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gumnut-logic · 3 years

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Thunderfam Appreciation Post

I’m giving this a new post to prevent scroll city, but the original and several reblogs can be found by clicking the above link. Also, it’s an excuse to post a piccy of Virg cos any excuse, really :D

Many thanks to @willow-salix for writing this question list :D

Before I start, I just want to say that I value every member of this fandom. I’m often hopeless at communicating in group settings so I don’t speak to many peeps, but that is my failing, not anyone else’s. You are an amazing group and you have supported me and each other just brilliantly over the last nearly three years that I have been hanging with you guys. Thank you ever so much for all your wonderful support and encouragement. I’ve had so much fun and created so much stuff…you guys are amazing. Thunderfam rock!

Please note that my memory is pathetic and I will fail to mention everyone. Please do not take any offence if you aren’t listed below. That does not mean I don’t value you, I do, it just means I have swiss cheese between my ears.

-o-o-o-

Your favourite writer of your favourite boy.

@i-am-chidorixblossom You are a whumper and comforter after my soul. You speak the Virg :D @vegetacide I adore your turn of phrase and your description is to die for.

The person who's stories you will always read.

I try to read most fics that come across my dash, but there are a few that have me jumping up and down. @i-am-chidorixblossom , @vegetacide , @tsarinatorment , @scribbles97 , @the-lady-razorsharp , @janetm74 Of course, I regularly fail at this as some of you write a huge amount of fic and I am often playing catch up, but fic!

Who wrote the first fic you read in this fandom.

I landed on FF.net back in May 2018. I immediately ran into @the-lady-razorsharp who I knew from another fandom ten years prior and she was absolutely wonderful, drawing me in and introducing me around. I gobbled up several of her fics in the process.

Person you can talk to for the longest without a break.

I am hard to get started, persistence is required, but once started, it is usually hard to shut me up. @scribbles97 @vegetacide and @tsarinatorment have all discovered that. Dangle a Virg, a plotline and stand back.

Person you can't be trusted to be left alone with.

Um, @vegetacide and I have plotted out the entirety of Warm Rain together…poor Virg. Add @the-lady-razorsharp into the equation and Virgil ends up with a beard, dressed in leather and riding a Harley – that was a hilarious evening. Between @tsarinatorment and @janetm74 Virgil gets grey hairs and has to go rescue Scott – because Scott inevitably ends up in the story :D @scribbles97 gets the blame for Gentle Rain – expand your horizons she said ::headdesk:: But then there was the time I left one random line about Eos visiting Virgil in the shower and went to bed. I woke up to hilarity and chaos as Thunderfam took the idea and ran with it! Love you guys :D

Person whose fic made you cry the most.

I know there were at least two fics that made me cry, but for the life of me I can’t identify them. I did cry writing my own fic – Flannel – and don’t tend to reread it for that reason. Purupuss traumatised me with A Quiet Day to the point I had to put it down and walk away for a bit ::wails::

Person whose fic made you laugh the most.

I have no idea. I know there are fic out there and I know I’ve read it, but without a complete list of everything I’ve read, I don’t have a clue.

Person whose fic made you think the most.

Aaaargh, I don’t have a master list so can’t remember everything. Staring at my paltry favourites list on FF.net (which was mostly gathered three years ago and never maintained), Purupuss’ ‘Brothers in Arms’ and her whole Quiet series has me wanting to write a Scott-Virgil telepathic fic (and she has given me permission to run with the idea, I just haven’t actioned it yet). Counterpoint by Swallow and Amazon is amazing and likely contributed to Sotto Voce.

Person you have laughed with the most.

I’m really not liking this ultimate one person idea. I’ve laughed with a lot of people in this fandom. I’ve candy cannoned a bunch of you as well :P There has been mad plot cackling, evil conspiring, fic written to stir pots and delight on purpose. Hell, I’ve even written fic that was purposefully a giant virtual hug because I’m so far away that even if half the world wasn’t in isolation, I couldn’t hug most of you. Sure, I talk with some of you more than others, and there is laughter in those chats…oh, god, so much cackling, poor, poor Tracy boys. But then there are also so many smiles both vocalised and not. Thunderfam is one of my happy places. Bring on the belly laughs :D

Your comfort fic that you'll go back and read again on a bad day.

I will often resort to my own fic when I’m really down simply because it helps me get to sleep :D and it is kinda tailored to me ::grins:: (and my memory is that bad I often forget what I wrote anyway – yes, it is that bad) But there are also a few on my FF.net favourites list. Mostly hurt/comfort in a Virg flavour. Cheesycheese, nhsweetcherry, A Small Rescue by Nalina, Breathe Easy and Under the Weather by @loopstagirl – several of hers, in fact – the Virg ones :D Pretty much anything that has Virg fainting and being looked after apparently :D Chiddi and Veggie fic, of course.

Favourite piece of fan art.

I have never been so honoured by artists before. This fandom has some amazing skills and I have been gifted some beautiful works. You guys are amazing (I keep saying it like a broken record, but you are).

Again, I’m stuck on having to list one and I can’t. I think Fanart Appreciation Month in January pretty much summed up my opinion.

Who have you known the longest in the fandom.

@the-lady-razorsharp followed by @vegetacide both wonderful peeps. I can’t miss out on @weirdburketeer either for her amazing support almost from day one.

Favourite OC.

I have to say that I really enjoy reading about Ray from @i-am-chidorixblossom ‘s fics :D He is so gentle and kind and just ::sigh:: Virg likes him lots :D Selene by @willow-salix is, of course, a major presence in the fandom and amazingly written. @hedwigstalons ‘ Claire is lovely.

Person who supports your work the most.

The Thunderfam? There have been some wonderful people who support all the time. @hedwigstalons @cg29 @janetm74 @weirdburketeer in particular have been amazing support liking and commenting on just about everything I write. I honestly don’t know how they do it. Plus several peeps over on FF.net and Ao3 who support me over there.

And then there are the poor souls who put up with me in chat and listen to my wibblies and whining and character checks and field random chunks of writing that get thrown their way. @scribbles97 @vegetacide @the-lady-razorsharp @tsarinatorment @i-am-chidorixblossom @onereyofstarlight @godsliltippy @willow-salix @janetm74 all have had random passages thrown at them at all times of the day and night by a crazy me begging for feedback. Does this work? Is this in character? Am I insane? What the hell is Scott doing? Is this John??? I give up, tell me what to do? Virgil is driving me insane! So, um, yeah

Person who's progress you are the most proud of.

I love those peeps who appear in fandom who start off poking around commenting and generally being lovely and then all of a sudden get out their own pens and start writing and they are frickin’ amazing! Both @janetm74 and @hedwigstalons come to mind in this department. Like holy cow – ‘here is my first fic and I’m not sure’ ::reads it:: Omigod! Where did you come from? That was amazing. Sit down here now, keep doing that writing thing, bloody hell! I think being brave enough to pick up a pen and join in is a major thing :D

Person who's story you think is underrated and should be read by more people.

If I find fic I like, I reblog it and shout about it. What I like is definitely skewed in a Virgil direction and this dictates often what I’m going to read first. I can’t reblog what I haven’t read. So, this equation will always be skewed by ‘reasons I haven’t read a fic’ which mostly involves either Virgil or the fact I’m juggling RL. So, my answer to this is if I think a fic needs to be shouted about, I shout about it.

Something you think people would say about you.

She’s nutty.

Silliest 'thing' you do with someone.

I’ve been known to write fic on the fly directly into chat windows to try and distract peeps going through shitty times.

Favourite pairing you now Stan because of someone's fic.

Virgil/Kayo because of @vegetacide for reasons I have blamed her for multiple times. @the-lady-razorsharp and @weirdburketeer were accessories to the fact.

Favourite headcanon from someone's fic.

Um, Virgil and coffee? I got that from somewhere and it has infiltrated my fic…a lot.

Ultimately, though, I feel most people I interact with contribute to my fic and how I’m feeling. This has been a wonderful experience. I try to return the support as much as I can, but sometimes it is a juggle between writing more, my stupid fluctuating mood, the demands of RL and my own creative drive. I hope I’ve helped a few peeps, because you guys have certainly helped me ::major group hug::

And yes, I hug a lot, because to be honest, I have no other descriptor to communicate how I feel, so you get buckets of hugs :D

Tagging the Thunderfam. Feel free to grab these questions and run with them. You’re all part of the gang whether you write, read, art, gif, screenshot, chat, babble, stare at Virgil all day...I know I do a lot of staring.

Nutty

(Thunderfam rocks!)

#thunderbirds are go #thunderbirds #thunderfam #thunderfam rock

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dragonpatronus88 · 3 years

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The Avengers vs. Proust

The Avengers vs. Proust [Read on AO3]

I’m trying to wake my muse the hell up so I’ve forced my self to write something, anything and this is what came out.

Warnings: None really, some language

Genre: Humor, Vignette

Word Count: 4k

Summary: In this collection of vignettes based on the famous Proust Questionnaire; Earth’s mightiest heroes wax philosophic about virture, ponder politics and wonder whether the last season of Game of Thrones is truly the lowest depth of misery.

Do not copy, rewrite, translate or post my work anywhere. No permission given to copy, translate, rewrite or post my work.

Captain America

What is your greatest achievement?

The thing is, the moment right after winning every great battle alongside the Avengers feels like the most significant thing I've ever done. However, I'd still like to believe that the truly greatest thing I'll ever do is yet to come. It would be great if it were under less dire circumstances than usual.

What is your current state of mind?

Cautiously optimistic.

What is your Greatest fear?

Given the nature of what it is I do, I think I'll skip that one. Wouldn't wanna give anyone any ideas.

What is your idea of perfect happiness?

A sense of belonging, certainty, purpose. A job well done, preferable with pie afterwards. *sighs* Yes, apple.

What is your greatest regret?

Waiting.

What do you consider the most overrated virtue?

Rabid Patriotism. *chuckles*

What is it that you most dislike?

Bullies.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I'm a bit frugal by nature, possibly a byproduct of my growing up during the era that I did, but I've been known to collect some rare sports memorabilia.

On what occasion do you lie?

I'm always honest. Unless you count lies of omission, but even then almost never. I find it can almost always be avoided.

Who or what is the greatest love of your life?

The internet. So helpful.

Who is your favorite hero of fiction?

Atticus Finch (To kill A Mockingbird) or Jefferson Smith (Mr. Smith Goes to Washington).

Who are your heroes in real life?

All of the people who dedicate their lives to serving and protecting their fellow man with integrity, dignity and compassion. Our men and women in the armed forces, first responders, doctors, nurses, sanitation workers, teachers, community volunteers and so many more. There are so many unsung heroes, people you walk by everyday whose efforts are invaluable, unquantifiable, essential and touch all our lives.

What is your most marked characteristic?

I've been told I'm pretty spritely for a centenarian.

If you could change one thing about yourself what would it be?

Been there, done that. Got the shield to prove it.

What do you most dislike about your appearance?

I wouldn't dare be ungrateful considering what I went through to change it.

What words or phrases do you most overuse?

Golly and neat, for which I am teased mercilessly.

What is the trait you most deplore in yourself?

As often as my stubbornness has served me, it's also bitten me in the tush. There's a way to be principled and not obstinate. I'm working on it.

What is the trait you most deplore in others?

Hypocrisy and Greed.

What traits do you most value in your friends?

Fidelity and empathy.

Which Historical figure do you most identify with?

I've recently learned of Eddie the Eagle...

What are your favorite names?

Sarah, Margaret, Arnold and James.

What is the quality you most like in a man?

Integrity.

What is the quality you most like in a woman?

Gumption.

What living person do you most admire?

Tony Stark. I know admitting this will only add fuel to the fire.

What living person do you most despise?

Depending on the day, also Tony Stark.

What do you consider the lowest depth of misery?

Letting down loved ones. Losing loved ones. Worst still if one begets the other.

What is your most treasured possession?

My memories and an old compass I was issued in the Second World War.

When and where were you happiest?

The moment my enlistment form was stamped with something other than '4F'.

Which Talent would you most like to have?

I wish I was in anyway musical.

Who are your favorite writers?

J.R.R. Tolkien, C.S. Lewis, Isaac Asimov, Orson Scott Card, Mark Twain, George Eliot, Tom Clancy, Ron Chernow... I could go on.

Where would you like to live?

My current home.

What is your favorite occupation?

My current occupation.

If you were to die and come back as any person or thing what do you think it would it be?

That's another 'been there, done that' and I came back as myself.

How would you like to die?

Preferably not the same way twice.

What is your motto?

It's less a motto than a quote:

"What do we live for if it is not to make life less difficult for each other?" -George Eliot.

Author’s Note: Hopefully you enjoyed this. I tried to keep Cap's characterization as such that you would recognize him from every medium; comics, movies and animated series. If I'm being honest he mostly a mix of Comic book Cap/Avengers Assemble Cap with only a pinch of MCU. This isn't beta'd, but I tried my best. Blame any oversights, poor spelling or grammar issues on the American Public School system, my parents- anyone but me.

Read the rest of the team’s Interviews Here

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gamesception · 4 years

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Sception reads Cassandra Cain, Part 1: Batman 567

Written by Kelley Puckett, Pencils by Damion Scott

Took me longer than I intended to to get this up. Work has been keeping me busy till later afternoon lately, and once room mate gets home I’ve got more social stuff to do. The hassle times won’t continue forever, but for the next week or three these will be a bit few & far between.

Anyway, this book takes place towards the end of the ‘No Man’s Land’ mega bat crossover. Following a big earthquake, the US government decides the damage to Gotham City is too extreme and too expensive to fix, so instead it orders everyone to leave the city, then walls it off and prevents anyone from going in or out, traping a bunch of people too poor or stubborn to leave. That seems unlikely? Kinda. Why would they prevent people leaving if they wanted people to leave? That doesn’t make much sense.

Look, I’m not here to nitpick the details. While the premise is a bit outlandish, it was a compelling concept and made for some interesting stories at the time, as Batman needed to adapt to Gotham City massively transformed by the earthquake, where society had broken down and the high tech gadgets and information he had come to rely on were largely inaccessible.

The opening scene is actually a flashback to an earlier point in the series when Helena Burtinelli was temporarily wearing a batgirl/batwoman outfit, for reasons I won’t get into. As I recall, the decision to publish a new Batgirl book was a trademark thing - they needed a book / character by that name to keep the trademark, and it wasn’t going to be Barbara Gordon at the time. But with the way the comics publishing industry works, everything is sold on preorders, so readers knew months in advance that there was going to be a new Batgirl book, so as far as I can tell the whole plot arc was mostly a tedious audience misdirect about who the new Batgirl was going to be.

Anyway, Bruce eventually gave Helena his blessing and tasked her with protecting some people, they got killed for reasons that weren’t her fault, and Bruce blamed her and “fired” her, leading her to go back to the Huntress persona. The whole thing was bullshit and wildly unfair but this era of Batman was kind of a dick that way. I think it was also implied that pissing of Huntress and pushing her away was some sort of long play to bring out her best potential or something - which was ALSO bullshit especially as iirc nothing ever came of that. I’d be more ok with the writers writing Bruce as kind of a dick if they just openly did that, but they also often seemed to be allergic to just openly admitting that Batman’s kind of a dick sometimes for no good reason.

But whatev’s, I might be remembering some of that wrong for all I know, I’m not re-reading all of No Man’s Land, it’s hella long and Cass only barely shows up towards the end of it. So don’t quote me on any of that.

This flashback shows Bruce burying the bodies, and blaming her for their deaths while she watches on, which is kind of fucked up, and mostly just serves to remind the reader that for .5 seconds there /was/ a new Batgirl, but she was fired and the position hasn’t been filled yet.

Here’s our girl, near as I can tell her first appearance. The two page introduction establishes a lot without being wordy or feeling expository. Cass works as a courier for Barbara - in NML she had started using runners to stay on top of information what with electronic lines of communication down. Cass is Barbara’s best courier, able to safely make it in and out of dangerous areas, letting us know she’s skilled, and Barbara is paying her for her work by trying to help her learn to speak & read, which sets up a thematic mentor / student relationship between the two.

From there, the comic goes into an extended 6 page sequence with zero text at all, no dialog, no thought bubbles. In the sequence Cass leaves the GCPD building after her lesson. She notices an old white dude in a trench coat who she recognizes with apparent shock, and she immediately starts tailing the man.

The sequence is a great indication of the kind of storytelling Cass was designed for, the meta reason why she doesn’t talk, doesn’t communicate or even think with words, at least not at this point. For a mainstream book it’s downright experimental storytelling, especially in bat books that traditionally rely very heavily - arguably too much - on narration with a heavy noirish affect. Here instead the story is told purely with the art. Look at this panel - Cass is hiding in a shadowed, blocked off section of the panel, watching this dude - her sight line echoed by the lines in the concrete pillar & angles of the girder, the little off kilter triangle he’s occupying much brighter than everything else in the panel, you can feel her tension and focus on the man.

So she follows him into an ally opposite the police building, realizes the man’s setting up for a sniper shot, and rushes back just in time to step in front of commissioner Gordon.

And the dude reacts like he’s looking at a ghost.

Like, look at that face. That is shock right there. He looks like he’s been fucking shot, which is ironic because he completely no-sells actually being shot a few moments later. I mean, LOOK at all the emotion in this face. Scott went ALL OUT. Not to get too side tracked here, but this is a huge thing missing from future versions of David Cain, even from later issues of Cass’s own ongoing. This is not an emotionless, calculating kind of villain. This is not a dude for whom Cass is a disposable tool. This dude took one look at his daughter and nearly had a heart attack and died from experiencing all of the emotions at once, and it’s all up here in this panel.

Oh, wait, I’m being shot at, I should probably move maybe

The police open fire on him while he’s just standing there stunned. Getting shot knocks him out of his stupor, and he makes his escape, killing a couple guards in the process with his bare hands - having dropped his rifle out the window when he saw Cass.

...

After that there’s some business with Bruce and Harvey Dent that I don’t care about before we return to he main plot with our girl.

Jim tries to interrogate Cass to figure out who was trying to kill him, but he’s getting nowhere since she can’t, you know, talk. Barbara steps in, recognizes a symbol Cass drew as the trademarked logo of renowned assassin David Cain - a killer so famous we’ve literally never heard of him before - and through some pantomime Cass conveys that she’s his daughter.

Jim starts to leave, orders Babs to keep Cass safe, but before he can leave she darts in front of him, takes his keys, leaves the room, locking the rest behind her as she confronts Cain again, who is already in the hallway outside waiting for another shot at Gordon.

Cain motions for her to move, and she doesn’t. He fires, but deliberately misses her. Cass darts forward, knocking the pistol out of his hand and punching him, getting blood on her fist, which triggers a flashback to her Tragic Backstory, another segment told entirely through art with no text, Cass as a child in a pink dress, fist bloody from punching a man’s throat in, staring in shocked horror as he bleeds out and dies, her father busting in behind her to take out the man’s bodyguards before they can react. And then he kneels down with his arms spread to hug her, this doofy proud papa look on his evil face, and kid Cass just decks him and runs.

Traumatized by the flashback, present Cass screams “Stop”, the word Barbara was trying to teach her to read earlier in the comic, and Cain reacts like this:

Once again he’s completely stunned, shocked out of what he was doing, forgetting the job that he’s here for. Look at them both crying.

Like, ok, I know “sad bad dads” is a cliche and a bad trope. Like we’re supposed to feel bad for this murderer, this abusive asshole who made his daughter kill somebody, because he’s lonely or whatever. But it’s not about him, it’s about Cass, about her emotions, her decisions, and they just wouldn’t feel as deep and tragic, the pathos just wouldn’t be there, if Cain didn’t actually care about her, if he wasn’t this deeply moved by her. And I know because later versions of Cain *don’t* care about Cass and her decision to leave him *doesn’t* land the same way. It doesn’t have the same angst to it if he’s “just” a heartless abusive bad guy who doesn’t actually care about her.

On a more shallow note, David Cain’s assassin outfit is *extremely* 90s. That pouch armband in particular is very Rob Liefeld in the best/worst way.

Anyway, the moment is interrupted by Gordon busting out of the door behind her, drawing Cain’s attention back to the job he was there for, but before he can do anything Cass tackles him out of a window, whispering “stop” again as she falls past shards of broken glass, with some text helpfully letting us know that the story will pick up in Detective Comics 734.

...

So there we are, from what I recall & can find the first appearance of Cassandra Cain. So where did this new character come from? Honestly, I’m having a bit of trouble finding anything now, 20 years later. I could swear I remember some interviews & commentaries from her creators, but google’s not helping me out, so I’ve got to go on my spotty memory.

Again, from what I recall, the reason to come up with a new Batgirl in the first place was an IP one. To keep the trademark they had to publish some sort of Batgirl book, so they needed some sort of Batgirl character, and at the time it wasn’t going to be Babs, who at this point had been long established as Oracle. I mean, could you imagine how much of a regression that would be for the character?

So they needed someone else, and yeah, for a while they teased that it might be established character Helena Bertinelli, post crisis version of the Huntress (iirc pre crisis Huntress was an alternate future daughter of Batman & Catwoman, so making the post-crisis version of the character Batgirl would have made at least some sense), but what they actually went with was a brand new character designed from the ground up specifically to be Batgirl.

Like, 100% custom fit specifically to be the new Batgirl.

Cass would effectively be a ward of and sort-of-daughter, sort-of-kid-sister to Barbara Gordon, in her literal first panel appearance she’s already interacting with Babs in that sort of role. Batman would act as a surrogate father figure to her, something this book hasn’t gotten into yet, cementing her place in the Bat Family and providing some built in conflict when Bruce and Babs inevitably disagree over what’s best for her. She would have a tragic backstory that would provide an intrinsic reason why she would want to be Batgirl, and also would set up an ongoing antagonist in her father, who would reinforce the generational theme of this new legacy hero while also providing a compelling contrast Cass’s new surrogate parental figures, particularly Bruce, and maybe to Bab’s complicated relationship with her own father - though I don’t really remember Cass’s comics ever really following up on that particular angle.

She would be an almost supernaturally skilled martial artist to begin with (again, not established yet, we’ll get into it soon), so Babs letting her put herself in danger while wearing her old persona wouldn’t feel out of character, and her debut story would involve her saving the life of Jim Gordon, thus earning Barbara’s approval and, hopefully, the approval of Barbara’s fans by proxy, many of whom were still mad about her character being paralyzed and who were understandably rather miffed at the idea of someone taking her old mantle, and with it the hope that she might one day be restored to it.

To contrast Cass’s incredible martial arts ability she’d also have a near complete inability to communicate verbally or in writing, something that we DID see here in this first issue, and thus by implication a more central aspect of her character concept than even the martial arts skills and body reading that effectively make her a super hero. In conception though this linguistic disability is less about representation or giving her a ‘weakness’ to balance out her ‘superpower’, and more about giving her comic adventures a unique tone and creative challenge. With a character who barely speaks, even in her own thoughts, the new Batgirl title would need to rely a lot more on the panel art and a lot less on text to tell the story, and in the process would avoid the feux-noir narration blocks that tend to bog down a lot of other Gotham books, something that again comes through strongly in this very first appearance, helped along by Puckett’s reserved writing and Scott’s loose & dynamic art and especially his incredibly expressive faces.

As a pitch for a new Batgirl character, it’s pretty damn solid, and in her first appearance it’s already coming in quite well. I especially like the decision to keep Bruce off to the side, choosing to establish Cass’s relationship with Barbara first. It feels like the right decision both in terms of narrative and in terms of fan management.

But anyway, yeah, off to a strong start here. Definitely starting to see why she struck such a cord with me back in the day.

#sception reads cassandra cain #cassandra cain #david cain #barbara gordon #batgirl

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red-board · 6 years

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Tim Drake Fic Masterlist

For all your Tim Drake needs

I had already made one but i finally finished reading all of these so this list is CURATED. Pure quality. Mostly Gen. Organized by LENGHT from 130k words to 1k. But they’re all gems. The list is LONG hence the Read More.

Tectonic Doom – Paganpunk (130k) Dick and Tim head out for a week of brotherly bonding in the wilderness only to find themselves caught up in a scheme to put humanity on the ‘extinct’ list. T for language and frightening situations.

Juneberries – Misha Berry (68k) When Tim is taken, Damian has to come to terms with his own insecurities, and how he really feels towards his older 'brother’. When he does, it might be too late.

Our Favorite Timmers - Capucine (56k) When Tim is de-aged to about the age of five, Jason is the one who rescues him and brings him back to the manor. However, his family may find it a little shocking to discover what he was actually like at that age.

Matters of the Heart – DM (51k) With Clark off-world as an ambassador to Earth, Conner has to watch over Metropolis. Though it should be straightforward, there appears to be something amiss with seemingly random crimes happening around the city. Conner has a hunch that they’re connected and calls in his best friend to help. But as the two of them spend time together working the case, Conner realizes that his feelings for Tim might not be what he had thought.

Executive Assistant to the Batman – Heartslogos (50k) Tim is Bruce Waynes Assistant at WE and its very funny. Hes in desperate need of a break. Not that he gets any, I guess??? Exception to the completed rule, because it’s a series of snapshots kinda.

Myth-Bats – CatChan & Chibi NightOwl (43k) The Bats take on the Mythbusters. Why? Because some things are just too cool not to try in your spare time and with your family.

Bringing My Brother Home - Beathas (41k) Tim has been Robin for a year when a mysterious man begins stalking and threatening Batman and Robin. Is this the deceased Robin, Jason Todd? As Tim struggles to find a way to bring Jason home sane, his own less than stellar parents become more demanding of his future.

Invisible Fracture Lines – keeptogethernow (33k) Jason doesn’t really LIKE Tim, but given the amount of effort that he’s put into keeping the kid alive tonight, maybe he’s just in denial. Either way, this was NOT how he’d planned on spending his night.

Kodokuna Shoujo – C.R. Scott (30k) A tale of two Robins wrapped up in an Asian-style horror story. Tim Drake goes to Japan for business, both for Wayne Enterprises and Batman Incorporated. However, when he returns to Gotham City, its Damian Wayne who discovers he brought along more from his trip overseas than just his luggage and mission report.

The Impossible Journey – RavingNarniacAnarane (27k) Batbros broing it out. You like Journey to the Center of the Earth? I do. Note: Damian blames Drake. When Dick takes the opportunity to forge some brotherly bonding time, he didn’t expect it to turn so deadly. Following the mysterious disappearance of Tim’s uncle, the four bat boys (yes,Jason reluctantly included) find themselves taking a long plunge down towards the Earth’s core, and are left attempting to find a way back. And as Jason’s prefers: Alive.

Though The Sun Continues To Stand - MetropolisJournal (27k) As long as Tim Drake can remember, a dark guardian has haunted his life. He’s convinced that Batman needs a Robin to break him from his self-destructive spiral. Will Tim be up to the task?

Those Nightime Escapades - LazuliQuetzal (26k) Timothy Drake is a completely normal seventeen year old; he goes to school, enjoys photography, creeps out in the middle of the night to gather intel on Gotham's criminals -- wait, what? (Or, Steph is the third Robin, and Tim ends up as Oracle's sidekick-apprentice.)

Boy You Was Battle Born - MusicSpeaksToo (21k) AU where Jason survives Ethiopia and becomes a reluctant mentor/friend to Tim.

Where the Healing Begins (Fix You) - RascalJoy (21k) In which Tim's brothers knock some sense into his head.

Everyone Needs a Tim - WastedSanity (18k) 7 Tim-Centric drabbles.

Not Alone - TimeTrees (16k) Tim Drake's life is a complicated and sad thing. This is him trying to work through it.It wasn’t quite a crashing down moment — there was no sky falling on his shoulders, there were no monumental responsibilities, if he was living in reality he would have been completely, totally fine. If he stopped thinking, he would be fine

Whoopsie - Misha Berry (13k) A lapse in communication lands Tim in some big trouble. Maybe next time he'll think twice before taking a dip in Gotham River on a cold night.

When I Have Lost My Way – Teland (9k) Desperate times call for desperate measures. Though probably not that desperate.

Set My Mind to Wandering - Tabithian (9k) Tim is having a blast on vacation. The sights are amazing. The food is fantastic, and the people? So friendly. Five stars, would recommend.

American Ninja Worrier - DangerBeckett (8k) It's just like Tim to give a poor college student a start in the business world. Kid's a bleeding heart, and usually, that's the sort of thing Jason avoids at all costs. He prefers his bleeding hearts on the literal side, and despite Bruce's best efforts, he's never had a head for business. Unfortunately, though, this time the business is ninjas, and that's the sort of thing that makes Jason take notice. Because Bruce is useless, and someone's gotta make sure Tim's new internship program doesn't take down all of Gotham. That's Jason's job, after all.

Heart, Humble – Betty (7k) Back then, all the boys his age had hero-worshipped costumed vigilantes. Jack supposes they still do.

Hey, Lawman! - dinolaur (6k) A clerical error leads to Tim going MIA during his lunch break and his family running around trying to find him.

Classics – The Protagonist. (6k) He has to learn this stuff some how. Or three training sessions in Tim’s early career as Robin.

A Simple Life - RenaRoo (5k) Tim Drake is living a simple life in one of the worst parts of Gotham. He makes the best of it, though. He makes for himself the only life he's ever known... He thinks.

In Living Memory - DangerBeckett (5k) When Dick and Jason get a rare peek into Tim's brain, Jason remembers why he stays out of other people's business. With his family, it inevitably ends in either life-threatening injury or Dick singing Disney songs. Sometimes both, if Dick doesn't dodge fast enough. Meanwhile, Tim doesn't see what all the fuss is about. Which is basically the entire problem, as far as Jason's concerned.

Tell-Tale - Incogneat_oh (4k) Or, the kids compete to see who should give Bruce bad news. But Jason doesn't take Tim and Bruce's fractured relationship into account.

A Little Bit of Sunshine, a Little Bit of Rain – Sookakkit (4k) For once, Tim is happy with his life.

Trouble Magnet – strikeyourcolors (4k) In which Tim Drake is terribly unlucky (even if he refuses to admit bad luck exists) and his brothers may or may not be trying to kill him. That’s what families do, right?

Normally People Pass Out After - WriterofGotham (3k) Tim Drake gives blood.

Exit Wounds - Incogneat_oh (3k) Did you hear this one? A vigilante walks into a warehouse and kills the joker.

Aiding and A-Betting - keep_me_alone (3k) Dick, Jason, Tim and Steph get up to some really stupid shenanigans in the Manor while no one is around. As expected, it doesn't really go well for any of them and Bruce gets real mad.

Road Rage Robin – Heartslogos (2k) “I’d be doing humanity a favor.” Tim grinds out, “And I would get away with it. I could totally get away with it. I’ve done worse."

The Time Weve Got - DawnsEternalLight (2k) Bruce offers to accompany Tim to the store for an emergency Red Bull run. Shocked, Tim accepts his offer and suddenly finds himself alone in the car with his adopted Father for the first time in a long time.

Making a List - HauntedLittleDoll (2k) Tim rereads some of his old books while benched.

Do the Wonders Ever Cease? - HeartsLogos (2k) His children are strange, strange creatures, Bruce thinks as he returns to his office.

The Art of Conversation - GlassGoblin (1k) Robin needs to talk to a friend, but everyone is a little busy.

False Dichtonomy - HeartsLogos (2k) Red Hood calls Red Robin’s bandoliers “super convenient idiot handles”.

Meant to Be – The Protagonist (1k) Tim takes a bullet for Bruce Wayne at a press-conference and winds up sprawled and bleeding in his arms.

Family Portraits - ShariAruna (1k) “You don’t have any photo on your desk”, the new girl says. “Sorry?” “No photos”, she repeats. “People usually have photos on their desk. Family. Girlfriends or boyfriends. You know?” Family, girlfriends, boyfriends. Yes, Tim knows.

I Volunteer - GoodLuckDetective (1k) Tim is the type to volunteer for the hunger games, isn't he?

#batman #red robin #Tim Drake #dick grayson #Bruce Wayne #Jason Todd #damian wayne #stephanie brown #cassandra cain #conner kent #bart allen #and more

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stereksummerexchange · 7 years

Text

Mind’s a Mess

@inatshej

by @septima-sum

“This is our new student,” Finstock tells the class. “Derek Hale! Go easy on him, you rabid monsters.”

Stiles gets a burst of anxiety from the new kid. For a moment, he hears Derek’s thoughts loud and clear. I hate First Days. I never get used to the staring. Play it cool, damn it. Play it cool.

Stiles winces in sympathy. Yeah, First Days suck.

To Derek’s credit, he looks as bored and disaffected as he possibly can while introducing himself to twenty new people who will mercilessly judge every single one of his moves. His tells them that his family moved here from New York, which sounds cool until he mentions the upstate part. He has three siblings. Two of them also go this school, while is older sister is off to college. He likes gaming, movies, and food, by which he means eating rather than preparing. He’s also a werewolf. “And that’s it, mostly,” he concludes.

Okay, the last part is probably not something that comes up in most introductions, but that sort of info is par for the course in Beacon Hills. Everybody is something in this town. When Derek is finished with the introduction, he scans the rows of chairs and – hurray! – ends up claiming the free place next to Stiles. He’s slumping into it as if he wishes he could disappear. Makes himself smaller than he is. Observes everything.

Stiles very much wants to read his thoughts, really read his thoughts, deliberately, but doesn’t. He had many a talk with Ms. Morell why privacy is sacrosanct. Being born a telepath, it was a tough thing to learn. He’s always caught snippets of thoughts here and there, even if he didn’t want to. As soon as he could talk, that got him in trouble big time. Like when he’d mentioned the divorce to Scott, who hadn’t known about it. (And neither had his dad, actually).

Great powers beget great fuck-ups.

Speaking of which, Finstock’s cell phone goes off and prompts him to argue with the poor person calling him. “Are you kidding me? That’s why it’s called an insurance – no – that’s the literal definition of the word!” He scowls at the class as if they are to blame for his predicament. “You do group work until I get back! No shenanigans! I’m looking at you, Greenberg.”

“Stop picking on Greenberg,” a girl in the last row yells.

“I’m not playing favorites! I hate all of you!” Finstock shouts and slams the door shut.

“Wow.” Derek seems bewildered, to put it mildly. “Is he always like that?”

Stiles grins. “My sweet summer child… that’s nothing. Wait until he recruits you into the Lacrosse team and gives one of his motivational pre-game speeches. Now that’s a spectacle.”

Derek processes that. “Can’t wait,” he says dubiously.

“What’s up with the whole Clark Kent thing?” Stiles asks him, motioning to Derek’s bulky black glasses and his whole… vibe. Like the plaid button-down shirt that strains to fit around his athletic form, or the very neat hairstyle that makes him appear like an engineering student form the 1950s. He seems like the world’s least convincing nerd. As an actual nerd, Stiles feels compelled to defend the honor of his brethren.

Derek corrects the position of his glasses. “Clark Kent?”

“You know, Superman?” Stiles asks in a tone of profound derision. Jesus. They don’t make ‘em any brighter these days, do they.

“I know Superman,” Derek says. He sounds insulted, which, fair point, he has every right to be. “Kal-El from Krypton, created by Jerry Siegel and Joe Shuster in 1938. I’m just wondering if you’re talking about the Pre-Crisis or Post-Crisis versions? The Golden Age? Silver Age? Bronze? Or maybe you’re talking about Bizarro Superman.”

“Um,” Stiles utters eloquently. This is not going the way he imagined it would go.

“If you mean the 1930s version, you’re practically describing me as an aggressive vigilante, so thanks for that. Or maybe you think I’m the archetype of the brave-hearted hero with a strong sense of justice, morality and righteousness? Like the version from the 1940s onward? Maybe. But you could also mean that I resemble the recent DCEU version, where Superman is deeply distrustful, doesn’t give a crap about human lives and the entire heroic arc is all about his ego. That comparison I would find offensive, frankly.”

“Uhhh… well.” It’s possible that Stiles’ knees turn a little weak. “I just meant because of the glasses and your whole suppressed jock vibe,” he says. “Dude, I don’t know you well enough to even guess which moral belief system you ascribe to!”

Derek considers this. “If you have to make a comparison at all, compare me to the classic Post-Crisis version,” he says earnestly. “And I’m not a jock, suppressed or otherwise.”

“Ok,” Stiles says, bewildered. “Yeah, I’ll… I’ll keep that in mind. Fine. But really, what’s up with the glasses? Wolves have perfect vision.”

Derek seems to deflate. “I know, and so do hunters. My family insist I tried to blend in as much as possible. I’ve worn glasses for years.”

That Stiles didn’t expect at all. “Really? Wow.” He’s been so used to living in the little bubble that is Beacon Hills that he forgot what it’s like out there. “This town is warded. We haven’t had hunter activity in, like, decades. You couldn’t find a safer place anywhere on this planet.”

Derek looks unconvinced but doesn’t voice his doubts.

Truth to be told, Stiles is envious.

Of Scott, who lives for the full moons, for the nights spent running through the Preserve, where he can unleash his powers and feel at peace with himself. Of Kira, whose mother instructed her in the ways of kitsunes since she was a little girl. Even a little bit of Jackson, lizard freak that he is, because even he can display his kanima self in this town whenever he wishes to.

In contrast, telepathic abilities are intrusive by their very nature. Not something to be cherished and celebrated – they’re a problem to be managed.

Which is why Stiles loved loved loved the family trip to Chicago last year. Just being in the city and opening himself up, listening to the hundreds of voices streaming past him. He figured he wouldn’t do any harm that way, not if he couldn’t tell whose thoughts he was emerging himself in… but really, in all likelihood that was probably a convenient lie he told himself.

Derek sits with them at lunch. He learns that Scott, Erica, Boyd, and Isaac are werewolves. He learns that Lydia is a banshee and Kira a kitsune.

It’s with the familiar nervousness that Stiles tells him he’s a telepath.

Oh shit, Derek’s mind yells. A telepath? Is he reading my thoughts now? Does he know I think he’s CUTE?

Stiles, under the greatest effort known to humankind up to this point, manages not to do a tap dance in the middle of the cafeteria. He closes his mind, but it’s too late to forget what he just learned. Cute. Derek thinks he’s cute!

“You can read thoughts?” Derek asks out loud, an anxious edge to his oh-so casual question.

“Yeah,” Stiles confirms and fiddles with his napkin.

“Are you reading everyone’s thoughts here?”

“Absolutely not,” Stiles says and acts extra annoyed because of his latent guilt. “There are rules and guidelines. I have ethics to consider, man. Not that I’m interested in the dull inner workings of you unwashed furballs anyway.” The last part he says to all of the werewolves at the table.

“Like we’re interested in your inner workings either,” Erica says sweetly.

Yelping, Stiles ducks as Isaac throws a crumbled paper at him, but it still hits him right in the center of his face. Curse that scarf-wearing annoyance with his impeccable aim.

“You should really try out the Lacrosse team,” Scott tells Derek. “You look like you’d be a good fit!”

“He means that you’re built like a brick house,” Boys says. “And just for the record, I agree. Come to one of our open training sessions, check it out. There’s no harm in that.”

Derek hesitates. He’s worried, that much Stiles can tell even without working his telepathic mojo.

“I haven’t really played sports yet,” Derek says. “At school, I mean. My mother was always worried I would be too good at it and would give my werewolf identity away.”

That earns him a few looks a pity, but Scott also slings his arm around his shoulders and tells him it’s all going to be fine.

And maybe for the first time that day, Derek believes them.

Growing up, Stiles watched his parent interact with ease, often communicating mentally instead of verbally. It seemed like the most natural thing in the world to him.

Sometimes Stiles will visit Claudia’s grave and the wind will ruffle his hair… almost with purpose, almost lovingly – and he��ll imagine it’s her. He’ll imagine that something of her is left behind; a fragment, a piece or her mind. In those moments, he allows himself to believe she watches over him still.

Stiles learns that Derek likes to run first thing in the morning, when the dawn is just breaking and the air is still chilly and damp.

He also collects graphic novels and studies for tests with a single-minded intensity that is nothing short of impressive.

Most of the time he’s so quiet that his deadpan humor all hits them a second too late, surprising them into fits of laughter.

And yes, Derek is great at Lacrosse – which irks Jackson to no end and delights everyone else.

They’re supposed to study together, but Stiles can’t focus on electrostatic charge right now.

Because: cute.

It’s unhealthy how often Stiles obsesses about that one word and ponders its many connotations. Why didn’t Derek ask him out yet? Why? It can’t be for the lack of puns about bisexuality, because Stiles didn’t spare him those. And yeah, it’s not like Derek is obligated to make a move, he hardly needs to ask out every person he found attractive for one split second, but… but.

“Stiles,” Derek sighs and closes the book he was reading with a thud. He looks at his friend with fond annoyance. “I feel like this would be so much simpler if you just read my damn mind.”

“You mean that?” Stiles asks, nearly breathlessly.

“I do.”

And that’s how it all begins.

For the lovely inatshej and their prompt: I love friends to lovers, preferebly high school, human, light angst with a fluffy ending, maybe nerd Derek.

#stereksummerexchange17 #sse17 #sterek #submission #fic

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adambstingus · 5 years

Text

In Alabama’s Poorest County, Tuberculosis Is Far From Eradicated

MARION, Ala. (AP) — Tuberculosis, a global scourge, has mostly been eradicated in the United States, but minorities and poor people who lack regular health care remain vulnerable.

Marion, the town where Coretta Scott King was raised, is just that kind of community: the seat of Alabama’s poorest county, where 47 percent live in poverty and the per-capita annual income is just $13,000.

Spurred by two tuberculosis deaths last year, Alabama public health officials tried reaching out in Marion, and were mostly ignored or turned away. Many people seemed suspicious and unenthusiastic about providing blood samples to the government. Efforts in late 2014 to trace the contacts of people who did test positive were stymied; few in the town of 3,600 seemed eager to tell on their neighbors.

“We had a very, very poor turnout. Our turnout was so bad, we actually had people throwing beer bottles at us,” said Pam Barrett, director of the Alabama Department of Public Health division for tuberculosis control.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has long called for targeting the fight against tuberculosis where the disease remains most prevalent, among poor and minority populations. The airborne bacterial infection spreads when people live in unhealthy conditions in close proximity and get little health care. Blacks and Hispanics are eight times more likely to carry it than whites are, according to the CDC.

“While most people think of TB as a disease that does not affect the U.S., Marion, Alabama is experiencing a TB outbreak that is worse than in many developing countries,” the UN Special Envoy on Tuberculosis, Eric P. Goosby, said in a statement Wednesday. “Unfortunately, in many areas of the country, funding for community education and outreach on TB by local health departments is scarce or non-existent.”

The deaths in 2015 and another in 2011 justified a more proactive response. Using grant money from the CDC, the local health department decided to pay $20 to anyone who comes in for a blood test, another $20 for returning three days later to get the result, an additional $20 for keeping an appointment for a chest X-ray if necessary, and $100 if a patient told to take medication completes the treatment.

The cash made all the difference: In the last two weeks, more than 1,000 people – a tenth of Perry County’s residents – have gotten tested, and public health officials found what they feared: an outbreak at a scale unseen in years. The tests showed that 20 people have had the disease since 2014, and 47 others have latent infections. All will now get treatment to reduce the likelihood of spreading the bacteria.

Confirmed cases of tuberculosis disease reached a national low of 9,421 cases in 2014, or 2.96 cases per 100,000 people, according to the CDC. The tests in Marion uncovered an infection rate much higher than state and national norms, said Alabama state health officer Tom Miller.

“We’ve had TB throughout the state here and there, it’s always been very restricted – one or two cases,” Miller said. “But to this magnitude? Not that I’m familiar with.”

Tuberculosis typically attacks the lungs and spreads when a person carrying the bacteria coughs, sneezes, speaks or sings and people nearby inhale the bacteria, according to the CDC. Symptoms include a persistent cough, chest pain, fatigue, weight loss and night sweats. But tuberculosis can live in the body without immediately making a person sick, and people with latent infections can’t spread tuberculosis unless their immune systems fail to control the bacteria.

All the cases in Perry County involve black people, said Barrett, who sought to assuage concerns during a meeting at a local church Tuesday night.

Mary Moore, 47, said she, her relatives and co-workers had been screened by their doctors, but others remain reluctant – a problem she blamed on “people living secret lives, private lives and privacy issues as well.”

Barrett stressed that any results will remain confidential.

“We don’t care if you’re doing illegal activities, we don’t care if you’re having an affair on your husband. We don’t tell any of that to anybody,” Barrett said. “We just need to know who you’ve been around. And the people that we were running across just would not tell us that information.”

The federal grant, which enables the county to keep paying for tests through Jan. 29, has made a big difference, Barrett said.

“I think it has brought a lot of people to be tested that otherwise would not have been tested because they just wanted the money,” Barrett said.

The money is nice, but some said the education people are getting about disease prevention is more valuable.

“I think it’s a gift from God. Because awareness – it’s opening our eyes,” said Rosie Kynard, who tested negative. “We say 47 now but look, they got to test tomorrow. They got to test Friday. How do we know that everyone who comes tomorrow or that comes Friday won’t be positive?”

Despite uncertainty surrounding this outbreak, Kynard and others said that with these tests and their faith, they see little reason to worry.

“No I’m not, not at all,” Maggie Tubbs, 71, said as she left the health department building. “‘Cause we all have something, but we don’t know what we got.”

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/in-alabamas-poorest-county-tuberculosis-is-far-from-eradicated/ from All of Beer https://allofbeercom.tumblr.com/post/183923574972

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allofbeercom · 5 years

Text

In Alabama’s Poorest County, Tuberculosis Is Far From Eradicated

MARION, Ala. (AP) — Tuberculosis, a global scourge, has mostly been eradicated in the United States, but minorities and poor people who lack regular health care remain vulnerable.

“We’ve had TB throughout the state here and there, it’s always been very restricted – one or two cases,” Miller said. “But to this magnitude? Not that I’m familiar with.”

All the cases in Perry County involve black people, said Barrett, who sought to assuage concerns during a meeting at a local church Tuesday night.

Barrett stressed that any results will remain confidential.

The federal grant, which enables the county to keep paying for tests through Jan. 29, has made a big difference, Barrett said.

“I think it has brought a lot of people to be tested that otherwise would not have been tested because they just wanted the money,” Barrett said.

The money is nice, but some said the education people are getting about disease prevention is more valuable.

Despite uncertainty surrounding this outbreak, Kynard and others said that with these tests and their faith, they see little reason to worry.

“No I’m not, not at all,” Maggie Tubbs, 71, said as she left the health department building. “‘Cause we all have something, but we don’t know what we got.”

from All Of Beer http://allofbeer.com/in-alabamas-poorest-county-tuberculosis-is-far-from-eradicated/

0 notes

samanthasroberts · 5 years

Text

In Alabama’s Poorest County, Tuberculosis Is Far From Eradicated

MARION, Ala. (AP) — Tuberculosis, a global scourge, has mostly been eradicated in the United States, but minorities and poor people who lack regular health care remain vulnerable.

“We’ve had TB throughout the state here and there, it’s always been very restricted – one or two cases,” Miller said. “But to this magnitude? Not that I’m familiar with.”

All the cases in Perry County involve black people, said Barrett, who sought to assuage concerns during a meeting at a local church Tuesday night.

Barrett stressed that any results will remain confidential.

The federal grant, which enables the county to keep paying for tests through Jan. 29, has made a big difference, Barrett said.

“I think it has brought a lot of people to be tested that otherwise would not have been tested because they just wanted the money,” Barrett said.

The money is nice, but some said the education people are getting about disease prevention is more valuable.

Despite uncertainty surrounding this outbreak, Kynard and others said that with these tests and their faith, they see little reason to worry.

“No I’m not, not at all,” Maggie Tubbs, 71, said as she left the health department building. “‘Cause we all have something, but we don’t know what we got.”

Source: http://allofbeer.com/in-alabamas-poorest-county-tuberculosis-is-far-from-eradicated/

from All of Beer https://allofbeer.wordpress.com/2019/04/03/in-alabamas-poorest-county-tuberculosis-is-far-from-eradicated/

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kansascityhappenings · 5 years

Text

New Florida governor suspends sheriff over handling of Parkland school shooting

https://embed-prod.vemba.io/vemba-embed.js

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — New Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis suspended Broward County Sheriff Scott Israel on Friday over his handling of February’s massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, saying he “repeatedly failed and has demonstrated a pattern of poor leadership.”

The Republican governor flew to Fort Lauderdale three days after taking office to remove the Democratic sheriff, appointing a former police sergeant to serve as acting sheriff. Gregory Tony, 40, worked for Coral Springs police for 12 years before leaving in 2016 to start a company specializing in active-shooter training. He is the first African-American to serve as Broward’s sheriff.

DeSantis said during a news conference outside the sheriff’s office headquarters that Israel failed to keep families and children safe before and during the Feb. 14 shooting that left 14 students and three staff members dead inside the three-story freshman building.

“The neglect of duty and incompetence that was connected to the massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School has been well documented, and I have no interest in dancing on Scott Israel’s political grave,” DeSantis said. “Suffice it to say, the massacre might never have happened had Broward had better leadership in the sheriff’s department.”

During the shooting, then-Broward Deputy Scot Peterson, who was assigned to the school, drew his gun but took cover instead of charging inside. Seven other deputies who arrived within minutes also failed to enter, even as officers from neighboring Coral Springs went into the building.

Israel earlier changed the office’s policy from saying deputies “shall” confront active shooters to “may.” He said he didn’t want to deputies to undertake suicide missions. Deputies also received two calls about suspect Nikolas Cruz in the months before the massacre saying he had amassed an arsenal and was a potential school shooter, but took no action.

Minutes after DeSantis’ announcement, Israel said he “wholeheartedly” rejected the governor’s order and would fight it in court, arguing that DeSantis was making a “power grab” against the will of the county’s people who elected him. He said DeSantis was acting on behalf of the National Rifle Association, which quickly blamed the sheriff’s office after the shooting.

“There was no wrongdoing on my part. I served the county honorably,” he said. “False narratives may continue, but not in a court of law. In a court of law, only the facts matter.”

Under Florida law, the governor can suspend elected officials for criminal activity, misfeasance, incompetence or neglect of duty. If Israel challenges the suspension, the state Senate would hold a trial and could either fire or reinstate him. DeSantis’ Republican predecessor, now-U.S. Sen. Rick Scott, refused to suspend Israel, saying he wanted to wait until investigations were completed.

Fred Guttenberg, whose 14-year-old daughter Jaime was fatally shot as she ran down a third-floor hallway, inches from the safety of the stairwell, said she and other third-floor victims could have been saved if Peterson or other deputies had gone inside immediately.

“One more second and she makes it,” Guttenberg said. “If anybody wants to know what failure means and lack of response (means), my daughter would have lived if someone had given her one more second.”

Andrew Pollack, whose 18-year-old daughter Meadow died on the third floor trying to protect a younger student who also died, said “when eight BSO deputies listened to shots fired in a school and stayed outside they were following Sheriff Israel’s policies.”

A 15-member state commission that recently completed its initial report on the shooting said deputies also had about 20 contacts with Cruz as a juvenile — mostly over arguments with his now-deceased mother. Israel has said none of those contacts warranted an arrest. Law enforcement members of the state commission investigating the shooting have agreed with that conclusion.

But commissioners also concluded that the department’s active shooter training had not been effective. Still, Pinellas County Sheriff Bob Gualtieri, the commission’s chairman, and other law enforcement officials on the panel have said they didn’t think Israel should be suspended.

Israel, 62, was elected sheriff in 2012 after a long career in law enforcement. After taking office, Israel, a Republican until changing parties shortly before running in 2008, received criticism over his friendship with notorious GOP operative Roger Stone, for promoting Stone’s inexperienced stepson to detective and for accepting gifts from a wealthy benefactor.

However, community leaders praised his work with the homeless, minority and gay communities. Violent crime went down, and he easily won re-election in 2016 to oversee the county’s 2,800 deputies.

Shortly after Israel’s second term began, a man retrieved a handgun from his luggage at Fort Lauderdale’s airport and opened fire, killing five. While Israel’s deputies apprehended him within 72 seconds, the draft of a county report said Israel and others didn’t control the chaos, leaving passengers huddled in fear for hours. He criticized the draft, and the final version was less harsh — but many of the same communications problems that plagued the airport response were repeated at Stoneman Douglas.

from FOX 4 Kansas City WDAF-TV | News, Weather, Sports https://fox4kc.com/2019/01/11/new-florida-governor-suspends-sheriff-over-handling-of-parkland-school-shooting/

from Kansas City Happenings https://kansascityhappenings.wordpress.com/2019/01/12/new-florida-governor-suspends-sheriff-over-handling-of-parkland-school-shooting/

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