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mostlysignssomeportents · 1 year ago

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Cleantech has an enshittification problem

On July 14, I'm giving the closing keynote for the fifteenth HACKERS ON PLANET EARTH, in QUEENS, NY. Happy Bastille Day! On July 20, I'm appearing in CHICAGO at Exile in Bookville.

EVs won't save the planet. Ultimately, the material bill for billions of individual vehicles and the unavoidable geometry of more cars-more traffic-more roads-greater distances-more cars dictate that the future of our cities and planet requires public transit – lots of it.

But no matter how much public transit we install, there's always going to be some personal vehicles on the road, and not just bikes, ebikes and scooters. Between deliveries, accessibility, and stubbornly low-density regions, there's going to be a lot of cars, vans and trucks on the road for the foreseeable future, and these should be electric.

Beyond that irreducible minimum of personal vehicles, there's the fact that individuals can't install their own public transit system; in places that lack the political will or means to create working transit, EVs are a way for people to significantly reduce their personal emissions.

In policy circles, EV adoption is treated as a logistical and financial issue, so governments have focused on making EVs affordable and increasing the density of charging stations. As an EV owner, I can affirm that affordability and logistics were important concerns when we were shopping for a car.

But there's a third EV problem that is almost entirely off policy radar: enshittification.

An EV is a rolling computer in a fancy case with a squishy person inside of it. While this can sound scary, there are lots of cool implications for this. For example, your EV could download your local power company's tariff schedule and preferentially charge itself when the rates are lowest; they could also coordinate with the utility to reduce charging when loads are peaking. You can start them with your phone. Your repair technician can run extensive remote diagnostics on them and help you solve many problems from the road. New features can be delivered over the air.

That's just for starters, but there's so much more in the future. After all, the signal virtue of a digital computer is its flexibility. The only computer we know how to make is the Turing complete, universal, Von Neumann machine, which can run every valid program. If a feature is computationally tractable – from automated parallel parking to advanced collision prevention – it can run on a car.

The problem is that this digital flexibility presents a moral hazard to EV manufacturers. EVs are designed to make any kind of unauthorized, owner-selected modification into an IP rights violation ("IP" in this case is "any law that lets me control the conduct of my customers or competitors"):

https://locusmag.com/2020/09/cory-doctorow-ip/

EVs are also designed so that the manufacturer can unilaterally exert control over them or alter their operation. EVs – even more than conventional vehicles – are designed to be remotely killswitched in order to help manufacturers and dealers pressure people into paying their car notes on time:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/24/rent-to-pwn/#kitt-is-a-demon

Manufacturers can reach into your car and change how much of your battery you can access:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/07/28/edison-not-tesla/#demon-haunted-world

They can lock your car and have it send its location to a repo man, then greet him by blinking its lights, honking its horn, and pulling out of its parking space:

https://tiremeetsroad.com/2021/03/18/tesla-allegedly-remotely-unlocks-model-3-owners-car-uses-smart-summon-to-help-repo-agent/

And of course, they can detect when you've asked independent mechanic to service your car and then punish you by degrading its functionality:

https://www.repairerdrivennews.com/2024/06/26/two-of-eight-claims-in-tesla-anti-trust-lawsuit-will-move-forward/

This is "twiddling" – unilaterally and irreversibly altering the functionality of a product or service, secure in the knowledge that IP law will prevent anyone from twiddling back by restoring the gadget to a preferred configuration:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

The thing is, for an EV, twiddling is the best case scenario. As bad as it is for the company that made your EV to change how it works whenever they feel like picking your pocket, that's infinitely preferable to the manufacturer going bankrupt and bricking your car.

That's what just happened to owners of Fisker EVs, cars that cost $40-70k. Cars are long-term purchases. An EV should last 12-20 years, or even longer if you pay to swap the battery pack. Fisker was founded in 2016 and shipped its first Ocean SUV in 2023. The company is now bankrupt:

https://insideevs.com/news/723669/fisker-inc-bankruptcy-chapter-11-official/

Fisker called its vehicles "software-based cars" and they weren't kidding. Without continuous software updates and server access, those Fisker Ocean SUVs are turning into bricks. What's more, the company designed the car from the ground up to make any kind of independent service and support into a felony, by wrapping the whole thing in overlapping layers of IP. That means that no one can step in with a module that jailbreaks the Fisker and drops in an alternative firmware that will keep the fleet rolling.

This is the third EV risk – not just finance, not just charger infrastructure, but the possibility that any whizzy, cool new EV company will go bust and brick your $70k cleantech investment, irreversibly transforming your car into 5,500 lb worth of e-waste.

This confers a huge advantage onto the big automakers like VW, Kia, Ford, etc. Tesla gets a pass, too, because it achieved critical mass before people started to wise up to the risk of twiddling and bricking. If you're making a serious investment in a product you expect to use for 20 years, are you really gonna buy it from a two-year old startup with six months' capital in the bank?

The incumbency advantage here means that the big automakers won't have any reason to sink a lot of money into R&D, because they won't have to worry about hungry startups with cool new ideas eating their lunches. They can maintain the cozy cartel that has seen cars stagnate for decades, with the majority of "innovation" taking the form of shitty, extractive and ill-starred ideas like touchscreen controls and an accelerator pedal that you have to rent by the month:

https://www.theverge.com/2022/11/23/23474969/mercedes-car-subscription-faster-acceleration-feature-price

Put that way, it's clear that this isn't an EV problem, it's a cleantech problem. Cleantech has all the problems of EVs: it requires a large capital expenditure, it will be "smart," and it is expected to last for decades. That's rooftop solar, heat-pumps, smart thermostat sensor arrays, and home storage batteries.

And just as with EVs, policymakers have focused on infrastructure and affordability without paying any attention to the enshittification risks. Your rooftop solar will likely be controlled via a Solaredge box – a terrible technology that stops working if it can't reach the internet for a protracted period (that's right, your home solar stops working if the grid fails!).

I found this out the hard way during the covid lockdowns, when Solaredge terminated its 3G cellular contract and notified me that I would have to replace the modem in my system or it would stop working. This was at the height of the supply-chain crisis and there was a long waiting list for any replacement modems, with wifi cards (that used your home internet rather than a cellular connection) completely sold out for most of a year.

There are good reasons to connect rooftop solar arrays to the internet – it's not just so that Solaredge can enshittify my service. Solar arrays that coordinate with the grid can make it much easier and safer to manage a grid that was designed for centralized power production and is being retrofitted for distributed generation, one roof at a time.

But when the imperatives of extraction and efficiency go to war, extraction always wins. After all, the Solaredge system is already in place and solar installers are largely ignorant of, and indifferent to, the reasons that a homeowner might want to directly control and monitor their system via local controls that don't roundtrip through the cloud.

Somewhere in the hindbrain of any prospective solar purchaser is the experience with bricked and enshittified "smart" gadgets, and the knowledge that anything they buy from a cool startup with lots of great ideas for improving production, monitoring, and/or costs poses the risk of having your 20 year investment bricked after just a few years – and, thanks to the extractive imperative, no one will be able to step in and restore your ex-solar array to good working order.

I make the majority of my living from books, which means that my pay is very "lumpy" – I get large sums when I publish a book and very little in between. For many years, I've used these payments to make big purchases, rather than financing them over long periods where I can't predict my income. We've used my book payments to put in solar, then an induction stove, then a battery. We used one to buy out the lease on our EV. And just a month ago, we used the money from my upcoming Enshittification book to put in a heat pump (with enough left over to pay for a pair of long-overdue cataract surgeries, scheduled for the fall).

When we started shopping for heat pumps, it was clear that this was a very exciting sector. First of all, heat pumps are kind of magic, so efficient and effective it's almost surreal. But beyond the basic tech – which has been around since the late 1940s – there is a vast ferment of cool digital features coming from exciting and innovative startups.

By nature, I'm the kid of person who likes these digital features. I started out as a computer programmer, and while I haven't written production code since the previous millennium, I've been in and around the tech industry for my whole adult life. But when it came time to buy a heat-pump – an investment that I expected to last for 20 years or more – there was no way I was going to buy one of these cool new digitally enhanced pumps, no matter how much the reviewers loved them. Sure, they'd work well, but it's precisely because I'm so knowledgeable about high tech that I could see that they would fail very, very badly.

You may think EVs are bullshit, and they are – though there will always be room for some personal vehicles, and it's better for people in transit deserts to drive EVs than gas-guzzlers. You may think rooftop solar is a dead-end and be all-in on utility scale solar (I think we need both, especially given the grid-disrupting extreme climate events on our horizon). But there's still a wide range of cleantech – induction tops, heat pumps, smart thermostats – that are capital intensive, have a long duty cycle, and have good reasons to be digitized and networked.

Take home storage batteries: your utility can push its rate card to your battery every time they change their prices, and your battery can use that information to decide when to let your house tap into the grid, and when to switch over to powering your home with the solar you've stored up during the day. This is a very old and proven pattern in tech: the old Fidonet BBS network used a version of this, with each BBS timing its calls to other nodes to coincide with the cheapest long-distance rates, so that messages for distant systems could be passed on:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FidoNet

Cleantech is a very dynamic sector, even if its triumphs are largely unheralded. There's a quiet revolution underway in generation, storage and transmission of renewable power, and a complimentary revolution in power-consumption in vehicles and homes:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/12/s-curve/#anything-that-cant-go-on-forever-eventually-stops

But cleantech is too important to leave to the incumbents, who are addicted to enshittification and planned obsolescence. These giant, financialized firms lack the discipline and culture to make products that have the features – and cost savings – to make them appealing to the very wide range of buyers who must transition as soon as possible, for the sake of the very planet.

It's not enough for our policymakers to focus on financing and infrastructure barriers to cleantech adoption. We also need a policy-level response to enshittification.

Ideally, every cleantech device would be designed so that it was impossible to enshittify – which would also make it impossible to brick:

Based on free software (best), or with source code escrowed with a trustee who must release the code if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

All patents in a royalty-free patent-pool (best); or in a trust that will release them into a royalty-free pool if the company enters administration (distant second-best);

No parts-pairing or other DRM permitted (best); or with parts-pairing utilities available to all parties on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best);

All diagnostic and error codes in the public domain, with all codes in the clear within the device (best); or with decoding utilities available on demand to all comers on a reasonable and non-discriminatory basis (distant second-best).

There's an obvious business objection to this: it will reduce investment in innovative cleantech because investors will perceive these restrictions as limits on the expected profits of their portfolio companies. It's true: these measures are designed to prevent rent-extraction and other enshittificatory practices by cleantech companies, and to the extent that investors are counting on enshittification rents, this might prevent them from investing.

But that has to be balanced against the way that a general prohibition on enshittificatory practices will inspire consumer confidence in innovative and novel cleantech products, because buyers will know that their investments will be protected over the whole expected lifespan of the product, even if the startup goes bust (nearly every startup goes bust). These measures mean that a company with a cool product will have a much larger customer-base to sell to. Those additional sales more than offset the loss of expected revenue from cheating and screwing your customers by twiddling them to death.

There's also an obvious legal objection to this: creating these policies will require a huge amount of action from Congress and the executive branch, a whole whack of new rules and laws to make them happen, and each will attract court-challenges.

That's also true, though it shouldn't stop us from trying to get legal reforms. As a matter of public policy, it's terrible and fucked up that companies can enshittify the things we buy and leave us with no remedy.

However, we don't have to wait for legal reform to make this work. We can take a shortcut with procurement – the things governments buy with public money. The feds, the states and localities buy a lot of cleantech: for public facilities, for public housing, for public use. Prudent public policy dictates that governments should refuse to buy any tech unless it is designed to be enshittification-resistant.

This is an old and honorable tradition in policymaking. Lincoln insisted that the rifles he bought for the Union Army come with interoperable tooling and ammo, for obvious reasons. No one wants to be the Commander in Chief who shows up on the battlefield and says, "Sorry, boys, war's postponed, our sole supplier decided to stop making ammunition."

By creating a market for enshittification-proof cleantech, governments can ensure that the public always has the option of buying an EV that can't be bricked even if the maker goes bust, a heat-pump whose digital features can be replaced or maintained by a third party of your choosing, a solar controller that coordinates with the grid in ways that serve their owners – not the manufacturers' shareholders.

We're going to have to change a lot to survive the coming years. Sure, there's a lot of scary ways that things can go wrong, but there's plenty about our world that should change, and plenty of ways those changes could be for the better. It's not enough for policymakers to focus on ensuring that we can afford to buy whatever badly thought-through, extractive tech the biggest companies want to foist on us – we also need a focus on making cleantech fit for purpose, truly smart, reliable and resilient.

Support me this summer on the Clarion Write-A-Thon and help raise money for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers' Workshop!

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/06/26/unplanned-obsolescence/#better-micetraps

Image: 臺灣古寫真上色 (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Raid_on_Kagi_City_1945.jpg

Grendelkhan (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Ground_mounted_solar_panels.gk.jpg

CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/deed.en

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heliosunny · 6 months ago

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For the request can I please have yandere Topaz x spy reader?

Yandere!Topaz x Spy!Reader

The IPC headquarters was an untouchable fortress, at least, that’s what they wanted everyone to believe. You had slipped through tighter security before, evaded sharper eyes, and walked away from more perilous operations unscathed. This was just another job. Another mission. Another untouchable figure to dismantle.

Topaz, Senior Manager of Strategic Investments, was the target. Her role in the IPC made her a dangerous opponent, but also an invaluable asset to your employer. You only needed to extract classified financial records, just enough to tip the scales. A clean job, no blood, no alarms, just data.

Everything had gone smoothly.

You bypassed security systems, wove through automated patrols, and reached the data archives without a hitch. The files loaded onto your drive in seconds. A flawless escape was within reach, that is, until you turned around.

She was waiting. Topaz stood casually in front of the exit, arms crossed, a small smile tugging at the corners of her lips. Her eyes gleamed with something unsettling, mostly amusement, curiosity, control.

"Wow" she mused, "I have to admit, you’re pretty good. Most people don’t make it this far without setting off at least a dozen alarms."

You had been careful. Every precaution taken. Every measure accounted for.

As if reading your mind, Topaz lifted her wrist, revealing a sleek IPC communicator. "The moment you entered the building, I had my security feed rerouted. Instead of alerting my subordinates, I let you walk right in. I wanted to see how far you'd get before realizing..." She tilted her head, a smirk forming.

"You were never in control."

Heat burned at the back of your neck. "Then why wait? Why let me get this far if you knew?"

She chuckled. "Because watching you work was fun. And because, sweetheart, I think we can help each other."

Your breath steadied as your mind raced. If she wasn’t alerting security, she wanted something. This wasn’t an immediate death sentence, it was a game. And if she wanted to play, you would find a way to win.

"What kind of help?" you asked, voice carefully neutral.

Topaz’s smile widened as she stepped closer, her heels clicking softly against the floor. "A deal, of course. You’re talented, resourceful, and bold. The kind of person I like keeping around. So here’s my offer: work for me."

"Not as an IPC agent" she continued, her tone sweet, coaxing, "but as my personal informant. I have... competitors who need watching, tasks that require someone with your skill set." She brushed a hand through her hair, her voice dropping to a near whisper. "In exchange, I'll make sure no one knows you were ever here. No bounty on your head, no retaliation from the IPC, no mysterious 'disappearances' in the night."

It sounded too good. There had to be a catch.

"...And if I refuse?"

Topaz sighed, feigning disappointment. "Then I let my security system do its job, and, well..." She gestured lazily. "You know how the IPC deals with trespassers. Your real employer won't come save you. You'll just be another loose end tied up."

You needed time. A chance to find a weakness, to flip the game back in your favor.

You exhaled, slowly. "Fine. I'll hear the terms."

Topaz beamed. "Good choice! You won’t regret it."

For a moment, it almost seemed like you wouldn’t. The first few tasks were simple, easy, and manageable, gathering intel, dropping misinformation, a few falsified reports. But then, slowly, the conditions began to change.

At first, it was extra tasks. Then, it was little details that didn’t quite match what you originally agreed to. And by the time you realized just how deep you were, the walls had already closed in. You weren’t an idiot. You knew from the start that Topaz's deal was too good to be true.

Numby, her ever-present companion, had taken an odd interest in you. The chubby trotter followed you around constantly, snuffling at your pockets like it expected you to start producing money.

One time, you caught it trying to chew through your coat.

“Numby, no.”

The little trotter blinked up at you innocently.

“I told you” Topaz had chuckled, leaning lazily against her desk, “Numby’s got a good eye for investments. And you?” She smirked. “You're a very valuable asset.”

You didn’t like how she said that.

You liked it even less when you started noticing the subtle shifts in her behavior.

At first, it was small things. The way your “assignments” started requiring more personal involvement. The way she casually dropped your name into IPC circles, slipping you into places you had no business being. The way Numby had started curling up in your lap without invitation, as if marking you as hers.

Your usual informants suddenly wanted nothing to do with you. Your safe houses mysteriously stopped being “safe.” Every attempt to create an exit route was subtly, effortlessly blocked.

The final straw came when you tried to leave the planet.

You had booked an anonymous ticket on a cargo ship, something low-profile, something outside of IPC jurisdiction. But when you arrived at the dock, a familiar voice rang out.

“Ohhh, I knew you’d try something like this.”

You whipped around.

Topaz stood a few feet away, arms crossed, eyes gleaming with amusement. Numby floated beside her, its little snout twitching as if sniffing out your escape attempt like a financial miscalculation.

Your stomach twisted. "How?"

She clicked her tongue, shaking her head as if disappointed. “Come on, sweetheart, do you really think I’d let you walk out of a contract so easily?”

"This wasn’t in the deal."

Topaz’s lips curled. “Mmm... No, but I am IPC, and you did agree to work for me indefinitely. Did you really not read the fine print?”

A holo-screen flickered to life beside her, displaying an altered version of your agreement. There—right at the bottom, in the tiniest, most infuriatingly vague text—you saw it:

"Duration: Until Manager Topaz deems the contract fulfilled."

"You rigged it."

Topaz grinned. "I refined it."

You took a step back. "This is insane. I never agreed to—"

"Sure you did! You just thought you could outsmart me." Her expression softened, almost fond. "But I like that about you. You keep things interesting."

Numby let out a happy squeak and nudged your leg.

You stared at them both. "You can't keep me here."

Topaz let out a slow, thoughtful hum. Then she smiled, bright and sweet.

"Numby?"

The little trotter chirped, then suddenly lunged for your ticket, chomping it out of your hand.

"NUMBY—!"

Too late. The stub was gone, devoured in one decisive bite. The tiny beast swallowed, then let out a smug snuffle, as if personally securing your financial—and physical ruin.

You gawked. "Did you just—”

Topaz stifled a laugh behind her hand. “Ahhh, Numby, good work! Always watching out for bad investments.”

Numby chirped in agreement.

You clenched your jaw, fury simmering beneath your skin. "I am not an investment."

Topaz hummed, stepping forward until she was just inches away. “Oh, but you are. A valuable one. And as long as you keep trying to leave…”

Her fingers brushed along your wrist, feather-light, yet iron in intent.

“…I’ll just have to keep reminding you where you belong.”

Numby let out a delighted snuffle.

You had never hated a tiny financial advisor more in your life.

Posing as Topaz’s subordinate had been a desperate move. You needed to buy time to find a weakness, an escape route, anything that could get you out of her grip.

But now, standing beside her in an IPC-investigated fraud case, you were beginning to regret it.

The boardroom was silent. A collection of high-ranking IPC officials sat around the table, their holo-screens filled with financial reports, transaction histories, and legal documents. A high-profile businessman had been accused of embezzlement, and it was Topaz’s job to untangle the mess.

Technically, it wasn’t your job. But since Topaz had smugly introduced you as her "trusted assistant", you had no choice but to play along.

Numby sat on the table beside you, snuffling at the paperwork.

You shot Topaz a side glance. "You’re enjoying this way too much."

She smiled sweetly. "Of course I am. You look cute when you’re pretending to follow orders."

The meeting dragged on, the accused businessman sweating under the weight of the IPC’s scrutiny. Every time he tried to defend himself, Topaz countered with ironclad numbers. He was cornered. Almost.

But something felt off. A discrepancy in the financial records. A missing link.

You glanced at the reports again, scanning quickly. Then, you saw it-an insignificant-looking transaction, hidden within a cluster of minor expenses. But the pattern…

It was deliberate. A shell account. A decoy. The real funds were funneled elsewhere.

Topaz was still talking, smoothly dismantling the businessman’s weak excuses. You leaned in slightly, your voice low.

"He's hiding it through secondary shell accounts. Check the linked subsidiaries in column D—there’s a laundering trail."

Topaz stilled.

Then, a slow, delighted smile spread across her lips.

"Ahhh, I knew keeping you was a good idea."

Without hesitation, she pulled up the subsidiary records. One glance was all she needed.

"Well, well," she mused, cutting through the businessman’s last defense like a blade. “It looks like someone’s been playing very dirty.”

The room tensed. A few keystrokes later, and the final proof was displayed for all to see.

The businessman turned pale.

The IPC officials murmured in approval.

Numby let out a triumphant chirp.

And Topaz?

She turned to you and whispered, “I think I like you even more now.”

#yandere x reader #yandere #hsr x reader #honkai star rail #hsr x you #hsr topaz #topaz #yandere hsr x reader #hsr x y/n #yandere honkai star rail

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reikunrei · 1 year ago

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feeling incredibly averse to posting this but i'm just gonna drop my kofi link here in case anyone wants to help me get out of my increasingly shitty situation living with my parents

more info below ig

after having given my parents nearly $100k over the last four years, i'd love to be able to actually leave. my future job situation is still up in the air (i've submitted for about a dozen positions and the only one i've heard back from and interviewed for hasn't gotten back to me yet), and i haven't been able to build up any savings because, again, i was (and still am) helping my family afford rent and bills, and probably the taxes my parents are behind on, but if i think about that, i'll get too angry. no joke, i've given my family, at the bare minimum, 85% of my income over the last 4 years. the rest of it has gone toward medical stuff and, now, my car

at this point, with the combo of my mom refusing to lower her standards and my dad's seeming refusal to hunt for a new full time job, i don't see how they won't continue to bleed me dry. my dad even has a bad habit of taking money out of my old savings account that he's a joint owner on or whatever from when i got it set up when i was 16, even when i stopped actively putting money in it, so now any time it gets its automated $1 transfer from my checking account, he'll just take that $1 without consulting me. i'm not exaggerating, even if it has $1-2 in it, it'll be gone within a week

i've even put off starting on testosterone because of this. i wanted to start it like 3 years ago, but kept putting it off because of money issues and wanting to save as much as possible. i got really close to actually starting it this year, but because of how messy everything is, i put it off again bc having one more thing on my plate, especially when my parents are already weird about me being trans, was not something i wanted to deal with

not to mention, we're still currently not living under a lease in our house that we're, as far as i'm aware, still tens of thousands of dollars behind in rent on (again, my dad refuses to disclose our financial position honestly with any of us) and it's developed many, many issues bc the landlord, even before we were behind on rent, is shit and refuses to actually fix anything. and my dad loves to just ignore things unless we beg him to do something

i'd love to be on my own (in the, much more affordable, midwest) by the end of summer. i by no means want to rely on donations and i have other avenues i'm working with to make money (i still have my current full time job, but i'm going through my old belongings and selling a lot online), but i'll take any help i can get atp because i'm truly at my wits end. i'd start doing art commissions again if i could, but doing that from 2020-2022, partially on top of my full time job, absolutely wrecked my right hand and i'm still in enough pain that i can't make it a regular activity

idk how much else there is to say. there's more i could say but... i don't really wanna air all my dirty laundry here. i'm miserable in so many ways and it's just become increasingly clear that my dad expects me to constantly cover his ass. my younger brother gives money too, but he manages to go on big cross-country and overseas trips with friends, so i think i've been stuck with the burden of giving the most money. there's so many more things going on in the world rn and everyone is stretched thin so i don't expect much, or anything, but. idk. might as well throw it out there, right?

i’ve also since taken down the gfm i set up last year when we got our first eviction notice bc, while we still need the money, i don’t feel right keeping it up for multiple reasons, including “i don’t want to give any of that money to my family” and it feels too… serious to keep it up when i could just throw out my kofi instead

i just want to make sure i have some sort of safety net to catch me if i move before anything job-wise is finalized. i need to be able to afford a place to live for at least a month so i can job-search while physically being in the area i wanna move to, which would ultimately make it easier for me to find a job at all. i'm working on being more firm with giving less money so i can actually have the means to move and be safe and comfortable, but... that never lasts long in this house

anyway. that's it, i guess. thanks for reading

#i say things #crowdfunding

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captainjonnitkessler · 5 months ago

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the funny thing is, I agree with people when they point out that under the current financial crisis, buying exclusively sustainable, union, and local is just inaccessible for a lot of people, and I don't blame poor people for ordering from amazon or getting cheap fast fashion clothes because when your choice would otherwise be between rent and clothes, it's better when you can find a way to get both. But when they take that and make a sort of "rules for me but not for thee" attitude out of it, it infuriates me. It's like... you're so close. you're so close to realizing that the average consumer is not the one putting you out of work for using the most accessible things to them.

I remember when self-checkouts at stores first became a thing, and there was a whole reactionary backlash about how it was going to put people out of work and how society was "losing our human connection" and this website's near-unanimous response was "technology isn't your enemy, capitalism is! Blame the system, not the consumer! Think of all the good reasons people might want to use self-checkout!"

So the current discourse is really giving off an energy of "losing jobs to automation was fine when it was happening to other people, but now that it's happening to ME it's EVIL", which is . . . annoying, to put it mildly. Like I'm sorry, but I don't think the fact that your artwork has human soul or whatever makes your job more important than mine.

#ai discourse

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avasmith209 · 4 days ago

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ServiceNow’s Role in Modern Finance Management

Financial management today goes well beyond basic accounting and budgeting. Finance leaders now play a strategic role, using technology to help their organizations grow and work more efficiently. ServiceNow financial management is one platform that supports this shift by giving organizations real-time financial insights, helping them use resources wisely, and making sure spending matches business goals.

The Shift to Digital Financial Operations

Many traditional finance tools work separately, which makes it hard for organizations to see all their costs, investments, and results in one place. This can cause budgets to get off track, resources to be used poorly, and decisions to be delayed. Today’s finance teams need systems that are transparent, automated, and flexible.

ServiceNow financial management helps solve these problems by bringing together financial data with IT, operations, and business services. It gives finance teams the tools to manage costs before issues arise, focus spending where it matters most, and make sure investments support business goals. This is a move from reacting to problems to planning ahead. Cost Transparency

A key feature of ServiceNow financial management is that it shows, in real time, where money is going. With easy-to-use dashboards and reports, finance leaders can see costs across departments, services, and projects. This helps them plan better, budget more accurately, and keep everyone accountable.

By dividing expenses by business unit, application, or service, the platform makes it simpler to spot inefficiencies or places where money is being spent excessively. To optimize consumption or renegotiate vendor contracts, for instance, finance and IT can collaborate closely if a particular business service is using more resources than anticipated.

Budgeting and Forecasting with Precision

Budgeting and forecasting are important parts of financial planning, but many organizations still use manual spreadsheets that can be slow and error-prone. ServiceNow financial management lets finance teams automate budgeting, match real costs with planned budgets, and update forecasts using real-time data.

This approach saves time and effort during budget cycles and makes financial projections more accurate. Automated workflows and collaboration tools help keep everyone on the same page throughout the budgeting process.

Aligning Financial Decisions with Business Objectives

ServiceNow helps finance teams shift from just managing costs to creating value. With features like demand management and investment planning, leaders can check the return on investment for different projects before deciding where to spend. This makes sure financial choices support business goals.

For instance, decision-makers can evaluate the possible advantages of a significant technology upgrade, compare it to other projects, and choose the best finance plan before approving it. Organizations can increase the value of their investments by coordinating spending with the intended business results.

Driving Automation and Efficiency

Manual financial tasks take a lot of time and can lead to mistakes. ServiceNow financial management makes these tasks easier by automating them. Things like processing invoices, calculating chargebacks, and creating reports can be done automatically, so finance professionals can spend more time on analysis .

Moreover, the integration capacity of ServiceNow makes it easy to integrate with the ERPs, HRs and ITs, thus building a harmonious environment into which the financial processes fit. This integration reduces the duplication of data, eliminates the manual input, and increases the accuracy of the financial records.

Enhancing Collaboration Across Departments

Finance doesn’t operate in a vacuum. It intersects with every part of the business—from HR to IT to operations. ServiceNow financial management fosters cross-functional collaboration by providing a unified platform where teams can share data, align goals, and coordinate efforts.

For example, when IT launches a new service, finance can immediately track its costs, understand its impact on the budget, and determine its contribution to business objectives. This collaborative approach make sure that financial decisions are data-driven and support enterprise-wide goals.

Governance, Risk, and Compliance

In addition, modern finance needs to make sure that both internal and external regulations are followed. GRC capabilities that assist firms in risk management, control enforcement, and audit readiness are integrated with ServiceNow financial management. The technology makes it possible to track financial policies automatically and sends out alerts when regulatory requirements or thresholds are crossed.

With strong GRC integration, organizations can reduce the risk of financial mismanagement and improve their ability to respond to audits and compliance reviews.

Scalability for Growing Enterprises

Businesses' needs for financial management get increasingly complicated as they expand. ServiceNow financial management can grow with the company because to its cloud-based architecture. The platform allows financial operations to grow without compromising control or agility, regardless of the size of the business.

Its modular design allows companies to start small—perhaps with budgeting and cost tracking—and expand to include investment planning, demand management, and performance analytics as needs evolve.

A Strategic Asset for Finance Leaders

In an era where financial agility and insight are key to competitive advantage, ServiceNow financial management stands out as a strategic asset. It enables finance leaders to transition from record-keepers to strategic partners by providing real-time data, automation, and alignment with business strategy.

By breaking down silos, enhancing collaboration, and delivering actionable insights, ServiceNow financial management is redefining how modern enterprises manage their finances. It’s not just about saving money—it’s about driving value, enabling innovation, and supporting the organization’s long-term vision.

#it services #servicneow #canada #saas technology #usa #technology #financemanagement #finance

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maxsmith007-blog · 5 days ago

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What is conversational intelligence, and why does it matter?

Conversation Intelligence is not a trend—it’s a strategic function driving measurable business outcomes across sales, support, and service operations. As organizations scale customer-facing teams, the ability to extract actionable insights from conversations becomes critical.

In today’s fast-paced customer ecosystems, teams that rely solely on manual call reviews or post-meeting notes miss valuable data points that could drive performance. Conversation Intelligence fills this gap by automating the analysis of calls, chats and emails to reveal patterns in buyer behavior, objections, compliance gaps, and sentiment trends. It is a technology based on AI, which can process voice and text communication and transform unstructured data into an operating value in real-time.

Why Conversation Intelligence Matters to Business Outcomes

1. Increased Sales Productivity

Sales teams using Conversation Intelligence report up to 20% higher close rates due to better visibility into successful talk tracks, competitor mentions, and prospect engagement. AI-generated insights identify what top performers do differently—allowing managers to replicate winning behaviors across the team.

2. Operational Efficiency Gains

Manual QA processes are time-intensive and inconsistent. With automated conversation scoring, businesses can scale QA coverage from 2% of calls to over 90%, reducing review time by more than 60%. This shift improves response time, agent performance and overall process accuracy.

3. Real-Time Coaching and Skill Development

Instead of post-facto reviews, Conversation Intelligence enables live coaching prompts and instant feedback. This shortens learning curves and accelerates ramp-up time for new hires. Data shows that onboarding time drops by 30-40% when AI-driven coaching tools are in place.

4. Compliance and Risk Monitoring

Automated monitoring is useful with regulated industries such as the financial and health care sector. Conversation Intelligence alerts to possible cases of non-compliance, allowing for prompt action and minimizing risks. It is indicated that businesses have increased regulatory compliance by 35% using automated auditing.

5. Enhanced Customer Experience (CX)

Understanding customer sentiment, call drivers, and frustration points in real-time enables proactive support interventions. Organizations that apply insights from Conversation Intelligence to their CX strategies see up to 25% improvement in CSAT and NPS scores.

Turning Conversations into a Strategic Asset

Traditionally, customer interactions were only partially captured in CRM notes or post-call summaries. Conversation Intelligence turns these discussions into searchable and tagged insights, which drive product development, advertising, and customer achievement moves.

Insights derived from these conversations aren't just for immediate feedback—they help drive long-term strategic decisions. For instance, product teams can identify recurring feature requests, marketing can fine-tune messaging based on customer language and support teams can reduce ticket volume by addressing root causes.

Vanie’s Conversation Intelligence solution enables revenue, support, and operations teams to gain complete visibility into every customer interaction. With AI-trained models tailored to business contexts, Vanie empowers teams to act faster, coach smarter, and respond with consistency. Organizations using Vanie report tangible results including shorter sales cycles, reduced training costs and higher customer satisfaction metrics.

By turning voice and chat data into a reliable source of business intelligence, Vanie helps enterprises move from reactive decisions to proactive performance management—making Conversation Intelligence not just a tool, but a competitive differentiator.

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rimouskis · 2 years ago

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How do u make your yearly budget ? I remember you posting about your budget spreadsheet once. Pls I am v interested on how you set it up

I simply must ask if you're the FBI agent in my phone, because I genuinely just sent a message to a friend saying how excited I was it's the end of the month, meaning tomorrow I get to start with a fresh new slate in my budget hahaha

alright let's talk:

I don't do a yearly budget, technically! I budget month-per-month. There are lots of styles of budgets—some allowing for a yearly/more Long Term view—but what worked for my income level was a month-based system.

I lurked on r/personalfinance on reddit for a long while and actually pilfered my budget template from there!

I use this one, which I like both because I've used it for five years and because it's just plain ol' simple. I don't need charts to automatically populate and I don't want to categorize every purchase I make. I just want to see how much money I have per month and how much I'm spending.

That's also crucial to how I personally do budgeting. I don't set aside $X for food and $X for activities and $X for going out or whatever every month. That isn't productive to me; my life looks different every month depending on what's going on. I don't use my budget to be prescriptive; outside of my fixed expenses (rent, utilities, etc.) I just use my budget to track 1. where my money is going and 2. how much of it I have left.

If you want something with a bit more frills, there are lots of other options (one, two, three) on reddit, but I've [personally] found all their bells and whistles overwhelming. If they have useful features you want to use (like, some will have tabs for you to track debt and payments toward it), you can experiment with them, but I don't recommend them for someone new to budgeting.

...I also don't inherently recommend my preferred spreadsheet, either. It doesn't work for everyone. I've shown it to some friends and they almost immediately knew it wouldn't work for them. The reason it works for me is because I am kind of neurotic about budgeting.

To me, "peace of mind" is maintained by having a really close eye on my finances. That means that I track what I spend daily. I manually input every purchase into the spreadsheet. I manually put every paycheck into the spreadsheet. I keep the Google Sheets app on my phone for this very purpose.

That isn't something everyone's willing to do, and there's no shame in that—we all find the different tools that work best for us! But if you don't think you're able to keep up with manually tracking every cent you make and spend, I don't think that this method will be good for you.

If you need more automation in your budgeting, where you can get things autofilled and so on and so forth, I would have pointed you towards Mint, which I've heard good things about, but it's sadly shutting down this March. The article I linked provided an alternate recommendation, but I can't personally vouch for any of those services.

I've been tempted by YNAB a time or two — I like the idea that they intentionally work you towards living off of old paychecks instead of the money you earn month-of [which is a financial goal we should ALL strive for, even though it can be very hard], and I like that they encourage giving every dollar a "job", but you don't NEED their service to do either of those things. I don't like paying money to save money, you know? lol

I keep a secondary, simple spreadsheet with my "rolling funds" in it — money I set aside every month (which I input as a monthly "expense" in my normal spreadsheet) which I allocate to specific funds, like car funds, travel funds... I even had a "hockey game fund" for a few years, haha.

I prefer that method to paying for a service to do it for me. I'm sure YNAB has some nice bells and whistles, and it's clear MANY people love being integrated into their system, which has some automated bits that definitely make budgeting "easier," but I like Ye Olde Spreadsheet. Having to input every purchase keeps me accountable, I feel. Also it sometimes discourages me from spending money, haha, which is probably a good thing in the long run.

idk. I'm a huge advocate for budgeting. I know it can be really hard for some people, but I sincerely think there's some budgeting method out there that will work for you, you know? I credit my budget spreadsheets for keeping my head above water during the many times where money was/is tight. Knowledge is power and all that.

Not to sound like a #girlboss shilling my financial advice on tiktok (of which there are too many), but being aware of where your money is going is sincerely the biggest, most important step you can take towards building financial safety for yourself. My budget saved my ass this last year.

If you have any other questions, shoot them my way. I know it can seem daunting, but I totally think it's worth it! <3

#long post sorry lol #money cw #I suppose?

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the-scientist-blog · 5 months ago

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Wave energy is here.

Most often referred to as wave energy, or wave power, of all the choices available for generating renewable energy, I’m most intrigued about what the natural rhythm of sea waves can do. It will take a combination of all the clean energy alternatives, currently led by solar and wind, to one day displace fossil fuel as the world’s dominant form for powering up civilization. And, if the wave energy scientists and technicians can discover the correct formula for financial and environmental acceptance, ocean motion just might ride to the top of our destined sustainable energy platform and be the most viable choice in the expanding sustainable energy landscape.

Given that onshore wave power is currently one of the lesser-known renewable energy options, don’t be surprised if it emerges as a legitimate contender to displace dirty polluting energy.

Here’s why.

Not only is it a source for the generation of electricity it’s useful for other kinds of beneficial work such as desalination, and also the pumping of water.

Simply put, wave energy is defined as the capture then transition of energy created by the up and down motion of the powerful ocean wave volumes. Therefore, it is truly sustainable energy.

Interestingly, before being considered as such, the waves were used as far back as the early 1800s when they powered up nearby mills, saws, and pumps. Even a house. During the last century, salt water had a featured role in energizing navigational lights; and as recently as the 1970s, converting wave power to electricity was introduced on a very small scale.

Since then, different technical approaches to wave energy have been introduced that can be narrowed down to five suitable methods. Designs implementing absorbers, attenuators, oscillating water columns, overtopping, and the inverted-pendulum type each present a different technique to use ocean motion as a source of power. Still, in the infancy stages, very few of these types of wave power concepts have been installed in wave farms that operate with a history of success.

On the bright side, climate scientists are optimistic given the obvious availability of oceans around the world, no harmful gasses are emitted, and never-ending reliability - regardless of the weather.

Certainly in the early “prove ‘em wrong” phase, but when considering the magnitude of wave surge surrounding every continent, the potential of this clean energy sheer volume is breathtaking.

130 million additional homes could very well be powered up by this latest effort to further diversify humanity’s clean power mix and alleviate greenhouse gas from multiple directions.

Of course, like all inexhaustible energy options, there are drawbacks. The unknown impact on surrounding marine life; the eye-sore image conflicting ocean appearance, thus tourism; and the ongoing cost of maintenance. Most concerning is the very high cost of development and installation.

In my humble opinion, there is one wave energy company that is leading the ocean motion industry with some proven success. Known as Eco Wave Power (EWP), it recently received permission to introduce its unique patented technology to the United States. I believe this to be the most newsworthy clean energy upstart in some time because the natural motion of the ocean waves can be transformed into electricity close to shore while controlled by EWP automated technology on shore.

Last decade, this company operated its wave energy concept for six years in Gibraltar in conjunction with the nation’s National Electric Company. The objective was to prove the concept could safely connect to the grid under the stress of the surrounding storm surges. From this success, the findings were used to design a pioneering wave power installation at the Jaffa port in Israel. That operation has been successfully connected to the country’s energy grid and was officially switched on. EWP is truly exporting electricity into Israel’s economy!

And finally, the best news in this regard: the first commercial-scale wave energy project is committed for the city of Porta, Portugal, where an EWP wave energy relationship began in 2020, which will last 25-30 years…

Read more at www.thescientistblog.com/blog

#climate change #hope #government #landscape #global warming #inspiration #philanthropy #climate crisis #democrat #republican

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stuarttechnologybob · 2 months ago

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What is the difference between CPQ & RLM?

Revenue Cycle Management Services

In today's fast-moving healthcare and enterprise environments, understanding the difference between CPQ and RLM is essential, especially when these tools impact operations like Revenue Cycle Management. Although both the CPQ and RLM help to optimize processes, they serve very different functions but are aligned toward the business segment.

CPQ – Configure, Price, Quote:

CPQ stands for Configure, Price, Quote. It's a sales tool that helps companies quickly and accurately generate quotes for products or services they are offering. CPQ is a valuable product in industries with complex pricing models or customizable offerings—such as medical equipment, software solutions, or enterprise services.

With CPQ, sales teams can:

Select product features and (configure) as per its requirements

Apply pricing rules and discounts (price) for better product briefing

Generate accurate proposals or quotes (quote) for better outcomes

By automating this process, CPQ reduces errors, speeds up the sales cycle and which eventually boost up the revenue as the ultimate goal, and ensures that pricing is consistent and aligned with company policies and as per its set standards and desired objectives.

RLM – Revenue Lifecycle Management:

On the other hand, revenue Lifecycle Management (RLM) focuses and starves to look at managing and optimizing things at every stage of the revenue process. In healthcare, this is closely tied to Revenue Cycle Management—as a system that oversees the patient billing, insurance claims, payments, and collections.

RLM looks at the broader picture, including:

Contract management

Billing and invoicing

Revenue recognition or recollection

Renewals and upsells of listings

RLM ensures and seeks that the revenue is tracked, reported, and optimized as per the given concern from when a contract begins until the revenue is fully realized or settled out. In healthcare, it's critical for improving financial health, assuring compliance, and reducing revenue leakage as a protective measure.

Key Differences -

CPQ is sales-focused, helping generate quotes and close deals faster as a better option for the users to roll out.

RLM is revenue-focused, ensuring smooth handling and assessment of all financial processes post-sale and after it gets done.

CPQ comes into play at the beginning of the customer journey, while RLM continues throughout the customer lifecycle as they both work as a part of the set system.

Many advanced providers and professionals experts of Revenue Cycle Management, like Suma Soft, IBM, Cyntexa, and Cignex, offer tailored RLM solutions and Revenue Cycle Management services that integrate with CPQ systems. This creates a seamless flow from quoting to revenue realization, making operations more efficient and profitable.

#it services #technology #saas #software #saas technology #saas development company #revenue cycle management #revenuegrowth

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aussiebizboost · 3 months ago

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#crm #crmclassic #business

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winters-doll · 3 months ago

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𝙏𝙍𝙄𝙂𝙂𝙀𝙍 𝙒𝘼𝙍𝙉𝙄𝙉𝙂 𝙁𝙊𝙍 𝙏𝙃𝙀 𝙉𝙀𝙓𝙏 𝘾𝙃𝘼𝙋𝙏𝙀𝙍: 𝙋𝘼𝙍𝘼𝙉𝙊𝙄𝘼/ 𝘼𝙉𝙓𝙄𝙀𝙏𝙔

𝐻𝑖𝑠 𝐿𝑖𝑡𝑡𝑙𝑒 𝐹𝑜𝑥

‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𐦍༘⋆ ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𐦍༘⋆ ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚. 𐦍༘⋆ ‧₊˚❀༉ ‧₊˚❀༉‧₊˚.

Chapter 6- Ramen

*Mia Pov*

Once filled with conversation, I'm met with the silence of the bathroom. I grasp the cold steel into my palm, admiring its buttoned colors. Pressing the green button, sure enough, warm water pours out of the small jets in the tub. "Wow." I mumbled in awe. Setting the water half filled with lukewarm/ hot water, I grasp the dove men soap. Pouring the strong yet earthy fragrance in the tub I finally feel somewhat comfortable. Lifting the gray sweater dress over my head, I'm met with my reflection. So many imperfections, it'd be hard to miss. Bronze waist littered in scars and minor cuts. Inner thighs laced with hyperpigmentation. Knees dark from kneeling on them too long. Nonetheless, I see myself smiling sheepishly. "I'm still here." I mumbled inwardly. "For that i'll always keep smiling."

*Jack Pov*

"Thanks!" The woman chirps cheerfully. Gently closing the door, I make my way towards the kitchen. Judging from her appearance you never would've thought she enjoyed that genre of music. From her small voice and demeanor, you'd think she'd listen to old jazz. She probably does. I'd figure she would have a diverse taste in music. Seeing her dimpled smile, her eyes widened in awe of my work. I feel this weird feeling in my chest.

Acceptance.

Another foreign word, a sense of comfort I never thought I'd feel.

Entering the furnished kitchen, I grab a from its cabinet pot and place it in the sink. Hearing the water fill from the motion sensor, I grab a cartoon of eggs absentmindedly. My body moves on muscle memory alone and moves the filled pot on the automated stove. The steady flow of water being filled upstairs is like the precipitation is being poured down my head itself. A stranger is having a bath in my house. And plans to sleep here at that, with given permission. How did this situation even occur? One moment I was with my brother in the gym. Now I'm here giving her one of my favorite band shirts. I usually don't help people who are in need. Unless it's for a nice price. Remembering the look on her face.

*FLASHBACK*

"Please Sir." She pants and inhales a large gist of air. "MA ELIZABETH BUTLER!! COME BACK HERE!" A man yells, running in our direction. She looks behind her in fright. Her puffy eyes meet mine. Small nimble fingers firmly grasped my sweater. "They'll kill me." Her plump lips tremble. I couldn't decide if it was from the rain or the sense of dread I suddenly felt that made me act. That got me here.

*END OF FLASHBACK*

Reluctant yet desperate, as if she knew this was a pitiful attempt for help. It would've been for someone else but her... I had to help her.

Impulsive

Finally a word I'm familiar with. All my life there have been impulsive choices to achieve my final goal. Too finally kill that bastard. No matter the consequences. Yet I've always been impulsive to hurt others, not to assist. She doesn't have anywhere to stay. Renting a place to stay wouldn't be the problem but financial stability will be concerning considering how unforgiving Japan can be. She can't go home either. Just thinking about his face makes me grasp the wooden counter. I oughta look for him and make sure he won't ever hurt her again.

Heaving a heavy sigh, I sit on the black metal stool and watch the water boil. I only have ramen for tonight, I hope she's not allergic to anythi—

My right pocket starts to vibrate. Interrupted from my obsessive rumination, I fish my phone out of my pocket, seeing Baki name I decide to answer. "Hey Jack! Sorry about leaving so quickly!" Baki chirps with a sense of remorse in his voice. He always does this. Thinks of others even when he has his own agenda. "Baki it's fine. You know that." I scoff inwardly. "Yeah I just wanted to make sure." He chuckles sheepishly. "Did kozue get caught in the rain?" "No, I caught her just in time, thank goodness." I chuckle at his outburst. "Try not to be dramatic." "Dramatic?! Imagine she got sick out there because I didn't walk her home." Baki all but sputters. Just hearing his voice makes my tense shoulders rest at ease. "I'm glad you called actually." I muttered. "Oh? And why's that?" Baki inquires. "I'm cooking ramen-"REALLY YOU WANT ME TO COME OVER AND FIX IT?!" Interrupted once again I can only grin. "It's a school night and you can give me the recipe on the phone."

There's a pause on the other end of the phone before Baki begrudges mumbles," I knew you'd say that." "Fiiiiiine, I'll help. I've told you this recipe so many times. How do you keep forgetting?" I lie and say" It's been a while since I made ramen." In reality hearing his annoyed tone is pleasing enough. "Bullshit! You literally came over a month ago and we made it together." He complains. "Hm. I don't recall." "Jaaaaack." Baki whines. "Alright I do recall something with brown sugar and soy sauce."

"Yes, add butter to the saucepan and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce with garlic cloves and two tablespoons of brown sugar." I hum, my body moving on muscle memory. Absentmindedly pulling spices from the cabinets. The water bubbles and simmers as I break the wheat noodles in half. "Oh and don't forget about the sesame oil!" Baki chirps. " I know I know and 2 boiled eggs." I deadpanned. Stirring the sauces the kitchen fills with a savory aroma. "Wait a second! You told me you didn't remember!" Turning the stove off I chucked,"My memory is resurfacing." Hearing the top stairs creak softly, she doesn't move. She must be shy. I know the food smells pleasant.

"You knew the recipe the whole time didn't you?" Baki whines. I simply hummed and muttered,"Listen Baki, I'll be busy for a couple of days. Take care of yourself and see Karou if you run into trouble." There's another slight pause on the receiving end. "Are you training?" He suddenly inquires. Seeing the small woman still standing on the staircase, looking at her bare feet. "I wish." I muttered grimly. I wouldn't be going in blind. The stove clock reads past 11:30 and I bid Baki goodnight. I figured she didn't meet me in the kitchen to not interrupt my conversation with Baki. Yet she stills stands there, her small fingers gliding on the smooth polished wood of the railing. "You can come down now." I sighed.

*30 Mins Prior*

*Mia Pov*

Soft suds of soap floats around my frame, smoke rises to the surface. Sitting in the corner of the large tub I exhale. Like laying in fresh grass that has the morning dew upon it, I slowly sink nearly to the bottom. This is exactly what I need. I never knew a bath could be so comforting. I always took showers to save money and time. But this... no wonder they sell bath bombs in stores. Grazing my finger in its warm depths I begin to wonder. What am I doing? Letting a man take me home. He even shot down involving the police. He has a large beautiful furnished home and no pictures of himself or others he surrounds himself with. Ive been abused and sheltered, but I know red flags and when to point them out, do not ignore them. But he doesn't seem like a serial killer or anything. His dark eyes and deep voice suddenly come to my mind. He is undoubtedly gorgeous though. I've read that serial killers are attractive. I groaned inwardly. I didn't actually expect he'd help me though.

Slowly rising to my knees in the warm water, I let my long ears and fluffy tail emerge from my head and backside. I hate to suppress this part of me but it's for the best. Gathering the soapy towel, I gently begin to scrub my ears and tail. Long enough to wrap around my waist, I wondered if it's gotten longer. I pondered. It's been five years since this x gene sprouted and my life has been hell living through it because of it. I need to research more, talk to more people who have to repress this gene like me. Hot pain flashes in my temple, leaving me rubbing the side of my head. Hopefully removing the internal pain. I can't tell if it's from the hot water or my stomach growling, but I need to head downstairs nonetheless.

Taking a big step out of the tub, I suddenly realized something. Grabbing the wet white remote I stare at its colorful buttons once again. I don't know how to drain the water. There's plenty of buttons but I'm not sure which one would work without making a mess. Placing the remote on the marble counter, I quickly run the fluffy towel across my skin, gently drying my ears and tail. Shifting back to my familiar form I wonder is there any lotion? Does he use lotion? I don't want to intrude but I hate the feeling of my dry skin cracking. Opening the bottom cabinet and searching for a moisturizer, I found nothing. Dammit. Maybe he has some in his room. Fantastic, now I have to ask him if he has any.

Seeing my reflection once again, I decide to ignore the image and go towards the clean clothes folded. Unfolding the large shirt I smile at the blotchy pattern. I still can't believe he listens to baby metal. You'd think he listens to old jazz, someone as composed as him. Black fabric falls off the shirt. Holding it up above me the large black fabric holds to be boxers. There's no way these will fit me. Folding the waistband I place my feet through the holes and throw on the large metal shirt. Now barefoot, I slowly prepare myself to go downstairs. Placing my dirty clothes in the hamper I turn off the dim light.

Walking down the dim hallway, a savory smell greets my nose. His deep voice vibrates off the walls, chuckling. He seems to be in a good mood, I grin. Pacing the staircase to not interrupt him, I absentmindedly stare at the polished railing and hear another guy's voice. "Jaaaaaack." The voice draws out. That's his name. Jack. Repeating the name in my mind, I realized I never knew his name until now. Rubbing my temple once again, another headache seems to form. That's definitely a red flag. "Are you training?" The man suddenly questions. Training for what? I know it's rude to eavesdrop but I'm interested. He's a big guy. Is he in the military? What man did I run into?

"You can come down now." He suddenly voiced, his back still to me. I didn't know he was able to see me. Feeling my face burn, I slowly walked down, the stairs creaking softly underneath me. "I didn't know you could see me." I chuckled sheepishly. Descending the stairs, the floor layout has no doors but an open vicinity of the kitchen, living room, dining room, and outside patio. Following the delicious smell, I walk through the living room to the kitchen seeing his large back. "Take a seat." He rumbles. Seeing the large stool, I make my way towards the polished table. The stool legs meet my waist, also there's no ledge I could step on. There's no way I can sit on this without making a fool of myself. "Are you going to eat standing?" The man. Jack inquires.

Exhaling through my nose, I drum my short nails on the wooden table . "No, I would like to sit ." I mutter. Turning off the stove he simply utters," Then take a seat." He turns to me. His eyes slowly ranking on my form. Under his intense gaze I stare at the mountain of noodles on the stove. Another delicious distraction. "I would. But..." He simply crosses his arms over his chest, seemingly interested. Not used to the attention, hot liquid floods my face. Wringing my hands I mutter,"Don't take offense to this, your home is beautiful but everything is really large." Looking at his triceps and chest it dawns on me why everything is bigger than normal. "I guess that makes sense, considering you're..." I trail off.

"Large?" The man states, grinning softly placing the wheat noodles and chicken broth on the table. He pours sparkling water from the pitcher into two glasses.. "Yeah." I chuckle softly . "You know I can help." Jack utters. Help? Is he referring to manhandling me again? Absolutely not. "Are there no other chairs?" "Not any that you can sit on without my help." He rumbles. Exhaling through once again, I gaze through his tawny eyes. " Alright but don't just —my feet leave the cold surface of the floor. My breath leaves my throat as my backside meets the cool wooden surface. "Just toss me." I gasped. Jack gently places me on the stool. "You could've at least let me say when." I grumbled, face burning "You're welcome." He hums. Jack places a large pot of noodles and broth on the table.

"Are you having any other guests?" I inquired. Jack sits on the stool opposite of me across the table. "Hopefully not," Jack rumbles. Scooping a large amount of noodles and placing them in his large bowl, I simply watched in awe. Everything about him is gigantic, the way how he eats, lives, and the way he smirks at me. Maybe his ego as well. "It's not going to bite you." He stares into my brown eyes and passes me a big plastic bowl."Thanks." I mumbled. I don't know much about Jack, hardly anything but it seems like he keeps a cocky attitude to hide his kindness. Placing noodles and the brown oiled broth in my bowl, my mouth waters anticipating its delicious guests.

Ramen bowl made, I bowl my head to say grace. Breaking the hard chopsticks, I open my mouth only to feel eyes on me. Looking at Jack he seems to have that intense stare again. "What?" I ask. Do I have something on my face? Jack places his chopsticks down near his spoon. His eyes never leaving mine he draws out," After everything you've been through...Everything they put you through." I feel my throat tightened. "You still believe in God." He states. Placing my hands in front of me, I merely smile. "I have to...Well so more of I want to." Jack studies my face. "He's kept me here, so I can meet you. That is enough to say thanks too."

Jack's tawny eyes narrow slightly, as if he needs to see clearly. I'm starting to figure that's the face he makes when he's deep in thought. Not everyone believes in God, whether that's religion trauma or they just don't. It's all a valid reason. Growing up in a C.OG.I.C church, one of the things I'm growing to understand is that God is love and not just condemnation. But after finally leaving that hell I know there's more to life than what they showed me. Jack's small smug smile returns, letting out a humorless chuckle. "Your optimism is going to get you hurt." Slurping the sweet broth in the renge spoon, I grin. "Well, being a pessimist is rather boring." He hums. I'm not sure if he's agreeing or not though. "It's Mia by the way."I mumbled, slurping the ramen noodles and sweet broth. He simply hums again while eating his mountain full of noodles. "You already know mine ." He rumbles.

"I didn't want to be rude." I laugh airily. Seaweed chips wrapped around the noodles, I squirmed in my seat, elated with its delicious taste. "I've eaten ramen a lot since I am a college student. But this is delicious!" he merely grunts. I simply chow down on the delicious meal and eat quicker than expected. While he goes for thirds and fourths. I can't believe someone can eat so much without any pain. It's impressive yet disturbing.

Sitting in uncomfortable silence I try," Do you have any family that lives considering your home is so—" "It doesn't matter." He clips. "We don't have to force conversation." He rumbles grimly. Slightly startled I slowly sip my glasses. Letting the bubbles glide down my throat. He's right. We don't have to talk to each other. But the awkward silence is killing me! "I think i'll be heading for bed." I murmur. "Upstairs guest room, you know where it is." He utters. Sliding down the stool my bare feet meet the wooden surface, I thank him for the food. Slightly hesitant, I ask him, "I wash my plate?" "It's fine, you're the guest after all." He insists.

Exiting the kitchen I can feel his eyes bore holes into my back. Crossing the furnished living room I can't help but murmur,"I'll get out of your hair then." Stomach full I take my time walking up the wooden stairs. He's the one that agreed to help me, why would you purposely make it awkward? Walking towards the end of the hallway, I enter the second to last room. Sure enough it's the room I was trying to escape earlier. A warm glow surrounds the room from its lamp. I should keep it on. Not wanting to wake up in the dark again, I climb into bed and wrap the once damp navy sheets around me. Heaving a heavy sigh into the pillow. Closing my eyes I pray," Dear heavenly father. I only trust you. Guide my spirit into the right path and give me

the strength to ward off bad spirits in Jesus name Amen.Rolling on my stomach my right thigh hitched, still ashy but too tired. I will myself to sleep soundly. Hopefully

#jackhanma #jackhanmaxblackreader #baki #baki dou #baki hanma #baki son of ogre

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blindlyfuriouseclipse · 18 days ago

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Best Click to Call Service Providers in Bangalore, India

Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd – Your Partner of Choice for the Best Click to Call Solutions in Bangalore, India

In today's rapid-fire digital age, customer interaction doesn't have to be reduced to online chat or emails. Speedy, real-time support from companies yields higher customer satisfaction and conversion rates. Among the best tools that allow companies to achieve this is the Click to Call feature. Searching for the Best Click to Call Service Providers in Bangalore, India? Look no further than Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd — a homegrown champion for quality, innovation, and hassle-free connectivity.

What is Click to Call? Click to Call is a communication platform enabling the app or website user to call a business with a single click of the button. Click to Call bridges the gap between live calls and online inquiries, and no lead is wasted. Sale, support, or inquiry, Click to Call services provide a cutting-edge solution to drive more customer interaction and engagement.

Why Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd? For business Click to Call services, Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd is a prominent Click to Call Service Provider of Bangalore. Having extensive industry know-how and a robust telecom network, Ikontel offers extremely secure, scalable, and high-performance call connect solutions, which are tailor-made to meet the specific business requirements of organizations from various industries.

Some of the primary reasons why businesses choose Ikontel are as follows:

Instant Call Connection: Customer and agent get directly connected instantly by Ikontel's system, conserving response time while improving the quality of service.

Intelligent Call Routing: The call is automatically routed to the right agent or department according to user preference and availability.

Real-Time Analytics & Reporting: Ikontel provides actionable insights to businesses to understand how calls are performing along with customer activities.

Seamless CRM Integration: Their Click to Call APIs integrate seamlessly into all popular CRMs, facilitating automation of workflow and tracking of customer data.

High Uptime and Call Quality: With an uncompromising backend and intelligent call processing, Ikontel offers trouble-free service and clear voice quality.

A Seamless Call Connect Solution Provider in Bangalore, India During the digital revolution, companies need more than a normal customer support. They need an Instant Call Connect Solution Provider in Bangalore, India who addresses each lead or inquiry instantly. That is what Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd offers.

Their Click to Call product is designed to close the gap between online communication and live dialogue. If your customers are calling from a mobile app or website, one click connects them with your business — in real time and without interruptions.

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Real-time connect ability is of greatest value to:

Online consumer goods companies for inquiry of orders

Banks and financial institutions for inquiry or support of loans

Hospitals and medical practices for appointment scheduling

Travel agencies for spontaneous planning of itineraries

Real estate agencies for property visits and negotiations

India's Best Click to Call Service Providers: Ikontel is the Leader While preparing a list of India's Best Click to Call Service Providers, Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd definitely has a chance. With its humongous clientele across India and abroad, the company has made itself one that offers performance-based solutions along with customer support that's something altogether different from others.

Firms that partner with Ikontel can avail themselves of:

Quick deployment of Click to Call solutions

Flexible web and app integration interfaces

Trusted pricing plans accommodating startups to large enterprises

24/7 technical support and dedicated account management

Furthermore, Ikontel's security, compliance, and innovation emphasis ensures that your communication solutions not just work but are future-proof as well.

Use Cases of Ikontel's Click to Call Solution Lead Generation: Qualify and capture website visitors with immediate calls at the click of a button.

Customer Support: Offer real-time support and resolve customer complaints faster.

Sales Enablement: Arm your sales representatives with time-saving tools.

Appointment Booking: Make users book appointments within seconds with low friction. In the competitive market of business communication, the appropriate tools make all the difference. Whether you are looking for a Seamless Call Connect Solution Provider in Bangalore, India, or Top Click to Call Service Providers in India, your search ends at Ikontel Solutions Pvt Ltd. Transferred by hundreds of organizations, Ikontel is the go-to name for impactful, scalable, and customer-centric Click to Call services.

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Get in Touch with Ikontel Today! To learn more about their Click to Call offerings or to schedule a demo, visit www.ikontel.com and see how you can revolutionize your customer engagement experience.

#ikontel #clicktocall #service #CustomerEngagement #TelephonySolutions #CustomerSupportTools #BangaloreBusiness #IndiaBusinessSolutions #BestClickToCallService #ClickToCallBangalore #Youtube #Instagram

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theglowsociety · 6 months ago

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New Life — Transform Yourself in 365 Days

A year is all it takes to rewrite your story. 365 days to redefine your priorities, build habits that empower you, and shape a life that feels fulfilling and authentic. Creating a “new life” doesn’t mean starting over—it means intentionally evolving into the version of yourself you’ve always envisioned. This transformation is not about perfection but progress, one choice at a time, every single day.

The first three months are about clarity and preparation. Start by reflecting on where you are and where you want to go. Journal your thoughts: What’s working in your life? What isn’t? Identify your core values and use them to guide your goals. For example, if creativity and health are important to you, set goals that align with those priorities, like starting an art project or building a consistent workout routine.

Break your vision into smaller, actionable steps. Instead of saying, “I want to be healthier,” decide to drink more water, cook meals at home, and walk 10,000 steps a day. If your goal is career growth, schedule time for skill development, networking, or job applications. These small actions add up and create momentum.

Months four to six are about building consistency. By now, your new habits are starting to stick, but this is also when motivation can waver. Focus on creating routines that make your habits automatic. For instance, if you’re working on financial goals, set up automated savings. If you’re prioritizing health, plan your meals and workouts for the week in advance.

During this period, you’ll also need to face challenges. Life will throw distractions your way, but resilience is built by staying the course. If you skip a workout or overspend one week, don’t abandon your progress—adjust, reflect, and move forward. Progress isn’t linear, and setbacks are part of the journey.

In months seven through nine, transformation begins to take root. Your habits feel more natural, and you’ll notice significant changes—not just in what you’re achieving but in how you feel about yourself. This is the time to push beyond your comfort zone. Take on bigger challenges that align with your goals. If you’ve been saving money, consider investing. If you’ve been working on fitness, sign up for a race or event.

At this stage, connections become vital. Surround yourself with people who inspire and support you. Seek out mentors, build stronger relationships, or join communities that align with your vision. Growth isn’t just about individual effort—it’s also about learning from and sharing with others.

The final three months are about reflection and celebration. By now, you’ve built a foundation for your new life, but this is just the beginning. Reflect on how far you’ve come. Look back at the goals you set and recognize the progress you’ve made, even if it doesn’t look exactly as you imagined. Celebrate every win, big or small.

As you close out the year, think about the future. What habits do you want to carry forward? What new goals can you set to continue building this life you’ve created? A “new life” isn’t a destination—it’s an ongoing journey.

Transforming your life in 365 days isn’t about becoming someone else; it’s about uncovering the best version of yourself. It’s about choosing every day to show up for your dreams, your values, and your vision. The most powerful change happens not in one big leap but in the countless small decisions you make to honor the life you truly want. A year from now, you’ll look back and realize that the real transformation wasn’t just in your life—it was in you.

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