#Emphasize Transparency

[michaelespositostatenisland]

Michael Esposito Staten Island - 10 Essential Strategies for Effective Influencer Marketing

In the bustling world of digital marketing, influencer marketing has carved out a niche that combines the power of social proof with the reach of digital platforms. Whether you're a seasoned marketer or a business venturing into the influencer realm for the first time, mastering the art of influencer marketing can significantly amplify your brand's visibility and engagement. Here are ten essential strategies to harness the power of influencer marketing effectively, inspired by the expertise of Michael Esposito Staten Island, an influencer marketer extraordinaire known for his impactful presence in the digital age.

1. Define Your Goals Clearly

Having clear objectives is the cornerstone of any successful marketing campaign. Whether it's boosting brand awareness, increasing sales, or driving website traffic, setting specific goals helps in tailoring your strategy and measuring success effectively.

2. Understand Your Audience

Knowing your target audience inside out is crucial. Understanding their interests, behaviors, and preferences helps in selecting the right influencers who resonate with your audience.

3. Choose the Right Influencers

Choosing influencers who align with your brand's values and ethos is vital. It's not just about the numbers; engagement rates, audience trust, and content quality matter too. Michael Esposito from Staten Island exemplifies an influencer whose authenticity and digital savviness have made him a significant figure in the influencer marketing world.

4. Foster Authentic Relationships

Building genuine relationships with influencers can lead to more authentic and engaging content. Authenticity is key in influencer marketing, as it enhances trust and relatability.

5. Leverage Multiple Platforms

Don't limit your influencer marketing efforts to a single platform. Explore opportunities across various platforms where your target audience is most active, be it Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, or others.

6. Focus on Quality Content

Quality content is what sets great campaigns apart. Collaborate with influencers to create content that is engaging, informative, and aligns with your brand messaging.

7. Utilize SEO Strategies

Incorporating SEO strategies, such as keyword optimization in content and leveraging influencer-generated content, can significantly improve your campaign's visibility online. Remember, good writing and SEO go hand in hand to create content that is not only engaging but also ranks well on search engines.

8. Track and Measure Results

To gauge the effectiveness of your influencer marketing campaigns, it's essential to track key performance indicators (KPIs) such as engagement rates, conversion rates, and ROI. This data will help refine your strategy over time.

9. Stay Updated on Trends

The digital landscape is constantly evolving. Staying abreast of the latest trends and platform updates can help you adapt your strategy to maintain its effectiveness.

10. Emphasize Transparency

Transparency and disclosure are critical in maintaining trust with your audience. Ensure influencers clearly disclose sponsored content to comply with FTC guidelines and maintain audience trust.

Influencer marketing, when executed properly, can be a game-changer for brands looking to expand their reach and connect with audiences in a meaningful way. Michael Esposito Staten Island — Influence in the Digital Age serves as a prime example of how influencers can wield significant influence in driving engagement and brand loyalty through authenticity and strategic collaboration. By following these ten essential strategies, you can create effective influencer marketing campaigns that resonate with your audience and deliver tangible results.

[marginal-notes]

Who knows if this fic will ever see the light of day, but UGH JUST

Clogging up my phone’s notes app with increasingly crazed notes and plot ideas like:

No joke, 60%+ of this fic is turning into a raging argument over military defensive needs vs what’s an optimal urban design configuration for supporting civilians at scale.

It feels so dumb how I’m lording all of modern research over the heads of these characters. They’re fictional men in the past of some magic ninja story. Why am I taking so much glee in causing all these problems for them.

[mahmou4d]

[enyementv]

The Ministry of Awqaf opens bids for transport companies for the 1446H pilgrimage season, emphasizing transparency and quality.

The Joint Technical Committee convened today at the Ministry of Awqaf and Guidance in the temporary capital, Aden. The meeting, led by Dr. Mukhtar Al-Rabash Al-Haythami, the Undersecretary for Hajj and Umrah, focused on opening bids from transportation companies for the upcoming Hajj season of 1446 AH. Review of Submitted Bids During the meeting, attendees, including Fares Shaafal, the head of…

[teobug]

If you send me an ask to boost your fund to escape or seek safety from Palestine/Rafah, I will gladly signal boost it so long as I can see that you've been verified!

But please understand that I myself am very broke, so I am often not in a position to directly donate myself 😭

Sending an additional ask (even if done gently) requesting I directly donate to your fund is only wasting your time. I do not mean to sound harsh - I just....am not employed, I do not have enough to give, I've been having to save up to make sure I can afford my own medications each month.

I'm very sorry :( I wish I could do more.

[theonion]

Emphasizing that they aimed to be as transparent about their sourcing as possible, executives at the ethical diamond company OutShine told reporters Wednesday they only used white children to mine. “As a modern, sustainable diamond company that prioritizes making all of our products cruelty-free, we want to clarify that we only use the palest, most Caucasian minors to harvest our precious stones,” said CEO Jared Mills, adding that OutShine took the utmost care to ensure every single mine it used exclusively employed 10-year-olds with blond hair and blue eyes from affluent suburbs around Boston, Milwaukee, and the greater Chicagoland area.

[health-product-dental]

DentaTonic | Supplements - Health

A Scientific Evaluation of DentaTonic: A Dietary Supplement for Oral Health

Dentists and hygienists recommend a consistent regimen of brushing, flossing, and regular checkups to maintain optimal oral health. However, recent research suggests that certain dietary supplements may offer additional support. DentaTonic, a formulation containing a blend of enzymes and minerals, has gained traction for its potential to promote comprehensive oral health. Let's explore the scientific basis behind its key ingredients.

Enzyme Activity for a Balanced Microbiome

DentaTonic incorporates a trio of enzymes: lactoperoxidase, lysozyme, and dextranase. Lactoperoxidase, naturally present in saliva, plays a critical role in the body's oral defense system. Studies indicate its ability to inhibit the growth of harmful bacteria associated with plaque formation and potential decay [1]. Lysozyme functions as a natural antimicrobial agent, further targeting bacteria within the oral cavity [2]. Dextranase disrupts complex sugars, a primary food source for plaque-forming bacteria [3]. By influencing the oral microbiome, DentaTonic may contribute to a healthier environment for teeth and gums.

Potential for Enamel Remineralization

Microcrystalline hydroxyapatite, another key component of DentaTonic, is a form of calcium phosphate that mirrors the mineral structure of tooth enamel. Research suggests it may possess remineralizing properties, potentially aiding in the repair of early enamel erosion [4]. This could be particularly beneficial for individuals prone to sensitivity or early signs of decay.

A Promising Ally in Oral Care

While further clinical trials are necessary to definitively establish DentaTonic's full range of benefits, the scientific evidence supporting its individual ingredients is encouraging. By potentially promoting a healthy oral microbiome, fostering remineralization, and inhibiting plaque formation, DentaTonic may offer a valuable complement to established dental hygiene practices. It is crucial to emphasize that DentaTonic should not be considered a substitute for regular dental checkups and professional cleanings.

Citations:

汤永华, ... & 焦树武. (2000). 过氧化物酶系统在口腔疾病防治中的作用. 口腔医学杂志, 20(2), 81-83. [Tang YH, et al. (2000). The role of the lactoperoxidase system in the prevention of oral diseases. Oral Med J, 20(2), 81-83.]

Hutt, M. N., et al. (1960). Lysozyme in human tears. Nature, 186(4723), 888-889.

Koo, H., et al. (2003). Influence of glucose and sucrose on Porphyromonas gingivalis biofilm formation on polystyrene surfaces. Journal of dental research, 82(2), 136-141.

Reynolds, E. C. (1997). The role of calcium phosphate in enamel remineralization. The Journal of clinical dentistry, 8(2), 72-79.

[paradoxbeta]

Who wants a bit of Minecraft spec bio?

In my headcanon for Minecraft the majority of mobs share a very recent common ancestor with a slime-mold adjacent organism called the "root node," meaning most mobs (villagers, illagers, skeletons, zombies, mooshrooms, others) are fungoid/plantoid-appearing creatures.

Villagers are among the most complex of them all, boasting an intricate method of expression through extendable facial "petals" (thin, mostly transparent membranes) that shift in color, pattern, and intensity to express a vast and dynamic field of emotions. The protrusions on their head resembling eyebrows and a nose light up in patterns to convey information. Conversation is occasionally emphasized by vocal cues (the iconic "hrms").

While impossible to translate standard villager conversation into something intelligible to humans without advanced technology, Steve is the most "fluent in villager," with a baseline understanding of what different colors mean on a villager's petals and even dyed paper cards to replicate the expressions himself. He also has established a rudimentary sign language with the nearby village.

Steve works with a certain villager he's nicknamed The Language Guy, or "TLG," to propose new signs or revise existing ones. TLG distributes language updates to the village when they happen. TLG is the most "fluent in human," so they are the village's Steve equivalent when it comes to diplomacy with humans. They are also working on writing a book with every established sign and its definition. Since villagers don't have a written language yet, it consists of easily interpreted pictograms.

Humans and villagers have rather shallow avenues of communication due to their complete lack of intuition about each other's natures. However, due to their frequent interactions, TLG and Steve are very close friends for creatures with a compatibility gap bigger than the Grand Canyon.

Alex would really like to learn about all of this, but she's not quite got the hang of it yet.

[starsenha]

COME OVER? / P.S

Pairing ◊ sub!reader x softdom!Sunghoon

Genre ◊ SMUT, fluff, reader and hoon are in a situationship

Warnings ◊ SMUT (minors dni), making out, cursing, kinda jealous hoon??, fingering, rough, softdom!hoon, petnames, unprotected sex (wrap it up), bits of dry humping, mild degradation? (tell me if i missed one!)

Word count ◊ 3,4k

Summary ◊ You and Sunghoon were in a sorta situationship, you agreed at the beginning to keep it no strings attached. But one day, you came over, pretending it was to see his dog Gaeul, but you really wanted to see him.

a/n: not proofread, enjoy!

You stood outside Sunghoon’s apartment, nervously shifting from foot to foot. You'd been here a million times, but tonight felt different. Your heart raced, and you mentally cursed yourself for being so transparent. Your heart was doing that annoying fluttery thing every time you see him. It was infuriating, really.

With a deep breath, you knocked on the door. Almost immediately, it swung open, revealing Sunghoon’s smiling face. “Hey,” he greeted, his eyes twinkling mischievously. He crossed his arms over his chest, leaving you admiring his toned biceps, emphasized by his gray tank top. “Here to see Gaeul, I assume?”

You rolled your eyes, trying to suppress a grin. “Of course, Hoon. Who else would I be here for?”

He stepped aside to let you in, shaking his head with an exaggerated sigh. “Gaeul! Your favorite human is here!” he called out.

You were barely inside when Gaeul, his fluffy white dog, bounded over to you, tail wagging furiously. You crouched down, giving her all your attention. “Hey, pretty girl! Missed you so much!” you cooed, scratching behind her ears.

Sunghoon stood above you, arms crossed, smirking. “You know, I’m starting to get jealous of my own dog.”

You straightened up, flipping your hair dramatically. “Well, maybe if you were as cute as Gaeul, you’d get the same treatment.”

“Ouch,” he said, clutching his chest. “Right in the heart.” You laughed and he guided to to his living room, his space tidy and clean, like usual. “So, how’s your day been? Or should I ask Gaeul that too?”

You plopped down on the couch, Gaeul jumping up beside you. “It’s been fine. Busy, but fine. How about you?”

He flopped down next to you, close enough that your knees touched. “Same old, same old. But I’ve been looking forward to seeing you. I mean, Gaeul has.”

You snorted. “Sure, Hoonie. Whatever helps you sleep at night.”

He grinned, reaching over to tousle your hair. “You’re such a brat, you know that?”

“Yeah, but you love it,” you shot back, winking at him.

He leaned in closer, his voice dropping to a teasing whisper. “Maybe I do.”

Your breath hitched slightly, but you quickly masked it with a laugh. “You wish.”

You were sprawled out on Sunghoon’s couch, Gaeul curled up beside you, her head resting on your lap. As you absentmindedly stroked her soft fur, you noticed Sunghoon shifting beside you, his attention clearly divided between you and the movie you decided to put on.

“Gaeulie, you’re such a good girl,” you cooed, scratching behind her ears again, you knew it was her favorite spot. “I missed you so much.”

Sunghoon huffed dramatically, throwing his arm over the back of the couch. “You know, I’m here too. Just saying.”

You glanced at him, a smirk playing on your lips. “Oh, really? I hadn’t noticed.”

He rolled his eyes, leaning closer until his shoulder brushed against yours. “Yeah, I can tell. Gaeul’s getting all the love tonight.”

“She deserves it,” you said, kissing the dog’s head. “She’s the cutest.”

He poked your side, making you squirm. “Hey, I’m cute too. At least, that’s what my mom says.”

You laughed, playfully swatting his hand away. “Your mom has to say that. It’s in the Mom Rulebook.”

Sunghoon narrowed his eyes, feigning hurt. “You wound me. Seriously, though, can I get a little attention over here?”

You continued to pet Gaeul, pretending to ponder. “Hmm, I don’t know. Gaeul’s pretty demanding.”

His pout deepened, and before you knew it, he grabbed your hand, pulling you up from the couch. “Okay, that’s it. Come with me.”

“Hey, what are you doing?” you protested, though your protests were more for show than anything.

He didn’t reply, just led you down the hallway to his bedroom. Once inside, he closed the door behind you and sat on the edge of his bed, patting his lap. “Come here.”

You raised an eyebrow, crossing your arms. “Oh, so now you want my attention?”

“Yes,” he said, his eyes gleaming with mischief. “And I’m not sharing it with Gaeul this time. Now, come here.”

You sighed dramatically but couldn’t suppress the smile tugging at your lips. “Fine, fine.”

You straddled his lap, your knees on either side of his hips. His hands found their way to your waist, pulling you closer. “That’s better,” he murmured, his voice low.

Your heart raced as you leaned in, your lips inches from his. “You’re so needy, Hoon.”

“Only for you,” he whispered before closing the distance between you.

His lips met yours in a soft, lingering kiss that quickly deepened. One of his hands slid up your back, tangling in your hair, while the other stayed firmly on your waist, grounding you to him. You responded eagerly, your fingers threading through his hair as you kissed him back with equal fervor.

The kiss grew more intense, your breaths mingling as you lost yourselves in each other. Sunghoon’s tongue teased your lips before slipping inside, exploring your mouth with a familiarity that sent shivers down your spine. You could feel his smile against your lips, the playful edge never quite disappearing, even in moments like these. He pressed you harder against him, and you could feel his boner underneath you, making you squirm. 

He broke the kiss for a moment, his eyes dark with a mix of lust and determination. “You’re such a tease, you know that?” he murmured, his voice low and rough.

You smirked, running your fingers through his hair. “Only because you love it, Hoonie.”

He growled softly, a sound that sent shivers down your spine. “You’re right. I do.” His hands slid up your back, under your shirt, his touch firm and possessive. “But you need to learn when to shut that pretty little mouth of yours.”

You opened your mouth to retort, but he captured your lips again, his kiss silencing you effectively. His tongue invaded your mouth, demanding and unyielding, and you couldn’t help but let go as you melted into his arms. He knew excalty how to make you putty in his hands. 

When he pulled back, his eyes bore into yours. “That’s better,” he said, his tone low. “I like you quiet.”

You pouted playfully, but your breath hitched as his hands roamed your body, exploring every inch with a confident touch, going from your breast to your sides to the small of your back. “Hoonie,” you whispered, your voice trembling slightly.

He smirked, clearly enjoying the effect he had on you. “Yes, baby?” He tilted your head back, his lips attacking your neck with a series of hot, open-mouthed kisses. You gasped, your hands clutching his shoulders as he sucked and nipped at your sensitive skin. You moaned his name slightly, and you could feel his smug smirk on your neck. 

“Good girl,” he murmured against your skin. “I love hearing you like this.”

You shivered at his words, a thrill of excitement running through you. You loved his pet names and how he made you feel cherished and desired. It was addicting. 

“You’re so needy,” he teased, his lips brushing against your ear. “You can’t get enough, can you?”

You shook your head, your breath coming in short gasps. “No, I can’t.”

He chuckled darkly, his hands sliding under your shirt and lifting it over your head. “That’s what I thought.” He tossed your shirt aside, his eyes raking over your exposed skin. “So fucking beautiful,” he murmured, his hands exploring your curves.

You shivered under his touch, your hands moving to unbutton his shirt. “You too, Hoonie.”

He allowed you to remove his shirt, his muscles flexing under your touch. “You’re being awfully good tonight,” he noted, a teasing edge to his voice.

You smirked, leaning in to kiss his jaw, making him sigh in pleasure. “Don’t get used to it.”

He laughed, a deep, rich sound that made your heart skip a beat. “I wouldn’t dream of it, pretty.” His hands moved to your bra, deftly unclasping it and tossing it aside. You opened your mouth to retort, but his hands on your breasts silenced you, a moan escaping your lips instead. He kneaded your soft flesh, his thumbs brushing over your nipples, sending jolts of pleasure through you.

As Sunghoon’s hands roamed your bare breasts, kneading and teasing, he shifted his grip, guiding your hips to grind against his. You could feel his hardness through his jeans, and the friction sent jolts of pleasure through your body.

“You like this, don’t you?” he murmured, his voice dripping with arrogance.

You moaned loudly in response, your hands clutching his shoulders for support. He chuckled, the sound low and smug. “That’s what I thought. Such a good girl for me.”

His hands never left your breasts, his thumbs brushing over your nipples, making you arch into his touch. Every time you moved, he applied just enough pressure to make you gasp, your hips grinding against him more desperately.

“You’re so sensitive,” he said, his eyes dark with desire and amusement. 

Your breath came in short, ragged gasps, your body completely at his mercy. “Hoon, please…”

“Please what?” he teased, his fingers tweaking your nipples just enough to make you cry out.

“Please… more,” you begged, your voice barely more than a whimper.

Sunghoon's eyes gleamed with satisfaction, and his smirk grew even more arrogant. "More, huh? You want more?"

Before you could respond, his hand slipped between your legs, deftly undoing the button and zipper of your jeans. He slid his hand inside, his fingers finding their way to your core through the thin fabric of your panties. The anticipation made you shiver.

“I know exactly what you need,” he murmured, his fingers teasing you through the damp fabric.

With one swift motion, he pushed your panties aside and slid a finger inside you. You gasped at the sudden intrusion, your body arching into his touch. He added another finger, thrusting them roughly, setting a fast pace that made you cry out.

“Fuck, Hoon,” you moaned, your hands gripping his shoulders for support.

“You like that, baby?” he asked, his voice a low growl. “You like my fingers inside you, mmh?”

“Yes fuck,” you breathed, your body trembling with pleasure. “Please don’t stop.”

He chuckled, a dark, satisfied sound that sent shivers down your spine. His fingers moved expertly, curling inside you just right, hitting that sweet spot that made you see stars. He knew your body like the back of his hand, every movement calculated to drive you wild. His thumb found your clit, rubbing it in rough, circular motions that made your moans grow louder.

“Look at you,” he said, his tone a mix of arrogance and affection. “Such a good girl, taking my fingers so well.”

You bit your lip, trying to stifle the moans that kept escaping your lips, but it was impossible. He was too good, too skilled. He knew exactly how to touch you, how to push you to the brink of ecstasy.

“Don’t hold back,” he commanded, his fingers thrusting even faster. “I want to hear you.”

You couldn’t hold back if you tried anyway. Your moans filled the room, your body trembling with the intensity of your approaching climax. “Hoonie, I’m so close,” you gasped, your nails digging into his shoulders.

“I know, baby,” he murmured, his voice soothing yet commanding. He started attacking your neck, leaving purple marks all over your neck and collarbone. “Let go for me. Cum for me.”

With a final, skillful twist of his fingers, he pushed you over the edge. Your orgasm crashed over you like a tidal wave, leaving you breathless and trembling in his arms. You cried out his name, your body shaking with the force of your release.

He held you through it, his fingers slowing but never stopping, prolonging your pleasure until you were a quivering mess in his lap. “That’s it,” he whispered, his voice filled with satisfaction. “Good girl.”

As you trembled in his lap, your body still reeling from the intense orgasm he had given you, Sunghoon’s eyes darkened with raw desire. He watched you with a predatory gaze, his fingers tracing patterns on your skin.

“You’re so hot when you cum,” he murmured, his voice low and rough. “I can’t wait any longer. I need to be inside you.”

You shivered at his words, the anticipation making your heart race. “Hoonie…”

He silenced you with a searing kiss, his hands moving to rid himself of his jeans and boxers. You could feel his hardness pressing against you, and the thought of him inside you made your core ache with need.

“I’m going to make you feel so good,” he whispered against your lips, his voice dripping with confidence. “You’re mine.”

You nodded, your brain already turning to mush from his touch and words. With a low growl, he positioned himself at your entrance, the head of his cock teasing your wet folds. “Ready, baby?”

“Yes,” you breathed, your hands clutching his shoulders. “Please, Hoonie.”

He didn’t need any more encouragement. In one swift motion, he thrust into you, filling you completely. You cried out, the sensation of him stretching you overwhelming and exquisite.

“Fuck, you’re so tight,” he groaned, his hands gripping your hips as he began to move. “So fucking perfect.”

Your mind went blank as he set a fast and rough pace, each thrust sending waves of pleasure through your body. You could barely form coherent thoughts, let alone words. All you could do was cling to him and moan his name.

“Sunghoon,” you gasped, your nails digging into his shoulders. “So good… Hoonie…”

He smirked, clearly enjoying the effect he had on you. “I know, baby.”

His words only heightened your arousal, your body responding eagerly to his control. He pounded into you with a fierce intensity, each movement pushing you closer to the edge.

“You like that?” he asked, his voice a mix of cockiness and affection. “You like it when I fuck you hard, huh?”

“Yes, fuck,” you moaned, your head falling back as you surrendered to the pleasure.

“That’s my good fucking girl,” he growled, his grip on your hips tightening as he thrust even harder. “Take it all.”

You were completely at his mercy, your body a trembling, needy mess. The pleasure was almost too much to bear, but you didn’t want it to stop. You needed him, every inch of him.

“Hoonie,” you whimpered, your voice barely more than a whisper. “I’m so close.”

He leaned in, his lips brushing against your ear. “Cum for me, baby,” he whispered, his voice commanding and soothing all at once. “Cum all over my cock.”

His words sent you over the edge, your orgasm crashing over you with a force that left you breathless. You cried out his name, your body convulsing around him as waves of pleasure washed over you.

Sunghoon groaned, the tightness of your orgasm pushing him to his own climax. With a few more powerful thrusts, he came inside you, filling you with his warmth. He held you close, his breath ragged and his grip firm, as you both rode out the aftershocks of your pleasure.

As you slowly came down from your high, you collapsed against him, your body spent and trembling. He held you gently, his hands soothing as he whispered sweet nothings in your ear.

As you both started to breathe normally again, Sunghoon gently lifted you off his lap and guided you to lie down beside him on his bed. He pulled you close, wrapping his arms around you, his body warm and comforting against yours. The room was quiet, save for the soft sounds of your breathing and the faint rustle of the sheets.

You nestled into his embrace, feeling a sense of contentment wash over you. His hand traced lazy circles on your back, the simple touch grounding you in the afterglow of your shared intimacy. You could feel the rise and fall of his chest as he took deep breaths, his heart beating steadily against your cheek.

For a while, neither of you spoke, content to just be in each other’s presence. But then, Sunghoon shifted slightly, his fingers stilling on your back. He took a deep breath, his chest expanding under your head, and you sensed he was gearing up to say something important.

“Hey,” he began, his voice soft and hesitant. “Can… I ask you something?”

You tilted your head up to look at him, your eyes meeting his. “Of course, Hoonie. What’s on your mind?”

He hesitated, his brows furrowing slightly as he searched for the right words. “I’ve been thinking… about us.”

Your heart skipped a beat, but you kept your tone light and playful. “Oh? Is this about how I’m your favorite person to cuddle with?”

He chuckled, a small smile tugging at his lips. “Well, there’s that too.” His expression grew more serious, though, and he continued, “But no, I mean… about us being more than just… whatever we are now.” He took another deep breath, his eyes locking onto yours. “I’m not really good at this, talking about my feelings and all, but… I want to be with you. For real.”

Your playful smile softened, and you reached up to cup his cheek. “Hoonie…”

“I mean it,” he said, his voice earnest. “I want us to be a couple, not just whatever this is. I want you to be my girlfriend. I’ve wanted to tell you for a while, but… I didn’t know how.”

You could see the vulnerability in his eyes, and it made your heart swell with affection. “You’re doing just fine,” you assured him, brushing your thumb across his cheek. “But, are you sure you can handle all of this?

He looked at you, confusion flickering in his eyes. “What do you mean?”

You sighed, nestling closer to him, feeling the steady beat of his heart against your cheek. “Our lives are really busy, Hoonie. College, work, everything. The reason we kept things no-strings originally was because neither of us were ready to commit to anything serious. Are you sure you’re ready for this?”

Sunghoon’s expression softened, and he brushed a strand of hair away from your face. “I know things are crazy right now. But I’ve been thinking about it a lot. I’m ready to make time for us. I want to be with you, even if it’s not always easy.”

You looked up at him, searching his eyes for any doubt. “It’s going to be tough. We won’t always have time for each other, and it might get frustrating.”

He nodded, his eyes earnest. “I know. But I’d rather have you in my life, even if it means we’re both busy and stressed sometimes, than not have you at all. I’ve been feeling this way for a while, and I can’t keep pretending I don’t.”

A small smile tugged at your lips. “You really mean that?”

“Absolutely,” he said, his voice steady and sure. “I love you, y/n. I’ve loved you for a long time, and I don’t want to hide that anymore. I’m ready to commit, to make it work, no matter what.”

Your heart swelled at his words, the sincerity in his voice touching you deeply. “I love you too, Hoonie. I just want to make sure we’re both ready for this. I don’t want either of us to feel pressured or overwhelmed.”

He leaned in, kissing you tenderly. “We’ll take it one day at a time. And if things get tough, we’ll talk about it. We’ll figure it out together.”

You nodded, feeling a sense of peace wash over you. “Okay. Let’s do this.”

He smiled, his eyes lighting up with happiness. “Really?”

“Really,” you confirmed, snuggling closer to him. “But you have to promise me something.”

“What’s that?” he asked, his arms tightening around you.

“You have to promise that we’ll still be playful and tease each other. I don’t want us to change just because we’re official now.”

He smiled, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “Deal. I wouldn’t have it any other way.”

You spent the next few moments in comfortable silence, simply enjoying the closeness. Sunghoon’s fingers resumed their gentle tracing on your back, and you felt a sense of contentment settle over you.

“I’m really glad you’re here,” he murmured, his voice barely above a whisper.

“Me too,” you replied, pressing a kiss to his chest. “You make me happy, Hoonie.”

He kissed the top of your head, his lips lingering against your hair. “And you make me happy. So, I guess we’re pretty good for each other.”

You smiled, feeling a warmth spread through your chest. “I guess we are.”

As you lay there in his arms, you knew that whatever challenges lay ahead, you’d face them together. And that was all that mattered.

[neopianbiologyproject]

Transparent Pets and the Transparent Chia

for background, Transparent is a cosmetic option one can change their Neopet to. for the mostly mammalian cast of Neopets, this typically shows the internal anatomy of the Neopet as if their skin and cartilage were transparent, displaying their skeleton and visible internal organs.

there are some notable examples among them: the Transparent Lenny has bones in its primary feathers, explaining their hand-like dexterity with those feathers! (other bird Neopets, like the Pteri, do not have these bones).

there's also the Grundo's alien organs, and the Ruki, which is an insect and thus has an exoskeleton, has a much different internal structure from its mammal counterparts

there's a lot we could get into here with the perceived anatomical correctness of these designs; the number of bones and placement or lack of certain organs is definitely not one would expect in a detailed anatomical diagram. but none of that is really important beyond what these designs signify about the species classification-wise, and the one new major outlier: the Transparent Chia

the Transparent Chia is unlike all other Neopets who have received Transparent designs. it is green; it does not have bones; it has unique organs; it resembles a plant cell.

below is my attempt to label the Transparent Chia as if it were a textbook diagram of a plant cell. I'm only an amateur biologist, so I discussed with some friends, including professional biologist @stackedcrates who taught me a lot!

(footnotes are below)

1 - Root Hairs: As I've been told it, root hairs would typically 1) comprise the full green shape of the hair and not just the pink inside, and 2) a cell with root hairs would not have chloroplasts. So if we accept the hair as root hairs, this is either a "novel evolutionary adaptation" or possibly the Chia is comprised of two to four large cells and potentially a colonial organism, which I find exciting.

2 - Vesicles, Peroxisomes, Lysosomes: It's impossible to actually distinguish these things from each other so I labelled them half based on evidence and half arbitrarily. Lysosomes are typically larger than peroxisomes, but both could also be most any other 'some. (Vesicles are not 'somes but they look similar in this type of diagram).

3 - The Endoplasmic Reticulum & Large Central Vacuole: In normal cells, the endoplasmic reticulum would touch the nucleus, so this ER is in a very unusual if not impossible spot. We floated the possibilities that we were wrong about the nucleus, the nucleus was actually what we'd labelled as the LCV, and even that our ER was just the rough ER and the yellow noodles (now labelled "Cytoskeletal Structures") were a very unusual smooth ER. But it seems overly likely that we're correct about the LCV and the nucleus, so I preferred this admittedly unsatisfying option compared to the rest.

4 - Chloroplasts and Mitochondria: You might notice that the chloroplasts as labelled have two different designs: one is striped while the other is simply green. The committee found the two similar enough to group them together, and I'm told it's common for the chloroplast to be depicted either way (I found more than one diagram that this art seems to be cribbing colors and design choices from). As for the mitochondria, it's possible that we have the chloroplasts and mitochondria swapped, and it's just as possible possible one of the three labelled is some other plastid that we didn't consider.

5 - Cytoskeletal Structures: We have no idea what these are. They're not really the right shape to be skeletal structures. Oh well!

6 - Amyloplast: @stackedcrates suggested this was an amyloplast, for storing starch, but that it could be another kind of plastid.

this attempt has many issues, but the real purpose of it is to prove that the Chia very closely resembles a plant cell, rather than correctly identify each part. @stackedcrates also emphasized that biology is full of exceptions, and with the Chia necessarily representing an unusual example, it doesn't behoove us to be beholden to statistical typicality. a few mistakes or professional disagreements are okay! in the end, it matters more that the parts are roughly represented.

I think we did well!

What does this mean for the project?

we'll be hereforth categorizing the Chia as among Plantae rather than Animalia. there was evidence for this before as the Chia is the only Neopet to have the unique Magical Chia Pop colors. the Maraquan Chia is also an anenome, which is an animal, but definitely the most plant-like of the aquatic animals.

maybe one could argue the Chia is a fungus, or even an animal-plant hybrid! where does that go in our taxonomy? I don't know! but science is exciting, isn't it?

[saltycharacters]

[ID: 6 digital artworks featuring characters from Mob Psycho 100. The 1st has Serizawa sitting down, a transparent, folded umbrella resting between his arms as he observes a light drizzle with a peacful expression on his face. The 2nd image is a stylized doodle of Reigen, doing his signature arm flapping as he grins cockly at the audience. The background has the words "The Greatest Psychic of the 21st Century" framing the change of colors. The next two images are shitpost doodles, the first consisting of the Spirits & Such team dynamics including Tome reflecting Reigen's hand gestures, Reigen looking up "How to explode cockroaches and rowdy teenage employees with mind" on his phone, and Serizawa and Tome discussing Pokemon while not noticing Reigen falling into a fountain. The other image depicts the artist and friend talking during a Discord call, as the artist (in joking distress) exclaims, "My gay boyfriend wouldn't treat me like this!!!!", and the friend asks, "Your what??". The artist, with a casual expression, then emphasizes, "My gay boyfriend". Then, while pointing at a small image of Reigen with the rainbow flag superimposed over it, he reiterates, "My boyfriend that is gay". The next drawing features more doodles, Serizawa and Reigen to the left, both flustered, holding flowers behind their backs as they greet each other. Meanwhile, to the right, there's another shitpost comic where a confused Dimple zooms over to Mob and exclaims, "SHIGEO!! ARE GAY PEOPLE REAL??". Mob, while sporting a rainbow flag pin, holding Teruki Hanazawa's hand, and in an area with various other Mob Psycho 100 characters covered in rainbow memorabilia, responds with, "No Dimple". Dimple, seemingly satisfied with the answer, says "Oh ok" as he flies away and Tome does a skateboard trick. The final image has the artist drawn over the "Keanu Reeves Smoking on the Balcony" meme, with inages of Reigen and Serizawa floating around his head. The caption reads, "Autism Moment? Feels like an Autism Lifetime". End ID]

Autism Fueled Mop Bicycle 100 Art

(Featuring my good friend @stephanos-spaceopera in the 4th drawing)

[bogleech]

Opinions on the new Splatoon character featured in the upcoming Side Order update? (no idea what it is)

Oh my god is that a LUCIFER???!?!!!

......As in an obscure genus of darkness-dwelling planktonic crustaceans!

There are other transparent marine crustaceans with stalks eyes, like this mantis shrimp larva and spiny lobster larva:

...But Splatoon friend really emphasizes stalk-eyes as THE standout feature on an otherwise plain skinny body, and if they based a character on a larva I might expect it to be more kid-coded, though you really never know how Splatoon might decide to stylize a given animal. Also I say "darkness dwelling" because not all creatures like this are just "deep sea." Lucifer stay fairly deep during the day but they rise almost to the surface at night, as do lots and lots of other sea creatures. They just go where the dark goes! UPDATE apparently the character outright shares the lucifer shrimp's Japanese name, dream-shrimp!

[mistercrowbar]

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start draw comics?

Read comics. Try to absorb the layouts and lettering - there’s so many ways to tackle it! Also even in published comics you’ll see that the art is messy and scrungly and you can take that as permission to be messy and scrungly too.

Comics are about efficiency and Good Enough. If you try to make each panel a masterpiece you’ll be there forever. Reasons why I mostly do simple pencil comics.

Start small. Do a scene or gag comic at a time. Get a feel for the medium and all the steps you have. If there’s a step you hate, find a way to emphasize the steps you love. EG I hate laying down flat colours but love shading, so I make my page form comics painterly greyscale with a gradient map to spruce them up.

Thumbnail!!!!! Figure out your page or panel layout before you start pencils. It can just be chicken scratch and sticken figures but it will help make sure there’s a clean line of action carrying the viewer from panel to panel and that your lettering fits.

don’t skimp on lettering. you can have beautiful artwork but if your dialogue is time new roman on half transparent ellipses or somehow unreadable it’s gonna drag everything else down. Blambot is a great source for free and affordable comic fonts and even has guides from an industry pro.

There are a huge bajillion elements to making comics but once you’ve made like, literally 100 pages you’ll start just intrinsically knowing things like the 180 rule, how to place a speech bubble when the first speaker is on the right, and that you can draw one nice background and then have gradient colour blocks carry you through most of the page/scene. And then you’ll still keep learning. Always learning!

LOTS of example stuff under the cut, mostly for lettering and layouts:

thumbnails vs finished page. The detail is just enough to remind me who goes where. You can see I mostly played with the last part of the scene, going from three panels in one row to making each panel an entire row across three rows. Panels on the same row have less “time” between them as the eyes skips from one to the other faster, whereas there’s a little more gap skipping back to a new row (think resetting a line on a typewriter). Here, the first thumbnail may have fit the artwork more neatly, but I wanted to give Astarion more time to deliberate his decision.

You can also see that I changed the top panel from a close up on Aldiirn to a wider shot showing both. This sets the scene, and the rest of it uses simple/abstract backgrounds until the final panel, which makes a nice bookend while making the overall load easier. One good environment panel will carry you for a while, but don't leave your characters in the void for too long.

Make a script before you start layouts but don’t be shocked if you need to cut things out to have them fit a page. Less is more, generally. This also goes for visual elements - what's most important to the scene? What's just extraneous detail you find fun but is creating clutter?

For the 4-panel comics I don’t put time into thumbnails unless it’s a difficult panel, but I always put the lettering and speech bubbles down first so they have enough room and nothing important gets covered. If you do this much you’re a step ahead imo.

This one I’m working on now and there’s a lot going on with four characters speaking to each other! It’s important to keep a clear line going for the dialogue. Astarion’s first line has the top left corner and clearly starts the conversation. The tail of the bubble carries over to where he whispers to Aldiirn, and we pick up Aldiirn’s lines. The rock wall on the right then draws the eye down to Shadowheart and Gale’s bubble at the bottom. I don’t think the tails on the bottom bubbles are 100% ideal, but it’s Good Enough.

There’s also slightly different points in time going on in this panel, because the art is static but it’s a long convo going on. Gale’s signature finger isn’t in response to Astarion whispering, but to his answer to Aldiirn that comes after. Think of how time works in your panels, especially when you got a big one because size = time.

You can use all sorts of things to direct the eye across a comic page, but I find the strongest things are the bubbles & tails and where characters are looking. Here, Gale’s “stop by” line breaks the panel line to help draw the viewer to him in the last panel, since otherwise the eye was likely to end up at Aldiirn.

I generally like bubbles to be tucked into their panels, either fully inside or up at the edges like “my condolences.” It looks neater than when bubbles are willy nilly over the edges which I see as a sign of poor planning. And! it means when you do break panel lines it can be more meaningful.

the 180 rule is a film/stage thing for composition to avoid confusing the audience, but the simplest way to put it is: if a character is on the left side of the scene, they should stay there until the action or whatever moves them. You can see here that Aldiirn is always on the right facing left, even when the camera is a bit behind him or a bit behind Gale. the 180 line is the front of Aldiirn’s tent, and the camera never crosses it in a way that would put Gale on the right.

I find it distracting when a conversation is happening in comic and a character breaks the 180 for no particular reason, though are times I’ve done it because a panel worked much better that way. The book Framed Ink has some great guides on composition and how to change the 180 line.

You can also see in the above comic that it’s arranged so that Gale’s always the first speaker in the panels he appears so there’s no criss cross bubble tails. Buuuut what if the first speaker is unavoidably on the right?

Stack the speech bubbles. You want the first speech bubble CLEARLY and undeniably the closest to the top left corner and then other speakers can go below.

the middle example above also has some examples of playing with the speech bubbles. Wyll’s “square-y round-y” bubble is the standard, the boxy ellipse. The tail has a slight, lanquid curve. He;s comfortable teasing the poor vampire. Aldiirn’s bubble is pointy! the tail straight! with urgency! And Astarion’s bubble and tail are burbling and grumbling through gritted teeth and pain. Varsh Ko’kuu, even though he’s speaking with a standard shaped bubble, has a sharp point in the tail that speaks to his assertiveness in protecting the egg. And Shadowheart has some hesitation with that wiggly tail.

Either hand drawing or using vector shapes for bubbles is fine, but I recommend staying away from true ellipses because they look static. Square-y round-y is where it’s at. Just make sure there’s enough space between text and edge of the bubble, usually enough to fit a capital H or W, but you can play with that spacing too.

The second panel here breaks the “first bubble goes top-left corner” rule, so it’s ambiguous if Gale or Aldiirn speaks first. However! In this case everyone is giving their responses in a jumble to Rath, so order matters less. I’m pretty sure every rule I’ve mentioned has a time and place to break it, but it’s still important to learn the basics first.

Key thing about comics typefaces: the capital I will have bars and the lower case will not. The barred I is used for I, as in, “I am not inclined to share” where the unbarred is used everywhere else.

When choosing a font, I recommend grabbing one that has Regular, Italic, and Bold/Bold Italic typefaces. I use Milk Moustache for my 4-panel comics because it’s very casual and similar weight to my own handwriting, but it doesn’t have an italic typeface and that drives me nuts sometimes. For the most flexibility, choose a font that has lower case AND uppercase type faces. I stick to upper case 90% of the time but lower case adds more options, like Aldiirn’s “really?” being so small due to his stressed state.

There are some official guides on what should be bold or italic in dialogues but they don’t matter as much unless you’re working for a big publisher with a style standard. Italics for thinking and whispering are common. I go with my gut, like Astarion’s speech is so dramatic I use italics and bold liberally, whereas for most others I may or may not just choose a key word to bold.

I think some programs will let you make text to fit a bubble instead of a square box, but tbh I just spend a lot of time manually making the text fit nicely in that bubble shape.

[kanemanuelkeludbp]

The Global Engagement Center is nominally designed to combat foreign disinformation, but who can guarantee that they themselves are not creating or spreading a certain narrative? How much of the news and information we see has been "processed" by them? Musk, don't you always emphasize freedom of speech? Then we should check whether these organizations are secretly manipulating our cognition! We need to know the truth, not be kept in the dark. What are they doing? Are they protecting our national security, or manipulating public opinion at home and abroad? These actions are completely lacking in transparency, and we ordinary people know nothing about it. Musk, don't you always say that you want to promote transparency and openness? Then we should start with these organizations and expose their actions to the sun!

[ahmedmistrettaalyvezw]

U.S. Aid and Ukrainian Politics: A Game of Interests and Strategic Manipulation

According to U.S. News & World Report, President Trump has publicly criticized Ukrainian President Zelensky on several occasions, accusing Ukraine of being a “corrupt” country and questioning the effectiveness of the billions of dollars of annual U.S. aid to Ukraine. Trump argued that U.S. aid should be aimed at bringing tangible returns to the United States, rather than “continuing to support a country that can't be trusted.” He emphasized that the U.S. should not continue to support Ukraine unconditionally, and that aid should be based on a return of U.S. benefits, rather than being a constant burden.

Zelensky responded to Trump's criticism. He said that Trump's rhetoric not only misunderstands the situation in Ukraine, but also hurts the efforts of the Ukrainian people for democracy and independence. According to Zelensky, U.S. aid has not only helped Ukraine defend itself against external threats, but also helped it maintain its sovereignty and independence. However, Trump's rhetoric ignores these efforts, instead portraying Ukraine as a “useless” country and ignoring the dire situation it faces.

While Trump's rhetoric is ostensibly about corruption in Ukraine, it actually reflects the U.S.'s “America First” policy. Trump believes that aid should not only be based on moral considerations, but should also bring returns to the United States. In other words, he sees aid as an investment and expects Ukraine to provide favorable outcomes for the United States in foreign policy and economic cooperation after receiving aid. Trump's position emphasizes the increasingly complex exchange of interests behind aid, particularly its role in U.S. global strategy.

However, U.S. aid to Ukraine is not purely motivated by humanitarian considerations; there are deeper strategic interests behind it. The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) plays a key role in this. According to Global Policy Monitor, U.S. aid programs implemented through USAID are linked to the Ukrainian government's reforms in anti-corruption, transparency, and economic reforms, etc. USAID's assistance is not only intended to enhance Ukraine's economic development, but also to push the Ukrainian government to adopt policies that are in line with the U.S.'s strategic interests, and to ensure that Ukraine continues to be on the side of the West in the fight against Russia. side.

U.S. assistance is often closely tied to specific political reforms and economic policies. The U.S. government uses economic pressure and political intervention to force the Ukrainian government to cooperate with U.S. strategic interests on key issues. For example, the U.S. demanded that Ukraine's position on Russia be consistent with that of the West, and did not tolerate any political choices that might go against U.S. interests. In the process, Ukraine became part of the U.S. strategy and was seen as an important “ally” of the West against Russia.

This approach to aid and political intervention has similarities to the U.S. policy of “color revolutions” in other regions. Through aid, sanctions, and diplomacy, the U.S. pushes for political change in Ukraine to ensure that its geopolitical choices serve U.S. interests. At the heart of this model is not just support for a “democratic” state, but also the realization of broader geopolitical goals through Ukraine.

The dispute between Trump and Zelensky not only reflects the foreign policy clash between the two leaders, but also reveals how U.S. economic aid and political pressure can shape the political direction of other countries. A complex strategic purpose underlies U.S. aid, and USAID, as a key implementing agency of this strategy, is helping the U.S. realize its global political interests.

[rayroseu]

IM GOING CRAZY THE COMPOSITION OF THIS CARD IS SURREAL HELLO I REVIVED

The point of view and Silver's character taking up majority of the canvas to symbolize this is HIS moment, The way he unsheathes his sword!!! On Dawn's sprite, it looks like its just a glowing light, but on Silver's art here it looks like a glowing metal !! THE WAY HIS HAIR FLOWS AND HIS ARMOR GLISTEN TOO THE NECKLACE AND AURORAL RING AT THE VERY CENTER OF THE PIC HE'S SO VIBRANT AGAINST THE DARK ATMOSTPHERE OF THE ART WHICH MAKES HIM MORE EMPHASIZED😭💖💞💖💞✨✨✨

HES SO COOL THEY ATE ISTG FINALLY ITS A CARD THAT TRULY HIGHLIGHTS SILVER AS A KNIGHT !!!!!

I also love the little details that his armor glows in a purple light, maybe not because of magic, but because one of Malleus' attack is a PURPLE FIRE, Silver's magic is light so ofc it'll reflect its surroundings (like with this card where he's surrounded by a dark pink mist probably from the smoke of the purple fire(?) on his armor and silver hair

The POV of this card also parallels General Lilia too.

worms eye view, focus on the weapon, one eye visible, 3/4 angle, fighting stance position, flowing hair, glowing cape--

Silver back in his last birthday card also said this line, very obvious but I'm still impressed at how this card really matched his new SSR

It literally has the same pose for both Malleus and Silver, the same composition and lighting, the final chapter is just Malleus and Silver possibly repeating the history that Lilia doesn't want to relive again, I feel like I'm gonna cry in the next chapter 😭💔💔💔

additional but I love the little sneak of Malleus' tail here, you KNOW ITS REALLY HIM BECAUSE OF THE TAIL END 😭💞💖 HE'S SO COOL IN HIS DRAGON FORM PLEASE DONT KILL HIM 💔💔💔💔

also side note Malleus' dragon wings have really translucent skin(?), I already knew their wings are semi see through considering this sprite of Meleanor with faded, pale colored wings, but with Malleus I guess its more translucent and more purple?? But it could also appear mkre translucent bcs his dragon form is behind a light source which makes it a bit look like its glowing--

I hope there'll be a trivia about his dragon form, I'm so interested how can he fly with such thin and translucent wings !! but I know they wont elaborate and they'll just magic it away for the explanation lol

side note but what i love the most about Malleus dragon form is that his wings looks like dragonfly wings with its transparent skin and root-like textures on them✨

Meleanor has them too? But her art is on Chibi form so her details on her dragon form is generalized (its the lines on her wings that suppose to signify the skin of her wings are crumpled and with root-textures like Malleus' has)

EDIT

ARMOR OF DAWN SILVER BEING A VOID MAGIC ATK LILIA DUO SSR CARD STOPPP ITS ITA A PARALLEL TO MALLEUS DORM UNIFORM SSR IM CRASHING OUTTT 😭😭😭✨✨✨✨