#Fiber Extraction

[mxnordberg]

HOW MUCH DO YOU HATE?

[fantasticfibers]

Update: trying to figure out how to extract the fiber best?

I DID IT! I made nettle fiber! 🌿✨

After days of foraging, soaking, and lots of patience, I finally managed to create my own nettle fiber! It's so soft—But it has a weird smell it's not bad but just different from what I had expected?

Next up: spinning it into some yearn!

[fuckspn]

this is only tangentially related to the supernatural episode i'm watching but it's so funny to me when people use the phrase "like pulling teeth" to say that something is difficult/slow/frustrating because i personally love pulling teeth and usually find it pretty easy and quick

[weidamachinemaryxu]

Unleashing the Potential of Bamboo: Zhanjiang Weida's Innovative Fiber E...

[newbusinessideas]

How to Start a Banana Fiber Manufacturing Business

Turn waste into wealth! 🍃💰 Start your own Banana Fiber Manufacturing Business and tap into the eco-friendly market. Low investment, high demand! 🌿🚀 #BananaFiber #GreenBusiness #StartupIdeas

Banana fiber is a natural and biodegradable material extracted from the stems of the banana tree. It is known for its strength, durability and environmental friendliness. Apart from that, this versatile fiber is used in textiles, paper making, handicrafts, ropes and many other industries. Because it is a sustainable solution to combat plastic pollution. Moreover, India being one of the largest…

[piyalbal339-blog]

Crave Burner Appetite Suppressant

Maintaining a healthy body weight is a challenge for many people, often complicated by factors like stress, busy lifestyles, and cravings for high-calorie foods. Crave Burner, a multi-ingredient food supplement, is designed to address these challenges by helping users gain better control over their appetite and body mass. This supplement takes a holistic approach, blending scientifically researched ingredients to support weight management goals naturally and effectively.

What Is Crave Burner?

Crave Burner is a dietary supplement formulated to assist individuals in managing their appetite and maintaining a healthy body weight. Unlike traditional weight-loss aids, Crave Burner doesn’t rely on a single active ingredient. Instead, it combines a synergistic blend of nutrients, plant extracts, and bioactive compounds, all chosen for their ability to support appetite regulation, metabolic health, and fat metabolism.

Key Ingredients and Their Benefits

Garcinia Cambogia Extract One of the primary components of Crave Burner is Garcinia Cambogia, a tropical fruit extract that contains hydroxycitric acid (HCA). HCA is known to help suppress appetite by increasing serotonin levels in the brain, reducing cravings for unhealthy foods. It may also support fat metabolism by inhibiting the enzyme citrate lyase, which is involved in fat production.

Green Tea Extract Green tea extract is a well-known ingredient in weight management supplements due to its high concentration of catechins, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). These compounds boost metabolism, enhance fat oxidation, and promote energy expenditure, making green tea extract a valuable addition to Crave Burner.

L-Carnitine This amino acid derivative plays a crucial role in the body’s ability to convert fat into energy. L-Carnitine helps transport fatty acids to the mitochondria, where they are burned for energy, making it an effective ingredient for supporting fat loss and overall energy levels.

Chromium Chromium is a trace mineral included in Crave Burner for its ability to regulate blood sugar levels and reduce sugar cravings. By improving insulin sensitivity, chromium helps stabilize energy levels and prevents the spikes and crashes that often lead to overeating.

Capsicum Extract Capsicum, derived from chili peppers, contains capsaicin, a compound known for its thermogenic properties. Capsaicin boosts metabolism by increasing the body’s heat production, helping burn more calories even at rest.

Fiber Complex To support appetite control, Crave Burner includes a blend of dietary fibers like glucomannan. These fibers expand in the stomach when taken with water, promoting a feeling of fullness and reducing the urge to snack between meals.

How Crave Burner Supports Weight Management

The ingredients in Crave Burner work together to address the key challenges of weight management. By suppressing appetite, enhancing fat metabolism, and regulating blood sugar levels, the supplement provides comprehensive support for those striving to control their body mass. Additionally, its thermogenic and energy-boosting properties help users stay active and motivated.

Who Can Benefit from Crave Burner?

Crave Burner is suitable for individuals looking to manage their weight naturally and effectively. It can be particularly beneficial for those struggling with overeating, frequent cravings, or slow metabolism. However, it is essential to pair Crave Burner with a balanced diet and regular physical activity for optimal results. Consulting a healthcare professional before use is recommended, especially for individuals with pre-existing health conditions or those on medication.

Conclusion

Crave Burner offers a comprehensive, natural approach to appetite control and weight management. Its multi-ingredient formula combines appetite suppressants, fat-burning compounds, and metabolic enhancers to help users achieve their weight goals sustainably. With consistent use and a healthy lifestyle, Crave Burner can support individuals on their journey toward a healthier, more confident self.

[ana13dsouza]

Why Carpet Cleaning Is Essential for Homes with Pets in Harrow

Why Carpet Cleaning Is Essential for Homes with Pets in Harrow

Having pets in your home can bring immense joy and companionship, but it also comes with its set of challenges—especially when it comes to maintaining a clean and healthy living environment. One area that often suffers is your carpets. Pets shed hair, track in dirt, and sometimes have accidents, leaving behind stains, odors, and allergens that can affect both your home and your health. For pet owners in Harrow, professional carpet cleaning services in Harrow are essential in keeping your carpets clean and your home healthy.

The Challenge of Pet Hair and Dander

One of the most common issues faced by pet owners is the accumulation of pet hair. Regardless of the breed, most pets shed their fur to some extent, and this can accumulate in your carpets, making it difficult to maintain a clean home. Pet hair can also be a major source of allergens, affecting people with sensitivities or asthma. Regular vacuuming can help, but it often fails to fully remove hair that has embedded deep within the carpet fibers. This is where professional carpet cleaner in Harrow services can make a significant difference.

Carpet cleaning specialists use advanced equipment and techniques to extract pet hair and dander effectively. The powerful suction and specialized brushes used by professionals ensure that your carpets are free from unwanted fur, helping to improve the air quality in your home and reduce allergic reactions. Furthermore, carpet cleaning can remove built-up dander that may not be visible but can cause discomfort for sensitive individuals.

Eliminating Pet Odors

Pet odors are another common issue in homes with animals. Even the most well-trained pets can have accidents, and their urine can seep deep into carpet fibers, causing persistent odors that are hard to eliminate. Over time, the smell can become ingrained in the carpet, making it difficult for regular cleaning methods to provide a solution.

Professional carpet cleaning services in Harrow are equipped to deal with these tough odors. They use specially formulated cleaning agents that neutralize pet urine and other organic stains, rather than just masking the smell. Additionally, the deep cleaning process removes bacteria and germs that contribute to unpleasant odors, leaving your carpets smelling fresh and clean.

Removing Stains and Spots

Pets often leave behind visible stains, whether from accidents, muddy paws, or spilled food and water. These stains can be a challenge to remove with DIY methods, and if left untreated, they can become permanent. Pet stains not only ruin the appearance of your carpets, but they can also penetrate deeper into the fibers, making it harder to clean them thoroughly.

Carpet cleaning services in Harrow can help by providing specialized stain removal treatments. These services target specific types of stains, such as urine, feces, or vomit, and ensure they are completely removed from the carpet. In addition to improving the appearance of your carpets, this process helps to restore the hygiene and health of your home.

Reducing Allergens and Improving Air Quality

Carpets are known to trap allergens like dust mites, pollen, and pet dander. For individuals with allergies or respiratory issues, this can be a significant problem. Pet dander, in particular, is a common trigger for allergic reactions, and it can be challenging to eliminate from carpets without professional help.

A professional carpet cleaner in Harrow can remove these allergens by using high-powered vacuums and deep cleaning techniques. This process helps to improve the overall air quality in your home, making it a more comfortable environment for those who suffer from allergies or asthma. By investing in regular carpet cleaning, you can create a cleaner, healthier space for both your family and your pets.

Prolonging the Life of Your Carpets

Pets can cause wear and tear on your carpets. From scratching to tracking in dirt and debris, pets contribute to the degradation of carpet fibers over time. This can lead to the premature replacement of your carpets, which can be costly. Regular cleaning, however, can help prolong the life of your carpets by removing dirt and debris that cause damage to the fibers.

By hiring a professional carpet cleaner in Harrow, you can ensure that your carpets remain in excellent condition for a longer period. The deep cleaning process removes dirt, dust, and other contaminants that can break down the fibers and cause wear. This helps to preserve the appearance of your carpets and reduces the need for costly replacements.

Maintaining a Clean and Safe Home for Pets

Your pet's health is important, and a clean home plays a significant role in maintaining it. Pets are naturally curious and may spend a lot of time on the floor, where they come into contact with dirt, allergens, and bacteria. Regular carpet cleaning not only ensures that your carpets look clean but also helps to eliminate any harmful substances that could affect your pet's health.

Professional carpet cleaning services in Harrow use safe, pet-friendly cleaning solutions that are gentle on your carpets but tough on dirt and stains. These non-toxic cleaners help to create a safe environment for your pets, without exposing them to harmful chemicals. This gives you peace of mind, knowing that your pet can enjoy a clean and healthy home.

Why Professional Carpet Cleaning Is Worth the Investment

While it might seem tempting to clean your carpets yourself, especially with over-the-counter products, the results often don’t match the level of cleaning that professionals can achieve. DIY methods may be effective for surface cleaning, but they don’t offer the deep cleaning needed to tackle embedded pet hair, odors, and stains.

Investing in carpet cleaning services in Harrow ensures that your carpets receive a thorough, professional cleaning that removes all pet-related issues. Professional cleaners have the experience, equipment, and products necessary to provide a level of cleanliness that is hard to achieve with DIY methods. Plus, they can help prevent future problems, such as the buildup of allergens and bacteria, by providing ongoing maintenance.

Conclusion

Carpet cleaning is essential for households with pets, not only to maintain the appearance of your home but also to ensure a healthy living environment for both your family and your pets. Professional carpet cleaning services in Harrow can tackle the toughest issues caused by pets, from hair and odors to allergens and stains. By investing in regular carpet cleaning, you can protect your carpets, improve the air quality in your home, and create a cleaner, safer space for your pets. So, if you're a pet owner in Harrow, make sure to prioritize professional carpet cleaning to keep your home looking and feeling its best.

#CarpetCleaning #PetOwners #HarrowHomes #CleanCarpets #PetHair #Allergens #CarpetCare #HealthyHome #CarpetCleaningServicesInHarrow

[kusumasposts]

Enjoy the best products deals on halfpe.com

[fantasticfibers]

Learning Process no. 1.2: Extracting lanolin from sheep wool

I'm trying to different processes for extracting lanolin

Cold prewash: I've washed it 4 times while it has soaked for a few hours about 5.

"The wool grease is continuously removed during this washing process by centrifugal separators, which concentrate it into a wax-like substance melting at approximately 38°C" - Sengupta, Amit; Behera (2014). "Comprehensive view on chemistry, manufacturing & applications of lanolin extracted from wool pretreatment,also used in vitamins" (PDF). American Journal of Engineering Research (AJER).

That means the cold wash may still have the lanolin oil

I possibly have to investigate how to do some centrifugal separation?

Boiled: I would prefer not to use this method as i understand from my research that the wool will not be useable after having it boiled. "Wool felt melts between 105 and 110F" - p. 50. the Big Book of Handspinning by Alden Amos

The water needs to boil for a few hours.

I'm reading from different sources especially this thread on permies.com

https://permies.com/t/65837/extract-lanolin-wool#2624426

And watched different videos on YouTube:

Extracting Lanolin from Sheep's Wool, Edwardian Farm

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d2pEIsyWD-Y

Lanolin extraction from Sheep's wool DIY : My learning Process, homemade from scratch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xoH3Cv5AS4A&t=635s

If you have some knowledge to share, please do! It will be much appreciated

[dewdropdinosaur]

Kinktober Day 30: Sex Pollen

Summary: Singed had told you stories, faint rumors of a purple flower that created the feeling of being alive, every fiber on edge. An addictive substance, no doubt, one that could add to the potentcy of Shimmer. As you began to prepare the equipment, you carefully cut a petal to extract its essence. Without warning, the flower emitted a cloud of bright purple pollen, catching both you and Silco off guard. Who knows what effects it could have. Warnings: Sex pollen, fingering, P in V sex, reader has a vagina, pinning, slight sub/dom dynamics, consent is established and there is a history, etc. MNDI, 18+. You're responsible for your own media consumption. ONLY ONE MORE DAY?! WHERE HAS THE TIME GONE?

Shadows danced under flickering lights and the air buzzed with the hum of innovation. You toiled away in your lab, a calculated mess of microscopes, beakers, and strange bubbling liquids. Singed’s apprentience, at your finest. Your reputation for pushing the boundaries of science had caught the attention of Silco and he valued your intellect and creativity; providing you with resources to explore your ambitious projects that would ultimately benefit him.

One evening, after a long day of experimenting with shimmer, you ventured into the depths of the Undercity to clear your mind. The streets were a chaotic blend of laughter and tension, but you had a singular focus. You were searching for rare flora rumored to possess extraordinary properties—flowers that could potentially change the course of Zaun's future. Singed had told you stories, faint rumors of a purple flower that created the feeling of being alive, every fiber on edge. An addictive substance, no doubt, one that could add to the potentcy of Shimmer. As you wandered through an abandoned alley, a soft glow caught your eye. Nestled among the rubble was a flower unlike any you had seen: its petals shimmered like liquid, and a faint, sweet fragrance wafted toward you. It seemed so out of place in the dim and dreary. Such a beauty in contrast to the violence that surronded it.  Entranced, you carefully plucked the flower, tucking it safely in your satchel. 

Returning to the lab, you placed the flower under a microscope, curiosity piqued. You noted its unique structure and vibrant coloration, all living up to the rumors you had been told. Surely, this must be a flower. The lab was alive with the hum of machinery, the air thick with the scent of chemicals and the promise of discovery. Just as you were about to document your findings in your notebook, Silco entered, his presence commanding yet oddly reassuring. 

“What have you found?” he asked, his eyes narrowing as he spotted the glowing flower.

“It’s incredible,” you replied, excitement bubbling in your voice. “I think it could have potential applications in shimmer enhancement, perhaps even a way to stabilize the addicting effects. It would take time however, of course. All things do—”

Silco stepped closer, cutting you off with a wave of his hand. His eyes peered down at the plant, expression calm but clearly intrigued. “ You should investigate it further. Can you extract its properties?”

You nodded, eager to share the discovery. You had always reveled in impressing the Eye of Zaun, seeing his bicolored eyes light up with interest as you spoke of your latest projects. How close he would hover your body, heat radiating between you, something deep and unspoken. It was intoxicating and dangerous, just as you liked it. A forbidden fruit you desired, drawing you deeper into your sin with every bite. 

As you began to prepare the equipment, you carefully cut a petal to extract its essence. Without warning, the flower emitted a cloud of bright purple pollen, catching both you and Silco off guard. Silco instinctively raised his hand to shield himself, but it was too late. The pollen enveloped you both, and you were left coughing, spluttering, and blinking against the brightness.

Once the cloud dissipated, you exchanged bewildered glances. Silco’s expression was a mix of concern and curiosity, while you felt a strange energy coursing through you. 

“What was that?”you asked, brushing pollen from your hair.

“I don’t know,” Silco replied, his voice low, “but we should be careful.”

As the minutes passed, you noticed something strange. Heat polled in your lower belly, a creeping feeling that seemed to envelop every part of your body. Slow and ragged breaths passed your lips, small beads of sweat forming on your lower brow. The world seemed hot. Too hot. Removing your lab coat, draping it on the chair, you were left in a small tank top and a pair of pants. Simple attire, but it felt so constricting. Nothing you were doing seemed to cool you down and the ache within your core grew at an alarming rate. Painful, but in the best way. 

Silco was feeling the same, albiet slower. Having not gotten hit with as much pollen, he took to observing your strange reaction in tandem with his own. Coming to investiagte, he places his hand on your forehead, as if to check your temperature. he almost whimpers at the touch of your hand against his, the sound of your gasp sending a shiver down his spine. The sight of you squirming beneath him, when his thumb brushes over the nape of your neck as he drags his hand down from your head, sends sparks through his body. Losing all train of thought, the warmth of your body against his drives him crazy, and he has to use all his willpower to break away from this moment, knowing he shouldn't indulge too much. 

His hand is cool against your skin, healing some of the burn that lights up your body. With a small whimper, you lean your head closer to his touch, begging for more. 

“Please…Silco…what’s going on?”

“I…I think that flower has illicited this reaction. What exactly did you say it was again?”

“Singed said it was rumored to cause people to feel more alive, addicted I suppose.”

Silco certainly felt alive, every fiber of his being was alight with arousal, the strain in his trousers steady growing. Bringing his mouth to speak into the shell of your ear, his voice was husky in a way that drove you insane. Your breath hitches at his touch, the feeling of his fingers across your cheek sends tingles through your chest. You swallow, trying to ignore the desire building within. 

“I think it does more than that, darling. Would you allow me to demonstrate?”

Gods did you ever. With quick and rapid nods, he had his answer as you writhed below him. He could smell you, how soaked you were. That damp spot on your pants did little to hide salaciousness of your thoughts and needs. Bringing a finger to rub your clothes core, you body choked back a breath at the flash of stimulation that shot through you. With every stroke, the ache between your thighs never seemed to disappiate but grow stronger. More painful and pleasureable than the last, a lewd mewl passes your lips as Silco massaged your drenched pussy.

Wasting no time on formal foreplay, your body clearly ready and willing, he removed his fingers for just a moment to pull down your pants; letting them pool at your ankles. Sinking two fingers into your pussy and starting to scissor you wide, his large and deft fingers thrusted in and out of you. Your body became lost in the erotic rapture of your senses, words of praise leaving your lips in hoarse whispers of pleasure. You could feel his touch everywhere, your body seemed one with his. 

One hand digging into your hips, his mouth leaving sloppy kisses on the valley of your neck, and the other hand knuckle deep inside you in such a way you felt you mind explode. The feeling of fullness was almost an impossible feeling to describe, like you were meant to be this way. Every thought within you screaming ‘MORE’ as he continued to work you towards your release. 

“So sweet for me, such a precious little thing. You wanted this all along didn’t you, wanted me to fill you up just like this. Didn’t need a plant to ask my dear, I would have done it in a heartbeat.”

Removing his fingers with a swift motion, leaving you no reprieve, he unbuckled his pants with a clip. Without warning, he sunk his hot and heavy cock into you with one deft motion. Both of you moaning both at the sight and feeling, the delicious yet somewhat burning friction that both of you so desperately craved. Your cunt is like Heaven for him, warm and inviting. Taking him so well, it feels like the first fire in his loins he every experienced as your body welcomes him. Sinful in all the best ways. He had always admired you from afar, filthy thoughts settling in his mind with every interaction and you had not the slightess clue. But he could trail your gaze every day, follow your wanting mind to see it settle on him. A perveted old man such as him had no business in corrupting your body in this way. But you had given him permission, commanded his desires to unfurl, and so he relished. 

Slowly thrusting, taking his time to draw out every noise, he relished in the sight below him. Had you had planned all of this just for him? No, you would never. But it was of no consequence, he had you right where he wanted you. You were truly such a loyal little sinner, so obedient and ready for him.The thoughts alone nearly had Silco cumming inside you, mumbling incoherently as he picked up the pace, driving deeper, the walls of your cunt squeezing onto him for dear life. The added weight and pace was becoming nearly too much.  Every plunge of his member caused jolts of arousal to shake your body through the core, illiciting a pornographic moan to annouce your impending release. 

“That’s it darling, cum for me. Show me just how badly you wanted this.”

You couldn’t help but nod, eyes rolling into the back of your head as your own orgasm rapidly approached. Silco’s thrusts started to become sloppy and heated, eyes closing and hair disheveled from the intensity. Soft grunts left his lips and with one final stroke, he spilled hot ropes of cum into you; spurring you into your own orgasm at the feeling of his hot seed within you. Calming down from your high, you brought you hand to caress his cheek gently. Admiring the way his chest heaved with each breath, how dialted his eyes were. While the ache had dulled, it still remained. Softly buzzing in the air, surronding the blissful high that had overcome you.

“I am not quite satiated, my dear. May I indulge in you once more?”

[youwannatalkaboutdinosaurs]

Chia Pudding With this recipe, chia seeds assist in producing a dessert resembling tapioca pudding.

[lilianroberts]

Custards and Puddings - Chia Pudding With this recipe, chia seeds assist in producing a dessert resembling tapioca pudding.

[zanyanticsguy]

Recipe for Chia Pudding

With this recipe, chia seeds assist in producing a dessert resembling tapioca pudding.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Tesla's Dieselgate

Elon Musk lies a lot. He lies about being a “utopian socialist.” He lies about being a “free speech absolutist.” He lies about which companies he founded:

https://www.businessinsider.com/tesla-cofounder-martin-eberhard-interview-history-elon-musk-ev-market-2023-2 He lies about being the “chief engineer” of those companies:

https://www.quora.com/Was-Elon-Musk-the-actual-engineer-behind-SpaceX-and-Tesla

He lies about really stupid stuff, like claiming that comsats that share the same spectrum will deliver steady broadband speeds as they add more users who each get a narrower slice of that spectrum:

https://www.eff.org/wp/case-fiber-home-today-why-fiber-superior-medium-21st-century-broadband

The fundamental laws of physics don’t care about this bullshit, but people do. The comsat lie convinced a bunch of people that pulling fiber to all our homes is literally impossible — as though the electrical and phone lines that come to our homes now were installed by an ancient, lost civilization. Pulling new cabling isn’t a mysterious art, like embalming pharaohs. We do it all the time. One of the poorest places in America installed universal fiber with a mule named “Ole Bub”:

https://www.newyorker.com/tech/annals-of-technology/the-one-traffic-light-town-with-some-of-the-fastest-internet-in-the-us

Previous tech barons had “reality distortion fields,” but Musk just blithely contradicts himself and pretends he isn’t doing so, like a budget Steve Jobs. There’s an entire site devoted to cataloging Musk’s public lies:

https://elonmusk.today/

But while Musk lacks the charm of earlier Silicon Valley grifters, he’s much better than they ever were at running a long con. For years, he’s been promising “full self driving…next year.”

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money

He’s hasn’t delivered, but he keeps claiming he has, making Teslas some of the deadliest cars on the road:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2023/06/10/tesla-autopilot-crashes-elon-musk/

Tesla is a giant shell-game masquerading as a car company. The important thing about Tesla isn’t its cars, it’s Tesla’s business arrangement, the Tesla-Financial Complex:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/11/24/no-puedo-pagar-no-pagara/#Rat

Once you start unpacking Tesla’s balance sheets, you start to realize how much the company depends on government subsidies and tax-breaks, combined with selling carbon credits that make huge, planet-destroying SUVs possible, under the pretense that this is somehow good for the environment:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/04/14/for-sale-green-indulgences/#killer-analogy

But even with all those financial shenanigans, Tesla’s got an absurdly high valuation, soaring at times to 1600x its profitability:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/01/15/hoover-calling/#intangibles

That valuation represents a bet on Tesla’s ability to extract ever-higher rents from its customers. Take Tesla’s batteries: you pay for the battery when you buy your car, but you don’t own that battery. You have to rent the right to use its full capacity, with Tesla reserving the right to reduce how far you go on a charge based on your willingness to pay:

https://memex.craphound.com/2017/09/10/teslas-demon-haunted-cars-in-irmas-path-get-a-temporary-battery-life-boost/

That’s just one of the many rent-a-features that Tesla drivers have to shell out for. You don’t own your car at all: when you sell it as a used vehicle, Tesla strips out these features you paid for and makes the next driver pay again, reducing the value of your used car and transfering it to Tesla’s shareholders:

https://www.theverge.com/2020/2/6/21127243/tesla-model-s-autopilot-disabled-remotely-used-car-update

To maintain this rent-extraction racket, Tesla uses DRM that makes it a felony to alter your own car’s software without Tesla’s permission. This is the root of all autoenshittification:

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

This is technofeudalism. Whereas capitalists seek profits (income from selling things), feudalists seek rents (income from owning the things other people use). If Telsa were a capitalist enterprise, then entrepreneurs could enter the market and sell mods that let you unlock the functionality in your own car:

https://pluralistic.net/2020/06/11/1-in-3/#boost-50

But because Tesla is a feudal enterprise, capitalists must first secure permission from the fief, Elon Musk, who decides which companies are allowed to compete with him, and how.

Once a company owns the right to decide which software you can run, there’s no limit to the ways it can extract rent from you. Blocking you from changing your device’s software lets a company run overt scams on you. For example, they can block you from getting your car independently repaired with third-party parts.

But they can also screw you in sneaky ways. Once a device has DRM on it, Section 1201 of the DMCA makes it a felony to bypass that DRM, even for legitimate purposes. That means that your DRM-locked device can spy on you, and because no one is allowed to explore how that surveillance works, the manufacturer can be incredibly sloppy with all the personal info they gather:

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/29/tesla-model-3-keeps-data-like-crash-videos-location-phone-contacts.html

All kinds of hidden anti-features can lurk in your DRM-locked car, protected from discovery, analysis and criticism by the illegality of bypassing the DRM. For example, Teslas have a hidden feature that lets them lock out their owners and summon a repo man to drive them away if you have a dispute about a late payment:

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

DRM is a gun on the mantlepiece in Act I, and by Act III, it goes off, revealing some kind of ugly and often dangerous scam. Remember Dieselgate? Volkswagen created a line of demon-haunted cars: if they thought they were being scrutinized (by regulators measuring their emissions), they switched into a mode that traded performance for low emissions. But when they believed themselves to be unobserved, they reversed this, emitting deadly levels of NOX but delivering superior mileage.

The conversion of the VW diesel fleet into mobile gas-chambers wouldn’t have been possible without DRM. DRM adds a layer of serious criminal jeopardy to anyone attempting to reverse-engineer and study any device, from a phone to a car. DRM let Apple claim to be a champion of its users’ privacy even as it spied on them from asshole to appetite:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/14/luxury-surveillance/#liar-liar

Now, Tesla is having its own Dieselgate scandal. A stunning investigation by Steve Stecklow and Norihiko Shirouzu for Reuters reveals how Tesla was able to create its own demon-haunted car, which systematically deceived drivers about its driving range, and the increasingly desperate measures the company turned to as customers discovered the ruse:

https://www.reuters.com/investigates/special-report/tesla-batteries-range/

The root of the deception is very simple: Tesla mis-sells its cars by falsely claiming ranges that those cars can’t attain. Every person who ever bought a Tesla was defrauded.

But this fraud would be easy to detect. If you bought a Tesla rated for 353 miles on a charge, but the dashboard range predictor told you that your fully charged car could only go 150 miles, you’d immediately figure something was up. So your Telsa tells another lie: the range predictor tells you that you can go 353 miles.

But again, if the car continued to tell you it has 203 miles of range when it was about to run out of charge, you’d figure something was up pretty quick — like, the first time your car ran out of battery while the dashboard cheerily informed you that you had 203 miles of range left.

So Teslas tell a third lie: when the battery charge reached about 50%, the fake range is replaced with the real one. That way, drivers aren’t getting mass-stranded by the roadside, and the scam can continue.

But there’s a new problem: drivers whose cars are rated for 353 miles but can’t go anything like that far on a full charge naturally assume that something is wrong with their cars, so they start calling Tesla service and asking to have the car checked over.

This creates a problem for Tesla: those service calls can cost the company $1,000, and of course, there’s nothing wrong with the car. It’s performing exactly as designed. So Tesla created its boldest fraud yet: a boiler-room full of anti-salespeople charged with convincing people that their cars weren’t broken.

This new unit — the “diversion team” — was headquartered in a Nevada satellite office, which was equipped with a metal xylophone that would be rung in triumph every time a Tesla owner was successfully conned into thinking that their car wasn’t defrauding them.

When a Tesla owner called this boiler room, the diverter would run remote diagnostics on their car, then pronounce it fine, and chide the driver for having energy-hungry driving habits (shades of Steve Jobs’s “You’re holding it wrong”):

https://www.wired.com/2010/06/iphone-4-holding-it-wrong/

The drivers who called the Diversion Team weren’t just lied to, they were also punished. The Tesla app was silently altered so that anyone who filed a complaint about their car’s range was no longer able to book a service appointment for any reason. If their car malfunctioned, they’d have to request a callback, which could take several days.

Meanwhile, the diverters on the diversion team were instructed not to inform drivers if the remote diagnostics they performed detected any other defects in the cars.

The diversion team had a 750 complaint/week quota: to juke this stat, diverters would close the case for any driver who failed to answer the phone when they were eventually called back. The center received 2,000+ calls every week. Diverters were ordered to keep calls to five minutes or less.

Eventually, diverters were ordered to cease performing any remote diagnostics on drivers’ cars: a source told Reuters that “Thousands of customers were told there is nothing wrong with their car” without any diagnostics being performed.

Predicting EV range is an inexact science as many factors can affect battery life, notably whether a journey is uphill or downhill. Every EV automaker has to come up with a figure that represents some kind of best guess under a mix of conditions. But while other manufacturers err on the side of caution, Tesla has the most inaccurate mileage estimates in the industry, double the industry average.

Other countries’ regulators have taken note. In Korea, Tesla was fined millions and Elon Musk was personally required to state that he had deceived Tesla buyers. The Korean regulator found that the true range of Teslas under normal winter conditions was less than half of the claimed range.

Now, many companies have been run by malignant narcissists who lied compulsively — think of Thomas Edison, archnemesis of Nikola Tesla himself. The difference here isn’t merely that Musk is a deeply unfit monster of a human being — but rather, that DRM allows him to defraud his customers behind a state-enforced opaque veil. The digital computers at the heart of a Tesla aren’t just demons haunting the car, changing its performance based on whether it believes it is being observed — they also allow Musk to invoke the power of the US government to felonize anyone who tries to peer into the black box where he commits his frauds.

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

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

This Sunday (July 30) at 1530h, I’m appearing on a panel at Midsummer Scream in Long Beach, CA, to discuss the wonderful, award-winning “Ghost Post” Haunted Mansion project I worked on for Disney Imagineering.

Image ID [A scene out of an 11th century tome on demon-summoning called 'Compendium rarissimum totius Artis Magicae sistematisatae per celeberrimos Artis hujus Magistros. Anno 1057. Noli me tangere.' It depicts a demon tormenting two unlucky would-be demon-summoners who have dug up a grave in a graveyard. One summoner is held aloft by his hair, screaming; the other screams from inside the grave he is digging up. The scene has been altered to remove the demon's prominent, urinating penis, to add in a Tesla supercharger, and a red Tesla Model S nosing into the scene.]

Image: Steve Jurvetson (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Tesla_Model_S_Indoors.jpg

CC BY 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/2.0/deed.en

[soleauclub]

Smoothies That Taste Like Vacation & Heal Your Hormones

Here are 5 pleasure-first, hormone-healing, hot girl rituals disguised as tropical treats. Think: sipping something that tastes like a mango mojito while actually balancing your blood sugar and boosting your glow from the inside out.

Whether you’re syncing your cycle, easing bloat, or just want to feel that girl energy before a date, these 5 smoothies are your new go-to.

✧ 1. Coconut Rose Glow

for glowing skin, reduced PMS, and main character softness

Tastes like: Coconut gelato kissed by a rose garden Best time to sip: Afternoon slump or post-workout chill

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut milk

½ frozen banana

1 tbsp flax seeds (estrogen balancing baddie)

1 scoop collagen peptides

1 tsp rose water

Dash of vanilla extract

Handful of frozen raspberries

Ice to thicken

Flax = hormone harmony. Rose = nervous system chill. Collagen = dewy energy.

✧ 2. Mango Maca Mojito

for libido, energy, and turning heads

Tastes like: A flirty mango mojito with zero regrets Best time to sip: Pre-date or pre-revenge glow-up

Ingredients:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk

1 cup frozen mango

½ frozen banana

1 tsp maca powder (a literal hormone-adaptogen legend)

Juice of ½ lime

A few mint leaves

Honey or a Medjool date to sweeten

Ice

Maca helps balance cortisol, boost libido, and stabilize mood. Plus mango makes you feel like a goddess on a yacht.

✧ 3. Tropical Moon Milk

for calming cortisol + better sleep = better hormones

Tastes like: Warm vacation air and dreams under palm trees Best time to sip: After dinner or during your wind-down glow-up

Ingredients:

1 cup warm almond milk (or oat milk if you’re fancy)

1 scoop vanilla protein

½ frozen pineapple

½ tsp ashwagandha (stress relief superstar)

Dash of cinnamon

A drizzle of honey

Optional: 1 tsp coconut oil for healthy fat & extra creamy vibes

Ashwagandha regulates stress hormones, and stress is public enemy #1 for hormonal imbalance.

✧ 4. Papaya Peach Goddess

for digestion, clear skin, and “that girl” gut health

Tastes like: Breakfast at a luxury wellness retreat in Bali Best time to sip: Morning or post-salty meal detox moment

Ingredients:

1 cup coconut water

1 cup chopped papaya

½ cup frozen peach

Juice of ½ lemon

1 tbsp chia seeds

Fresh ginger (just a lil' knob, babe)

Optional: probiotic powder or aloe vera juice

Papaya is rich in enzymes that help digestion, which helps hormones clear properly. Gut love = glow love.

✧ 5. Cacao Tahini Sunset

for cycle syncing, PMS cravings, and divine feminine energy

Tastes like: A dark chocolate-dipped date in Morocco Best time to sip: During luteal phase (aka when your body wants chocolate and cuddles)

Ingredients:

1 cup almond milk

1 frozen banana

1 tbsp raw cacao powder (magnesium = hormone gold)

1 tbsp tahini (healthy fat, fiber, hormone magic)

1 Medjool date

Pinch of sea salt

Optional: dash of cinnamon or cardamom

Cacao = magnesium for mood + cramps. Tahini = sesame seed phytoestrogens + glow fats. It’s sexy science.

[goldenmeat]

Becoming Milky Muscle

Niku breathes deeply, eyes half lidded as his sight almost swirls. The ropes dig into Niku's thick bulky body, suspending his bared body in the corner of the collection room. His thoughts were so murky, there was no way to tell how many hours have passed. Or was it days?

A deep whining escapes Niku's lips as a wave of pleasure pulses briefly through him. His heaving pecs quiver. Drops of white leak from his nipples, streaming down the bulging flesh in thin white streams. A man in white enters the room, holding a clipboard.

"It's time for your extraction."

One month ago

The sterile white light of the Hercule-Chem lab flickered overhead. Niku sat on the examination table, feet dangling, fingers nervously drumming on his knee. He looked around nervously, clad only in his white briefs. His lean, wiry frame looked almost out of place in this facility, his slender arms wrapped around his narrow torso. He had always been on the smaller side; 5’5” and maybe 130 pounds on a good day. His metabolism burned through food like a furnace, leaving him perpetually skinny no matter how much he lifted. That was why he had signed up for this trial. Desperation. He was tired of being the smallest guy at the gym, of watching bulkier men press weights he could only dream of.

Enter Dr. Morrow, a smirking, too-clean man in a lab coat, held out a small, unassuming red pill. "This is the latest iteration of our muscle enhancement formula. Fast-acting. Permanent. You’ll be the first human test subject. Just to be sure, per your contract, we will not be liable for any side effects. This is the purpose of the trial after all. Are we clear?"

Niku swallowed hard. He remembered the mini novel of a contract that he looked over...skimmed...bah, who had time for all that anyway? Niku nods, then took the pill from Morrow’s gloved fingers. No turning back now. He popped it in his mouth, washing it down with a sip of water.

At first, nothing.

Then, a pulse. Deep inside his chest, like his heart had begun to overclock. His breath caught in his throat. Fingers twitched. A heat flared in his core, spreading outward like wildfire, spreading down his limbs. His skin tingled, his bones ached, but not painfully. No, it was deep, like pressure moving outward. He let out a slow exhale, but it hitched as something unexpected happened. There was a growing pressure in his nipples, growing painfully sensitive, and a warm trickle slid down his chest. He looked down.

Milky droplets beaded from his nipples, dripping slowly down his flat pecs. “What the--?” He grunts as his muscles clenched, a deep, involuntary flex that made his whole body spasm.

Then, growth.

It started in his arms, veins rising as his biceps thickened. His forearms swelled, the once barely-there sinew expanding into defined, meaty muscle. His shoulders broadened, bones creaking as his frame grew. His pecs pushed forward, swelling with mass and power, his nipples pointing lower as they continued to leak. His abs tightened, each ridge sharpening into clear-cut definition as his waist widened slightly to keep up.

Niku's thighs followed next, the once slim legs bulging outward as muscle piled on. His quads flared, thick slabs of meat pressing against each other, his calves rounding out, growing into dense, corded muscle. His entire body surged, every fiber packing on mass with each breath.

Heat flooded his groin. Already hard from the intense rush, it pulsed, a wet spot darkening the front of his briefs. Precum seeped freely, more with every heartbeat, an uncontrollable reaction to the sheer power coursing through him. His balls swelled, pulling heavier between his massive, muscled thighs.

"Ahh!!f-fuck--!" Niku groaned, gripping the table as another wave hit. His chest heaved, pecs shaking with the motion, his traps rising thick around his neck. He was massive now, towering over his previous form, easily over six feet, packed with pure, unrelenting muscle.

And still, his nipples dripped. His cock throbbed. His body radiated power, virility, raw masculine force.

Dr. Morrow watched, jotting notes. "Fascinating. Seems the formula is working even better than expected...although those are a little...unexpected." The doctor points to Niku's puffy, leaking nubs. "Customers may not be happy with that...though we can absolutely sell these as lactation and milking pills, turn it into a feature instead of a bug..."

Dr. Morrow was talking more to himself at this point, writing on his clipboard as Niku is panting, feeling himself up. His meaty hands rub up and down the newly grown musculature, fresh nerve endings sending waves of pure sensation through his whole body. Niku let out a ragged breath, licking his lips as he flexed an arm, marveling at the sheer size of it.

With a clack of his pencil onto clipboard, Dr. Morrow gives Niku a too pleasant smile. "Now then, let's begin the extraction, shall we?"

-----------------------------------------

Niku is crying out helplessly, dangled from the ceiling and bound in ropes. His wrists and ankles are tied, unable to free himself, while his arms and legs are secured. The ropes tie around his torso, wrapping under and between his pecs, making his chest bulge lewdly. His ass is exposed, ropes tied around his hips and between his glutes to keep his body secure.

Two suction cups attached to rubber tubes continuously drain Niku of the milk in his fleshy pecs, filling a nearby container for the second time today. Niku's throbbing member is also covered in a suction device, collecting every drop of semen out of Niku's body.

Niku is a quivering mess, as his fluids are collected in the name of science. For the sake of making other men just as big, if not bigger. At least, that's what the doctor said. According to him, there's a lot of data the can be gleamed from his milk and semen about how the drugs affected his body.

But none of that matters to Niku. He gets paid per ounce of fluids extracted. He was no better than a cow at this point. But he wouldn't change anything about his current situation. Why would he? He doesn't have to think. He just does what he's told and gets to feel hours of euphoria AND a paycheck in return.

Although through the fog of his thoughts, he does wonder one thing.

If he took another one of those pills...would he make even more milk?