#Buyers Role

[lets-blogoff]

The Power Of Sustainable Design In Commercial Furniture Manufacturing

The Power Of Sustainable Design In Commercial Furniture Manufacturing - #letsblogoff #Entertainment, #FurnitureManufacturing, #HomeImprovement, #LetsBlogOff, #ModularOfficeFurniture, #Tips - https://www.letsblogoff.com/the-power-of-sustainable-design-in-commercial-furniture-manufacturing/

[lambsouvlaki]

For the Hell of It - Putting on a Show(*)

Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc

Rating and warnings: NSFW, smut, pre-discussed kink, light bdsm, voyeurism & exhibitionism (discussed, nothing is done in public).

Word count: 1,929

Summary: Jason tries being a little meaner in the bedroom, to delightful results for everyone.

Masterlist

----

In the middle of the night, the bedroom door opened and the Red Hood walked in. 

Andy looked up from the book she had been reading. It was a little after three in the morning with the muted sigh of wind rushing past the lofty heights of his apartment. The bedside lamp cast the large industrial-styled room in golden light and murky shadows. 

Jason shut the door behind him. 

She opened her mouth to ask how patrol went, then found the words dying in her throat. He was standing at the door, mask inscrutable, observing her in silence. 

Belatedly it struck her that she had never seen him wear his armour into the bedroom before. She slid her reading onto the bedside table and cocked her head at him. 

“Did you wait up for me?” His voice rumbled through the modulator. 

“Blame the jet lag.” She shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d try again once you got back.”

He slowly crossed the space between them.  

She pulled her knees up under the blankets. She didn’t know what to make of the way he studied her, but her body already knew how it felt about having his sole focus. The armour only made it worse. She wondered if he knew. 

“You remember that talk we had?”

“Which one?” she looked up, only to recall exactly the conversation he was referring to, in the face of blinding white lenses. “Oh.”

Her cheeks warmed. She was very aware of the looming figure standing over her, and anticipation unfurled within her.

“Yes, I remember.”

He pulled his gloves off, loosening finger by finger. He reached down a warm, bare hand and gently traced her cheek. His thumb grazed her lip. He pushed down lightly. She opened her mouth. He slid it in and she curled her lips around it. 

He drew his damp thumb back and traced it down her jaw to tilt her chin up. 

“The safe word?”  

As though it hadn’t been branded onto her mind the moment she agreed to this. 

She repeated the word. It came out breathless. 

He turned away. 

“Take off your clothes.” 

Her cotton shirt then her silky bra and matching panties landed on the floor. Her nipples pebbled in the sudden cold. She sat bolt upright, awaiting further instructions. Her heart in its cage beat like the wings of a hummingbird. 

Jason reached up to take his helmet off and placed it on the desk. 

“Lie down,” he said and he removed his weapons. “Spread your legs, and get yourself warmed up for me.”

A blush rose in her cheeks. He sat in the armchair, facing her. He leaned back, with his legs casually spread wide, and lit up a smoke. He watched her expectantly. 

She did as she was told. 

She had never put on any kind of performance before, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her now. Most nights Jason relished this part himself. He was an artist with his fingers and she was his sculpture, beauty and pleasure drawn from stoic marble. Tonight he was the audience, and she was artist and art together.  

The idea turned from daunting into arousing without her noticing. Her timidity fell away and her pleasure rose. 

In the half light the glint of the cigarette reflected in his eyes. 

“Do you touch yourself when I’m out?” 

She shook her head, mussing her hair against the sheets.” 

“No?” he drawled, incredulous.

“No.” It didn’t occur to her to be dishonest. Her role in the scene was not a fabricated one. 

“Why not?”

“I… prefer the ache of waiting for you.”

He swore quietly.

“There’s a toy in the bedside table. Get to it.”

She reached out blindly and swiftly found it. Jason enjoyed using it on her, but she had never used it on her own. It let him draw out and build up her pleasure to his own exacting standards without getting distracted by his own ends. He was a wretched tease. She both adored and hated the thing. 

He took a long drag of smoke as she adjusted. Her head tipped back against the pillows. Her eyes fluttered shut, but she didn’t want to lose sight of him and kept reopening them. He watched with burning intensity. 

Her excitement built and built, far past any notions of simply warming up. He had told her to get ready for him, but he made no move beyond stubbing the cigarette out and attempting to brand her with the heat of his eyes alone. 

“Can I… can I climax?” she asked.

“No.” 

She withheld her whine.

Normally Jason’s body language was so open and reassuring around her. This was nothing of the sort. The Red Hood, hard and uncompromising, watched her fuck herself on a dildo, and she was more hopelessly turned on than she had ever been under her own touch.  

 Slowing down was unthinkable as stopping. She had unthinkingly built her pace up, and now she had no off-ramp.

She wasn’t going to ask again. 

She wasn’t. 

With one hand cast over her face and the other between her legs, she writhed. 

Jason let out a harsh breath and stood. Every heavy step towards her felt like salvation and doom both. 

He put a hand on her shaking knee. 

She squeezed her eyes shut. Despite the calluses and the hardness of his demeanour, his thumb rubbed her skin in a familiar reassurance. 

It did not help her predicament. Her breath hitched.

He pushed her hand aside and withdrew the toy. He replaced it with two of his fingers. 

She moaned. His touch set her alight and her breath grew thin. His touch was as scorching as his gaze which pinned her down like a lance through the chest. 

“I’m-I’m going to cum if you keep doing that,” she said. 

So he stopped. 

She wanted to cry. She covered her face with her hands and took desperate heaving breaths.

The sound of unbuckling belts cut through her panting. 

“Look at me.” 

Her eyes snapped open. 

Jason lifted her by her hips and impaled her in one blow. 

She sang out in relief. 

He set a swift pace, slowing only a moment to let her rearrange pillows to support her back, shooting her straight back to the loft heights she had teetered along for so long. He drove her higher still. His thumb rubbed circles over her clit only twice, and her climax slammed into her. 

Her whole body shook. He did not slow his pace, relentlessly working her through it. 

She breathed hard as she came down, arching her back for him. The relief was short lived but it brought her a moment of clarity. 

Jason’s focus was fixed to her entrance, watching himself sink in and out, in and out. So locked up inside his own head tonight. 

“Okay?” she asked quietly, breaking character. 

His eyes flickered up to hers, and he gave a short nod. His hand on her hip gave a quick squeeze. 

Then the hard tilt returned to his jaw and they were back in it. 

“Spent the night at a strip club,” he said harshly. 

Her eyebrows rose. It was unusual only in that he was telling her about it: his protection extended to sex workers all over the city. She trusted him, it was a non-issue.  

“Working out a territory dispute. Negotiations. Should have been done hours ago. But no, they had to keep stopping to watch the girls.” His lip curled and he changed his angle to something deeper. “Made them make out and touch each other. As though we’re there for a good time, as though I have any interest in getting hard with that pack of slavering animals.” 

He brushed his sweat slicked hair from his face and swore. She was so helplessly turned on by him even when he was hacked off, she couldn’t come up with any response. 

“Waste of my fucking time,” he growled, thrusting with emphasis. “When I have you alone in my bed. Waiting for me. Clenching on nothing. Dripping wet, just for me. Aren’t you, sweets?”

“Yes.”

He pulled out. 

She made a needy noise of objection. 

“On your knees or in your mouth?” 

She rolled over without hesitation. 

He chuckled. He ran his hands up her body, possessive and appreciative. He gently pushed her down onto all fours and pushed back in. His pace was more sedate now and his grip softer, having worked out some of his frustrations. 

Well, that just wouldn’t do. 

“Did you get hard at the club?” she asked. 

His pace stuttered. “What?”

She reached back to touch his thigh, a silent reassurance she was still in character. 

“Did it turn you on, surrounded by beautiful women making out with each other?”

The snap of his hips picked up. “Yes,” he conceded, arousal and shame and frustration in his voice. 

She looked back over her shoulder. Her hair was tousled, her skin flushed, and her lips swollen from where she bit them. 

“Were you thinking of me?”

“I–” The look he gave her was a little stunned, a little star struck. 

“There, in that red lingerie you bought me, draped over you?” If he wasn’t thinking it before, he was now. 

A whispered “yes,” passed his lips. The burning intensity rose in his eyes once more. 

“...touching myself?” 

He made a hungry noise in his throat. 

“Up on the stage, in front of everyone,” she said, as she looked forward again, flicking her hair aside and arching her back. “Putting on a show?”

He growled, then she was pinned to the bed. 

“I’d have to kill them all for looking at you,” he said into her ear, bending over her. “And I would–mm–before I’d take you right there.” 

He stood tall again, still holding her bent in half with a hand on the back of her neck. His other hand was on the meat of her ass, to drag her back to meet him. He put one leg up on the bed next to her for more power. A thick muscled thigh rippled against her side. Raging waves of need pulled her back down into the depths. 

“Trying to upset me, sweetheart?” he asked, back to ruthless and in full control. She was in paradise. “You know only I get to see you like this. That’s why you’re mine.”

She whimpered, so close to the edge. 

“Only I can hold you down and fuck you like you deserve. Only I get to watch you writhe… hear you beg.” 

“Hnng, please.” 

“Please what?” 

“Please! Jason, I–I– fuck, Jay, I don’t– I need..”

“That’s my girl,” he said, dark and appreciative. “You know you’re mine before anything else.” 

She sobbed a cry.

“You can cum,” he drawled, sneaking a hand around her hip to reach her clit.

Her climax rocked through her violently. Her vision blanked and her body seized up in great wracking jolts. Her mouth hung open, breathing hard against the blanket. 

She vaguely heard his voice encouraging her through it, before he followed after her into bliss. 

He curled over her back and held her fast against his hips. He growled her name in her ear. 

The last of her strength fled her limbs. It felt like her bones had simply melted.  

He collapsed on the bed behind her. With shaking, tired arms he gathered her to himself and nuzzled into her neck. He made a soft inquisitive noise. She sighed in contentment in reply. They tangled their legs together, and basked in the afterglow. 

Next>>

[sleepinglionhearts]

Man, just saw a post about it, but renewed my frustration over work nonsense yesterday

Being like, oh, cool! It's disability pride month! We get to switch the displays in the store! I wanna make a really cool display right up front!!

Getting a cart to go start selecting books from our wide array of children's books, picture books, YA novels, adult fiction, nonfiction, etc that I know feature disabled characters and people and that I've seen sitting on the shelves for a while, our previous book buyer was always suuuuuper vocal about finding books w disabled characters, after all, representation just MATTERED SO MUCH to her,

And then being absolutely dumbfounded when we BARELY HAVE ANYTHING outside of characters w ADHD/Autism. MAYBE anxiety. PERHAPS a character has cancer. THE FAINTEST SUGGESTION of a wheelchair in one book. Huntington's? Question mark? In another? Conditions resulting in disfigurement/amputation? The concept could possibly exist in this book, uhh.. maybe...... anything else? Ha! Not on these shelves I fucking guess?!

Like.... we have a ton of books w queer rep! Different body types! Different skin tones! Teach your toddler about social justice! Transgender characters! Nonbinary characters! The alphabet but we're making it gay! At least one book, I think, with asexual characters! But no, we don't have our self-empowerment books anymore or the little guide to sexuality and disability, we have Buddhist monk advice for anxious people, but nooooo we DON'T have that cool book that talked about disability activism anymore, and definitely not in time for July!

I know she and I were at odds before she left, and I know my specifically putting "National month of..." prompts up on my desk calendar after she expressed it was "so difficult to find out what each month is the month of!" probably really irritated her, but I'm like. Appalled that she hadn't been ordering to restock for disability pride month since she always made such a big deal about having books like that in the store.

[angelsndragons]

man i haven't seen critical role hot takes this bad since luc brenatto died.

[rincewindsapprentice]

Two minor things I wish were a bit clearer to people about the American political system:

Lawmakers will often propose bills that have no hope of passing in order to make a political statement, appeal to a specific electoral demographic, or appeal to their donors/lobbyists. Just because a super progressive or absurdly fascist bill is proposed does not automatically mean it will leave committee (i.e., will not face a full vote) or even have a hope of passing.

The FDIC is funded entirely by banks themselves. It is insurance, after all. Taxpayers only indirectly fund it by having their money in a bank. The recent "bailouts" of Silicon Valley Bank and the other failures were to cover the deposits of clients not to bail out the bank. Those deposits were more than covered by the large amount of money the FDIC has been able to accumulate over the years. While deposits above $250,000 aren't automatically guaranteed by the FDIC, they can still be covered if the FDIC has the money. It is, once again, insurance after all.

[headspace-hotel]

Oh my god I'm sooooo mad right now

So. I have no business telling people not to collect wild plants/materials.

I do it all the time.

However.

The words "wildcrafted," and "foraged," even "sustainably harvested," are terrifying to see in an ad on Etsy or Instagram

There is a such thing as the honorable harvest where you ASK the plant if it is okay to take, with the intention of listening if the answer is NO. Robin Wall Kimmerer talked about this, She did not make it up, it is an ancient and basic guideline of treating the plants with respect.

Basically it is not wrong to use plants and other living things, even if this means taking their life. But you are not the main character. You have to reflect on your knowledge of the organism's life cycle and its role in the ecosystem, so you can know you are not damaging the ecosystem. You have to only take what you need and avoid depleting the population.

Mary Siisip Geniusz also talked about it in an enlightening way in her book Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have To Do is Ask. She gave an example of a woman who was on an island and needed to use a medicinal herb to heal her injured leg or she would not survive the winter. In that situation she had to use up all of the plant that was on the island. This was permissible, even though it eliminated the local population, because she had to do it to save her life. But in return the woman had the responsibility to later return to the island and plant seeds of that plant.

And what makes me absolutely furious, is that there are a bunch of people online who have vaguely copied this philosophy of sustainability in a false and insulting way, saying "wildcrafted" or "foraged" materials to be all trendy and cool and in touch with nature, when it is actually just poaching.

If you are from a capitalistic culture the honorable harvest is very hard and unintuitive to learn to practice. I am not very good at it still. This is why it is suspicious if someone is confident that they can ethically and respectfully harvest wild materials with money involved.

So there's this lichen that is often called "reindeer moss." It looks like this:

It grows only a few millimeters a year.

This is "preserved" reindeer moss.

It is from Etsy, similar is also sold in many other online shops, many of which have the audacity to describe it as a "plant" for decorations and terrariums that needs no maintenance.

It is not maintenance-free, it is dead. It has been spray-painted a horrible shade of green. The people buying it clearly don't even know what it is. It is a popular crafting material for "fairy houses," whatever the hell those are. So is moss, also dead, spray-painted, and wild-harvested. Supposedly reindeer moss is harvested sustainably in Finland, where it is abundant, for the craft industry. However poaching of lichens and mosses is absolutely rampant.

It's even more upsetting because there's hardly any articles drawing attention to the problem. This one is from 1999. And the poaching is still going on.

There is a "moss" section on Etsy, and it is so upsetting

These mosses and lichens were collected from the wild. Most of the shops are in the Pacific Northwest or Appalachia, which are the major locations of moss and lichen poaching. There are some shops based in Appalachia selling "foraged" reindeer moss.

Reindeer moss may be abundant in Finland, but in Appalachia it should NOT be harvested to be sold on Etsy as craft supplies! Moss doesn't grow quickly. Big, healthy colonies like this took years to grow. Some of these shops have thousands of sales, all of bags and bags of moss and lichen, and thinking of how much moss and lichen that must be, I am filled with horror.

Clubmosses do not transplant well, and these ones have no roots. The buyers do not realize they have bought a dead plant because clubmoss stays green and pliable after it is dead.

This is especially awful because in Mary Siisip Geniusz's book she talked about clubmosses being poached so much for Christmas wreaths that they had almost disappeared from a lot of forests.

I don't even know if this is illegal if it's not a formally endangered species so I don't know if I can report them I'm just. really sad and angry

[ribbonoflights]

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Understanding the Role of Real Estate Appraisers in North York

Real estate appraisers in North York play a crucial role in assessing property values and providing valuable insights into the local real estate market. They analyse various factors such as market trends, property characteristics, and comparable sales data to deliver accurate and unbiased appraisal reports. Their expertise aids homeowners, buyers, sellers, and investors in making informed decisions within North York's dynamic real estate landscape.

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Real estate appraisers in North York offer comprehensive valuation services tailored to residential properties. They assess single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses with precision, considering factors like property condition, location, and market trends. Their expertise ensures homeowners, buyers, and sellers receive reliable valuation insights to make informed decisions in North York's dynamic real estate market.

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[brailsthesmolgurl]

"It's priced reasonably..."

Preview: The boys' reactions to you buying things on impulse/on a discount! (Let's be fair, we all know they are all rich af, but I personally wanna give it a slice of life touch for them <3)

SYLUS

The big man you call your boyfriend stares at you when you stepped in through the front door with multiple bags loaded in your small palms. You had told him earlier on that you were going for window shopping and he was all too kind to give you his card and to ask you to use whenever you seem fit. However, coming over a huge discount on groceries are rare hence you had decided to use it as you 'deem it fit'. Sylus did noticed his phone's notifications going off a couple of times to alert him about transactions made on his card.

Instead of him looking at it, he would just mute the notifications and continue his humming while he seats himself comfortably on the couch and watches the news broadcast. "You had fun shopping, kitten?" He smirked, walking over to you to help you with the bags. "Next time, bring me along. I would like to see how my kitten makes good use of my card." Yet, you apologised for having to use his card when you told him you were supposedly going for window shopping but the man laughed in response, finding your apology to be adorable. "No more apologies kitten for I am not a stingy man."

RAFAYEL

Whilst on a shopping trip with Rafayel, this man would splurge on you. Apparently in this case, he would take up the role of the impulsive buyer rather than you. You eyeing something for more than 3 seconds? Considered it bought. You mentioning about something more than 3 times? Considered it purchased. You imagining something that may look good on him? Considered it a done deal. This man has no fear nor worry of ever going bankrupt as long as you're satisfied.

Staring at the huge lorry outside of his mansion, unloading everything you had mentioned would definitely put you in a state of shocked. Your boyfriend would approach you casually, wrapping his arm around your waist and nuzzling his nose against your neck. You would definitely question him on his purchasing behaviour but he would pout. "Gift giving and impulse buying goes hand in hand, and I do not see the reason why I should not be spoiling my cutie." Seeing you smile, he would continue. "It is just one of the ways I can show you that I love you, so don't hold me back on that, yeah?"

XAVIER

Grocery shopping with Xavier would be like going on a hunt for rare breeds of wanderers. Anything that are on discount would not be missed, especially with both of your sharp eyesights. However, you and Xavier are not known to be impulsive buyers. More like calculative buyers, the both of you seemingly carry a bit of a girl math's mentality. Other than necessities, anything that is supplemental to the house would be assessed for its usability and longevity. It is a perk the both of you would sometimes fight or bond over.

But if the discount is worth the product, then none of you would get it on the spot. You would have your moments where you would get something out of the blue, without running through your usual girl-math calculations, and you would be met with the quirk of an eyebrow from your boyfriend. "I suppose we lack this in our house." He would secretly do the math in his head but would never say anything to intentionally make you feel bad. "Yeah, we can make this work, no worries." Then, he would pull the same stunt as you, showing you something that he had got out of the blue as well.

ZAYNE

You would give Zayne a headache sometimes. Your childlike curiousity for interesting and new items would prompt Zayne to take on the role of a father figure. He might sometimes go as far as to suspect you may have a slight hint of ADHD in your system, but other than a slight migraine, he finds the quirk in you to be specifically unique to you. And, he never complains. Being the gentleman he is, he accepts you for who you are and tries to work his way around you whenever he could manage.

"Do you think you really need that?" He would point at the stuffed toys you are holding in your arms. Your point being all of them are begging you to adopt them with their big googly eyes. "Y/n, you might just have to pick one for adoption." Your slack-jawed expression would make him sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose slightly before he serves you a reminder of the consequences for your behaviour. "You had adopted exactly 36 plushies, and now, only 5 of them are actually adopted on your bed, while the rest of them are abandoned in your closet. So y/n, which one do you plan to ACTUALLY adopt now hmm?"

[leviathan-supersystem]

BEIJING — China’s struggling real estate developers won’t be getting a major bailout, Chinese authorities have indicated, warning that those who “harm the interests of the masses” will be punished.

“For real estate companies that are seriously insolvent and have lost the ability to operate, those that must go bankrupt should go bankrupt, or be restructured, in accordance with the law and market principles,” Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference Saturday.

“Those who commit acts that harm the interests of the masses will be resolutely investigated and punished in accordance with the law,” he said. “They will be made to pay the due price.”

That’s according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks published in an official transcript of the press conference, held alongside China’s annual parliamentary meetings.

Ni’s comments come as major real estate developers from Evergrande to Country Garden have defaulted on their debt, while plunging new home sales have put future business into question.

In 2020, Beijing cracked down on developers’ high reliance on debt for growth in an attempt to clamp down on property market speculation. But many developers soon ran out of money to finish building apartments, which are typically sold to homebuyers in China ahead of completion. Some buyers stopped paying their mortgages in a boycott.

Authorities have since announced measures to provide some developers with financing. But the national stance on reducing the role of real estate in the economy hasn’t changed.

This year’s annual government gathering has emphasized the country’s focus on investing in and building up high-end manufacturing capabilities. In contrast, the leadership has not mentioned the massive real estate sector as much.

Real estate barely came up during a press conference focused on the economy last week, while Ni was speaking during a meeting that focused on “people’s livelihoods.”

Ni said authorities would promote housing sales and the development of affordable housing, while emphasizing the need to consider the longer term.

Near-term changes in the property sector have a significant impact on China’s overall economy.

Real estate was once about 25% of China’s GDP, when including related sectors such as construction. UBS analysts estimated late last year that property now accounts for about 22% of the economy.

Last week, Premier Li Qiang said in his government work report that in the year ahead, China would “move faster to foster a new development model for real estate.”

“We will scale up the building and supply of government-subsidized housing and improve the basic systems for commodity housing to meet people’s essential need for a home to live in and their different demands for better housing,” an English-language version of the report said.

next time you complain about how things are in America, consider that if you lived in some kind of scary communist country like China, you wouldn't even get to fund a bailout for the real estate company owners who ruined the economy like you can (whether you like it or not) in the good old US of A! 🇺🇲

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Things You Might Not Know About the 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The **1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am** holds a special place in automotive history, renowned for its bold styling, powerful performance, and cultural significance. Here are some fascinating facts you might not know about this iconic muscle car:

1. **"Smokey and the Bandit" Fame:

The 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am gained widespread popularity thanks to its starring role in the classic movie *Smokey and the Bandit*. Burt Reynolds’ character drove a black-and-gold Trans Am, turning it into an instant pop culture icon.

2. **W72 Performance Package:

The W72 performance package, offered in the 1978 model, significantly enhanced the engine's performance. With a 400 cubic-inch V8 engine, it delivered around 220 horsepower, which was a respectable number for the late 1970s when emissions regulations were restricting power outputs.

3. **Special Edition Models:

Pontiac released several special editions of the 1978 Trans Am, including the Gold Special Edition and the famous Black Special Edition, often referred to as the "Bandit Edition." These models featured gold accents, such as the iconic "screaming chicken" decal on the hood and gold alloy wheels.

4. **Improved Handling:

While muscle cars are known for their straight-line speed, the 1978 Firebird Trans Am was notable for its handling. Pontiac engineers upgraded the suspension and steering, making the Trans Am one of the best-handling American cars of its time.

5. **Optional T-Tops:

Buyers of the 1978 Trans Am could opt for T-top removable roof panels, which became a favorite among enthusiasts. These panels gave the car an open-air feel without compromising the structural integrity of the body.

6. **Last Year for the 400 V8:

The 1978 model year marked the last time Pontiac offered the 400 cubic-inch V8 engine in the Trans Am. This engine was one of the final remnants of the muscle car era, and its discontinuation was a sign of the changing times in the automotive world.

7. **Appearance Package Overhaul:

In 1978, Pontiac updated the Firebird's appearance, giving it a new front end with a split grille and updated rear-end styling. This refresh helped keep the Trans Am competitive in the rapidly changing car market of the late '70s.

8. **Turbo Hood Scoop:

The Trans Am featured a functional "shaker" hood scoop, which helped channel cool air into the engine, boosting performance. The hood scoop was not just for show—it played a real role in enhancing the car's capabilities.

9. **High Sales Numbers:

Despite rising fuel costs and growing emissions regulations, the 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was a commercial success. Pontiac sold over 93,000 units of the Trans Am that year, proving that demand for muscle cars still existed, even in a more restrictive era.

10. **Enduring Legacy:

The 1978 Trans Am continues to be a favorite among collectors and car enthusiasts. Its unique combination of performance, style, and cultural impact ensures that it remains one of the most beloved muscle cars from the golden age of American automotive design.

These little-known facts highlight the lasting appeal of the **1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am**, a car that has transcended its era to become a symbol of American automotive culture.

[blackhistorystoryteller]

Black history is not slavery

Slavery is not the only history of black Black history goes deeper than slave trade

This is a message for my black brothers and sisters

Today I will be talking about the people of benin

The historical kingdom of Benin was established in the forested region of West Africa in the 1200s C.E. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. They no longer wanted to be ruled by their kings, known as the ogisos. They asked a prince from Ife, an important West African kingdom, to take control. The first oba, or king, in Benin was Eweka. He was the son of the prince from Ife.The kingdom reached its greatest power and size under Oba Ewuare the Great. He expanded the kingdom and improved the capital, present-day Benin City; the city was defined by massive walls. The height of power for Benin’s monarchs began during this period. To honor the powerful obas, the people of Benin participated in many rituals that expressed their devotion and loyalty, including human sacrifices.Artists of the Benin Kingdom were well known for working in many materials, particularly brass, wood, and ivory. They were famous for their bas-relief sculptures, particularly plaques, and life-size head sculptures. The plaques typically portrayed historical events, and the heads were often naturalistic and life size. Artisans also carved many different ivory objects, including masks and, for their European trade partners, salt cellars.The success of Benin was fueled by its lively trade. Tradesmen and artisans from Benin developed relationships with the Portuguese, who sought after the kingdom’s artwork, gold, ivory, and pepper. In the early modern era, Benin was also heavily involved in the West African slave trade. They would capture men, women, and children from rival peoples and sell them into slavery to European and American buyers. This trade provided a significant source of wealth for the kingdom.Benin began to lose power during the 1800s, as royal family members fought for power and control of the throne. Civil wars broke out, dealing a significant blow to both Benin’s administration as well as its economy. In its weakened state, Benin struggled to resist foreign interference in its trading network, particularly by the British. A desire for control over West African trade and territory ultimately led to a British invasion of Benin in 1897. Benin City was burned by the British, who then made the kingdom part of British Nigeria (which became Nigeria after the country gained independence in 1960). After that time, the kingdom no longer played a governing role in West Africa. However, even today, the oba still serves in Benin City as a government advisor.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Legacy media, partisan media, media funded by the rich is—with notable exception—animated not by a desire to expose wrongdoing or produce useful information, but to manufacture talking points, nuggets of superficially-sounding truisms and thought memes about why politics is best left to the professionals. Most “foreign policy” reporters and pundits, especially, are motivated by the creation, repetition, and dissemination of these talking points, these thought memes, these Reasons Nothing Can Change and Nothing You Do Matters.  Don’t use the word genocide—it’s not technically accurate.  And even if it is accurate, Biden is working hard to get a ceasefire anyway. And even if he’s not actually working for a ceasefire but simply renamed a “temporary pause” a “ceasefire” and still supports the vague objective of “eliminating Hamas” no matter the carnage, he can’t actually end the war anyway even if he wants to. And even if he could end the war, it’s politically bad for him to do so. Wait, no, it’s politically unimportant.  And even if it’s not politically bad or unimportant, civilian deaths have reduced anyway, so what’s the point? Also, didn’t you hear the UN “lowered the count of women and children killed in Gaza”?  Wait, they didn’t actually do this? Okay, well it’s already out there so it doesn’t matter. It feels true, it feels like the number is too high and brown people are shifty and untrustworthy.  And even if civilian deaths haven’t gone down and the UN didn’t actually lower its count, Hamas can’t remain in power anyway. This is just a pat thing to say, right? Sounds anodyne enough?  Okay, so you want Hamas to remain in power? You’re pro-Hamas? There was a ceasefire on October 6. Terrorist, terrorist, terrorist. Free the hostages. Hostages.  Ceasefire on October 6. How can Israel have a ceasefire with terrorists? Wait, it’s happened before, over a dozen times?  Look, Biden is doing all he can to broker a ceasefire which, I know I just said was impossible, and also said he was powerless to do. Unless he does it then he’s not. Look, we can’t really impact Israel, Biden is mostly a spectator, but also it’s important he and Congress send Israel another $26 billion in weapons. What about Darfur? Haiti? Tigray? These are things, no? I just googled “war crimes going on rn” and this came up and despite never mentioning them before I think we should bring them up. But the US isn’t giving these genocidal regimes billions a year in weapons? Yes, but Hamas, Terror, Hostages, Darfur, Iran, Houthis are violating maritime law.  Shocked and horrified but what they see on their social media timelines on a daily basis, and the US’s direct role in it, there’s tremendous professional incentive in our media to come in and explain away, redirect, justify, and cast doubt on the obvious conclusion that this has to stop, that it simply cannot go on. Because it won’t stop, it’s bipartisan consensus—the powers that be decided it has to go on and there’s an election to win in November. There is thus a buyer’s market, and has been for the past seven months, for reporting and opinion pieces to explain why Nothing Can Change and Nothing You Do Matters. 

[sayruq]

The most senior IDF commander dismissed for his role in the drone strike which killed seven aid workers in Gaza is a settler who signed an open letter in January calling for the territory to be deprived of aid, The Telegraph can reveal. A senior British lawyer said its contents – including a call for a “siege” of Gaza City – should be considered by the Israeli authorities investigating the killings. Col (Res) Nochi Mandel, the chief of staff of the Nahal Infantry Brigade, was one of two officers dismissed last week following the incident in which three vehicles belonging to the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) were attacked by drones, killing all those inside, including three Britons. An investigation by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) characterised the strikes as a “grave mistake” but concluded there was no intentional harm. “Those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not WCK employees,” it said.

The investigation into Col Mandel and his colleagues was led by retired Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even, president and CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, sparking claims of bias. The IDF is one of Rafael’s biggest buyers. The company, which sells nearly half of its arms to Israeli clients, makes the ‘Spike missiles’ which are reported to have been used to kill the aid workers. “We demand the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings of our WCK colleagues”, said WCK in the wake of the IDF report last week. “The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza”.

[yuri-for-businesswomen]

i think it is very telling that the best documented case of women buying sex from men are white western women going on vacation in west african countries such as gambia to prey on impoverished and usually younger black men. it highlights that prostitution - any prostitution - is an exertion of power from a more privileged group against a less privileged group. that prostitution is a system that profits from and reinforces oppression and inequality. here, the axis of oppression is not sex, but race. its a symptom of neocolonialism, like most sex tourism.

nonetheless i always have to laugh when the articles, documentaries and research desperately try to act like female and male sex buyers are exactly the same - usually the argument hinges on the fact that the motivation is the same, companionship and sexual gratification. but male sex buyers are motivated by so much more: fetish, sadism, violence, domination. this does not tend to be the case with women. also, unwanted penetration is a different level of violence, having something inserted in you. female sex buyers dont request painful acts such as deepthroat or anal. there are no brothels full with men, the men dont have pimps, and usually in the case of female sex tourists, the arrangement is loose: companionship and sex with no fixed payment but pleasantries, gifts and such. additionally, women dont tend to be able to physically overpower men, or get off on enacting violence like hitting and choking. men who prostitute themselves for women are also less stigmatised than those who do so for men, or prostituted women. and more men sell themselves to other men than to women. and: women who buy sex tend to be single, while the relationship status of a man is no indicator of likelihood to buy sex.

female sex buyers highlight that besides sex, economic class and race determine who is prostituted and who buys sex. that prostitution is an issue of intersectional inequality. and that misogyny is still the key motor of prostitution: male sex buyers are any age, any class, any race, because any man can be a misogynist. but women only become sex buyers under specific conditions; for example motivated by racist fetishisation. another key factor here is gender. buying sex is considered masculine, but women buying sex break with gender norms. consider also the orgasm gap: most women are not satisfied by their male sexual partners. hypothetically it would make more sense for women to be the majority of sex buyers to enforce sexual satisfaction they lack in consensual sexual relationships. yet privileged women who lack sexual satisfaction are more likely to prostitute or otherwise objectify themselves than buying sex.

any form of female-on-male prostitution has its male-on-female (and sometimes male-on-male) equivalent that is more violent and more common. meanwhile many forms of prostitution dont have a female-on-male version, for example prostitution in brothels. men prostituting themselves for women are at a lot less risk for physical violence and abuse or being trafficked. there is even a phenomenon of heterosexual men having to prostitute themselves for men because there is just not enough demand from women. and female-on-female prostitition is almost unheard of, if anything this occurs in a male-female-female constellation. there are no gangbang parties with one or two men and groups of women.

people are so obsessed with pretending like women as consumers in the sex industry - whether that be as sex buyers, porn watchers or stripshow enjoyers - are just the same as men when there are clear differences. gender relations are always relevant in a patriarchal system and reversed roles dont produce the same outcomes.

[robfinancialtip]

Kaaren Thompson, the host of Karma Dog Speak, dives into the unboxing and reviewing of the highly anticipated Halo 3 dog collar. Released by Halo on September 1st, this latest addition to the Halo collar series boasts significant improvements. Kaaren thoroughly explores the orchid-colored Halo 3, noting its matte finish and unveiling its contents, including the magnetic charging port and USB-C adapter.

As she delves into the features, Kaaren emphasizes the collar's waterproof design, highlighting the convenience of the new magnetic charging port for maintaining its durability. The collar's adjustable fit and quick fit system, as well as the innovative GPS accuracy and AI technology, are showcased in her comprehensive review.

Kaaren draws on her extensive experience with the Halo collar series, expressing her admiration for its impact on pet training and boundary setting. Throughout the video, she discusses the collar's practicality and cost-effectiveness compared to traditional invisible fences, emphasizing its impressive battery life.

Cesar Millan, the renowned dog behaviorist, plays a pivotal role in developing and promoting the Halo collar, further enhancing its credibility. Kaaren encourages viewers to use her code when purchasing the Halo 3 collar and invites questions or comments.

In this engaging review on Karma Dog Speak, Kaaren seamlessly integrates essential keywords such as "halo collar," "Cesar Millan," "dog training," "halo collar setup," "wireless dog fence," and many more, providing a comprehensive and informative guide for potential buyers.

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NEW COLORS Halo Collar 3 is available in 4 vibrant colors: ✅GRAY ✅BLACK ✅ORCHID🆕 ✅SUNBURST🆕

[agentgrange]

I saw this post and couldn't stop thinking about it, so here is the answer I gave after some consideration-- I'll tell you when I find out. Sometimes it really feels like it depends on your Agents, and what they're accustomed to. I have two groups that I play with, one is mostly serious with a handful of gallows humor quips while the other one is absolutely clown-shoes-goof-goof-times. You could lovingly craft a deeply unsettling body-horror scene or run a tried-and-true encounter straight out of an established campaign and your mileage will greatly vary depending on your audience. That's not *necessarily* a bad thing, a handlers job is to guide a narrative in a way that's first and foremost fun for the players. If they want to take it seriously and buy into the horror they will, but if they want a bit of levity then there's nothing wrong with playing to the crowd. But I do really, really empathize with struggling to convey the awesome and terrible might of some cosmic horror with nothing but your words in a group of people that (hopefully) instinctively feel at ease and jovial while fooling around playing games with their buddies. Here's a few practical pieces of advice I can give you.

Try to cultivate an unsettling environment for your players. This one seems obvious but is actually really hard to get down right, especially when people mostly play online these days. But you’d be surprised how much regularly providing good visual aids, a Discord bot playing ambient music, and a good playlist can really set the tone for your session. Don’t just provide visual aids for the money shots of alien greys and deep ones either, running a campaign based on The Conspiracy era gives you ample opportunity to post a ton of weird, liminal 90s photographs to set the vibe for everyone even during otherwise mundane scenes.

Make a point of explaining to your players the difference between what they are experiencing and what their characters are experiencing. Yes, facing off against a 8ft tall fish man with a crossbow is inherently ridiculous as a fictional abstract. Its an entirely different experiencing actually being there, face to face under an incredible amount of stress seeing something that should not exist. In a lot of ways your players aren’t their characters so much as they are mad gods guiding their characters’ fates. THEY can laugh from the safety of this higher dimension we all exist in, that’s part of the fun. Hell their characters might even have a passing thought or two about how absurd the situation might be—but that entire time they’re fighting their lizard-brained instincts just to stop from mentally imploding. Let them laugh, but then tell them how their characters' hands might be shaking, or how any clever quip they wanted to say just comes out as a mumble as their body betrays whatever thoughts their rational mind tries to convey.

Know the rules of comedy. Comedy usually needs a straight-man, so if your players are goofing around don’t be afraid to give them a straight-man NPC to react to their antics in a way that makes it feel like you’re in on the bit but keeps the narrative going. Better yet, try to get ahead of it. Set up designated low-stakes areas in your story that are designed to add a bit of levity. They say comedy comes in threes, so you should structure these segments to let your agents to do some dumb shit about three times before they get all the sillies out and are ready to move on. And the emotional highs during these side quests will just make the crushing lows in the main plot feel that much more horrifying.

Building off that last one I have one more secret, forbidden technique. Buyer beware on this one honestly, but I cannot overstress just how much. Players. Love. Silly. Characters. And as David Lynch has proven, you can have silly characters that are still deeply unsettling. Try adding a few characters in that flip the script on your players and make *them*  want to play the role of the straight-man reacting to what your NPCs are doing every once in a while. If done right, it can kind of trick them into taking things seriously or feel like the eerie out of place comedy is at their character’s expense even if the players are in on it.

I hope some of this was at least partially useful. Good luck out there.