudices.

One good song with a message can bring a point more deeply to more people than a thousand rallies. A case in point is Pete Seeger's classic “Where Have All the Flowers Gone” which brought a message of peace to millions, including many of the younger generation who do not consider themselves involved in politics.

Folk music often arises out of vital movements and struggles. When the union movement was a growing, stirring and honest force in America, it produced a wealth of material to add to the nation's musical heritage. Today, there regrettably seem to be only two causes that will arouse an appreciable amount of people from their apathetic acceptance of the world; the Negro struggle for civil rights and the peace movement. To hear a thousand people singing "We Shall Overcome" without the benefit of Hollywood's bouncing ball is to hear a power and beauty in music that has no limits in its effect.

It never ceases to amaze me how the American people allow the hit parade to hit them over the head with a parade of song after meaningless song about love. If the powers that be absolutely insist that love should control the market, at least they should be more realistic and give divorce songs an equal chance.

Topical music is often a method of keeping alive a name or event that is worth remembering. For example many people have been vividly reminded of the depression days through Woody Guthrie’s dust bowl ballads. Sometimes the songs will differ in interpretation from the textbooks as with “Pretty Boy Floyd”.

Every newspaper headline is a potential song, and it is the role of an effective songwriter to pick out the material that has the interest, significance and sometimes humor adaptable to music.

A good writer must be able to picture the structure of a song and as hundreds of minute ideas race through his head, he must reject the superfluous and trite phrases for the cogent powerful terms. Then after the first draft is completed, the writer must be his severest critic, constantly searching for a better way to express every line in his song.

I think there is a coming revolution (pardon my French) in folk music as it becomes more and more popular in the U. S., and as the search for new songs becomes more intense. The news today is the natural resource that folk music must exploit in order to have the most vigorous folk process possible.

(Broadside #22, March 1963)

#phil ochs #topical music #protest music #folk music #transcribed by meee

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prismatic-bell · 1 year

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SO YOU WANT TO HELP THE RAILWAY WORKERS: A CHECKLIST

If you don't know what I'm talking about, here's a news article.

This is a shitty, shitty situation, and unfortunately we're in a position where all we can do is make it less shitty. BUT. WE HAVE THE POWER TO DO THAT.

Grab that phone and your unlimited data plan, because we're about to flood some phone lines, babes. Start by texting "Sign PZPAKG" to 50409 to sign the action letter written by Resistbot. Once you've done that, reblog this post (if I see more likes than reblogs on this post I'm gonna shit lead) because there are links in here and Tumblr search will eat it, and this will only work if we get a ton of eyeballs on it.

First, you'll want this link, which lists all 100 State Senators. (If you live in Massachussetts or Rhode Island, skip down to "Ready to do more?" Don't call your Senators yet.) Yes, I'm aware this webpage looks like it was made in 2006, I'm extremely sorry (your tax dollars at work), but you do what you gotta. You're going to start by looking up the Senators from your state. This site will direct you to their official webpages. Look for "locations," not "contact," because most of them use email contact forms as a first line of contact these days. You want phone numbers. You should find at least two--one in Washington, DC and one in your state's capitol. (Some may have more than one in-state. I know here in AZ Kelly and Sinema have both a Phoenix and Tucscon office, and Kelly also has one on the Navajo Nation.)

Pick one, it doesn't matter which. Call it. You may get either a staffer or a voicemail. (If it's voicemail, listen carefully to the prompts. If it says voicemail is full, go back and try the other phone number.) Staffers are pretty friendly, but can occasionally seem a little disconnected or brusque. If that's the case, it is not you--your call's probably been routed through a switchboard and they're experiencing lag. Don't worry about it, just say your bit.

HERE IS THE SCRIPT I USED THIS MORNING: "My name is [legal name] and I'm a constituent of Senator [name]'s from [my town]. I'm calling in support of the railway unions in light of this frankly extremely bad deal they're being asked to accept. If railway workers are so important to our economy that Congress can get involved, then they're important enough to deserve paid sick time. I'd like to encourage the Senator to vote NO on any bill that doesn't provide railway union workers with at least seven days of paid sick time."

Total time elapsed for me doing this: about five minutes.

OKAY. READY TO DO MORE? Some Senators have already signed an open letter saying they're in support of providing sick time to railway union members. Those Senators are Bernie Sanders from Vermont, Kirsten Gillibrand from New York, Tammy Baldwin from Wisconsin, Cory Booker from New Jersey, Sherrod Brown from Ohio, Ed Markey and Elizabeth Warren from Massachusetts, Jeff Merkley from Oregon, Alex Padilla from Callifornia, and Jack Reed and Sheldon Whitehouse from Rhode Island. Give them a call next. HERE'S THE SCRIPT I'VE BEEN USING: "My name is [legal name]. I'm actually an Arizona resident, but I wanted to thank Senator [name] for supporting sick time for railway union members. I was really disappointed to hear President Biden basically decided to get involved in union-busting and I'm glad to hear the Senator is on labor's side. Please encourage them to stay the course and get that sick leave pushed through." If you're from Massachusetts or Rhode Island, feel free to say something about how you're glad your state is standing up for labor when you're calling your own Senators on that list. You can say that to any Senator on this list if they happen to be yours, obviously, it's just definitely got even more of an impact if you're already a constituent.

OKAY. WANT TO KEEP GOING?

I've got one more assignment for you. This is the list of committee members for the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. There are ten of them and some of them overlap with phone calls you've already made, so you're almost done. If you look at the script below and then look at the committee members and go "you think Republicans give a shit about this?," I am begging you to at least call Lisa Murkowski and Mitt Romney. Yes, the majority of the Republican Party is a nuclear trashfire. Yes, they're Republicans. But if you said "Nina, you have to go to dinner with six Senate members and three of them have to be Republicans," my picks would be Murkowski, Romney, and Liz Cheney. We might actually be able to make a dent in Murkowski and Romney if we try hard enough, and yes, "try" is important here. Fuck Yoda and his do-or-do-not bullshit, if activists in this country only went for sure things we'd still have chattel slavery and no votes for women. YOU GOTTA GET UP AND TRY.

SO HERE'S YOUR SCRIPT FOR THE COMMITTEE MEMBERS.

"My name is [name]. I'm calling because Senator [name] is a member of the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. I'd like to encourage him/her as a Committee member to lead by example in this current situation with the railway unions, and vote NO on any bill that does not provide railway workers with at least seven days of paid sick leave. I'm sure Senator [name]'s position on this committee has given them plenty of examples to know a healthy and organized labor force is far better for our economy than a sick and demoralized one."

GO BLOW UP THE PHONE LINES LIKE YOU'RE GUY FAWKES UNDER PARLIAMENT. The railway workers have had our backs all through Covid. It's high time we had theirs.

#politics #direct action #grassroots #unions #this is what all those words mean by the way

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free-and-to-none-accountable · 2 years

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Posted on April 22, 2021 by IWW Junior Wobblies Union

This piece was written in 2012 by FW Sasha, a 12-year-old member of the Junior Wobblies, and was used during his presentation of the “IWW Preamble” during one of the daily political education activities at the 2012 Junior Wobblies camp. For more information about the Junior Wobblies or the camp, please [email protected].

Introduction

In 1905 a group of workers founded the IWW. These workers wrote the “Preamble to the IWW Constitution” to explain why the IWW was started. It was written in 1905, which is more than 100 years ago! So it might be a little hard to understand. Someone wrote the “Annotated Preamble of the IWW Constitution” more recently. This is a little bit easier to understand for grown-ups but it isn’t written for kids. I’m going to try to explain the “Preamble” in a way that kids can understand.

“The working class and the employing class have nothing in common.”

There are two types of people in the world: workers and bosses. The two different kinds of people want two different things. Workers want better pay, a shorter time working, better and safer jobs, work that keeps the earth clean and safe, and the power to decide what they do with their work. Bosses want to make sure they get more money no matter how little they pay their workers or how dangerous the work is for the workers or the planet.

“There can be no peace so long as hunger and want are found among millions of working people and the few, who make up the employing class, have all the good things in life.”

It isn’t fair and really just doesn’t make sense that very few, very rich people have everything they want when tons of working people don’t even have the basic things they need.

“We find that the centering of management of industries into fewer and fewer hands makes the trade unions unable to cope with the ever growing power of the employing class.”

There are other kinds of union that only organize one kind of job or trade – that’s why they are called trade unions. There are a lot of good working organizers in trade unions, but trade unions themselves won’t lead to a revolution. Trade unions only unionize part of the workers and sometimes they even work against each other.

“An injury to one is an injury to all.”

In the IWW everyone is equal. It doesn’t matter what color their skin is or whether they are a boy or a girl. The IWW is not connected to any country, government, religion or business. If one person needs help organizing, everyone will help. The IWW is one big union.

“It is the historic mission of the working class to do away with capitalism.”

Capitalism is the system in which bosses make money off workers. No one can be equal when capitalism is the way the world is run. The reason capitalism thrives is because the bosses have power. They have power because they live off the work of the workers. If all the workers stopped working, the bosses would have no power.

“The army of production must be organized, not for the everyday struggle with capitalists, but also carry on production when capitalism shall have been overthrown.”

People should organize not only to deal with the bosses now, but also to get rid of capitalism. We can figure out how things will work when capitalism has been stopped.

“By organizing industrially we are forming the structure of the new society within the shell of the old.”

How the IWW is organized is the way the world should be organized when capitalism is abolished. By organizing people now, we will have a base to organize from and we won’t’ have to start from scratch once capitalism has been stopped.

#iw

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lilacsmothership · 5 months

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In 1943, there was a piece published by a Polish economist called Michał Kalecki – it’s 7 pages long, there is no mathematics – in a journal called Political Quarterly. It’s called Political Aspects of Full Employment, and he asks the following question: If capitalism produces full employment as a public good for a sustained period of time, what happens to capitalism? One thing that happens is that the “right to manage” by managers becomes questioned because if labour can move costlessly from job to job, then they’re the ones that have the political power, particularly if the macroeconomic framework limits the ability of capital to move around and particularly if you have high social costs which are internalised by the workers themselves and redistributed. You will also generate inflation because if I can move costlessly from job to job because there is very full employment, very tight labour markets, then the only way businesses can pay is if they push up their prices – but I will then say I need more wages. He predicted the 1970s in 1943. His conclusion to this article is what will happen. He says they will find a political economist or two to declare that the situation is manifestly unsound, that books will be produced and reports will be written that say we need a change and that we need to bring back the market. That’s what happened.

Now, follow this one through for another 30 years for me. When you get to the 1970s, let’s think about what the world looks like. Labour share of national income across all OECD countries has never been higher. Capital share has never been lower. Profits were at an all-time low as a correspondence of this. Inflation was high. Political parties were strong, parliaments were strong, central banks were incredibly weak and capital was restricted in its movement. Now what happened for the next 30 years as we reversed all those things and we now live in a world not where we increase the demand for labour, not where we push up wages, not where we create inflation? We’ve created a globalised liberalised integrated world that produces structural deflation across the entire planet. We have chucked, collectively – depending on how you count it – up to 30 trillion dollars into the global money supply since 2009 – and there is no inflation, anywhere. That is an anti-Kalecki world. Basically, capital got organised in the 1970s and finally broke labour’s resistance to the ability to push down wages as a way of restoring the profit share, and they have done this on a global basis. Now, every regime undermines itself eventually. And what we’re seeing now, whether it’s in the form of Trump, whether it’s in the form of AfD, whether it’s in the form of the Front National, is a reaction to this one story – which social democrats have been implicated in heavily – that globalisation benefits everyone, in a world in which it produces manifest inequities and falling if not stangnant wages for the majority of the people that social democrats are supposed to represent.

/…/

So why are the Swedes to blame for this? Here’s the fun part of the story. In 1974, Sweden was the most developed welfare state that there was – this was the social democratic paradise – and capital was feeling the squeeze. So, they came up with a proposal in the trade unions called the wage earners’ fund. And the idea was, we should really just leave social democracy behind and just get to socialism because things are going well, so we are going to declare a certain amount of profits excess profits, and we are going to use trade union money from this excess profit tax to buy the ordinary shares of the capitalists, and eventually, the workers will own everything. We are not going to expropriate them, we are not going to line them up and shoot them, we are going to buy them out. And it’s not even a leveraged buy-out. And here’s the interesting thing: in cash transfer terms, this is an incredible deal, right? Because what you’ve just said to Swedish capital is, we will use your profits to buy your shares, but you get the full value of your shares when we buy you out. It’s a money multiplier. So as a transaction, it’s a brilliant deal – take the deal. But they didn’t take the deal, they fought back. They mobilised, they spend 200 million dollars back then in the 1970s and 1980s advertising, campaigning, mobilising against this. Why? Because you wind back at Kalecki’s point. What this regime does is fundamentally challenge the right of capitalists to be capitalists. You’re taking away their identity, the reason for their existence. It’s not a cash transaction anymore, it’s a fight for who you are and the type of world you want to see. So the Swedes pushed us to the edge. Capital fought back. It started in Sweden, it went to the United Kingdom, it went to the United States, and eventually it caught Europe. And when we opened up the European Monetary Union project, we opened up the world’s largest common free zone of movement for capital – it’s in Europe, not the United States – and the consequences were a giant credit bubble, massively overbanked banking systems, and then a financial crisis that we are still trying to recover from.

— Mark Blyth @ Europe Calling: A New Deal for Europe (a Friedrich Ebert Stiftung event with Mark Blyth, Euclid Tsakalotos, Udo Bullmann, David Schäfer and Viktória Nagy)

I actually read that Kalecki article a while ago and I think I posted a quote from it. He really did basically predict the 1970s in 1943, and it’s really striking that when he described capital’s reaction to a strong welfare state and full employment, he described in 1943 a process that is still happening today.

(via ghost-of-algren)

reposted via because the old quote formatting is fucked up on new tumblr

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dilemmaontwolegs · 2 years

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The Mark || nomad!Steve Rogers

Summary: Avengers timeline but with a soulmate twist. No one knew who their soulmate would be until after you slept with them. The matching mark on both of your hands would only appear after your bodies joined in union which left for a few strange outlooks on sex.

Warnings: 18+ only, nsfw, threat of rape implied, unprotected sex, oral.

A/N: another one written on my phone, I’ll edit it next week. I also said I wouldn’t write over the weekend but I had an idea and it won’t go so here we are.

The shadows of the alley seemed to swallow your screams before a gloved hand pressed tightly over your mouth. Your knee moved on reflex, just like your momma taught you, hitting the man square between his legs and sending him collapsing to the ground with a painful cry.

“You little bitch!” He hissed as you grabbed your handbag you had dropped and sprinted back to the street.

Oomph. The wind was knocked from your lungs as you crashed into what you assumed had to be a wall but found the wall had arms. A fresh wave of panic set in as they closed around you and your knee jolted up again.

“Ugh.” The man grunted low and bent at the waist but still he didn’t let go. “I’m trying to help.”

You looked up at his face, recognising his voice from the many videos you had seen of him over the years. “Oh my god, I’m so sorry Captain.”

His lips curled slightly but there was also a hint of a grimace that left you feeling guilty as he let go and stepped past you. “Just wait there, let me deal with this jerk. You like attacking beautiful women huh?”

The guy that had tried to drag you into the depths of the dark alley whimpered from where he lay in a puddle. His head was shaking as he tried to deny what he had done but he could hardly get the words out through the pain in his groin.

“I, I barely touched her.” He managed to stammer. “Bitch is lying.”

“I hope you have a lawyer.” Steve said as he heard sirens echoing along the street.

“And insurance.” You added, Steve’s head cocking in your direction as you stepped up behind the safety of his back. “You’re gonna need it for your testicle retrieval.”

Steve tried to cover his laugh with a cough and held his hand out for you. “You should be proud, most people freeze in these situations.”

You stared at his hand, thinking it would be simple to shake his hand but even though you didn’t need his help he had still come when everyone else ignored your cries for help. He stiffened for a moment as you wrapped your arms around his waist and whispered your thanks to his broad chest.

“No more walking around by yourself at night, alright?” He said as he relaxed and let his arms fall around your back, feeling an odd sensation in his stomach as he inhaled your mouthwatering scent.

“I have to.” You uttered as you loosened your hold, not wanting to make a fool of yourself but missing the sense of security you felt in his arms the instant they disappeared. “I have to get home somehow.”

Steve ran his hand over his beard as he felt his inside twist at the idea of you out at night, alone. “Is there anyone who can pick you up or walk with you? A boyfriend maybe?”

You shook your head, looking down at your hands clasped in front of you, the skin naked of the mark. Some days you longed to find the one you were destined to love, some days you feared who it would be. Every day you felt alone.

“I don’t have anyone.” You whispered.

“Shit.” He sighed heavily, wanting to find out more about you but the sirens were getting closer. “I have to go.”

You nodded, understanding the weight of Steve’s actions and what he risked to help you since he was technically a fugitive on the run. “Thank you, Captain.”

“Not Captain.” He shook his head with a sad smile. “Just Steve.”

“Steve,” you tasted the sound on your tongue, the interaction suddenly more intimate just from saying his name, “thank you.”

You turned as a pair of headlights filled the alleyway and when you looked back Steve was nowhere to be seen. The blanket of security that had enveloped you was gone just as suddenly and you began to tremble as the adrenaline burned out.

“Ma’am, we had a call about an assault.” The officer said as she got out and noticed your shivering, her hand signalling to her partner to get out. “Are you alright?”

You pointed a shaky finger at the man trying to pull himself up from the ground, but from the veins popping from his forehead he wouldn’t be getting away. “He tried to…”

You didn’t have to finish the sentence for the the policewoman to understand as she turned her fearsome glare to the man.

“It’s not like that.” He hissed as he cupped himself. “She’s my soulmate, I know she is, I just need to show her.”

The policeman looked down at his marked hand and closed it into a tight fist as he struggled not to punch the attacker. “You don’t deserve one. The mark is a gift, it has to be given you idiot, you can’t just go around forcing yourself on people. I’m sure when we run your prints we’ll find it’s not your first attempt at this sort of thing. Am I right?”

The man kept his lips tightly shut as a pair of handcuffs snapped around his wrists and he was roughly pulled from the ground.

“Here’s my card, come down to the station in the morning so we can take your statement.” The policewoman said softly. “Do you have anyone who can come and get you?”

“No, but I just live around the corner.” You said as you took her card and slipped it into the pocket of your apron you still wore.

“If you’re gonna walk ‘round here at night I’d suggest pepper spray.” The officer said as the car door closed behind your attacker. “Can’t be too careful, seems to be a lot of people who can’t wait to meet their soulmates, it drives them insane.”

You nodded at the truth. There were some people that burned through sexual partners, hoping that they would meet their destiny by playing the numbers game. There were some who believed that the mark would come if they took the time to get to know their would-be partner, thinking a genuine connection would make the mark appear when they finally make love. Then there were your kind, it was a mixture of both where you didn’t wait to fall in love before having sex but you also didn’t have sex with someone you had no attraction or spark with. You did not want to find yourself marked to someone you didn’t have any similarities with.

You stood under the streetlight as the police car disappeared down the street, not moving towards your apartment block until the red taillights were completely gone.

“Want some company?” You jumped as your shot nerves jerked your body around and you clutched your chest as you saw Steve step out of the darkness of the alley. “Sorry, I would’ve called your name but you didn’t tell me it.”

“Jesus Christ.” You cursed as your heart raced a mile a minute.

“Pretty sure it’s not that.” He teased, his attempt at humour calming your nerves quicker than you thought could be possible after your evening.

“And the dad joke of the year goes to…”

His smile sent butterflies flapping in your tummy and you couldn’t breath as he stepped closer until the light of the street lamp.

“It’s y/n.”

His smiled grew as he absorbed the name and committed it to memory. “Well, y/n, would you be comfortable with me walking you home?”

Your head was already nodding and you swore a bolt of lightning jolted your senses as he held out his elbow and you looped your arm through. From the widening of his eyes and the stumble of his step, you were sure he felt it too. Your body felt like static, every second that you were touching it was increasing and you didn’t know how the hairs on your body weren’t standing upright from the electricity.

“Do you want to come in?” You asked as the elevator to your floor opened and you pulled your key from your apron.

His answer was almost out before you have finished your question and it only made you smile more as you unlocked the door.

“Steve?” You pressed your back to the door after closing it behind you and played with the bow of your apron. “I hope I’m not too forward but am I crazy to think there’s something between us?”

Steve turned and saw your hesitation, an ache in his chest as he felt the need to reassure you. “You’re not crazy.”

Your mouth went dry as he stepped closer and you licked your lips to moisten them. “Do you want to kiss me?”

His answer came in the form of his touch. His lips were soft and supple while his beard tickled your skin. His hands pulled your hips towards his before snaking around your body and you threw your arms around his neck as the kiss deepened with his tongue caressing yours.

Steve pulled away first with his irises swallowed by his dilated pupils and his hair a mess from your fingers combing through them. “We shouldn’t do this tonight, not after what you have been through.”

“That is exactly why I need this, Steve.” You said as you held tighter to his body, feeling his erection straining beneath his jeans. “I don’t want to go to bed remembering his hands on me. Chase away his touch, please.”

His eyes searched yours and time felt suspended as you watched his internal monologue reflect in the emotional depths of his eyes. “You let me know the second you feel uncomfortable, alright?”

You nodded eagerly as he looked around your apartment and spotted the open door to your bedroom. His hands trailed down your back until they spread across your ass and he lifted your feet off the ground. You held his shoulders in a death grip as your legs locked around his waist and you both moaned at the friction of your core pressing against his cock.

Steve laid you gently across your bed before stepping back to pull his shirt over his head and you propped yourself up on your elbows as you watched his muscles ripple with every movement.

“Holy shit.” You sighed longingly at the delicious v shape of muscle that disappeared into his waistband. “I wanna taste you so bad.”

His chuckle rolled over your skin like silk and he unbuckled his belt, leaving his jeans hanging open before deciding to undress you first. You were more than happy to have the restrictive clothing gone and his heated stare set fire to your skin as he drank in the sight of you laid bare for him.

“I wanna taste you so bad.” He moaned as he settled between your legs and blew cool air across your clit. “Can I?”

“Oh god yes, please, Steve.” You begged as you looked at his eyes watching your from above your mound.

His smile disappeared below your line of sight and your head tipped back as his lips sealed over your clit and sucked. Your fingers laced into his hair as you rolled your hips against his face, his beard tickling the sensitive skin of your inner thighs. Your moans were quickly filling the small room and when he lowered his kiss to your slick folds you saw stars. His lapped at the juices flowing, pushing inside as he fucked you with his tongue until your legs trembled around his head, deafening him as they clenched over his ears with a cry of ecstasy.

Crawling up your body, you should have felt intimidated by his size domineering your person space but it had the opposite effect. You felt safe and secure between his beefy arms and his broad shoulders promised the strength to carry any burdens you might have. Reaching between your bodies as his lips shared the taste of your desire, you pushed his jeans over his hips and he kicked them off without breaking the kiss.

The weight of Steve’s cock hung heavy on your thigh and you felt his tip touch your dripping folds as he shifted closer. “Are you sure?”

Your palms pressed to his chest, feeling the beat of his heart hard against them and you nodded and slid them over his shoulders while your legs locked around his hips. “I’m sure.”

Steve bit his lip as he fought the urge to slam himself home when his head slipped through your slick entrance. His cock was already throbbing and his balls tight with the need of release but he counted to 10 as he eased himself in, one inch at a time.

Your lips were parted with the deep breaths you were taking and your nails dig into his back at how full you felt with him inside you. You could feel the tension in his body as he held back and you rolled your hips to get the movement you desperately needed.

“Please, Steve, you’re not going to break me.” You promised as he gave you long, slow, methodical strokes that teased you with the potential. “Fuck me hard.”

His hips bucked at the order and he caught himself before his hips crashed into yours and caused any bruises but it wasn’t enough for you. Your hands trailed down his back until you reached his firm ass, clenching with every thrust and you dug your nails into the tissue and pulled yourself up to meet him.

“Oh, shit, that’s it.” You moaned as he bottomed out in you, pushing against the deepest parts of you. “I can take it, Steve.”

His control was waning as he felt your walls fluttering around him and he let go just a little more, his strokes speeding up as he pushed your leg higher over his hip and moaned at how tight you were. “You feel so good sweetheart, so fucking good.”

You buried your face in his neck as his deep voice reverberated through your body and the aural stimulation tipped you over the edge, his name falling from your lips as you came around him. His rhythm faltered as your pussy clamped around his girth, the walls massaging his cock until he spent himself with guttural cry to the ceiling.

His body collapsed above and his elbows beside your body kept most of his weight from crushing you as he regained his breath. He chuckled and shivered as your hands drew lazy designs along his spine and you felt his smile against your neck. “That tickles.”

He slowly retreated from your body and fell heavily onto his back beside you, pulling you into his arms so your head rested on his hard shoulder. You looked at your hand resting on his defined abs and felt the ache of disappointment begin to spread in your chest. You had accidentally let hope fill you when you felt the spark but the proof was bare for you to see, no mark.

Steve could feel the change and he looked down to see you looking at your hand. “I’m sorry.”

“It’s not your fault.” You said with a weak smile. “I shouldn’t have expected anything, then you can’t be disappointed right.”

His high was quickly draining as he felt his own pain growing, the idea of going back to being alone a bitter pill to swallow. The pain in his chest began to radiate through his body and his back arched as the burn of a thousand needles pricked him. He couldn’t think through the sudden searing heat until he heard your scream in his ear and felt you writhing in your own world of pain.

“It hurts.” You whimpered as the pain flooded your veins and traveled across your body until it seemed to concentrate in your hands. “Make it stop.”

Steve wished he could take it away but he knew what was happening and that it would be over soon as he reached for your hands. His fingers entwined with yours and the invisible flames licked your skin and the mark appeared in swirls and lines as unique as a fingerprint. The burn dissipated as fast as it arrived and you sagged back onto Steve’s chest equally excited as you were exhausted.

“They’re beautiful.” You gushed as you looked at your joined hands.

“They are.” Steve agreed as he captured your lips, his body already stirring awake as the excitement of finding his soulmate renewed his strength. “I can’t believe, after all this time, I found you.”

You slipped your hand from his and traced the soft hairs below his bellybutton until you wrapped your fingers around his shaft, stroking him slowly as you shifted on the bed. “Me too, now I need to taste you, so bad.”

#steve rogers x reader #steve rogers x poc!reader #steve rogers fanfiction #steve rogers imagine #Steve Rogers smut

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eggman91 · 5 months

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“Personal leave “A Lackadaisy short story written by eggman91 with aid form his brother all rights goes to Tracy

slightly plot reasons the pilot event hasn’t happened here

edited I can write accents now

Mordecai simply sighs with mild annoyance. Savoys hadn’t come out to do today work and they hadn’t spoken to any say, for their congregation, most likely, which mean he had to go get the savoys he had go into their room again

But this time he was prepared for anything and he wouldn’t as he made his way up to their room he stand outside for their room he could hear some talking and violin music? Doesn’t not matter let get this over with. He knock on the door “it me open the door we have work to do and I advise, we get it done “ the talking and music stops

the door open it that girl who got the drop on him last time zulie was it ? “Hello mister heller the savoys are currently on.. personal leave”personal leave ? “ this is not Union job or whatever socialist talk let me in this is a organization we don’t have personal leave and I think the proper word your looking for”but before he could finish he hear Serafine “ oh let him in zulie dat a member of our congregation remember “ zulie look back him smile slightly pointing to his chest and then open the door fully as he walk in “ you two should come up with better excuses to…to “

as he look up sitting between Nico and Serafine was mister Roark or rocky looking comfortable as a snake was wrapped around his neck and with his violin happy even as he said something “ oh greeting and salutations to you cai long time no see “ Mordecai simply stare his mouth slightly dropping and then he he turn to the savory or one of them “ why have you let a member of our rivals into the hotel do you have any “ he stopped taking free her hand form rocky shoulders and stop smoking a cigar in raised her finger” perfectly good explanation”

Nico finished her sentence “ we like him hatchetman and he can play a good violin” Mordecai simply glared at the both of them” you let him in rival member of the organization just because you liked him? both savoys answered with a yes as rocky spoke up “ cheer up cai it a fine place full of- “he look around thinking “ really interesting people and he they like my music”

as Mordecai looked on Nico spoke up “ we find him near the bridge testing out something about hugsperiement and well “he smile as Serafine “ he a willing fellow and well we like his ideas “ …” what ideals? Miss savoy” Mordecai was getting more and more annoyed but rocky spoke up “ they like my Tie see Mordecai I told you people would like my R tie “ …….”what” was all Mordecai said as Serafine spoke “ it’s a cute idea” Nico “ I wouldn’t mind having a tie like that and it helps he cute “ Serafine “ indeed my brother nico very cute and the snake like him too“ rocky blushed” I called him banana”, as the snake around him got tighter as Mordecai simply walked out holding his hands not willing to deal with this he’s taking his personal leave now

#lackadaisy #lackadaisy cats #fanfic #short #mordecai #lackadaisy mordecai #rocky #rocky x the savoys #rocky x serafine #rocky x Nico #Cajun rock #It can go both ways #lackadaisy fanfiction #or short or whatever

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smww4ever · 8 months

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Just Nope ✋

I hold no greater ire for anything in comics than Immortal Beloved. May it rot in the depths of Asgardian sewage. Bear with me as I explain why I loathe Immortal Beloved with a passion. In no terms should this story be applauded. It is a pure insult to the SuperWonder fandom. If you can’t see it for what it is, let me explain.

Basically, it's a big f-u to SuperWonder fans. The message DC is saying with this is that it will always have Lois with Superman no matter what. They can toss out a few crumbs here and there but they will never give us the pairing, friendship or otherwise in live action or TV show.

It’s written so badly. It creates this paradox putting Superman into a cheating place in his relationship with Diana. In one instance, he gives up his life to go fight with Wonder Woman but at a minute before 1,000 years is up, it's hey it'll always be 'what's her name'. Oh and here's a trinket for you, Di. Pfffttt. Paradoxes with this story. As if he's some kind of alien pope who is infallible. We all know the pope isn't infallible. Everybody wants Superman to be more human. Humans make mistakes. I'm actually glad that the story didn't turn into one where they give in, it would mean that SuperWonder is a mistake. It's not. The only classy way I've seen SuperWonder told is through Kingdom Come. Everything else alludes to a "did they" or "are they" scenario. The nuances always point to romance between the two. Probably because they were meant to be together. Duh.

Add to that, Superman has never lived 1,000 years. Nobody who lives that long is the same person at the end. You change. You have core traits but you will be a different person. You should be a better person. Experiences shape you. There would be a high level of maturity. It’s unfathomable though to regular humans with life spans up to 80 on average to even wrap their minds around it. If he decided to go all in with Diana and have a family, they'd come back very different people having to deal with a reality that wouldn't accept them. It would be the wrong time for them to come together. In this instance, this is where Kingdom Come has no barriers to SuperWonder. The hindrances are gone.

Granted Diana has lived long. Although being that Themyscira is in another dimension so to speak. Time is different. Her longevity in the Earthly realm isn't a thousand years either.

This comic belongs in the trash bin. Full stop.

But since people like to rewrite stories, here's my idea. I would rewrite it to where Thor summons J'onn J'onzz in place of Diana. That way he can shape-shift into Lois. You’ll have Clark porking Lois, his forever love, battling side by side with superpowers. Pretty sure he’ll wonder how she got them. Maybe the Asgardians gifted them to her, and you’ll have the LGBTQ fans getting something out of it too.

Save Diana.

The woman deserves better. Why demean her like this? Who came up with the 'she's bound to help out with Asgardian affairs no matter what'. Pfffttt. And Kal?

Speaking to this version of dumbed down Kal: If Lois is that important to you, you should have asked Thor for a favor and towed her along. Maybe the Asgardians would have trained her to fight along side while reporting on it in the Valhalla Times. Then it would be a truly Lois-centric story.

All jokes aside, if DC won’t put SuperWonder together in a normal healthy romantic union then don’t do this to them either. (I know this is an old comic.)

See I blame DC for this. The gapping hole they made with eliminating SuperWonder. If we got normal interactions between the two, we could have had moments of friendship but even that wasn’t allowed.

Until next time... ✌️

🤭

I redesigned the cover btw, heh heh.

#superwonder #superman #wonderwoman

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a-shape-changer-in-winter · 2 years

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On The Duff Between Us

Because in trying to articulate what, perhaps, joy is, it has occurred to me that among other things–the trees and the mushrooms have shown me this–joy is the mostly invisible, the underground union between us, you and me, which is, among other things, the great fact of our life and the lives of everyone and thing we love going away. If we sink a spoon into that fact, into the duff between us, we will find it teeming. It will look like all the books ever written. It will look like all the nerves in a body. We might call it sorrow, but we might call it a union, one that, once we notice it, once we bring it into the light, might become flower and food. Might be joy.

Ross Gay, The Book of Delights

One of the great joys of my life is talking with my friends who are [also] writers and poets, individually and together. I love when someone sends me a draft or a poem they haven't shared with anyone else. I have this folder on my desktop full of rough drafts and voice memos from friends. It's communion for me. I treasure the simplicity of "I want to share this with you - directly." I know that takes a lot of guts. And it feels cringy the first time you do it. But that's because we've gotten farther and farther away from the sound of what's genuine in each of us. Part of that is because we're bombarded with [horrible] news, reels, and click-bait, anything that will keep scrolling or fuming - as long as we stay on our phones.

In a clip from a 2019 panel on "Self Esteem in the Age of Social Media," comedian Bo Burnham describes how social media companies are out to colonize "every second of our lives": ~ "They're not even doing it consciously. It's because these companies, like Twitter, YouTube, Instagram, and everything, went public. They went to shareholders. So they have to grow. Their entire models are based on growth. They cannot stay stagnant. [They have to] get more of you."

So the glaring sound of what used to/should be white noise is always in the foreground, and what will heal us, bring light to our work/art, and foster connection and intimacy is something we have to listen to/for actively. We are made in and through these intimacies that we've forgotten how to engage in. So maybe the question to start with is: what are your intimacies? Or, what do you carry that you wish you could share? That's a genuine vulnerability and fear because we have been brainwashed to idolize hyper-independence and self-made[ness], which is just refusing to acknowledge that we are made of one another, of particular familiarities as opposed to these lavish achievements. So there's this sponge-like quality of being permeable in our vulnerability. We must be willing to let someone else's light and darkness enter our lives. [see Mikko Harvey’s: The number of hours we have together is actually not so large. Please linger near the door uncomfortably instead of just leaving. Please forget your scarf in my life and come back later for it.]

The hardest thing about welcoming difficult emotions is that we're [ culturally] condemned to try to deal with them privately. On our own, we will never open that door fully because they're too difficult a guest. So I think it's my job not just to be a good host to my sadness, joy, and despair - but to your sorrows, happiness, and grief. I think that’s everyone’s [true] task - to help others touch the heart of things. Otherwise, none of us can establish a form of intimacy or faculty with that simultaneous presence and emptiness without the others' hands holding us up. When we try to do it alone - we're left with that thin veneer of survival, performative vulnerability without transformation, just getting by - we’re basically pouring salt into the same wound over and over until we become septic from hypernatremia. The problem is we're taught we should endure grief but not that we should allow it to ripen and transform us. Either we engage it or try to outrun it - but of course, the trick is that it's impossible to outrun! It's got more feet [and teeth] than we do - it's much faster, and there's no way to avoid it in our lifetime. The psychologist James Hellman said the issue is never about resolution but spaciousness. It's about how large we can become by trying to get our arms, and perhaps when our arms can’t reach any further, our wings around these impossible questions. It’s not about having answers, but our ability to hold and touch difficult things without having a perfect solution or offering a trite platitude.

I'm coming to realize there's a direct relationship between the breadth of our sorrow and the capacity of our joy. If we mitigate - if we silence that grief, we also collapse the register of joy - which I can't live without. And joy is an imperative faculty in my life. Which is really what this essay is about. And I'm sure some of you are asking, how can you be talking about/pivoting to joy right now? Perhaps that's because we were conditioned to believe that joy and delight are not deep emotions. It's impossible to imagine, much less comprehend, the rigor behind those skills until we attempt to bring them into our lives [out of necessity]. In his Catalog of Unabashed Gratitude, Ross Gay offers a more enlightened version of joy that I have exclusively found in communities of recovery: which is the light that emanates from us when we help each other carry our sorrows. We're porous beings. Beauty hurts [Rilke believed this so much that he said we're barely able to endure it]. Attachments are painful. But they both transcend time and space so that we can meet in the intersection of eternity and the here & now. I believe every gesture happens within that fullness, the kind Weil was talking about with "The divine emptiness, fuller than fullness, has come to inhabit us." & "Grace fills empty spaces, but it can only enter where there is a void to receive it, and it is grace itself which makes the void." In his latest book, Inciting Joy, Gay skillfully grounds Weil's inquiry like he was fielding it with a baseball mitt and asks: "What if joy is not only entangled with pain, or suffering, or sorrow, but is also what emerges from how we care for each other through those things?" Such revelations invite a "soft, mutual, curious, groundless witnessing" of grief as the "metabolization of change."

Gay believes, as do I, that joy can, and perhaps only truly emerges" [...] from our common sorrow—which does not necessarily mean we have the same sorrows, but that we, in common, sorrow—might draw us together. .[..] It might depolarize us and de-atomize us enough that we can consider what, in common, we love. And though attending to what we hate in common is too often all the rage (and it happens also to be very big business), noticing what we love in common, and studying that, might help us survive."

Obsession, isolation, and addiction all orbit a singular point or fixation on shame, loneliness, depression, hopelessness, or grief - and the tighter our orbit, the harder it is to escape that trajectory. At some point, everyone has found themselves unable to escape the gravity of immense loss - and all we can do at this point is hold on for dear life and pray we will end up on the other side of it. Of course, despite our best efforts, we will always return to the thing, but that gravity can only rip us apart if we remain untethered from each other. And I'm discovering that while it might be a little uncomfortable, these small needful acts of paying attention, asking questions, delighting in and with each other, and being a little cringe can and will stitch us together. Like this small gift of a text from my friend, Leah live quoting Ada Limon's Q&A from Transylvania University earlier this week: "You love this world. You are in it. Don't miss it."

The deepest joys are those we share, and I don't want to miss them. I love you. Our friendship is a gift. As Rilke wrote, I yearn to be held in the great hands of your heart; just as I hold you in mine.

PS: please send me your favorite poem.

#blog

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freifraufischer · 1 year

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For the past few days @darthmelyanna has been sharing details about the infighting and incompetence behind the founding of the organization we now know today as USAG and boy does it make me want to know what other countries officials who had to deal with these clowns were saying.

Some fun facts:

The Amateur Athletic Union or AAU originally controlled gymnastics in the United States. As well as basketball, track, and a number of other sports. They controlled if an American athlete could compete in another country and if a foreign athlete could compete in the US. Among the traits of the AAU was that the bylaws of the organization had been written so the man in charge couldn't be fired or replaced and no one but that one individual was qualified to hold the job. Dictator for life.

And he ... didn't really respond to his mail either from US coaches/athletes or from foreign officials. When officials in New Zealand sent a request that some American gymnasts tour New Zealand 8 months went by before they had to write an American coach to find out if they were going to get an answer.

One of the things the AAU had done... or rather not done... was produce an english translation of the code of points. Americans were literally competing at Olympic events in a sport where they didn't have a rule book in their own language.

When they eventually did produce a translation the American gymnastics equipment manufacturer Nissen also produced a translation of the FIG code of points.

They didn't agree.

But that almost didn't matter because within the United States the different regions had their own individual judging standards. The Americans couldn't decide what scores should be between themselves. And because FIG was dealing with the AAU as the national governing body those coaches who broke off to form the USGF weren't getting FIG judges training.

So with all of this the Americans show up to the 1964 Olympic Games (presumably with their two different codes of points and several different judging standards) and decide that the US had been terribly underscored and that they were really the 3rd best team in the world even though they placed 9th. And are very mad at the AAU for not starting a diplomatic incident because the Americans didn't receive higher scores.

And that's all before we get into how much USGF really... really... loved apartheid South Africa.

I really hope she writes about this because I'm not covering even half the craziness.

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bardengarde · 2 years

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what are your opinions on ambrose burnside?

For as long as this has been in my inbox, it deserves a 20 page thesis, but uhhhh

I don't claim to be an expert on Burnside by any means and anyone can add their thoughts, but my opinion is that it's easy for people to hate the guy, but in all honesty the things that were his biggest failures I don't think were entirely all his fault.

Burnside was known to be really amiable and got along with people easily. He knew he didn't have what it took to command the Army of the Potomac and while the lack of confidence isn't very inspiring, he was self aware if nothing else bc he was right. We all know Fredericksburg was a mess and a half, but as I remember there was this huge deal about this guy who was in charge of sending the pontoons didn't like Burnside so it took so much longer for them to arrive than it should have. And the reason why Burnside still continued with his plans and ordered the attack no doubt had a lot to do with the immense pressure being put on him by Lincoln to get Union victories and get them quickly and AOP had already had a problem with the commander being "too cautious" recently. I think there was also something about him being stubborn and like once he'd made a decision he wasn't going to change his mind but I can't remember where, or if, I've read that.

The Crater should have been handled entirely differently. Not to be an armchair general, but when Burnside was ordered to come up with a different plan he should have picked which division would lead the assault instead of letting it come down to drawing lots. But also... idk, I hate that Meade and Grant had to order him to change his plans and not allowing Ferrero's division of black troops to lead because there was no time to prepare any of the other troops for what they were about to face, and those guys had been training and drilling for it. Fuck Ledlie also because was the one whose division was eventually picked to lead and he didnt brief his men on what was to be expected of them and got drunk behind the lines during the battle, along with Ferrero apparently, which I just learned as I'm fact checking a few things before I post.... just lovely.

Burnside, while he can be frustrating, I can't help but feel sorry for him sometimes as he seems to be a nice guy and also seems to genuinely be doing his best while also just making kinda stupid mistakes or being generally unlucky? He did have his successes though- look at the Knoxville campaign! Overall though, I don't really love him and I don't really hate him. There are way worse Union General's than him imo, it's just that Burnside's failures happen to be really famous one's.

I can't speak for anything about his postwar life or anything before his military service as I'm not super knowledgeable about him as it is and like what I've written here is like barely scratching the surface abt the guy I know, but that's all I've got.

#answered #sorry saucy for the brief mcclellan slander #do i want to add tags to this? nah #my opinions on burnside aren't very strong in one way or the other #it was coming up on nearly a whole years anniversary since i received this ask so i had to answer #again if im wrong about anything feel free to correct me #i think i may only be at 6 months since i received the ask but anyways #its 1 am and i should sleep

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thinktankwithhan · 1 month

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gabrielle aplin

accessibility in the industry

Aplin’s career spans over fifteen years - beginning her musical journey at Bath College. From her self released ‘Acoustic EP’ to her rise to prominence following recording the soundtrack for a John Lewis Christmas advert with ‘The Power of Love’. Her talk was interesting to me for a number of reasons - as a young female songwriter, it was great to hear how her time and commitment to songwriting and cowriting has landed her in an extremely successful industry position. Amongst her successes, Aplin noted that, coming from a low income background, her experiences and successes were somewhat rare - and this had encouraged her to start speaking about financial accessibility in the music industry.

‘Bricks’ magazine wrote ‘there is still a class ceiling in the music industry, it needs to break’(Team, B. 2022). Aplin noted that the more she got involved with the scene, the more she saw how the industry is inaccessible for those on lower incomes - such as attending events like expensive dinners or drinks as part of networking. Aplin feels that we are ‘more aware as a society’ and that we have the potential to make things more accessible. However, the reality is making money from musicianship alone is difficult. A musician’s union survey showed 43 percent of musicians earn less than 14,000 a year from music alone (CHORALLY, 2023) - needing to supplement their income in other ways. The article writes ‘financial strain is further exacerbated for musicians dealing with mental health problems’. This shows inaccessibility with links to ableism and with Aplin’s perspective - infers that those with mental health problems may not be able to find success in the industry as easily - as it is so dominated by people with higher income available. Aplin told us that her experience taught her it was important to be herself completely, and to not get sucked in by the idolisation of financial wealth.

I think it’s clear to see Aplin has stayed focused and remains passionate about industry issues that feel close to home - as she is still actively advocating for accessibility. In her interview with ‘CLASH’ she speaks about having ADHD and knowing your limits. She reveals that time away from the industry helped her ‘cherish life’s small pleasures’(CLASH magazine 2023). The fact that many artists feel they must ‘escape’ the industry in order to avoid internal struggle shows its lack of accessibility - particularly for neurodivergent artists. Muscian’s union writes ‘It’s estimated that 1 in 5 people in the UK are neurodivergent and recent research from AFEM suggests that there are a higher percentage of neurodiverese people working in the music industry’ (Musician’s Union, 2023). By default, the industry should be more accessible for these people as they make up a large portion of employees in the industry however, Aplin’s experience and many others showcases this lack of exact accessibility.

In an article written by the Grammy Awards states that to ‘recognise disability as a natural and cultural form of diversity’ is the way the industry can be more accessible for those with disabilities or neurodiversities. This would mean respecting, including and celebrating them in the hopes to be a ‘vibrant and thriving counter-response to the exclusion, marginalisation and oppression historically and currently experience by many disabled individuals’(GRAMMYS, 2022).

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9jaboizgistworld-blog · 4 months

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How to Report Unauthorized Debit Card Charges and Protect Your Money

Debit cards are convenient and secure ways to pay for goods and services, but they are not immune to fraud. Sometimes, you may notice charges on your account that you did not authorize or recognize. This could be a sign that someone has stolen your card, your PIN, or your personal information, and is using them to make purchases without your consent. Unauthorized debit card charges can be stressful and frustrating, but they are not the end of the world. You have rights and protections as a consumer, and you can take steps to report them and get your money back. In this article, we will explain how to report unauthorized debit card charges, how to dispute them with your bank, and how to prevent them from happening again. We will also answer some frequently asked questions and provide some useful tips and resources.

How to Report Unauthorized Debit Card Charges

The first thing you should do if you find unauthorized debit card charges on your account is to contact your bank or credit union and report them as soon as possible. The sooner you report them, the less you will be liable for, and the more likely you will be able to recover your funds. According to federal law, if you report your card as lost or stolen before any fraudulent transactions occur, you are not responsible for any charges. If you report them within two business days of discovering them, you are only liable for up to $50. If you report them after two business days, but within 60 days of receiving your statement, you are liable for up to $500. If you report them after 60 days, you may be liable for the full amount. To report unauthorized debit card charges, you should call the customer service number on the back of your card, or visit your bank’s website or app. You should provide your account number, the date and time when you noticed the charges, and the details of the transactions. You should also follow up your phone call with a written or emailed letter, and keep a copy of it for your records. You should also cancel your card and request a new one with a new number and PIN. How To Report Unauthorized Debit Card Charges? If you suspect unauthorized transactions on your debit card, follow these steps: Contact Your Bank Immediately - Call your bank's customer service as soon as you notice unauthorized charges. - Provide details about the suspicious transactions, including dates, amounts, and merchant information. Follow Up in Writing - Send a written notice to your bank, documenting the unauthorized charges. - Use certified mail or email to create a paper trail for future reference. Check Your Bank's Policy - Understand your bank's policy on unauthorized transactions. - Some banks have specific timeframes for reporting fraud; be sure to adhere to these guidelines. Secure Your Accounts - Change your online banking passwords and PIN immediately. - Enable two-factor authentication for an added layer of security. What Happens Next: Bank Procedures and Investigations Once you've reported unauthorized debit card charges, your bank initiates an investigation to determine the validity of your claims. Understanding how banks handle these situations can help you navigate the process effectively. Bank Investigation Timeline Banks typically have a specific timeline for investigating fraud claims: - 10 Business Days: Banks are allowed up to 10 business days to conduct a thorough investigation. - Refund Decision: If the bank confirms fraud, they are required to refund the cardholder. Your Liability Understanding your liability is crucial when dealing with unauthorized transactions: - Early Reporting: Reporting fraudulent charges within two days often limits your liability to $50. - 60-Day Window: You have a 60-day window to dispute unauthorized transactions to avoid additional liability. Bank Communication Stay informed throughout the investigation: - Regular Updates: Your bank should provide regular updates on the progress of the investigation. - Resolution Notice: Once the investigation concludes, the bank will notify you of the resolution.

How to Dispute Unauthorized Debit Card Charges

After you report unauthorized debit card charges, your bank or credit union will investigate them and determine whether they are valid or not. This process may take up to 10 business days, or longer if the bank needs more information from you or the merchant. During this time, the bank may temporarily credit your account for the disputed amount, or place a hold on it until the investigation is complete. If the bank finds that the charges are indeed unauthorized, it will permanently remove them from your account and restore your balance. If the bank finds that the charges are valid, it will notify you and explain why. You may have the right to appeal the decision, or file a complaint with the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) or your state attorney general.

How to Prevent Unauthorized Debit Card Charges

While you cannot completely eliminate the risk of unauthorized debit card charges, you can take some precautions to reduce it and protect your money. Here are some tips to prevent unauthorized debit card charges: - Keep your card and PIN safe. Do not share them with anyone, or write them down where someone can find them. Do not use obvious or easy-to-guess PINs, such as your birth date, phone number, or address. Change your PIN regularly, and use different PINs for different cards. - Monitor your account activity. Check your statements and online transactions regularly, and look for any suspicious or unfamiliar charges. Report any errors or discrepancies as soon as possible. You can also set up alerts or notifications for your account, so you can receive emails, texts, or phone calls whenever a transaction is made or a certain amount is reached. - Use secure payment methods. When shopping online, use reputable and trusted websites, and look for the padlock icon or the “https” in the address bar, which indicate a secure connection. Avoid clicking on links or attachments in emails or texts that claim to be from your bank or a merchant, as they may be phishing attempts to steal your information. Use a password manager or a virtual card number to generate unique and encrypted passwords or card numbers for each transaction. When shopping in person, use contactless or chip-enabled cards, which are more secure than magnetic stripe cards. Avoid using public or unsecured Wi-Fi networks, or public or unfamiliar computers or devices, to access your account or make payments. - Be alert and aware. Watch out for any signs of card skimming or tampering at ATMs, gas pumps, or other terminals, such as loose or damaged parts, hidden cameras, or fake keypads. Cover your PIN when entering it, and take your receipt and card with you. Be wary of any unsolicited calls, emails, or texts that ask for your personal or financial information, or offer you prizes, rewards, or refunds. Do not respond to them, or click on any links or attachments. Instead, contact your bank or the merchant directly using a verified number or website.

FAQs

Here are some frequently asked questions and answers about unauthorized debit card charges: What is the difference between unauthorized and fraudulent charges? Unauthorized charges are transactions that you did not authorize or recognize, but may have been made by someone you know, such as a family member, a friend, or a merchant. Fraudulent charges are transactions that were made by someone who stole your card, your PIN, or your personal information, and used them without your consent or knowledge. What is the difference between debit card and credit card fraud? Debit card fraud is when someone uses your debit card or your bank account information to make unauthorized purchases or withdrawals. Credit card fraud is when someone uses your credit card or your credit card information to make unauthorized purchases or charges. The main difference is that debit card fraud affects your actual money, while credit card fraud affects your credit limit. Another difference is that debit card fraud has stricter liability and reporting rules than credit card fraud, which means you may lose more money or have less time to report it. How can I get a refund for unauthorized debit card charges? If you find unauthorized debit card charges on your account, you should report them to your bank or credit union as soon as possible, and dispute them if they are not valid. Your bank or credit union will investigate them and determine whether you are entitled to a refund or not. If you are, the bank or credit union will remove the charges from your account and restore your balance. If you are not, the bank or credit union will notify you and explain why. You may have the right to appeal the decision, or file a complaint with the CFPB or your state attorney general.

Conclusion

Unauthorized debit card charges can be a hassle, but they are not hopeless. You can report them and dispute them with your bank or credit union, and get your money back if they are not valid. You can also prevent them from happening again by taking some precautions and being vigilant. Remember, you have rights and protections as a consumer, and you are not alone. If you need more help or information, you can contact your bank or credit union, or visit the CFPB website. Read the full article

#Howto

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themovieblogonline · 8 months

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Writers Guild Reaches Agreement With Studios and Streamers

After what felt like an eternity, the Writers Guild of America (WGA) strike that had Hollywood on pause for a historic 146 days is finally showing signs of wrapping up. After marathon negotiations that probably involved more caffeine than any of us should consume, the WGA and the folks representing the studios and streamers have inked a tentative deal for a brand-new contract. The announcement came in the form of an email to the strike captains and, not long after, a message from the WGA's negotiating committee to all its members. The tone? Pretty darn optimistic. According to the email, this deal is a big improvement over the previous offer. The term "meaningful gains and protections" is used and seems positive for writers across the board. This agreement still needs the official nod from the WGA members to become final. The WGA is still waiting for the details to be written in contract form and validated by the WGA. This will certainly be a high priority for the WGA as it's a contract affecting around 11,500 talented WGA members. The union's negotiating committee is playing it cool, asking for a little patience as they dot the 'i's and cross the 't's in the contract. Once this deal clears some more bureaucratic hurdles and gets the green light from the higher-ups, we might just be witnessing the end credits roll on this historic strike. It's worth noting that during these negotiations, there were some nail-biting moments. Lawyers were working overtime, studios presented their "best and final" offers, and the drama was real. But ultimately, the union negotiators came back with some additional requests and the story continued. It seems that the announcement caused Hollywood to rejoice when this deal was announced. Social media was buzzing with excitement, and even at the Burbank International Film Festival, where filmmakers gathered for a glitzy awards gala, cheers erupted. This was the Hollywood ending we all needed! The strike, which began on May 2, had a significant impact on the industry. Major projects hit pause, and we all anxiously waited for our favorite shows and movies to resume production. But it wasn't just the WGA strike; the industry was hit with a double whammy when SAG-AFTRA also joined the picket lines. However, a tentative agreement doesn't mean things are over just yet. The WGA will suspend picketing but by no means are they to return to work. There are still a few hurdles to overcome, including the WGA leadership's vote and a member ratification vote. The negotiations, which began back in March, had their ups and downs. Writers were pushing for better compensation in the streaming era, while studios and streamers aimed to control costs. It's a classic clash of interests, but somehow, they found common ground. Lastly, let's not forget the unsung heroes in this story. Ellen Stutzman, WGA West's assistant executive director, stepped up to the plate when needed most, and Carol Lombardini, the chief negotiator for the Alliance of Motion Picture and Television Producers, led the charge for producers. Now, all eyes are on the union's ratification vote. We'll keep you posted on the updates as they happen! That's all, for now... Read the full article

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beelzlikes · 11 months

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Gods I still can't get past it. This is why I can't have relationships with other people, platonically or romantically or otherwise. Cause we have to look at the FACTS of what actually happened:

I was at work in my office building, finishing up my work. This person knocks on the door and sticks their head in. They're wearing mostly all black, looking pretty casual, they set their backpack on the ground and introduce themselves by asking if I work here.

I say yes, and they proceed to recruit me into a union because of course I'm going to support unions. They give me their card and I immediately notice the they/them pronouns, and I can feel myself actually start to blush. Here is someone who is very cute, and I don't have to immediately write them off as being straight like I would with most male presenting people.

They give me their card, I sign a union pledge with my phone number on it, we both leave the office.

A few days later I get a text from this person asking if I'd agree to a tele-survey. I agree, and we schedule to talk in a day or two. In the meantime, some OTHER guy from the union SHOWS UP AT MY HOUSE asking me to sign another union card. I tell him I already filled one out with so-and-so, and they look surprised, so I fill out a second card just in case. (How the fuck did you know my ADDRESS if you didn't already have my info on file somewhere? Like what?? Whatever.)

Phone call with Cheshire, they ask me several questions about unions and supporting unions. Innocuous conversation that I sweat bullets through and talk a mile a minute because I can't control my emotions. At the end, they tell me of an event happening in the city and I agree to go.

I go to the event on the day, it's crowded, I sign my name on the pledge and leave, anxious that this person might be there and see me and want to talk to me so I I'm not even at the event 5 minutes before I'm out of there.

Weeks of silence from both of us. Why would I contact them? I have no reason to.

THEY have a reason to: their job, so they text me last week asking if they could add my name to a letter being written to the board. I agree. I wait a day, watch a dumb bl movie that kindles some semblance of feeling in my heart and at NINE O CLOCK AT NIGHT!!!(Why?! Why?! Why did I do that?) I text this person asking if there are any up coming events for the union I might be able to attend.

They tell me there is one in a week on the 19th and ask if I could make it. I ask them if they are going to be there. They say yes. I respond: "Then I wouldn't miss it!"

Like a dope. Like a dingus. Like a fucking moron. Way too forward, way too explicit. My intentions are bald-faced and staring you right in the eye, I could barely have made it any clearer that the only reason I wanted to come was to see them. It SMACKS of desperation. REEKS of lechery.

They reply kindly with: "Right on, I'll let you know where"

Silence then. For days. Time enough for me to come to my senses. Here's the facts: they only approached me in the capacity of their job, they only ever contacted me out of obligation to do their JOB, and any platitudes or niceties on display are the same they would have given any other CLIENT as an employee should. And some stranger sliding into their DMs is the last thing anyone on the job wants to deal with.

I made this person up. This person is real, yes, but they are not the same person I have built in my head. I don't know the reality of that person, all I am operating on is my own imagination. And I've deceived myself that way before, and I won't do it again.

So yesterday I texted them. Told them I'm recanting my previous statement. I like and tell them something's come up and I can't make it to the event.

They ask if I want them to keep me updated on future events. I say no. They don't respond. I delete the text thread and their number along with it so now it's impossible for me to contact them again. And once again, I get to be the savior. I saved that imaginary person from having to deal with me in any capacity. And I saved myself the inevitable pain of when it all comes crashing down around me.

So you see? It was a mistake to contact them in the first place. Had I not texted them asking for future events, they probably would NEVER have texted me again. I was a name on their list they checked off, and now needed to move on to the next person to recruit to the union. How dare I? How DARE I even THINK about them when for all I know they don't fucking care?

I'm disgusting. I want everyone to just leave me alone! If I'm alone, if there's no one to distract me, the I don't have to feel anything. Anything at all. I don't want to feel anymore, I want to be numb, I want to be a lifeless robot you wind up and throw out when your satiated with it.

#personal #public private journal

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