#refuse to uphold your financial obligations

[sarasa-cat]

SAN FRANCISCO — Over the past two weeks, Elon Musk has shaken up Twitter’s legal department, disbanded a council that advised the social media company on safety issues and is continuing to take drastic steps to cut costs.

Mr. Musk appears to be gearing up for legal battles at Twitter, which he purchased in October for $44 billion, according to seven people familiar with internal conversations. He and his team have revamped Twitter’s legal department and pushed out one of his closest advisers in the process. They have also instructed employees to not pay vendors in anticipation of potential litigation, the people said.

To cut costs, Twitter has not paid rent for its San Francisco headquarters or any of its global offices for weeks, three people close to the company said. Twitter has also refused to pay a $197,725 bill for private charter flights made the week of Mr. Musk’s takeover, according to a copy of a lawsuit filed in New Hampshire District Court and obtained by The New York Times.

Twitter’s leaders have also discussed the consequences of denying severance payments to thousands of people who have been laid off since the takeover, two people familiar with the talks said. And Mr. Musk has threatened employees with lawsuits if they talk to the media and “act in a manner contrary to the company’s interest,” according to an internal email sent last Friday.

(Link above contains unlock code for getting through the paywall.)

#Twitter #wow— it must be nice to be so rich #that you can drive a company into the ground #refuse to pay your rent #refuse to uphold your financial obligations #and just run up an outlandish tab on a private jet #what a dick

[transientpetersen]

I struggle with the balance between self-orientation and other-orientation, between selfishness and selflessness. On the one hand, focusing on yourself is the only real way to see your beliefs and views made manifest in the world and the only reliable way to generate good things for yourself. The good intentions of others are haphazard at best and seldom produce results exactly in line with your hopes. On the other hand, focusing on others is safe. You get a nice veneer of virtue and you don't face the prospect of internal change when your efforts succeed or fail. The emotional stakes of growth are always carried by the other party. It is because of this emotional stasis and not despite it that I personally err toward other-orientation. 

This started to come into focus in multiple aspects of my life. At work it was "no one is coming to save you, no one is coming to guide you, what will you do?". At home, the numberless personal projects that never seemed to receive my time and attention. One can only ignore oneself for so long before it becomes absurd so bear with me as I explore some thoughts below the cut.

It is evident there are situations in life that demand selfishness, where failing to act in your own interests is a betrayal of your ethos. You are obligated to keep yourself in good functional order on the scale of years so you require a sustainable way to ensure your base needs are met. Temporary sacrifice ought to be approached with the same level of caution as sprinting in the course of a marathon. I'd be deeply wary about "temporary practices" in any context, they require at a minimum a compelling justification and an explicit end condition and even then they have a way of lasting well past reasonable expectation and well past the point of usefulness.

You are obligated to keep your word and uphold the responsibilities that you agree to take on, to be reliable for your dependents. The nature of these agreements is such that even little failures have big consequences, both for you and for others. If you know that you are in a mental or financial space where you will struggle to consistently meet your word then you would be better off refusing extra responsibility up front. And be very careful in speaking for your future situation on the span of years. Kids are an easy example of this, I've seen dramatic change in many first time parents because they must remain consistently reliable. Remember as well not to stock your life full with these commitments. Sure you may have a surplus of energy now but you still need slack to absorb the changes and emergencies that arise naturally through the process of living. Having others who can support you (“pick up the slack”) is certainly a traditional method but not always achievable and brings coordination challenges with it. Under-commit to others, it’s best for you and them.

You are obligated to invest in your emotional self. There are many ways to describe what I mean by this - passion, ambition, self-actualizing, dreams, purpose - they all point toward being the person that you hope to be. The pure mechanical act of survival will not bring satisfaction on its own. It is your passion that defines you as separate from generic humanity and this is what there is to love about you.

It is this last that is the focus for much other-orientation that can be removed from your life. There is satisfaction in helping along another’s happiness but by neglecting your own, you will set yourself up for bitterness and failure.

This is true in general and particularly true in persistent relationships and close relationships. Beyond the obvious drawbacks, it also poisons the ability to reciprocate and so generates an imbalance that is hard to correct. One needs to fix the bad habits of multiple people and work through outstanding debt while also attempting to build healthy habits with good communication. Like most DIY done poorly, it’s the recovering from the mistakes that costs the most and not the actual intended project.

I note that somewhere along the way, I picked up the idea that a good partner is a perfect support. This is not just wrong but actively harmful. You will hurt your partner and you will fail your partner and when that happens, the time that you spend in shock wondering how-this-unforeseen-tragedy-could-have-been-avoided is bleeding you valuable reaction time. Invest in fixing forward, not in avoiding issues. We are simply not optimized for caring for one another and attempting to do so will necessarily destroy the bits of yourself that are lovably you. It is entirely counterproductive to a loving relationship - a construct that requires all involved parties to maintain a level of self-orientation if it is to survive. 

There’s a general problem of assuming a linear reward function when the truth is more complicated. For example, maybe baking cookies together makes you and your partner happier than sharing dinner. It is unlikely that your lives will be improved by replacing dinners with the practice of baking cookies as the linear model would predict. Don’t just replace important pieces of yourselves because the replacements seem fun.

On optimizing, there’s also the false idea I’ve seen a lot when it comes to making plans based on a notion of priority - that low priority things can only be worked on once the high priority things are all done. That’s a terrible approach. Priority ranking is a way to make sure that you balance time between tasks responsibly and don’t spend more on lower urgency tasks than higher ones. It’s not about spending no time at all on them and falling into that trap is a good way to get wrecked on unforeseen issues. Most boring routine maintenance tasks are low priority but feel free to forgo them and see how quickly your life can fall apart (that’s if you’re lucky and the damage is immediate and not something like teeth falling out a decade later). So even if you feel that your stuff is lower priority than someone else’s plans, you still have to invest time in your stuff.

Finally, the corollary of “you cannot always help” must be “you cannot only help”. If you solely identify as a helper then you set the relationship up for failure. You are not providing originality in the relationship. Instead you are fostering a dependence that will cripple you if your partner in the relationship changes. This is blindingly evident in professional relationships though true for personal ones as well. To achieve your goal of a healthy relationship, you need to oppose, to create, to be different. You need to pursue some level of self-orientation and you need to allow the relationship to support that pursuit.

One digression before I wrap up here, the above is assuming more-or-less egalitarian relationships where the parties involved are seeking a balanced dynamic. There are other models. Some families organize such that obligation flows up by age and balance is generated by bringing new children in. Some hierarchies assume that the effort you give to your boss’s plans will be balanced by the effort your subordinates give to your’s. In both, one is constantly paying forward that other-orientation and assuming that someone else is present to pay toward you. This is too similar to multi-level marketing for me to endorse and subject to the same critiques of creative accounting and exploitation. Let’s also note the jealous nature of authority (many to one and never one to many) and how even workplaces with managers/leaders who bill themselves as servants don’t seem interested in supplying more than one contact to help you progress toward your goals.

To sum up: an excess of other-orientation is an exercise in self-abnegation and you should not let your desire to provide care negate you. You cannot always help. Don’t neglect your own goals and you’ll be the better for it.

#156

[notebooks2020]

Reality Check (October 10, 2020)

Last night’s dream, a long, tangled embrace, me and the leader of the free world. We continued on, wrapped in each other’s arms, although people began to wander through the office.

In the next scene, beneath a Central Park bridge over pedestrian walkway, he offered me a job: bridgetender, or something low level like that.

I said, “No, thanks. That won’t be necessary,” surprised at the gesture, but just grateful for our moments of what felt like compassion and human caring.

-------

Later in the morning, I saw this in The Atlantic: The Very Ordinary Indifference to the Common Good, by Brooke Harrington. The following is an excerpt (italics added):

President Donald Trump is supposedly a billionaire, but the $750 that he paid in income taxes in the first year of his term doesn’t begin to cover his fair share of society’s expenses—much less the cost of government lawyers defending his personal and political interests or the health-care bills from the coronavirus outbreak within his own White House. But what The New York Times revealed in its recent reporting on Trump’s tax returns was not just one man’s refusal of his fiscal obligations. Those returns, along with Trump’s whole approach to governing, are a concrete manifestation of a broader and more troubling phenomenon: an elite insurgency in which wealthy, well-connected people around the world stiff the societies that gave them success. Observing Trump’s open defiance of the law and rejection of accountability, many critics have attributed the pattern to the quirks of Trump’s individual psychology. But they have missed the larger picture: This president is an entirely ordinary member of a global elite whose members believe that rules are for chumps.

I have spent more than a dozen years studying the planet’s wealthiest people and the experts who create offshore trusts, foundations, and other entities on their behalf. The clearest window into this world remains the 2016 disclosure of more than 40 years’ worth of data from a law firm, based in Panama City, that helped clients stash wealth outside their home country. That story, known as the Panama Papers, exposed a sprawling web of tax evasion, money laundering, and other financial misdeeds by the global elite. Also exposed was a brazen contempt for the law by many officials—including heads of state and ministers of justice and finance—who were empowered to uphold it.

Trump’s name came up more than 3,500 times in the documents; although he was not implicated in any wrongdoing, many of his customers, business partners, and other associates were. The Panama Papers, still the largest data leak in history, sketched a picture of elites in revolt: a growing refusal of obligation to the societies that had allowed them to become wealthy and powerful. That point was underscored 19 months later by the Paradise Papers, another offshore leak involving prominent figures as varied as Queen Elizabeth II and Trump’s secretary of commerce, Wilbur Ross. Both leaks showed that the offshore economy had produced something dangerous to the rest of us: a noblesse without the oblige. They also showed that the phenomenon was global.

----------

So,

He doesn’t care about you farmer in wheat field, he doesn’t care about you mother with child, he doesn’t care about you, assembly line worker, he doesn’t care about you everyday people.

But’s who going to stop him? So far, nobody can, and that, friends, is the plan.

Turn everything around,  blame others for what you yourself do (just like his lawyer Roy Cohn did).

Because you have money, those who envy, respect,  what they should reject.

They have fallen for the con,  seduced by your illusion of power, when all you have done fails, and you now can fail like a failed king, and take us all down with you.

#a failure of epic proportions #living a nightmare #worse off #call bs #the real elites

[yobaba30]

“. . . All Enemies, Foreign and Domestic”: An Open Letter to Gen. Milley

Dear General Milley:

As chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, you are well aware of your duties in ordinary times: to serve as principal military advisor to the president of the United States, and to transmit the lawful orders of the president and Secretary of Defense to combatant commanders. In ordinary times, these duties are entirely consistent with your oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…”

We do not live in ordinary times. The president of the United States is actively subverting our electoral system, threatening to remain in office in defiance of our Constitution. In a few months’ time, you may have to choose between defying a lawless president or betraying your Constitutional oath. We write to assist you in thinking clearly about that choice. If Donald Trump refuses to leave office at the expiration of his constitutional term, the United States military must remove him by force, and you must give that order.

Due to a dangerous confluence of circumstances, the once-unthinkable scenario of authoritarian rule in the United States is now a very real possibility. First, as Mr. Trump faces near certain electoral defeat, he is vigorously undermining public confidence in our elections. Second, Mr. Trump’s defeat would result in his facing not merely political ignominy, but also criminal charges. Third, Mr. Trump is assembling a private army capable of thwarting not only the will of the electorate but also the capacities of ordinary law enforcement. When these forces collide on January 20, 2021, the U.S. military will be the only institution capable of upholding our Constitutional order.

There can be little doubt that Mr. Trump is facing electoral defeat. More than 160,000 Americans have died from COVID 19, and that toll is likely to rise to 300,000 by November. One in ten U.S. workers is unemployed, and the U.S. economy in the last quarter suffered the greatest contraction in its history. Nearly 70 percent of Americans believe the country is on the wrong track. The Economist estimates that Mr. Trump’s chances of losing the election stand at 91 percent.

Faced with these grim prospects, Mr. Trump has engaged in a systemic disinformation campaign to undermine public confidence in our elections. He has falsely claimed that mail-in voting is  “inaccurate and fraudulent.” He is actively sabotaging the U.S. Postal Service in an effort to delay and discredit mail-in votes. He has suggested delaying the 2020 election, despite lacking the authority to do so.

The stakes of the 2020 election are especially high for Mr. Trump; in defeat, he will likely face criminal prosecution. The Manhattan District Attorney is investigating the Trump Organization for possible bank and insurance fraud related to the overvaluation of financial assets. New York’s Attorney General is conducting similar investigations, having successfully subpoenaed Trump’s financial records from Deutsche Bank. Mr. Trump allegedly pressured the U.S. ambassador to Great Britain to pressure the British Government to move the British Open golf tournament to Trump Turnberry Resort in Scotland. This incident is but one of many examples of self-dealing that may lead to federal criminal charges against the president.

Given this dizzying array of threats not merely to his political prospects, but also his liberty and wealth, Mr. Trump is following the playbook of dictators throughout history: he is building a private army answerable only to him. When Caesar faced the prospect of a trial in Rome, he did not return to face his day in court. He unleashed an army personally loyal to him alone on the Roman government. No student of history, Mr. Trump nevertheless appears to be following Caesar’s example. The president’s use of militarized Homeland Security agents against domestic political demonstrations constitutes the creation of a paramilitary force unaccountable to the public. The members of this private army, often lacking police insignia or other identification, exist not to enforce the law but to intimidate the president’s political opponents.

These powerful crosscurrents—Mr. Trump’s electoral defeat, his assault on the integrity of our elections, his impending criminal prosecution, and his creation of a private army—will collide on January 20. Rather than accept the peaceful transfer of power that has been the hallmark of American democracy since its inception. Mr. Trump may refuse to leave office. He would likely offer as a fig leaf of legitimacy the shopworn lies about election fraud. Mr. Trump’s acolytes in right-wing media will certainly rush to repeat and amplify these lies, manufacturing sufficient evidence to provide a pretext of plausibility. America’s greatest Constitutional crisis since the Civil War will come about by a president who simply refuses to leave office.

America’s political and legal institutions have so atrophied that they are ill-prepared for this moment. Senate Republicans, already reduced to supplicant status, will remain silent and inert, as much to obscure their complicity as to retain their majority. The Democrat-led House of Representatives will certify the Electoral College results, which Mr. Trump will dismiss as fake news. The courts, flooded with cases from both Democrats and Mr. Trump’s legal team, will take months working through the docket, producing reasoned rulings that Trump will alternately appeal and ignore.

Then the clock will strike 12:01 PM, January 20, 2021, and Donald Trump will be sitting in the Oval Office. The street protests will inevitably swell outside the White House, and the ranks of Trump’s private army will grow inside its grounds. The speaker of the House will declare the Trump presidency at an end, and direct the Secret Service and Federal Marshals to remove Trump from the premises. These agents will realize that they are outmanned and outgunned by Trump’s private army, and the moment of decision will arrive.

At this moment of Constitutional crisis, only two options remain. Under the first, U.S. military forces escort the former president from the White House grounds. Trump’s little green men, so intimidating to lightly armed federal law enforcement agents, step aside and fade away, realizing they would not constitute a good morning’s work for a brigade of the 82nd Airborne. Under the second, the U.S. military remains inert while the Constitution dies. The succession of government is determined by extralegal violence between Trump’s private army and street protesters; Black Lives Matter Plaza becomes Tahrir Square.

As the senior military officer of the United States, the choice between these two options lies with you. In the Constitutional crisis described above, your duty is to give unambiguous orders directing U.S. military forces to support the Constitutional transfer of power. Should you remain silent, you will be complicit in a coup d’état. You were rightly criticized for your prior active complicity in the president’s use of force against peaceful protesters in Lafayette Square. Your passive complicity in an extralegal seizure of political power would be far worse.

For 240 years, the United States has been spared the horror of violent political succession. Imperfect though it may be, our Union has been moving toward greater perfection, from one peaceful transfer of power to the next. The rule of law created by our Constitution has made this miracle possible. However, our Constitutional order is not self-sustaining. Throughout our history, Americans have laid down their lives so that this form of government may endure. Continuing the unfinished work for which these heroes fell now falls to you.

Lest you forget:

“I, Mark A. Milley, do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.”

The fate of our Republic may well depend upon your adherence to this oath.

Respectfully yours,

John Nagl and Paul Yingling

John Nagl, a retired Army officer and veteran of both Iraq wars, is Head of School at The Haverford School outside Philadelphia.

Paul Yingling, a retired U.S. Army lieutenant colonel, served three tours in Iraq, another in Bosnia, and a fifth in Operation Desert Storm.

[halloweennut]

Oh, The Best Laid Plans

anyway here’s that Dona Paloma/Fiero crackship fic I promised for shipweek

Dona Paloma hated this. 

No, not hate. Loathed. 

She was a busy woman! High ranking guild member, member of the grand council turned royal advisor and business woman! Dona Paloma had no time to waste babysitting some malvago just because Elena asked her. But no, Elena wanted to try to give Fiero redemption, just as she had with Victor and Carla, and Paloma drew the short straw on being his handler. 

“Help guide him down a better path.” Elena had said in response to her sputtering rejections and protests. “And if nothing changes in a month, Mateo will take over.” 

Fiero wasn’t trying to make this easier or harder at the very least - without a tamborita or access to any magical implements or tools, revenge was a bit far from his reach. But what he was doing was making her miserable. Stubborn. Scowling. Prideful. It took her a week to get him to put on something other than malvago robes, a victory Paloma happily took, but he still refused to do much of anything other than stew around her shop and glare at her or her customers, usually scaring them off. 

“That’s the fifth person today, Fiero,” Hortensia snapped. “If you’re going to act like this, at least go stand near the jewelry.”

“I’m not your security,” he replied, just as sharp. 

“You’re a threat to my security,” she said. “And my financial security. Now go stand by the jewelry before I drag you by your goatee.” 

“I’m not a threat as long as I lack a tamborita,” Fiero snidely said. “Are you really so fixated on protecting your wealth that you’d let a security hazard near the most expensive items in your shop?”

Hortensia tried to keep the scowl from her face and bite back the retort on her tongue. The scowl came no matter what but the sentence died somewhere behind her teeth, and its vitriol came out with a vengeance. “Martin! You watch the shop, I’ll do inventory!”

Martin poked his head out from the back of the store. “But Dona-”

“Just watch the shop and don’t let this hijo de un burro leave the shop, Martin. Do not argue with me right now,” she replied, pushing past him. Not that Fiero could leave anyway, not with the “subtle” increased guard presence around her shop. Martin sputtered, but made his way to the front of the shop anyway. Hortensia huffed, tossing her hat aside and grabbing the inventory log from the small desk near the door and a pen. Mumbling curses and trying to calm herself, she began taking detailed notes on her shop, making notes of what needed to be rotated, replaced or ordered in fresh. Eventually, the methodical monotonous rhythm of the work soothed the anger and frustration, and allowed her another day without snapping. It wasn’t until she got into the section of fabrics she had did she pause. Dona Paloma took a deep breath and released it. Her wrist cramped, and she decided that she would relieve Martin from his duty of babysitting Fiero and the shop and he could finish inventory. She rolled her shoulders until there was a satisfying pop, and placed the ledger and pen on the desk. 

The shop was still standing, Martin was alive, and Fiero simply looked bored as he absentmindedly sorted jewelry. 

“If there’s any missing at the end of the day, malvago,” she warned, the edge of a threat lingered at the end of the phrase before she turned to Martin. “Could you finish the inventory, Martin? I left off at the fabrics.”

Martin nodded, and quickly returned to the backroom.  Fiero gave her a cursory glance. “I have no use for half of these. But someone had to organize them by stone, and since your assistant is inept-”

“Do not insult Martin, firstly,” Paloma interrupted. “Secondly, I had them arranged by color and cut, which is how I like them!”

Fiero rolled his eyes, and continued on his way. Fine, she thought. She’d just fix them later. Of course, later she realized that he had organized them by stone, then shade, then cut, which sadly was up to her standards. Therein laid the possibility that maybe he wasn’t too terrible. Not like she’d give him the chance, anyway. She was simply waiting out the month so he could get shoveled off to Mateo. 

Oh, the best laid plans.  

“Ugh, this weather,” Hortensia murmured the following day, staring out one of her shop’s windows. “No one will be out to the shops today.”

“Is that what matters to you?”

“Not all the time. Excuse me for trying to make conversation.”

There was no snide reply as Fiero joined her at the window, still keeping a steep distance between them as he examined the sky. He hummed at the overcast sky, dark and gray and on the verge of a downpour. “I used to go on walks in weather like this when I was a young man.”

“And now that you’re an old man?” she asked, with only the normal amount of snideness that she only really ever used on a day-to-day basis. 

“I’ve been either away from Avalor, trapped in stone, or having to babysit and teach a maniacal sorceress and keep a thief and his daughter from acting too stupid for their own good,” Fiero replied frankly. She laughed with a hum at the notion and mental image. There was a beat of silence. “I did miss this.” 

Paloma nodded in acknowledgment at that and stared at the clouds for a moment as Fiero turned away. They were victims of her criticizing gaze, and she dared them to rain. With a satisfied nod, she went to the umbrella stand and plucked one that suited her outfit best. The malvago in her shop eyed her curiously. 

‘Well, no one is coming in, Martin is busy elsewhere, let’s go for a walk before the downpour starts,” Hortensia snipped. “You’re taller, you hold the umbrella just in case.”

“And what if I run?” he replied. 

“You’ll be at my mercy,” she said, thrusting the umbrella into one of his hands. “Come along before I change my mind. Maybe a walk will make you tolerable.” 

Fiero huffed, muttering something about not being a dog to take on walks, but followed her out of the shop. He didn’t run, but instead waited as she locked the front doors before the two came to walk side by side through the streets. There was no conversation, and when the rain finally did come, he held the umbrella above both their heads. Hortensia could almost call him a gentleman.

But they started a routine halfway through that dastardly month, going out midday when the shop was dead for a walk around the city. There was a quiet rhythm of routine that they actually both enjoyed, especially once conversation not based on insulting one another was laced into it - a happy little change that slowly entwined itself into the other realms of life. It crept into the daily shop life. Conversations still had their edge, of course, Hortensia had a reputation to uphold, but something akin to familiarity softened the more jagged edges. 

And to think, three weeks beforehand, Hortensia had wanted nothing more than to be rid of Fiero. Instead, she found herself enjoying the conversations - he was one of the few people she knew of that could keep up with her. He had even started being...nicer to Martin, and actually wore normal clothing without her goading him. She actually found herself hoping that all of that would be enough to keep him in her shop and with her. 

The frank realization of that threw her through a loop and she nearly ripped out a chunk of her hair, comb snagging mid-brush one evening. Hortensia had let her mind linger on something clever he had said earlier that day for too long, and the thought came to the forefront of her mind. That simply would not do.  She was a busy woman. A high ranking guild member, royal advisor, and a businesswoman. Dona Paloma had no time to waste babysitting some malvago just because the queen asked her. She placed the comb down on her vanity with a resounding click that echoed in her empty bedroom. Tomorrow was the last day she had to deal with him. Then she’d give her report to Elena and he would be taken over by Mateo, easily said and done. No more walks, no more conversations, and the life of Dona Paloma would return to normal. 

Oh, the best laid plans. 

Her bun felt extremely tight the next day, tugging at her scalp and temples, her earrings were a burden and her hat refused to cooperate. Dona Paloma’s mood was sour and the weather matched. Cloudy with heavy storm clouds on the horizon. In any other circumstance, it would be perfect to catch a quick jaunt before the rain started and grab something from the bakery with Fiero, and grab something for Martin as well. But not that day. Today she would stop wasting time and move forward. 

She dreaded when Fiero was dropped off from the palace. He came in and threw her an almost charming grin, if Dona Paloma allowed herself the privilege of being charmed. Fiero grabbed an umbrella from the bin and gestured to the door. “The weather beckons us, I’m afraid, and who are we to not oblige it while we can?”

“Not today. I’m busy,” she said. There was an unfamiliar edge in her voice, one she hadn’t heard in a month. Fiero hummed, sliding the umbrella back into place. Paloma tried not to look at him and tried to look busy, and tried to ignore the throb in her scalp. Fiero approached her, hands clasped behind his back, and she ignored the click of his boots as he did. She dipped her pen back into the ink pot with more force than she needed, splashing her fingertips. Paloma scoffed, and rubbed the ink dry between her fingertips. 

“I would have given you a handkerchief,” she heard Fiero say. “Or at least would have taken one from the shelf and put it back.”

“If you mess with my merchandise I’ll ban you to the jewelry counter again,” Hortensia replied, followed by a silent curse on herself. “But it does not matter. It’s dry anyway.”

There was no clever quip to follow. He continued into their normal stream of conversation, the polite starters of her well being and onward to wherever the conversation lay...but Dona Paloma only answered in short, punctual sentences, near curt, near sour until he stopped. The silence boomed. Her head boomed. With a noise of disgust, she pulled her hat from her head and rubbed at her temples, frustrated and more than willing to blame everything on the humidity. 

“Are you-” the words sounded foreign from his mouth to the both of them. “Are you alright?”

“I’m fine!” Paloma snapped. “It’s this weather! Why can’t it just rain already and be done with?”

“Is it just the weather, Hortensia?” Fiero asked, an eyebrow raised. “You seem more frustrated than need be at-”

“Do NOT call me Hortensia!” she snarled. “I am Dona Paloma, and you will address me as such!”

“Do NOT bite my head off!” he replied. “And why? I’ve been calling you Hortensia for over a week now! Not even that fop of a chancellor calls you by your first name!”

“That has nothing to do with this!” Paloma pinched her nose as her head screamed. “Just- UGH!”

She stormed away from him, tugging at the hair combs and pins that kept her hair in place. There was the quiet thrum of rain on the window panes as the storm finally began. Eventually, even with hands and fingers made clumsy with anger, she managed to lose her hair and shove everything down into her pockets. There wasn’t much relief in the action, not as much as she had hoped. Dona Paloma angrily ran her fingers over her scalp, mussing her hair for an attempt at easing the tension, but to no avail. 

“What is wrong with you?” Fiero demanded from behind her. She scowled and turned back towards him. 

“Nothing is wrong with me, malvago, and you don’t get to ask such questions of me,” she hissed. “I’ll be taking care of inventory. Leave me be.”

Dona Paloma entered the backroom with a huff, uselessly picking up the ledger to try and get to the end of the latest entries, but the pages wouldn’t cooperate. Before she could take her rage out further on the vellum, Fiero entered, and pulled the book from her hands angrily, slamming it down on the desk. 

“What the h-,” she began to shout, but Fiero was immediately in her face, and Hortensia found herself pinned to the wall by his gaze. 

“What is going on with you, Paloma?” he hissed. “I thought we had left this sophomoric nonsense behind us!”

“It doesn’t matter what you thought!” she hissed right back, shaking away the feeling of being frozen under his glare to step closer. There was barely a hairsbreadth between them. “What matters is that it is the end of the first month, and you’ll be going back to the castle, and my shop will finally be free of you!”

“Is that what all this is about?” Fiero replied incredulously. “Was the past few weeks an act until you could be rid of me?” 

“No! No, it wasn’t!” Hortensia replied. “But I cannot change the future!”

There was an odd look that ran across his face, and she couldn’t read what his green eyes said. Hortensia found herself desperately trying not to look anywhere near the vicinity of his mouth. Fiero scowled and pulled away from her. 

“Fine! I’ll make it easier on you and leave early since you simply cannot wait to be rid of my presence,” he said coldly, and she felt a shiver up her spine. Before she could make a protest about the weather, and that a carriage wouldn’t be there for him until six, Fiero stormed out of the backroom. She heard the telltale ring of the doorbell and slam of the front door as he left. Hortensia felt her knees wobble and a sharp prick as her eyes watered. She couldn’t understand her reaction, clueless as she pressed a hand to her mouth, feeling her throat go tight. The wind and the rain thundered outside, clattering against the window.

They missed the window for their walk. 

Hortensia took the chance to run. 

The door slammed behind her as she bolted into the streets and the storm. The rain pelted her, soaking through her clothing, and wind pulled at her hair and bit her cheeks. Hortensia did not stop. She refused to stop, just as she always had. Her heels clicked in an offbeat staccato to the storm on the cobblestones. Her chest burned. Her eyes stung from squinting through the downpour and tears Hortensia couldn’t stop.  Eventually, she saw the tall, darkly dressed form of Fiero ahead of her. 

“Fiero!” she shouted. He stopped and turned, surprised at the sight of her. The storm had thankfully let up. 

“Hortens- Dona Paloma,” the surprise was replaced by disdain as she quickly approached. “How unlike you to let yourself look so unkempt.”

“Shut up and let me apologize,” Hortensia snapped. She rubbed at her face with the back of her sleeve, desperate to clear her eyes. The disdain softened. 

“I would offer you a handkerchief,” he said dumbly. “But all the best ones are back at your shop.”

She let herself laugh, but the noise was hollow. “I know...but...I need to apologize.” 

Fiero looked at her and gestured for her to go on.

“I...I’m sorry, Fiero,” Hortensia continued. “I should have never acted like that, how I did earlier today. I don’t….”

She trailed off. Fiero stepped closer. “Don’t what?”

“I don’t want you to stop calling me Hortensia, I don’t want you to leave, and I don’t want you to be shoved off onto Mateo!” Hortensia snapped. “I want you to be one of the only people to call me by my name, I want you in my shop and for our walks and I want you to stay!” 

It wasn’t until the end of her list did she realize how close she was to him. Hortensia swallowed a lump in her throat. “Just...come back to my shop. Please.” 

There was a pregnant silence between the two of them. Hortensia straightened her back and looked up at Fiero expectantly, half thinking he’d turn and go to the castle and half wishing he would return with her. His eyes stared into hers, contemplative and almost waiting for something.  

“Well? Or do you enjoy being trapped in the rain? Because-” she was cut off when one of his hands came up to gently push a waterlogged lock of hair out of her face, and Hortensia tried to force herself not to lean into the touch. The attempt failed when his palm rested on her cheek, and she allowed herself the privilege of being charmed, eyes fluttering closed for a moment. Hortensia let herself enjoy it, all the while blissfully ignoring the pull of his other hand on her waist. She opened her eyes again, and there was little space between them again. 

She took the chance to run. 

Pressing a hand to the back of his head and tangling her fingers into fine gray hair, Hortensia pulled him down to her level. She held him close as she pressed her lips to his and hummed happily when he returned it, wrapping his arm tight around her middle. They remained like that for a few seconds before pulling away, almost dazed. Hortensia felt her face burn, and she coughed delicately into a fist, but she didn’t put space between the two of them. 

“We should return to the shop,” Fiero said, breaking the silence. “Can’t have a lady of your standing getting ill.”

“Please, it’ll take a little more than a little rain to knock me down,” Hortensia said proudly. “But yes, let’s. I think I’ll be closing early today anyway.”

Fiero walked to her side, offering her an arm. “Perhaps we break into that chest of tea from Satu?”

“You read my mind,” she laughed, lacing her arm through his. “Next time, we’ll have to remember an umbrella.” 

He gently smiled with a low nod, and the two of them made their way through the streets back to the shop.

#elena of avalor #dona paloma #fiero #dona paloma x fiero

[astrognossienne]

moon signs in the 2nd house

The second house, ruled by the sign of Taurus and the planet of Venus, is a place where no one goes without or feels threatened or alone. It’s about your relationship with money, but it’s also about what you consider valuable. The second house covers the material side of life including money and finances, income and expenditure, and worldly goods. It also covers the areas of innate resources, such as your feelings and emotions (surprise! not just a Cancer trait, lol). What you value is connected to the resources you have available, and the second house symbolizes not just your attitude about possessions, personal comfort, and  security, but also the natural resources of personality, gifts, and character that you bring to the table. The challenge of navigating the second house is to avoid ending up being someone who, as Oscar Wilde once said, knows “the cost of everything and the value of nothing.” This house reveals what you consider as your personal security and what you desire. However, when lunar energy is filtered through the house of money, possessions and self-worth, different veils of emotional vulnerability are displayed.

moon in aries in the 2nd: You don’t find it very easy to accept advice from others, or discipline for that matter, because you can be so headstrong. You also have a tendency to jump to hasty conclusions, then regret your judgement later on. Your general well-being is linked to your material comforts, and your attitude to money and changes to income have a base in whatever emotional state you are in at the time. You assert yourself cautiously towards others because you fear losing whatever resources you have. You prefer not to be involved in others people’s affairs, so you avoid any group functions which require time or money.

moon in taurus in the 2nd: You have a firm need for a strong value system, emotional security and financial security. Your peace of mind comes through repetitive routine, where consistency is an important quality. Your attitudes are usually conservative and uphold the status quo. The thought of poverty and indebtedness makes your hair stand out on end. Since you’re apprehensive about the stability of your resources, you never refuse gifts from others, but you’re not good at returning the favour. You try to compensate for your insecurity by acquiring material things.

moon in gemini in the 2nd: You may be an avid reader or craftsperson. Your type of character also reveals itself in changeable home conditions. You have an obligation to yourself to take advantage of your creative ideas. Don’t let your preoccupation with security interfere with your social life. By cutting off lines of communication with others (especially those who could enrich your life), you, more than any other moon sign, will feel lonely.

moon in cancer in the 2nd: You feel powerful ties to the family and the home. It may be difficult for you to make the break and separate from your family when the time comes. You enjoy having somebody taking care of you and you prefer not to change that situation. You have a sentimental attachment to objects, and this often translates into a liking for heirlooms and antiques. In your quest for financial and emotional security, don’t forget those who’ve helped you in the past, especially your parents. More than any other moon sign, you be the least likely to do this because you feel a close tie with them. Their happiness is your happiness, however, don’t shortchange yourself in helping them.

moon in leo in the 2nd:  You appreciate beautiful people, comfortable surroundings, good food, fine wine and warm friends. To this end, you may be tempted to strain finances by indulging beyond your resources. You underestimate your abilities and fail to capitalize on them. Until people prove their worth to you, you act quite conservatively towards them. Your fear of risks makes it difficult to exploit your creative potentials. If you truly care about those that you love, you’ll try to live up to your potential. The only problem is that you might be inclined to cling to outmoded methods in your investment and business dealings.

moon in virgo in the 2nd: Your naturally analytical nature can stop you from accepting both yourself and other people without criticism, because you see your and their faults all too easily and clearly. You find it difficult to accept these faults unconditionally. You adapt to job assignments very well and learn new skills easily. You want others to look at you as trustworthy and responsible and you take every opportunity to improve your skills when special training is available. Your weight is often linked to your inner sense of well-being.

moon in libra in the 2nd: You are considerate, refined, easy-going and friendly. You are a very diplomatic person, partly because it forms a part of your courteous nature, and partly because you need emotional calm. There’s no point in comparing what you have to what others have, unless doing so urges you on to succeed in your endeavours. You’re attracted to successful people and you admire the  for gaining freedom from financial worries. Your partner will likely be successful in their field.

moon in scorpio in the 2nd: You are so intense that when you do express your emotions, you tend to express them in extreme ways. You’re suspicious of people who make demands, so you question their motives and you try to pin down what your efforts will cost. You can be quite obstinate and moody, although you may hide this from the rest of the world. You don’t generally discuss your financial affairs openly, and you talk about them privately and only with those you trust.

moon in sagittarius in the 2nd: You have a high regard for education and thus you constantly strive to seek knowledge. You know you can improve your financial security by being well informed, so you’re willing to invest in getting an education. You can be very studious, with an insatiable appetite for knowledge. You also like to travel and are able to adapt easily to changes in your environment. You may find that you work best in large corporate enterprises.

moon in capricorn in the 2nd: Although you may have fluctuations in your income, you do show shrewd business sense and have an instinctive ability for saving. Your goals are well-defined and you easily win the approval of your bosses in your career for the effort you put into your tasks. Your work should bring you before the public, since you identify with the public and can therefore win their appreciation. You want to be recognized as capable and independent, not needing to rely on anyone. Once you have proved this to yourself, you find it easier to relate warmly and openly to others.

moon in aquarius in the 2nd: You react badly if you feel that you are tied down emotionally or domestically, because deep down you resent obligations and responsibilities. This attitude follows through to financial matters. You are somewhat indifferent about money and resent the fact that the amount of freedom that you enjoy depends on it. You’re worried about your financial future and you use every resource to improve and secure your economic circumstances. You prefer friends who don’t make demands on you.

moon in pisces in the 2nd: You nurture those around you in a material sense, which means that you love and need to provide them with the material comforts of life such as money, food, clothing and shelter. Your first priority is fulfilling your own needs first, then when that’s accomplished, fulfilling others who genuinely need assistance. You want to be free of anxiety about your financial issues. You are both kind and amicable, although you can be lazy and self-indulgent. Your domestic life is likely to be disorganized.

moon signs in the first house ☾ moon signs in the second house ☾ moon signs in the third house ☾ moon signs in the fourth house ☾ moon signs in the fifth house ☾ moon signs in the sixth house ☾ moon signs in the seventh house ☾ moon signs in the eighth house ☾ moon signs in the ninth house ☾ moon signs in the tenth house ☾ moon signs in the eleventh house ☾ moon signs in the twelfth house

classy. bold. provocative. depraved. sophisticated. intelligent. unique. click here for a much more realistic and refined view of astrology (18+ ONLY)

#moon signs in the houses #2nd house #second house #aries #taurus #gemini #cancer #leopard #virgo #libra #scorpio #sagittarius #capricorn #aquarius #pisces #astrology #mine

[kateemmerson]

Dear Realtors - 10 ways home owners mess with the sale (and your mojo).

Realtors – Understand 10 ways your sellers unconsciously sabotage the speedy SALE of their home (plus mess with your income & reputation)

  92% of people are guilty of number 1, but NO-ONE talks about it and I am here to change that!

Dear Realtors – you have my deepest sympathy!

Selling all your client’s homes -Yuck or Yah? Or a bit of both? Everyone knows that selling a home elicits dread, anxiety and heightened stress for the seller and the buyer. But what about you and your pivotal role?  Don’t your client’s drive you nuts sometimes, or the current market place and trends that seem top make everything that much tougher for you to get the deals through?

If you are taking the time to read this, then I understand and respect that….

You have been in the business for a long time

Are brilliant at what you do

Always super duper professional

Engaging, generous with your time and go the extra mile

Passionate about people, families and homes

Have a great eye for what works and doesn’t……

… and yet still you feel like you are wading through sludgy mud. You are fast having to adjust to ever-changing market trends and the fact that more and more sellers believe they can handle the transactions on their own (yeah right!).

Everyone is trying to undercut your commission and you probably aren’t having as much fun in this industry anymore? You even think about getting out and doing something less “uphill” or stressful pretty soon. But, you also just LOVE this industry and it runs in your blood. And ….sometimes your blood boils when your sellers just won’t listen darn it, refuse to heed your advice or uphold their end of the bargain to get ready for show day or viewings of their property. Aaargh!!!

There is only so much responsibility you can take – the rest is up to them, isn’t it? On top of the painful sales and lodging of documents process, you also know all the other stressful stuff your clients dread in anticipation – which often means you are not their favorite person in the transaction.

It’s easy for them to mutter about when you want to view the house, or canceling viewings at the last minute when their child is sick, or another emergency arises. Or they complain about your commission, the photos aren’t right or you aren’t bringing enough people through to view. It’s always YOUR fault isn’t it?

So how do you find a way to approach this all with a new edge?

To stand out in the sea of sameness in the industry?

To be the REALTOR to offer something totally different with a uniquely compassionate angle?

A way for you to honestly help your clients help themselves and get on board? (P.S. HOME-OWNERS – If you are a homeowner about to sell and reading this, then you would be better off reading THIS ARTICLE WRITTEN JUST FOR YOU)

For them to ultimately get what they want with more ease and grace?

To enjoy a smoother viewing process, offers to purchase and ultimately the speedier sale of their home?

To offer them a way to handle and process all the stress of the sale and move in their hearts and lives?

A way for you all to feel invigorated about the process of selling and moving again?

I’m Kate Emmerson, the Quick Shift Deva, and I am hell-bent on supporting realtors and home sellers in today’s stressful times. Helping realtors to shift your vooma back into showcasing and selling homes and doing what you love, and letting me help you handle your clients and their hearts, minds and homes.

To help you offer your clients a unique way that has never been spoken about until now – one in which they willingly step up and take more responsibility for getting 100% ready to sell.

That’s my forte- speaking directly through you, to your seller. Coaching, cajoling, nudging and providing practical solutions to shift the sale of their home with grace, speed and ease. Helping them process the angst, stress, to de-clutter, pre- pack, handle inevitable show days/viewings, and ultimately being fully ready to make this move.

So whether your sellers are moving because it’s aspirational and they really want to, or because they somehow feel forced to, they still have a way of embracing the process. To feel way less stressed, more in control, at peace and actually excited about uprooting life, heart and home when selling this time around. To be able to embrace this dreaded process with a lightness of expectation of what’s unfolding.

This is such a potentially powerful and pivotal time in their lives– one that is usually their worst nightmare that fills them with angst and stress. Yet, it can be done with grace, ease and speed through the transition.

Can you imagine shifting the status quo and being able to say how much you LOVE dealing with your clients again?

How you feel more connected to them yet not taken for granted?

How you have discovered a way to make the selling process effortless and life-changing for them?

As an expert in letting go and moving on, I’ve spent 16 years researching home-owners and working in their homes, understanding what keeps them deeply stuck at the internal, psychological level. Holding on for dear life, not budging on ideas or price. When your client feels truly ready to move on, from the inside out, that particular home will sell with lightning speed. And I promise you that my process is down to earth, practical and simple to implement. Clients refer to my style as compassion with a kick!

You know you want me on your team!

I challenge you to have an open mind as you keep reading…

For most home sellers, the notion of getting their home ready to firstly invite you, the realtor, and then let total strangers trudge unceremoniously through their space, opening all the cupboards (oh yes, you know this is true!), deciding if this space suits their taste and budget can elicit feelings of terror and panic, even in the most resilient of folk. There’s always a heady mixture of emotions contemplating selling a home, aren’t there? It’s debilitating and overwhelming. Life is already busy and stressful enough, and this is just a huge added burden on their plate and they hold you responsible for it going smoothly. After all, what are they paying you for?

All sorts of things come into play for them.

How will they pack up everything?

Do they even want to use you, as their realtor if they don’t “have” to?

Are they making the right decision and do they have clarity about what they want?

Who do they trust to move their worldly possessions?

Will doggie Rufus adjust to the new house?

Will grandpa be ok in the new home?

How will they ever get their home show-day ready with all their current obligations?

Gasp – what about that hideous overflowing garage and shed they never got around to clearing out. It’s downright embarrassing and now they are thinking of having you walk through their space!

Will they ever find a beautiful new space that feels like home again?

Will their worldly possessions ever fit into that new space?

While it’s true they have to dig deep to face the above, and most people hate it, what if there is something far more critical that is the real sabotage to them selling their home? It all starts with what’s going on inside, and you can be the one to introduce them to this novel idea.

If you are reading this article and wondering how your clients might be sabotaging the sale of their home, chances are they are in one of a few places right now!

Where do you find your CLIENTS fit right now?

A. Life is changing rapidly, and they are just contemplating selling their home. This would be a very exciting and aspirational move to upsize, downsize or life-size. But right now they might be unsure which route to take along with a mixture of dread and excitement. You might not even be on their radar yet!

B. They are unfortunately being ‘forced to sell’ their home (perhaps due to economic, death, health, divorce or relocating), and are both resisting and dreading everything about life right now it. It’s all too much to handle, it really shouldn’t be happening, they are in shock, and now they have to wrench themselves from their safe safe nest. It couldn’t get any worse. They might view all realtors as another vulture trying to take advantage of them….. or you could be really clever and position yourself as someone who truly understands and can support this awful time in their lives!

C. Their home is just not selling and has spent way too many DOM’s (Days on Market), but they really need this property to sell fast. Enough already! There have just been far too many people trudging through the doors, they are sick ‘n tired of you and no real offers to purchase are materializing. They are losing hope of ever selling, blame you as their realtor, feel frustrated, trapped, and can’t move forward. Horrible all round!

My guess is that you are a Realtor wanting to up your professional game and find unique ways to support your clients to sell faster and with more ease. You are interested in unique ways to help you do your job better – you’re brilliant at what you do, but know something is missing that’s outside your scope of expertise.

You’re confused why a perfect property is somehow not shifting on the market, or you know your client needs help to get a grip on making peace with their life, moving on and handling emotional and physical clutter. You are exhausted from everything being an uphill battle with your sellers and need a business boost.

  Here are Kate’s 10 ways your clients are unconsciously self-sabotaging the speedy SALE of their home!

  PART 1: LOOSEN THE EMOTIONAL GRIP

SAY ‘GOODBYE’ EARLY ON In my experience, over 92% of sellers fall into this trap, and it’s the first way they will sabotage the sale! It’s also the one no-one else out there talks about because it is considered too fluffy, too soft, too naff. But it will affect the speed, ease, and ultimately the financial aspect of the sale. This is the single most significant factor that your client is 100% in control of and the one to take the most seriously. They have to be ready in their heart and entirely at peace to welcome this move BEFORE you put the “For Sale” up! Take control early on and help them emotionally “detach” from the home and say goodbye to this era of their life with mindful intent. Emotional closure right upfront will bring acceptance and significantly reduce stress.

Most sellers wait till move day to get the emotions in check and wonder why it’s so unbearably stressful. This psychological, emotional, and mental shift is how Kate supports her clients (with life-changing practical exercises) at this pivotal time to ensure they do not sabotage the potential sale. They are energetically and emotionally embedded into every brick in their homes and they have to loosen this grip before they can move on. Homeowners don’t usually wonder about how their “energy” is embedded into every brick and mortar of their home. This is where they realized the dream of owning this home, perhaps had their first child, started a business, danced around the kitchen table after signing the big corporate deal, made love to their partner, and watched little Jamie take his first steps. It might also be a space signifying struggle, heartache and pain – and now they have to say goodbye. It’s all very complicated at a heart level and most folks don’t know how to approach this time and process. Kate shifts that in a jiffy.

PLEASE STOP CALLING IT ‘HOME’ Too many sellers sabotage the process and hold on with double doses of superglue! They intensify emotional attachment, heartache and stress, by continually referring to this space as ‘home.’Yes, of course, it has been their home, and you feel like you are honoring them by speaking kindly about their “home”, but one of the pivotal shifts to make is to help them consider from this moment onwards, that they are a custodian of this space and start thinking of the home as a house. The challenge is that from now on, every time you all speak about it or think about it (after you have done the emotional closure that Kate’s teaches), is to always use the term HOUSE instead of home! Better yet, think of it as a guesthouse always ready to welcome new guests. Keep the term home for the potential BUYER. You can catch Kate live on the radio sharing her passionate house selling tips to Shado Twala on SAFM

HELP THEM CATCH A WAKE-UP ABOUT WHAT’S LURKING Most sellers do a little tidy up around the house, thinking they will clear out properly when finally packing the boxes and move. Beep! Remind them that buyers will open cupboards, and more importantly, they will get a “feel” of the house. If it feels stuffy, cluttered and overfull, buyers will feel stifled in the space even if it is seemingly the perfect house for them on paper and budget-wise. The moment your client decides to sell, please get them stuck into de-cluttering every single inch of the space. They need to, as I like to refer to it,  Zap Your Kr@p – Not only will it make the house appear more spacious and light for the buyer, but means they will also not lug any “stuff” that no longer serves them into the next phase of life. A house move is an ideal time to purge at every level. Let go and live a little lighter, taking only that which you love, use and respect into your new home. If THE SELLER fills up too much of the house, there is no room for THE BUYER to breathe new life into this space. Tone down that bright cerise wall, get rid of 75% of the objects d’art and remove the 30 family photographs stuck on the wall! Buyers need to be able to envisage THEMSELVES living in this space.

  GRAB PART 2 (WITH HEAPS MORE TIPS AND IDEAS) OF THE ARTICLE ON THE NEXT PAGE BY CLICKING HERE, OR BETTER YET, JUST CLICK THE IMAGE BELOW TO DOWNLOAD THE ENTIRE E-BOOK AT ZERO COST

Dear Realtors – 10 ways home owners mess with the sale (and your mojo). was originally published on Kate Emmerson - The Quick Shift Deva

#best selling author #sell your home #sell your home fast #selling home

[neurotribe]

“Fear not!” - Or “Why there may be a distinct lack of visionary ideas in Australia’s 2019 Federal Election”.

Apparently one of the most common phrases found in the bible is “fear not”. I would often hear preachers say that the phrase appeared 365 times in the Old and New Testaments, one for each day of the year. Um, not quite. More like 80 odd with another 30 odd where the phrase is not quite “fear not” but it conveys a very similar sentiment.

In many of the churches I have visited and indeed been part of over the years, there is a tendency for sermons to emphasis “practical application”. How do you take what is in the bible and “make it work” for you in your mundane, day to day existence? In that kind of climate, I find that  “fear not” still gets a significant amount of airplay.

However, I predict that we won’t be seeing a whole lot of “fear not” sermons and information about how to practically apply such an injunction as we approach the coming Australian Federal Election. As a matter of fact, I predict the opposite.

In the state of Victoria, we have just come off the back of a state election. The Liberal Party (which is to say our conservative party for my non Australian readers) were led to believe that they were trailing in the polls so they adopted a fear based campaign. Their two pronged fear based messages focused upon the Australian Labor Party (the progressive or left side of politics in Australia for my non Australian readers) were not to be trusted as economic managers, and a “tough on crime” law and order message that targeted and vilified certain ethnic minorities that were some of the most recent and therefore most vulnerable of immigrants to our shores. The particular fear based campaign was widely deemed to be a disaster, resulting in a crushing electoral defeat for the conservative party.

There were other factors at play. The conservative party’s acrimonious factional infighting resulting in the unseating of our Prime Minister weeks before the election certainly didn’t help matters, however much of the analysis concluded that if fear is to be your primary means of garnering support, the chances of being able to communicate some kind of vision for the state, and the ability to have a vigorous public contest of ideas will at best take a back seat.

We are only a few months out from a federal election here in Australia. The federal conservatives are in a similar position to their state based counterparts. However rather than the infighting being something occurring in the background, it was this party that engaged in such bitter and acrimonious behaviour.

It is therefore no surprise that, knowing they face such an uphill battle at the polls, the Liberal (conservative) Party are adopting a fear based campaign, and once again, those who will pay the price of such a fear based campaign are those who are most vulnerable.

This article from The Age newspaper based here in Victoria shows that support for the Australian Labor Party fell by three percentage points in a week, as a result of the Liberal Party’s messaging to the general public regarding a piece of legislation involving medical attention for asylum seekers.

Adopting Trumps tactics of:

Lying about the way in which people seeking asylum come to Australia (the vast majority of "illegal” migrants arrive by plane, not by boat),

Using dehumanising language about those seeking asylum (referring to them in the same way that Donald Trump refers to people seeking asylum, ie: paedophiles, rapists and murders, yep, our Prime Minister Scott Morrison said that about people seeking asylum),

By lying to the Australian people about the details of the legislation that the Australian Labor Party and others who oppose the current government voted on (see this article where the Australian Prime Minister refused to acknowledge that the legislation did not apply to new arrivals, and therefore he had intentionally misled the Australian public)

the current conservative government seeks to adopt the strategy of frightening the Australian public to vote for them.

What has any of this got to do with my opening comments regarding the phrase “fear not” found in the Christian-Judeo holy text so many times?

Firstly, much has been made about our Prime Minister’s faith. Secondly the context of his faith tradition is one that constituted part of my own faith formation during my 20′s. It is a tradition that tends to seek an interpretation of scripture that leads to a “practical application”. It is the tradition where I heard preachers discuss the phrase “fear not”, the fact that it appeared many times in the sacred text and what that means in terms of our individual and collective faith practice.

Secondly, a man of faith in the public context seems, from my vantage point, to be at best deliberately distorting facts, and at worst lying to the Australian public in order to induce fear, at the expense of some of the most vulnerable people in the world, in order to maintain a hold on power. All whilst ignoring the words and the implication of this repeated refrain from the text that he, I and many of our sisters and brothers hold sacred.

To put it plainly, rather than obeying the commands to “fear not”, our Prime Minister, my brother in Christ is encouraging people to be afraid, and unless someone can spell out in unambiguous terms to the contrary, the reason he is doing it is because an election is on the near horizon which his party looks set to lose.

Australia suffers a media monopoly. It is no secret that the Murdoch press (and I’m not just talking traditional newspapers) holds a powerful beachhead in the Australian public’s imagination. I believe it is also for that same reason that the federal opposition backed off from support for the medical evacuation legislation.

A 3% shift in voting intentions in one week.

Based on a fear campaign about people seeking asylum.

The British Prime Minister Harold Wilson famously said “a week is a long time in politics”. I began writing this post last week. For all sorts of reasons it was interrupted and here I am completing the post. This week in Australia, the federal government is facing some serious heat regarding a couple of financial and favour related rorts. These revelations gutted the energy and attention being given to the fear based asylum seeker debate. I am not convinced that this will last for long.

As I lamented the prevalence of fear and the lack of courage in our political debate this last week, I received a gift of grace. It was a letter penned by a courageous visionary.

What follows is an open letter from Australian football pundit and former Australian international, Craig Foster. Before you write him off as a celebrity SJW, you might do well to do some research not only on his recent key role in the release of the detention of Australian refugee Hakeem al-Araibi, but also of much of his other tireless humanitarian work behind the scenes and out of the public spotlight.

With courage (which the last time I checked didn’t mean the absence of fear, but the capacity to continue to act in spite of being gripped by fear), we find ourselves in a place of spacious vision. More power to your elbow Craig Foster as you encourage us to “fear not”.

Dear Scott and Bill,

Thank you for your support for Hakeem al-Araibi during his recent struggle for justice and for the welcome provided to him last week at Parliament House. It was a powerful moment to see a young refugee celebrated in the centre of our democracy, the values of which underpinned our unshakeable conviction in his right to freedom.

In recent years, I have farewelled a loved friend and Hungarian refugee, Laszlo Urge, known as Les Murray AM, who was afforded a NSW state funeral, and seen a young Bahraini refugee become a symbol of hope and of the restoration of our values. Together, they stand as just two examples of what can be achieved by all, including those seeking a new life, free of persecution.

And not for the first time did I reflect that we are all just a different passport away from standing in their place. Had my family been in danger in a 1957 Hungary, I, too, would have fled. And had my own government had me incarcerated and tortured as a young athlete, I, too, would have spoken out and sought a new life elsewhere.

I could have been Les or Hakeem, and so could have you. While we work to ensure a prosperous and safe future for all Australians, we should never forget this.

Hakeem was understandably nervous when entering your offices since, in many countries, there is an unnavigable divide between the entitled and the rest. Don’t be worried, I told him, in Australia everyone is equal and you will have the opportunity one day to hold a position of leadership, should you wish.

Australians do not revere position or title, rather we judge the person by their actions. And so too are nations judged. It is in relation to our actions as a country that I now write.

I have waited until after Hakeem was safely home [from Thailand] to explain that one of the reasons it was so difficult to garner international support was because of our own treatment of refugees. This was a constant theme throughout discussions with international stakeholders.

Nor was it lost on any of us fighting so hard against two governments and monarchies and in urging FIFA, the Asian Football Confederation and the International Olympic Committee to uphold their human rights obligations that we are failing to uphold our own.

It cannot be right that, with Australia having participated as one of just eight nations in the creation of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights over 70 years ago, we are prepared to put people seeking asylum at risk of physical and psychological harm in order to deter others.

The fact that Parliament faced such a considerable challenge to pass legislation simply to provide medical care to refugees, fellow human beings, shows that we have gone too far, strayed from our basic values of humanity, that we need to step back and consider as a nation who we are and what we stand for.

As with Hakeem’s case, this issue transcends party lines and goes to universal values. The policy of indefinite, offshore detention does not uphold our international obligations and we need to be strong enough to admit this and to find a fair and humane solution to this crisis of our conscience.

Of course, we all accept that protecting Australians is critically important and this is why we need to find a solution in which people are not harmed in return. Our country needs strong leadership from you both to regain more than our international credibility in our treatment of all people, but our very sense of nationhood and pride in how we conduct ourselves both at home, and abroad.

The shared will to save Hakeem demonstrates that Australia is ready to have this discussion and to confront the image staring back at us in the mirror.

We are a part of the broader, global family and should act accordingly, just as you and I demanded that other state and non-state actors do on Hakeem’s behalf.

I am asking that you bring together the relevant people in the same spirit of humanity that saved a young man’s life to find a workable solution that upholds the obligations that we so proudly played a role in creating in 1948. One that gives every Australian an opportunity to say that we are not just a great multicultural and sporting nation, but a caring one.

We all saved Hakeem, together, and it will be up to all of our national leaders, irrespective of who ultimately prevails in the forthcoming election, to ensure that we now save ourselves.

Kind Regards,

Craig Foster, former Australian International (Socceroo), 29 appearances, proud but concerned Australian.

#Theology #Politics #AsylumSeekers #AusPol

[deborahdeshoftim5779]

Responses- The Marvel of Trelsi (Part VIII)

By BoltonEvans post here. 

Believe me, I’m in the same boat as far as my OTP goes. While there is a bit more of a variety of fanfiction to explore, the majority of it is grossly out of character (self-loathing homophobic asshole Troy, and Ryan with Sharpay’s personality who refers to Troy as “Bolton” are everywhere), and resort to using extreme traumatic scenarios, such as rape, for cheap drama.

I used to be in another fandom where the homosexual ships involved exploitation of rape as a plot device, which is quite frankly disgraceful. As for Troy being “homophobic”... Is that why he decided to make friends with the most flamboyantly gay... Oh, never mind. I truly believe so many fans were watching a different film altogether. 

Even worse, I’m the only person still actively writing for my ship, these days, with the very rare exception cropping up and taking me by surprise every couple of months, or so. It’s a very sad state of affairs.

Sad, indeed. They have far more in common: 1)- A love of the Performing Arts and corresponding commitment, 2)- Strong work ethic, 3)- Kindness, generosity and thoughtfulness, 4)- Humour. The honest viewer doesn’t need to ship them to see this. Gabriella by comparison only meets ONE of the above criteria-- being a hard worker, and that only relates to her academic pursuits. When it comes to Troy or Ryan’s hard work, she’s happy to flush that down the toilet when it doesn’t suit her. (She’s also happy to play the two against each other to get emotional revenge, which is obnoxious). 

A few more notes/additions, because I’m both obnoxious, and incorrigible:

- My Tryan bias results in my perspective of Troy seeking Sharpay out and agreeing to perform with her and save her “sinking ship” of a talent show only if she also allows the Wildcats to perform, revolving around Ryan persuading him to do so. Troy was hellbent on dropping out of the show and resuming kitchen duty as a show of solidarity with his friends. It was only because of Ryan that he ultimately changed his mind. So, even though Troy absolutely does uphold his commitments (he is a textbook people pleaser, after all), I view that instance as the one exception where Troy had to be talked into keeping a promise. Thankfully, it was by someone who was actually looking out for him, for once.

That’s a good point. Thanks for pointing this out. 

- One minor correction: Gabriella transfers to East High after the new year begins. In the American school system, this would be the start of the second semester, or halfway through the school year, and it’s questionable just when, exactly, she and Troy began officially dating after the events of the first film. In all likeliness, she and Troy dated for about half of their junior year, broke up several weeks into summer vacation, got back together (after Troy was willing to throw an opportunity for a scholarship out the window because of Gabriella’s reaction to him prioritizing his future over giving her a summer worthy of remembering), managed to stay together for most of senior year, then broke up, again, when Gabriella unceremoniously and callously dumped Troy over the phone a week before the year was out.

Correction noted, thanks. 

“When Troy tries to show her a golf course in HSM II, she tells him “I don’t play golf”, which is harmless enough. But given that she should have known by then that her boyfriend was on the school’s Golf Team, it would have reflected better on their relationship had Gabriella taken an interest in his golfing, whether she liked it or not. Particularly since Gabriella was later bitter that Troy didn’t ask HER opinion on the much-derided “Italian golf shoes”. If she doesn’t play golf, why does she care?"

This is a brilliant point, even though I believe that Gabriella telling Troy that she doesn’t play golf when he was obviously setting up a date (since he’s the sole half of the relationship tasked with planning every single date they go on), was rude. I’m assuming that Gabriella, contrary to what sense and logic would dictate, doesn’t take any real interest in Troy’s golfing because it was nothing more than a plot point for the sake of the narrative in the second movie, and never comes up, again, afterward. Her general apathy toward him is also a factor, though, of course.

I also want to add that, as far as their lack of a “common thread” goes;

-Gabriella seems unable to commiserate with Troy’s financial woes, and, indeed, never expresses a single concern about how she’s going to afford her own college tuition- another disparity.  

Oh, this is a VERY good point. Thanks for noting this one. Contrary to what popular romances like to claim, financial disparities can often harm a relationship, with the lesser fortunate partner feeling inadequate (particularly if they are a man) and yet steadfastly refusing any financial assistance. In Troy’s case, he never envies Gabriella’s financial position or asks for anything from her (although she bums freebies off him ALL the time), and expects to resolve all his financial issues himself through hard work and personal responsibility. This is one of the things I really like about him. However, his flaw of worrying so much also comes to light, which is where, as you say, Gabriella comforting him at the very least would have helped somewhat. Of course, what she ACTUALLY says is that they should “focus on right now”-- in other words, herself. 

Whenever Gabriella pulls attention away from his relatable issues and back to her own First World Problems, I tend to think this would have the psychological effect of making Troy feel as though he were complaining too much, if that makes sense? Because he always invests SO much in alleviating Gabriella’s worries whilst sidelining his own. So he would be internalizing a LOT of anxiety, which is extremely unhealthy. In conjunction with the fact that Gabriella makes him feel and look like a toddler in their relationship, his financial woes would make him feel even more inadequate for her as a partner. When his truck breaks down whilst he takes her home, he looks embarrassed, even though the reason is perfectly normal: he needs a new fuel pump. But it’s almost as though he anticipates her mockery, which makes me think that she regularly mocks him when things go wrong-- even if those things went wrong due to circumstances beyond his control. And let’s not forget the fact that he feels so obliged to impress Gabriella by spending his own limited resources on her, even though she can clearly afford to not only provide for herself, but also do nice things for him. What was stopping Gabriella from buying herself a pizza and inviting Troy round for once? Why couldn’t she pay for dinner and a movie sometimes? Why couldn’t she use her mother’s car or help buy her own, since she clearly has the money? Why, as you have already said, could she not help Troy out with his truck woes? (As I’ve said, I’m almost POSITIVE that she would have gotten irritated with him on the ride back from California, because his truck is unreliable. She has no concern for anything that troubles him. I bet she didn’t help pay for petrol, either). He eventually spends/borrows money to attend Berkeley for reasons beyond my humble comprehension. 

It’s very unhealthy and Gabriella’s lack of sympathy makes it even worse. 

-Gabriella’s bedroom decor, behavior, and wardrobe choices suggest a childlike innocence to her personality, and she talks about wanting things to be "like Kindergarten”, but, as you mentioned, she pokes fun at Troy for holding onto boyhood playthings. Watch her face when Troy takes Robo-Rob from her, worrying that she’ll break the toy robot.

That doesn’t strike me as the face of a girl who finds her boyfriend’s dorkiness and sentimentality for an aspect of his childhood endearing. That’s the face you pull when a person says or does something crazy and you’re trying to wrap your head around it.

You seem to have all the right gifs! Christ. There’s rarely ever any genuine affection in her eyes when she’s around Troy, as I will discuss later. Maybe in HSM I with the rooftop scene, we saw some genuine affection as she was opening up to Troy. That vanished not long later after the webcam stunt, in which her expression was NOT hurt/disappointed, but cold and almost hostile. (Maybe she didn’t want to appear weak or hurt by his words, given that she DID shed tears earlier). And yes, the hypocrisy is staggering in the way she treats Troy’s childhood interests. 

-Troy knows his future is coming at him full steam ahead, and even though he has no idea what he wants to do, after high school, and is “being pulled in a hundred different directions”, he acknowledges, “We’re going to graduate. That’s going to happen. Nothing is going to slow down”… while Gabriella laments, right in front of him, life not grinding to a standstill, just for her, so she never has to leave East High. This suggests not just a disparity in priorities, but in maturity levels, as well; something that would have caused an eventual rift between a real life couple that nothing could have patched up.

Absolutely. 

Imagine, years down the road- if they managed to stay together- Troy fretting over steadily accumulating bills and taxes while Gabriella rolls her eyes and tells him to just push for a promotion at work. Then, imagine Gabriella finding out that the electric bill hasn’t been paid and their electricity is about to be shut off. Do you think she’d take a stressed out Troy aside and promise to find a way to get them out of this rut, or angrily confront him and demand to know why the bill hasn’t been paid and if he wants them out on the street?

Shaking with laughter! :D Please God, let it not get this far! 

Imagine how Gabriella would respond if Troy sustained an injury, in college, that ruined his shot at a career in professional basketball, or if he got laid off from his job. Do you really think she’d stay by his side and try to work things out? Or, do you think Troy would come home to find the engagement ring he put his entire salary toward, sitting on the kitchen table beside a note from Gabriella explaining that she “can’t do this, anymore”?

That dialogue... :D That is JUST what Gabriella would say. I’m laughing because of the sheer irony. We are told that this couple represent “Relationship Goals”... I just can’t! *wipes eyes*

Based on everything I’ve seen in canon, I heavily lean toward the latter.

The Wail Fest in HSM II epitomises Gabriella’s philosophy in a nutshell: “I gotta do what’s best for ME.” She really knows how to play the scorned lover in every one of her Wail Fests. What’s even more insulting in this song is when she sings, “You’ll be okay!” This is AFTER she: 1)- quit the job he secured on her behalf, 2)- mocked and derided him for his promotions, 3)- flirted with Ryan to manipulate his emotions, 4)- dumped him, 5)- and eventually rejected his necklace. She has some audacity! Every time she is about to drop kick him, she constantly makes the presumption that he will understand her behaviour: (HSM I)- “You’ve got your team, and I’ve got mine. It’s WHERE WE BELONG.”, (HSM II)- “I just don’t belong here, I HOPE YOU UNDERSTAND”, (HSM III)- “I can’t be a little adult right now, Troy. I’m hoping you’ll understand that.” It makes me sputter with rage. Meanwhile, when it comes to HER turn to show some understanding in the following situations: (HSM I)- When Troy is clearly being pressured to avoid the Musicals, (HSM II)- When Troy is under pressure from Sharpay’s harassment and his fast rise to fame, (HSM III)- When Troy is worried about his future--- hey, what do you know? Her “understanding” vanishes. It’s like she never heard of the word. 

*angry sigh*

I’ll discuss more of this in later posts. If you don’t mind, I’ll add some things you’ve said here. (Giving credit, obviously). 

Thanks for the responses! 

#Trelsi #BoltonEvans #Responses #TheseAreGreat #Playmakers #LiterallyTroyAndKelsiForever

[theselfcaremaven]

Healthy Boundaries Please!

Good day, to you dear ones🥰

This is something I re-posted yesterday on FB under my #TheSelfCareMaven hashtag. You could actually google that hashtag and see some of my work👰🏻

***************************

Some things bare reviewing at a later date.

BOUNDARIES for HSP’s is always a good review (for me). Hope you find a pearl of wisdom.

🌺

Healthy Boundaries for Highly Sensitive People

An Excerpt From "Assertiveness for Earth Angels" here is a link for Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1401928803/hayhousecom-20

A boundary is your limit, which no one can overstep or violate. No matter who the other person is or how much you love him or her, your boundary is something that he or she is not allowed to breach.

For instance, I have boundaries in all of my relationships that dictate that you must treat me with respect. I, in turn, will treat you with respect. This is a nonnegotiable boundary for me, and if anyone violates this and is disrespectful toward me, I will try to clear the energy by discussing my feelings and boundaries, and then listening to the other person. If he or she continues to be disrespectful toward me, the relationship is over, without any guilt on my part. I still love the person, but because of the behavior overstepping my firm boundary, I no longer have contact with him or her. Boundaries are a necessary part of self-care, just like washing your hair or wearing shoes to protect your feet. They are healthy, normal, and necessary.

Every relationship has issues and negotiations about each person’s personal boundaries. So it’s not whether you have conflict, but how you deal with conflict that matters for a long-term relationship.

Personal boundaries include how much . . .

• . . . body space and distance from other people you need.

• . . . time alone you prefer.

• . . . affection and romance you need.

• . . . you need to hear words of affection.

• . . . you need your personal items to be left alone and untouched by others.

• . . . you require honesty, reliability, and sobriety within the relationship.

• . . . financial equality and fairness matter to you [. . . and so forth].

Part of being an assertive Earth Angel is learning how to have the strength and the courage to maintain your boundaries. It can get exhausting when it feels like other people are trying to step all over your boundaries. It might wear you down, and you start to think, Does this really matter? Well, it does!

Your inner self relies upon your outer self for caretaking. You might say that your inner self is like a little child you’re nurturing. That means that if it’s tired or needs to play, your outer self should honor this and not push your inner self beyond its limits.

Even though the other person may be disappointed or even angry when you say no, believe me when I tell you that he or she does understand. Remember that the other person is human, too, and knows what limitations are like. Even if your refusal comes as a disappointment, deep down he or she will respect you for it!

When you say no, you’re modeling healthy behavior for others. Part of the reason why they may react angrily toward you is because it’s never occurred to them that they could say no to unreasonable demands put upon their own time!

So when you do something that people haven’t seen you do previously—like saying no—they may be surprised. They may take your no personally, and it’s okay for you to briefly explain that this isn’t anything personal and has to do with you maintaining clear boundaries with respect to your schedule.

Don’t feel like you have to explain why you’re saying no, though. The more you explain why, the more leverage the other person has, which he or she can use to manipulate you into changing that no into a yes.

Boundaries mean that you teach people what you will and won’t accept in the relationship. They can be a lot of work, but that’s what it takes to build a healthy relationship with yourself and others.

Another important boundary is to respect your right to schedule your time. Don’t allow others to dictate your schedule to you. For instance, you have the right to not answer the phone or doorbell when it rings, and to not feel obligated to immediately answer emails or social media posts. If someone asks you to drop everything to drive them across town, you have the right to say no. It’s like the old adage: “A lack of planning on your part doesn’t constitute an emergency on my part.” We must overcome impulsive rescuing tendencies.

A lot of people use guilt to manipulate others into getting their way. They also include flattery mixed with guilt. So, as an example, they’ll say, “Only you can help me; and if you don’t help me, there will be horrible consequences for me.”

As a sensitive Earth Angel, you don’t want anyone to suffer, so you allow the other person’s words to manipulate and control you. Then you feel weak and used, as well as resentful and angry. Add to this the frustration that arises because you’ve backtracked on your promise to take excellent care of yourself . . . and you’ve got a heap of toxic energies inside your mind, emotions, and body.

It’s so important to remind yourself that every person has the same Source: God. Those who play with your emotions to get their way are creations of God, just like you and everyone else. You’re not their God, nor are you their Source. So, allow Source God to be the person’s caretaker. Pray for guidance about how you can truly help him or her gain strength and be self-sufficient.

Of course, there will be instances where you’re acting as an Earth Angel and bringing forth God’s help through your efforts. But those instances are clearly guided by love, not by guilt.

If you’re giving because of guilt, it’s not true or pure giving, as was discussed in the previous chapter. Your gift out of guilt is tainted with toxic energies.

Boundaries are a form of self-care. When you stand up for your boundaries, meaning that you don’t allow others to manipulate, guilt, or control you, your inner self applauds and thanks you.

Your self-esteem and confidence increase whenever you successfully stand up for yourself.

Now, by “stand up for yourself,” I don’t mean that you’re aggressively pronouncing judgments over others. Remember that assertiveness upholds everyone’s rights: yours and those of the other person involved. When you maintain your boundaries and say no with grace, love, and firmness, you teach people how to handle boundaries.

You’re not their Source; God is! If you make yourself their Source, then how will they ever learn to support themselves and grow?

When I was first teaching angel courses, I made time to sit down personally one-on-one with each student. During these individual sessions, I’d tune in to the student’s angels and answer all of the questions that he or she had. And then I’d go home and be ill and tired for two to three days after the workshop; I had allowed myself to become drained, under the misguided notion that I was the one to help and serve all these students.

After that, I realized that I wasn’t doing myself or them any favors by being so accessible. I realized that it was important for me to model good healthy boundaries to my students, many of whom were in training to become spiritual teachers themselves. I needed to teach each student how to access Divine guidance and answers for him- or herself, instead of needing to go through me or another person.

So, in my teaching I began emphasizing how to receive clear angel messages for yourself. I also created definite breaks in the schedule for the course, during which I wouldn’t allow anyone to ask me questions. When questioned during my break, I’d say: “Other people may want to hear the answer to this question, so let’s save it for when we’re all back together.” I’d also tell students that I was in a human body that needed rest and recharging.

I knew that by taking a break, I’d be a more effective and higher-energy teacher. I’d also be happier, which is a very important quality in a teacher. I’ve always told my students that it’s beneficial to take lots of different classes, as long as the teacher is a happy person. A happy teacher teaches other people how to be happy, both directly and by role-modeling happiness. And happiness is the most important thing anyone can teach!

In addition, when you exercise strong and healthy boundaries as a parent, you teach your children how to do the same. Don’t you want your children to grow up learning to respect themselves, their time, and their energy levels? Of course you do! Well, so too does God want this for you and everyone else!

Affirm often: “I think I can; therefore I can!”

Plenty of people come to me and argue in favor of their limitations. They forcefully tell me why they can’t enact the positive action steps that their angels are guiding them to take. They imply that they’re somehow special and are being blocked or thwarted from their dreams. Everyone else gets cut a break, but they’re very special victims in their own minds.

If they would put half the energy they expend arguing for what they can’t do toward arguing in favor of what they can do, then they would be well on their way to living their dream lives!

When you exercise your boundaries and learn to say no, you have more free time to devote to your passions and priorities, instead of feeling like you have to steal away moments to write that article, take that class, read that book, learn to play that musical instrument, start that new business, practice your healing skills . . . and so forth.

Boundaries give you a healthier and happier mind and a higher energy level, because you’re no longer fixated on the thought that people have taken advantage of you. When you feel resentful, you obsessively think about the other person’s mean behavior toward you. This type of thought pattern, if left unchecked, can lead to depression, anxiety, addictions, relationship issues, loneliness, fearfulness, and other toxic results.

Find "Assertiveness for Earth Angels" on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1401928803/hayhousecom-20

Sent from my iPhone

#comeoutofthedark #depressionarmy #mystoryisntoveryet #whyiwrite #beyourself #chronic illness #thrivingsurvivor #bpdrecovery #starseed #awakenedempath #theselfcaremaven #doyourwork #keepgoing #katfantastique #breastcancersurvivor #bekind #healthyboundaries #cptsdwarrior #cptsdrecovery

[forensiceyes]

Cannabis Leases: Eight Important Tenant Considerations

Cannabis laws give landlords a unique amount of control and bargaining power over tenants. This usually translates to above-market rent and one-sided lease agreements. Fighting with landlords is no fun, especially for cannabis tenants who cannot simply relocate to a new property and must deal with their lessor for the life of a license. In this post, I’ll examine some important concepts for cannabis tenants.

1. Getting Along with the Landlord

This isn’t really even a legal concept, but it’s a critical one. Before getting tied up into a multi-year contract that a tenant essentially can’t back out of if it wants to remain in business, it’s a good idea to know who a tenant is dealing with. Chances are, the tenant will be required to go to the landlord for approval frequently during the life of the lease. It’s a good idea to understand who the landlord is before signing. If it’s a challenge to negotiate basic lease provisions at the outset, it’ll probably be a challenge to get those new premises modifications approved–or to do anything else.

2. Landlord Control

It’s common for leases to prohibit assignment or subletting without the landlord’s consent. Many leases go a step further and define a change of control of the tenant as an assignment requiring the landlord’s consent. For example, a lease may say that if there is a change of ownership of 25% or more of the equity of the tenant, the landlord needs to approve it first.

From the landlord’s perspective, these approval rights make sense; a landlord obviously wants to vet incoming owners to make sure that they’ll be able to still pay rent. But from the tenant’s perspective, these provisions can sometimes lead to micro-management by a landlord, especially if the approval threshold is low or the landlord has unfettered discretion as to how and when to give approval or condition it on payment of additional money.

Many cannabis businesses require investment capital, and this often means some kind of change in ownership during the life of the license. If too broad, landlords’ change of control provisions can be tough for a tenant to deal with.

3. Premises Modifications

Sort of like changes of control, most physical changes to the leased premises require some kind of landlord pre-approval or at least notice. This makes sense when thinking about changing fundamental parts of a building by throwing up or taking down new walls. But if these provisions are not well defined, they can lead to headaches. For example, would installing heavy machinery require approval? What about an HVAC system? If this is not clearly delineated, there can be disputes.

Another common concern is who owns the modifications to the premises. At the conclusion of a lease, a tenant may not be able to take out everything it put into the premises. Most leases will spell out who owns modifications, and be specific as to what kinds of modifications tenants can or (in some cases) must remove. Given that virtually all premises need to be modified to comply with cannabis regulations, this is important to consider prior to entering a lease.

4. Rent and Regulatory Compliance

In addition to fixed rent, landlords may demand some cut of cannabis tenant income. While this may be doable under state law, it raises two important concerns.

First, landlords who share in rent increase their exposure for federal criminal violations. While the federal government has taken a hands-off approach to enforcement against state-licensed operators, that could change in the future. And if there is ever a change in enforcement priorities, landlords who share in the profits of a cannabis business could face more exposure. This exposure could affect other provisions in the lease as well.

Second, landlords who share in the profits will probably need to be disclosed to state, and in some cases, local authorities. In California, any form of profit-sharing renders a landlord a “financial interest holder” requiring disclosure to the state. If profit-sharing hits certain thresholds, the landlord can be considered an “owner”, and much more significant disclosures would be required. It is critical to understand this second point at the outset. What tenant would want to be in a position where, after entering into a lease and applying for a license, a landlord suddenly got cold feet and refused to comply with requests to disclose it to the state? This would likely not end well for anyone.

5. Guarantees

Cannabis landlords often require leases to be “guaranteed” by third parties. A guaranty is basically a third party’s agreement to pay rent and any other financial obligations of the tenant if the tenant defaults under the lease. If the landlord demands a personal guaranty by the owner of a cannabis business, this can be significant as it can lead to serious personal liability for the guarantor if the a cannabis tenant can’t make its payments. This risk is even more pronounced for cannabis companies. It takes cannabis businesses a significant amount of time (without income) to become operational, and the loss of licenses will also lead to losses of income.

6. Property Diligence

Most leases include representations and warranties about the property being leased. Nevertheless, it goes without saying that verifying that the representations are accurate (by inspections and otherwise) is key. If a tenant enters into a lease without inspecting property, they may waive their right to make claims later (this would not apply if the landlord deliberately misrepresented something).

7. Termination

Since cannabis permits and licenses are tied to specific properties, it’s important to most tenants to lock the landlord into the lease as much as possible. Broad termination rights can be bad for tenants for obvious reasons. It’s always a good idea to study grounds for termination closely. Two things come up frequently that bear consideration.

First is a landlord’s ability to terminate based on breach (this usually comes up for non-payment of rent). Some leases will allow the tenant a period to cure any breach, but we’ve seen a lot with very short cure periods that may not always be possible to meet.

Second is termination for violation of law. Cannabis leases violate federal law by default. If a lease is terminable for violation of any law, then it will possibly be terminable from day 1. There are of course good arguments that a landlord waived its right to terminate or was not terminating in good faith if this is the justification for termination, but why get in that position in the first place?

8. Dispute Resolution

This is absolutely critical. As an attorney who used to exclusively litigate business disputes, and who has seen firsthand the effects of poorly drafted dispute resolution provisions, I cannot express enough how important it is to focus on these clauses. This is especially so for cannabis contracts, and even more so for cannabis leases.

Any time a cannabis dispute ends up in federal court, there is a chance that the court could refuse to uphold a contract on the grounds that it violates federal law (this is called the federal illegality defense, and even thought it’s been chipped away over the years, it is still very much alive). This risk is immense for cannabis tenants; if a court refuses to uphold a lease, or worse, holds that it is void, the tenant can lose its licensed premises and therefore its license.

Conclusion

These are just a number of questions that potential cannabis tenants should ask themselves when considering a lease. The actual factors will likely change significantly from lease to lease and jurisdiction to jurisdiction. It’s a good idea to work with counsel to determine what lease provisions are best in for a specific tenant and jurisdiction.

The big takeaway here should be that drafting and negotiating cannabis leases is tough and that left unchecked, cannabis landlords can wield a great amount of power over tenants. Please stay tuned to the Canna Law Blog for more developments on cannabis leasing law, and in the meantime check out the posts linked below.

California Cannabis Landlords: More Regulatory Snags to Avoid

California Cannabis Leasing: Landlord Pitfalls

California Cannabis Leasing: The Normalization of Cannabis Landlords

California Cannabis Leasing: Federal Enforcement Is Not The Only Concern

California Cannabis: Commercial Leasing Changes in New Emergency Regulations

California Approves First Commercial Cannabis Landlord Insurance Coverage

California Commercial Cannabis Leasing: Top 5 FAQs

California Commercial Cannabis Leases: Planning in a Time of Uncertainty

California Cannabis: In 2018, Resolve to Make Your Leases Better

California Commercial Cannabis Leases: Will Courts Enforce Them?

California Cannabis Leases: Five Keys to Doing Them Right

California Cannabis Leases: The 101

Navigating California Cannabis Leases in 2019

The Biggest Pitfalls of California Cannabis Leases in 2019

Top Five Suggested Revisions to California Form Leases for Cannabis Tenants

Cannabis Real Estate Leases: The Roots of Your Cannabis Business, Part 1

Cannabis Real Estate Leases: Lease Audit and Lease Abstracts

Marijuana Lease Checklist: Ten Things to Note

Marijuana Commercial Leases: This Industry Is Different, You Know

Oregon Cannabis: Leases Galore

The post Cannabis Leases: Eight Important Tenant Considerations appeared first on Harris Bricken.

Cannabis Leases: Eight Important Tenant Considerations posted first on http://ronenkurzfeld.blogspot.com

[rickymanguson]

3 contract issues that got expensive

Written contracts protect both sides from misunderstandings and can put your relationship on equal ground. Whether you are joining a practice as an associate, intending to pursue a sale/purchase, or you are hiring someone, a contract helps you start your relationship on the right foot.

The following examines three scenarios where contract misunderstandings turned into serious problems. The ADA Center for Professional Success offers an e-book, Dentist Employment Agreements: A Guide to Key Legal Provisions, that includes a wealth of details and sample contract language.

Scenario 1: I didn’t read my contract carefully, and now I owe my employer money.

Problem: Dr. Sam had recently graduated dental school and was excited to land her first job. The HR department assured her that she was signing a “standard contract,” so she skimmed it to double check the salary, benefits and start date. She even got a signing bonus that she put toward home renovations.

Eight months later, Dr. Sam’s husband was offered a fantastic job in another city where they had family. She started looking for a job in the new city and turned in her notice. Her current employer invoiced her for the signing bonus. Dr. Sam then realized that the contract required her to stay for at least 24 months to keep the full bonus.

Solution: Every contract must be read closely, more than once, and by more than one person. A lawyer should review your contract and point out anything that might be unusual or impact your future flexibility.

Pay special attention to:

Bonuses that are tied to performance or production goals

How long you must stay in the practice

Any non-compete clauses that may limit your future career growth

If you do receive a signing bonus or similar payment, resist the urge to spend it immediately. Instead, talk to your accountant or financial advisor about a short-term savings or investment vehicle where you can access it if the need arises.

Scenario 2: I didn’t bother to get a written contract.

Problem: Dr. Mike hit it off with the owner of a small practice. They shared a philosophy of care and even a love of hiking. From the initial interview, it felt like a great match. So when Dr. Mike was offered the job with just a handshake agreement, he did not hesitate.

In his first year, Dr. Mike was a rockstar, exceeding his production goals and becoming popular with patients and staff. He expected a bonus and a raise but was told that they had not agreed to it. The relationship became awkward and uncomfortable, and Dr. Mike felt he had to leave the practice.

Solution: As tempting as it can be to skip the hassle of a written contract, the reality is that verbal contracts are significantly more difficult to uphold and can lead to misunderstandings. Push for a written contract that details:

Every aspect of compensation, including how and when bonuses will be earned and paid

Non-compete terms

Agreements on how a transfer of ownership will occur

How coverage and other responsibilities will be divided

Scenario 3: I had a change of heart.

Problem: Dr. Alex intended to sell the practice to a new associate, Dr. Bob, after two years. They signed a simple contract that lacked details. However, Dr. Bob changed his mind. With a growing family, he no longer wanted the hassles of owning a practice or working full time.

Dr. Alex became frustrated because his retirement was postponed, and he had to start over to find a new buyer. If Dr. Bob wanted to remain on part-time, he would need to be officially re-hired by the new owner. This meant more headaches and paperwork for everyone.

Solution: A contract should clearly spell out every element of a practice sale, including penalties for changing the terms. For example, the contract should include:

The specific timeline and milestones for the sale

How and when the purchase price should be determined (typically a valuation is done at the beginning of the relationship and again at one year)

Which method(s) will be used to value the practice

Valid reasons to void the agreement without penalties, such as death or disability

Penalties for non-compliance, including promissory notes, voiding/alteration of non-compete clauses and voiding/alteration of contractual obligations to remain in the practice

Remember, a written contract protects both sides and is worth the lawyer fees to avoid future problems. If the owner refuses a formal contract, write everything down and send it via email to the owner with a read receipt attached. Keep all these communications for your records.

A good contract takes some thought, but it can pay off by keeping things fair and open — the keys to a successful relationship and practice transition.

This article by Dr. Suzanne Ebert originally appeared in the ADAPT Blog. “What Went Wrong Wednesdays” is series that explore common problems of practice transitions and offer tips to help you avoid them. For more information pertaining to practice transitions, visit ADA Practice Transitions blog.

~American Dental Association

This blog post was sponsored by the American Dental Association.

from Dental Tips https://www.asdablog.com/3-contract-issues-that-got-expensive/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

#Dental Tips

[erickanobble]

3 contract issues that got expensive

Written contracts protect both sides from misunderstandings and can put your relationship on equal ground. Whether you are joining a practice as an associate, intending to pursue a sale/purchase, or you are hiring someone, a contract helps you start your relationship on the right foot.

The following examines three scenarios where contract misunderstandings turned into serious problems. The ADA Center for Professional Success offers an e-book, Dentist Employment Agreements: A Guide to Key Legal Provisions, that includes a wealth of details and sample contract language.

Scenario 1: I didn’t read my contract carefully, and now I owe my employer money.

Problem: Dr. Sam had recently graduated dental school and was excited to land her first job. The HR department assured her that she was signing a “standard contract,” so she skimmed it to double check the salary, benefits and start date. She even got a signing bonus that she put toward home renovations.

Eight months later, Dr. Sam’s husband was offered a fantastic job in another city where they had family. She started looking for a job in the new city and turned in her notice. Her current employer invoiced her for the signing bonus. Dr. Sam then realized that the contract required her to stay for at least 24 months to keep the full bonus.

Solution: Every contract must be read closely, more than once, and by more than one person. A lawyer should review your contract and point out anything that might be unusual or impact your future flexibility.

Pay special attention to:

Bonuses that are tied to performance or production goals

How long you must stay in the practice

Any non-compete clauses that may limit your future career growth

If you do receive a signing bonus or similar payment, resist the urge to spend it immediately. Instead, talk to your accountant or financial advisor about a short-term savings or investment vehicle where you can access it if the need arises.

Scenario 2: I didn’t bother to get a written contract.

Problem: Dr. Mike hit it off with the owner of a small practice. They shared a philosophy of care and even a love of hiking. From the initial interview, it felt like a great match. So when Dr. Mike was offered the job with just a handshake agreement, he did not hesitate.

In his first year, Dr. Mike was a rockstar, exceeding his production goals and becoming popular with patients and staff. He expected a bonus and a raise but was told that they had not agreed to it. The relationship became awkward and uncomfortable, and Dr. Mike felt he had to leave the practice.

Solution: As tempting as it can be to skip the hassle of a written contract, the reality is that verbal contracts are significantly more difficult to uphold and can lead to misunderstandings. Push for a written contract that details:

Every aspect of compensation, including how and when bonuses will be earned and paid

Non-compete terms

Agreements on how a transfer of ownership will occur

How coverage and other responsibilities will be divided

Scenario 3: I had a change of heart.

Problem: Dr. Alex intended to sell the practice to a new associate, Dr. Bob, after two years. They signed a simple contract that lacked details. However, Dr. Bob changed his mind. With a growing family, he no longer wanted the hassles of owning a practice or working full time.

Dr. Alex became frustrated because his retirement was postponed, and he had to start over to find a new buyer. If Dr. Bob wanted to remain on part-time, he would need to be officially re-hired by the new owner. This meant more headaches and paperwork for everyone.

Solution: A contract should clearly spell out every element of a practice sale, including penalties for changing the terms. For example, the contract should include:

The specific timeline and milestones for the sale

How and when the purchase price should be determined (typically a valuation is done at the beginning of the relationship and again at one year)

Which method(s) will be used to value the practice

Valid reasons to void the agreement without penalties, such as death or disability

Penalties for non-compliance, including promissory notes, voiding/alteration of non-compete clauses and voiding/alteration of contractual obligations to remain in the practice

Remember, a written contract protects both sides and is worth the lawyer fees to avoid future problems. If the owner refuses a formal contract, write everything down and send it via email to the owner with a read receipt attached. Keep all these communications for your records.

A good contract takes some thought, but it can pay off by keeping things fair and open — the keys to a successful relationship and practice transition.

This article by Dr. Suzanne Ebert originally appeared in the ADAPT Blog. “What Went Wrong Wednesdays” is series that explore common problems of practice transitions and offer tips to help you avoid them. For more information pertaining to practice transitions, visit ADA Practice Transitions blog.

~American Dental Association

This blog post was sponsored by the American Dental Association.

from Dental https://www.asdablog.com/3-contract-issues-that-got-expensive/ via http://www.rssmix.com/

[demikbrayus]

Verizon Collections – How to Get Rid of Them for Good

This article first appeared on aaacreditguide.com at AAACreditGuide.

The Verizon bill that you’ve been ignoring has now gone into collections and the calls are flooding in. What now?

It depends on how long the account has been in collections and if they’ve reported it to the credit bureaus. If the account was recently sent to collections, the good news is you can resolve the issue without a ton of effort. And your credit score won’t take a dive. But if it was already reported, you’ll have to do a bit more legwork to the entry removed from your credit report.

Read on for guidance on how to be set free from Verizon Collections:

Contact Verizon Collections

Are you aware of the debt, but haven’t had a chance to view your credit report to determine if the account’s been reported?

Before you move forward, take a minute to retrieve a copy of your credit report to see if the account is there.

(You can access one free copy a year from each of the credit bureaus. More detailed guidance can be found here).

Want to Remove Verizon Collections from Your Credit Report?

Our rating:

Call for a Free Consultation: [phone]

Click here to get started

If the account hasn’t been reported:

You can breathe a temporary sigh of relief. There’s still time to work with Verizon to take care of the outstanding balance. But you need to get a representative on the phone right away. To resolve the matter, you can either:

Take care of the outstanding balance

Your best bet is to pay the bill in full if you have the funds on hand. Don’t feel comfortable sharing your financial information over the phone? Visit a Verizon store or submit a payment online (if you still have access to the dashboard).

Request a payment arrangement

Communicate to the representative how much you can afford to pay each month. You have a good chance of getting your request approved. Why so? Verizon would much rather collect than sell the account to a collection agency. A payment arrangement also allows you to preserve your credit rating.

Quick note: when you’re speaking with a representative, record their name and take detailed notes. Also, request written proof of the payment or any other agreement you reach to have a paper trail.

If the account was reported:

The next step is to contact Verizon and ask that they remove the negative entry.

Request a goodwill adjustment

If you’ve already paid the balance in full, you can request a goodwill adjustment using the template found here. This letter allows you to explain the circumstances behind the late payment, and ask that they remove the negative entry from your credit report out of goodwill.

Negotiate a pay for deletion agreement

But what if you haven’t yet paid the outstanding balance because you’re low on funds? Don’t give up just yet. There’s still hope, and it could come through a pay for deletion agreement.

You’ll need to submit a letter requesting that they remove the account in exchange for payment. When you draft up the letter, be sure that you can have the account paid in full by the date listed or you’ll ruin your chances of having the entry removed.

Keep in mind that you may have to correspond back and forth a few times with Verizon collections to reach an amount you both agree on. But don’t get discouraged if you don’t get the response you want right away or they respond with a counter-offer. You now have their attention and chances are they’re willing to negotiate to get the account taken care of.

Most importantly, get the agreement in writing. It’ll provide the proof you need if Verizon collections doesn’t uphold their end of the contract once you’ve paid the balance.

If the account has been sold to a collection agency:

Depending on the age of the account, Verizon may have thrown in the towel and decided that pursuing the past due balance was no longer worth it.

Submit a debt validation letter

When the account was sold over to the collection agency, there’s a chance all the documentation didn’t go along with it. This is good news for you. Why so? Under the Fair Debt Collection Practices Act, the burden of proof lies on the collection agency. That must prove that you actually owe the debt and they have the right to collect on it.

So, you’ll need to send a debt validation letter via certified mail (with a return receipt) to the collection agency asking that they validate the debt. They have 30 days to respond to your request.

But if they’re unable to, they are obligated to stop contacting you about the debt and remove it from your credit report. And if they refuse, you can file a dispute with the credit bureaus indicating that they failed to validate the debt.

However, you may find that they sell the account to another collection agency. If that happens, you’ll need to start this process over again, but with the company.

Ask for deletion in exchange for payment

If the collection agency is able to validate the debt, try requesting deletion in exchange for payment. Remember, it may take a little effort on your part but it’s well worth the legwork.

Get Help from the Professionals

But what if the tactics listed above aren’t working or the account has already been sold to another collection agency and you don’t want to deal with it? At this point, it may be in your best interest to solicit the help of a professional credit repair company.

They have several tried and tested strategies to help you get that stubborn Verizon account off your credit report. also It’s possible that they can also help you remove other negative items that may be damaging your credit report.

Bottom Line

It’s possible to make Verizon Collections go away if you take action sooner than later. But what’s most important is that you be proactive. Otherwise, you could end up with a damaging collection account on your credit report.

Want to Remove Verizon Collections from Your Credit Report?

Our rating:

Call for a Free Consultation: [phone]

Click here to get started

from Credit And Credit Repair https://aaacreditguide.com/verizon-collections/

[djgblogger-blog]

Three ways Trump's nuclear strategy misunderstands the mood in Iran

http://bit.ly/2zvV24Y

People walk around the old main bazaar of Tehran, in Iran, Saturday, Oct. 14, 2017. AP Photo/Vahid Salemi

U.S. President Donald Trump has refused to tell Congress that the 2015 nuclear deal the Obama administration reached with Iran and five other world powers still serves U.S. national interests. This refusal, or decertification, went against top officials in his own government and the International Atomic Energy Agency.

Nobody should be surprised. Trump has attacked the Iran deal for years without offering a realistic alternative. His Oct. 13 speech on Iran was long on recriminations, but short on factual analysis and practical recommendations. This disconnect has kept experts and pundits guessing about what Trump’s decertification is meant to achieve.

There are three common interpretations. Each makes different assumptions about how Iran will react. All rest more on wishful thinking than a solid understanding of politics in Iran.

A key figure in Iranian politics is Hassan Rouhani, who was elected president in 2013. He won by promising that skillful diplomacy could improve Iran’s economy without sacrificing key aspects of Iran’s nuclear program.

The Center for International and Security Studies at the University of Maryland, where I am the director, has worked with partners in Tehran and Toronto on nine surveys of Iranian public opinion before and after Rouhani’s recent reelection. Data from these surveys clearly suggest that each set of assumptions underlying interpretation of Trump’s strategy is wrong.

#1: Have your cake and eat it, too

In the most benign interpretation, responsible members of the Trump team are letting the president play to his domestic political base by denouncing the deal, but not allowing him to withdraw or reimpose sanctions that would violate it.

This interpretation depicts decertification as a “legal placebo” – a harmless, if ineffectual, way to make a petulant president feel better. It assumes that Iran will honor its nuclear obligations so long as the United States does not reimpose nuclear sanctions, thus preserving the benefits of a deal that Trump’s secretary of defense testified does serve U.S. interests.

Do Iranians really expect the economic benefits of the deal to outweigh the costs incurred by adhering to an agreement that is continually being undercut by the United States? They might – but that hope is fading fast.

In June 2017, 64 percent of respondents to our survey said that their economy was bad and 50 percent thought it was getting worse. Seven in 10 said that the deal had not improved living conditions of Iranians at all.

Two-thirds still support the nuclear deal. But, U.S. actions are eroding optimism that the deal will eventually make life better. That has dropped to 59 percent, down from 66 percent a year earlier.

Iranian confidence that the United States will uphold its end of the bargain has already dropped precipitously, from 45 percent shortly after the deal was signed to 24 percent in June 2017. Confidence in the other parties to the agreement – Britain, France, Germany, China and Russia – is higher at 53 percent. But 71 percent of Iranians do not think the Europeans are moving as rapidly as they could to engage economically with Iran, mostly due to U.S. obstructionism and pressure.

A clear majority, 55 percent, say that if the United States takes measures against Iran that violate the nuclear deal, Iran should retaliate by restarting aspects of its nuclear program. Only 41 percent want to abide by the agreement and try to resolve the problem diplomatically.

Trashing the Iran deal without tearing it up, in other words, is not a harmless outlet for Trump’s animosity. The more he makes threats and sows uncertainty, the more likely Iran leaders are to decide that the gains are not worth the grief.

#2: Hardball bargaining strategy

The second interpretation takes at face value Trump’s claim that decertification is meant to increase U.S. bargaining leverage and get more out of the nuclear deal.

Secretary of State Rex Tillerson implied that allied support for tougher sanctions on Iran’s ballistic missile tests might be required to keep the United States in the nuclear deal. The administration is also supporting legislation co-sponsored by Republican Sens. Bob Corker and Tom Cotton that would automatically reimpose sanctions if Iran does not obey demands that go well beyond the terms of the nuclear deal itself.

The Iranian public is strongly opposed to the kinds of additional restrictions that Trump wants Congress to impose. Seventy percent said that Iran should not agree to end enrichment under any circumstances, while 62 percent said categorically that Iran should not extend the duration of the special nuclear limits it accepted.

When asked whether Iran should curtail certain nonnuclear activities in order to get all U.S. sanctions lifted, 63 percent opposed reducing ballistic missile tests. Fifty-nine percent opposed ending aid to Syrian President Assad.

Iranians would be even more firmly opposed to these policy changes if they got nothing new in return. Thus, threatening to reimpose nuclear sanctions is counterproductive if the objective is to get more from Iran.

#3: Killing the deal to provoke regime change

A third interpretation suggests that Trump does not really want to prolong, or to improve, the nuclear deal. Instead, he wants to end it, preferably without being blamed for the deal’s demise, and help the people of Iran get a government that is peace-loving and democratic. If so, he would be following some version of a strategy proposed by John Bolton, a leading neoconservative from the George W. Bush administration.

Trump’s speech denounced Iran’s government as a fanatical dictatorship that violently suppresses its own people, supports terrorism and causes conflict throughout the Middle East. He also alleged that this “rogue regime” had been on the verge of total collapse before the nuclear deal lifted sanctions and provided a huge financial boost.

From this perspective, the main effect of the nuclear deal has been to prolong the power of Iran’s supreme leader and his “corrupt personal terror force and militia.” Trump’s pledge to terminate the nuclear deal if Congress and U.S. allies cannot gain Iranian acquiescence to unacceptable demands would demonstrate “total solidarity with the Iranian regime’s longest-suffering vicitims: its own people.”

Our surveys show that Trump misunderstands what the Iranian people want. The vast majority list economic problems, particularly unemployment, as their greatest concern, not political issues, like corruption or human rights. Pre-election data showed that younger Iranians preferred Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Tehran’s conservative mayor who eventually dropped out of the race, to Rouhani, who is more moderate politically but has less impressive economic achievements.

Iranians see U.S. sanctions as making their life worse, not better. When asked in December 2016 what happened to the economic benefits Iran was supposed to get from the nuclear deal, 51 percent said they never materialized. Few blamed their own government. Only 21 percent said the economic gains from the deal went to Iranians with special connections, while 15 percent thought they went to Iran’s military and foreign allies. And, when asked in June 2017 about the effect of sanctions imposed because of Iran’s alleged human rights violations, only 8 percent thought they improved human rights in Iran. Thirty-six percent thought they hurt them, and 52 percent said they had no effect.

The Iranian people want the United States to fulfill the economic promises it made in the nuclear deal, not to foment internal unrest and radical political change. When asked about the meaning of Rouhani’s reelection, only about a third said it showed that most Iranians wanted religion to play a lesser role in policymaking. Less than a quarter saw it as evidence that the Iranian public disapproved of the ideals of the Islamic revolution. In other words, by reelecting Rouhani, Iranians showed support for continuity and moderation, not fundamental changes to their political system.

Trump seems to think that he gains a strategic advantage by keeping everybody else guessing. That might be true if he had a sound strategy that could achieve his objective so long as his opponents could not anticipate his next move and counteract it. With Trump’s decision to decertify the Iran deal, though, the evidence suggests that whatever strategy he has will likely be self-defeating.

Nancy Gallagher receives funding from the MacArthur Foundation, the Carnegie Corporation of New York, and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund.

[armorroofing]

Wow! Armor Roofing - The Best Lone Jack MO Roofers

The article Wow! Armor Roofing - The Best Lone Jack MO Roofers originally appeared on Armor Roofing Kansas City.

The majority of people undervalue how significant it should be to have routine roofing assessments. Having a beautiful and convenient home certainly is the vision of almost everybody with children. A cozy house is all you need for a family, as this is the accepted destination you may easily call home, and your story will be written mostly here with your children. As a consequence, it follows that you need to make it a pleasing environment for both you and your family. You will have to make sure that your property is usually in good condition and there will not really end up being something there that should cause everybody to become unhappy. Therefore you need to keep watch over your roof structure.

Due to the fact that you live in Lone Jack, you really need to perceive that the serious weather conditions there could very well severely harm your roof if the right oversight is certainly not focused on it. After a sizeable hail storm reaches the Lone Jack general vicinity, consider communicating with us to confirm that unknown water damages do not ever tarnish your property.

Here at Armor Roofing, clients satisfaction is, in fact, our most significant desire. Consequently, we keep up an enviable scoring with the local Better Business Bureau, and we uphold extraordinarily outstanding rankings on Lone Jack sites such as YP.com, Facebook.com, and Google.com. We maintain important working relationships with insurance adjusters near the region and know precisely the practice of procuring your insurance claim finished in a timely fashion. We present you at least a 5-year warranty on every roof endeavor we conduct, and your full satisfaction is fully guaranteed.

A little bit of diligence at this moment may very well save you numerous head aches from a leak someday. Speak to us now for a free no obligation inspection.

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! [phone]

If you'd like your roof to hold up to the strong weather around Lone Jack, then you might want to make sure your roof covering is very well serviced and repaired if absolutely essential. Obviously, if you have to pull out and replace the roof covering, then simply just comprehend that the job can run you a ton of funds. The expense probably should not dissuade you out of having it concluded. It is probably easy to examine just why this can be the situation. Without fixing the wear and tear, it will most likely truly end up getting more financially draining in the event a substantial tempest manifests in your area, and subsequently, you will certainly fork out significantly more funds. Since your roof structure is going to be the central safeguard of the home, the structure will probably regularly decay and at some time, a restoration and even a new roof are unquestionably needed.

On the other hand, there is going to be a bright-side to this story. For starters, you must fathom that the large majority of issues are often fixed via a small that is certainly easy to pay. After that, as a rule, all new roof installations, and maintenance, as a rule, be insured by your home insurance professional. The catch is that they are only going to reimburse for the job in the event the project is carried out to their exacting benchmarks. Mainly because you have to to make certain that they grant the mission after a short while, it is worthwhile to make use of a right roofing contractor that will do the undertaking punctually and in a top notch way.

Precisely What Are Actually The Hints of Roofing Problems?

There is range of conditions you really need to seek:

The Several Very Best Pros Related To A Replacement

Do you see any corrosion of the wood directly on the roof covering? The decay of the wood covering can be horrific info for householders. As quickly as it is diagnosed, this damage is required to be rectified. Do not put off being absolutely sure you either take on the trouble yourself or email a qualified roofer.

So how does the sarking layer under the shingles seem to be? Never heard of roof sarking? This material can be put into the roof structure to aid in protecting against water leakages and afford more support and padding corresponding to the class of roof. A rotted sarking is exactly like wood decompose. It may well not end up being very prolonged until some layer of the roof top succumbs to water leakage if that section is necessitated to make available support, and most horrible, such a disaster can show up in the, not too distant future. If you desire to keep the injuries from damaging your house further, it is absolutely essential to cure the situation straight away.

Can you see different broke roof covering tiles? Sure enough, at this moment you need to look for a roof expert. A spot repair is extremely necessary. If the deterioration is excessive, you will possibly need to have the entire roof covering replaced.

Has your stainless steel roof rusted in segments? Corrosion is visibly not a really good indication. At this time would be a proper time period to think about expert counseling. Really do not be reluctant to come to terms with this wear and tear.

In cases where identifying any type of injury, you are advised to start to quantify the best way most efficiently to end the issue. Even though you ought to be lured to take on the matter yourself, the best use of your energy and time will most certainly be spent flipping the tasks over to a roofing contractor. In reality, you definitely should have a roofing company begin doing the evaluation similarly seeing that getting on the home will certainly be taking your life into your own hands and expert roofs can detect roofing disorders that many persons just can't.

Get in touch with us by phoning [phone] to receive your no cost complementary roofing material examination. You've got certainly nothing to lose!

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! [phone]

So why leave your roof covering to hazard? Talk to Armor Roofing LLC soon at [phone] and our organization can look over the roof integrity gratis. The minute you have received the roof repair contractor to evaluate your house, question the magnitude of the injury and if perhaps a spot repair or re-roof is compulsory. Provided it seems that your roof consultant is leaning against a total replacement, you will find a bunch of tips you really want to examine.

Why Ought One Person Give Preference To A 100% Replacement?

What person will not need to have now an innovative new roof top once supplied with the choice? Rooftop head-aches following storms will more than likely generally be done away with from your psyche anymore. Suppose you really do not have to exchange the entire roof top, your professional team will most certainly supply you with the suitable repair service and simply you are set.

A different factor which must remain pondered is if you are sure to get rid of the house. Real estate investment analysts fully grasp that a recently installed roof top is a specific thing that can potentially significantly lift the selling price of the house in the recognition of a shopper.

Considerations To Refuse A Roof Substitution in Lone Jack

You are really being confronted with an even more frustrating thing when talking about a super easy restoration. It will probably need quite a bit more time and then have need of increased setting up in order to go smoothly. A roof repair team which is suitably staffed and professional will probably make this procedure very comfortable for you with few problems. When considering the total price, 5 and 11 thousand dollars has become a usual cost range concerning a great new roof structure construction. As long as it is basically a lesser new roof replacement, the fee may be much less, and obviously, if you own a very large residential home that uses an expensive substance, it would price thirty-five-thousand dollars. As mentioned previously, this will often times forked over by your insurance underwriter, still strictly in case that the brand new roof is endorsed prior to the start and conducted with acceptable quality. Armor has been doing work in Lone Jack for a long while and is educated on a number of the insurance firms in the city and the conditions required to ensure the case is paid.

Quite possibly this material has really helped to respond to some of your problems over residential roof repairs in the vicinity of Lone Jack. We back up our services by an absolute service contract on top of a clients feeling of satisfaction reassurance. Speak to Roofs Are Us right away!

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! [phone]

Armor Roofing LLC - Kansas City 6600 NW Tower Dr #104 Kansas City, MO 64151 [phone] http://kansascity.roofsareus.com

The post Wow! Armor Roofing - The Best Lone Jack MO Roofers appeared first on Armor Roofing Kansas City.