So I was notified yesterday that I would be receiving a 7 day suspension because I denied staying over 8 hours because I’m a full time regular clerk. Not only that but they also did not mandate the OT list/PSE clerks for 12 hours before making me stay. Seems like something that could easily be taken down to a letter of warning or possibly just official discussion by the union right? Well the problem is my steward either doesn’t care about their job or doesn’t like me for some reason. Point being I’m basically on my own as far as trying to grieve this goes. Could anyone give me a good step by step guide on how to file a grievance? Or how I can find out who is above my steward? I have asked around my office and everyone just knows about my steward and no one else related to the union. The thing that makes me really say fuck you to management about this whole thing is they delayed notifying me about this suspension because had they given it to me the day after, the suspension would have happened during one of my bid weeks and I know they waited until my bid week passed so I could still burn AL and have the suspension still happen. And I’m supposed to come back the day my next bid week starts since it was like a week and half after my first bid week. Literally the most childish bullshit ever.

I know we have a lot of important IU issues to tackle, but somewhat related is the silence from our elected Monroe County Commissioners, among other electeds. Two commissioners have been sending flyers/claiming in debates that they are "collaborative" but also they "fight for you" - yet no comment on one of the most important freedom of speech issues in decades. This is one of the biggest contested races in our primary- election day is Tuesday, May 7th. Local elections matter a whole lot (and primaries are close- one city council person won by less than 35 votes!)- we need leaders are doing much more than what we are seeing right now.
Shout out to April for all her work assisting students and professors; also Jennifer and Sydney posted they were in Dunn Meadow today, and IPS made a statement yesterday.
Thank you to our local media for their tireless work- I support you, and I appreciate you being better leaders than a lot of our electeds.
----------------------------------------- -Monroe County BZA denies zoning variance for women's shelter news - Indiana Public Media 3/6/23

• Commissioners criticized for slow progress on Monroe County Jail solution; 3/6/24
• More sub-$300K single-family homes coming to Monroe County. Find out where. Sales of existing homes fell in Monroe County while prices continue to rise. 3/20/24
• 'Hypocritical': Election opponents criticize Monroe County Commissioners' housing plan. 3/4/24
• Murdered man's sister distressed by county response to request for cremation costs. 1/24/24
• Environmental groups file second suit in opposition to Hoosier National Forest project 1/26/24
• Curses, it's closed: Justice Center and Southwest library branch are closed for now 1/17/24
• Is Monroe County planning to change how you can use your property? Here's how to find out 11/14/23
• Monroe County employees 'beg' for raises; council eyes 8.5% pay bump 9/29/23
• Together Monroe County, Bloomington spent $250K to clear homeless camps 9/21/23
• Monroe County's response to June 29 derecho criticized 7/7/23
• First, health department employees left, now board members are resigning 6/15/23
• Column: Want to know what a new jail will do for Monroe County? Just look at Vigo 5/18/23
• 'Frustrating': Monroe County commissioners suspend jail advisory committee 4/20/23
• Monroe County rejects proposed winery over neighbor concerns about area's 'character' 4/27/23
• 'It's done': Commissioners fire back amid accusations over jail design firm selection 4/6/23
• Sheriff Ruben Marte's 3,800-word email to county officials about transparency concerns 4/4/23
• A local builder wanted to construct 68 homes. Now he's building storage units. Here's why. 5/12/23
• DLZ chosen to design new jail; commissioners discuss details of Arizona trip 3/23/23
• 'Paralyzed': ACLU lawyer Falk tells Monroe County jail committee 15 years is long enough 2/22/23
• Monroe County's commissioners bent on building jail outside city; Critics say not so fast 1/17/23
• Monroe County Health Department in disarray? Alleged bullying, staff departures, firings 12/16/22
• Monroe County Republicans livid about $11,000 raises for commissioners 10/31/22
• Officials clear out 2 Bloomington-area homeless camps, hire firm for cleanup 10/7/22
• Monroe County officials to farmhouse owner: No Airbnb for you 8/23/22
• Monroe County jail committee struggles to make progress without quorum 7/26/22
• Monroe County Council rejects county commissioners' request for a larger raise 12/22/21
• Monroe election officials claim 'pattern of disrespect' by commissioners after Zoom gaffe 10/22/21
• Commissioners reject another proposed development south of Bloomington 10/1/21
• After duplex discord in city, density debate stirs in county 5/15/21
• $375 for graphics work on TV election advertisement gets scrutiny from Monroe County commissioners 1/3/24
• Confrontation over transparency of jail architect selection shows continued rocky relations between Monroe County commissioners, sheriff’s office 4/6/23
• Candid email from Monroe County sheriff presses commissioners for more urgent approach to new jail cleanup position, other issues 2/21/23
• County commissioners suspend meetings of full justice committee, issue challenge to judges to do work of their new subgroup in public 4/20/23
• Settlement on Monroe county clerk’s per diem pay OK’d by commissioners: $9,249.50 12/14/22
• With some grumbles, $30K approved by Monroe County commissioners for Bloomington Economic Development Corporation 10/2/22
• Convention center notebook: Monroe County commissioners react to Bloomington pitch by putting appraisal of property on agenda 8/10/22
• Can Monroe County commissioners, election board bury beefs before 2022? 12/9/21
• Monroe County commissioners ask to be paid $18K more, on par with other electeds: $67,158 12/10/21
• 3 years at $110,000 a year for jail transition director OK’d by Monroe County, with some grumbles 11/30/23
• County commissioner described as mocking county clerk, as tough talks on election space continue 10/19/21
• Monroe County commissioner Githens declares bid for District 62 house seat 10/31/21
• Monroe County says no to rezone, would have allowed farm to have short-term rental use 8/17/22
• Commissioners hire BLM group to do anti-racism training 10/28/20
• County commissioners removing judges, health admin from jail advisory committee 1/27/23
• Monroe Co. commissioner Githens announces bid for Statehouse 11/1/21
• Cost of flyer against annexation reimbursed, Monroe County Commissioners announce official opposition to Bloomington’s plan, 3yrs ago
• Monroe County Commissioners share report on visits to out-of-state jails 3/20/23
• Split votes on race-related topics by city, county electeds 9/24/20

Introduction
I wanted to make this post to rant about a phenomena I see on social media sites like Reddit and YouTube. I'm talking about people trying to rehabilitate Richard Nixon's image. Whether it is edits made about him being a visionary or simple comments saying his only difference was that "he was caught", people seem to be getting warmer to him, even if a majority still view him correctly as a crook and a liar.
So I'm going to go through Nixon and his henchmen's many shady dealings and outright corruption.
I will not be including anything related to Watergate, since I want to show you all that there was so much more and if I had to write everything shady about the break-in and the cover-up, this would be 15,000 words.
Part One: Nixon v Voorhis & Douglas
This is the shortest part. Nixon ran against incumbent representative Jerry Voorhis in his first run in 1946. Even back then he was using people's fears to his advantage. He ran a campaign on red-baiting, He accused Voorhis of “vot[ing] straight down the line of the SOCIALIZATION OF OUR COUNTRY”. In the book "Watergate: A New History" by Garrett Graff, a footnote mentions this: "As he began his first congressional race, against incumbent representative Jerry Voorhis, Nixon had scribbled down on one of his always ubiquitous yellow pads his to-do list: 'Set up budget… office furniture… need for paid workers… call on newspapers, former candidates, leaders… arrange church and lodge and veterans meetings,' and so forth. Then he added: 'Set up… spies in V. camp.'" This kind of behaviour would be foreshadowing for the rest of his career.
This kind of behaviour continues in his senate run, in 1950. There he ran against congresswoman Helen Douglass. He called her a "Pink Lady" and accused her of not being concerned about the Soviet Union.
He was put next to Ike due to his earned reputation as party's poster-boy for anti-communism.
Part Two: The Chennault Affair
Even now, the details of the Chennault Affair are extremely controversial among historians, since pretty much all of the documented evidence of the case emerged decades after it happened, and the general silence of those involved.
In late September '68, Hubert Humphrey broke with the President and called for a bombing halt in Vietnam. Peace Talks were also in process throughout 1968, and Nixon knew that peace meant Humphrey's numbers would start increase while he ate shit.
While Nixon acted innocent in public, behind the scenes he tried his damned hardest to sabotage the whole thing so his numbers wouldn't crash. As LBJ steadily moved forward with the peace talks, there were reports of the Nixon Team saying to South Vietnam that a Nixon Victory would put them in a better position. Nixon was trying to block the peace talks. He was a private citizen. He was meddling with United States foreign policy as a private citizen. It would've fucking detonated a bomb so big in the press you would be able to it from Moscow. Secretary of State Dean Rusk said "This thing could blow up into the biggest mess we’ve ever had if we’re not careful here,".
What we can best make out of all the evidence is that Anna Chennault, Nixon's top female fundraiser, was setting up meetings with South Vietnamese Ambassador Diem and Nixon. Some of these we can confirm went on fore more than an hour, these were definitely not simple small-talk. We know that John Mitchell told Chennault to "[make the South Vietnamese] understand the Republican position" as peace talks seems to be getting closer. The FBI gave a report to LBJ on Chennault, saying she "contacted Vietnamese ambassador Bui Diem and advised him that she received a message from her boss (not further identified) which her boss wanted her to give personally to the ambassador… ‘Hold on, we are gonna win.’ ”
LBJ called Dirksen, GOP Senate Leader on the topic. Said he could identify who was doing it, but didn't want to because "I think it would shock America if a principal candidate was playing with a source like this on a matter this important,”
Christian Science Monitor wanted a comment from the White House for “a sensational dispatch from Saigon… the 1st para of which reads: ‘Purported political encouragement from the Richard Nixon campaign was a significant factor in the last-minute decision of President Thieu’s refusal to send a delegation to the Paris peace talks—at least until the American Presidential election is over.”
All the evidence seems to suggest the same thing: Nixon and his team sabotaged the 1968 Vietnam Peace Talks for their political benefit. Yeah.
Part Three: The Tax Fraud
Nixon did Tax Fraud. He donated his pre-presidential papers to the National Archives and deducted it as a donation. He paid less than 900 dollars in federal taxes in 1970 and 1971. He paid about 4,300 dollars in 1972. The donation was also fishy, there was no original official deed of gift at the National Archives, or a record of the papers being turned over.
This of course raised questions about Nixon's personal finance. It was correctly alleged that about ten million dollars were spent on Nixon's San Clemente gateways for improvements. Plenty of these improvements were less security and more comfort.
The "I'm not a crook, I've earned every cent I've count" thing came from this by the way.
Part Four: The Break-Ins, Burglaries and the Kissinger Wiretaps
Nixon thought the Brookings Inst. had dirt on him. He wanted it cleared out. "'I want the break-in,' Nixon continued. 'Hell, they do that. You’re to break into the place, rifle the files, and bring them in.… Just go in and take it. Go in around eight or nine o’clock,'" he said.
It would have happened, there were plans for it. Some of that included a fire engine to set a fire in the building and steal the shit they wanted in the fire. It only didn't happen because, as Garrett Graff put it, "not because it was an insane, breathtakingly risky, and complicated illegal plot to be connected directly to the President of the United States. 'Too expensive,' Liddy recalled. 'The White House wouldn’t spring for a fire engine.'"
Kissinger ordered the wiretapping of Mort Halperin, who was involved with the Pentagon Papers.
Ellsberg, the one who leaked the Pentagon Papers, had a psychiatrist. They suspected the doctor was trying to withhold relevant or sensitive information about his patient. It was broken into.
Part Five: The Campaign Ratfuckery
The Nixon Campaign lied and sabotaged the Democratic field as they went along. Perhaps the example of this is the Canuck Letter. The Democratic frontrunner throughout Nixon's first term was Humphrey's running-mate and Maine Senator Ed Muskie. He was seen as the guy who could actually do decently against him. Unacceptable. The Canuck Letter was a letter alleging Muskie called French-Americans in Maine the racial slur "Canucks". When Muskie tried to confront the allegations, which had now gotten very personal, long story, it looked like he was crying in the snow. His numbers never recovered.
There was also the never-approved Operation GEMSTONE, which had many sub-operations such as:
- Operation RUBY, to put spies into the Democratic presidential campaigns. - Operation COAL, to fund Shirley Chisholm's bid to create division in the party. - Operation EMERALD, to have a jet airliner modified as a specially modified chase spy plane to follow the Democratic nominee across the country and eavesdrop on the campaign in the air. - Operation OPAL I through IV, similar to the Ellsberg break-in but for the democratic candidates. - Operation TURQUOISE, to sabotage the air-conditioning in the DNC, which was to take place in Miami.
Part Six: ITT
The conglomerate ITT was in involved with a suspicious merger. The Nixon Administration allowed the merger. It was later revealed that ITT made a 400,000 dollar donation to the RNC. A memo from an ITT lobbyist seemed to have directly confirmed a quid-pro-quo deal between the administration and ITT.
When the lobbyist was reached, it was her doctor that talked. He said she was a drunk and her word couldn't be trusted. Coincidentally, this doctor was hosted in the White House twice just before testifying before the Senate.
Part Seven: The Milk Fix and Campaign Finance
Before the 70s, the country didn't care much for regulating campaign finance. In 1972, Congress actually passed a law to regulate campaign spending and such. The thing was, there was a period between March 10 to April 7 where it was a wild west, since the expiration and the implementation of the old and new rules were put on separate dates.
As you can imagine, many hands were shaken in this period and the CREEP's coffers filled up. Government posts were traded like it was the gilded age and Nixon was an ardent supporter of the Stalwarts. Here is yet another example from Garrett Graff's book: "at a sit-down with Kalmbach, she said, 'I am interested in Europe, I think, and isn’t $250,000 an awful lot of money for Costa Rica?' In a follow-up conversation, Kalmbach explained that Europe cost $300,000. 'Done!' she said. Her nomination as ambassador to Luxembourg was sent to the Senate six days after the final check of her $300,000 donation arrived for the re-election campaign."
The milk and dairy industry were the worst offenders, though. All in all, 11 million dollars were smuggled to the Nixon campaign. After a particular meeting that pledged 2 million, price-controls on milk were "slightly adjusted".
Conclusion
Nixon and his administration were crooks on another level. Even before his presidency, Nixon was a spineless coward. I haven't even touched topics like the Huston Plan, or the Cambodian Bombings, whatever the fuck Kissinger was doing when God had a hard time watching him, or various smaller cases of corruption in the Nixon Administration.
I hope you learned something from all this, and I hope you change for the better if you were defending Nixon before as not being that different from the rest of the bunch. Thank you for reading.

Residential Contracting 101
With over 20 years of building experience, I would like to share with you my insights in navigating becoming a successful contractor. With many different avenues of the building world its key to understand what problems will arise on any given day. A man once told a saying that stuck-the 6 p’s in life- Piss Poor Preparation leads to Piss Poor Performance. Preparation builds everything in construction, without preparation the jobsite will not run correctly. The best advice I was ever given was to learn a little about every trade giving you the ability to understand trade lingo and secrets. An example would be painters use the terminology flash; this means when the sub structure bleads through the paint. Subcontractors will give the best pricing if they respect your knowledge of the industry. If the subcontractor feels they will have to hold your hand through the job they will charge an extra fee…i.e. I call it the aggravation fee. In this blog I will explain the key elements in finding success in all aspects of the industry. Contracting is a physically and emotionally demanding job which requires planning and foresight to complete projects on time within budget. Picking your customer is just as important as picking your employees or subcontractors. I have worked for some of the most demanding customers leading me to question at the end if the job was even worth it. Sleepless nights, constant changes, lack of payment, lawsuit threats, adding work that was in the contract are just a few things you could face with a tough customer. With so many moving parts at all times it is critical to be able to adapt to changes within a short time frame. Materials will come in damaged, subcontractors will be late, employees will get sick, but the deadline you set does not change. The stress can be overwhelming at times keeping your mind in a good place is key to navigating all that is thrown at you. Choosing your client picking the right jobs-Keep these questions in mind The first question to be asked is what the time frame is to start the job to see if it fits within the timeframe for your business. If the time frame doesn’t work then move on from the project or let them know when you would be available to start. If the client really wants to use, they will wait until you are available. Taking on too much work will only lead to problems. Construction is a serviced based business, staying on top of the project and client will eliminate an unhappy customer and construction issues that will be over seen. With online presence if details are missed and customer service lacks it will only be a matter of time the phone will not ring. The second question to be asked to the client is do they have a budget in mind for the project. If they answer yes this is good, follow through with what the budget is. If the budget seems low let them know, this will eliminate a tire kicker, educate them on what the price range could be. If the budget seems reasonable then continue the discussion to the next question. If they answer no let them know that you can give them an estimate to see if the project is feasible with their finical capabilities. Taking on a job that is not correctly budgeted will lead to an unsatisfied customer due to non-transparency of the construction cost. The third question to be asked is anyone else bidding on the job, if the answer is yes, understand you might just be number check for the contractor doing the job. Dig a little deeper and find out how many numbers they are getting and why. If your business model is to be competitive be completely transparent with customer, this will gain trust with them. Let them know you get what you pay for and if you they choose the lowest bid it could lead into lack of quality of work.
The fourth question I will ask is there any specific subcontractors they wanted to use. If the answer is yes then I would explain to them you only use the subcontractors you have a working relationship with. Otherwise, this could backfire as the subcontractor might not show, do subpar work, talk behind your back to the homeowner. In my experience I would stay away from using any homeowner to alleviate problems down the road. A quick conversation now can save headaches down the road. The fifth question I will ask are planning on getting the job permitted, this needs to be known it takes more time for the permitting process. Plans will have to drawn submitted and approved to the city before work can commence. The sixth question I will ask if a residential remodel is are you going to be living through the remodel if yes understand this will take more time to navigate the project due to answering questions and cleaning the house on a daily occurrence. I would recommend seeing if the customer would be willing to move into an Airbnb or friends for at least the demo portion of the project. If they do plan on living through the remodel add a couple hours a day to accommodate the extra time that will be required. The seventh question I would ask in a residential remodel is how old the house is to see if there is asbestos that would need to removed by a proper company. A home built before 1979 will most likely have some asbestos in the house, use a licensed company with proper insurance to dispose of the materials. If everything looks good to this point find out a little more about the client personality. If the client seems reasonable, I would bid the job. Unreasonable people can cause you more stress than its worth. These are some red flags I would look out for. Some jobs are not worth the money. Very demanding in the way you are going to perform your job- I.e., tell you how you are going to do your job- You’re the professional not them! Give you a hard time about your price- haggle with price you estimated- The price is the price! If they are a family with little money and you want to help them out is one thing, if they are trying to beat you down is another. Mention they have a lawyer-there is no need for them to bring up that they have a lawyer - Run for the hills as if the job goes south, you will be the one losing out! Tell you what the payment terms are. It’s your business you get paid how it works for your company. If you want to get paid every Friday, put it into your contract-If the clients do not agree move on it will save you frustrations If they talk bad about the last contractor, chances are they will talk bad about you. There is a reason why the contractor does not work for them anymore, unless he did subpar work this a red flag Clients are using an interior decorator that will purchasing all of the materials- The materials could be ordered incorrectly by the interior designer your company will not make the mark-up it deserves. Interior decorators usually add time to the job as well as act like your boss. Charging a little extra for the time and stress that it will entail is only fair. Clients want to purchase the materials- You are using your knowledge to buy the correct materials-The mark up on the materials keeps the doors open working for wages only pays the bills The husband and wife do not get along-You will become the mediator between the couple it will lead to taking sides a losing proposition- A drama free work place is always best! Dangling carrot-if you do this job the next one will be better-Only look at what there offering at the present moment, if its not a good fit do not take the job for a job down the road…Its not worth chasing a job that might not happen! The Art of the Sale First things first selling your company is all about presentation. In meeting your clients for the first time show up with a collared golf shirt tucked in, belt, nice jeans, and newer shoes. Have a truck that a clean, no dents scratches, preferably washed the day you are going into your meeting. Have a leather note pad that is clean no dirt or paint visible. Show up 5 minutes early, if you’re running a little late shoot them a text to let them know. Treat the situation as if were going on a first date, best foot forward. As you introduce yourself give them a warm greeting, letting them know you are very interested in the work. Find out a little about them, hobbies, where they lived, etc etc. You are going to be working with them on a daily basis its nice to know what makes them tick. Having a good working relationship from the start is key forming a solid relationship. As the conversation progresses find out who wears the pants in the family…ie who’s the final decision maker. If its fits the wife, chances it is…..then kindly let the husband know happy wife happy life when their in a stall mate on an issue. As your looking at the project throw in some suggestions of what you think would look good from past experiences, this will get their attention that you have knowledge and want what’s best for them. If you see ways to save them money in their project let them know, money is a large point of the sale keep that in mind. Mention that you’re not the least expensive contractor but you’re not the most expensive either. Your customer satisfaction is your number one goal which leads to more time spent on keeping them happy. One happy customer will lead to another, one unsatisfied customer leads to work in the future. Bring up the fact the finishing the job on time is key goal to your business, many contractors run several jobs at once causing the jobs to be finished way behind schedule. You must stand out as having integrity, good morals, and the ability to problem solve to get the job. The clients will be testing you to see if you’re a good fit as well. Keep in mind as you take your notes that you must not forget anything they mention as it will come back before the job is completed…i.e. we mentioned that to you before we started the job! Take pictures of the proposed area for work, that way you can use it to better right your estimate. Let them know you will give them a detailed outline of when the job will be completed letting them see how long each phase will take and correlate it with your payment schedule. Before you leave their house let them know when the estimate will be sent to them. MAKE SURE YOU HIT THAT DEADLINE! Once you sent the email over with estimate make sure you get confirmation that they received it. Wait at least 2 days before checking with them, hopefully they contact you first! If they want negotiate the price, let them know that it is the best price that you can manage, its not worth losing money before you start. I closed 80% of the work I estimated by being very transparent and friendly. If you come off with an attitude charge double what the going rates are you might only land 1 out of 10 jobs as well as getting the reputation of being expensive. Bidding the job Looking up industry standards on pricing is what I would go buy for pricing. If you google the coat of any installation there will be a cost range for everything. Looking at the cost ranging from high to low I would tend to be in the middle. Some items might be low on the internet if this is the case use your best judgment not to lose money. Closing sales is key to success and keep the doors open for business. Being in the middle on pricing is key as most customers shy away from contractors that are extremely low or high on the price range. I tend not bid out hourly as wages do not pay for retirement. Bidding is better as customers no the exact price of the cost of construction. It also keeps the job moving quicker as time and material contractors take longer to complete projects…Thus costing the client more money and valuable time they could spend in their house. Using a Contract Using a detailed estimate tied to a contract covers your butt in 99% of the time. Having a piece of mind that every aspect of the job is covered in the estimate and contract protects both your company and the client. Key terms to include in your estimate/contract are. Have a schedule on excel showing the start dates and dates of each trade this will show the customer you are organized with time lines. If not written in the detailed in the estimate the item is excluded- This ensures if its not written down its not included. TBD- To be Determined- A phrase on a line item that has yet to had final decision of products or service needed. -The pricing will follow the decisions to be finalized Give out what your written warranty will be for parts and labor this changes state to state. If the homeowner provides the product than no warranty will be given on that particular item. In the contract have a start date and end date with the verbiage subject to change due to weather, product delivery, change orders Have a progress payment schedule to ensure the client understands when funding will be expected-Including if not payment is rendered service to the project will stop. Have written terms of how change orders will be charged-cost plus 20% or a set fee Make sure in your contract that arbitration is required versus going to court- This will save lawyer fees and going to court Many contracts can be found online and each state requires different contracts
Finding leads Finding leads is easy with the right network of people. I personally do not find working for friends or family members a good fit. Relationships get strained when money is involved, causing undue stress for both parties. I have listed a couple of ways to build a network or find work using the internet. Get in contact with realtor’s- Realtors have a big client base of homeowners who need work done Contact local Architects to see if they are working with any general contractors Leave some business cards at your local materials suppliers-Doowindow/lumber-many times clients will ask salesman for a referral. Join a business networking group- BNI is one of many Join a internet website lead generation company- Houzz, Angie’s List, Home Advisor, thumbtack, Yelp run an ad on craigslist Use a marketing company to market your website-This could become costly with little results Create a Facebook business page Create a Yelp business page
Building your subcontractor base Having 2 subcontractors for every trade, gives you the flexibility of completing jobs on time if the one the subcontractors is too busy at the time you need their service. Your subcontractors are the face of your business, choose owner run companies that are professional. Check to make sure there license are up to date..ie workman’s comp, liability insurance, state license. Choosing subcontractors with lettered vans, logoed t-shirts is s key to looking professional in the clients’ eyes. In the past I have gotten a lot of subcontractors for material supply shops, stopping by jobsites, researching the internet using Yelp, Home Advisor, etc etc. Once you get one good subcontractor ask them if they know any other trades they would recommend. One good subcontractor leads to another in most cases. The key to having a good group of subcontractors is to let them know that you are there to get help them get the job done. They do work for you but without them you are nothing…keep that in mind! Make them aware a clean jobsite is required at the end of everyday to ensure the proper safety for all parties including theirs! Over the years I have referred a lot of companies work when there is only 1 trade needed. Referring work to subcontractors is a good way to get top priority when you have work that needs to be completed ASAP. Timing is everything in times of emergency having a good group of subcontractors will make your business run smoothly. Pay your subcontractors immediately after performing work, this will make them feel appreciated! A happy subcontractor is one that will gladly go the extra mile for you knowing that there not just a number to your business! Buying lunch once a week for the jobsite is always a good token of appreciation!
Supervising In supervising any jobsite its key to monitor everything from materials on hand, weather, vehicle parking (if applicable), jobsite safety, and subcontractors’ workmanship. If you hired a professional there should be little supervision in the work being performed, on rare occasions a new hire might need some mentoring to get the results completed correctly. If you see a problem with there work address it with the worker directly, no need to call his boss…. building repour with the worker letting him know you got his back goes miles down the road! Checking in on the job first in the morning to answer any questions or changes that need to be conveyed and once in the afternoon to make sure all work be completed is done per construction industry standards. A job that is run blindly will have many more issues than one that is watched over. I have seen many jobs with no site supervision, leading to subpar quality work as well as safety hazards. Its better to be like an eagle than cluck like a turkey!
Working with the City/Inspectors On permitted jobs the city and site inspector will be a large part of how smoothly the job runs. Each phase of construction has an inspection allowing for the project to continue. Make sure your subcontractors are aware that the project is inspected before starting the job. The best way to stay on his good side is to provide a clean jobsite and having the job built to the highest standards possible. When having the site inspected be courteous to the inspector asking any questions or concerns you have with the work during the job. Being completely transparent will save you aggravation of problems down the road. The more he trust you the better if you seem sneaky or rude he will make your life a living nightmare! Many inspectors will have an attitude towards you….I suggest keeping quiet and doing what ever he wants….he’s the boss no need to get in a pissing match you will not win at. How to deal with irate customer Stay calm during any argument with an irate customer. Never raise your voice or show that you are bothered by their disgruntled behavior. If the customer is trying to get more from you than agreed upon stand your ground. Worst case scenario is you walk from the job, which in the long run be more of a loss for the client. I have only run into a couple of these clients; they are unreasonable and not worth losing sleep over a few dollars. Its best to terminate the relationship as it would be my best guess that a referral from this customer would not be one you wanted anyway. If you feel it was just a miscommunication on your end, take reasonability and remedy the problem. Taking accountability for your mistake will go a far way in their eyes and on future issues that arise. Prepping the homeowner pre-construction Before starting the job, it very important to give the homeowners a warning of what will happen during the construction process.

1. All furniture in the proposed working area must be moved- I would recommend having the clients take care of this to limit the risk of damage to their belongings.
2. There will be dust that will be in the house up to 3 months after construction-I would recommend hiring a construction cleaning company at the end of the job even so after it is cleaned dust will be present months after words.
3. There will be conflicts between you in the homeowner at some course of the job. - You will do your best to eliminate them as quickly as they arise-i.e. material damages, miscommunication, job delays
4. All decisions on materials must be made before the start of the job- this will eliminate job stoppage due to materials not being on site.
5. All materials will be on site before commencement of job-
6. Payment structures must be made per contract otherwise job will stop until payment rendered
7. Cars are to be moved out of the driveway- Ensures ease of loading and unloading of materials/tools
8. Give the specific hours that workers will be present- i.e. 7-3:30
9. Determine what areas are allowed to be used as staging for tools/materials
10. If animals are present in the home that they put outside or in a room during the day
11. All valuables in the house are locked in safe
12. Ask if using client’s household bathroom is okay or to bring in Porter Potty
13. Being transparent as possible is key to keeping a great relationship with your client!

During Construction During construction it is key to take detailed photos to eliminate any damages that were not caused by the construction process. I would also make a video to ensure all areas are included. All subcontractors should also take progress pictures to ensure if problems arise in the future, they will not be responsible for any work that they did not perform. Keep an on-going log of progress to the homeowners and share the pictures for there records. This will keep homeowners excited of the progress being made. When the house is gutted to the studs it is important to have construction photos showing where all utilities are run in the walls or sub floor. If there is a problem in the future there will photos showing all utility locations. Protect all flooring with plywood or floor protective. I also like to protect front door and tarp all areas where subcontractors are to be working. Make sure to cover any chandeliers/furniture/doorways with plastic to eliminate dust. Ask the homeowners if they have any concerns that they could think of. We’re all human and possibly a detail was missed! Post Construction Phase If the project went smoothly appreciation should be shown to the customer. Find out if the husband likes a particular type of liquor. Bring the wife a bouquet of flowers. Send a Christmas card to the family letting how much you appreciated the work. You know you have done a good job if they tell you they will refer you to their friends. The best compliment you could receive is a good referral. In Summary Try to find a knitch in the market, I found kitchens to be a great remodel projects. Bathrooms are tough as they are small, expensive with little profit margin with every trade involved. Windows/doors are also another great knitch as they can be installed quickly. There are so many different remodeling items that can be stream lined to make the selling installing process flawless. Once the core group subcontractors are in place the job almost runs itself. Every day is a learning experience with new materials or methods in construction. Keeping up with codes, materials, fluctuating labor and material cost is a job within itself. Anyone can be a contractor with the right mindset.

“Well, Sir, back a spell ago I had me a good old colored boy as a still hand. Good old Cornwallace. He wuz a good old boy. But as you know, I accidentally killed that sum bitch. So I wuz stuck a tryin to run my shine operation all alone an sech. That’s a tough job for jest one old boy. Ya see, I produce me a lot of shine in a years’s time. I gots me an underground operation I dun went an made out of an old abandoned subterranean Sasquatch lair. So’s I can run shine year round! “
“Now I’s makes me a pretty penny runnin’ shine up in here in da high country o da Carolinas, I do. In case you wuz a wonderin’ how much I make, well it ain’t nun of yer damn bidness! Let’s jest say I gots Fuck-You money. Now I don’t live no high fa-lootin lifestyle, but’s I do enjoy sum o the finer thangs in life. I likes to keep my portfolio diversified: stocks, munis, and Mason jars buried in the hillside. But I digress.”
“There twernt no way I gonna maintain production short-handed. So one night I wuz settin in my rocky Chair on my front porch havin me a taste of shine and dropping X while shooting chipmunks wit my shootin iron, my old trusty Weatherby 7mm magum, when I up and had me a wild-ass idea!”
“Ya see, these old hills up here are infested with those smelly Sasquatch critters. They is really a nuisance. But I been pretty much livin in peace wit dem a’cause they know I will put a bullet in thar ass. Ever now and then when times are tough and it ain’t quite time a’fer my monthly trip to town, I’ll go out an kill me a Bigfoot fer meat. They taste gamey, like squirrel meat marinaded in piss. But it will do in a pinch.”
“So I has dis here idea: why don’t I capture a couple dem Sasquatch critters and make them inta SLAVES! I can put their sorry, hairy asses in bondage as my slave hands! Sheeeyit!! With good old Cornwallace I made crazy fat stacks. If’n I up and take a couple slave hands I could DOUBLE my take!!”
“Sees, I study these Bigfoot creatures. I knows they a lot like man. They is smart. They also big and strong. I figure that 1 full grown Bigfoot gots the power and strength of 10 negro slaves. So if’n I gits me 2 critters I will have me a 20 n!ggapower (NP) work crew! I calculated that I could train me a couple these wild thangs in jest a couple days!”
“So that night I set out to ketch me a couple of Bigfoot. I got me a net, sum rope, and an axe handle. I had me a 1911 pistol chambered in .357 Sig, you know, fer self defense. I left the big artillery at home cuz I wanted these peckers alive!”
“Well, as the sun came up on me, I wuz jest gettin home, dragging my 2 newly caught and hog-tied bigfoots Behind me. WHEW!!!! I wuz sweatin like a negro writing a love letter. I looked at them critters laying there. I jest dragged them 3 miles as the crow flies, up and down them thar hills. The lil one wuz about 9 feet tall. The big critter wuz easily 12 foot plus.”
“I sed, ‘Shit fire, I need me a nap!’ That big old squatch looked at me and let out an ominous and threatening growl. His eyes glowed bright red and stabbed me with hatred and anger, like it wuz jest a aching to tear me limb from limb. I pulled out my pistol and sed ‘ You sum bitch ain’t a gonna give me no evil eye!’ Then I beat the unholy shit out of the beast with the butt of my gun. I musta knocked it’s silly ass out because his eyes went from glowing red to glowing green!”
“ I sed ‘fuck this shit! I needs me my beauty sleep.’ So I took my axe handle and beat em both over the head til I wuz certain they wuz both sleepin good, then I dragged em both to my chicken house and locked them up in there. I don’t use the chicken house fer the chickens anymore, mind ya.”
“So I wint inside to my cabin, took me a couple Ambien and a swig of whiskey, and got me sum shut eye. Ahhhhhh.... It felt good to lie down in bed! Ya see, in addition to the foregoing I had been strung out on cocaine for the past week.”
“I wuz jostled out of slumber by the sounds of shrieking. It wuz a right powerful cry of pain. I rolled over and looked at my clock. It wuz 3:30 in the afternoon. ‘Fuck’, I thought. I knew what wuz producing that sound. It wuz those goddamn Bigfoots in the chicken house.”
“I got my ass up outa bed to go check on them sumbitches, and I wuz pissed because they aroused me out of a magnificent dream in which I was bangin’ the cast of “The Facts Of Life”. I picked up my old axe handle on the way out the door and headed to the chicken house. “
“That infernal wailing and screaming wuz still goin’ on. I walked into the chicken house and asked ‘WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU SUMBITCHIN’ CRITTERS YELLIN’ ABOUT?!??’ Well the big one had somehow got on his feet. I went to it and swung my axe handle like George Brett swingin’ at a fastball. ‘WHACK!!!!’ It wuz a solid hit... Wood to bone. In fact, in retrospect it may have been too good of a hit, cuz blood and brain splattered against the wall of the chicken house. ‘Shit. I wuz gonna make that critter a worker-slave’, I recalled out loud.”
“So I turned my attention to the other one. This one, the lil one, wuz writhing in pain. ‘What the fuck is wrong with you, critter?’ I asked as I poked it in its stomach. When I poked it the thing cried out in pain again. ‘What the fuck? You got a belly ache? You pussy sum bitch!’ I sed.”
“Then I seen it. First the head, and then the rest of it. This sum-bitchin’ Sasquatch jest gave birth!! I did not even realize it wuz a Bitchsquatch, let alone knocked up. I picked up the little baby Sasquatch and slapped its ass. It started to cry. I then cut the rope off the old mother Sasquatch and handed her the baby. She gratefully took it in her arms and started lovin’ on it. I wuz really moved - the miracle of life! We humans really are not that different from these Bigfoot critters. I started to get me one of them warm and fuzzy feelings deep inside me watching that old mama Sasquatch hug and cuddle that little baby Bigfoot.”
“BAM!!!! BAMMM!!!!!!! I blew the brains out of both of them with my .357 Sig. Turns out that warm and fuzzy feeling wuz jest gas from last night’s microwave burritos I dun ate.”
“I dun fucked up in my plan to enslave Sasquatch. I hit the biggun too hard and kilt the critter. Now the other one had a baby critter. It can’t focus on its job with a baby critter. I made a mental note that the next time I do this I am gonna have to check the ass end to see if it is a buck or a bitch. ‘Oh well, fuck it’, I sed, then headed to the cabin to fix me up sum vittles.”
“As soon as I set foot outside of that chicken house I wuz confronted by 3 HUGE Bigfoots. I am a’guessin’ they heard the screamin from one of their own and came a’ runnin. All three of them were huffin and puffin, eyes glowin’ bright red, and showin their teeth. Clearly, they wuz upset and looking fer a scrap-up.”
“I sed ‘You sumbitches better turn yer sorry asses around and high-tail it outa here if’n you know wats good fer ya!’ The biggest Sasquatch, which wuz standing in the middle and stood a good 14’ tall, let out with a loud and angry roar that sounded like it originated in Hell. It wuz SO LOUD that the force and wind from the roar caused the chicken house door to slam shut behind me. ‘BAM!!’”
“I turned and looked at the door and then turned back to the Sasquatch critters. Then they started forward, with paws up and hate in their eyes. They intended to rip me into little pieces. ‘BAM!!! BAM!!!!! BAM!!!!!!!’ I dropped each of them in quick succession with head shots from my .357 Sig. Ya got to give them old boys at Sig credit: this is a powerful cartridge!”
“Well, Sir, I got me a bite to eat, shot up sum sweet H, and had me a good old sleep! The next morning all the Sasquatch bodies were gone. Them other Bigfoots like to collect and bury their dead. That’s why I let em lay where they died.”
“I eventually tried to train one of them mangy critters. It wuz useless. They jest am too headstrong. I ended up putting it down and then smoking the critter for barbecue. If’n you slather them with sum vinegar-based barbecue sauce and smoke ‘it with hickory, it is right tasty!”

YŪREI CHRONICLES [ 幽霊クロニクルズ ]
Tales of Japanese Horror [ 日本のホラーの物語 ]
By: Seph Cruz [ 投稿者: セフ・クルーズ ]
CONTENTS [ コンテンツ ]
Preface [ はじめに ]
Chapter 1: The Cursed Scroll [ 第 1 章: 呪われた巻物 ]
Chapter 2: The Shrine in the Shadows [ 第 2 章: 影の神殿 ]
Chapter 3: The Haunting of the Geisha [ 第 3 章: 芸者の幽霊 ]
Chapter 4: The Onryo's Revenge [ 第 4 章: 怨霊の復讐 ]
Chapter 5: The Dollmaker's Curse [ 第 5 章: 人形師の呪い ]
Chapter 6: The Shadow in the Forest [ 第 6 章: 森の影 ] Chapter 7: The Haunting of the Yūrei Inn [ 第 7 章: 幽霊旅館の幽霊 ]
Chapter 8: The Curse of the Haunted Kimono [ 第 8 章: 幽霊着物の呪い ]
Chapter 9: The Mirror's Malevolence [ 第 9 章: 鏡の悪意 ]
Chapter 10: The Bridge to the Beyond [ 第 10 章: 彼方への架け橋 ]

 "Yūrei Chronicles: Tales of Japanese Horror" 

Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
In the heart of Kyoto, where history whispered through the ancient streets, there existed an antique bookstore known only to those who sought the rarest of tomes. Nestled among centuries-old texts and dusty manuscripts, a forbidden scroll lay hidden, waiting for an unwitting soul to stumble upon its chilling secrets.
Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
The quaint, dimly lit bookstore was a treasure trove of the past. Intricate calligraphy adorned scrolls, while faded ink whispered stories of long-forgotten samurai and mystical creatures. Among these relics of history, one scroll remained elusive, concealed behind a glass case. Its dark, ornate cover bore no title, and its presence seemed to beckon.
Haruki, a young scholar with a fascination for the occult, visited the bookstore one rainy afternoon. His curiosity led him to inquire about the enigmatic scroll. The elderly shopkeeper, Mr. Tanaka, peered at him with a knowing look, cautioning him about the scroll's malevolent reputation.
"Many have sought to uncover its secrets," Mr. Tanaka said, his voice trembling with age, "but few have lived to tell the tale."
Haruki, undeterred by the ominous warning, insisted on examining the scroll. Mr. Tanaka, sensing the scholar's determination, reluctantly unlocked the glass case. As Haruki unrolled the ancient parchment, he saw that it was filled with intricate symbols and incantations, written in a language he could barely comprehend.
For days, Haruki delved into the scroll's mysteries. His sleepless nights were filled with whispers from unseen forces, and chilling drafts seemed to haunt his small apartment. Yet, he pressed on, believing that the scroll held untold knowledge and power.
One fateful night, as a full moon cast eerie shadows across his cluttered study, Haruki recited an incantation from the scroll. The room grew icy cold, and an otherworldly presence enveloped him. A mournful wail echoed through the room, and Haruki's heart raced as he beheld the apparition before him.
A yūrei, its long, disheveled hair obscuring its gaunt face, hovered in the air, its eyes filled with anguish and rage. It reached out bony, pale fingers toward Haruki, its spectral form translucent yet undeniably real.
In that moment, Haruki realized the scroll's true nature – a curse that summoned vengeful spirits to torment the living. He had unwittingly invited the yūrei into his world, and now, it sought retribution for its suffering.
The scholar's life turned into a nightmare as the vengeful spirit haunted his every waking moment. His research became an obsession to find a way to pacify the yūrei and lift the curse. With each passing day, Haruki's health deteriorated, his body and mind succumbing to the relentless torment.
Desperate, he sought the guidance of a renowned exorcist, who revealed a grim truth. The only way to break the curse was to discover the scroll's origins and offer the yūrei the peace it so desperately sought.
As Haruki ventured deeper into the scroll's history, he uncovered a tale of betrayal and tragedy that spanned centuries. With newfound knowledge and a heavy heart, he prepared to confront the vengeful yūrei and set things right.
In a chilling confrontation between the living and the dead, Haruki faced the spirit, offering it the closure it craved. As the yūrei dissipated into the ether, its mournful wail echoed one last time, fading into the night.
Haruki emerged from the ordeal forever changed, carrying the weight of the scroll's curse as a cautionary tale. The forbidden knowledge he had sought had come at a great cost, a reminder that some mysteries should remain hidden, and some curses should never be invoked.
As the sun rose over Kyoto, the antique bookstore remained shrouded in an eerie silence, and the cursed scroll returned to its cryptic slumber, waiting for the next unwitting soul to unlock its dreadful secrets.
End of Chapter 1: "The Cursed Scroll"
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
In the heart of a tranquil Japanese village, nestled among ancient forests, stood a centuries-old Shinto shrine, known to few but revered by all. This sacred place held an eerie secret, hidden in the shadows of its past.
Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
The village of Mizuki was picturesque, surrounded by dense woods and the whispers of rustling leaves. Its most treasured gem was the Shōrin Shrine, a sanctuary dedicated to the worship of the kami, where the villagers paid homage with heartfelt prayers and offerings.
On a bright spring morning, the Hayashi family moved into a charming house near the shrine. Yuko, a spirited young girl with inquisitive eyes, was enchanted by the quaint beauty of Mizuki and the mystique of the Shōrin Shrine. Her parents, Masato and Yuki, hoped the peaceful village would offer respite from the bustling city.
Their first evening in Mizuki was serene, and the family felt blessed to live in such an idyllic place. As night descended, they heard a faint melody echoing through the forest—a haunting tune played on a traditional shamisen. Yuko, drawn by curiosity, followed the eerie melody to the shrine.
At the shrine's entrance, she saw a flicker of movement among the trees and bushes. As her eyes adjusted to the dim moonlight, she gasped in awe and terror. There, bathed in an ethereal glow, stood a beautiful woman dressed in a white kimono, her long hair cascading like an ebony waterfall.
The woman's face bore an expression of immense sorrow, and her eyes seemed to pierce Yuko's very soul. In her delicate, spectral hands, she held a shamisen, its strings plucked by fingers that had long since turned to mist.
"Who are you?" Yuko asked, her voice quivering.
The apparition gazed at Yuko with an inscrutable sadness and whispered, "My name is Hana. I have been bound to this shrine for centuries, waiting for someone to hear my song."
Hana's story unraveled like a tragic tapestry before Yuko. She had once been a young woman in love with a humble fisherman from Mizuki. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they met a tragic end at the hands of the villagers.
As she spoke, the melody of her shamisen became more mournful, and the trees seemed to weep in sympathy. Hana's spirit, bound to the shrine, could only find solace by sharing her story with the living.
Yuko, moved by Hana's tale, felt a deep connection to the ghostly figure. She promised to help Hana find peace and bring her story to light. Together, they would uncover the truth behind the tragic love story that had ensnared the shrine for centuries.
As Yuko delved into the village's history, she uncovered hidden documents and ancient scrolls that confirmed Hana's story. The injustice done to Hana and her beloved was a blot on the village's past, a truth that had been concealed for generations.
With newfound determination, Yuko rallied the villagers to acknowledge the village's dark history and to seek forgiveness for the sins of the past. In a moving ceremony at the Shōrin Shrine, the villagers offered their prayers, and Hana's spirit was finally set free.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Mizuki in golden light, Hana's ethereal form dissolved into a wisp of gratitude and serenity. The shrine, once shadowed by sorrow, now radiated with newfound peace.
"The Shrine in the Shadows" became a tale passed down through generations, a reminder that love and forgiveness could transcend even the darkest of curses. Mizuki continued to flourish, its shrine standing as a testament to the enduring power of redemption.
End of Chapter 2: "The Shrine in the Shadows"
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the vibrant streets of 19th-century Tokyo, beneath the shimmering lanterns and behind the delicate allure of geisha, a haunting presence lurked—a presence that would forever change the life of a celebrated geisha named Kaede.
Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
In the heart of Tokyo's historic Yoshiwara district, Kaede was renowned as one of the most captivating and skilled geisha. Her beauty was ethereal, her dances mesmerizing, and her laughter like the tinkling of wind chimes. But beneath her porcelain makeup and the grace of her performances lay a heart heavy with secrets.
One cool autumn evening, as the lanterns cast their warm glow on the district, a newcomer arrived at the teahouse where Kaede performed. His name was Kaito, a handsome and enigmatic man with piercing eyes that seemed to see beyond the facade of the geisha. Kaede's heart quickened as their eyes met, and she felt a connection she had never experienced before.
As weeks turned into months, Kaede and Kaito's bond deepened, their love blossoming like the cherry blossoms in spring. But their love was a forbidden one, as Kaito was a samurai, and their worlds were as different as night and day.
One fateful night, Kaito revealed a dangerous secret to Kaede—he was involved in a plot against a powerful daimyo who ruled with cruelty and oppression. Kaito believed that by exposing the daimyo's corruption, he could bring justice to the people. He asked for Kaede's assistance in gathering information from the teahouse's influential patrons.
Reluctantly, Kaede agreed, and together, they embarked on a treacherous path filled with deceit and danger. As the days passed, they uncovered dark secrets that could expose the daimyo's crimes. However, their actions did not go unnoticed.
One evening, as Kaede performed for a gathering of influential men, a sinister figure appeared in the shadows. It was the vengeful spirit of a geisha named Akiko, who had perished in Yoshiwara under tragic circumstances. Her ghostly form was veiled in a blood-red kimono, and her eyes burned with malevolence.
Akiko's haunting began subtly—a chill in the air, whispers of despair, and a feeling of dread that hung over the teahouse like a shroud. Kaede, sensing the supernatural presence, knew that they had awakened a vengeful spirit.
Desperate to protect Kaede, Kaito sought the guidance of a local exorcist, who revealed the tragic story of Akiko. She had been a geisha in love with a samurai, but their forbidden love had led to betrayal and death. Her restless spirit sought vengeance on those who dared to love across societal boundaries.
With the exorcist's help, Kaito and Kaede embarked on a perilous journey to confront Akiko's spirit and offer her the peace she so desperately sought. In a climactic showdown, they faced the vengeful geisha, revealing the truth behind her betrayal and death.
As the first light of dawn bathed the Yoshiwara district, Akiko's spirit dissipated, her eyes filled with sorrow and resignation. The curse she had cast upon the teahouse lifted, and peace returned to the district.
Kaede and Kaito's love story continued, forever marked by the supernatural forces they had encountered. The teahouse thrived once more, its lanterns casting their warm glow over the enchanting district, where love knew no boundaries and forgiveness transcended even death.
"The Haunting of the Geisha" became a legend whispered among geisha in Yoshiwara, a testament to the enduring power of love and the consequences of forbidden desires in the mysterious world of Edo-era Tokyo.
End of Chapter 3: "The Haunting of the Geisha"
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
In the heart of a decaying city, where abandoned buildings stood as silent witnesses to forgotten tragedies, a group of urban explorers would stumble upon a place where the restless dead held their sinister dominion.
Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
The city of Kurayami had fallen into disrepair, its once-thriving industries crumbling, and its streets echoing with the memories of better days. Among its many derelict structures was the forsaken Kurayami Hospital, a place whispered about only in fearful tales.
Rumors spoke of a curse that had befallen the hospital after a gruesome series of medical experiments in the early 20th century. Patients had been subjected to horrific procedures, and their agonized cries still seemed to reverberate through the corridors.
A group of urban explorers, lured by the thrill of the forbidden and the allure of the macabre, set their sights on Kurayami Hospital. Among them was Hiroshi, the group's leader, and Yumi, a budding photographer with an affinity for capturing the eerie beauty of abandoned places.
As the explorers entered the hospital's crumbling entrance, they were greeted by the musty scent of decay and the eerie silence of long-abandoned hallways. Shadows danced in the dim light as they ventured deeper into the forsaken building, their footsteps echoing like distant whispers.
The group's excitement turned to unease as they encountered signs of the hospital's dark past—rusty surgical instruments, bloodstained gurneys, and cryptic medical notes. Yumi's camera captured it all, each photograph revealing more about the hospital's gruesome history.
As night fell, the explorers gathered in the hospital's decrepit lobby, their flashlights casting trembling beams into the darkness. It was then that they heard it—a faint, mournful wail, like the keening of a soul in torment.
Hiroshi, the group's fearless leader, brushed off their concerns, attributing the sound to the wind or their imagination. But the cries grew louder and more anguished, echoing through the halls.
The group became separated as they navigated the labyrinthine corridors. Yumi, camera in hand, wandered into the hospital's disused psychiatric ward. There, in a shadowed corner, she saw her camera's flash reveal a horrifying apparition—an onryo, a vengeful spirit with long, disheveled hair and eyes filled with hatred.
The onryo's spectral form contorted with rage as it approached Yumi. Its icy fingers reached out, and she felt an otherworldly coldness pierce her very soul. She knew that this was the spirit of a patient who had suffered unimaginable horrors in the hospital.
As Yumi's companions searched for her, they stumbled upon the onryo's lair and witnessed the terrifying encounter. In a desperate bid to save Yumi, they searched for a way to pacify the vengeful spirit.
Through a combination of research and communication with a local historian, they learned the full extent of the hospital's atrocities. Armed with this knowledge, they returned to the onryo's domain to confront the spirit and offer it the peace it had been denied for so long.
In a climactic showdown, the group faced the onryo, revealing the hospital's dark secrets and acknowledging the suffering of the tormented souls within. With profound remorse, they begged for forgiveness on behalf of those who had perpetrated the atrocities.
As the first rays of dawn broke over Kurayami, the onryo's anguished wails transformed into a mournful sigh. The spirit, its wrath finally quelled, dissipated into the ether, leaving behind a sense of profound sadness and closure.
The group of urban explorers emerged from Kurayami Hospital, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. They had confronted the past and offered redemption to the restless dead, leaving the decaying city with a newfound sense of hope.
"The Onryo's Revenge" became a cautionary tale among urban explorers, a reminder that some places are best left undisturbed, and that the past, no matter how dark, can be confronted and reconciled.
End of Chapter 4: "The Onryo's Revenge"
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
In a remote mountain village, nestled among mist-shrouded peaks, a master dollmaker crafted exquisite creations that captured the hearts of collectors worldwide. Yet, within her secluded workshop, a malevolent force lurked—one that would ensnare a curious journalist in a nightmarish world of living dolls and dark secrets.
Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Hidden away in the secluded village of Ichiban, known only to those who ventured deep into the mountains, lived a master dollmaker named Ai. Her dolls were celebrated for their lifelike beauty and craftsmanship, with collectors from distant lands coveting her creations.
One brisk autumn morning, a journalist named Keiko received a cryptic letter from a source in Ichiban, hinting at a sinister mystery surrounding Ai's dolls. Intrigued by the enigmatic message, Keiko embarked on a journey to the remote village, determined to uncover the truth.
Ichiban was a place untouched by time, its cobblestone streets winding through dense forests and past centuries-old homes. The village exuded an eerie tranquility, and the locals spoke in hushed tones about Ai's dolls, rumored to be infused with a piece of the human soul.
Upon reaching Ai's workshop, Keiko was greeted by the dollmaker herself, a woman of grace and poise. The workshop was a treasure trove of exquisite dolls, their eyes seeming to follow Keiko's every move. Among them, a particular doll known as Hikari stood out—a hauntingly beautiful creation with ebony hair and obsidian eyes.
As Keiko delved deeper into the village's mysteries, she discovered that Hikari was believed to house the soul of a deceased child, a belief held by both Ai and the villagers. The doll's unsettling presence and the uncanny resemblance it bore to a girl named Mei, who had died tragically years ago, sent shivers down Keiko's spine.
Keiko's nights in Ichiban were filled with restless dreams of porcelain dolls that came to life. In these dreams, Hikari beckoned her to uncover the truth behind the dollmaker's creations. Guided by an inexplicable compulsion, Keiko embarked on a quest to unearth the dark secrets hidden within Ai's workshop.
As Keiko investigated further, she uncovered Ai's own tragic past—a story of unrequited love, loss, and a desperate desire to capture the essence of the human soul in her dolls. With each revelation, the line between the living and the lifeless blurred, and Keiko felt herself becoming entangled in a nightmarish world.
The dolls that had once been works of art now seemed to harbor malevolence. They moved of their own accord, their eyes filled with an eerie, lifelike intensity. Keiko realized that Ai's obsession had bound her to a sinister force, and her creations hungered for more than just existence.
In a chilling climax, Keiko confronted Ai and the curse that had gripped her creations. Together, they sought to break the curse's hold and release the trapped souls within the dolls.
As the moon hung low in the night sky, Ai performed a solemn ritual, guided by the spirit of Mei, whose essence had been captured in Hikari. The dolls, imbued with a restless energy, gathered around, their haunting eyes watching as the curse was lifted.
With a mournful sigh, the dolls' porcelain features softened, and their malevolence dissipated. The spirit of Mei was set free, and the dolls became lifeless once more, their beauty preserved in eternal stillness.
Ichiban returned to its peaceful slumber, and Keiko departed with a newfound appreciation for the power of art and the depths of human longing. The village's haunting tale of the dollmaker's curse served as a reminder that some obsessions could lead to the creation of something far more sinister than art itself.
End of Chapter 5: "The Dollmaker's Curse"
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
In a land steeped in history and tradition, the Aokigahara Forest, known as the "Suicide Forest," concealed a dark secret. Within its dense, ancient foliage, a group of hikers would embark on a journey that would lead them into the heart of a malevolent force.
Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Deep within the prefecture of Yamanashi, shrouded in a perpetual mist, lay the infamous Aokigahara Forest—an expanse of ancient woodland that held a dark reputation. Known as the "Suicide Forest," it had been a site of countless tragic deaths throughout the centuries.
A group of adventurous hikers, seeking to conquer the wilderness and challenge the forest's ominous legends, gathered on a chilly autumn morning. Among them was Akira, an experienced guide with a deep respect for the forest's history, and Yumi, a young woman in search of adventure and solace from her own troubled past.
The hikers ventured deep into the forest, their footsteps muffled by the thick blanket of moss and fallen leaves. The dense canopy above cast eerie shadows, and the trees seemed to whisper secrets of sorrow and despair.
As they trekked further into the woods, they began to notice strange occurrences—a disconcerting sense of being watched, distant whispers on the wind, and ghostly apparitions that flickered at the edge of their vision. Akira, the guide, attributed these phenomena to the forest's ominous reputation and urged the group to press on.
Yet, the forest's grip on their minds and senses tightened. Yumi, in particular, felt a strange connection to the haunting forces that seemed to lurk behind every tree. Inexplicable visions of tragedy and despair flashed before her eyes, and a sense of overwhelming dread enveloped her.
Night descended on the forest, and the hikers set up camp, their flickering campfire offering the only semblance of comfort in the oppressive darkness. It was then that Yumi encountered a spectral figure—a yūrei, her kimono tattered and her eyes empty voids.
The yūrei beckoned to Yumi, her voice a mournful echo. Unable to resist, Yumi followed the apparition into the depths of the forest, her companions unaware of her disappearance. The yūrei led her to a clearing where an ancient tree stood, its gnarled roots forming a grotesque face.
As Yumi approached the tree, she felt a malevolent presence—an ancient spirit of the forest itself. It spoke to her, revealing the tragic history of Aokigahara—the place where those who had lost hope sought refuge in death.
Yumi learned of the forest's vengeful guardian, a yūrei born of countless lost souls, whose suffering fueled its malevolence. It was the embodiment of the forest's sorrow, forever bound to torment those who ventured within.
Realizing that Yumi was now connected to the yūrei, her companions embarked on a desperate search to rescue her from the forest's clutches. With the guidance of Akira's knowledge and determination, they confronted the vengeful spirit, revealing the pain of their own pasts and the impact of their actions on the world around them.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Aokigahara in a pale light, the yūrei's malevolence waned, and its grip on Yumi loosened. With a final sigh, it dissipated into the morning mist, its haunting presence released from the forest.
Yumi was reunited with her companions, forever changed by her encounter with the malevolent spirit of Aokigahara. The forest's ominous reputation remained, a reminder of the darkness that could consume those who dared to venture too close to its heart.
"The Shadow in the Forest" served as a chilling testament to the mysteries of Aokigahara, where the past and the present intertwined, and the boundaries between life and death blurred beneath the ancient canopy.
End of Chapter 6: "The Shadow in the Forest"
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
In a remote village nestled among mist-covered mountains, a centuries-old inn held a sinister secret. When a weary traveler seeks refuge within its ancient walls, she becomes entangled in a web of supernatural mysteries that threaten to consume her soul.
Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
The village of Okuyama was a hidden gem, nestled among towering peaks and blanketed in mist. Within this secluded haven stood the Yurei Inn, a centuries-old establishment steeped in history and whispered legends. Its age-old charm masked a sinister truth—a haunting presence that had plagued the inn for generations.
Amidst a dense fog, a lone traveler named Rei arrived in Okuyama, weary and seeking shelter from the elements. The Yurei Inn, with its rustic charm and flickering lanterns, seemed like the perfect refuge. Little did Rei know that her stay at the inn would unravel the mysteries hidden within its ancient walls.
Upon her arrival, Rei was greeted by the inn's elderly proprietress, Eiko, a woman whose weathered features and deep knowledge of the village's history hinted at a deeper connection to the inn's haunting past.
As Rei settled into her room, the oppressive atmosphere within the inn became palpable. Shadows seemed to dance in the corners of her vision, and strange, ghostly whispers echoed in the corridors. Unbeknownst to her, Rei had become a pawn in a centuries-old battle between the inn and the vengeful spirits that resided within.
In the dead of night, Rei awoke to a chilling presence at her bedside—an ethereal yurei, her white burial kimono flowing like a spectral river. The vengeful spirit's eyes held an insatiable hunger, and she reached out to Rei, her fingers icy and skeletal.
Rei's nights became torment as she encountered more yurei within the inn, each with their own tragic stories of betrayal, injustice, and unfulfilled desires. The spirits sought vengeance, and Rei's presence within the inn had awakened their malevolence.
Desperate to uncover the inn's secrets and free herself from the spirits' relentless pursuit, Rei sought the guidance of Eiko. The elderly proprietress revealed the tragic history of the inn—an establishment built on the suffering of countless souls who had met their demise within its walls.
Eiko's own family had been entangled in the inn's dark legacy, and she bore the weight of their deeds. Together, Rei and Eiko embarked on a journey to confront the yurei and offer them redemption, hoping to break the cycle of suffering that had plagued the inn for centuries.
In a harrowing confrontation with the vengeful spirits, Rei and Eiko unveiled the truth behind the inn's cursed history and acknowledged the pain of the souls that had been wronged. With heartfelt apologies and rituals of atonement, they sought to release the spirits from their torment.
As the first rays of dawn bathed Okuyama in a golden light, the yurei's spectral forms dissolved into the ether, their eyes filled with a mix of sorrow and gratitude. The Yurei Inn, once a place of darkness, now held the promise of redemption.
Rei departed from Okuyama, forever marked by her encounter with the supernatural. The Yurei Inn, now cleansed of its malevolent spirits, stood as a testament to the power of reconciliation and the hope of breaking the chains of the past.
"The Haunting of the Yurei Inn" became a cautionary tale among villagers, a reminder that the sins of the past could be confronted and forgiven, even in the face of vengeful spirits.
End of Chapter 7: "The Haunting of the Yurei Inn"
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
In the heart of Kyoto, where tradition and modernity intertwined, a family heirloom, an ancient kimono, carried a chilling curse that had plagued generations. A woman must delve into her family's history to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it before it consumes her and her loved ones.
Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Kyoto, the city of a thousand temples, was a place where time seemed to stand still. Among the historic districts, the Nakamura family had passed down a treasured heirloom for generations—an exquisite silk kimono adorned with intricate embroidery, a relic of a bygone era.
The kimono had always been a source of fascination and reverence within the Nakamura family. It was said to be imbued with mystical powers, protecting its wearer from harm and misfortune. But beneath its ornate beauty lay a dark secret—a curse that had haunted the family for centuries.
Emi, the youngest of the Nakamura family, had grown up hearing stories of the kimono's mystical properties and the curse that clung to it. When her grandmother passed away, leaving the kimono in her care, Emi became the latest custodian of this fabled garment.
As the years passed, strange occurrences began to plague Emi and her family. The kimono seemed to have a malevolent presence, causing nightmares, unexplained accidents, and a growing sense of dread. Emi's husband, Toshiro, and their young daughter, Yuki, bore the brunt of the curse's effects.
Desperate to protect her loved ones, Emi embarked on a quest to uncover the origins of the curse and find a way to break it. She delved into her family's history, poring over ancient scrolls and consulting with local priests and scholars.
Through her research, Emi learned of a tragic love story that had been concealed for generations—a forbidden romance between a Nakamura ancestor and a woman from a rival clan. The lovers had been torn apart by a vengeful spirit, and their love had been sealed within the cursed kimono.
With newfound determination, Emi sought out the help of a renowned exorcist, who revealed that the curse could only be broken by reconciling the spirits of the star-crossed lovers and offering them a chance at eternal peace.
Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki embarked on a journey to the ancestral shrine of the Nakamura family, where they conducted a solemn ritual to appease the vengeful spirits. As they offered their prayers and made heartfelt apologies on behalf of their ancestors, a profound sense of forgiveness washed over them.
In a climactic moment, the cursed kimono transformed, its once malevolent aura dissipating into the ether. The spirits of the star-crossed lovers, now free from their torment, appeared before Emi and her family, their eyes filled with gratitude.
As the cherry blossoms rained down upon Kyoto, Emi, Toshiro, and Yuki returned home with a newfound sense of peace and closure. The kimono, no longer cursed, became a symbol of their family's resilience and the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Curse of the Haunted Kimono" served as a reminder that the sins of the past could be atoned for and that the bonds of love and family could transcend even the darkest of curses.
End of Chapter 8: "The Curse of the Haunted Kimono"
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a quiet suburban neighborhood, an antique mirror with a sinister past found its way into the home of a young couple. As they unwittingly unleashed the malevolent spirit trapped within, they must confront the mirror's dark history to save themselves and their family.
Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
In a serene suburban neighborhood, where cherry blossoms bloomed with each passing spring, lived a young couple, Hiroshi and Aiko, who were enamored with the charm of their new home. They had recently moved into a quaint, old-fashioned house that came with a peculiar antique mirror.
The mirror was ornate and beautiful, its frame adorned with delicate carvings of cherry blossoms. It had been left behind by the previous owner, a recluse who had passed away under mysterious circumstances. Little did Hiroshi and Aiko know that this mirror carried a malevolent secret.
As they settled into their new home, strange occurrences began to unfold. Reflections in the mirror seemed to distort, showing glimpses of eerie, shadowy figures lurking in the background. At night, whispers filled the room as if unseen voices murmured from within the glass.
Aiko, with her fascination for the occult, was the first to sense the mirror's sinister aura. She delved into research, uncovering tales of a cursed mirror that had plagued the previous owner's family for generations.
The mirror had once belonged to a vengeful spirit, a yūrei who had perished in despair. Its malevolence was bound to the glass, and those who possessed it were tormented by the spirit's relentless anger and sorrow.
Desperate to free themselves from the mirror's curse, Hiroshi and Aiko sought the guidance of a spiritual medium. Through a series of rituals and séances, they made contact with the vengeful spirit trapped within the mirror.
The spirit's story unfolded like a tragic drama—the yūrei had been a young woman in love with a man from a rival clan. Their love was forbidden, and when their secret was discovered, they had both met a grisly end. Her spirit had been bound to the mirror as punishment for her defiance of societal norms.
With the medium's help, Hiroshi and Aiko offered prayers and apologies on behalf of the mirror's original owner, seeking forgiveness for the wrongs committed against the vengeful spirit. They vowed to help the spirit find peace and redemption.
In a chilling climax, they conducted a final ritual, allowing the yūrei to pass on and find the solace she had been denied for centuries. As they gazed into the mirror one last time, they saw the spirit's reflection fade into the distance, her eyes filled with a mix of gratitude and farewell.
The mirror, now cleansed of its malevolence, became a symbol of hope and renewal for Hiroshi and Aiko. Their family flourished, and the cherry blossoms in their garden bloomed with newfound vibrancy, a testament to the enduring power of love and forgiveness.
"The Mirror's Malevolence" served as a chilling reminder that even the most innocuous objects could carry dark secrets, and that confronting the past and seeking redemption could break the bonds of even the most malevolent curses.
End of Chapter 9: "The Mirror's Malevolence"
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
In a remote mountain village, isolated from the modern world, a historic bridge served as a link between the living and the dead. When a group of travelers crossed its ancient planks, they would discover the chilling truth behind the bridge's supernatural origins.
Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"
Deep within the heart of the Japanese mountains, nestled among ancient forests and shrouded in mist, lay the village of Yamanokawa. It was a place where tradition and superstition still held sway, and the bridge that spanned the river was both a lifeline and a gateway to the unknown.
A group of adventurous travelers, drawn by the allure of Yamanokawa's untouched beauty, embarked on a journey to explore the village's remote reaches. Among them were Kaito, a historian with an insatiable curiosity, and Mia, a photographer who sought to capture the essence of this secluded world.
The village's centerpiece was the Akane Bridge, a weathered structure made of ancient wood and adorned with centuries-old lanterns. Its planks creaked with the weight of history, and the river below whispered tales of lives long gone.
As the travelers ventured deeper into Yamanokawa, they discovered that the villagers held a profound reverence for the bridge. It was said to be a link between the living and the dead, a place where offerings were made to appease the spirits that dwelled in the surrounding forest.
As night descended, the travelers set up camp near the Akane Bridge, its lanterns casting an eerie, flickering glow on the river's surface. It was then that they heard the sound—a mournful melody that seemed to emanate from the bridge itself.
Mia, driven by curiosity, followed the haunting tune to the bridge's edge. There, bathed in an otherworldly light, she saw a figure—a woman in a white kimono, her long hair flowing like an ebony waterfall.
The woman, whose name was Hikari, revealed herself to be a yūrei, a spirit bound to the Akane Bridge for centuries. She had once been a young bride whose love had been torn apart by a tragic accident on her wedding day. Her spirit was eternally linked to the bridge, where she waited for her beloved to return.
Kaito, the historian, delved into the village's archives and uncovered the tragic story of Hikari's past. It was a tale of love and loss, of a bride whose life had been cut short, and a groom whose heart had been forever scarred by grief.
With newfound determination, the travelers sought to reunite the spirits of Hikari and her beloved. They embarked on a journey deep into the forest, following a path laden with offerings and prayers.
At the heart of the forest, they discovered an ancient shrine dedicated to love and reconciliation. There, in a poignant ceremony, they offered heartfelt prayers and apologies on behalf of the villagers and the groom who had never returned.
As the first light of dawn broke over Yamanokawa, a sense of serenity washed over the Akane Bridge. Hikari's spectral form dissolved into the river's mist, her eyes filled with a mix of longing and gratitude.
The travelers departed from Yamanokawa, forever changed by their encounter with the supernatural. The Akane Bridge, now freed from its haunting past, stood as a testament to the enduring power of love and the hope of reuniting even in the afterlife.
"The Bridge to the Beyond" became a legend whispered among villagers, a reminder that some bonds could transcend time and that the spirit of love endured even in the face of eternity.
End of Chapter 10: "The Bridge to the Beyond"

I am NOT OOP. OOP is u/AdMysterious7891
Originally posted to jobs & antiwork
OOP works for an evil Michael Scott
Editor’s Note: added paragraph breaks for readability, changed letters to names
Trigger Warnings: manipulation, hostile workplace, sexual harassment, invasion of privacy
 
AITA for appearing annoyed with my new co-worker? (AutoMod): April 9, 2023
So I’ve been at my new job for slightly less than one month. It’s been extremely stressful trying to get the hang of things, but luckily, two of the three people in my department (one of which is my boss) have been extremely understanding and patient; they’ve both said that they expect it to take at least 6 months before I start getting the hang of things. They told me that they, and my third co-worker, will handle the bulk of my responsibilities for these first few months because it would be too much for me to handle at once.
My third co-worker, who I’ll call “Alexis,” hasn’t seemed quite as understanding. While she’s told me that she’s glad I’m here, I get the feeling that she expects me to know everything perfectly. Ever since my first day, she’ll come into my office and ask me extremely vague questions like, “Did you do the thing for the thing?” and expect me to know exactly what she’s talking about. The other day, I even overheard her telling our boss that she asked me to upload some document into our database, but that I never did (but she’d told me earlier that day that SHE would be the one to do this). My boss didn’t really seem to care, but Alexis saying that left a bad taste in my mouth.
Today, I was trying to complete some report for the first time. Alexis must’ve seen me struggling with it, because she told me that I could watch her do it so that I would know what to do next time. I took her up on her offer, and she told me that she would call me into her office when she was ready to train me. When she did call me into her office about an hour later, it was evident that she wasn’t completely ready for me.
For about ten minutes, she did nothing but rapidly click through her emails, most of which had already been opened, and mutter things like, “Who is this from?” And, “What am i doing with this again?” She did end up apologizing to me for making me wait, but said that she’s been so busy lately doing my job. I admit that I may be looking into this too much, but to me, it felt like she was trying to make me feel guilty for not being able to do everything right now.
When she finally got around to the report, she couldn’t do it. She took one look at the database we use to complete it, and said that it wasn’t working because I must have messed it up. I admit that I was working with it earlier in the day, but I didn’t think i’d done anything to mess it up. I said I’d figure it out and left her office, but I guess I couldn’t quite hide the annoyance on my face because she ended up coming into my office a few minutes later and said that it wasn’t a big deal, and that I didn’t have to look so annoyed.
I’m wondering now if I’m TA because at the end of the day, Alexis had been doing a lot of my work on top of hers. I don’t want to start off on the wrong foot with her, especially if there’s only four of us in this entire department
VERDICT: POST REMOVED BEFORE VERDICT RENDERED, BASED ON COMMENTS, OOP WAS NTA
 
Editor’s Note: the text in the next post was saved before it was deleted
Would you quit because of a coworker at a new job? (deleted post): April 11, 2023 (2 days later)
Sorry for the incoming walls of text.
I started a new job one month ago. The work itself is fine, though there’s pretty much been no training. The person who previously held my position was fired, and nobody in the department (of which there are 4 people, including me) knows how to do this job, so the company asked someone who’d retired from this position two years ago to come into the office for a few hours each week to show me the ropes. Problem is, this person doesn’t remember anything, and I got only about 2 days’ worth of training from her. She stopped coming into the office a few weeks ago because she wants to focus on her retirement and hobbies.
Two people in my department, one of which is my boss, have been pretty understanding. They’ve both told me that they expect it to take at least 6 months for me to fully know what I’m doing, and that they understand there’s basically no training for me.
The third coworker, who I’ll call Alexis, has not been so understanding. She seems mad and frustrated all the time because I don’t know what I’m doing yet, and I keep making mistakes. I’ve stopped coming to her for help because every time I’ve asked a question, she’ll get all huffy and say that she already told me how to do something (even if she hasn’t).
Every time I’ve made a mistake, she goes right to our boss to tell on me. I guess he himself got sick of Alexis tattling, because yesterday, I overheard him telling Alexis that I’m new, and that she should be nicer to me. But I’ve also overheard Alexis going to other coworkers who aren’t even in our department, and telling them that I don’t know what I’m doing, or that I don’t do anything all day (which isn’t true; I’ve been desperately trying to make sense of this job through the few notes I have).
Today, Alexis and I were communicating via email about a report I had to submit. I submitted the report, and an hour later, Alexis sent a new email, with our boss cc’d, saying that I didn’t do it correctly, and now IT would have to get involved to show me how to fix it. But when I got in touch with our IT guy, he took one look at the report and said I did it right, and that “Alexis just doesn’t know how to view reports correctly.” I sent a response email to Alexis (with our boss still cc’d) explaining that per our IT guy, the report was submitted correctly. Alexis then stormed into my office and said that I must have fixed the report and not told anyone, because it was definitely wrong when she looked at it. I said this wasn’t the case, and that she could call our IT guy if she so wished. She did, and I could hear her in her office saying, “But [my name] fixed it, right? She must have fixed it, because I swear I looked at it right!” I guess he didn’t tell her what she wanted to hear, because she then called two more coworkers to ask if they were the ones to fix the report; she really went through all of that effort instead of just admitting that she’s the one who made a mistake.
We’re now a few hours past this incident, and Alexis hasn’t said one word to me. Our boss hasn’t said anything about it to me either, and I don’t think he even cares about it. But this job has been stressful enough without Alexis breathing down my back, and I’m considering whether or not I should leave.
Would you start looking for a new job? Or am I being too sensitive?
 
I like my job. But my boss keeps telling me I’m too quiet. Am I the problem? (Wayback Machine): July 17, 2023 (3 months later)
I’ve been at this job for 4 months. I really like the work. The problem is that I’ve always been very quiet and reserved, and my boss takes issue with that. He’s not outright hostile towards me, but he’s said more than once that I need to put myself out there more, and that he’ll be my “best friend” if I’ll let him. He said that I am doing the work that’s required of me, but that he wants me to work on “us.”
My department is only comprised of four people, including my boss and I. Every so often, my boss and another co-worker will go out for lunch, and they’ll usually invite me. I will admit that I never accept. I like to eat lunch by myself, and the one time I did go out to eat with them, they talked about things that made me uncomfortable (not gonna go into specifics, but think politics).
This was kind of an issue at my last job, too. I kept to myself and just did my work, though I was friendly to my co-workers whenever they asked me for something. I later found out that I was being referred to as “the bitch” simply because I didn’t talk a lot.
I just wish I was critiqued just on my work and not on how outgoing I am. But the fact that this is a recurring issue makes me feel that I’m the problem here.
Top Comment
colormeslowly: Crazy how we introverts want to be judged & paid for our work performance! I know I do!
I betcha you show up, show up on time and do your work and possibly do more than what’s asked of you, OP.
I thought the same way too - I’m friendly at work, but keep to myself. People complained about me, usually the ones who don’t work, not the social butterflies, they can work and socialize, the ones that complained wouldn’t do any work. They thought I was stuck up and would spread so many rumors about me, until management got fed up and fired me. Can you imagine that?!! Fired me.
They do want us to get along, on their terms, like it or not. And it’s not that I don’t get along with others, quite well I might add but in my world there’s a time and place for socializing and work isn’t the place to do it.
Sadly the workplace is like high school, you’ll be singled out every time for being yourself!
Hang in there OP.
 
Was told during my employee review that I should have told my boss I have an older brother.: November 17, 2023 (4 months later)
I realized pretty quickly after starting here that I wouldn’t really like it here for various reasons, but I figured I’d stick it out for as long as I could. My boss is the the “we’re a family here” type, and to someone who’s generally more introverted like me, this has been a recurring point of contention between us. For the sake of this post, I’ll call him, “Kevin.” Kevin keeps telling me to “get out of my shell more,” and that I should be telling him EVERYTHING. For example: once, we were both cc’d on an email, and he got mad at me because I didn’t get up from my desk, walk to his office, and inform him that he was cc’d on the email. I have tried to talk to him about work-related tasks as much as I can, even if it’s completely asinine, but this isn’t enough for him.
Recently, we started working with a long-time neighbor of mine, who also happens to be my older brother’s best friend (we’ll call this neighbor, “Dan”). During a meeting between just Kevin and Dan, Dan mentioned very casually that he knew me. When Kevin talked to me about it, he kept saying things like, “Looks like you got a boyfriend,” or, “I think Dan likes you.” I had to clarify that no, Dan doesn’t like me like that, and that he’s practically a brother to me because he’s been my older brother’s best friend for years.
Anyways, today was my 90-day review, and Kevin told me for the hundredth time that I need to “get out of my shell more,” and that I should have told him I have a older brother. How this information is pertinent to my job, I’ve no idea. Anyways, my employee review was mostly 1’s and 2’s out of a scale of 4, even though I learned this job very quickly without any training, have shown up to work early and often leave late, and consistently completed all my tasks perfectly.
Yes, I am looking for a new job.
Top Comment
starBux_Barista: sounds like he's a narcissist manipulator. def look for a new job. that review was based on things not related to your job performance.....
 
How do you make it through the day with a boss and co-workers you can’t stand?: March 19, 2024 (4 months later)
I feel like I’m at my wit’s end.
I’ve been applying to jobs since October. Thankfully, I’m starting to get some calls back, but of course, I don’t actually have a new job lined up and I’m not going to count my chickens before they hatch.
I’m looking to leave my job of one year for a variety of reasons, but mostly because I can’t stand my boss. He is, without a doubt, the worst boss I’ve ever had. Some of the things he has done that tick me off are: introduce himself as an “Alpha Male” to everyone he meets, complain to me that his holiday bonus was “only $10,000” while approving mine for $200, ask me if anyone’s ever given me a hickey, and giving me the worst employee review I’ve ever gotten because I don’t talk about my personal life enough to him. When we bid on projects or contracts, he always makes sure to end our bid price with 69 cents, because he has the emotional intelligence of a 12 year old and thinks 69 is a hilarious number.
Most recently, he gathered all three of my other co-workers in his office to talk shit about me, and say that I don’t know what I’m doing, or that I don’t actually do anything. I could hear everything he was saying because his office is a grand total of five feet away from mine. (Sidenote: nobody here knows how to do my job. The woman who trained me for my first week was a former employee who’s retired years ago and didn’t remember anything. So I was basically thrown in the deep end without any guidance whatsoever).
My co-workers all hate him, too, but because he’s the boss, they all agree with him when he badmouths me. I just feel like I can’t take this anymore.
 
I’ve gray-rocked my toxic boss and now he’s panicking: April 1, 2024 (2 weeks later)
I’ve been applying to new jobs since October, and although I don’t have one lined up yet, I’m at the point where I no longer care if I get fired from my current job.
I’m leaving because of my toxic, narcissistic asshole of a boss. (For reference, I’m 28F, and he’s 40sM). I have heard him promise the world to other employees, only to call them stupid or pathetic as soon as they’re out of hearing range. And I know he does the same with me. In fact, a few weeks ago, he gathered all my co-workers in his office just to talk about how I’m stupid, lazy, and don’t know what I’m doing. To be fair, I don’t, but only because there was no training, and nobody else here knows how to do my job. Especially him.
Other things my boss has done is:

1. Yell at me in front of my co-workers because I didn’t let him know when he was cc’d on an email.
   
2. Give me the WORST employee review I’ve ever gotten because I don’t talk to him about my personal life enough.
   
3. Tell me that despite my poor review, he approved my holiday bonus for $200… and then complain that his was “only $10,000.”
   
4. Hug me when I told him I don’t like being hugged. Tell me I need to smile more. He also asked me once if anyone’s ever given me a hickey. (Yes, I reported this to HR. No, they didn’t do anything).
   
5. Get my co-workers to “spy” on me. One of them who I thought I could trust would always come to me and talk about he much he hated our boss, and as soon as I said anything in agreement, he would run to our boss and tattle on me. This co-worker also reports to my boss everything I say. The other day, I was talking on my phone, telling my friend that I wished my boss and co-workers didn’t gossip about me so much. Well, my co-worker heard this and immediately told my boss.
   

For most of the year I’ve been working here, I just tried to stay positive and try my best to get through this. But no more. I don’t smile at all, even when my boss tells me to. I respond to everything with one-word answers. He keeps asking me what’s wrong, and I only say “Nothing.”
Now the department is gossiping about me more, but they’re in a panic. They keep asking each other if they think I’m leaving, and if so, they will not be doing my job (which is funny, because I’ve heard them say in the past that I don’t do anything).
My boss now has been talking loudly from his office, saying things like, “[My name] is such a good employee!” He’s been complimenting me on finishing tasks he’s never complimented me on before. He keeps telling me he likes my hair. And one day, he sat down in my office and told me point-blank that I’m not “allowed” to leave.
Someone in a different department told me that he’s terrified I’m going to leave. Well, fuck him, because I am. This week, I’m supposed to hear back from several places I’ve been interviewing with, so wish me luck.
TL;DR: I’ve stopped being the office doormat, my boss can tell I’m on my way out, and now, he’s trying to be nice to me to get me to stay.
Top Comments
flavius_lacivious: I would absolutely fuck over that tattletale.
When you are ready to give notice, a few days before fake a personal phone call that you did not get the job offer and that it looks like you are trapped and what a shit head your boss is. Just how miserable you are, how much you hate the company, how your coworkers spy on you.
Let the boss call you out in a meeting, then tell him you have another job lined up and will be leaving. Walk out the door.
Everyone will blame him for you leaving, boss will blame the spy.
whiskylion: I simply would stop showing up once I landed another job. Quitting without notice is so satisfying. For reference, they'll do it to you. I had a job where they eliminated my position without notice. Nothing performance related, but they needed to cull the herd because the stock dropped. There were new hires that they kept on because they were hired for less money.
 
Update: I’ve gray-rocked my toxic boss and now he’s panicking.: April 8, 2024 (1 week later)
TL;DR: I quit today.
My original post blew up a lot more than I thought it would. Thank you for everyone who gave me words of support. I didn’t realize that there were so many people who had gone through, or were currently going through, a similar situation.
In the few days since I originally posted, my boss only became more obnoxious. He said loudly to another co-worker that I’m “super smart.” He also proudly ran to my office to tell me that he’d just done something that’s usually my job just to help me out (even though I would have just done it myself if he’d asked me to, but he didn’t). Also, in the past, he would get mad at me if I arrived or left the office without properly greeting/saying goodbye to him. I stopped doing that for about two weeks, but he never said anything to me about it like he usually did. The one co-worker I kind of trust told me that after I went home one day, our boss sat down at his desk, looking like he was feeling sorry for himself, and said, “[My name] is completely checked out, but I don’t know what to do.”
He also made a big stink about my birthday; my birthday is at the end of this month. Our receptionist always posts a monthly birthday list in the kitchen showing the names and birthdates of everyone who had a birthday that month. She got my birthday wrong, which I honestly did not give a shit about, but my boss made it into such a big deal that she came into my office to apologize. I had no idea what she was talking about until she said that my boss had been upset that she’d gotten my birthday wrong and told her to fix it asap. He also came into my office and said that he’d marked the date on his personal calendar and was acting all excited about it, even as I just stared at him with a blank expression.
Honestly, I’ve wondered why he’s so desperate to keep me here, especially since he’s said on numerous occasions that I don’t know what I’m doing. But honestly, I think he gets off on ordering others around and telling people what they did wrong, and enjoys having been able to shout my name from his office and have me running over to him like an obedient little lap dog.
Last week, I did hear back from one of the jobs I’ve been interviewing with, but they told me they didn’t have any definite answers for me and asked that I wait until Monday (which is today) at the latest. Even though I still didn’t have an offer, on Thursday, I packed up all my shit and deleted all my browsing history while my boss had stepped out of the office; we work in contracting/construction, so he sometimes leaves the office to go out to the field. Then I sat at my desk, arranged some of our job folders on it so that it didn’t look too bare, and mostly played solitaire for the rest of the day. He did come back, but he didn’t notice anything, and the day progressed as usual.
But the next day, on Friday, I didn’t feel like coming in so I called out sick. My co-worker said that he came into my office and did notice that all my stuff was gone, and apparently flew into a panic. He thought I wasn’t coming in on Monday (today), but I did.
I wanted to just ghost him when I finally got an offer, but I didn’t get the opportunity to. When I came in this morning, he immediately came to talk to me. He told me that he knows I’m unhappy, and asked me what’s wrong. I just kept saying, “Nothing.” Even so, he asked me what he can do to make me happy—push back my start time in the morning? Give me a raise? I said no to both of those.
He then said that he knows I’m on my way out, and asked if I could stay until he found a replacement. I probably should have accepted a raise until I got an offer, but the thought of staying here for a day longer was honestly unimaginable.
So I kinda just blurted out, “I’ll stay until the end of today.” He looked shocked by that. After a few seconds, he asked if I could make a list of everything that’s on my plate. I said sure (but I’m not going to do that). Before he left my office, he kept asking me if there was anything he did wrong. When I said nothing, he said that he wanted to know so that he could change for the better. All I said was, “I don’t think anything’s ever going to change here.” I didn’t want to give him the satisfaction of telling him, “Oh, well, here’s why I think you’re an asshole,” because he would have denied it. Also, he has a group of yes-men surrounding him at all times who stoke his ego, and they would have told him that I’m the one in the wrong.
He stepped out again to go out to the field, and I went and spoke with our HR rep. All I told her was, “Look, I don’t expect anything to be done about this, but I just want you to know that [my boss] is the reason I’m leaving.” To my surprise, she did take it seriously and asked me to elaborate. They did just hire a new director in the HR department so maybe that’s why she decided to take me seriously? Idk. Either way, I laid everything out for her. I told her that my boss doesn’t respect me. I told her that I get that gossip is a part of every office, but I draw the line when I hear my boss talking shit about me to all my co-workers. I also told her that I feel like I’m being spied on by the office snitch, and that I can hear him reporting everything I say and do to my boss. She asked me if I had another job lined up, and I said no. The HR rep said that she would be talking about this to our CEO later this week. Whether or not she actually will, I’ve no idea, but I’m just glad I’m done.
Well, word quickly spread around here that I’m leaving, and a co-worker who I barely know (she works on another floor in a different department) came up to talk to me. She asked me if I’m leaving because of my boss, and I said yes. She said that he’s the reason she transferred to another department. Apparently, she used to work directly for him.
But one day, while he was out of the office, she called her husband briefly from her office phone right before she left for a work conference. She doesn’t know if the phone was bugged, or if my boss had access to her calls, but apparently, he found out about this call and freaked out because he didn’t recognize the number she was calling. So at 4am, he made one of his superintendents swing by the office building after he was done with work (our crews pave until around 4/5am), go into her office, and look at her call history.
The superintendent did this, but accidentally hit “call” on my co-worker’s husband’s number. So the husband received a call from his wife’s workplace at 4am and freaked out, because he’d rightly thought something bad had happened to his wife. He ended up calling his wife’s cell repeatedly until she picked up.
She contacted our IT guy, who was able to see from the office cameras that it was our superintendent that came into the office, and when he was confronted about this, he told them everything. Even then, my boss denied that he ever made our superintendent do this.
So, yeah. The dude’s crazy, and I’m glad I’m out. The day’s still young, so I’m still hoping I hear back from my prospective new job today.
Relevant Comment
Capital_Affect_2773: Holy shit how is that legal looking at someone’s call history even on a work line?

OOP: I’ve no idea. Even now, my co-worker has no idea how he knew about the call. The only thing this company did after this incident was email a notice to everyone “reminding” everyone not to go into other people’s offices when they’re not around.

 

DO NOT COMMENT IN LINKED POSTS OR MESSAGE OOPs – BoRU Rule #7

THIS IS A REPOST SUB - I AM NOT OOP

Tl;Dr bought a home and agreed to have seller get septic updated. After the work, contractor brought in new topsoil filled with glass, among other garbage. Small claims court judge said we can’t sue the contractor since the seller has the contract, not us. (Privy of contract)
Here’s the full situation. We bought this home last year in Minnesota. As part of the closing the seller put up $35k to be used on updating septic system. So in my contract with the seller for the sale of the home, it was stated they would hire a contractor to do the septic expansion per the contractors bid and local laws and regs.
Key part of the contract include “restore yard from damage caused by machinery and installation using Original topsoil.” Also, the tank is on one side of my backyard, and the drain field is on the opposite side. This allowed it to be at grade with no mound. Total area torn up was about 2500sqt ft.
During the three days they were here to work, the two brothers/owners were fine. Just doing their work. I had questions about the system and they answered. When it was time to cover the tank, I was in my home office working. But when I came out I noticed they had brought a dump truck or two of dirt in to spread. I asked why and they said they were not able to keep our topsoil separate from the Sandy soil under the surface. They did not check in with me before the dirt was dumped.
Interesting point when it came to seeding, they had a big bag of annual contractor seed. I told them that’s not what my yard had as grass before (beautiful bluegrass 100% taken care of by previous owner as his pride and joy). I asked them to please use something similar to what I had down understanding that it will take me a while to get it to where it was. They said “no, we aren’t making you a freaking golf course” and ended conversation. I did call the grass seed company and the CSR said this was not acceptable seed for residential. I told that to the contractor but they did not care.
I had to catch a meeting so I went back inside. After a few hrs I came back out and they were gone. Seed was spread, street cleaned, no word from them. I called them to check if they were done but no answer. So I walked the yard to check out the finished grade and job. Right away I started finding rocks the size of golf balls everywhere, and a lot larger. Even a half a brick. Tons of roots and wood chunks. I filled a couple buckets. Then I saw it… glass. One piece here and there until I looked harder. I found a couple dozen pieces on the surface in a small portion of the yard. Small pieces to large pieces the size of my hand. Clear, green, brown. Thick, thin… it wasn’t just a bottle they brought out that got ran over and left.. I found other garbage too. Wrappers, styrofoam, roof shingles, a shredded tire piece, and tons of plastic pieces that looked like broken pieces of pvc pipe.
I was furious. I called them again no answer. I emailed them and the next day they responded saying they got the dirt from previous worksites. It’s not screened or pulverized. I set up a phone call to chat with them.
One brother seemed concerned. We connected on our young boys being active and into sports. He asked what I wanted him to do about it and after I said I want the dirt removed and replaced he said he would talk to his brother about it. I asked again about origins of diet and he said the previous site was a county road ditch. He said there was natural gas plastic pipe in it and they tried to pick out all of that pipe. This is all on a recorded phone call (Minnesota has one party consent).
I had a few quotes to fix the yard. They all came in over $15k to remove all dirt and then some since it’s glass and trash and you can’t be 100% sure it’s gone unless it’s all taken out. That’s what every contractor said must be done or they won’t guarantee the work. I can only ask for $15k in small claims court so that’s what I’m going for.
I also spent dozens of hours researching regs and contacting the gov agencies responsible for this type of work (ssts). The regulations mn 7080.1100 say nothing over an inch in size can be in the dirt spread in a residential septic system. That was a huge discovery as most of the garbage is larger than that size, and all the rock I pulled is mostly larger than that too.
Fast forward to January 2024 I took them to small claims court. Unfortunately, due to “privy of contract,” I could not sue the contractor. Judge told me I had to go after the seller since that’s who I had a contract with.
I did call the seller to tell them what’s going on. Old retired couple with multiple investment properties. They sent a letter stating they were no longer involved in this property and has no responsibility… fair enough but the judge said they are who I need to get money from since that’s who I had a contract with for the work.
What should I do at this point? Do I go to small claims again but against seller? Do I go after the contractors insurance or surety?
If I go to the surety company, is it the same thing as court that I don’t have a contract with them, or is it different since I’m the owner at the time of the damage and currently?
Other questions: Does a contractor have to check in with me if they are going to do something not on contract? I.e. bring topsoil in even tho the contract says they will use mine. Is it common to use unscreened dirt? That seems pretty risky to me. What are the key things to focus on here in front of the judge? The surety company holds $25k from the contractor. Can I ask the surety company to pay for irrigation even tho it was not in the original contract? I had to do the irrigation but it will get torn up again since the contractor messed up.

I am unable to sleep lying here thinking about all we have been through. All our loving and all our fighting. All our struggles and all our successes. I know you well enough to know how you see me and we have had enough talks for me to get the message.
i have work that needs to be done, that much is true, and the day may never come where you understand what I'm going through. I don't want my flaws just as much as you and they irritate me as they do you. I don't feel in control and its not on purpose and I know you can't grasp that because its so foreign and there is no way for me to convey the desperation and sadness of trying and repeatedly failing to change. These arent excuses to me (at least i dont see them that way).
I don't want to be this way and I have begged God to make it easy but the task feels monumental. Every step towards it feels like a 1000 tons and like im sweating with an effort over something seemingly so trivial even when just beginning.
This isn't an appeal to your sympathies or a bid for pity, or even to make you feel guilty. To be truthful it never has been, I tell you because i trust you, but the feeling I get from you is confusion and exasperation. I have no desire to make you understand what I go through anymore because the point is moot and we run in circles and your responses tell me that. It doesnt matter if you believe me or not, it just matters to me that i share my perspective of my experience with you and that you know its not malicious.
I question why you are with me not because the finger needs to be pointed at your choice to stay married to me as some sort of criticism of you or an attempt to trick you into thinking its your fault for marrying me, but as an objective observation, outside of your husband...as a friend standing by your side and examining your situation with you without bias.
Its a serious question, not meant to guilt or deride, but simply to understand...all of this hurt and pain and frustration that I have caused you...why do you keep going? What drives you?
You've said to me over the years that being with me makes you want to kill yourself, that you don't know why you married me, that I'm inconsistent, that I've lied about my faith, that i deceived you when we dated. That I put other things and people ahead of you and the kids and tbat being married to me is exhausting. What drives you to stay with a man like that? You told me that its because you are holding out hope that I eventually change, but then say i haven't changed much in 5 years of marraige so why do you stay when the outlook looks so grim?
These are just my thoughts...and in one last attempt to clarify things...not for justification but in the hope that you understand my actions aren't malicious or are targeted and designed to trick or manipulate you in some way.
I struggle with mental illness and trauma its a fact and not an excuse for my behavior.
I'm impulsive and I say and do things in the moment that i deeply regret later. That time I said that thing about the dog and not helping you out...I literally didnt mean any of that, but i said it and then got embarassed and kept word spilling to try for laughs and lighten the situation. I panicked and word vomited because i was embarassed and wanted to fix it but made it worse. Thats why i didnt double down when you confronted me on what i said later.
its the same thing when i say insensitive things most of the time. Pregnancy gifts are an amazing idea and women deserve it and i was an ass for that whole conversation! I think of the talks we have and legit internally cringe and my words. When i said you were mad for "no reason" it wasn't to downplay your feelings. i blurted it out and regretted it right after. i should have asked whts the matter and i dont know what happened😕. whats going on with you...etc. i meant that you were mad and it felt to me like it was out of nowhere.
i replay these conversations in my head and get hit with cringe and embarassment and regret years after these convos.
I greatly lack self control (you are right). i hyperfixate on things and its monumental mental effort to pull away from it. Same thing with eating... its like an addiction, its filling a void and i struggle with it and the guilt.
Yes i have abandonment issues, i have anger issues, and i have anxiety that stems from those things. I view myself as incapable of doing the right thing and i feel like a slave to my urges. I have feelings of inadequacy because of it.
There is even more stuff i can say in this vein and i'll be writing a letter about it to you soon.
Know again this is not a cry for sympathy or an appeal for consolation because one: It doesnt solve the issue and two: I'm honestly past the point of trying to convince you that I'm trying and upset that I'm failing, and that as frustrated as you are with me sometimes, i have felt frustrated with my failure to perform for my entire life and no one has less patience for me than me. The difference between you and I though is...I can't leave myself.
I asked you if you want to separate because I often think it's better for you. I don't want that and the thought of ending up without you and the kids makes me breathless, but I truly feel like you would be happier with someone who has their stuff together.
Someone who makes you feel secure, whos christian, who fills you and the kids up with love and peace. Someone who doesnt come with a ton of mental illness and emotional baggage, someone who has done the work BEFORE getting married, and someone who can align vision with action.
This and the letter I am writing are my last messages to get you to understand me. Notice im beating a dead horse by saying, this is not an effort for consolation, pity, or sympathy, I dont need or want that from you. It's simply to explain myself so you dont have to guess at my intentions or thoughts because I share these things with you because you're my best friend and my wife. Beyond all the lovey dovey stuff, I truly care about you and your happiness. We have three kids and they deserve a good dad who wont disappoint them and you deserve a good husband in the same way.
im still going to therapy and doing the work and i still love and want to be married to you and a father to my kids but i just wanted to put this out there for clarity. I'm done tiptoeing around the truth or not saying exactly what i think. this is part of my honesty, and my commitment to it no matter the outcome. I owe you facts and information so you know my heart and whats on my mind. No guesswork or assumptions needed.
Whatever you decide on in the future can you please just let me know? Even if its something you are considering
tl;dr: My Husband sent me a message after being up late and I don’t know what I should say and do about it. Things have been a bit rocky of over the years and he’s finally getting help.

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Would you support this Constitution if impleted into your country.
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Preamble
The people of the state decide to strengthen the power and word of the law. To define our rights, powers, and roles. To better society so that all men, ladies, and people may be free under the word and letter of the law. So this word is the supreme law of the land. To secure the world, establish justice, ensure domestic tranquility, promote the general welfare, and provide for the common defense. So that we as people are united under this country. Under this law and the constitutionality of this law.
Article 1 The Bureautic Chamber
The preamble to the Bureatic Chamber Statement
The Bureaucratic chamber's mission is to take care of the administrative issues that arise and to benefit the people of the sovereignty through such actions in such a way that all people may benefit. To create allies or enemies, to heighten economic points for some or low for others. To help everyone finish the finishing line is in fact the point of the Bureautic Chamber.
Social Relations Guild
The social relations guild has its power outlined in this statement.
It holds the power to engage in foreign relations, including alliances, trade deals, and treaties.
Holding the power to allow the conference to be held and representation in foreign events.
Holds the right to give gifts to foreign entities in the hope of returns. The right to maintain its compounds in the use of foreign relations and exert its administrative control from such points. its resources available to it are dependent upon the vote of the executive and legislative assembly to gain extra resources. Though in an emergency It can forcefully secure such resources. An emergency means, keeping peace with another country, or securing a deal in terms of land, resources, or knowledge. This emergency power can only work for 3 hours. It is suspended till the legislative assembly votes to react to it.
Commerce guild
The goal is to promote trade, impose taxes, and regulate trade. Imposing higher import tax than export taxes, with having import, export, and property. The power of this guild is to allow and fund caravans for trade, arts, and leisurely activities only if they benefit the state in some measure. Invest in potential organizations of foreign and non-foreign entities alike if beneficial to the state. In benefitting the state it helps the general welfare. Through means of boosting the economy in terms of resource manufacturing harvesting, trade both domestically and internationally. property tax is taken for land owned on record and claimed. All taxes are put under record by the distribution guild and then given to the Distribution guild. They must give regular audits and financial documentation. They have to create different sectors to help with regulation. The commerce guild leader can be tried if he doesn’t have financial documents made correctly. As in embezzling funds. The commerce guild must give 5% of taxes to the judicial assembly. The guild gives these resources to the distribution guild.
Distribution Guild
Holds resources and gives them where they are needed and keeps records of taxes and resources logged in and out. All resources in the government will be stored under this guild. The guild can refuse to hand out resources but most have valid claims and send claims to the legislative assembly. If solved then they must give the required resources. They reserved the right to hold off giving resources one time but after they have to renew the power at the legislative assembly. The guild that had resources postponed can go to the legislative assembly to have the resources given to them. Its job in war is to create travel points and logistics operations for the military guild. It follows the lead of the military guild in war. And place its operations and bases where it asked to. It is to have multiple bases of operations and a main warehouse-like structure for storage and to send out resources. The distribution guild votes on where these resources should be used.
Infrastructure Guild
The goal is to establish proper roads, housing, and government compounds, and maintain such builds. Holds small temporary facilities to store temporary resources and be used for distribution guild after the use. For any costly projects, the legislative assembly must be informed and vote to allow the creation of such projects. They function with plans and initiative from other guilds acting as a group to build projects that strengthen the value of the state. They can acquire funding and bid on resources from private and public entities. The seek before major housing is placed down. To construct steed roads. With uniform purpose and designed for the infrastructure that goes in each sector.
Military Guild
The military guild holds the power to send spies, create military compounds, raise an army, maintain an army, set up foreign bases of interests, and raise a naval base, compounds, and foreign investors. The military guild is split into 2 branches initially, the army and the guard.
The guard acts as national security protecting government officials and checking out any areas where potential traps can be set to also go and stop anyone but government officials from entering government property. Acts also as security for delegates both foreign and nonforeign. They maintain military bases within the country. In war, they coordinate their efforts with the strategist branch of the military. They are to share all knowledge of criminals' interference with the Homeland Security Guild. Works with the infrastructure guild to build more bases. They are to only engage in law enforcement if a serious life-threatening crime is being committed. They are to stay out of civilian affairs. They Are to report all noticeable details of their shift.
The army is broken into four branches: the ground forces, naval force, alterity, and finally the elite. The ground forces move in unison to delay and capture enemy forces. Secure foreign cities and gold them down. They are the main body of war. The alterity creates a quick base for war and uses a tent for battle acting as a supporite. The alternative is to use far-range weapons to suppress enemy numbers in cost-effective methods. The naval branch is responsible for taking over islands and creating artificial islands. Maintaining a naval presence abroad. Secure local waters. Using naval vehicles to stall enemies in the water before they reach land. The elite are the most dangerous as they are the most skilled fighters available; they launch guerrilla warfare campaigns, assassinate, burn down structures, set traps, and destabilize the enemy government. They are the first line of attack against any enemies. They are only allowed to act when they have been voted for war. The last branch is the strategist branch which plans out all the operations, gathers intel, and tells soldiers where to go, and where to set up bases. Each military branch acts on its own accord while on a mission. All the branches serve the executive council. Each branch is only to attack hostile enemies or to attack if attacked.
The guild will coordinate to quickly set up defense with the distribution guild and infrastructure guild. They will have these guilds build and carry supplies where they are needed. The military guild is only allowed to act with executive council decisions. With any form of disobedience being seen as treason. The military guild must get a warrant from the judicial assembly before investigating a piece of land or raiding a compound.
The guild of homeland security
The reason for this guild is to protect domestic interests, enforce laws, conduct legal investigations, and find possible terrorists with the aid of the military guild. Investigate organization, and look into anything dangerous to public matters. Including but not limited to foreign spies, internal corruption, and external conflict. They must acquire a search warrant from the judicial assembly to search any privately owned land. The criteria for a search warrant are noted as they are known to be of having or committing a crime. When conducting an investigation to find a possible terrorist or threat to the state. The word terrorist is noted as an individual that will harm the state interest aboard. When a suspect is captured they are tired in front of the judicial assembly. If found guilty they are sent to prison. They are subordinate to the executive council. The infrastructure guild builds prisons as needed and infrastructure as needed for the guild.
Guild of Environment Conservation
The guild's environmental conservation goal is established in this document. The goal is to replenish resources, including food, lumber, metals, manufactured goods, water, natural resources, and energy. It also limits the overuse of resources so that a steady source of resources is available. To help pass legislation to benefit the people. Including replanting cut-down forests. Too keen on the enrichment of agriculture needs by planting crops. To have private research into the best farming methods. To also promote biodiversity in all areas. To mitigate pollution and stop the damages of harmful pesticides, herbicides, and algaecides. To work with the guild of education to increase public awareness in children about these issues.
Guild of education
To further the abilities of the economy, the people, and the state. A guild of education was created to boost productivity and knowledge. To not tell people what to think but how to think. To establish a more propensity for people. The guild of education will receive ten percent of all taxes. With each student having equal value. Where test scores only mean that the school is behind and needs more work. Where students gain the freedom to pick their own class. To move on to more complicated studies when they feel the need. The school day should be 10 hours long. However, a free period of time should be allocated. Resources should be allocated to hiring more teachers, improving the quality of the school facilities, and increasing the variety of courses available. The hiring of counselors to help benefit the students by helping them pick out their schedules. A percent of the budget should be spent to allow teachers to have the latest technologies and training. Students are allowed to view the community through selected career pathway classes or classes that benefit from external involvement. The curriculum should focus and be individualized for the needs of students. With a teacher needing a degree in teaching. Where private schools are given grants to help bolster education nationwide.
Guild of technology and the arts
To garner the success of technology within the sovereign state. The Guild of Technology and Arts holds the fundamental principle of expanding the usage of technology, and the regulation through legislation. To expand the arts to benefit the many in a way that puts us above.
The guild of communication
The mission of the guild of Communication is to handle the coordination of information to each part of the government. To collect and hold records of resources used in each branch of the government. To transport mail to the citizens. To uphold the principles of equity in knowledge.
Article 2 Legislative assembly
Senate
The senate holds 121 representatives. They held the right to vote on laws and create new laws as long as two guilds from the Bercratic Chamber backed it. Including bills to create new compounds, raise taxes, change laws, and create foreign treaties. They vote on whether to go to war or not. Allowed to overturn a veto with a ¾ vote. They also use their power to emplace new infrastructure and carry out administrative tasks alongside the executive council partly. Every three real-life days an election takes place The senate's main job is to boost regional production through all states and sectors. They have the power to change tax rates. The power to make laws within their own house must be passed down to the House of bipartisan to be finally passed. Has the power to veto executive requests of the guilds with a ⅔ vote.
House of bipartisan
Holds 10 representatives for every 500,000 people. They held the right to vote on laws and create new laws as long as two guilds from the Bercratic Chamber backed it. Including bills to create new compounds, raise taxes, change laws, and create foreign treaties. Their main mission though is to solve and resolve government and public conflict in a way that benefits them. They vote on whether to go to war or not. A 5/9 vote is needed for laws to pass for both houses. Allowed to overturn a veto with a 3⁄4 vote. They vote for war to start against an opposing entity but if attacked no vote is needed and immediate response takes place. Every three real-life days an election takes place
Article 3 Executive council
The executive council consists of three heads who oversee the bureautic chamber. They organize the missions of the bureautic chamber. To fit the needs of prosperity. To this command the bureautic chamber for the benefit of all people. To organize the government and be the organized head. They have the right to veto a law with a 3/3 vote among the heads. The power to add new guilds into the Bureautic chamber. With a 70% vote from the legislative assembly. A councilman can be removed with a 70% vote.
Article 4 The Judicial Assembly
The judicial assembly found to find and maintain the law by passing legal trials, and extracting fines of up to one diamond in value per trial people are deemed to have broken a law by a ⅔ vote. The laws are born in the legislative assembly. Eliminate unconstitutional laws with a majority vote. To sign warrants for the military guild to perform reasonable searches. With 9 elected officials sitting in the judicial assembly. They may overturn all vetoes with a 3⁄4 vote. They have the right to review laws in the making to determine if the Constitution allows them. However, this is not necessary.
Article 5 Bill of Rights

1. The right and belief to say what one wants without the fear of law.
2. The right to a fair and equal trial with no prejudice with only the crime at hand being judged.
3. The right to have weapons of any sort.
4. The right of medium tax so that each man is equal in totality of truth.
5. The right to oppose the government in protest of non-violent origin and non-violent contentious forms of political opposition or protest.
6. If these are broken then the people can go to the judicial branch to sue the state and have the laws changed. To enforce this act if needed.
7. The government must address all concerns through verbal acts and passed legislation.
8. The input of the people is through the legislative body carrying out voters' interests.
9. To amend the constitution the people have to vote an 8/10 vote for such an amendment that begins in the bipartisan house.
10. The right to vote for all people, no matter their skin tone, race, gender, and finally sex.
11. The right to be protected from unreasonable searches, double jeopardy in criminal law.
12. Everyone has the right to life, which shall not be denied or abrogated under any circumstances. Everyone is therefore to be granted the means to live regardless of status, the rights to free or affordable food, water, electricity, housing, and healthcare, which are necessary to live a livable and fulfilling life. The death penalty, being the use of state force to deny a person their right to life, shall be prohibited in all forms.
13. Everyone has the right to privacy and personal security - no person may be kidnapped, spied upon, or arrested by the state or the collective without just and democratic cause, nor have arbitrary and unjust infringements on their privacy and person.
14. Everyone has the right to freedom of speech and freedom of association, to freely express their views without fear of repercussions. Everyone has the right to join or form a non-exploitative organization, providing that their freedoms remain respected. Nobody shall be compelled to speak without their consent, or to join an association without their consent.
15. Everyone has the right to freedom of thought and religion - there shall be no state religion, and everybody shall have the right to freely belong to or not belong to or practice or not to practice a religion.
16. Everyone has the right to own the product of their labor - non-consensual labor, whether forced by the state or by private entities, shall be prohibited - slavery shall be prohibited in all forms. Limited exceptions to this shall be allowed for rehabilitative purposes for criminals convicted by due process of the law as specified in later sections, as well as for the purpose of taxation.
17. Everyone has the right to work and labor without exploitation by the capitalist class, and to democratically and collectively run their workplace. Every worker has the right to workplace democracy and the right to organize into a union to collectively represent their interests. Private ownership of the means of production is only permitted in the form of worker co-operatives where each worker has an equal and democratic say, or in the case of a mutual agreement to a hierarchical structure of employment, that worker’s unions have the final say over the running of the enterprise.
18. Everyone has the right to rest or leisure, the right to have a respite from their work. Everyone shall therefore be granted a decent amount of holidays and at least one week worth of sick leave per year, and all workplaces, even if democratically run, must limit their workers’ time to 8 hours per day, to ensure adequate rest for the workers
19. Everyone has the right to their dignity - nobody shall be subjected to the abomination of torture, or to any other cruel or unusual or degrading punishment.
20. Everyone has the right to the equal protection of the law, and the right to receive their rights and protections without discrimination of any kind
21. Everyone has the right to a fair and impartial trial, and to have a legal defense in such a trial. Everyone has the right to use these instruments of impartial justice to seek remedy for any action which infringes upon their human rights.
22. Everyone has the right in such a trial to be presumed innocent until proven guilty, and furthermore shall not be put on trial without being accused of a criminal or civil offense.
23. Everyone has the right to freedom of movement within the borders of the Quantian Socialist Federal Republic, and must be allowed to exercise this right except in exceptional circumstances such as national and health emergencies, or if convicted of a crime.
24. Everyone has the right to vote and to participate in government, which shall be granted by direct and representative democratic institutions, and the right to take part in free and fair elections, which shall not in any way, shape or form be rigged or influenced by any source, whether domestic or foreign. Everyone also has the right to vote and participate in the economy. Any person over the age of 18 who is permanently resident in or a citizen of Quantia is considered to be eligible to vote nationwide, although communes can set less stringent conditions.
25. Everyone has the right to an adequate standard of living, including food, housing, water, electricity, clothing, medical care and social services, regardless of status or work. The state or the collective is therefore to grant social and unemployment security to all citizens, free healthcare and housing to all citizens, and them or workplaces a minimum income sufficient for the basic necessities of life, regardless of employment status.
26. Everyone has the right to education, which shall be free, compulsory and accessible to all equally from the ages of 6 to 18, and from then on (tertiary education) shall be optional, but shall remain affordable and accessible to all. The state or the collective shall provide such an education if possible, but parents are allowed to educate their children themselves if necessary. Education should be geared towards the full intellectual and mental development of the person, and towards the furthering of socialist and democratic ideals, promoting tolerance, comradeship and equality towards all people.
27. Everyone has the right to keep and bear arms. Under no pretext shall such arms and ammunition be surrendered, any attempt to disarm the workers and the people shall be frustrated with force if necessary. A well-regulated militia is necessary to preserve the freedom of the workers.

Article 6 Creation of the states
A state is defined as a territorial area made to have a smaller number of people clumped together. With the state's size range by population. The state is then divided into sectors of 1,000 blocks. With no large sector. The sectors can have individual laws placed under them for development and the states have the same rights. The delegation of resources should be nearly propitious to citizens for the need of infrastructural purposes. All regulations below the federal government are also lower than the federal government in terms of power and authority.
Article 7 Popular Vote
The voting of the people is seen as needed and as important. All elected representatives will be voted in by the people for the people. As the popular vote elects everyone. The people vote every three years with a term lasting three years and a term limit of three years per the legislative assembly. The executive council will hold elections every 6 years and have a term limit of 2. The Judicial assembly will have a term of 8 years and 2 term limit. The people will vote on all elected positions which includes, the judicial assembly, executive council, legislative assembly, and the bureautic chambers guild leader. To vote one must be a citizen. The Bureaucratic chamber will have people work their way up the ranks to make sure they are the most qualified.
Article 8 The cement of powers
The people will vote for a newly elected official to take their place when one dies. However, if an executive council member dies the legislative assembly votes for a temporary replacement till the citizens can elect an official.
Article 9 The Census & Representation
A census will be taken every 5 years. This will report where people live, their income, what sector their form, and what state their form. This information will be used to help with taxes, where resources need to be allocated. Surveys can and will be sent to find what resources are needed. The citizens can listen to intended senate meetings. Interview the representatives for information or literature.
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TikTok's chief executive said on Wednesday the social media company expects to win a legal challenge to block legislation signed into law by President Joe Biden that he said would ban its popular short video app used by 170 million Americans.

"Rest assured - we aren't going anywhere," CEO Shou Zi Chew said in a video posted moments after Biden signed the bill that gives China-based ByteDance 270 days to divest TikTok's U.S. assets or face a ban. "The facts and the Constitution are on our side and we expect to prevail again."
Biden's signing sets a Jan. 19 deadline for a sale - one day before his term is set to expire - but he could extend the deadline by three months if he determines ByteDance is making progress. Biden is seeking a second term against former President Donald Trump.
"We don't want to see a ban," White House spokeswoman Karine Jean-Pierre said on Tuesday. "This is about PRC ownership," she added, referring to the People's Republic of China.
In 2020, Trump was blocked by the courts in his bid to ban TikTok and Chinese-owned WeChat, a unit of Tencent (0700.HK), opens new tab, in the United States. Trump, the Republican presidential candidate, has reversed course and said on Monday that Biden was "pushing" for a ban on TikTok and would be the one responsible if a ban were imposed, urging voters to take notice.
"Make no mistake - this is a ban on TikTok," Chew said, emphasizing that TikTok would continue to operate as the company challenges the restrictions.
Many experts question if any potential buyer has the financial resources to buy TikTok and if China and U.S. government agencies would approve a sale.
Driven by widespread worries among U.S. lawmakers that China could access Americans' data or surveil them with the app, the bill was overwhelmingly passed late on Tuesday by the U.S. Senate. The U.S. House of Representatives approved it on Saturday.
The four-year battle over TikTok is a significant front in a war over the internet and technology between Washington and Beijing. Last week, Apple (AAPL.O), opens new tab said China had ordered it to remove Meta Platforms' (META.O), opens new tab WhatsApp and Threads from its App Store in China over Chinese national security concerns.
TikTok is set to challenge the bill on First Amendment grounds and TikTok users are expected to again take legal action. A U.S. judge in Montana in November blocked a state ban on TikTok, citing free-speech grounds.The American Civil Liberties Union said banning or requiring divestiture of TikTok would "set an alarming global precedent for excessive government control over social media platforms."However, the new legislation is likely to give the Biden administration a stronger legal footing to ban TikTok if ByteDance fails to divest the app, experts say.If ByteDance failed to divest TikTok, app stores operated by Apple, Alphabet's (GOOGL.O), opens new tab Google and others could not legally offer TikTok or provide Web hosting services to ByteDance-controlled applications or TikTok's website.Senator Laphonza Butler, a California Democrat, urged the White House to consider the fate of 8,000 U.S. employees of TikTok, many of whom are in New York or California."We must acknowledge the impact on TikTok workers, and our local economies, as we determine a path forward," Butler told Biden in a letter.The bill would also give the White House new tools to ban or force the sale of other foreign-owned apps it deems to be security threats.Democratic Senator Ron Wyden said he was concerned the bill "provides broad authority that could be abused by a future administration to violate Americans' First Amendment rights."Biden's re-election campaign plans to continue using TikTok, a campaign official said on Wednesday. Trump's campaign has not joined TikTok.Biden signed legislation in late 2022 that barred U.S. government employees from using TikTok on government phones.

I work in healthcare and am now the victim of a formulary change, and I wanted to give everyone this info because I am so furious. I have an insurance company (Aetna) who uses a Pharmacy Benefit Manager (PBM) to dispense my prescriptions. My PBM is CVS/Caremark. I got a letter late last year that Xyrem was being removed from their formulary, but I could use either Wakix, Xywav or Lumryz. I am now in the process of trying Lumryz after struggling with Xywav for a few months. Xywav was not nearly as effective as Xyrem. Since I work in healthcare, I was really confused by this choice. Xyrem is the oldest drug in this class on the market, and even has a generic. Why wouldn't my insurance want me to use the cheapest option? Well let me tell you.
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PBMs can change their formulary at will, and often do, based on legal kickbacks from pharmaceutical companies. Here is a quote from a journal article about it, published in 2023.
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"It is clear now that protected kickbacks ($$), in the form of rebates and fees paid by pharmaceutical manufacturers to PBMs, determine what drugs will be on the formulary. PBMs then use utilization management tools such as step therapy to force patients to take those drugs first. Consequently, safe harbor protection from the AKS allows manufacturers to buy market share at the expense of patient’s health. Because these protected kickbacks are based on a percentage of the list price of the drugs, PBMs profit more from higher priced drugs, which PBMs call the lowest cost medications (for them, that is). These bids from various manufacturers can change over the course of a year, allowing PBMs to change formulary coverage (even mid-year) and nonmedically switch stable patients to the drug that is the most profitable."
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Someone out there is profiting by playing games with my healthcare. A drug I have taken successfully for years is now no longer an option because they can make more money if they force me to take a newer version. I want to scream. I don't know what the best way to fight this is. I don't know if tweeting or commenting on their facebook page would do anything. But I wasn't sure if this was a well known thing, so I thought I would share.

Unfortunately I lost my job in March I worked and did everything ok with a bid of help. When i lost my job i quickly enrolled in a Integration course (A1 A2 B1). Im getting no money from them and im not paying anything as well. The Agentur für Arbeit just sent me a letter that I'm getting no money at all because I'm in a school. I am sending CVs (like they ask) and searching for something that can be done with no German and be flexible so i can continue the course.
I have a house to pay , im not in complete distress as i have like 4 months of rent as an emergency fund but i need some help with what to do and if what they are doing is legal.
What can i do? Whats the best thing to do? I have a meeting to go there that i appointed now but its in almost 2 weeks. Note: this course CAN give fresh immigrants money if they have no source of income. Or be a paid course if you earn more than around 2k/month. And i was accepted as not receiving anything not paying.

Thief Vladimir Shcherbakov- Vladimir Shcherbakov turned out to be one of those who "got burned" in card games (We talked about it last post). He was born in 1926 in a prison hospital to his inmate mother. Shcherbakov grew up on the streets of Moscow, where he had to earn his own bread.
While his peers proudly wore crimson Pioneer ties, Volodya roamed the crowded streets of the capital, picking the pockets of citizens. The consequences of constant childhood hunger left a mark on his slender build, earning him the nickname "Pigalitsa."
Over time, he became a skilled "snatcher." No one could take that away from him. He looked too frail. His partners were young like him, but known pickpockets Sasha Shorin (Prokofiev) and Savoska (Savoskin), who would become legends in the Russian underworld decades later. Usually, the trio worked as one team, covering for each other and switching roles depending on the situation.
Sokolniki became their favorite area to work, where Pigalitsa's friends would establish the first organized criminal group thirty years later. Arrest and prison were inevitable in the life of a true "thief-in-law" like Pigalitsa. He was sent to the "zone" during a difficult time, when the "bitch" wars were raging. Pigalitsa faced all the trials fate threw at him with dignity.
In 1954, he found himself in the Mulda camp (Near the City of Vorkuta) in the company of Vasya Brilliant (Babushkin) - Legendary Thief in Law, and a dozen of the most famous Armenian "thieves-in-law." In the early 1950s, there was no numerical advantage of Georgians in the thieves' lists. Pigalitsa got along well with the Caucasians. According to legend, he had a conflict, not to the death, with the Russian thief Shurik Ryazanets (Karaskov) in Mulda. The reasons for the confrontation are unknown today, as is Shurik's date of death.
Pigalitsa lost his thief in Law title in a card game. Caught up in the game, he raised the stakes too high, and luck wasn't on his side that fateful evening. Pigalitsa promised to repay the debt by a certain date. He wrote a letter to his friends, asking them to gather the money and quickly send it to the colony. The money was collected, but there was a hitch on the way with the delivery. By the deadline, Pigalitsa hadn't received it. In such cases, it was possible to ask other prisoners from the same colony to pitch in. Respected "thieves-in-law" often had to resort to such measures, but for some reason, Pigalitsa didn't go that route.
Perhaps, in that colony, he had a rival thief interested in undermining the criminal authority and discreetly delaying the collection of money. "Thieves-in-law," usually demonstrating their unity to the public, often hated each other in their hearts and were not averse to secretly tripping up a comrade. Pigalitsa's crown fell off forever. According to classical rules, one could not become a "thief-in-law" twice. Today, southerners, gathering for a meeting, can pass a verdict and cancel it a month later, causing utter confusion among ordinary inmates.
Pigalitsa was considered a "rogue Thief," but still very authoritative. His weight in the criminal world was immense. He didn't change his way of life, spending the rest of his life as a thief in Moscow. There was a period in his life when he had to spend a long time in a psychiatric hospital. Of course, he was mentally fit. For professional thieves, being sent to the "loony bin" was a common way to avoid criminal punishment.
The last time the police paid attention to Pigalitsa was in 1990, when he spent a month in pre-trial detention at Butyrka. Four years later, he was arrested in his favorite place - the "Antique" store. They found small quantities of cocaine and hashish on him. When they searched his apartment, detectives found bullets, handcuffs, and antique icons. The "old man" was forgiven due to his age. He wasn't in the antique shop by chance. He regularly went there, not to work, but to relax. Pigalitsa was considered a connoisseur of art and antiques. He had assembled a decent collection of paintings at home - Brullov, Aivazovsky, Vereshchagin.
In his last years, he hardly communicated with his childhood friends Sasha Shorin and Savoska. The well-known "thieves-in-law" distanced themselves slightly from the "Rogue Thief" in status. His circle of acquaintances included the contemporary thief Sis'ka (Genkin) and Yura Tashkent (Yefimov). They were the ones who bid farewell to Pigalitsa in the summer of 1998. From the younger generation, currently active "thieves-in-law" Koka (Shalibashvili) and Artur (Yuzbashev) came to pay their respects to the legend. The funeral took place in the inconspicuous cafe "Zaidi-Poprobuy".

Thief Vladimir Shcherbakov- Vladimir Shcherbakov turned out to be one of those who "got burned" in card games (We talked about it last post). He was born in 1926 in a prison hospital to his inmate mother. Shcherbakov grew up on the streets of Moscow, where he had to earn his own bread.
While his peers proudly wore crimson Pioneer ties, Volodya roamed the crowded streets of the capital, picking the pockets of citizens. The consequences of constant childhood hunger left a mark on his slender build, earning him the nickname "Pigalitsa."
Over time, he became a skilled "snatcher." No one could take that away from him. He looked too frail. His partners were young like him, but known pickpockets Sasha Shorin (Prokofiev) and Savoska (Savoskin), who would become legends in the Russian underworld decades later. Usually, the trio worked as one team, covering for each other and switching roles depending on the situation.
Sokolniki became their favorite area to work, where Pigalitsa's friends would establish the first organized criminal group thirty years later. Arrest and prison were inevitable in the life of a true "thief-in-law" like Pigalitsa. He was sent to the "zone" during a difficult time, when the "bitch" wars were raging. Pigalitsa faced all the trials fate threw at him with dignity.
In 1954, he found himself in the Mulda camp (Near the City of Vorkuta) in the company of Vasya Brilliant (Babushkin) - Legendary Thief in Law, and a dozen of the most famous Armenian "thieves-in-law." In the early 1950s, there was no numerical advantage of Georgians in the thieves' lists. Pigalitsa got along well with the Caucasians. According to legend, he had a conflict, not to the death, with the Russian thief Shurik Ryazanets (Karaskov) in Mulda. The reasons for the confrontation are unknown today, as is Shurik's date of death.
Pigalitsa lost his thief in Law title in a card game. Caught up in the game, he raised the stakes too high, and luck wasn't on his side that fateful evening. Pigalitsa promised to repay the debt by a certain date. He wrote a letter to his friends, asking them to gather the money and quickly send it to the colony. The money was collected, but there was a hitch on the way with the delivery. By the deadline, Pigalitsa hadn't received it. In such cases, it was possible to ask other prisoners from the same colony to pitch in. Respected "thieves-in-law" often had to resort to such measures, but for some reason, Pigalitsa didn't go that route.
Perhaps, in that colony, he had a rival thief interested in undermining the criminal authority and discreetly delaying the collection of money. "Thieves-in-law," usually demonstrating their unity to the public, often hated each other in their hearts and were not averse to secretly tripping up a comrade. Pigalitsa's crown fell off forever. According to classical rules, one could not become a "thief-in-law" twice. Today, southerners, gathering for a meeting, can pass a verdict and cancel it a month later, causing utter confusion among ordinary inmates.
Pigalitsa was considered a "rogue Thief," but still very authoritative. His weight in the criminal world was immense. He didn't change his way of life, spending the rest of his life as a thief in Moscow. There was a period in his life when he had to spend a long time in a psychiatric hospital. Of course, he was mentally fit. For professional thieves, being sent to the "loony bin" was a common way to avoid criminal punishment.
The last time the police paid attention to Pigalitsa was in 1990, when he spent a month in pre-trial detention at Butyrka. Four years later, he was arrested in his favorite place - the "Antique" store. They found small quantities of cocaine and hashish on him. When they searched his apartment, detectives found bullets, handcuffs, and antique icons. The "old man" was forgiven due to his age. He wasn't in the antique shop by chance. He regularly went there, not to work, but to relax. Pigalitsa was considered a connoisseur of art and antiques. He had assembled a decent collection of paintings at home - Brullov, Aivazovsky, Vereshchagin.
In his last years, he hardly communicated with his childhood friends Sasha Shorin and Savoska. The well-known "thieves-in-law" distanced themselves slightly from the "Rogue Thief" in status. His circle of acquaintances included the contemporary thief Sis'ka (Genkin) and Yura Tashkent (Yefimov). They were the ones who bid farewell to Pigalitsa in the summer of 1998. From the younger generation, currently active "thieves-in-law" Koka (Shalibashvili) and Artur (Yuzbashev) came to pay their respects to the legend. The funeral took place in the inconspicuous cafe "Zaidi-Poprobuy".

Sorry for yet another vent here. I know we’ll buy a home and it’ll be the right one, but boy was today frustrating.
We live in a medium cost of living area very popular for retirement and have been looking at homes for about three months.
Today we were rejected on our fourth offer, this one for a home that felt perfect. It was the first one that ticked all of the boxes, so we went in extremely aggressively.
List price was in the high 400s and we bid 60k above asking, with a very high deposit and appraisal gap coverage, no inspection, no other contingencies, letter, the whole nine yards.
We found out today the home went for 40k over what we put in! Cash! For a total of 105k over list price. We were the second highest offer by a good margin, but second place doesn’t a buy a house.
We’re comforted by the fact that the home will take a long time to appreciate to the price it sold at, and we wouldn’t have put in higher than what it sold for even if we had known the situation.
Rant over. There will be another home. Thanks all for listening.

Have you ever heard of the Japanese soldiers who didn't surrender along with the rest of their country in 1945 and spent decades hidden away in the belief that World War II raged on? The town I lived in for the early parts of my life gave me a similar experience.
As kids in our small town, we all grew up with the same story. It was late October 1962 and the Cuban Missile Crisis threatened to engulf our planet in a fiery apocalypse. On the evening of October 27, the townsfolk tucked themselves into bed for an inevitably restless night of sleep whilst radio and television chatter in the background provided increasingly worried-sounding commentary of the situation at hand. At some point, the signals grew garbled before eventually turning into static and the constant noise of live updates was suddenly sorely missed. Before dawn came, unfamiliar men in army fatigues went door to door and led the townspeople into the large shelter built beneath their feet in anticipation of the exact scenario they had been alerted to. Supposedly some people refused, with the explanation that there had been no official communication of an attack or a state of war and that they would comply if they were allowed to find out for themselves through their long-defunct radio and television sets. Childhood rumour had it that none of these people were seen again.
I was born a decade after that night. My first memory is playing catch with myself against a decaying concrete wall in the shelter. It was a pretty big place, bigger than you would expect for a town of our size and life down there did its best to mimic the lives we had all had stolen from us. Those efforts were admirable but ultimately fruitless. There was a dingy little school for the kids, a community kitchen with massive stockpiles of awful canned food and large rooms filled with rows upon rows of rusting metal bunk beds. Still, though, life in the shelter was awful. I would not wish being trapped underground with hundreds of people for decades on anybody, and the drab existence took its toll on the older townspeople who had once known a life far better than that one. There was a room that became notorious for the sheer amount of people who took their own lives there. They had to get creative with such limited resources and sometimes it would take days or weeks for somebody to die after slitting their wrists with a dull and rusty knife. I would know, because my father died in that godforsaken room. They found his lifeless body dangling from the ceiling and little ten-year-old me was left in a state of agony. I didn't talk for months after it happened, and sometimes I still wish it had been me instead of him. Then, at least, I wouldn't be burdened with the knowledge I am today.
I remember being taught about the aftermath of the night that started all of this in school. We were told that most of our nation and the world had been ravaged by clouds of smoke and pillars of fire. That life on the ground above us was practically impossible. That we had to stay there, forever, lest we face the horrible deaths we had been saved from. There were a lot of rules to ensure we stuck to those ideals, but we were far too terrified to be sceptical of anything we were taught and so those rules went untested.
It took me until I was 19 to question the teachings we were expected to take as absolute truths. You see, whilst I was mostly a good citizen and complied with the rules of the shelter, I did have a sneaky little habit. I don't know why, perhaps I had grown bored or just wanted to disobey the seemingly arbitrary rules for once, but I had a borderline obsession with exploring the nooks and crannies of the shelter. Finding untouched corners and hints of a life that supposedly didn't exist any more gave me a thrill I didn't know was possible in that place. Those hints were usually boring by any outside measure, but one day I found something that left me both in awe and bewildered terror.
A window.
I didn't know what it was at first, because when I came across it all I could see was a build-up of dust and cobwebs in the shape of a square, but I quickly got to work peeling away the layers that had built up over what was presumably a great many years to reveal something out of my wildest dream. An impossibly green landscape stood before my eyes. The sky was a deep blue with an occasional cloud floating by, and the houses abandoned decades before lay there in an unmaintained condition that gave them a unique character. I must have stood there for hours, taking it all in. Wondering why the world I was taught about wasn't what I was staring at. Wondering why we had been lied to. I made my way back to my bunk bed at some point and settled in for a night of restless sleep, of my few unconscious moments being pierced by the supposedly impossible landscape I had seen.
It took me weeks to bottle up the courage to go back because I was terrified that my eyes had somehow deceived me, that I was losing my mind and that I would end up in that room with the same fate my father faced. I couldn't tell anyone, and I didn't tell anyone. They would think I was losing my mind too, and understandably so. Eventually, though, I did go back. Armed with a little piece of my bed that I had managed to break off. Do you know what it's like to have a burning desire to step out into a world that you had always been taught would kill you as soon as it got the chance? Because I do. The perfect palette of colours before me was too strong to resist - I needed to go out there. To run my fingers along the green grass and to breathe in the air that had been meant for me.
So I did.
The window was large enough that after the glass was broken into minuscule pieces it was easy for me to climb out. I took my first step that wasn't in that shelter and inhaled for as long as I could whilst my lungs filled with cool, wonderful air. I turned my head back towards the window only to find it was gone. Bare concrete lay in front of me and my way out was no longer my way back in. Despite my confusion, I figured it was some long-forgotten security redundancy. I quickly forgot about that, though, as I refocused on the reality of life outside of that place. It was real, it was all real. I wasn't losing my mind. Everything I had seen through the window was exactly the same once I had rid myself of its constraints. Except one thing. It was out of view from the window, so I hadn't seen it before I climbed out. It pierced the otherwise impossibly pristine landscape around me. An army van. All four doors lay open and there was a singular person in the front seat. His head had a bullet hole cleanly through it, and any blood from the incident had long dried up. As I walked closer to the van, I noticed a piece of paper beneath the deceased soldier's dangling foot.
"To whoever is lucky enough to read this,
I am sorry for what we did to your people, to your families. During the Cold War, the unit I worked for was ordered to implement a psychological experiment. It went too far. We were supposed to keep you in the shelter for a year. To test our readiness for what seemed like an inevitable future. To find out whether a shelter of that scale and nature could be our saving grace, our hope for rebuilding civilisation in the event of the bombs finally falling. It was unethical at best, but I rationalised it with the false comfort of doing a service to our nation. I told myself that perhaps our research would one day keep us all alive, even if it meant mental torment for the people of your town. Well, a year came and left quite a while ago. Slowly, governmental and military interest in this little experiment dried up. On the night that this all began, you were led to believe that the bombs were fast approaching our nation. The people who refused to believe our word - legitimised only by army fatigues and commanding voices - were the smart ones. That's why it hurt so much when we were ordered to line them up against a wall and shoot them.
They deserved so much better.
The truth is that Cold War tensions began to ease following the emotional high point of the missile crisis, and over the years the need for shelters subsided. With it, as I mentioned before, so did interest in our experiment. Our men filtered out over the course of months and years until I was the only one left. Perhaps the guilt I felt, the guilt that gnawed at me during every waking moment, kept me here. I had no purpose, no resources and no way to get to the people we had condemned to a miserable life years before. Still, though, the empty remnants of the town this once was kept a tight grip on me and I have never been able to leave. I will never leave. This is where I deserve to die, where I deserve to pay for the sins I committed upon the people who were once here. I hope and pray this letter someday finds a citizen of this condemned town, and I hope my confession can bring you some peace. I do not expect you to forgive me, nor do I deserve it, but please know that every moment I remain alive will be spent in an impossibly deep regret.
I have one final wish. Please bury my body and this letter as deep as you can dig in the soil of this town. I deserve to be forever condemned to an existence underneath the ground of where this all began, an existence you have wrongly been forced to partake in. I hope my pain is far worse than we made yours.
Goodbye."
I must have sobbed for hours on end after reading the letter, and the days and weeks after that were a haze. Much of what I remember is made up of trying to get back into the shelter in a desperate bid to give my fellow townspeople the freedom of the life we were supposed to have. At every turn and entrance, I was met with metres of concrete and I never succeded in getting back into the shelter. I don't remember how long I tried, but eventually, I gave up and decided to grant the deceased soldier his final wish. I dug for days and buried him outside the area where the window that started this all used to be. I know he said he doesn't deserve forgiveness, but he had the dignity to understand the awful nature of what he did and he stayed with us until his end. He was a far better man than those who left us behind, forgotten about and condemned. I hope his regrets are washed away in the soil of our town.
As for me, I left the town a long time ago. I lost my way out as I was leaving, and I was never told the original name of the town in the shelter so unfortunately the memories are all the proof of my experience I have. The outside world took a lot of getting used to, but in the years since my escape, I have grown to be okay with my new life. Still, though, I will never forget what I left behind. Even if it was decades ago, my entire life was in that shelter. Everybody I knew and all that I loved. I wake up every morning having been tormented by nightmares of still being stuck in that deep, dark underground prison and yet I often find myself wishing for the comfort of those I lost upon my escape. I hope they found their peace with my sudden disappearance, but something in me knows they haven't. My pain and terror out here is almost as great as it was in there. Maybe ignorance is actually bliss, like they say.
Perhaps someday the townsfolk I once knew will be greeted with the same view of blue skies and green meadows I was.
In the meantime, I desperately hope that they found a better existence in the shelter than the one I once knew.

By Lee Muller:
After spending $2,000,000 on consultants to gather input from 40,000 citizens of Knox County, Mayor Jacobs sent an angry letter to the County Commission on Wednesday, threatening to veto any amendments to his version of Advance Knox changes to the Growth Plan and General Plan. In other words, the public process was just window dressing and democracy faking. The proposed amendments are advisory; they have no legal force to guide development.
Mayor Jacobs pays lip service to the free market, and rights of (some) property owners to do as they wish, to promote "affordable housing".
Mayor Jacobs' positions are NOT free market.
* He is seeking to SUBSIDIZE developers by having existing taxpayers pick up the costs of improvements to drainage, roads, schools, and police protection.
* The buyers of future homes and renters of future apartments which do not include public recreational areas, or access to parks and trails in the existing plans, have NO CHOICES. The free market will be offering no choices on these new units. Any such bare-bones developments are in conflict with existing long-range plans by Knox County for bicycle and walking trails connecting all parks and neighborhoods.
* Other developers already set aside and budget for sidewalks, play areas, parks, trails, woods, and picnic areas. It is not fair to them, to let some developers skate by without any of these amenities and necessities called for in other plans.
It is not the job of the County Commission to create so-called "affordable housing". Such public initiatives always fail, for many economic and social reasons.
The current high home prices are due to market forces beyond control of Knox County:
* A decreasing supply of easily buildable land, which the free market bids upward. * Heavy federal banking regulations have increased mortgage fees. * Most mortgages are being brokered by middlemen who add huge fees for nothing but their profit. Closing costs have increased 1,000% in 30 years. * General price inflation created by a huge expansion of the money supply to finance deficit spending. * Huge cost increases in labor and materials are nationwide. * The largest housing cost today is interest rates, which have tripled since 2020. * Development firms from LA, NYC, and Chicago with offshore investors who care nothing about Knoxville, are behind the majority of new developments. * HUD subsidies paying premiums above the free market rates for rentals. * Sparse development of rural land is inefficient and more costly per unit.
Future development will have to be more infill and more vertical, which is more sophisticated than single family homes. Local builders will have to improve their abilities and offerings, or be replaced by those who can. That is how the free market works to improve quality and increase value to home buyers and renters.
Knox County has no control over any of these cost increases, and bowing to demands of developers has done nothing to lower costs.
Two units per acre is not "rural protection", as one of the stated goals of Advance Knox. It is urban sprawl, is inefficient, and adds much more infrastructure costs than high-density development in areas already served by water, sewer, and adequate roads.
Knox County loses money on every new single family housing unit, due to absorbing so much of the development costs, which is why the County already has huge bond debts and has more than $100 million in infrastructure projects which have no funding. Advance Knox solves none of these problems.
Lee Muller Knoxville, TN

That is prettily said. I see we understand one another. Now, hearken to me, give me your close attention, and no fits of lapse of memory over what I now say, please. We must be married very shortly. I positively will not go out without you. I would rather throw up my commission." "But what about papa's consent?" "I shall wire to him full particulars as to my position, income, and prospects, also how much I love you, and how I will do my level best to make you happy. That is the approved formula in addressing paterfamilias, I think. Then he will telegraph back, 'Bless you, my boy'; and all is settled. I know that Lady Lacy approves." "But dear, dear aunt. She will be so awfully lonely without me." "She shall not be. She has no ties to hold her to the little cottage in Devon. She shall come out to us in Cairo, and we will bury the dear old girl up to her neck in the sand of the desert, and make a second Sphynx of her, and bake the rheumatism out of her bones. It will cure her of all her aches, as sure as my name is Charlie, and yours will be Fontanel." "Don't be too sure of that." "But I am sure—you cannot forget." "I will try not to do so. Oh, Charlie, don't!" Mrs. Thomas, the dressmaker, and Miss Crock, the milliner, had their hands full. Betty's trousseau had to be got ready expeditiously. Patterns of materials specially adapted for a hot climate—light, beautiful, artistic, of silks and muslins and prints—had to be commanded from Liberty's. Then came the selection, then the ordering, then the discussions with the dressmaker, and the measurings. Next the fittings, for which repeated visits had to be made to Mrs. Thomas. Adjustments, alterations were made, easements under the arms, tightenings about the waist. There were fulnesses to be taken in and skimpiness to be redressed. The skirts had to be sufficiently short in front and sufficiently long behind. As for the wedding-dress, Mrs. Thomas was not regarded as quite competent to execute such a masterpiece. For that an expedition had to be made to Exeter. The wedding-cake must be ordered from Murch, in the cathedral city. Lady Lacy was particular that as much as possible of the outfit should be given to county tradesmen. A riding habit, tailor-made, was ordered, to fit like a glove, and a lady's saddle must be taken out to Egypt. Boxes, basket-trunks were to be procured, and a correspondence carried on as to the amount of personal luggage allowed. Lady Lacy and Betty were constantly running up by express to Exeter about this, that, and everything. Then ensued the sending out of the invitations, and the arrival of wedding presents, that entailed the writing of gushing letters of acknowledgment and thanks, by Betty herself. But these were not allowed to interfere with the scribbling of four pages every day to Captain Fontanel, intended for his eyes alone. Interviews were sought by the editors or agents of local newspapers to ascertain whether reporters were desired to describe the wedding, and as to the length of the notices that were to be inserted, whether all the names of the donors of presents were to be included, and their gifts registered. Verily Lady Lacy and Betty were kept in a whirl of excitement, and their time occupied from morning till night, and their brains exercised from night to morning. Glass and china and plate had to be hired for the occasion, wine ordered. Fruit, cake, ices commanded. But all things come to an end, even the preparations for a wedding. At last the eventful day arrived, bright and sunny, a true May morning. The bridesmaids arrived, each wearing the pretty brooch presented by Captain Fontanel. Their costume was suitable to the season, of primrose-yellow, with hats turned up, white, with primroses. The pages were in green velvet, with knee-breeches and three-cornered hats, lace ruffles and lace fronts. The butler had made the claret-cup and the champagne-cup, and after a skirmish over the neighbourhood some borage had been obtained to float on the top. Lady Lacy was to hold a reception after the ceremony, and a marquee had been erected in the grounds, as the cottage could not contain all the guests invited. The dining-room was delivered over for the exposing of the presents. A carriage had been commanded to convey the happy couple to the station, horses and driver with white favours. With a sigh of relief in the morning, Lady Lacy declared that she believed that nothing had been forgotten. The trunks stood ready packed, all but one, and labelled with the name of Mrs. Fontanel. A flag flew on the church tower. The villagers had constructed a triumphal arch at the entrance to the grounds. The people from farms and cottages had all turned out, and were already congregating about the churchyard, with smiles and heartfelt wishes for the happiness of the bride, who was a mighty favourite with them, as indeed was also Lady Lacy. The Sunday-school children had clubbed their pence, and had presented Betty, who had taught them, with a silver set of mustard-pot, pepper caster, and salt-cellar. "Oh, dear!" said Betty, "what shall I do with all these sets of mustard- and pepper-pots? I have now received eight." "A little later, dear," replied her aunt, "you can exchange those that you do not require." "But never that set given me by my Sunday-school pets," said Betty. Then came in flights of telegrams of congratulation. And at the last moment arrived some more wedding presents. "Good gracious me!" exclaimed the girl, "I really must manage to acknowledge these. There will be just time before I begin to dress." So she tripped upstairs to her boudoir, a little room given over to herself in which to do her water-colour painting, her reading, to practise her music. A bright little room to which now, as she felt with an ache, she was to bid an eternal good-bye! What happy hours had been spent in it! What day-dreams had been spun there! She opened her writing-case and wrote the required letters of thanks. "There," said she, when she had signed the fifth. "This is the last time I shall subscribe myself Elizabeth Mountjoy, except when I sign my name in the church register. Oh! how my back is hurting me. I was not in bed till two o'clock and was up again at seven, and I have been on the tear for the whole week. There will be just time for me to rest it before the business of the dressing begins." She threw herself on the sofa and put up her feet. Instantly she was asleep—in a sound, dreamless sleep. When Betty opened her eyes she heard the church bells ringing a merry peal. Then she raised her lids, and turning her head on the sofa cushion saw—a bride, herself in full bridal dress, with the white veil and the orange-blossoms, seated at her side. The gloves had been removed and lay on the lap. An indescribable terror held her fast. She could not cry out. She could not stir. She could only look. Then the bride put back the veil, and Betty, studying the white face, saw that this actually was not herself; it was her dead sister, Letice.
The apparition put forth a hand and laid it on her and spoke: "Do not be frightened. I will do you no harm. I love you too dearly for that, Betty. I have been married in your name; I have exchanged vows in your name; I have received the ring for you; put it on your finger, it is not mine; it in no way belongs to me. In your name I signed the register. You are married to Charles Fontanel and not I. Listen to me. I will tell you all, and when I have told you everything you will see me no more. I will trouble you no further; I shall enter into my rest. You will see before you only the wedding garments remaining. I shall be gone. Hearken to me. When I was dying, I died in frantic despair, because I had never known what were the pleasures of life. My last cries, my last regrets, my last longings were for the pomps and vanities." She paused, and slipped the gold hoop on to the forefinger of Betty's hand. Then she proceeded— "When my spirit parted from my body, it remained a while irresolute whither to go. But then, remembering that my aunt had declared that I never would go to Heaven, I resolved on forcing my way in there out of defiance; and I soared till I reached the gates of Paradise. At them stood an angel with a fiery sword drawn in his hand, and he laid it athwart the entrance. I approached, but he waved me off, and when the point of the flaming blade touched my heart, there passed a pang through it, I know not whether of joy or of sorrow. And he said: 'Letice, you have not been a good girl; you were sullen, resentful, rebellious, and therefore are unfit to enter here. Your longings through life, and to the moment of death, were for the world and its pomps and vanities. The last throb of your heart was given to repining for them. But your faults were due largely to the mistakes of your rearing. And now hear your judgment. You shall not pass within these gates till you have returned to earth and partaken of and had your fill of its pomps and vanities. As for that old cat, your aunt'—but no, Betty, he did not say quite that; I put it in, and I ought not to have done so. I bear her no resentment; I wish her no ill. She did by me what she believed to be right. She acted towards me up to her lights; alas for me that the light which was in her was darkness! The angel said: 'As for your aunt, before she can enter here, she will want illumining, enlarging, and sweetening, and will have to pass through Purgatory.' And oh, Betty, that will be gall and bitterness to her, for she did not believe in Purgatory, and she wrote a controversial pamphlet against it. Then said the angel: 'Return, return to the pomps and vanities.' I fell on my knees, and said: 'Oh, suffer me but to have one glimpse of that which is within!' 'Be it so,' he replied. 'One glimpse only whilst I cast my sword on high.' Thereat he threw up the flaming brand, and it was as though a glorious flash of lightning filled all space. At the same moment the gates swung apart, and I saw what was beyond. It was but for one brief moment, for the sword came down, and the angel caught it by the handle, and instantly the gates were shut. Then, sorrowfully, I turned myself about and went back to earth. And, Betty, it was I who took and read your novels. It was I who went to Lady Belgrove's ball in your place. It was I who sat instead of you at Her Majesty's and heard Carmen. It was I who took your place at Henley Regatta, and I—I, instead of you, received the protestation of Charles Fontanel's affection, and there in the boat-house I received the first and last kiss of love. And it was I, Betty, as I have told you, who took your place at the altar to-day. I had the pleasures that were designed for you—the ball-dress, the dances, the fair words, the music of the opera, the courtship, the excitement of the regatta, the reading of sensational novels. It was I who had what all girls most long for, their most supreme bliss of wearing the wedding-veil and the orange-blossoms. But I have reached my limit. I am full of the pomps and vanities, and I return on high. You will see me no more." "Oh, Letice," said Betty, obtaining her speech, "you do not grudge me the joys of life?" The fair white being at her side shook her head. "And you desire no more of the pomps and vanities?" "No, Betty. I have looked through the gates." Then Betty put forth her hands to clasp the waist of her sister, as she said fervently— "Tell me, Letice, what you saw beyond." "Betty—everything the reverse of Salem Chapel."