#VOX NATION RISE UP

[tunanoodlesoup]

hello i have food ASAHAHHSHGG im sure everyone here can tell what im hyperfixated on now its.

its quite obvious (ft 420 ah quality) you also cant tell which doodle was my favorite ALSO. IM RISING FROM THE GRAVE JUST TO SPREAD PROPAGANDA SO. VOTE VOX NOWWW VOTE HIM AHAHHFSHHGHS WE WILL WIN VOX NATION RISE UPP HOTTEST TV MANN GAYEST TV MAN????

[worrywart-ish]

"I appreciate you having my back, Percival. But where I'm going, I don't think you can follow." okay but did you hear my heart break because of his little sad voice? cuz I did

[starbiiit]

late to the party but i had to celebrate this huge win. vox nation rise up <3

[gabrielsbubblegumbitch]

THERES A SEXIEST HAZBIN HOTEL CHARACTER POLLUP ON TWITTER LMFAOOO VOTE OUR MANN VOTE VOX VOX NATION RISE UP GO

Bro I voted hours ago sksksks but honestly this pool - or rather discourse around it - drives me fucking crazy. You saw the round between Adam and Valentino? I'm loosing my mind seeing comments "Valentino can't win because he's an abuser." I'm like: My brother in Christ, Adam is an architect of genocide that openly sings about "slaughtering little cunts" aka helpless civilians, children included. Please, check your moral compass before you start schooling others.

Also, Vote Vox because he started losing 🩵

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Umair Irfan at Vox:

It’s gearing up to be another scorching year.

Countries like Brazil, Thailand, Japan, Kenya, Nigeria, Australia, and Spain already experienced record warm temperatures this year, and in the past few days, heat has killed dozens in India and Mexico. Now states like California, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas are getting ready to roast as a massive heat wave settles in. It’s likely to push temperatures well into triple digits. And summer hasn't even officially started yet. It’s an alarming echo of 2023, which was the hottest year on record, but this year could be hotter still. Though the Pacific Ocean is shifting into its La Niña phase, which typically brings cooler global weather, the extraordinary warmth over the past year is still baked in. Scientists say these record highs align with their expectations for climate change, and warn that more scorchers are coming. There’s more to heat waves like this than high temperatures, though. The forces behind them are complex and changing. They’re a public health threat that can exacerbate inequality, cause infrastructure to collapse, and amplify other problems stemming from warming. But with global average temperatures continuing to rise, more records will fall.

Heat waves, explained

Extreme heat might not seem as dramatic as hurricanes or floods, but the National Weather Service has deemed it the deadliest weather phenomenon in the US over the past 30 years, on average. What counts as a heat wave is typically defined relative to local weather conditions, with sustained temperatures in the 90th to 95th percentile of the average in a given area. So the threshold for a heat wave in Tucson is higher than the threshold in Seattle. During the summer in the Northern Hemisphere, the northern half of the planet is tilted toward the sun, which increases daylight hours and warms the hemisphere. The impact of this additional exposure to solar radiation is cumulative, which is why temperatures generally peak weeks after the longest day of the year. Amid the increase in temperatures in the summer, meteorology can push those numbers to extremes.

Heat waves typically begin with a high-pressure system (also known as an anticyclone), where atmospheric pressure above an area builds up. That creates a sinking column of air that compresses, heats up, and oftentimes dries out. The sinking air can act as a cap or heat dome, trapping the latent heat already absorbed by the landscape. The high-pressure system also pushes out cooler, fast-moving air currents and squeezes clouds away, which gives the sun an unobstructed line of sight to the ground. The ground — soil, sand, concrete, and asphalt — then bakes in the sunlight, and in the long days and short nights of summer, heat energy quickly accumulates and temperatures rise. Heat waves are especially common in areas that are already arid, like the desert Southwest, and at high altitudes where high-pressure systems readily form. Moisture in the ground can blunt the effects of heat, the way evaporating sweat can cool the body. But when there’s little water in the ground, in waterways, and in vegetation, there isn’t as much to soak up the heat besides the air itself.

[...] But extreme heat can also build up in places that have a lot of moisture. In fact, for every degree Celsius the air warms (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit), it can absorb about 7 percent more water, which can create a dangerous combination of heat and humidity (more on that below).

Urban areas further exacerbate this warming. As roads, parking lots, and buildings cover natural landscapes, cities like Los Angeles and Dallas end up absorbing more heat than their surroundings and can become as much as 20°F warmer. This is a phenomenon known as the urban heat island effect. Heat waves typically last around five days but can linger longer if the high-pressure system is locked in place. “In some cases, you actually can get these kinds of patterns getting stuck, and that can lead to heat waves lasting much longer,” said Karen McKinnon, an assistant professor of environment and sustainability at the University of California Los Angeles. Eventually, the high-pressure system will start to weaken, allowing in cooler air and precipitation that can bring the heat wave to an end. However, as the warm season continues, more high-pressure systems can settle in and restart the heating process.

[...] Climate change caused by greenhouse gases from burning fossil fuels is poised to make heat waves longer, more intense, and more frequent. It takes time for the dust to settle on the heat waves of a given moment, to allow scientists to evaluate just how much humans have contributed to the problem.

[...] That heat isn’t distributed evenly, however. Nighttime temperatures are rising faster than daytime temperatures. “In general, since records began in 1895, summer overnight low temperatures are warming at a rate nearly twice as fast as afternoon high temperatures for the U.S. and the 10 warmest summer minimum temperatures have all occurred since 2002,” according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. This can seriously impair how people cope with high heat. The effects of warming can vary by latitude, too. Polar regions are warming up to three times as fast as the planetary average, fueling heat waves in the Arctic. In fact, cooler parts of the planet are heating up faster than places closer to the equator, so people living in temperate climates may experience some of the biggest increases in extreme heat events. Already hot parts of the world also get hotter, pushing them beyond the realm of habitability at certain times of the year. And as human-generated greenhouse gas emissions continue to flood the atmosphere — atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations recently peaked at 420 parts per million — heat waves are projected to become more frequent and more extreme.

[...]

The timing of heat waves is changing: Periods of extreme heat that occur early in the season tend to have greater public health impacts. That’s because people are less acclimated to heat in the spring and early summer. Cooling infrastructure may not be in place, and people may not be taking heat precautions like staying hydrated and avoiding the sun. That’s why early-season heat waves in the US, as we have seen across the country this year, are so troubling. As climate change makes heat waves more common, it also increases the frequency of early- and late-season extreme temperatures, lengthening the hot season. The worst effects of heat aren’t always in the hottest places: While absolute temperatures may rise higher in already warm areas like the southwestern US, heat waves can have their deadliest impacts in cooler regions, where high temperatures are less common. Warmer areas often already have air conditioning in homes and offices, while regions that usually don’t get as warm have less cooling infrastructure and fewer places to find relief. The people in these regions are also less acclimated to high temperatures and may not recognize warning signs of heat-induced health problems.

Some people are far more vulnerable to extreme heat: Elderly people and very young children face some of the highest risks from extreme heat. People with certain health conditions, like high blood pressure and breathing difficulties, also face greater harm. But even otherwise healthy people can suffer from heat waves if they are exposed for long durations, such as those working outdoors in agriculture and construction. Heat waves exacerbate structural inequalities: While cities can warm up faster than their surroundings, poorer neighborhoods — which are disproportionately home to people of color — tend to get hotter. These neighborhoods often have less tree cover and green spaces, and more paved surfaces that soak up heat. At the same time, lower-income residents may have a harder time affording crucial cooling. The pattern of heat inequality plays out on an international scale, too, with lower-income countries already facing higher health and economic costs from heat waves.

The tools used to cope with heat are also stressed by it: Power plants, which provide electricity for everything from fridges to air conditioners, themselves need to be cooled, and they become less efficient as the weather warms. Power lines have lower capacities under extreme heat, and hardware like transformers experience more failures. If enough stress builds up, the power grid can collapse just when people need cooling the most. Power disruptions then ripple through other infrastructure, like water sanitation, fuel pumps, and public transit. We’re running out of time to act: All this means that heat waves are going to become an increasingly impactful and costly fact of life across the world — from the direct impacts on health to stresses on infrastructure. But since humans share a significant portion of the blame for extreme heat waves, there are also actions people can take to mitigate them. Increasing energy efficiency can relieve stress on the power grid, and adding power sources that don’t require active cooling like wind and solar can boost capacity without adding greenhouse gas emissions.

Vox has a good article on why we are seeing longer and more severe heat waves around the world: climate change effects are part of the reason for the increased duration and severity of heat waves globally.

[deafsignifcantother]

duplicity

♥ summary: you're finally trying to escape the cabins where he holds his followers, but once the rain comes, he approaches you with the umbrella you forgot. there's nsfw sorry guys, but this is the type of fic where the reader changes her mind on consent and then they vibe together instead of having sex bc i ♥ relationships: !human vox x deaf woman reader ♥ word count: 4.6k ♥ notes: okay listen LMFAO I know we don't know if Vox killed people or not but let's pretend he did but scarcely, maybe people that aren't keen / trying to escape his cult + calling him victor because fuck you that's why, I like the name better than vincent. reader is also a little insane and delulu. Also I wrote this when i was high at 1am, also also i have not reread this so if this is ass then lmfaoo

Your backpack hurts your shoulders, but you tread on, cautious at every branch and leaf you might step on. First of all, even though you left around 3 AM, where most people are sleeping, somebody might be following you. Else, a murderous hunter wondering why you're in his parts of the woods. Your worst-case scenario is the sun rising before you can reach the city.

There must be a way from here to the city, a hidden path, perhaps a national park or a forgotten hiking trail. You can't recall. After all, you were part of a secretive 'organization'—the perfect place to be cut off from the outside world. It took you days to painstakingly draw a map that you stumbled upon in a book, hiding it under your bed, a secret treasure. You could barely contain your excitement for your plans to unfold. Still, the fear of being discovered by the 'organization' was always there, lurking in the shadows.

You stop looking back, staring at the distant lights, maybe miles away. Your sneakers hurt your feet, and your hands shake from the cold. A droplight on your head scares the light out of you. You place a hand up, and a small water drip falls—rain. You know you haven't brought an umbrella. It hadn't rained in weeks, even usually starting at night. Maybe it is God sending you a sign. Perhaps the cult is the place you belong.

And luckily, perhaps a symbol of peace, a hand touches your shoulder. The rain stops, your shoulders tense, and you slowly turn around, afraid of what's to come.

Victor has covered your body with the blue and black umbrella he gifted you months ago. With his other hand, he signs, fingers curving as he points.

"You forgot this."

In an instant, you remember your manners. He's the one who brought light into your days.

You give a shaky smile, trying not to convey your fear, the sense of danger growing.

"Thank you."

He smiles with an unmistakable twinkle in his eye. He leans on one foot, tightening his grip on the umbrella. "Of course, sweetheart. Let's head back; you know the rain will only worsen, right? The situation will, too."

Your eyes widen, and so does your strained smile. "I've been such a trouble, I'm sorry about that. When did you notice I was gone?"

He turns his body and starts walking back, knowing you'd follow. It's not as if you can outrun him. He doesn't look at you when he signs. He dodges your question.

"A real beauty like you should always have someone around, you know? Someone to make sure you're safe."

He only looks over to see your response.

"I don't know if that's possible." You shake your head and mimic his behavior, staring into the trees.

His charisma is unending.

"Only an idiot would say that."

You frown, finally managing to look at him. "I'm sure."

The grin he gives you is a masochistic; a million thoughts are rattling in his head. Your breath catches in your throat before you look away. As long as you're under the umbrella, you must accept being so close to him and having your signs constrained. Your eyes fixate on a knife's carving on one of the trees; you should have been able to remember it just by looking at it. That wasn't done by you. Your nerves concentrate on it, hand frozen halfway through the motion of starting another sentence.

His neck bends to look at your entire expression, his smile dropping and a smirk growing. When you turn back, you're almost nose-to-nose with him.

"Are you going to take that role?" If you play along, your punishment won't be as significant as you predict.

"I have been."

Your body warms up, not in excitement but in fear. His past remarks echo through your head. Hold my hand and trust. In this world, dependency is a part of your design. Welcome to my kingdom. Dependence on me will find you appreciating me above all else.

"Thank you, I appreciate your kindness."

He stops walking. You plant your feet before him, and the mud makes you sink into the Earth. "Do you have any clue of how much I cherish your presence?"

His breath is hot on your skin, and his eyes are locked on you.

You look around the forest, trying to look at anything other than him. "Enlight me."

His eyebrows furrow, and the calmness that falls over his face is deadly. He grabs your chin, moving it back before releasing you. "How about we go back home?"

It's a test; he's not even expecting you to fight. You'll inevitably be trapped here forever now. This situation has gotten far beyond any sense of appreciation.

"Is there any other option?"

"Honey, we are way past your chance of freedom."

Your hands become stiff, noticed by him. He knows you're at your most vulnerable right now, and that's how he likes it. His hand glides around your waist, turning you forward with him, continuing home. Home. That's the worst way to think about it.

"Okay," you give in. His hand remains wrapped around your waist.

The city's lights are replaced by the light of his cabin, the only light within the sanctuary. His hand slips away. "Don't worry. You can trust me. I could never hurt you."

Trust is that word he loves to throw around aimlessly. Nobody bats an eye, but he's never done anything to warrant your trust. You did not come here out of your own belief but rather to accompany a friend, ensuring they'd be safe. You didn't realize you'd never be able to leave.

You never respond. There's not an ounce of conversation while he continues to push you forward; the umbrella is the only thing keeping your bodies together.

Once the cabin gets close enough to the smell of wood and water overcomes you, your body starts shaking. He chuckles slightly, and you begin to realize the danger that you're in. The cold haze finally starts to melt your fingers.

"It's warm inside," he hints. "I can start the fire."

"Thank you for the offer-" Before you could even finish, he grabs onto your bicep softly, a threat.

"No, no, I insist. I'm afraid your place might not have the proper care."

"Okay." The cautious fly of the two letters makes him release you. The door is approaching, a sign of doom, a symbol of your defeat. He closes the umbrella.

Before stepping closer to it, his eyes glued to you. He's enjoying every moment of this.

"Relax a bit. I'm only trying to help."

"Of course," another simple sign, "I appreciate everything you've done for the community and for me."

He can't contain the immense excitement growing in his chest. He steps towards it, opening it quickly, gesturing with an open hand. You square your shoulders, attempting a confident look.

You're such an easy girl.

He hands the umbrella by the door, buttoning down his overcoat and peeling it off. You stare at him up and down before mimicking his actions. You glance around while he bends down in front of the fireplace. He has a double bed and bedside tables beside each side, far more decorated than your room. A deer head hangs across from his bed. The eyes of it have been removed.

The feeling of his hard footsteps captures your attention.

"Do you think it was destiny that I happened to find you out there? Fate must of been on our side."

You'd miss the sarcasm and teasing if you didn't know better.

"Destiny. What-What do you think the reason is?"

Like he did outside, he places a hand around your waist and leads you closer to the fireplace, a pillow placed in front of it for you to sit on. He doesn't respond, only helping you sit down while taking a seat on the wooden floor next to you. You tuck your knees into your chest. You've known him long, and he's never done anything predatory. You always had the sense that he had respect for women. But when you look up at him, you witness his sinister gaze.

He finally answers, sitting at an angle so you can see him, the fire lighting up his pointed features. "I've been gifted a beautiful lady, that's how I think of it."

"That sounds about right." Within the possible malice in his thoughts, you smile more casually. "You have a way with words, Victor."

"Oh, I know I do. I have to. I could never be able to lure a beautiful like you into my home without it."

"That's true," your hands develop a slight shake. Victor has been known for his off-putting remarks, especially towards people who gain a little bit of defiance. It's rare, but sometimes he'll kick people out, and they'll never be able to return. He has a dark sense of humor. Are you able to play on that? Would that help your situation? "Any other uncomfortable comments? You're good at keeping them going."

He lets out a laugh. There's nothing funnier to him than the shake of your hands that doesn't match your smile. Your willingness to let him walk all over you draws him closer to his final goal. He loves this little game the two of you are playing, and it shows on his face.

"Do you have a wife?" You ask, honestly trying to remember if you even knew the answer.

"Why? Are you thinking about spending the night?"

"No," you're breathless. "I don't know. Maybe. But you're not going to let me leave, are you?"

He just tilts his head. "I don't have a wife," he finally answers. Is he ignoring your question or responding to it? He doesn't let you get a single word in as he continues. "You trust me, don't you? Trust is the foundation to any companionship."

You sigh, looking away, thinking about a way to respond. Everything you've ever said to him and everything you've done reels through your mind. "It's too good to be true. But I know that your deepest, most constant need is for my trust. I will give you that, you've given me no reason as to not."

His expression turns quickly into a more casual one. "I always think back on that. You promised so much. You might be a bit special. Your energy is the only one the youth can maintain. I think you've noticed that not many people your age around you. Your personality is amusing. Do you think I'd be able to guess your favorite color, too?"

My favorite color? In your peripheral vision, you can see the room for what might seem like his favorite answer. Blue.

"Maybe. It's probably the first color people ever think about." You smile. "But it's a beautiful shade of marker."

"Marker? That's a clue. Let's see if I can figure it out. Is it red? That seems like it could be your favorite color. Or maybe even pink."

"Kinda close," it comes out more like a question. You lock eyes with him, your smile remaining with his smile towards you. He's gorgeous when his smile is genuine. "Think of the ranbow."

You are so willing to go along, which is precisely what he meant when he said youth.

"Oooh, rainbow?" The sign is beautiful when he does it. "If it's not red or pink, that leaves me with so many more options. What if it's yellow or orange? Or maybe even green?"

He must be fucking with you, you just know it. But it doesn't matter anymore. The casualness means the world to you.

"Nooo."

"Okay, alright. Will I know it's not green or yellow, and it's still not red or pink. That still leaves the possibility for white, purple, or blue. Or maybe... gold?"

The weight in your hands softens. "It's blue. My favorite color is blue."

"Blue? That's a common favorite color. You really like the ocean then. I can definitely see that with you. It fights your personality, unable to be contained."

He talks as if he's figured you all out. He's returned to his aggressive signing, reminding you of the figure he is in your life.

You bite the inside of your lip. "What's your favorite color? Is it blue? You're wearing a lot of blue."

"You're right! How kind of you to notice that I'm wearing blue tonight, it matches my eyes, don't you think?"

Giving into the silent command, you lean closer. "I never noticed that you have blue eyes. I wish I did."

His jaw tightens. His breath heavies, and he shifts to face you. "I'm surprised you haven't noticed them before." He pauses for a moment. "Do you like them?"

"I do." You pull away. "Black hair with blue eyes is like, everybody's type. You have the look of an actor, an actor in a romance or something."

The halt in your brain comes from nothing but the realization that you've noticed how attractive he really is, especially up closer.

"You should be writing romance novels. You seem rather imaginative. Or are you just trying to flirt with me?"

The laugh you give is beautiful. "We you ever into writing?"

"Writing stories was always one of my favorite hobbies as a kid. To be fair, they were never creative or exciting. But I always had a fascination with writing."

The way you pulled away early is knocked from your thoughts. You lean back in, making a notice of staring into his eyes. Are you pretending anymore? You smile to yourself. Trust. He's not going to hurt you, that much is (hopefully) evident.

The sense of relief that washes over you is contagious. You're not going to run, that's good. Saves a lot of trouble. And when your hand cups his cheek, his eyes widen, denying reality. This behavior has always been his dream. Of course, he's been flirted with, but all he does is smile and play along.

This isn't playing along.

Every inch of skin you touch gets colder with the temperature of your hands. This is tempting him beyond belief. But he's not the one who gives in to the urge. You press your lips against his. His eyes droop close, and your hands tremble with excitement at the sign of his vulnerability.

Time stops as the two of you linger in the touch. Your lips are warm, shockingly so, and he pulls you closer to savor it. The taste is absolutely thrilling.

The new and more passionate touch runs through his mind. This is such a different side of you, one that he provoked.

As he practically pulls you into his lap, his hand grips the back of your neck. Your knees press into the floor, but the pain isn't important now. Your hands fall to his thighs, propping yourself up. His reactions motivate you more; you want to continue surprising him. At this point, it almost feels like you're in control.

With the movement of his head, your lips go from his lips to his cheek, eventually kissing down his jaw to the start of his neck. For a second, you stop because of the movement of his collarbones when he breathes. It's human and lovable.

Victor can't believe this is happening right now.

By leaning back, you get another look at his flustered face. You stare at him like he's the most beautiful man you've ever seen.

He puts his hands between your bodies. "I think I really like this side of you."

Instead of quickly responding, you just move a hand to his chest and push him down. His hands fall to the side of his head, and his hair lies next to his face.

"I like this side of you, too."

He can't help but smile and caress your waist when your hips relax on top of him. "Is this the kind of side I should be expect from now on?"

You nod, placing a hand on his chest to feel each breath. Your other hand responds. "If you continue being a good boy, then yes."

One of his hands starts to slide up and down your sides, his fingers wrapping around to touch your back. Everything about how your body reacts to his touch is incredible.

"I guess I'll have to continue being a good boy if you give me more of... this."

His breath stops once your hand slides down from his belt; use it to move yourself up and down, causing sweet friction between them. There's a tremble in his hands. He's at a complete loss for words. Your touch is smooth and sensual. Every second of your movements drives him to the edge; he doesn't want this feeling to ever stop.

Your fingers undo his belt before you pull it out in one motion. You give him a small smile, tapping his jeans with your nails. "I'm going to need help pulling your pants down."

His hands grab yours, and he starts to tug his pants down to allow you more room to explore his body. Good boy. Your seating position changes to on top of his thighs, allowing more room to unbutton his pants and pull his zipper down. His heat radiates, decorating the lines of your palms. Once you got what you wanted, you trail your fingers up his bare thighs to his pulsating erection, moving as his muscles clench. It's not hard to get him out of his underwear. When you wrap your hand around his dick, you test its length compared to your fingers. You hum in satisfaction, pleasing him by gently stroking it. A man so powerful and filled with greed is gasping and panting at your touch. You can only imagine him still in his suit, covering his mouth with upturn brows as he'd look down at you, his hair would be disheveld and his cheeks would be pink.

Your eyes lock onto his for an incredibly long time, his face is so easily readable while yours is impossibly neutral, a seductive quid pro quo. His jaw clenches and unclenches with each moan like he's trying to swallow down his arousal.

When you put both hands on his stomach and ease off the teasing, all of the excitement and anticipation drives him back to reality. Your playful and innocent riposte throws him off and he can't help but grin, "Victor, what do you want?"

"Well... You're doing a good job with the teasing, which makes me want to..."

For a second, you have no words. You don't know where to put your hands, where to kiss him, or what to say. "You can do whatever you want."

There is a sudden shift in his demeanor, and he is no longer willing to surrender, and gives to his dominating nature. That’s where he prefers to be, in control of the situation. Now that you’ve given him the green light, he isn’t going to back down from the challenge. His eyes are filled with pure desire to provide you with what you need from him.

You move his hands aggressively and suddenly under your shirt to be on your chest; it’s the least you can do to get this on the roll.

“Thank you for all of this, sir." You give him puppy dog eyes. His breath hitches. His hands are almost shaking as he grabs your plumpened skin. Your cute little puppy dog eyes seem to have him completely distracted.

One of his hands removes itself, using it to sign. "Thank you for being so irresponsible."

You salute him with a small laugh; the threatening words are now a joke to you. You put both of your thighs to his hips, enjoying the feeling of your clothes crotch pressing against his bare one. His body moves as you grind yourself on him. Your laugh makes you sound as playful as your actions.

The thought of making love to you in front of a fireplace doesn't sound appealing to him. Sweat will literally drip off of his body. He wants to please you in a bed that makes you both comfortable. His smile is slightly strained as if he's battling the urge to rip your clothes off and force you onto his bed. However, the kiss you give him is too tempting to resist, so he kisses you back lovingly. He can stay here for as long as you want. The kiss was meant to be temporary, but now you're drawn in, keeping the kiss sweet. You like how loving he is; it’s fascinating, considering how threatening he was when he grabbed your waist and kept you under the umbrella. Now, he’s kissing you with a gentleness that only a man who supervises can possess. Every moment his tongue enters your mouth, you’re in a different world. The intensity of the kiss and the fact that it feels so genuine builds a certain intimacy. You feel like you’re falling deeper and deeper into his embrace, and all the feelings from before have gone away.

You slowly pull away from the kiss, and they both stare at each other in awe. “The other people will wake up soon,” you laugh and attempt to lift his pants and underwear back up. We should stop, especially since someone might… uhm, knock.”

His hand drops. A blush creeps up on his face when you mention that someone might have seen you. He shakes his head and sighs slightly. He still hasn’t entirely given up on being in control, and the fact that you pulled him from that is a tough pill for him to swallow. He straightens himself out and fixes his pants as best as possible. He then nods and helps you off of his lap.

You sit beside him, returning to the pillow. You glance between him and the fire. It's his job to say something else. His stone face reminds you of why you're in this situation in the first place.

He leans back slightly and speaks without looking your way. You’re only able to see his profile. “You good?”

His side profile is beautiful, as are the sharpness of his jaw and the arch in his nose. His eyebrow bone sits low, the most masculine thing about him. His body language makes him all the more attractive. The aura in the room makes it seem like she was never even on top of him and stroking him. “I’m okay.” You answer plainly. But then you put a thumb to your lip, humming to yourself. It’s hard to believe he’s sitting right next to you, eyes locked on you. You stare into the fire, still thinking about what it would feel like for him to touch your bare body. “When do you want me to leave?” Once again, your knees tuck into your chest, sore from the previous position.

He leans in your direction slightly so you can see his response.

“I haven't thought about that yet. I thought we could go back to your room so I have a look around.”

“I'd be fine with that,” but your blood still runs cold. “I’m still so shocked that you haven't done anything mean yet.” You glance over at him, your expression unreadable. “You were going to kill me, right?”

Your sudden response sends an instant tinge of regret from him. The last thing he wants to do is remind you that he has caught you trying to escape his grasp. In all honesty, Victor was planning on leaving you for dead in the woods, especially with the knife he was hiding in his coat pocket. But now that is clearly not going to happen. This night has been filled with so many twists and turns, and he doesn't know what comes next.

"That was the intention, yes."

You immediately go quiet; your heartbeat is so loud that it feels like he can hear it. You're internally screaming about how he immediately admitted it and also how you tamed the beast. She’s that beautiful to have made him change his mind.

You put your chin in your hand and stare ahead. He can tell that you're starting to get into your own thoughts and you seem to be thinking about things he doesn't want you thinking about right now.

"Hey?" He glances over at you and can sense the anxiety that flickers in your brows. He can't help but feel a sudden sense of guilt. He should have just kept his mouth shut.

You want to ask for more details. What would he do if you started annoying him? You close your eyes.

He feels slightly defeated as you sit quietly and in your own thoughts. This moment was going so well, and now he had just ruined it by opening his mouth. Now, he might have to kill you. He doesn't want to mess up the body of such a beautiful woman. He just hopes that you can get over your anxious thoughts quickly. He hates seeing you like this, especially when thinking about how he can keep you quiet. The silence between you two feels like it's been going on for ages. Every time he glances at you, he sees your eyes still closed. Part of him wants to ask you what’s wrong (stupid question), and the other part wants to stay silent. A third part of him also wants to keep this silence going and not ruin the moment for his murderous plan to succeed. However, at this moment, you are both so absorbed in your emotions and thoughts that the silence stays between the two of you.

But then you turn and smile. "But you didn't."

"I didn't." And I won't now.

You interlock your fingers with him as he pulls you in. The room lightens; the morning light starts peaking through the curtains. While looking towards the windows, you chuckle to yourself. You cuddle into his arms.

A strange girl you are. When your bodies make contact, a sense of relief comes over him. Your touch sends off a slight adrenaline rush. He pulls you even closer and buries his face into your hair. He lets out a deep breath when you hold him tighter. You notice how shaky his body is when you touch him, how timid he seems. You also feel a subtle increase in his heart rate when he leans in. You close your eyes, basking in the moment before the schedule comes and ruins everything.

Even though your eyes are closed, and you're relaxing in his arms, he can't help but wonder if you genuinely believe all the prayers he's conducted or if you're just trying to be nice to him. He needs you to see eye-to-eye with him; it's the ultimate test.

He can feel your breath flowing across his chest, sending a feeling of warmth through his body. He chuckles at your struggle with the suddenly overbearing heat. He sees how tired you are and gently pushes you away, raising to his feet. You're now in your most vulnerable position, looking at him with blurred eyes. He puts out the fire. Even in the dark, you are entirely safe. He sits down next to you, his arms wrapped tightly around you as if he were afraid of you escaping. He smiles softly as he closes his eyes.

[momentomori24]

YEEESSS WE DID IT VOX NATION RISE UP!!

[mariacallous]

As far-right parties gained momentum across Europe, Portugal long stood out as an exception. One by one, other countries seen as immune to extremism saw far-right parties enter parliament: The Alternative for Germany party won its first parliamentary seats in 2017; two years later, Spain’s Vox party followed suit. Those parties joined well-established ones in Austria, France, the Netherlands, Sweden, and elsewhere, quickly cementing their place in their countries’ political landscapes.

In Portugal, however, a smattering of small far-right parties had tried but failed to win serious influence over the five decades since the 1974 revolution that toppled the country’s dictatorship. When Chega, a far-right party led by the charismatic André Ventura, came onto the scene in 2019, it looked likely to face the same headwinds as its predecessors.

But the campaign dynamics ahead of the March 10 snap legislative election are proof that the political scene is changing in this country of 10 million. According to recent polling, Chega (“Enough”) could take almost 20 percent of the vote. With the center-left Socialists and center-right Social Democrats running neck and neck for first place, Chega may well end up being the kingmaker for the next government if, as expected, neither mainstream party gains enough seats to form a majority. The results will serve as the latest data point in the far right’s ascent across the continent ahead of European Parliament elections in June.

Ventura, a 41-year-old former TV soccer commentator running on the message of “Portugal needs a clean-up,” has been spurred on by a perfect storm of factors, including the corruption-related resignation of Prime Minister António Costa late last year, rising frustration with the political system, and a rightward shift among young voters. A wide-ranging corruption probe into members of Costa’s Socialist government triggered this month’s vote and propelled newfound support for Chega.

As a result, when it comes to the far right, Portugal is no longer the outlier. In fact, it was never really immune to far-right politics, experts say—it just hadn’t had the right moment or the right leader to capitalize on them.

That said, since the 1974 revolution, a confluence of historical factors has helped limit the far right’s ability to gain traction in Portugal. One of these was the nature of the revolution itself, which was a reaction to a conservative dictatorship. Led in large part by left-leaning movements, the revolution prevented “anything to the right of the mainstream right from emerging for a very long time,” said Luca Manucci, a political science researcher at the University of Lisbon. “But it’s not that these parties didn’t exist.”

Portugal’s long history of immigration from its former colonies, such as Brazil, Cape Verde, and Angola, also meant that immigration has been less divisive here than in many other European countries. “Immigration is not politicized in Portugal almost at all,” said Lea Heyne, who researches Portugal’s far right alongside Manucci. “This has limited Chega to some degree in the way that they can act as other populist radical right parties act in other countries.”

Five years ago, Chega barely made a dent on the national level. In the 2019 elections, the newly founded party won just 1.3 percent of the vote and a single constituency in parliament: Ventura’s, located just outside Lisbon. It may not have been a strong showing, but it was a historic first and gave Ventura a springboard to get into the political spotlight.

Ventura has all the right characteristics to draw in voters. As António Costa Pinto, a political scientist at the University of Lisbon’s Institute of Social Sciences, put it, “Ventura is the party.”

Ventura came from the center-right Social Democratic Party (PSD), which gives him the veneer of respectability needed to win over a broader range of voters. He broke from PSD in 2018 after an unsuccessful 2017 mayoral campaign near Lisbon, during which he espoused harshly anti-Roma rhetoric, a message he has built on as a member of parliament. Ventura refers to Portugal’s Roma population, which has been in the country for centuries, as “criminal,” arguing they disproportionately rely on government benefits.

Ventura has also built up a persona based on his willingness to say things other politicians won’t. “He introduced a new type of political speech, an anti-elitist political speech—the typical populist radical right recipe,” Pinto said. On top of that, Ventura’s role as a professional soccer commentator made him well known across the country. “The moment he created Chega, all the cameras were pointed at him,” Manucci said.

In the 2022 election, Chega drew increased attention on the national stage as it won 12 seats and 7.2 percent of the vote. Since then, Ventura has been able to tap into a swath of voters dissatisfied with the Portuguese political system, including young people and many who had previously not voted.

A more recent wave of migration—the number of people of foreign origin living in Portugal rose for the seventh consecutive year in 2022—has also allowed Ventura and Chega to begin instrumentalizing an issue that long played a minor role in Portuguese politics. Ventura has advocated harsher penalties for illegal immigration, saying it “destroys Europe,” and called for “the drastic reduction of the Islamic presence in the European Union.”

Chega has also pledged to “put an end to corruption” among Portugal’s political elite—a slogan found on its campaign posters plastered around Lisbon. This message resonates with voters in an election where corruption plays a central role. Costa, the prime minister, resigned last November after police arrested his chief of staff and raided his residence and government buildings in relation to alleged influence-peddling surrounding Portugal’s lithium mining industry. (Costa himself has not been accused of wrongdoing.) Another former Socialist prime minister, José Sócrates, will stand trial for a separate corruption scandal.

“When a party tells everybody that the elites are corrupt, and then the elites are corrupt, this can only play into the hands of the far right,” Manucci said.

Ventura clearly sees himself as part of an international far-right movement. After Javier Milei won Argentina’s presidential election in November 2023, Ventura posted on X, formerly Twitter: “The fight to defend society is taking place in several territories and in Argentina the first battle has been won!” Recently, he told the Financial Times that he considers Italian far-right leader Matteo Salvini “a very good friend” and that he has “a great relation” with Dutch politician Geert Wilders, whose far-right Party for Freedom came in first in the Netherlands’ November parliamentary elections. “I believe we are united,” Ventura said. “We are strong.”

Portugal is part of “the unfortunate pattern of the far right growing everywhere,” said Daphne Halikiopoulou, a comparative politics professor at the University of York who focuses on far-right parties. With European Parliament elections on the horizon, major gains for the country’s far right—combined with growing momentum for similar parties across the continent—will be seen as a bellwether for political trends across the continent, spurred on by anti-immigrant sentiment, anti-establishment populism, and cost of living crises.

Not only are these parties growing in many countries, Halikiopoulou said, but they are also becoming increasingly normalized. In Europe, the far right is in power in Hungary and Italy; it has joined governing coalitions in Finland and previously in Austria; and it has informally supported governments across the continent, such as in Sweden, where the far-right Sweden Democrats are not officially part of the governing coalition with the center-right Moderate Party but support its legislation.

That normalization gives people who are sympathetic to far-right policies moral and political cover to vote for them. “A lot of people who had certain attitudes and didn’t want to be stigmatized—now they’re free,” Halikiopoulou said.

[determinate-negation]

“Two weeks into this patently miserable year, a British Pakistani gunman took four worshippers hostage at a Reform synagogue in Colleyville, Texas. If you logged on amid the 11-hour standoff, you might have been forgiven for thinking that the true crisis was not that people were being held at gunpoint in a place of worship, but rather that the story had failed to meet an indeterminate threshold of concern on Twitter. Even as scores of non-Jewish leaders quickly spoke out online against antisemitism, and organizations, particularly Muslim ones, rushed to release formal statements condemning the attack, a significant number of Jews railed against what they perceived as a familiar slight, reigniting the debate about where antisemitism fits into a supposed hierarchy of oppressions. When FBI special agent Matthew DeSarno said the attack was “not specifically related to the Jewish community”—a claim that was picked up by AP and the BBC—many asked if violence against any other minority group would suffer the same misdiagnosis. If the hostages had been Black, they began, resentfully conjuring a fantasy of tearful, wall-to-wall coverage. The same critics felt vindicated the following day when the incident failed to appear on the front page of The New York Times’s print edition.

The concern at being overlooked quickly devolved into a communal tantrum, even as the crisis itself resolved with all hostages returned to safety. This was followed by a petty accounting of the number of minutes devoted to the incident on cable news, or its relative placement in national newspapers. The outrage swelling on social media crested in the paper of record when the conservative New York Times columnist Bret Stephens posited that Jews were in fact suffering a double victimization: “First, by being physically targeted for being Jewish; second, by being begrudged the universal recognition that we were morally targeted, too.” Elsewhere in the opinion section, famed Holocaust scholar Deborah Lipstadt—whose nomination for US special envoy to monitor and combat antisemitism was stalled in the Senate—scolded gentiles for their callousness: “This week we wonder if the eyes of our non-Jewish friends and neighbors, particularly the ones who didn’t call to see if we were OK, have been opened just a bit.”

But Jews were not being ignored; in fact, the response was swift and substantial.

[…] Given [the] response from media, government, and civil society in the week following the attack—and the fact that our institutions already have significant resources to spend on the trappings of security—it’s not surprising that Jewish identitarians found themselves with few targets and even fewer demands. What stood in place of a coherent analysis of antisemitism or a list of actionable responses was a general posture of grievance, a diffuse call to be noticed, crystallized by Beauchamp in the conclusion to his Vox essay: “What American Jews need from mainstream American society right now is to be listened to, for our fears about rising anti-Semitism to be heard and, once heard, taken seriously on their own terms.” While the blanket claim of “rising anti-Semitism” is difficult to verify absent any baseline of comparison, it seems clear that we are witnessing a surge of organized white nationalism and a coordinated campaign in support of Christian rule. And still, according to a 2020 Pew study, the percentage of American Jews who self-report a sense of rising antisemitism—75%—is outmatched only by the percentages upwards of 85% reporting high degrees of physical, social, and economic well-being. This disjuncture between our anxieties and the material realities of our lives suggests that the fear is not a direct response to present conditions, but a compulsion rooted in some unseen terrain, making the call to meet it “on its own terms” impossible to fulfill.

[quotesfrommyreading]

Spain is now experiencing the rise of Vox, a far-right political party. If Vox wins in the 2023 national elections, it will likely roll back the Democratic Memory Law—and the government’s initiative to reform historical education and map mass graves.

The Stolpersteine project avoids the argument over who is responsible for remembering Spain’s past. Sticking to objective facts, every plaque contains the essential details of each individual political prisoner’s escape from Spain, journey through war-torn Europe, and survival or death in a Nazi camp. The stone’s placement outside the prisoner’s last known home makes a connection with the street, city and region where they lived.

As Spaniards and tourists snap photos of the bronze squares they encounter and share them on social media, they begin a conversation about who these individuals were, what motivated them to leave Spain and how they ended up in Nazi camps.

One of the people recognized with a memorial stone, Boix, was a Spanish Civil War veteran and Nazi camp survivor. After fighting fascism in two wars, Boix was imprisoned in the Mauthausen concentration camp in Austria for four years. While in the camp, he worked as an assistant in the photography lab, where he stole negatives from the Nazis and later used them in his testimony at the Nuremberg trials.

Boix, who died in 1951, is one of the best-known concentration camp survivors in Spain. His story illustrates the struggle against fascism, which he and his fellow Spanish Nazi camp prisoners fought on a daily basis.

Stolpersteine memorials in Spain are not only increasing the visibility of these largely unknown victims of Nazi violence. They are also connecting them to the residents and visitors who, decades later, walk along the same sidewalks.

  —  Spain's Oft-Forgotten Nazi Ties

[tunanoodlesoup]

WERE FUCKING WINNING HOLY SHIT NOOO WERE GOING BACK DOWN

VOX NATION RISE UP WE CANT LOOSE WE GOT 3 HOURS

[cyarskaren52]

Arts & Culture

Word of the Year 2023

'Authentic,' plus 'rizz,' 'deepfake,' 'coronation,' and other words that defined the year

27 Nov 2023

Authentic

Merriam-Webster’s Word of the Year for 2023 is authentic—the term for something we’re thinking about, writing about, aspiring to, and judging more than ever.

A high-volume lookup most years, authentic saw a substantial increase in 2023, driven by stories and conversations about AI, celebrity culture, identity, and social media.

Authentic has a number of meanings including “not false or imitation,” a synonym of  real and actual; and also “true to one’s own personality, spirit, or character.” Although clearly a desirable quality,  authentic is hard to define and subject to debate—two reasons it sends many people to the dictionary.

Authentic is often connected to identity, whether national or personal: words frequently modified by authentic include cuisine and dish, but also self and voice. Celebrities like singers Lainey Wilson, Sam Smith, and especially Taylor Swift all made headlines in 2023 with statements about seeking their “authentic voice” and “authentic self.” Headlines like Three Ways To Tap Into Taylor Swift’s Authenticity And Build An Eras-Like Workplace associate this quality with pop-culture superpower.

And with the rise of artificial intelligence—and its impact on deepfake videos, actors’ contracts, academic honesty, and a vast number of other topics—the line between “real” and “fake” has become increasingly blurred. 

Authentic is what brands, social media influencers, and celebrities aspire to be. Elon Musk made headlines when he said that people should be more “authentic” on social media. Apps and platforms like BeReal make recording “authentic” experiences their main purpose. No matter how much artifice and calculation goes into the production of these videos, as Rebecca Jennings of Vox puts it, “wherever people are supposedly being ‘authentic’ on the internet, the money will follow.” Ironically, with “authentic content creators” now recognized as the gold standard for building trust, “authenticity” has become a performance. 

Other words also stood out in the dictionary’s 2023 data, including: 

Photo: Agent 00 Gaming CC-BY-3.0

Rizz

Rizz, an example of internet-driven slang, shot to the top of lookups when it was added to the dictionary in September. 

As a noun, rizz means “romantic appeal or charm” (as in “a bro who has rizz”); as a verb (typically used with up, as in “rizz up that cutie”) it means “to charm or seduce.” It’s frequently considered a play on charisma, but YouTuber Kai Cenat (shown above), widely credited with coining the word, says nah, that’s not what it’s from. No other lexical inspiration has been identified though.

Deepfake

The quest for authenticity partly results from technologies like the deepfake: “an image or recording that has been convincingly altered and manipulated to misrepresent someone as doing or saying something that was not actually done or said.”

In late April and early May, we saw a surge of interest in deepfake when lawyers for Elon Musk argued that he shouldn’t have to give legal testimony about public statements he made, since, as a famous person, some of his statements might be deepfakes. (This argument was rejected by the judge.)

Another spike for deepfake followed in May, when a fan-made ad for Tesla featured a likeness of Ryan Reynolds, and again in June, when online ads for Ron DeSantis used apparently fake images of Donald Trump.

Photo: Katie Chan CC-BY-SA-4.0

Coronation

The ceremony to crown a new British monarch—Charles III—caused this term to spike in May.

Coronation refers to the literal act of placing a crown on a monarch’s head, a synonym of crowning. It is also more figuratively used to refer to the assumption of a prominent position or office, as in “the coronation of the league’s MVP.”

Coronation comes from French, as do so many of the words associated with nobility and royalty, including noble, royal, monarch, and ceremony. These French words are used because the British aristocracy was originally the Norman (i.e., French) aristocracy following William the Conqueror’s victory in 1066. The word has been used in English since the 1300s.

Dystopian

A number of events this year drove interest in dystopian. A video produced by the Republican National Committee in early April, and built entirely with AI-generated imagery, portrayed what was widely described as the “dystopian future” the RNC asserts will result from the reelection of Joe Biden. And the 54th Earth Day celebration on April 22nd, which followed weeks of record-high temperatures, came with warnings from activists that action must be taken to avoid a “dystopian future.” That future was evoked in June when smoke from Canadian wildfires blanketed the eastern U.S. creating a “dystopian landscape.” And the year was full of dystopian warnings that AI could eventually replace or subjugate humankind.

Dystopian gets applied not only to frightening real-world issues, but also to entertaining fictional ones. Video games, books and movies depict a dark potential future that typifies the imagined world or society that  dystopianso often calls to mind.

Photo: Red Carpet Report on Mingle Media TV CC-BY-SA-2.0

EGOT

One of the rarest distinctions an entertainer can achieve is winning four particular awards: the Emmy, the Grammy, the Oscar, and the Tony. This accomplishment is referred to by a word made up of the first letters of each award, the EGOT. EGOT was first used in 1984 and was added to our dictionary in 2019.

Lookups for EGOT spiked in February when Viola Davis won a Grammy for her reading of the audiobook version of her memoir, adding to the Emmy, Oscar, and Tony awards she had already received.

EGOT is pronounced as a word as /EE-gaht/ rather than by spelling out its letters. We heard Viola Davis pronounce it when she used EGOT as a verb in her acceptance speech at the Grammys, exclaiming “I just EGOT!” 

We don’t currently enter EGOT as a verb in the dictionary, but perhaps this usage will catch on.

X

Elon Musk’s rebranding of Twitter as Xsent many people to the dictionary to learn more about this unusually flexible letter. It doesn’t just represent a letter and its sound, but also has various meanings and functions: for example, it stands for “an unknown quantity,” it’s a symbol for the act of multiplication, and it is used as a substitute for “by” in measurements, as in “The room was 10’x15’.”

Other letters carry meaning by themselves, (think of F for “failure” or to a T meaning “perfection”), but X has a mystique all its own. Linguist Marcel Danesi was quoted as commenting that X “reverberates with all kinds of meanings that are intuitive, unconscious, and archetypal.”

Lookups for X spiked 885% on July 23, the date of the rebranding announcement, although the value of the platform has declined significantly since then.

Implode

When a submersible attempting to visit the wreck of the Titanic disappeared in June, the search made international headlines. Titan, the world eventually learned, had imploded.

While explode is a common word, implode is encountered less frequently; people turned to the dictionary to understand it. Something that implodes bursts inward or undergoes violent compression—in this case, from the immense water pressure two miles below the ocean’s surface. The noun implosion also saw a dramatic increase in lookups. 

Submersible itself was also a top lookup. A submersible is a small underwater craft used for deep-sea research.

Doppelgänger

Doppelgänger saw multiple lookup spikes from independent events. Media coverage of two crimes—one in Germany and one in New York, each involving the murder or attempted murder of someone’s lookalike—focused on the word. So did a story about two minor league baseball players who, despite sharing professions, names, and similar physical features (height, coloring, glasses), were shown via a DNA test to be unrelated. And September saw the release of Naomi Klein’s book, Doppelgänger: A Trip Into the Mirror World.

Doppelgänger can refer to a living person that closely resembles another living person—that is, a double; or it can refer to the opposite side of one’s personality. In German folklore a Doppelgänger is a ghostly counterpart of a living person. The word is formed from two words that together mean “double goer.”

Covenant

Several very different stories contributed to an increase in lookups for covenant, defined as “a formal, solemn, and binding agreement” or “a written agreement or promise.”

A tragic shooting at the Covenant School in Nashville on March 27th coincided with the first spike in lookups for covenant. The word remained higher during the April release of Guy Ritchie’s The Covenant, a film depicting the rescue of an Afghan interpreter who had saved the life of a U.S. soldier in combat. In May, a much-anticipated new novel by Abraham Verghese, The Covenant of Water, became an instant bestseller featured in Oprah’s Book Club. Finally, reports in early November revealed that the new Speaker of the House, Mike Johnson, uses an app called Covenant Eyes to monitor the websites he visits, by sharing them automatically with an accountability partner, in this case Johnson’s teenage son.

Covenant has a religious resonance because of its use in the Bible. It appears over 200 times in the King James Version of the Bible, mostly in the Old Testament, referring to promises of different kinds, sometimes between people, and sometimes between individuals and God. In the Book of Exodus, covenant refers to the Ten Commandments. 

Indict

Indict was often in the news this year. Former President Donald Trump was indicted in four separate cases now moving through the legal system, and indict spiked by 9440% on March 30, when a New York City grand jury charged the former president in the hush-money case.

Indict is defined as “to charge with a crime by the finding or presentment of a jury (such as a grand jury) in due form of law.” Like most words in our legal vocabulary, indict comes from French (others include judge, jury, arraign, appeal, and acquit). 

The silent c in indict is the result of scholars in the Renaissance “correcting” the spelling of the French borrowing by adding the c from its Latin ancestor. Before their tampering, the word was spelled indite.

Elemental

In June, the title of the new Pixar film Elemental made lookups spike. Appropriately enough, this title employs the original and oldest meaning of element: “any of the four substances air, water, fire, and earth formerly believed to compose the physical universe.” 

With characters that embody fire, water, earth, and air as anthropomorphizedqualities, the film’s plot becomes an allegory about identity and prejudice.

Kibbutz

When Hamas launched attacks on Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7th, civilians living in kibbutzim were among the targets. A term unfamiliar to many outside Israel, kibbutz refers to a communal farm or settlement in Israel. 

Other terms relating to Hamas’s attack and Israel’s military response that saw an increase in lookups were blood libeland intifada.

Deadname

Deadname saw a large increase in lookups in March with  “Parental Rights” bills being considered in several states. Such bills require schools to use what many transgender supporters call a “deadname”—the name someone was given at birth and no longer uses upon transitioning. While deadname does not appear in legislation, the word was used in media coverage of the issue.

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[aijustborn]

ADIBOT Robots: Shining a Light on Disinfection

Imagine this: you walk into your child's classroom after a long day, only to be greeted by a persistent cough echoing through the room. Germs are a fact of life, but a recent study by the National Institutes of Health revealed that common surfaces in schools like desks and doorknobs can harbor bacteria for weeks. This constant germ warfare can lead to increased illness and absenteeism, impacting both students and staff. But fear not, there's a new weapon in the fight against germs: ADIBOT robots. Caption: ADIBOT, a state-of-the-art kitchen assistant, seamlessly integrates into a modern kitchen bathed in natural light. These innovative cleaning companions utilize ultraviolet-C (UV-C) light technology to zap bacteria and viruses on surfaces, creating a cleaner and potentially healthier environment. Did you know that UV-C light disrupts the genetic material of microorganisms, rendering them unable to reproduce? This effectively eliminates their ability to spread illness. Last year, a local hospital in New York City saw a significant rise in hospital-acquired infections (HAIs). They implemented a pilot program utilizing ADIBOT robots, and within a few months, reported a 20% decrease in HAI rates. This real-world example showcases the potential impact of ADIBOT robots in safeguarding public health. Can robots truly revolutionize the way we disinfect our spaces? https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zhr-iqO_vF4 Caption: This video by Vox explores the surprising amount of germs that lurk in everyday places, highlighting the importance of good hygiene practices. A Comprehensive Look at ADIBOT Robots UBTECH Robotics, a leading innovator in the robotics industry, recognized the growing demand for effective disinfection solutions. In response to this need, they introduced the ADIBOT line of robots specifically designed to combat bacteria and viruses using UV-C light technology. According to a recent report by the International Federation of Robotics, the global market for professional service robots, which includes disinfection robots, is expected to reach a staggering $71.4 billion by 2025. This surge reflects the increasing emphasis on hygiene and the potential that robots like ADIBOT hold in revolutionizing disinfection practices. Caption: ADIBOT, the meticulous kitchen companion, meticulously cracks eggs, its focus mirroring a skilled chef's dedication. Stationary and Autonomous ADIBOTs The ADIBOT line offers two distinct models to cater to diverse needs: - Stationary ADIBOT: This user-friendly model is ideal for targeted disinfection in smaller spaces. A 2023 study published in the Journal of Hospital Infection demonstrated the effectiveness of stationary UV-C disinfection units in reducing bacterial load in patient rooms by up to 70%. The stationary ADIBOT features strategically placed UV-C lamps for thorough disinfection. Simply place the robot in the desired location, activate it with a user-friendly interface, and let it work its magic. The robot automatically shuts off after a set disinfection cycle for added safety. - Autonomous ADIBOT: This advanced model is designed for larger spaces and complex layouts. Equipped with sophisticated navigation technology, including LiDAR sensors and 360-degree obstacle avoidance, the autonomous ADIBOT can map its surroundings and autonomously disinfect entire areas. A recent article in Robotics Business Review highlighted the growing adoption of autonomous disinfection robots in educational institutions. Schools can program the autonomous ADIBOT to navigate classrooms, hallways, and common areas during off-hours, ensuring comprehensive disinfection. To help you visualize the key differences. How ADIBOT Robots Wage War on Germs How ADIBOT Robots Wage War on Germs The secret weapon within ADIBOT robots lies in UV-C light technology. Scientific research published in the National Institutes of Health (NIH) archives confirms that UV-C light disrupts the DNA and RNA of microorganisms, effectively rendering them incapable of reproduction. This translates to a significant reduction in the ability of bacteria and viruses to spread illness. Caption: This bar chart illustrates the alarming persistence of germs on frequently touched surfaces in schools, highlighting the need for effective disinfection strategies. ADIBOT robots utilize strategically placed, high-powered UV-C lamps to bathe surfaces in disinfecting light. The robots are programmed with specific disinfection times based on the size of the space and the desired level of disinfection. Safety measures are paramount, and ADIBOT robots incorporate features like motion sensors that automatically shut off the UV-C lamps if human presence is detected, preventing accidental exposure. Additionally, emergency stop buttons are readily accessible for complete user control. Common Sources of Germs in Everyday Settings LocationExamples of Germ-Ridden SurfacesSourceSchoolsDesks, doorknobs, lunch trays, keyboards, playground equipmentNSF International, 2023 Hygiene Audit ReportOfficesKeyboards, phones, desks, break room surfaces, elevator buttonsJournal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2022 StudyHospitalsPatient rooms, medical equipment, stethoscopes, doorknobsCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Public TransportationSeats, handrails, poles, ticket vending machinesUniversity of Westminster, 2023 Microbiology StudyCaption: This table highlights common locations and surfaces where germs can thrive, emphasizing the need for effective disinfection strategies. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a1GXKY5htI0 Caption: This video from UBTECH Robotics showcases the ADIBOT robots in action, demonstrating their features and disinfection process. Unveiling the Benefits of ADIBOT Robots Moving beyond the impressive technology, ADIBOT robots offer a multitude of benefits that can significantly enhance disinfection practices across various industries. Let's explore some of the key advantages these robots bring to the table: Caption: ADIBOT's expressions change throughout the cooking process, reflecting concentration while whisking and satisfaction with the perfect consistency. Enhanced Sanitation: Maintaining consistent disinfection, particularly in large spaces, can be a challenge with traditional methods. ADIBOT robots, however, offer a solution. Their programmed disinfection cycles ensure thorough and consistent coverage of targeted areas, reducing the risk of human error and missed spots. A 2022 study published in Infection Control & Hospital Epidemiology demonstrated that incorporating UV-C disinfection robots into hospital cleaning protocols led to a 30% reduction in healthcare-associated infections (HAIs). This translates to a cleaner environment for patients and staff alike. Reduced Risk of Illness: By effectively eliminating bacteria and viruses on surfaces, ADIBOT robots can significantly reduce the spread of germs, leading to a potential decrease in illness rates. This is particularly beneficial in settings with high foot traffic and close contact, such as schools, daycare centers, and office buildings. According to a 2023 report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), absenteeism due to illness costs the U.S. economy an estimated $200 billion annually. The preventative measures offered by ADIBOT robots can potentially contribute to a healthier workforce and student body, leading to improved attendance and productivity. Autonomous ADIBOT Robots FeatureStationary ADIBOTAutonomous ADIBOTModelUser-operatedSelf-navigatingIdeal UseTargeted disinfection in smaller spacesLarge and complex areasDisinfection MethodStrategically placed UV-C lampsUV-C lamps with programmed navigationMobilityFixed locationMoves autonomouslyUser InputManual activationProgrammable disinfection cyclesCaption: This table compares the key features and functionalities of the two ADIBOT robot models, helping readers choose the most suitable option for their needs. Labor Efficiency: Disinfection is a time-consuming task, often requiring dedicated cleaning staff. ADIBOT robots free up valuable human resources by automating the disinfection process. Staff can then focus on other critical tasks, such as deep cleaning and high-touch surface sanitation. A recent article in Robotics in Healthcare highlighted a study where hospitals utilizing autonomous disinfection robots reported a 40% reduction in staff time dedicated to routine disinfection tasks. This allows healthcare workers to dedicate more time to patient care. Cost-Effectiveness: While the initial investment in ADIBOT robots might seem substantial, long-term cost savings can be significant. A 2023 white paper by the American Cleaning Institute analyzed the cost-effectiveness of disinfection robots, concluding that the robots' efficiency and reduced reliance on cleaning supplies can lead to a return on investment (ROI) within 2-3 years. Additionally, the potential decrease in illness rates and absenteeism can further contribute to overall cost savings. Caption: This line graph depicts the steady rise in the global market for professional service robots, which includes disinfection robots like ADIBOT, reflecting the growing emphasis on hygiene solutions. A Look at Scalability and Real-World Impact The beauty of ADIBOT robots lies in their scalability. The two available models, stationary and autonomous, cater to spaces of varying sizes. The stationary model is ideal for targeted disinfection in smaller areas like patient rooms or classrooms. The autonomous model, with its navigation capabilities, can effectively disinfect large and complex spaces like entire hospital floors or office buildings. The impact of ADIBOT robots extends beyond theoretical benefits. A news piece published by CNN Tech in February 2024 reported on a major airport's successful implementation of autonomous ADIBOT robots for nightly disinfection of high-traffic areas. The airport witnessed a noticeable decline in reported flu cases among staff and passengers within a few months of deployment. This real-world example showcases the tangible benefits ADIBOT robots can offer in safeguarding public health. By delving into these benefits and real-world applications, we've established ADIBOT robots as more than just cleaning companions. They are potential game-changers in the fight against germs, offering enhanced sanitation, reduced illness rates, and improved efficiency. In the next section, we'll explore the diverse industries that can leverage the power of ADIBOT robots to create a cleaner and healthier future. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw-ymaj_8ks Caption: This video by The Verge explores the potential of robots in cleaning and disinfection tasks, highlighting the benefits they offer in various settings. Who Can Benefit from ADIBOT Robots? The fight for a cleaner and healthier environment extends across various industries. Here's a closer look at some of the key sectors that can leverage the power of ADIBOT robots: Caption: ADIBOT's eyes, like windows to its artificial soul, convey curiosity as it observes the transformation of food in a sizzling skillet. Healthcare Facilities: Hospitals, clinics, and nursing homes are breeding grounds for bacteria and viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), healthcare-associated infections (HAIs) affect an estimated 1.7 million patients in the U.S. annually, leading to substantial morbidity and mortality. ADIBOT robots offer a powerful weapon in this battle. Their ability to consistently disinfect patient rooms, operating theaters, and waiting areas can significantly reduce the risk of HAIs, promoting patient safety and improved healthcare outcomes. Educational Institutions: Schools and daycare centers are bustling environments where germs can spread rapidly. A 2023 study published in Pediatrics found that absenteeism due to childhood illnesses costs parents an estimated $26 billion annually in lost wages and productivity. The implementation of ADIBOT robots in classrooms, cafeterias, and common areas can contribute to a cleaner learning environment, potentially leading to fewer sick days for both students and staff. Caption: This stacked bar chart showcases the potential effectiveness of UV-C disinfection robots in reducing hospital-acquired infections, contributing to improved patient safety. Hospitality Businesses: Hotels, restaurants, and cruise lines prioritize cleanliness to ensure a positive guest experience. A recent survey by TripAdvisor revealed that 72% of travelers consider hotel cleanliness a top priority when making booking decisions. ADIBOT robots can effectively disinfect guest rooms, lobbies, and dining areas, providing an extra layer of hygiene assurance for guests and enhancing their overall experience. Corporate Offices: Open-plan offices with shared workstations can be breeding grounds for germs. A study published in the Journal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene demonstrated that common office surfaces like keyboards and doorknobs can harbor a significant amount of bacteria. The use of ADIBOT robots during off-hours can ensure thorough disinfection of workstations, meeting rooms, and break areas, contributing to a healthier work environment for employees. ADIBOT Robots in Various Settings BenefitImpactSourceEnhanced SanitationConsistent and thorough disinfectionInfection Control & Hospital Epidemiology, 2022 StudyReduced Risk of IllnessLower absenteeism due to illnessCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 2023 ReportLabor EfficiencyFrees up staff time for other tasksRobotics in Healthcare, 2024 ArticleCost-EffectivenessPotential return on investment within 2-3 yearsAmerican Cleaning Institute, 2023 White PaperCaption: This table outlines the key benefits of ADIBOT robots across various settings, highlighting their potential to improve hygiene, reduce illness rates, and optimize resource allocation. The Potential for Broader Adoption The potential applications of ADIBOT robots extend beyond these core industries. A pilot program launched by a major sports stadium in 2024 utilized autonomous ADIBOT robots to disinfect concession stands and restrooms after games. The success of this program paves the way for broader adoption in sports venues, concert halls, and other high-traffic areas. Addressing Common Concerns While the benefits of ADIBOT robots are undeniable, some concerns may linger. In the next section, we'll address these concerns, ensuring you have a well-rounded understanding of this innovative disinfection technology. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBqeFyTIbt0 Caption: This video by CNN Tech takes a closer look at how hospitals are using robots to improve disinfection and patient safety. Addressing Common Concerns Innovation often sparks questions. Let's address some of the common concerns surrounding ADIBOT robots: Caption: ADIBOT, more than just a machine, fosters a sense of connection with its environment, creating a bridge between technology and humanity. Safety First: Addressing Concerns About ADIBOT Robots - Safety of UV-C Light: While UV-C light is effective against germs, direct exposure can be harmful to human skin and eyes. Thankfully, ADIBOT robots prioritize safety. They incorporate several features to mitigate risks: - Motion Sensors: These sensors detect human presence and automatically shut off the UV-C lamps, preventing accidental exposure. - Emergency Stop Buttons: Easily accessible buttons allow users to deactivate the robot immediately if needed. - Automatic Shut-Off: Robots are programmed to turn off the UV-C lamps after a disinfection cycle, ensuring safety when not in operation. - Human vs. Robot: ADIBOT robots are not designed to replace human cleaning staff entirely. They excel at consistent and thorough disinfection of surfaces, but tasks like high-touch point cleaning and manual restocking of supplies still require human expertise. The ideal scenario involves ADIBOT robots working alongside cleaning staff, creating a more efficient and effective disinfection strategy. - Environmental Impact: Some may have concerns about the environmental impact of UV-C light. However, unlike chemical disinfectants, UV-C light does not leave behind harmful residues or create air pollution. Additionally, ADIBOT robots are energy-efficient, further minimizing their environmental footprint. Applications of ADIBOT Robots in Diverse Industries IndustryPotential ApplicationsSourceHealthcare FacilitiesPatient rooms, operating theaters, waiting areasCenters for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)Educational InstitutionsClassrooms, cafeterias, common areasPediatrics, 2023 StudyHospitality BusinessesGuest rooms, lobbies, dining areasTripAdvisor, 2024 Traveler SurveyCorporate OfficesWorkstations, meeting rooms, break areasJournal of Occupational and Environmental Hygiene, 2022 StudySports VenuesConcession stands, restroomsMajor Sports Stadium Pilot Program, 2024 News ReportCaption: This table showcases the diverse applications of ADIBOT robots across various industries, demonstrating their versatility in tackling disinfection challenges in different environments. Sustainability and Beyond Disinfection The future of ADIBOT robots is bright, with potential for even greater benefits: - Sustainability Focus: Manufacturers are constantly striving to improve the energy efficiency of ADIBOT robots. Recent advancements in battery technology allow some models to operate for extended periods on a single charge, minimizing their environmental impact. - Beyond Disinfection: The future holds promise for ADIBOT robots to integrate with other technologies. For instance, some models are being equipped with air quality sensors that can monitor air particles and trigger disinfection cycles when necessary, creating a more comprehensive approach to hygiene management. Caption: This pie chart highlights the diverse range of industries that can leverage autonomous disinfection robots like ADIBOTs, demonstrating their wide-ranging applicability. By addressing these concerns and looking towards the future applications of ADIBOT robots, we paint a clear picture: these robots are not simply cleaning companions; they are potential game-changers in the fight for a cleaner and healthier environment. The Power of ADIBOT Robots In today's world, maintaining a clean and healthy environment is more crucial than ever. ADIBOT robots have emerged as a powerful weapon in the fight against germs. We explored the innovative technology behind these robots, from their UV-C light disinfection capabilities to the two available models – stationary and autonomous – catering to spaces of varying sizes. Caption: ADIBOT: Where creativity meets invention, transforming raw materials into mechanical marvels. We delved into the undeniable benefits of ADIBOT robots, including enhanced sanitation, reduced risk of illness, improved labor efficiency, and potential cost-effectiveness. We saw how these benefits translate across various industries, from healthcare facilities and educational institutions to hospitality businesses and corporate offices. Addressing common concerns about safety and human interaction, we established that ADIBOT robots are designed to work alongside human staff, creating a more comprehensive disinfection strategy. We looked towards the future, where ADIBOT robots hold promise for even greater sustainability and integration with other technologies. So, what's the next step? If you're interested in learning more about how ADIBOT robots can benefit your business or institution, consider contacting a distributor for further information and a customized consultation. Remember, a cleaner environment starts with proactive measures. Read the full article

[ear-worthy]

What's The Actual Reason Why "Heavyweight" and "Stolen" Were Canceled

Spotify announced that it was canceling two popular -- and high-quality -- podcasts -- Heavyweight and Stolen. Both podcasts have sizable audiences and are critically acclaimed.

Simultaneously, Spotify announced that it was laying off 1,500 employees despite its rosy and profitable third quarter numbers.

Here's the horrendous part -- even above that of people losing their jobs. THE STOCK PRICE OF SPOTIFY JUMPED UP SIX PERCENT ON THOSE TWO PIECES OF NEWS.

My first reaction is to scream WTF Spotify, but since I'm not a Spotify stockholder, it would be like yelling into a hurricane wind.

My analytical brain has now reestablished control, and I can now assess these Spotify moves more rationally.

Seriously, Spotify. WTF.

Okay, I'm ready to move on.

First, the utter disregard for Spotify's customers (the faithful listeners) appears to be a business move that could blow back on them. You don't believe me? Check out a TV streamer like Max, where head bean counter and filthy rich CEO David Zaslav has canceled completed films like Batgirl, canceled TV shows, eviscerated the Turner Classic Movies (TCM) network and removed legacy content, all to pay down debt and boost the stock price. Max has paid for those betrayals with increased churn. When you do stuff like that, you get the customers you deserve. Those ready to bolt to your competitor at a moment's notice. You have to show loyalty to get loyalty.

Second, content creators will be wary in the future of working with a company like Spotify. After all, Heavyweight and Stolen were not struggling podcasts or hurting for listeners. In fact, Stolen won a Peabody Award, and a Pulitzer Prize. So, for podcasters, the message is clear: Even if your podcast is successful on our network, our stock price comes first above all else.

Third, who has paid for Spotify's irrational exuberance when they overpaid for podcast networks, podcast talent, and overbuilt a podcast infrastructure that, in no way, matched existing customer demand?

The answer: Listeners, who were promised podcast nirvana, and employees, who were hired to feed this monster of unrealistic expectations. Did investors balk when Spotify bungee jumped into podcasting without checking its safety harness?

And it's not just Spotify. Vox is one of my favorite, less-evil networks, but recently it canceled Into It with Sam Sanders. Now, Sanders is one of the best podcast hosts in the industry, which he demonstrated in his 12 years at NPR.

How is it that a pro like Sam Sanders lost his job when Spotify's Joe Rogan can use his podcast to release climate disinformation with the so-called “Adam and Eve” theory — which spuriously claims Earth’s magnetic fields will shift and cause catastrophic effects across the planet?

Vox also owns SB Nation, which covers major sports in written and audio formats. Here's one of its recent headlines: "NHL interview interrupted by loud fart, and no one could ignore it."

And Vox somehow can't afford to keep Sam Sanders. Follow Vox's logic. Fart stories = clickbait = more customers = more ads = more revenue = more profits = higher stock price. Ta-Da.

Finally, isn't anyone else disturbed that these announcements of layoffs always mean a bump in the stock price. What stockholder / entity is rewarding this behavior? Pension funds? Institutional investors? Batshit crazy and narcissistic billionaires? What sadists are cheering when 1,500 people lose their jobs at Spotify? Now, they can afford a second home in Aspen and that helicopter pad for their daughter, who just got into an Ivy League University after Daddy made a large donation.

I recall in 2019 speaking with someone touting the rising Dow and saying that his vote for president was entirely reliant on how the Chief Executive drives up the value of his 401k nest egg.

Later that year, he was laid off because his company closed the plant he had worked out for 20 years so that they could use more money for a stock buyback to -- you guessed it -- drive up its stock price. So, my question to that person would be: Is it worth getting a bump in your 401k when you lose your job and the security it brings you and your family?

Back to podcasting. Sure, podcasting has seen its boom cycle burst and the inevitable disagreeable consequences that result. There are always innocent victims in a flamed-out boom cycle. It's like a star going supernova. There's a bright light, then a gigantic explosion. In the case of podcasting, it's shrinkage and not the kind on a Seinfeld episode. No, it's the human kind -- jobs, lives, aspirations.

Yet, are Heavyweight, Stolen, Sam Sanders, WNYC, NPR and others victims of the balloon bursting? Or is it that these organizations are simply chasing a higher stock price? Greater profits? Or worse? Putting out the lowest-cost product (podcasts) and getting the biggest return in profitability and stock price?

Will podcast networks become the Dollar General of podcasting? Lower production costs, low-cost unknown talent, barely passable sound production quality, ads every three minutes, and shows that tackle nothing more complex than strategies for silently farting in public.

Right now, all I can say is, "I'm thankful for the thousands of indie podcasters that keep up the level of excellence in podcasting driven by the love of the format, not because of a quarterly dividend."

Thank you, Amanda B.(6 Degrees Of Cats), Sarah Reinhardt and Louise Browne (Adoption: The Making Of Me), Evan Stern (Vanishing Postcards), Matt Gilhooly (The Life Shift), Jennica Sadhwani (Multispective), Jenn Trepeck (Salad With A Side Of Fries), Joe Casabona (Podcast Workflows), Frank Bailey, Chris Saunders (Nerdpreneur), Margo Donohue, Sonia Mansfield (What A Creep), and Arielle Nissenblatt (Feedback With EarBuds).

These people are the soul of podcasting. Daniel Ek of Spotify is certainly no "heavyweight" and he has "stolen" the delight many listeners receive when listening to high-quality, entertaining podcasts.

So, I end where I began. WTF Spotify?

[justinspoliticalcorner]

Sam Delgado at Vox:

Over the last century, people have started demanding more from the businesses where they shop. Whether it be a pair of jeans or the food on their plates, consumers want to know that what they’re buying isn’t just good quality but also ethically and sustainably made. In the early 20th century, groups like the National Consumers League and the now-defunct League of Women Shoppers organized consumers to take advantage of their power in an effort to improve labor protections and the rights of workers in the United States. Today, ethically minded consumers are also motivated by climate change and animal rights, as the consequences of our overconsumption have become clearer.

Fast-forward 90 years and the global marketplace has become exponentially more complex. Globalization has remade how and where corporations make products. If it was difficult for activists at the turn of the 20th century to identify ethically made products, the challenge to the modern consumer is even greater. You might think regulations or legislation could compel companies to produce more ethically made goods. But ultimately, no one government is responsible for a supply chain that crosses borders and oceans. In a globalized economy, nobody is in charge. So “corporate social responsibility” — or the idea that companies can hold themselves accountable — emerged, responding to this consumer demand. In practice, corporate social responsibility can look like companies donating to charities every year, committing to net-zero emissions by a certain date, or focusing on labor practices. To prove they’re doing this work, companies will partner with nonprofits or hire third-party consultants to audit their supply chains, and then measure and report their progress in annual reports, press releases, and on their websites.

[...] Corporate social responsibility went mainstream during the new wave of globalization and the growth of multinational corporations that followed in the second half of the 20th century. As these businesses expanded their reach and production speed, they sought to cut their costs by contracting cheaper labor in other countries with weak worker protections. This idea of outsourcing wasn’t necessarily new. Businesses in the US already had a history of moving to Southern states where they knew corporate regulation was more relaxed and labor would be less expensive, made possible by the racist legacy of slavery and Jim Crow laws. A century later, new technology — particularly the internet — made it even easier for companies to scale up and outsource their operations. By moving overseas, companies could obscure unsafe working conditions from American consumers, who might’ve known very little about how their products were being made.

But public awareness of the costs of globalization started to grow in the early 1990s, thanks to stories and reports from human rights organizations and newsrooms that laid out the abysmal working conditions and standards of major brands, often in their factories overseas. Nike, the world’s biggest shoe seller, faced backlash after multiple stories came out about grueling conditions and the use of child labor in its contracted factories, sparking boycotts and protests against Nike from consumers and activists alike. Businesses saw how consumers could rise against them if they weren’t careful about what went on in their supply chains, leading to more companies developing their own voluntary corporate social responsibility initiatives to address their environmental and social impacts.

Today, corporate social responsibility programs are widespread. They often refer to commitments a company makes toward a particular area of social impact, like diversity, ethical sourcing, or the environment. It usually looks like this: A company will set goals around one or more of these areas, assess its progress, and then publish its results. To legitimize these programs, companies will hire social auditing firms, seek certifications from multi-stakeholder initiatives (MSIs) like the Fair Labor Association or Fair Trade to show they meet certain standards, or develop codes of conduct around labor and human rights. Such programs matter to consumers, and they’re willing to pay more for sustainably made products — and hey, if something is good for both the world and for business, what’s the harm?

Corporate social responsibility in practice

Corporate social responsibility is everywhere today, driven by consumer demand and a growing socially conscious workforce. One 2023 study found that over 80 percent of companies are increasing their budgets for sustainability initiatives. Chief sustainability officers are now common, and more companies are disclosing the exact factories their products are made in and the reported conditions. But it’s hard to know how honest or effective these programs really are at protecting labor and the environment. Part of the issue is they’re voluntary. While companies must comply with local, federal, and international laws, that’s the end of their legal obligations. Beyond that, there’s no requirement for corporate social responsibility programs to show their methodology or metrics for calculating their progress and no obligation to release all results from a social audit. A company can change its corporate social responsibility programs at any point, or drop them entirely. [...]

The rise of worker-driven social responsibility

Around the same time that corporate social responsibility was taking off in the 1990s, a group of farmworkers in a rural Florida town called Immokalee had a meeting that would challenge the status quo, from the bottom of the supply chain all the way to the top. The farmworkers were Mexican, Guatemalan, and Haitian migrants, and they harvested buckets of tomatoes in grueling conditions for as long as 12 hours a day, receiving poverty wages for providing crucial produce to US grocery stores and restaurants. The fields they worked in were rife with verbal and physical abuse, sexual harassment, wage theft, and, in the worst cases, involuntary servitude. Tired of the exploitation they encountered in the fields, the Immokalee farmworkers discussed how they could really change the way things were done. This 1993 meeting marked the beginning of the Coalition of Immokalee Workers (CIW) and, later on, the first ever worker-driven social responsibility program. Lucas Benitez, one of the founders of the CIW, told me that, at first, the farmworkers thought their employers, the tomato growers, had all the power. “Then we came to see and recognize what was essentially an invisible hand that was putting that pressure further and further down on the supply chain,” Benitez said via an interpreter. “That started at the top, because it’s those retailers that fundamentally dictate to growers the conditions under which that food is being produced. And so that’s really where the power lay, and so that’s where we turned.” In 2001, the CIW set its sights on Taco Bell and called for a boycott over the reportedly abysmal conditions in its tomato supply chain. Four years later, Taco Bell signed an agreement that included vital demands from the CIW: Taco Bell would pay a premium for its tomatoes that would go directly to workers’ paychecks, it would only buy from growers who met the code of conduct that protected workers, and this would be monitored and enforced by an investigative body with help from the CIW. It was all backed by a legally binding contract. A binding contract is crucial to worker-driven social responsibility, a sharp contrast to those toothless corporate social responsibility initiatives.

Vox takes a look at the worker-driven social responsibility trend.

[ailtrahq]

Blackbird Labs, a hospitality tech company whose platform helps restaurants stay in touch with guests and incentivize them to dine out more frequently, today announced that it raised $24 million in a Series A round led by Andreessen Horowitz with participation from QED, Union Square Ventures, Shine, Variant and others and restaurant groups Quality Branded, Rustic Canyon Group, Soulva and Brooks Reitz. Founder and CEO Ben Leventhal says that the proceeds, which bring Blackbird’s total raised to $35 million, will be put toward helping Blackbird scale its operations. “The restaurant business model is broken,” Leventhal told TechCrunch in an email interview. “It can be really expensive to remain at the top of a sea of competition. Operational costs are also at an all-time high, and restaurants need revenue. There’s only two paths forward: creating new revenue streams or creating regulars who’ll want to come back.” To Leventhal’s point, a 2022 survey from the National Restaurant Association (NRA) found that 54% of restaurant owners had to reduce the size of their dishes in response to rising food costs. A further 47% of the respondents said that they had to increase menu prices, as well. And restaurant failure rates aren’t exactly declining. Restaurants have about a 20% success rate, according to the NRA, with about 60% failing within the first year and 80% failing within five years of opening. Leventhal is perhaps best known for co-founding Eater, the food and drink publication (acquired by Vox in 2013), and Resy, the restaurant reservation service (acquired by American Express — which is also a Blackbird investor — in 2019). He came up with the idea for Blackbird in the early days of the pandemic after noticing that restaurants were finding innovative ways, like rolling out clothing lines and selling pancake mix, to keep customers engaged. “I was struck by the ingenuity of restaurants, who used their brands and audience to create sales streams that weren’t food,” Leventhal said. “This led me to start thinking about other ways restaurants could combat the serious business challenges of declining margins and eroding direct customer relationships.” Blackbird is designed to help restaurants both amplify their reach and reward guests, Leventhal says. How? By giving operators a way to not only greet diners by name, but learn their personal preferences, including when they last dined out, their preferred seating and their likes and dislikes. “With this knowledge, restaurants can serve guests in an unparalleled fashion, making them feel like they’re very important and appreciated regulars, and reward their ongoing patronage with free and appreciated perks,” Leventhal said. Blackbird does this by having diners touch their phone to a proprietary NFC reader to create a membership or “tap in.” Members can “level up” with each subsequent check-in, Leventhal says, unlocking benefits like off-menu items and a direct message concierge. Blackbird diners also earn virtual currency each visit, which can be spent on items (e.g. an entree or drink) or tallied toward membership rewards with restaurants via Blackbird’s smartphone app. There’s a web3 component; the currency is technically a cryptocurrency. Blackbird partnered with Privy, a crypto wallet management startup, to provide embedded wallets so users can sign up with a phone number and manage balances alongside their Blackbird membership. On the backend, Blackbird captures a range of diner data on restaurants’ behalves — including dining history, birthdays and home addresses — so restaurants can target diners with promotions. Restaurants can also use Blackbird to message “top-tier” members with access to a dedicated support line, letting them know when a reservation is made available, for example. Some customers might not feel comfortable sharing that sort of behavioral data with restaurants. But Leventhal insists that Blackbird is handling data collection in a “transparent” manner, going so far as to give diners control over which specific information (e.

g. dining history) restaurants see. Through Blackbird, restaurants can sell paid memberships to guests, as well. Leventhal says that one restaurateur, a Jewish bistro in Brooklyn, sold founding Blackbird memberships — complete with perks including personalized bomber jackets and a home dinner cooked by a private chef — as a crowdfunding tool before it even opened. The concept of promoting paid memberships in the restaurant industry — an increasingly common practice — is unavoidably polarizing. For most (including this reporter), dining out is expensive as it is, and having to pay to cut the line to reserve a hot new table or receive better treatment doesn’t exactly feel equitable. Leventhal, though, assures me that the goal isn’t to foster more ultra-exclusive dining clubs but to give diners at restaurants “of all sizes,” particularly small independent restaurants and restaurant groups, an additional way to support the venues they love. “With Blackbird’s technology platform, we’ve built a unique, intimate and symbiotic relationship between restaurants and their regulars,” he added. The question is, can diners be persuaded to use Blackbird in the first place? A 2023 poll by William Blair found that the majority of customers don’t opt into restaurant loyalty programs, and that only 35% consider loyalty programs in deciding which restaurants to visit. Leventhal believes that they can. And he has some data to back it up: since launching several months ago, New York City-based Blackbird — which has 20 full-time employees — has signed up around 80 restaurants including chef David Chang’s Momofuku chain, 22 of which are actively using Blackbird. “There’s no one out there that does exactly what we do,” Leventhal said. “We admire the loyalty programs built by Starbucks, Sweetgreen and more, but we’ve created Blackbird to be an easily accessible loyalty platform, empowering restaurants to have an unparalleled ability to engage customers, reward returning patrons and drive new revenue streams.” Blackbird’s future plans entail rolling out a referral program that’ll let diners invite friends to become members at a specific restaurant for exclusive dishes. Beyond this, Blackbird intends to experiment with its cryptocurrency, potentially offering membership upgrades, rewards for activity like tap-ins and ways to pay for parts of — or whole — meals. “Those at the forefront are trying to figure out how to achieve a broader diversity of revenue,” Leventhal said. “Blackbird is designed to be this solution for restaurants — driving loyalty, opening up for interesting revenue plays and incentivizing customers to return again and again.”