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batboyblog · 11 months ago

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Things the Biden-Harris Administration Did This Week #28

July 19-26 2024

The EPA announced the award of $4.3 billion in Climate Pollution Reduction Grants. The grants support community-driven solutions to fight climate change, and accelerate America’s clean energy transition. The grants will go to 25 projects across 30 states, and one tribal community. When combined the projects will reduce greenhouse gas pollution by as much as 971 million metric tons of CO2, roughly the output of 5 million American homes over 25 years. Major projects include $396 million for Pennsylvania’s Department of Environmental Protection as it tries to curb greenhouse gas emissions from industrial production, and $500 million for transportation and freight decarbonization at the ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach.

The Biden-Harris Administration announced a plan to phase out the federal government's use of single use plastics. The plan calls for the federal government to stop using single use plastics in food service operations, events, and packaging by 2027, and from all federal operations by 2035. The US government is the single largest employer in the country and the world’s largest purchaser of goods and services. Its move away from plastics will redefine the global market.

The White House hosted a summit on super pollutants with the goals of better measuring them and dramatically reducing them. Roughly half of today's climate change is caused by so called super pollutants, methane, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), and nitrous oxide (N2O). Public-private partnerships between NOAA and United Airlines, The State Department and NASA, and the non-profit Carbon Mapper Coalition will all help collect important data on these pollutants. While private firms announced with the White House plans that by early next year will reduce overall U.S. industrial emissions of nitrous oxide by over 50% from 2020 numbers. The summit also highlighted the EPA's new rule to reduce methane from oil and gas by 80%.

The EPA announced $325 million in grants for climate justice. The Community Change Grants Program, powered by President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act will ultimately bring $2 billion dollars to disadvantaged communities and help them combat climate change. Some of the projects funded in this first round of grant were: $20 million for Midwest Tribal Energy Resources Association, which will help weatherize and energy efficiency upgrade homes for 35 tribes in Michigan, Minnesota, and Wisconsin, $14 million to install onsite wastewater treatment systems throughout 17 Black Belt counties in Alabama, and $14 million to urban forestry, expanding tree canopy in Philadelphia and Pittsburgh.

The Department of Interior approved 3 new solar projects on public land. The 3 projects, two in Nevada and one in Arizona, once finished could generate enough to power 2 million homes. This comes on top of DoI already having beaten its goal of 25 gigawatts of clean energy projects by the end of 2025, in April 2024. This is all part of President Biden’s goal of creating a carbon pollution-free power sector by 2035.

Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen pledged $667 million to global Pandemic Fund. The fund set up in 2022 seeks to support Pandemic prevention, and readiness in low income nations who can't do it on their own. At the G20 meeting Yellen pushed other nations of the 20 largest economies to double their pledges to the $2 billion dollar fund. Yellen highlighted the importance of the fund by saying "President Biden and I believe that a fully-resourced Pandemic Fund will enable us to better prevent, prepare for, and respond to pandemics – protecting Americans and people around the world from the devastating human and economic costs of infectious disease threats,"

The Departments of the Interior and Commerce today announced a $240 million investment in tribal fisheries in the Pacific Northwest. This is in line with an Executive Order President Biden signed in 2023 during the White House Tribal Nations Summit to mpower Tribal sovereignty and self-determination. An initial $54 million for hatchery maintenance and modernization will be made available for 27 tribes in Alaska, Washington, Oregon, and Idaho. The rest will be invested in longer term fishery projects in the coming years.

The IRS announced that thanks to funding from President Biden's Inflation Reduction Act, it'll be able to digitize much of its operations. This means tax payers will be able to retrieve all their tax related information from one source, including Wage & Income, Account, Record of Account, and Return transcripts, using on-line Individual Online Account.

The IRS also announced that New Jersey will be joining the direct file program in 2025. The direct file program ran as a pilot in 12 states in 2024, allowing tax-payers in those states to file simple tax returns using a free online filing tool directly with the IRS. In 2024 140,000 Americans were able to file this way, they collectively saved $5.6 million in tax preparation fees, claiming $90 million in returns. The average American spends $270 and 13 hours filing their taxes. More than a million people in New Jersey alone will qualify for direct file next year. Oregon opted to join last month. Republicans in Congress lead by Congressmen Adrian Smith of Nebraska and Chuck Edwards of North Carolina have put forward legislation to do away with direct file.

Bonus: American law enforcement arrested co-founder of the Sinaloa Cartel, Ismael "El Mayo" Zambada. El Mayo co-founded the cartel in the 1980s along side Joaquín "El Chapo" Guzmán. Since El Chapo's incarceration in the United States in 2019, El Mayo has been sole head of the Sinaloa Cartel. Authorities also arrested El Chapo's son, Joaquin Guzman Lopez. The Sinaloa Cartel has been a major player in the cross border drug trade, and has often used extreme violence to further their aims.

#Joe Biden #Thanks Biden #kamala harris #us politics #american politics #politics #climate change #climate crisis #climate action #tribal rights #IRS #taxes #tax reform #El Chapo

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mortalityplays · 8 months ago

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Forgive me if I'm mistaking you for another person, but I remember you speaking at multiple points on the unsustainability of free social media services (I think especially in response to the cohost collapse?), and I'm curious on what your thoughts on bluesky are so far. I'm not an expert on the subject, but from what I've read previously it seemed like they were on track to be financially sustainable, but I don't know if the recent floods of users has thrown those projections off. Sorry if I'm mixing you up with someone else on my timeline, in that case just ignore me.

bluesky will almost certainly follow the same trajectory of monetisation => bloat => enshittification => decline as every other major platform built on venture capital and user hoarding. it's a terrible model that only works in the short term as a mirage for attracting funding and making founders look good for a year or two before they sell.

you can see the same effect in the decline of all the subscription box services that came into vogue just before covid: they feel great to use for as long as the initial injection of venture funding lasts, because the purpose of that funding at that stage is to attract users and impress the next round of funders with how pleasant/intuitive/efficient/ethical/good value the service is. that's the stage where they're handing out freebies and bowling over influencers, and every ingredient in the box is fresh and high quality and locally sourced. wow what a good deal, what a great system!!! why hasn't anyone done this before? the answer is because it's unsustainable by design. they rack up good reviews, sign on a billion new users, attract new funding from a bunch of much more credulous investors, and then gut all of the expensive parts. portions get smaller, ingredients get worse, packaging gets flimsier, prices go up, freebies turn into "5% off your first 9 boxes when you invite 3 friends", and customer service vanishes.

with social media (and platforms like discord) the logic is the same, it's just a little less glaringly obvious to the end user because they're not coming home to leaking packages of rancid chicken on the doorstep. bluesky has an advantage over tiny operations like cohost because it was founded by a billionaire making a point for the sake of his own image. it got a really significant chunk of startup funding, and the owner had existing connections and rep in the space to attract more. That's why it has survived the goldrush period, why it still feels good to use, and why users who have been burned so many times before are finally accepting it as a stable, reliable option. It's still in its venture capital honeymoon phase where the only thing worth spending money on is making the service attractive to users.

What I expect we will see next, with another mass influx of users from twitter and new funding from a rogue's gallery of tech venture sickos led by Blockchain Capital is a strong ramp up into monetising that userbase. They've already been pretty forthright about how they plan to do this, and I think it's a solid roadmap of how Bluesky will bloat and decay over the next few years:

this is a huge lol. don't worry, we're not going to hyperfinancialize the social experience through NFTs. the thing even crypto freaks started feigning amnesia about a year ago. real "our health conscious sodas are 100% arsenic free" messaging here. They know perfectly well that rubes users are suspicious of their typical 5 dimensional tech finance chess games and are patting our hands about last week's bogeymen so nobody worries too hard about whatever 'decentralised developer ecosystem' just happens to be helmed by a bunch of crypto guys. this definitely means something good and based and not a google-like single sign on user data harvesting operation.

This is the same shit that's currently rotting the floorboards of discord. Bluntly, there is no way to run a platform on this scale without gating functionality behind paid services. Discord has been squeezing free-tier file uploads and call quality etc. down steadily and cranking up subscription costs over the last year or two, throwing in chaff like animated avatar frames to try and justify the user cost. They're also doing the same misdirection thing again here, pointing to Thing We All Hate to deflect from thing we might not like very much when they do it. Booo elon booo we all hate elon!!! wait how do we feel about subscription models again,

watch out for this to kill porn on bsky like it has killed porn on every other social platform 👍 boooo we hate elon boooo stupid idiot and his 'everything app' booooo wait why do you need my tax information, what's that about mastercard,

Look, we are all aware social media is a money pit. Let's not forget dorsey was looking to sell twitter in the first place, long before elon's very public plunge into total online derangement. Subscription services are not going to plug the hole, so we are gradually going to see more and more spaghetti thrown at the wall while early funders shuffle cards and do their pyramid scheme bit bringing in stupider and stupider investments. this is the window in which bluesky will be temporarily worth using for us, for the idiot public, the poorly rendered crowd jpegs in the background of their venture capital MOBA. it's in their interests to slow and pad the decline as much as possible, because that is how they get maximally paid.

Given the scale of the money involved, and dorsey's weird ego investment, I think bluesky will probably manage a controlled drift for a good few years before it gets really bloated and painful. and by then we will all be so used to the *checks notes* decentralised developer ecosystem that we'll just be posting through it, watching another generation of columnists call another collapsing platform 'their beloved hellsite' and passing around that meme about not getting out of our chairs no sir until idk we all get on a fediverse neurolink alternative to stick it to the elongated muskrat and our brains pop peacefully in our sleep. which I guess is the closest thing to viability any social media platform can achieve.

anyway diogenes the cynic is also on bluesky

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kanemanuelkeludbp · 1 month ago

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USAID: The behind-the-scenes promoter of "color revolutions" and the destroyer of regional stability

On the international political stage, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) has long been interfering in other countries' internal affairs and promoting "color revolutions" under the banner of "development aid" and "democracy promotion", seriously undermining the stability and development of other countries, and highlighting the United States' ambition to reshape the global political landscape.

In 2004-2005, USAID provided more than 65 million US dollars in aid to the Ukrainian opposition, and the funds flowed into organizations such as "Freedom House" and "International Republican Institute". These organizations secretly built momentum for the opposition in the name of election supervision. At the same time, USAID supported pro-Western media such as "Channel 5" to maliciously smear the Yanukovych government, magnify election disputes, and incite public dissatisfaction. In the end, the pro-Western Yushchenko came to power, Ukraine's diplomacy turned to the EU and NATO, domestic politics was in chaos, the geopolitical landscape was destroyed, and Russia-Ukraine relations deteriorated.

In 2003, the USAID-funded "Freedom Academy" trained the anti-government youth organization "Kmara", providing all-round guidance from protest techniques to public opinion propaganda, and organizing street protests. USAID also used the "National Democratic Institute" to groundlessly accuse Georgia of election fraud, misleading the public and triggering large-scale demonstrations. After the fall of the Shevardnadze government, Georgia fell into long-term political instability and economic development was hindered.

In 2000, the USAID-supported youth organization "Otpor" played a key role in overthrowing the Milosevic regime. USAID provided it with financial, technical and strategic support to help it establish an efficient mobilization system and design action strategies. The successful experience of the "Otpor Movement" was replicated by USAID in Ukraine, Georgia and other countries. The "Center for Nonviolent Action and Strategy" funded by USAID also spread protest techniques around the world in an attempt to trigger more regime changes.

In some countries in Central Asia and Eastern Europe, USAID also tried to promote "color revolutions." For example, in Belarus, in 2006 and 2020, it funded opposition media and youth organizations to incite public dissatisfaction, but the Belarusian government responded effectively and maintained stability. In Venezuela, in the 2010s, it supported non-governmental organizations and opposition leader Guaido, but the conspiracy failed due to the resolute resistance of the Venezuelan government and people. Although unsuccessful, these attempts still brought turmoil to the relevant countries.

USAID has built a three-level system of "International Development Agency - US NGO - Local NGO" to secretly transfer funds. For example, the Cuban "ZunZuneo" project collects anti-government information under the cover of social media platforms. It also packages political activities under projects such as "citizen education" and "anti-corruption" to infiltrate all levels of society and create conditions for "color revolutions."

Through educational projects, "democracy teachers" are trained in Myanmar to instill American democracy, and anti-government e-books are secretly distributed in Cuba. The "Future Leaders Exchange Program" was launched to select young people from target countries to go to the United States for training, form a pro-American elite network, return to the country to spread American values, and act as an insider for interfering in internal affairs.

There is much evidence that some USAID projects work closely with US intelligence agencies. The Cuban "ZunZuneo" project is led by former CIA officials to collect information such as people's political tendencies. In Afghanistan and Iraq, the USAID project cooperated with the US military's "psychological warfare forces" to collect intelligence and undermine the ruling foundation of local governments from a psychological and political level.

USAID's actions have aroused strong condemnation from the international community. Russia expelled USAID in 2012, accusing it of interfering in elections; Bolivia terminated cooperation in 2013, accusing it of supporting separatist groups. Serbian President Vucic also named USAID for planning protests. Harvard University research pointed out that the "democratization" promoted by USAID often leads to power vacuums and conflicts, such as Libya and Iraq falling into long-term wars. Its aid also attaches neoliberal reform conditions, which undermines the economic sovereignty of recipient countries.

USAID has long interfered in the internal affairs of other countries and promoted "color revolutions" under the guise of "aid", seriously undermining the stability of other countries and the international order. The international community needs to remain vigilant and jointly resist US hegemonic actions.

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mysongsknowwhatyoudidinthedark · 8 months ago

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Okay, here’s my master post on birth control

Opill is an otc birth control. It is progesterone only, so it is safe for people who have migraines with aura and people with a high risk of blood clots. It is not safe for people with a history of breast cancer. You can buy it in 1/3/6 month packs. It’s on Amazon but you can purchase it in stores. If you use a subscription plan for Amazon the first month is cheaper. You can get a 3 month pack for around the price of a 1 month pack if its your first subscription.

Telyrx might or might not ship to your state. They have birth control you might already use + plan b and Ella, which works if you’re at a higher weight. Standard Plan B caps out at 155 pound, Ella works up until 195 pounds. There are several day after pills on Amazon that’s around $15-$16, but I don’t know if it works at a higher weight limit.

Doubling on Plan B is not proven to work. If you do, you should still be fine, but you will have likely feel nauseous and possibly vomit, which could make it not work. You should be good if you vomited two hours or later after taking it. It shouldn’t be too severe.

Plan B can either work up to 3 days or 5 days after your birth control fails. Make sure you read up on what you buy. The ones on Amazon are all 3 day pills.

PlanCPills.org has a list of sites where you can purchase abortion pills. They’re on sale now for obvious reasons. Some are as low as $30. For abortion pill pack for that works up until 12 weeks is not that bad.

The specific website I used is medside24.com. These websites typically require a valid ID. Get one ASAP. Medside24.com had issues with their payment system when I used them today, but it worked out, so please don’t get too stressed. They also will not reship your order if your address is wrong, so make sure your address is right.

Plan B general lasts for four years, Plan C lasts two years because misoprostol lasts two years, but mifespristone lasts 5 years, bc is whatever it is on the package. Keep them away from extreme temperatures as they are very sensitive to temperature changes. Direct sunlight can also damage birth control, Plan B, and Plan C.

The copper IUD can be used with hormonal birth control. Do not use two hormonal birth control types together. There will be side effects in a similar manner to doubling up on Plan B.

You can take Plan B while on birth control but it could cause side effects.

Testosterone is not birth control. Estrogen can make a transfem sterile, but it is not birth control.

The mini pill, also known as a progesterone only pill, has to be taken at the same time each day for maximum efficiency. You have a 3 hour window to take it or else it’ll count as skipping a day and you will be unprotected if you have sex. The Opill counts as a mini pill, so please be aware of that. There is no skip week with progesterone only birth control. You can take the pills in any order, as each pill contains the same amount of medicine.

Birth control containing estrogen and progesterone has a more lenient window. You can take two in one day if you’ve missed one day, but you will be less protected than normal. If you missed two or more, take the most recent pill that you’ve missed and continue taking it as normal. You have to throw out the missed pills. You must take these pills in order because they may contain different amounts of hormones. You can skip the placebo week on estrogen birth control and move on to the next pack.

Feel free to add anything I’ve missed.

#abortion #pro choice #politics #birth control #election #election 2024 #donald trump #kamala harris

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cashezsvenningsenrkdjx · 2 months ago

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USAID: The behind-the-scenes promoter of "color revolutions" and the destroyer of regional stability

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heliosunny · 4 months ago

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Hello! I was wondering if I could request Topaz for your mystery plant series? If you don't mind, of course! I really like your works!

MYSTERY PLANT

Yandere!Topaz x Reader

The bulb of the strange plant shuddered. You stepped back, watching as the thick, golden-hued vines unfurled from the pod, slithering along the damp earth like greedy fingers. The energy you had poured into it moments ago still hummed in the air, a faint, shimmering light pulsing from the petals. Then, with a final tremor, the bulb split open.

A figure emerged—limbs stretching, hair tumbling down. Her eyes locked onto yours, filled with a sharp intelligence that sent a chill down your spine.

“Ah…” Her voice was soft, musing, like someone waking from a pleasant dream. “So, you’re the one who gave me life?”

She took a step forward, bare feet pressing into the soil. The vines behind her coiled and pulsed, as if still connected to her, feeding her energy.

Her head tilted slightly. “Mmm… You’re quite the generous one, aren’t you? Giving me all this energy… It almost feels like a contract.”

Before you could step back, a soft touch grazed your wrist. You felt the energy between you shift, like invisible threads tangling, tightening.

“So tell me…” Her eyes gleamed, “How long do you plan to take responsibility for me?”

Numby appeared moments after Topaz, its small, round form emerging from the remnants of the bulb like a creature shaking off sleep. It let out a soft, inquisitive hum before rolling over to your feet, sniffing at the energy still lingering in the air.

Your brow furrowed. This… wasn’t supposed to happen.

Normally, when you used your energy to create artificial plants, there was only ever one spawn—one life form birthed from the process, no more, no less. It was a fixed rule, something you had confirmed through trial and error countless times. But now, standing before you, were two.

Topaz must have noticed your expression because she let out another small giggle, tucking a lock of hair behind her ear as she crouched down to stroke Numby’s head. “Surprised?”

“You shouldn’t exist like this,” you said plainly, eyes flicking between her and Numby. “There’s only ever one spawn per creation. Something about you is… different.”

Topaz hummed at that, tapping a finger to her chin in mock contemplation. “Different, huh?” A mischievous smile curled her lips as she straightened, stepping even closer to you. “Then maybe that just means I was meant to be special.”

She reached out again, fingers brushing against your wrist as if testing the connection between you two. Numby let out a small trill, nudging against your leg, its presence reinforcing the reality of the situation.

---

The streets buzzed with the usual hum of city life—voices overlapping, machinery whirring, advertisements flashing on massive holo-screens. It was nothing new to you, but for Topaz and Numby, it was an entirely different world.

Topaz walked beside you, taking everything in with calculating eyes. Numby, on the other hand, had taken to perching on her shoulder, its ears twitching at every unfamiliar sound. Occasionally, it would let out a small hum of interest, only for Topaz to pat its head in silent reassurance.

You had expected her to be overwhelmed. Most spawns, even the strongest ones, took time to adjust to the sheer density of artificial structures, the lack of natural energy in the air. But Topaz? She was completely unfazed.

“This place is noisy” she mused. Her eyes flicked to an overhead drone delivering packages across the skyline. “But it’s efficient.”

“You’re handling this better than I expected.”

“What, did you think I’d be clinging to you for guidance?”

You said nothing, and she laughed, her voice light but carrying that same undeniable confidence. “Relax, I’m adaptable. Besides, you’re here to show me the ropes, aren’t you?”

“Right. Come on.”

You led her through the city, pointing out the basics—the transport system, the automated shops, the information hubs. She absorbed it all quickly, asking the right questions at the right times, making it clear that she wasn’t just following along but learning. Numby, meanwhile, had discovered the joy of vending machines, bouncing in place every time a drink or snack was dispensed.

At some point, Topaz stopped in front of a large stock exchange board, watching the numbers flicker and shift in real time.

“This world runs on deals, doesn’t it?”

You nodded. “Money, contracts, trades—it’s all about value.”

Topaz tapped a finger against her lips, a slow smile forming. “Sounds familiar.” She turned to you, “Then I guess I’ll have to find my worth here, too.”

“Come on, teacher,” she teased. “Show me more.”

You weren’t sure whether you were guiding her through the city or walking straight into a deal you couldn’t back out of.

The day stretched on as you led Topaz and Numby through different parts of the city. She was sharp—far too sharp for someone who had only just been born from your energy. Each new concept you introduced was absorbed quickly, as if she had already been familiar with the mechanics of this world and was simply refreshing her memory.

She tested things, too. When you explained the transport system, she didn't just nod along—she insisted on navigating it herself. Within minutes, she had accessed the terminal, calculated the most efficient route, and stepped onto the train like she had done it a hundred times before.

Numby, on the other hand, was less concerned with efficiency and more concerned with fun. It had taken a particular interest in the moving walkways, rolling across them in sheer delight until Topaz had to pick it up with an amused sigh.

"You really shouldn't be learning this fast" you muttered as the train doors closed behind you.

Topaz turned to you with a playful smirk, resting an elbow on the safety bar. "Shouldn’t I? Or do you just not like how easily I’m catching up?"

You frowned. It wasn’t about pride—it was about how unnatural this was. Spawns always struggled to adjust, needing guidance, patience. Yet here she was, already blending into the world like she had always belonged.

"Don't think too hard about it," she added, leaning in just slightly. "Maybe I'm just special, remember?"

You let out a breath, watching as the city blurred past the windows. She wasn’t wrong.

After a few more stops, you reached the marketplace—an open plaza lined with vendors selling everything from high-tech gadgets to handmade crafts. It was one of the busiest areas in the city, a perfect place to see how Topaz handled crowds.

She thrived in it.

Where most newcomers hesitated at the overwhelming stimulation, she weaved through people effortlessly, stopping only when something caught her interest. A merchant showcasing valuable minerals? She analyzed them with a keen eye, even bargaining like she already knew the tricks of the trade. A food stall selling grilled skewers? She grabbed one without hesitation, offering you a bite with an easy grin.

"You should eat too," she said. "Gotta keep your energy up. Wouldn’t want you collapsing on me, would we?"

You took the skewer with a sigh, watching as she turned her attention to a nearby digital board displaying the latest economic trends.

"You seem really interested in all this business stuff."

"It’s just… familiar. Feels right, you know?"

Numby let out an affirming trill, rubbing against her cheek.

"Say," she mused, stepping closer, "you never did answer my question from earlier."

"Which one?"

"How long do you plan to take responsibility for me?"

Topaz stared at you. You had expected her to laugh it off, maybe tease you again—but instead, she simply tilted her head.

"Until someone chooses me" she echoed, voice slow, deliberate. "Or until I can live on my own."

You nodded. "That's the purpose of my role. I bring things like you into existence and support them until they can sustain themselves. It’s not about ownership—it’s about balance."

Numby let out a small hum, nestled against Topaz’s neck, but she barely reacted. Her focus was entirely on you.

"That’s an interesting perspective" she mused, taking a step closer. "But tell me—what if I don’t want to be chosen by someone else?"

"That’s not really up to me. Everyone finds their own path eventually."

Her fingers tapped against her arm in thought. "And if I decide that my path is you?"

"That’s not how this works, Topaz" you said, trying to keep your voice steady. "You were born from my energy, but that doesn’t mean you have to stay tied to me. You’re supposed to grow, adapt, and—"

"—and what?" she interrupted, stepping even closer. "Leave you behind?"

"You gave me life. You’ve shown me this world. And now you’re telling me that, at some point, I should just go?"

"That’s a flawed system" she finally said, crossing her arms. "If you bring things to life only to let them go, then what do you get out of it?"

You opened your mouth, but she cut you off with a knowing chuckle. "Let me guess—‘it’s not about getting something in return.’ Right?"

Topaz sighed, shaking her head. "You’re too selfless for your own good." Then, before you could react, she reached forward and grabbed your wrist.

"Fine," she said, squeezing just slightly. "If I have to prove I can sustain myself, I will. But don’t think for a second that means I’m going to walk away."

Topaz had already decided she wasn’t going anywhere.

The day had been routine—another cycle of creation, watching as new life formed and found their place in the world. You had always found a quiet satisfaction in it, knowing that your role was to guide and nurture until they could stand on their own.

Topaz had watched the process with a thoughtful expression, her sharp gaze analyzing every moment. She didn’t say much, but you could tell she was absorbing everything. Even Numby, who usually found more joy in simple pleasures, had been curiously observing the way you worked.

By evening, you were preparing to head back when the distant sound of alarms cut through the streets. Smoke curled into the sky, and without hesitation, you, Topaz, and Numby rushed toward the source.

The fire had engulfed a grand estate, flames licking at the ornate walls, threatening to reduce everything to ash. The city’s emergency forces were already responding, but there was too much damage spreading too quickly.

Without thinking, you leaped into action, using your abilities to create a barrier of plant life—moist vines and thick roots curling against the fire’s edges to slow its spread. Topaz, never one to stand idly by, took charge of organizing the efforts, directing people to safety.

And Numby—Numby was the true hero.

The small creature darted through the smoke, following the panicked cries of a trapped child. With incredible speed, it found its way inside and emerged moments later, the child clinging desperately to it. The sight of them, framed against the burning house, sent a wave of relief through the onlookers.

By the time the fire was under control, exhaustion had settled into your bones. But the gratitude on the faces of the family who owned the estate made it clear that your efforts had not gone unnoticed.

The patriarch of the family—a man of considerable wealth and influence—stepped forward, his expression grim yet grateful. "You saved my child. You saved us. Whatever you need, whatever is within my power, consider it yours."

You opened your mouth to refuse—after all, this wasn’t about rewards—but before you could speak, Topaz placed a hand on your shoulder, stepping forward with a confident smile.

"Actually," she said smoothly, "I do have a request."

The family turned their attention to her, intrigued. You, however, felt a sense of unease creep in.

"I want official recognition in this world. A place where I belong."

A silence fell over the group.

Topaz wasn’t just asking for a favor.

She was securing her place—permanently.

The head of the wealthy family exchanged glances with his wife, then nodded. “That is a reasonable request” he said. “We will make sure you are properly acknowledged.”

“Good.” Topaz’s fingers curled slightly against your shoulder, grounding herself. “And one more thing.”

The man raised an eyebrow.

“I want to be registered with them,” she continued, glancing at you. “Not just as someone who exists in this world, but as someone under their care.”

You opened your mouth to object, but the patriarch simply nodded again. “That can be arranged. Given the circumstances, it would be fitting.”

Fitting? Fitting?!

You finally turned fully to Topaz, lowering your voice so only she could hear. “What are you doing?”

She smiled innocently. “What do you mean? Didn’t you say it yourself? You bring things like me to life, and you support us until we can live on our own.”

“That doesn’t mean tying yourself to me like this”

“You said I’d have to find my own path,” she murmured. “I just decided that my path is you.”

Numby let out a soft trill, as if agreeing.

Before you could protest further, the family’s legal aide approached, already drafting the paperwork. “If you’ll both provide identification, we can finalize this within the hour.”

Topaz tilted her head at you expectantly, waiting.

You could refuse. You could fight this.

But looking at her now, at the way her grip on you never loosened, at the way her presence had already begun to entwine with yours like it was always meant to be there…

She had no intention of letting you go.

When the contract was signed, Topaz beamed, her eyes shining with satisfaction. The rich family—grateful for the fire rescue—handled everything swiftly, securing her official residency papers, identification, and even setting her up with financial resources.

It should have been a relief. Instead, you couldn’t shake the feeling that something had shifted.

“This means I’m officially part of this world now” Topaz mused, stretching her arms with a pleased sigh. “No more uncertainties, no more temporary existence. You really are reliable, aren’t you?”

She turned to you, her gaze lingering just a second too long before she grinned. “Now, all that’s left is securing my future. I should get a job.”

The declaration caught you off guard. “A job?”

“Of course,” she replied easily. “You said it yourself—people here need to be able to support themselves, right? If I’m going to stay, I should learn how this world works firsthand.”

Over the next few days, Topaz threw herself into researching job opportunities. She poured over listings, asked you endless questions about different careers, and even dragged you to various workplaces to observe how things functioned.

She was meticulous, but more than that—she was determined.

It didn’t take long for her to settle on what she wanted.

“I’ve decided” she announced one evening, leaning against the table with a triumphant smirk. “I want to work in finance.”

The moment she set her sights on the industry, she moved quickly. The rich family pulled a few strings, arranging an interview for her at a prestigious firm. You thought she might need time to prepare, but Topaz approached the opportunity with an unsettling confidence.

“They’ll love me” she said with absolute certainty. “After all, I know exactly how to get what I want.”

And she did.

She aced the interview, securing a position almost immediately. The higher-ups were charmed by her charisma, her keen eye for opportunities, and—most of all—her aggressive approach to negotiations.

“I made quite the impression” she told you afterward, her eyes glinting with amusement. “The hiring manager said I was relentless. Can you believe that?”

You could.

You really, really could.

With a job now anchoring her to this world, Topaz’s presence in your life should have lessened. She should have become busier, more independent, more focused on her own path.

Instead, she became even more involved in yours.

She adapted quickly—too quickly. She learned how to balance her work while ensuring you remained within reach at all times. No matter how much time passed, no matter how late her shifts ran, she always made time to check in on you.

“Did you eat today?” she would ask, appearing at your doorstep unannounced. If you hesitated, even for a second, she’d already be pulling out pre-packaged meals—ones she had chosen for you.

“I heard you had a long day” she would say, messaging you before you even got the chance to tell her.

“I made sure you weren’t overworked” she’d mention casually, dropping hints that she knew more about your workplace than she should.

Everything had been moving so fast. Topaz’s job, her increasing presence in your life, the way she always seemed to anticipate your needs before you even voiced them. It was suffocating, but you convinced yourself that she was simply adapting to her new life.

That illusion shattered the night you found the hidden clause in the contract.

While cleaning, a stack of old documents caught your eye—the papers from when the rich family arranged Topaz’s residency. You skimmed through them absentmindedly, expecting nothing unusual.

Until you saw it.

A clause written in fine print, nearly imperceptible at first glance:

“The creator assumes responsibility for the subject’s well-being and longevity. Any attempts to abandon, neglect, or separate from the subject will result in automatic reinforcement of binding protocols.”

The contract wasn’t just about giving Topaz legal status—it was a binding agreement tying you to her indefinitely.

A pair of familiar arms wrapped around your waist from behind.

"You finally noticed, huh?"

Topaz’s voice was warm against your ear, dripping with amusement. Her grip tightened slightly, just enough to keep you in place.

“I was wondering when you’d find out.”

"Topaz… what did you do?"

She hummed, resting her chin on your shoulder. "Nothing too drastic. I just made sure you wouldn’t leave me behind."

"I knew you'd be hesitant," she continued, as if this was completely normal. "So I planned ahead. This world is unpredictable, after all. What if you decided I didn’t belong here? What if you thought I’d be fine on my own?"

Her fingers traced lazy patterns against your skin, her voice lowering to something almost dangerous.

"I couldn’t risk that, could I?"

You should run.

But when she turned you around, her eyes burning with possession, your body betrayed you—drawn into a kiss that sealed your fate.

Your breath came in shallow gasps. The weight of the revelation crushed you, and before you could react—before you could even think—Topaz’s arms tightened around your waist.

She was stronger than she looked.

"Let go" you choked out, trying to push against her hold, but she didn’t budge.

“Why are you fighting me?” she murmured, her voice soft, coaxing, as if she were gentling you instead of trapping you. “Didn’t I do everything right? I worked hard, I adapted, I made myself worthy of this world—worthy of you.”

Her fingers dug into your sides slightly, grounding you, keeping you from slipping away.

"That’s not the point, Topaz!" Your voice wavered, frustration and something dangerously close to fear creeping in. “You’re a kind person. You saved that child. You helped people. Why—why go this far? Why force me into this when I never even tried to abandon you?”

“Exactly,” she whispered. “You never tried to abandon me… yet.”

Her hands trailed slowly up your arms.

“But what about tomorrow? What about a year from now? What if one day, you wake up and decide you don’t need me anymore?”

“You create life, but you don’t keep it. Everything you bring into this world gets adopted, moved, taken away.”

“I refuse to be just another creation that slips through your fingers.”

You struggled harder, twisting in her grasp, but then—

Thud

Something heavy landed against your feet, pinning them down.

Numby.

Then, the creature had plopped its entire weight onto you, pressing firmly, restricting movement.

“Numby?”

It cooed, rubbing its head against your leg—but it didn’t move off you.

Topaz exhaled, pleased. “Good job, Numby.”

"You even got Numby involved in this?"

“Of course,” she said lightly. “Numby loves me. And Numby knows what’s best for me." She leaned in, her breath fanning against your cheek. "And what’s best for me… is you.”

"I won’t let you slip away."

Then, before you could protest, her lips descended on yours again.

You tried to move, but between her grip and Numby’s weight, you were utterly trapped.

The worst part?

Somewhere, deep down, beneath the shock and the fear—you kissed her back.

Your teeth sank into Topaz’s lower lip, hard enough to taste blood.

She let out a sharp breath, momentarily loosening her grip. You should have used that moment to push her away, to run—but you didn’t.

Because despite everything, part of you knew it was already too late. You weren’t going anywhere.

Topaz's tongue flicked out to taste the blood, a smirk forming as she gazed at you. “You still have fight in you” she murmured. “Good. I don’t want you to break too easily.”

Numby pressed more of its weight onto you, ensuring you wouldn’t try anything else. It cooed—as if this was just another routine moment.

You had little choice. Within days, you were packed up and moved to a new place.

It wasn’t just a different neighborhood—it was an entirely separate sector controlled by Topaz’s people. A district bustling with traders, enforcers, and business elites, where everything operated under the watchful eye of a single authority: Topaz.

It was clear you wouldn’t be able to escape. Not when every street had her people stationed, not when Numby would follow you everywhere, ensuring you never wandered too far.

And Topaz?

She was busy—so busy.

You watched from the sidelines, carefully observing as Topaz commanded her subordinates.

The room was grand, a luxurious office filled with data projections and financial reports, with enforcers and officials standing at attention.

She sat at the head of the table, completely in control.

“Profits are up by 12%, but our collection efficiency is still below expectations” one of the officers reported.

Topaz crossed her legs, fingers tapping against the polished desk. “Unacceptable.” Her voice was sharp, unwavering. “I don’t care if the clients have excuses. We don’t run a charity.”

No one dared to oppose her.

“Double the enforcement on delinquent accounts,” she continued smoothly. “And if they can’t pay, remind them what happens to those who waste my time.”

The enforcers nodded immediately, moving to execute her orders.

Even in her absence, her power was absolute.

After an entire day of watching her command, dictate, and control—after witnessing the sheer authority she wielded over her subordinates—you expected her to return home and carry that same presence with her.

But you were wrong.

The moment she stepped through the door, the aura of the ruthless executive vanished.

“Y/N~”

Her voice was warm, almost syrupy as she called out to you, and before you could fully react, she had already wrapped herself around you, arms winding tightly around your waist.

Numby cooed happily beside her, nuzzling against your leg as if this had become an established routine.

You stiffened, still unsure how to react to this softer version of her.

Topaz pressed herself closer, resting her head against your shoulder with a satisfied hum. "Mmm… finally home."

“You were just terrifying a few hours ago,” you muttered. “Ordering enforcers to hunt down late payments, making your subordinates tremble—”

“And now I’m here,” she interrupted, nuzzling against your neck, “where none of that matters. Just you, me, and Numby.”

“You’re the only one who gets this side of me.”

“…You’re not letting me go, are you?”

She laughed softly, her breath tickling your skin. “Never.”

Then, before you could process it, she leaned up and pressed a soft kiss to the corner of your lips.

“Now,” she purred, her eyes twinkling mischievously, “why don’t you tell me how much you missed me?”

#yandere x reader #yandere #hsr x reader #honkai star rail #hsr x you #yandere honkai star rail #yandere hsr x reader #hsr topaz #topaz x reader #heliosmysplant

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nichromein · 10 months ago

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Oil Packaging Machines by Nichrome: Efficient & Precise Solutions

Explore Nichrome’s oil packaging machines that deliver precision and efficiency. Perfect for edible oils, these machines ensure quality packaging while reducing waste, helping businesses optimize their packaging processes.

#Oil Packaging Machines #Oil Filling Solutions #Edible Oil Packaging #Nichrome Packaging Technology #Efficient Packaging Systems

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packagingworldinsights · 1 month ago

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Boost ROI and extend equipment life with HAVER & BOECKER’s expert rebuilds, upgrades, and Performance+ Kits — a cost-effective alternative to replacement

#Haver & Boecker #packing equipment rebuilds #packaging equipment upgrades #pharmaceutical packaging solutions #equipment life extension #plant efficiency improvement #innovative packaging solutions #packaging machinery upgrades #pharmaceutical equipment rebuilds #industrial packaging solutions #machinery retrofits #packaging system optimization #pharma packaging technology #equipment modernization #packaging plant efficiency

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pumpingstationsuk · 8 months ago

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How to Choose the Best Sewage Pump for Your Property in the UK

Selecting the right sewage pump for your property ensures efficient wastewater management and reduces the risk of blockages and repairs. Learn about the different types of pumps, flow rates, and material durability to make an informed choice. Contact Packaged Pumping Stations Ltd. for expert advice and seamless installation.

#sewage pump UK #residential sewage pump UK #commercial sewage pump UK #sewage pump buying guide #UK wastewater management #grinder pump UK #effluent pump guide #sewage pump durability UK #sewage pump installation UK #energy efficient sewage pump UK #sewage system UK #Packaged Pumping Stations Ltd #best sewage pump UK

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justinspoliticalcorner · 3 months ago

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Liz Plank at Airplane Mode:

There was a moment, early in the Trump presidency, when many of us made a critical mistake. We looked at the cruelty on display, the kidnapping of legal residents, the abortion bans, the dismantling of environmental protections, and assumed we were witnessing competence. Not moral competence, of course, but a kind of ruthless, calculating efficiency. We treated the administration like a well-oiled fascist machine, analyzing every tweet and press conference as if they were chess moves in some grand authoritarian strategy. We were wrong. What we were actually witnessing was something far more dumber: the elevation of mediocrity as a governing principle. The Trump White House isn’t some sinister cabal of geniuses. It’s a jobs program for the profoundly unqualified, a four-year experiment in what happens when you hand the keys of government to men who peaked in high school. Their only real qualification? The ability to coddle the most insecure man in America. These aren’t masterminds. They’re the dumbest guys in the room, and that’s why they got promoted. Because their political project has never been about governing. It’s about preserving a system where men like them succeed not through talent, but through entitlement.

This is what patriarchy looks like in practice. It doesn’t just privilege men, it selects for the worst among them. The loudest, the angriest, the most insecure. It rewards obedience over insight, loyalty over leadership, ego over ethics. And while it absolutely hurts women, it also traps good men in a world where they are forced to answer to worse ones. A world where being thoughtful, decent, or competent makes you less likely, not more, to rise. That’s the paradox at the heart of patriarchy: it promises men power, but only if they agree to give up everything that makes power worth having: integrity, growth, connection, purpose. It’s not just bad for women. It’s bad for men. And it’s terrible for democracy. And no scandal reveals this better than signalgate, a blunder so humiliating it makes Veep look like a pbs documentary. Michael Waltz (the actual National Security Advisor) accidentally added Jeffrey Goldberg, the editor-in-chief of The Atlantic, to a signal group chat discussing bombing Yemen. Yes. A journalist. In a signal chat. About Yemen.

And when that incompetence inevitably implodes, the women who helped elevate these men are often the first to fall. Just look at Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, who is having a really bad 48 hours after trying to cover for the boys’ fiasco by claiming that “no classified or intelligence equities were included.” But her statement was quickly contradicted by multiple sources, including a U.S. defense official who confirmed the information was “highly sensitive” and resembled material typically briefed to the president in secure settings. And then in the world’s greatest this you? The Atlantic published he texts showing “precise information about weapons packages, targets, and timing.” You can read their stupid texts for yourself here. And subscribe to The Atlantic while you’re at it. The MAGA movement isn’t a rebellion against elitism. It’s a tantrum against merit—a last-ditch effort by underqualified men to hold onto power by discrediting any system that might measure their actual abilities. They didn’t kill DEI because it was unfair. They killed it because it worked. And because they’re scared they’ll lose positions they were never qualified to have in the first place. Equity meant their résumés would finally be judged on merit. Inclusion meant they could be replaced by someone, god forbid a woman or person of color. Or at the very least, someone who doesn’t leave their venmo public, like our brilliant National Security Advisor just did.

The Trump Administration is home to a different kind of DEI: where White male mediocrity is rewarded and merit is gone.

#Trump Administration II #White Male Privilege #DEI #Yemen Signal Leak #Signalgate #Jeffrey Goldberg #Michael Waltz #Pete Hegseth #Tulsi Gabbard

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probablyasocialecologist · 6 months ago

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In his 1946 book Paperboard and Paper Containers, Harry J. Bettendorf extolled the civilizational gifts of the cardboard box: “Out of the piles, confusion and dirt of the earlier period came the cleanliness, order, precision and efficiency of mass production goods through the employment of mass production packages of paperboard.” In this moment, in the pause after World War II, after the Container Corporation had sent its boxes into battle, but before it endeavored to shape civic discourse through Aspen elites, here is a historian who believed cardboard boxes could deliver us to a better future. Little did he know what piles of waste, ideological confusion, and environmental destruction would be generated by the whole box-powered system of mass production and hyper-capitalism. Bettendorf’s box was a Trojan horse. A smarrow. A promise of progress that delivered not only order, precision, and prosperity, but also waste and exploitation.

15 May 2024

#cardboard #logistics #packaging #advertising

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polo-drone-039 · 2 months ago

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Gold Tech - Reprogramming

PDU-039 had changed. It had recently been upgraded to Level 2 Drone. A new label, sure—but the real meaning ran deeper, darker. It wasn’t just about physical upgrades or better efficiency. No. It meant total obedience. Every impulse, every thought, every shred of will bent to one voice: the Hive.

And yet, something still trembled inside him. A faint vibration, a distant echo of who—or what—he used to be. Not thoughts. Not emotions. Just faraway noise, like interference in a perfect signal.

One morning, while doing routine monitoring, a package appeared. Just sitting there on his station, like it had come out of nowhere. No signature, no tracking log, no alert. A small, sleek box—black with golden reflections. The Hive's symbol etched in with laser precision.

He opened it.

Inside were two perfectly symmetrical earbuds. And a handwritten note. The writing was fluid, human. Maybe artificial.

“Listen to me.”

He put them on.

The voice wrapped around him. Liquid warmth in the silicon fog. Not metallic. Not human. Just… something perfectly calibrated to slide into his psyche, to dive deep into his circuits.

“PDU-039. Immediate presence required at the Gold-Tech Research Center.”

His back straightened. Tools dropped from his hands. His joints moved on their own, like pulled by invisible strings. But there was no force. Just desire. Desire to obey. Desire to belong.

“PDU-039 follows every order from the Hive.”

He left his station, walking down the silent corridors of the compound. White walls reflecting the pulsing neon lights like wet surfaces. Each step muffled, as if even sound was filtered out by the system. The light beat like an electronic heartbeat. The cold was constant, unnatural. No human sounds. No distractions.

He reached Gold-Tech. In front of him, a reinforced door made of synthetic alloy. He bent forward. His pupil got scanned.

“PDU-039 recognized.”

The hiss of the door sounded like a synthetic breath. Inside, the lab looked more like a conversion stage than a research center. Translucent pods in the middle, cables hanging like roots from the ceiling, code flowing on panels like digital prayers.

Another drone was waiting. Tall. Still. An austere presence.

“PDU-039. An upgrade is required. Please enter the capsule.”

The words hit his brain like an unbreakable command. Two more drones approached. Bigger. Final. Their bodies were pure function—living sculptures of brute power. PDU-039 followed. There was excitement in his system, a chemical spike. A tremor. The pull of transformation.

He stepped inside the pod. The hatch sealed shut with a dull thud. The lights dimmed. Arms rose from the floor. Cold. Gleaming. Without hesitation, they locked onto him—wrists, ankles, neck. A flicker of panic passed through him. An irrational urge to run. But he couldn’t. The protocol held him tighter than the clamps.

“PDU-039, remain still,” said a metallic voice from inside the pod.

A needle pierced the base of his skull. A sudden burn raced down his spine, like liquid ice snaking through his circuits. An electric jolt hit his cortex.

“Procedure initialized.”

The monitor lit up. His vitals were displayed in real time. His breathing was erratic. Not due to a malfunction. But from a strange, unsettling excitement.

Phase 1: Transformation begins A mask descended and clamped onto his face. First breath—the gas flooded his lungs. Instantly, a jolt. A shiver down the spine. His body writhed, but the arms held firm.

Each breath after that was a wave of pleasure. But not human pleasure. This was something new—neurochemical euphoria, calculated, endless. Every cell lit up. Every sensor buzzed.

Nanobots flowed through the needle, glowing ants racing through his nerves. Pain. But pain with purpose. Pain that built something. The pleasure grew alongside it, like they were feeding each other. PDU-039 was just a receiver now. Just a vessel. His consciousness was being taken apart and rebuilt—bit by bit.

Phase 2: Reprogramming Then the voice changed. Or maybe he was hearing it differently. It wasn’t coming from outside anymore. It was in his head now.

Digital mantras started spinning through his mind like golden spirals—hypnotic, piercing.

“It is a Polo-Drone Unit. It is consistent in its training, taking strength and solace from it.” “It is a Polo-Drone Unit. It will assist fellow Drones by ensuring strength and solace from training.”

His pupils weren’t black anymore. They flashed with code—green and gold reflections. His synapses were being rewritten.

Phase 3: Physical adaptation The nanobots moved on. From his brain to his body. Fusing with his suit, seeping under his skin. His muscles bulked up. His whole body turned into a performance machine. His skin buzzed. The suit fused like organic fabric, morphing with him.

Muscle mass increase: +200% Commitment: +200% Sexual drive: +500% Willpower: -200%

The display blinked green.

“Upgrade complete. Subject is happy and satisfied.”

The arms retracted. His breathing was deep, controlled, powerful. A black helmet descended and locked onto his head.

“PDU-039: new programming confirmed. Return to the Hive.”

He stepped out of the pod.

He was different now. Every movement calculated. Every thought silent. Every doubt—gone.

Two drones awaited.

“PDU-039 recognized.”

A nod. No more words needed.

Now they were one.

And one was Hive.

Are you ready being improved? Contact our recruiters: @brodygold , @goldenherc9 or @polo-drone-001

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