#developing custom carts

[techwishesspeaks]

When it comes to growing an e-commerce business, most brands focus on traffic, SEO, and product listings—but often ignore one of the most powerful conversion levers: the shopping cart.

The truth is, your cart is more than a final checkout step. It’s a strategic moment in the buyer journey, and customizing it can significantly increase Average Order Value (AOV). For more information view: https://www.techwishes.com/can-a-custom-cart-experience-actually-boost-aov-lets-find-out/

[insteptechnologies123]

Build a secure, high-performing eCommerce website that fits your business goals. We develop custom online stores with smooth navigation, mobile-first design, and features that drive sales, manage inventory, and improve customer experience.

[liquidwebdevelopers]

Effortless Store Migration Shopify: The Best Shopify Migration Services

Migrating an online store to Shopify can be a game-changer for businesses looking for an extra-highly efficient, scalable, and friendly platform. However, the method can seem overwhelming without the right knowledge. That's in when the Effortless Shopify Store Migration service comes into play. With the proper sales, you can seamlessly transfer your statistics, design, and functionalities without disrupting your business operations.

Shopify store migration services

In this text, we’ll discover the great Shopify store migration services, the benefits of creating the switch, and a way to ensure a clean transition. Whether you are a small commercial business or an agency, this guide will assist you in navigating the process effectively.

Why migrate to Shopify?

Before diving into the migrate Shopify store technique, it's crucial and easy to understand why companies choose Shopify over different e-commerce structures.

1. User-Friendly Interface

Shopify is thought of for its intuitive dashboard, making it easy for novices and skilled customers to control their shop's results easily. Unlike different structures, Shopify doesn’t require massive coding information to customize and optimize your stores.

2. Robust Security & Reliability

Security is a top priority for any e-commerce business. Shopify gives SSL encryption, PCI compliance, and reliable web hosting, ensuring a secure shopping experience for your customers.

3. Scalable & Flexible

Whether you are a startup or a longtime emblem, Shopify can scale along with your enterprise. With its great app atmosphere, customizable topics, and powerful integrations, Shopify offers countless opportunities for enhancement.

4. SEO & Mobile Optimization

Shopify is set up to help traders optimize their stores for search engines like Google and Yahoo. Additionally, all Shopify subject matters are mobile-responsive, ensuring a continuing experience for customers on any device.

Best Shopify Migration Services

Migrating an online store calls for careful planning and execution. The quality Shopify store migration services offer know-how, making sure that your store’s information, design, and functionalities are transferred with none of the hassle.

1. Data Migration Services

An expert migrate Shopify store service will ensure that your statistics, which include product listings, patron information, orders, and blog content, are transferred appropriately. This eliminates the risk of information loss or duplication.

2. Theme & Design Migration

Recreating the equal appearance and experience of your cutting-edge store on Shopify is essential for maintaining brand identity. Shopify migration professionals can assist in customizing your subject to fit your present design at the same time as improving usability.

3. SEO & URL Redirection

Search engine optimization is an essential issue of store migration. Proper Shopify store migration services make sure that every one of your current URLs is redirected successfully to maintain search engine ratings and save you broken hyperlinks.

4. App & Integration Setup

Many businesses rely on 3rd-party apps and integrations to streamline operations. A migration professional ensures that every necessary app is mounted and configured effectively in your new Shopify store.

5. Testing & Post-Migration Support

Once the migration is complete, thorough trying out is needed to become aware of and connect any troubles. Trustworthy Shopify migration services provide consistent help to make certain an easy transition and non-stop commercial business activities.

How to Ensure a Smooth Shopify Migration?

Migrating your shop does not have to be stressful. Follow these steps for a seamless transition:

1. Plan Your Migration

Start by way of comparing your present day shop and figuring out what wishes to be migrated. Make a checklist of all essential statistics, inclusive of items, clients, and orders.

2. Choose the Right Shopify Plan

Shopify gives extraordinary plans primarily based on business requirements. Select a plan that best fits your store's necessities, considering elements that include product listings, sales extent, and customization options.

3. Backup Your Data

Before beginning the migration, create a take a lookup of your store’s data. This guarantees you have a replica in case of any unexpected problems for the duration of the transfer.

4. Test Everything Before Going Live

Once the migration is complete, very well take a look at your keep. Check product pages, classes, checkout processes, and integrations to ensure the entirety is operating effectively.

5. Monitor & Optimize

After launching your Shopify shop, constantly reveal its performance. Optimize search engine optimization, replace content, and leverage Shopify’s analytics gear to tune sales and person conduct.

Conclusion

Switching to Shopify can open up new possibilities in your e-commerce business. However, a poorly performed migration can lead to facts loss, SEO setbacks, and operational concerns. That’s why leveraging expert Shopify store migration services is crucial for a continuing transition.

By choosing the right professionals, making plans of the migration carefully, and testing the entirety earlier than going live, you could make sure a convenient store migration Shopify experience. Whether you're upgrading from WooCommerce, Magento, or another platform, Shopify gives the ability and scalability needed for lengthy-time period fulfilment.

Ready to migrate your Shopify store and take your business to the next level? Invest inside the proper migration provider these days and enjoy a hassle-unfastened transition to Shopify!

[blazonofficial]

Best e-commerce platform | ecDigi

Get your e-commerce solution to grab your customers in the virtual world and drive your sales more by elaborating the e-commerce platform that facilitates the customers to purchase quickly.

[splibit333]

Custom Shopping Cart Development Services Seattle Washington

Our service for creating custom shopping carts in Seattle, Washington, is aimed at the unique needs of your online business. We are a top firm that works on shopping cart development that creates individualized ecommerce shopping cart development solutions to enhance user experience and increase sales. By using modern techniques, our skilled shopping cart developers guarantee your custom shopping cart development project is safe and adaptable and can be easily connected with other systems.

[techprastish01]

Hire a CS-Cart developer from Tech Prastish for customized eCommerce Solutions

If you are planning to start a new online store or upgrade an existing one, then you are at the right place. Tech Prastish is a CS-Cart development services company that offers comprehensive CS-Cart development services to help you create a robust and scalable online store. Our team of experienced developers specializes in creating customized, scalable, and robust e-commerce solutions that cater to each business’s unique needs and help your business stand out from competitors. Contact us to learn more about how our CS-Cart development services can enhance your online store

[e-commercereblate]

Amazon represents the true future of retail

Reblate Solutions is committed to helping businesses harness the full potential of Amazon's vast e-commerce platform. Our specialized services ensure your products reach a broader audience and thrive in the competitive Amazon marketplace. Here’s how we can help you succeed on Amazon.

Amazon has changed the way we shop, ensuring its place as the retail industry's leader going the future. Ever since its establishment, millions of customers worldwide have grown to depend on Amazon for a smooth and convenient online buying experience since it has consistently pushed the frontiers of e-commerce.

Amazon Shopping: A Seamless Experience

Amazon shopping is synonymous with ease and efficiency. With an extensive product catalog ranging from books and electronics to groceries and apparel, Amazon offers everything you need in one place. The platform's user-friendly interface, personalized recommendations, and robust search capabilities ensure that customers can quickly find and purchase products, making Amazon shopping a hassle-free experience.

Amazon Store Setup and Management

Setting up an Amazon store can be a daunting task, but Reblate Solutions makes it seamless. We handle everything from account creation and verification to store customization and optimization. Our team ensures that your Amazon store is attractive, user-friendly, and aligned with your brand identity.

Amazon's Innovation in E-commerce

Amazon's innovative approach to e-commerce is evident in its continuous development of new technologies and services. From the introduction of one-click shopping and same-day delivery to the creation of smart home devices like Alexa, Amazon has consistently set new standards in the industry. The company's commitment to innovation ensures that it remains at the forefront of retail, adapting to changing consumer needs and preferences.

Amazon Mart: Your One-Stop Grocery Solution

With Amazon Mart, the company has expanded its reach into the grocery sector, providing customers with a convenient way to shop for fresh produce, pantry staples, and household essentials. Amazon Mart leverages the company's vast logistics network to offer fast and reliable delivery, ensuring that customers receive their groceries promptly and in excellent condition. This service exemplifies Amazon's dedication to making everyday shopping more convenient and accessible.

Product Listing Optimization

A well-optimized product listing is crucial for visibility and sales on Amazon. We create detailed, keyword-rich product descriptions, high-quality images, and compelling bullet points to ensure your products stand out. Our focus on Amazon SEO helps your products rank higher in search results, driving more traffic to your listings.

The Future of Retail with Amazon

As Amazon grows and evolves, its impact on the retail landscape becomes increasingly profound. The company's focus on customer satisfaction, innovative technology, and expansive product offerings positions it as a leader in the future of retail. Whether through Amazon shopping, Amazon Mart, or its numerous other services, Amazon is shaping how we shop and setting the standard for the industry.

In conclusion,

Amazon's relentless pursuit of excellence and innovation has cemented its role as a trailblazer in the retail world. With a commitment to enhancing the shopping experience and meeting the diverse needs of its customers, Amazon truly represents the future of retail.

[leighsartworks216]

Laundromat

Sylus x fem!Reader

Inspired by my late-night excursions to the expensive as hell laundromat I had to do my laundry at every week when I was in college (lowkey gonna miss it)

Warnings: fluff, domestic fluff, silly, laundry, sleep, cuddling, developing relationship

Word Count: 1,884

Main Masterlist

First - Second - Third - Fourth LADs Masterlists

AO3

Tag List Form

Sylus frowns up at the basic sign above the door. It's not even illuminated; just a boring row of letters in red that spell ‘LAUNDROMAT’. You poke his arm, but you're grinning deviously, excitedly.

"You said you could handle living like me for a week. Don't tell me it's starting to weigh you down now."

He scoffs, shaking his head. "Sweetie, a little laundry isn't going to kill me."

You snicker, kill the ignition, and get out of the car. He follows, shutting the door behind him while you skip around to the back of the car. Your car. You take endless pleasure seeing Sylus duck down into the seat, pushed as far back as it'll go, and still having his legs be all squished up against the dash. Using one of his cars would be disingenuous to the experience. And you can't deny the wealth of joy you feel getting to treat him like a passenger princess.

You open up the trunk and lift out a basket full of dirty clothes. He frowns at the sight of some of the nice clothes he bought you being mixed into the pile. "Those should be dry cleaned," he grumbles.

"Yeah, well, I can't afford it." You shove the basket into his hands. It looks so out of place. You grab your detergent and shut the trunk. Two quick taps on the fob locks the car with a beep.

"I already gave you my card."

"Goes against the challenge." You lean up with a grin to pat his cheek. He tries to bite your fingers. "Now, c'mon, it takes, like, an hour and a half for all this."

He follows behind as you head to the door. It swings too easily on its hinges, loose from all the customers that come in here at all hours of the day, and the owner's own lack of upkeep.

The inside is bright and cramped. White overhead lights beam down on rows of machines that line the walls of the building. Two tables stand in the middle, and wire-basket carts for the clothes are scattered everywhere. Dryer sheets, dirt, the odd spillage of detergent, and a very dubious looking coin cemented to the tile make up the floor. A frazzled mother folds clothes at one of the tables; blouses and baby clothes all laid into piles. A few teens sit at the back, underneath a wall-television that plays some cooking channel. Their clothes sit in garbage bags at their feet as they wait for a taxi to drive them back to their college dwellings.

You slip past him and move with ease toward a washing machine. It's labelled ‘triple load’, but it's atrociously small and nearly $8 to operate. You pull over one of the carts for Sylus to set the basket in, and pull that up to the small porthole door, tossing in clothes to be washed.

You grin at him over your shoulder. "You wanna go get me some quarters?" You gesture over toward the back of the building, to a sign pointing the way into a back room, full of yet more machines. "Ten dollars worth should do."

He quirks a brow at you. "For one load of laundry?"

"They up-charge all the machines when school's in session."

He sighs, but slips past you. This tall, intimidating man looks so out of place, sidling past half-open washer doors, carts, and tables. His clothes are obviously way too expensive to blend in well, despite his best efforts. You should worry about someone recognizing him, but, really, who's gonna think it's actually him?

The mother's eyes follow him away for a moment. She looks back at you with a grin, eyebrows raised. You flush and turn away.

You toss your clothes in until the basket is empty. You're lucky it's not a big load, or else you'd have to use two machines. If they weren't so expensive, you'd even split the load into lights and darks, or pull out the nice expensive clothes to wash them on delicate. But you're not about to blow 15 to 20 dollars every week when you'd be better off saving it for food.

You add your detergent and shut the machine just as Sylus comes back. His large hand is full of quarters that jingle together. That distinct metallic smell of coins sticking to his palm. You quirk a brow up at him. "I said $10."

He smirks. "Think of it as me covering next week's expenses."

You roll your eyes, but you don't argue further. Not like the machine can exchange it back, anyway. You step away from the washing machine, tucking the cart under the table and out of the way, and pull him by his arm to stand in front of it. You point to the coin slot. "Thirty quarters, if you please."

It's like watching him insert tokens for an arcade machine, but the game requires no skill and the reward is always the same. Well, so long as the machine works. The owner's not good about labelling busted machines, so it's a gamble every week to know if you'll be spending longer here, moving your clothes over to another washer or dryer that also may not work.

Each quarter clinks inside, landing in a pile, the little number display counting down for each one. At some point, there is no clink and the number doesn't change. Sylus pauses, but you just reach over and press on the return. The coin slides out into the catch, and you push it harder back into the slot so the momentum carries it past where it hung up before. The coins clink and the number changes. He shakes his head, quietly showing his disdain for this entire process, and finishes putting in the required quarters.

Right away, the machine locks and the clothes inside begin to spin. He spares your pockets the added weight, dropping the last great handful of coins into his own. The display changes to show a 24 minute timer.

"And now, we wait." You smile innocently as you lead him over to the seats by the door. They're plastic and worn and extremely uncomfortable. He sighs as he adjusts. "What do you think so far?"

He shoots you a look, conveying his feelings quite clearly. "You do this every week?"

"Yup," you say, popping the p sound.

"Always at this time?" The sun has long since set outside. The parking lot is nearly empty. It's early for him, but it's late for you.

You nod. "It's less busy really early or really late. I don't like getting up early, so coming in late is better."

A car rolls up to the curb outside. It sits for a couple seconds before impatiently beeping. The teens in the back yawn as they get up from their own uncomfortable seats. One garbage bag thrown over a shoulder and the other carried awkwardly in front while they sidle past the tables and machines. The distinct scent of weed stinks the air as they pass by and into the night, shuffling into the taxi together. Sylus cringes, fighting back a sneeze. He's well used to the smell of tobacco, the smoke of cigars and cigarettes. Definitely not the skunky smell of marijuana.

He sniffs, turning his attention back to you. "What do you do to pass the time?"

You shrug, leaning against him easily, also a little sleepy. "Depends. Sometimes I run errands. Usually I just scroll through Moments."

He looks at the timer display. Only a few minutes have gone by. The fluorescent lights beat down on him, stinging his eyes in the same way the sun does. One light in the back flickers. Someone on the television leads an imaginary audience through a recipe, far too upbeat and energetic for this run down place.

He tries to imagine sitting in here every week: relegated to these awful chairs for an hour and a half, listening to the hum of electricity and chatter of TV personalities, intermingled with the noise of the washers and dryers. He doesn't know how you can stand it. Or maybe you just got used to the discomfort. That thought upsets him most of all.

He dislodges you for a moment to wrap his arm around your shoulders, pulling you into his side where you'll be more comfortable. You settle your head against his chest without contest. "You can sleep if you want," he says softly. "I'll wake you when it's done."

You hum. It feels much safer in here with him. You've imagined horrible scenarios week by week. Strange people cornering you in this place, no one around to hear or help. Of course, Mephisto would alert him if anything like that happened, but actually feeling him take up space in here pushes all those fears far away. If anyone dared try anything, they'd be dealt with without him ever needing to get up. You're dozing in the security in no time.

-

You wake up to the sound of voices. You rub the sleep from your eyes as you come back to the world of consciousness.

The woman speaks to Sylus in a language you don't understand. She's very coy in her body language, smirking knowingly and gesturing. Whatever she says makes him grin, but he shakes his head as he replies in that same language. You watch on curiously. It's not every day you get to see him interact with someone normally, without threats and business and danger. Not to mention, hearing this language roll off his tongue... you want to hear him speak it some more.

The lady laughs as she gathers the last of her folded clothes into her basket. She hefts it up, supporting it against her stomach. Sylus pushes open the door from where he sits. She levels him with a half-serious look, nodding toward you as she tells him something. He nods, saying something short in return.

She heads outside into the night and he lets the door fall shut behind her. You adjust your head on his shoulder to look up at him. "What'd she say?"

His lips curl in smug satisfaction as he settles back into his chair. "She said my wife is very beautiful. I told her we weren't married, but I agreed." Your face grows warm as he looks down at you. His eyes are mellow and soft, adoring. "And then she said I should propose, before it's too late."

The air is electric. Static with anticipation. You can't help glancing at his lips. They're so plush... When you look back up, his own eyes glance unashamedly at your own lips, following them as you speak.

"What did you say?"

He meets your eyes again. Lips curl into a pretty smirk. He leans away, nodding toward the machines. "Your clothes just finished, sweetie."

"Huh?" Sure enough, when you look over, the machine has stopped spinning. A light blinks, signaling that it's finished. How had you missed the buzz?

Sylus's arm retreats from around your shoulder as he stands. He grabs one of the carts and nudges it in front of the washing machine, throwing an amused look your way. "Come on, sweetie. We need to finish so you can go to bed at a reasonable hour."

---

Tag List:

@the-golden-jhope @armycaratlover @sylusfluffymeow @cheesemachine44 @nyx2021 @angel-jupiter @thelittlebutton @pikachuzhc @pomegranatepip @cordidy @an-ever-angry-bi @thejysemongko @deusfoundry @that-lost-one @always-just-red @22carolina08 @lunaizhere @sine-nomine0 @beautifulthingsiadore @lalaluch @nothankyew @terriblesoup @jeleryyy @nezuswritingdesk @anaathxma @ssushi @mina7820 @monophobix @mentaltrouble2201 @mskaylacharite @nerrivm @ichosesparklingtorment @schnittled @animegamerfox @flamedancer13 @rebloggingislove @moonlight-inthe-sea @persepolys @satorubabee @sleepykittycx @perla-drg @17chuuya @slovesyouuu @leiakitty @lemonn015

[edens-melodies]

LaDs Men Smoker Headcanons

Question: You are a gardener. A plant lover. A cloud admirer. But what about the boys? Who out of the LaDs men would smoke weed? 

ft: Rafayel, Xavier, Sylus, Caleb, and Zayne

a/n: in my head personally, all five of them are in a relationship with one another and you/mc, and they all just take turns sleeping over at each others houses and whatnot. these are my takes on what each of them would be like, and if you don't like, don't read 🤷🏽‍♀️

Rafayel: 

would 100% be a smoker. it helps whenever his creative juices aren’t flowing as strong as he wants. 

loves some good bud when offered but is the most notorious cart hitter. has that shit on him 25/8. 

gets the savvy two gram carts on his custom gold plated battery. (he custom made it himself and engraved little grooves in it to look like ocean waves with lemurian phrases on it).

you would be surprised to occasionally walk in and see his beautiful handcrafted cerulean straight tube bong sitting on the floor next to his ladder instead of his cart in one hand, paint brush in the other. (don’t be fooled that shit is tucked into the waistband of his pants, i can’t-)

would actually not know that you smoked weed until one day he came home late from picking up more obscure art supplies (“i promise you, this specific shade of periwinkle exists! i swear!) and forgot that you said you’d be waiting for him there.

~~~~~ 

he walks through his quiet home leisurely, trying to see where he was going since he never remembered to turn the lights on, the sun setting quickly in the distance.

he only remembers vaguely that you said you would be stopping by while he was out when he sees your shoes by the couch, and when he looks up he sees your back facing him, the doors to his balcony leading to the beach wide open. 

a smile pushes its way to his face before he can stop it, and just as he goes to call out to you, the sweet musky scent of weed hits his nose at the same time the salt air does.

with wide eyes, he watches as you shift, taking another drag of your blunt as it billows from your lips and curls around your figure before the wind blows away.

you only know he’s there when you jump in your spot, whipping around with blunt still hanging from your lips as you see the image of rafayel on his knees, tears pouring down his eyes as he smiles watery at you. 

“oh my god are you okay??!?”

“i knew you would always be the one for me, cutie…”

“WHY ARE YOU CRYING??”

Xavier:

would be completely against it at first only because he’s never heard of it before, or if he has, very minimal information

(and after a quick yet stressful google search while your outside casually dragging a jay on ur balcony) decided that all the warnings and dangers of the drug was too much of a risk to take.

but after you talk him off a ledge after he started to spiral while watching you smoke, thinking you were going to develop lung cancer and CHS overnight, he learns that not everything on the internet is to be trusted.

sits and listens intently as you explain to him all the pros and cons to smoking weed, and why it’s even recommended in the first place.

after being assured that you weren’t going to die in your sleep from your lungs collapsing and that he wouldn’t start seeing demons in the corners of rooms, he would calm down significantly and actually become a little curious to what it would make him feel like.

doesn’t become a regular smoker, but if he sees you on the balcony with a joint in hand, he’ll pop his head out for a quick little puff puff before going back inside and watching how it’s made on the tv with heavy set eyes.

~~~~~

you take your last puff with a deep inhale, crushing the filter in the ashtray to your right, releasing the pillowy smoke as you ensure the cherry wouldn’t fly out and cause someone’s backyard to catch on fire.

you turn to step back into your apartment, and as the sliding glass door clicks shut behind you, the smooth steady cadence from the tv hits your ears.

with a slow but fast growing smile spreading across your face, you take in the sight of xavier watching the tv with such a dedication that you haven’t even seen him make that expression even on missions. a half empty bowl of chips sits in close reach of his right hand, and his left hand is currently moving towards his bottle of juice, eyes never leaving the screen.

“is it a good episode, baby?”

“yeah… i never released how complicated it is to make a industrial sized ceiling fan…”

“xavi…”

“yes, my love?”

“you’re spilling cranberry juice on my sofa.”

“ah…”

Sylus:

are we kidding me? this man has to deal with so much on a daily basis, that not only does our boy partake in the devils lettuce, but like everything he does, he does it with style. 

actually has a private plot of farmland in a undisclosed tropical country where he has a dedicated team there to grow and harvest it for him.

gets it shipped out to his house and it comes in a embossed black crate, perfectly preserved in amber jars to protect it from light.

has a thin golden metal cigar holder that’s just packed with artistinally rolled joints, each one looking like it would cost more than a month’s paycheck from your job.

regularly is seen around the base with a joint hanging from his lips, but if it’s been particularly stressful recently or a deal that went wrong, he has as special room in the base only he and you know of where is dab rigs are set up with two comfy chairs and a wet bar tucked against the wall.

has a collection of all his favorite bowls and bangers, shelves lined with one of a kind custom glass pieces that he’s picked up over the years and is that imported spring water for the rigs in the mini frid-

will always be down to smoke with you, whether you're a heavy smoker or a occasional puffer, if your down, he’s down, no matter the time.

~~~~~

sylus isn’t surprised when he rolls over to pull you to his chest, barely awake and a frown already on his lips when he feels the cooling sheets where your body was supposed to be.

the clock on his bedside shined with the time, the bright red 02:16 mocking him from his bed. the events of the day had worn the both of you down, after a supposedly easy transaction ended in a gun fight where the two of you had emerged victorious, but at the cost of your mental and physical energy.

already knowing where you would be, especially after days like the one you two just had, he didn’t even bother putting on a robe, feet already moving to bring him out of the bed and to your exact location.

when he put in the passcode to the door hidden behind the armory, he was greeted with the sight of your frame curled up in a ball on the extra large memory foam bean bag, foldable table to your left with a freshly prepared rig, torch and dab nail sitting pristinely next to your shallow glass jar of wax.

the tv was playing your favorite calm playlist on spotify, home maker by sudan archives playing softly in the space, and he couldnt help the smile the warmed his face when you gave him a million dollar smile, tired eyes shining in happiness while you looked at him.

“didn’t think to even invite me, sweetheart? i’m hurt.”

“i knew you’d feel me leave the bed. you forget i know you’re a light sleeper.”

“so it seems i’ve been caught. so i’m to assume you prepared me a serving as well?”

“this first hit has already been dedicated to you, lovey.”

“…god i can’t wait to marry you i’m gonna fuck the shit out of you.”

“SYLUS!”

Caleb:

okay so he doesn’t smoke per say, but he can fuck up a good edible. gummies, chocolates, candies, even the occasional lemonade when he wants something light.

is definitely the type to do a shit ton of eddies right before going into an aquarium or planetarium, speechless not only from the beautiful sights but also because he’s pretty sure he just ingested about 500mg of happiness.

will 100% master the art of making cannabutter and cannaoil so he can make edibles not only for himself, but for you as well.

buys the highest quality bud and has a specific device that measures the thc percentage of it, just in case the dispensary was off on their end.

does all the calculations of thc milligram per serving three times over so each high is perfect each time, and loves spoiling you with new ways he incorporates it into anything he makes, whether it’s something savory like his signatures braised chicken wings, to something sweet, like the glazed chocolate chip banana bread he just finished up on. 

but one thing he does forget to do occasionally is labeling which ones were normal, and which ones were spicy…

~~~~~

“hey pips, how was your hangout with zayne today?”

“it was great! you know how busy he’s been at the hospital recently so it was good to see him relax and not in work mode. he said he misses you!”

“i’m glad to hear he’s taking a breather, tell him i miss him, too.”

“i will, he said he plans to come visit sometime soon or we can go see him because he really wants to know how you made that chocolate chip banana bread. he couldn’t keep his hands off it.”

“…. was it the one that was on top of the fridge in the three layers of seran wrap?”

“yeah…why?”

“…. oh my god wE NEED TO GET TO ZAYNE’S RIGHT NOW!!!”

“?!??”

Zayne:

doesn’t partake in it (willingly) not only because of his job, yk, cardiac surgeon hello??? but also because he has tried it once before, years ago when he was still in school learning surgery period, and didn’t like the way it made him feel.

would be totally okay with you smoking, but would monitor your health more closely, making sure you weren’t overdoing anything or causing unnecessary strain on your lungs or heart.

he’s totally the type to hand you water when you take a rip of the pen too hard next to him, eyes never leaving the article he was reading while took turns patting your back and waving the smoke away from his nose.

he is well aware that caleb is a professional in the kitchen, and he also knows that caleb is as meticulous as he is, so whenever you spend time at his place and bring goodies that caleb makes, he knows whatever he’s eating won’t be hiding any malicious intent in the sweet interior. 

until one time it did, and no one knew.

~~~~~

about now it’s two hours after you headed out to go meet up with caleb, and zayne is sprawled out on his back on his living room sofa, hazel eyes staring mutely at the shadows casted on his ceiling.

at first he thought his body was feeling extra relaxed because he had the next couple of days completely free from work, and he finally had a chance to breathe. you had come to surprise him after he got off his last shift, finally free for a couple of days. you had your arms stuffed with sweets and a bright smile aimed right at him.

your company has always soothed something raw in him, and so did caleb whenever the two of you would drop by and visit him, both on his off days and during his shifts.

apparently caleb couldn’t make it to today’s surprise because the fleet had him stay back for something urgent, so it was just the two of you in zayne’s house, sharing the sweets caleb had made that you brought.

after you had left, saying that you were going to see if caleb was home yet and if he wanted to join you two for a potential sleep over tonight, zayne’s body was a metaphorical puddle at this point, body warm and a small smile on his face in anticipation of seeing you two again tonight.

at least, it was metaphorical until he realized he couldn’t move his legs more than a couple of inches of the sofa and his tongue was now sandier than the beaches by rafayel’s house, and the answer came slower to mind than he would’ve liked.

oh.

oh no.

(at least this experience is a lot more pleasant than the initial time, but he still isnt happy about this.)

“ZAYNE IM SO FUCKING SORRY!”

“you don’t have to shout, (y/n), i’m right here.”

“zaynie i’m so sorry, i forgot to label the wrap and i thought i put it somewhere she couldn’t reach-“

“caleb i already said i forgive you, i know it wasn’t intentional.”

“but you can’t even stand up on your own!”

“and you don’t even know it was really us when we came in until i started talking and you said ‘oh my god this time you’re real’!”

“that doesn’t make me feel any better…”

“well for now, we’re not going anywhere til you feel better, right pipsqueak?”

“at least we can all still have a sleepover tonight?”

“…”

“…”

“…”

“caleb, i call dibs on helping him get into his pajamas.”

“wAIT NO! not fair, you don’t even warn me!”

“wait wha-“

hope you enjoyed! i had so much writing this ngl cuz not only can i perfectly envision everything in my head, but i was taking a hit for each boy i had to write, so it was just a great time all around.

please send in some requests! im trying to get back into the swing of writing again so any ideas are more than welcome!

thank you for the read, and have a beautiful day <3

[nintendroid]

You can watch a movie on your Atari 2600 now. Yes really.

MovieCart is an Atari 2600 cartridge developed by Lodef Mode that allows you to load custom movies to it and play them on your real-life, honest-to-goodness Atari 2600 console.

Even if you don't want to go through the trouble of converting and loading your own movie onto the cart via SD card, the SD card bundled with MovieCart comes with Night of the Living Dead preloaded!

Check out a demo here

They're sold out for now but keep an eye on Lodef's Tindie shop for future sales.

[earlgreylatte]

Love To Highball

The Star Sapphire notices that Hal’s affections have strayed and decides you are to be its new host in order to mate with the aforementioned Green Lantern.

Coast City was once a bubbling metropolitan with a population that exceeded seven million, the busiest harbour on the west coast. Even while constantly being called into space, Hal liked being the hero of Coast City. Now he could only hope for days like that to return, if he even deserved it. Besides the liveliness of the city, another thing Hal missed about Coast City was the food. Prawns, lobster, pan seared salmon. God, he really missed that taco cart near his old apartment.

The Coast City of now was built over the rubble that hid the corpses of its old inhabitants, unable to be found.

It took a year of construction for the city to be rebuilt, but it was still nothing more than a ghost town, devoid of people. It was to be expected that no one would be jumping at moving, survivors included. After all, not every city has a cyborg Superman obliterate it.

But even then, Hal couldn’t call the city dead. Not when you were there.

He hadn’t been expecting you to move to the newly developed city, much less open a cafe where you’d be lucky to get a single customer.

When he asked, you only shrugged and said you didn’t need the money. He had already figured you could take the loss, trust fund kid you are, but he didn’t understand why you were basically tossing cash down the drain when you could be living it up anywhere else.

You said you liked the conversations you get, fostered by your empty little cafe.

Even Hal, who was never into the whole cafe scene, could admit he liked having you just to himself in a building that was covered in traces of you, from the cute little mugs you used, the posters decorating your walls, and the way you had more tea than coffee on your menu.

He’s broken from his reverie when you place his drink on the counter, arching his eyebrow when it’s clearly not the drink that he ordered.

“Uh, did you get my order mixed up with an imaginary customer or do you just not pay attention when I speak?” Hal asks, shooting you an amused glance, already used to you heckling him in the little ways.

“Usually the second one, but I’m tired of you always ordering drip coffee. I thought you were supposed to be adventurous, Mister Space Cop,” you retort leaning against the counter as he becomes increasingly aware of your proximity. “Besides, isn’t it pretty? A matcha latte with lavender, it’s green like you, too! And, I think you’re in need of something colourful, Highball.”

“Definitely colourful,” Hal remarks. “What would you serve Spooky?”

“Instant coffee or something, god knows he doesn’t care about taste,” you roll your eyes before nudging the mug closer to him, “Try it.”

Hal makes a show of sighing, reaching for his drink, “Better be on your dime, if you’re going to just do your own thing.”

“No way, you’re paying full price.”

“You said you didn’t care about the money, and you let Howie and Jane eat free,” Hal protests.

“Because they’re cute, despite being related to you.”

“What’s that supposed to mean? Are you saying I’m not cute, Miss Wayne?”

You place a fist against your mouth, humming in thought, “Well, maybe in a sad, old dog kind of way.”

Hal sputters. Yes, only you can toss him around the ring like this.

You continue your observation, reaching a hand to tousle his hair, “The way your hair is kind of growing out definitely isn’t helping you. Well, not that I dislike it.”

“Bit hard to keep track of haircuts with the life I’m living,” Hal retorts, lightly grabbing your wrist to release his hair. He holds it for a second, feeling the pulse beneath flesh before letting go.

He sees your eyes soften, as you furrow your brow in sympathy, “Hal—“

Whatever you’re about to say is interrupted when a pink explosion shatters the glass of your cafe, pushing you two and the surrounding tables back.

Hal blinks, ears ringing as he finds himself slumped on the group, back pressed against the counter that separated you two.

He tries to stand, placing a hand on your now crumbling floor, calling out your name, when a crisp and familiar voice rings out in the destruction.

“Oh, honey,” Star Sapphire, who was once again inhabiting the body of his ex-girlfriend and boss, Carol, stood in her full pink glory, gem shining proudly on her forehead, “You’re not cheating on me, are you?”

She thrusts a hand forward to grip his neck, as he groans out her name, barely believing she was here and possessed once again.

“Carol?”

She smirks, not in the confident, self assured way Carol always did, leaning in closer, until he could feel his breath mixing with her, “Yes.”

She kisses him before he can react, feeling the sheer power of the Star Sapphire injecting into his veins, paralyzing him, before a shot rings out and the woman is pushed away from, stumbling as she clutches the crystal embedded in her head.

You keep your shotgun pointed at the intruder, scratched and bruised, but alive and grinning, “Bullseye, but not enough to get that stone off, I guess.”

The other woman turns to you with fury in her eyes, “Know your place, you usurper!”

She raises her hand, pink light flaring out, strong enough to force you to avert your gaze, but before she can advance, green tendrils wrapped around her, pinning her wrists together.

“There’s enough of me to go around, ladies,” Hal jests, but the look on his face is anything but joking as he shoots you a glance. You duck out of the way.

“A queen does not share,” Star Sapphire rejects, writhing against her bonds.

“You can have him,” you reply, dropping your gun, already sore from her attack and the strain of having to actually pull out the weapon Alfred insisted you bring. God, your wrists hurt.

“Definitely going to circle back to the fact you’re packing heat, young lady,” Hal teases, tossing Sapphire out through the open whole of your wrecked cafe, far into the sky.

You follow him out of the cafe, rushing to keep up with the flying hero, “Talk to me, goose! Do you want me to call for backup?”

Hal chokes on a laugh. Damn, he regrets watching ‘Topgun’ with you.

“If your brother finds out I got you into this situation, I might have to skip out on this galaxy,” Hal denies, “Stay here, I’ll take care of her before you can even snitch on me.”

You scoff watching him fly off, constructing a baby Cupid to restrain Sapphire once again, “I mean, I have to call him. No way, I’m cleaning this up on my own, or using your dumbass constructs.”

“Carol, hang tight, I’m going to pry that rock off of you,” Hal reassures, nearly reaching her, before she presses her hands against the construct, melting it as she grins sinisterly.

“I feel a conflict,” Sapphire raises her arms, as she sends a strong shockwave to send Hal flying, “Your heart beats for another.”

She dives down, heading straight in your direction, “Her.”

The rock lifts from Carol’s head as she lets out a scream, the scarps of her outfit dissolving, you stumble against the broken pavement, making a break for it, “No, no way am I wearing that outfit—!”

You’re once again interrupted when you hear a disjointed voice call your name, “You are a body he desires.”

Carol falls out of the sky as the rock attaches itself to you, breaking down the barriers of your mind. “Why do you resist? I have read your mind. You will enjoy this. After all, you want him as much as I do.”

Hal curses, catching Carol, while wrapping her in a towel construct, watching as pink light swirls around you, already prepared for a renewed onslaught.

Carol calls his name, “I saw it all this time. I know what the Star Sapphire is. They come from Sector 1416, the Zamorans.”

Hal knew she was talking about the aliens that initially kidnapped her to be the host of their Queen, but neither were fully aware of their intentions, or the rock’s intentions with Hal.

Before they can continue, you cut in, coated in the glossy pink material Carol was wearing, skin he’s never seen before now revealed, smirking as you speak in a distorted bastardization of your voice, “Tell me, Hal, is this the body you prefer? It’s awfully yummy.”

Before Hal can reply, he has to evade a magenta laser, as you chase after him as he leads you out of the city. “I know you want me. I want you too, Hal Jordan. I want this whole planet. But first— I want you to drop the brunette!”

Hal does his best to ignore your voice, already beating himself up for putting you into this situation. Not that there’s much point, seeing as how your brother would give him a verbal lashing that would outdo any of the self deprecating thoughts he had.

“So, Wayne, huh? I’ve visited her cafe when I heard she moved. Should probably send her an apology card; for the cafe and having to deal with you,” Carol remarks from his arms, a certain edge in her voice.

“We’re not like that.” Hal responds, as your aggravated screams echo from behind him. He can feel the disbelieving stare Carol gives him.

Feeling the need to defend you two, he elaborates, “We both run in some of the same circles, she’s a good friend.”

Carol smiles ruefully, “Keep telling yourself that, Flyboy.”

Feeling you get closer, Hal sends another construct your way to slow your approach.

“You’ve chosen this body, haven’t you? So, I’ve taken it. I’m yours. Why do you still play games, Hal Jordan?” You call, before shooting a laser, ripping through the Green Cowboy he made. “Our union will be pleasurable.”

“I’ve gotta get that off her,” Hal states, frustrated with the cat and mouse game you’ve been playing thus far.

Carol speaks up. She recollects how she remembers all of the Sapphires moves when she was in control, and the memories of before. There was more than one Star Sapphire. That the Zamorans were once from Oa but left when the Guardians established the Corps. That they searched for something to match the rings, something that the Guardians would fear. And how they finally found it on the planet Zamoran, growing from the entangled skeletons of lovers, the Star Sapphire shined, born from the violet glow of love that continued in death. The moment they tried to grasp that rock, it attached itself to a Zamoran, taking three days to remove it. After that, they begun their experiments.

They chose Carol as one of them. It took control, before finding someone else, whoever Hal was with, seeking to mate and kill the Green Lantern of this planet so its spawn could take over, encasing every living cell with crystal. An act of protection, in their eyes. Hal shudders, he did not want you going all praying mantis on him, nice as you did look in pink.

Hal shakes his head, “Is that what the Zamorans think love is, Carol? Encasing life in crystal? Putting it in suspended animation? Love isn’t about control.”

Love was flowery green drinks and stupid movie references.

“The Zamorans think it is, Hal.” Carol reiterates.

“They’ve been isolated for billions of years. They’ve twisted what love means,” Hal disagrees.

“What does it mean? You’ve never even liked to say the word.” Carol bites.

He thinks of the way your eyes always seem to melt with emotion, fingers that brush against his cheeks before pinching down, as a mischievous laugh follows.

“Actions speak louder than words,” Hal deflects.

“For you, maybe.” Carol jabs, before slumping, the tension leaving her as the two see you catch up again. “So, Wayne? She’s the one, right? You’ve always had a soft spot for her, even before you…left.”

Hal stays silent for a moment, biting his lip. “…yes.”

“Enough teasing! Let’s find a spot!” You yell, using a burst of speed to tackle him, crashing into a hotel with a gaudy sign that read ‘Honeymoon’.

Hal could only use his ring to cushion Carol’s fall as you used your fist to strike him down, crashing against a rubble covered, Queen sized bed, as he lets out a moan of pain. From the corner of his eye, he can see two newly weds quickly evacuate the now broken room. Not the best start for their new lives together.

“What do you love, Hal Jordan? Do you love Earth?” You ask as you pounce on him pinning his wrists against the ground, as crystal begins to encase them, submerging his ring. “Do you love this ring? Do you love me?”

Yes.

You bring your hands up, covered by gloves that made your fingers resemble claws.

“I don’t do this on the first date, Miss Wayne.” Hal breathes out, watching as Carol approaches you, holding kindling from the ruined fireplace.

You smile down at him, and for a moment he can believe it’s really you that wants him, that he hasn’t fucked you over like he always does with everyone else.

“Oh, darling,” You smile turns feral as you run your fingers down his chest, tearing through his uniform. “…Super heroes don’t lie.”

Carol smashes the flaming log against your head, “You’ve never met Green Arrow.”

If you were yourself right now, you would probably share a tale how during a party, a drunk Oliver wandered to your room, threw up in your bed, and then promptly passed out. That much, Hal was sure of.

Using your distracted state, he breaks free from the crystals binding his wrists as you lay on the floor disoriented.

Before he can tell Carol to leave, she demands Hal to make her a suit. Heirs and their need to fight villains, Hal laments, encasing her in green light as you stumble to your feet.

“I kept Carol Ferris alive in case you changed your mind, but now I will burn her flesh—!” You cry out as Carol slams a fist into your chest, sending you through the wall and into the parking lot below.

“You should know better than to write checks you can’t cash out, Wayne!”

You hit her with a burst of violet light, slamming her into a car, “And green isn’t your colour!”

Hal picks up a car, decorated with a ‘Just Married’ sign, and crushes you with it, wincing even though he knew you would be without injury.

“That’s more your colour, right? That, or purple.” Hal snarks, knowing you couldn’t send back your usual remarks. Not until he got rid of that stupid rock. “…If you can hear me, I’m sorry.”

You struggled under the vehicle that pinned you down, “Hal..? What’s going on? Bruce is going to kill you when he finds out—!”

Hal shoots a laser down onto the rock, “Don’t roleplay. I know you’re in control until the jewel comes off.”

“I’ll be anyone you want,” you plead with teary eyes, but he only grits his teeth, trying to work the gem off you. “Hal…”

He’d make it up to you. Anything you wanted. Even if you asked him to pick a fight with Wonder Woman, he’d do it.

Carol calls his name but a portal emerges from above, blowing the two back. Zamorans, clad in pink armour appear, standing above your unconscious body.

Yes, today was definitely not his day. Or yours, seeing how they wanted to keep you and Carol as members of their corps for all time.

Hal quickly sends out a bomb of green light, knocking the intruders away as Carol approaches you with a discarded Zamoran spear.

“This is going to sting, Wayne.” She forces the blade down prying the rock off of you, the forced removal causing an explosion that knocks back Hal and the Zamorans.

You awaken with a killer headache while lying on rubble, fully nude. Carol isn’t any better, tossing you a t-shirt as she shucks on some granny pajamas. She actually might be better off than you, seeing how your shirt says ‘I am easy’.

“Don’t suppose you’re willing to switch?”

“Not on your life, Wayne.”

The two of you rush out of the parkade you were collapsed in, seeing Hal slumped down, the Zamorans pointing their spears towards his neck.

“You have power equal to the Guardians, Green Lantern. If you don’t allow the Star Sapphire to love you, we will force you to accept it in whatever way we deem,” they coldly remark.

“Hal!”

Before you can approach him, the discarded gem shoots out of the building behind you, encasing you and Carol in crystal, forcing you two to still, unable to even struggle.

“Choose your mate, Hal Jordan. I will make your fantasies come true,” The rock orders, “Carol Ferris. You’ve spent the best and worst days of your life with her.”

It calls your name as you watch a Zamoran slam Hal’s head into the ground, “She’s become your sanctuary. She lets you look to the future. Choose.”

“Choose someone. Okay.” Hal grits out, bringing a hand to grab the Zamoran restraining him. “C’mere, Gorgeous.”

He pulls the alien into a passionate kiss as Carol lets out a noise of disgust.

Hal has pretty good tongue game, it seems.

They pull away, with a string of salvia dripping from the aliens lips, “What are you doing, Guardian dog!?”

“Trying not to throw up,” Hal replies smugly.

“He has chosen neither of you,” The rock notes before zipping to the baffled Zamoran, sticking to her head despite her cries of protest

A new Star Sapphire emerges as the other Zamorans watching with dismay as they are forced to retreat with lest their ally becomes possessed for eternity.

“So, you threw a little affection, and the rock fell for it?” Carol asks in shock as Hal uses his ring to chip away the crystal that encased you two.

“I’m definitely telling everyone this,” You grin.

“That I saved you from being the host to love maniacs? Be my guest,” Hal laughs, relieved that your giggles fill the air.

After seeing Carol off, you two return to what’s left of your cafe.

“Guess I’ll have to temporarily close.” You remark, turning when Hal calls your name.

“I’m sorry. I put you on their radar, they might come back. I’m still stationed on Earth for now, so I’ll check the area regularly. I won’t let them ever pull something like this—!” You interrupt his rant by placing a finger against his lips.

“Hal, I’m from Gotham. I’m more than used to be held hostage by freaks. Was I ever possessed? No, but it’ll make a good story next time I go back home,” you smile.

How can you smile like that, he wonders.

“Don’t tell your brother?” He murmurs against your pointer finger.

“He probably knew the moment Sapphire blew us up,” you laugh, hands coming up to cradle his face as he groans in dismay.

“And we just got back on good terms. Guess I’m back on the naughty list.”

“Well, it was inevitable, don’t you think?” You spoke quietly, drawing his face closer to yours.

“What do you mean?” He whispers, barely able to force the words out before you press your lips against his.

He wraps his arms around your waist, drawing you in closer as he deepens the kiss.

When you let out a noise, Hal knows that he’s more than willing to have the entirety of the Bat clan after him when you fit so well in his arms.

From the ‘Mystery of the Star Sapphire’ issues by Johns! And yes, we have Bruce’s baby sis as the reader. I think she becomes a Blue Lantern in Blackest Night like Barry…and yes the cafe is ‘coffee talk’ inspired!

Also omg sometimes I check people’s blogs from my notifs if they have a cool name, and literally the second post was someone’s…thing. I was in the kitchen! My mother was ten feet away! God why!!!!

Masterlist

[cripplecharacters]

What might be a good way to design a wheelchair in a medieval fantasy setting? The issues being that it seems to generally be a no-no to make a walking chair with legs as a wheelchair replacement, and the fact that terrain in that kinda setting is not all that friendly to wheelchairs, with dirt/mud paths, cobblestones, etc.

Hello, thank you for your ask! Please note I’m not a historian, just someone who’s done a lot of research. If anyone on Tumblr wants to add anything they know about the subject that I didn’t cover, feel free!

I’m going to start with the terrain before I get into the wheelchairs, and to start, a wheelchair can definently get over dirt and cobblestone. Even back before paved roads people needed smooth roads in order to transport carts, and even Rome had very well maintained cobbled roads in 300 A.D. to make transport as efficient as possible. There are, of course, uneaven or poorly maintained cobblestone paths, and those would certainly be an issue. If your story takes place in an area with uneaven stone roads, I’d recommend looking into manual hiking wheelchairs for design inspiration. Dirt paths shouldn’t pose as much of an issue either, unless they’re like covered in roots, plants, mounds, etc, but a well traveled dirt path should be packed well enough to not be an issue. Mud can pose an issue, but even dirt roads with hard-packed dirt from heavy foot traffic should have much more shallow puddles and less loose mud than regular loose dirt would. If your character likes in a particularly wet/rainy area I’d recommend looking into beach wheelchairs and manual all-terrain wheelchairs. Otherwise, your character should be fine on ancient roads! Now, onto ancient chairs.

The medieval ages span quite a long time, from the 5th century A.D. to the 14th century, and wheelchairs have been being created for that entire time. While many other disability aids were also being used during that time, I’m going to focus on wheelchairs and wheeled aids so I don’t make this too long, and because that’s what was asked. A quick note is that the first self propelled wheelchair was made by a watchmaker named Stephan Farffler in 1655 [pictured below], so if you want your character(s) to be able to propel themselves you’re going to have to take some creative liberties. [Note: Stephan’s chair was probably very useful for getting over uneaven terrain, with its three wheels and low center of gravity making it harder to tip.]

Records show that Greece was one of the first countries to develop wheeled-aids. The first instance of the Greeks using something similar can be found on a vase from 530 B.C. depicting a child on a bed with wheels being taken outside. Now there isn’t much surviving evidence of ancient Greek mobility aids, but there have been Greek temples found with both stairs and ramps, which imply people were being wheeled into temples fairly often [source]. There have also been vases imagining Triptolemus on a wheeled chair since 400 B.C., though it seems like imaginative work rather than something accessible to the public considering the chair doesn’t look like it could stand upright? But then again I’m not a historian and it’s possible a wealthy disabled person at the time took inspiration for what their chair would look like, or vise versa.

The first record of a wheelchair in China is found on a stone carving from 525 A.D. showing a wealthy man in a custom chair. For those with less money, records show they had been using wheelbarrows to transport disabled people since 200 A.D., and this form was definently more common for the average person who didn’t have money for a custom chair. [I unfortunately couldn’t find artwork depicting someone being carried in a wheelbarrow during this time, every picture I found was from the 1900’s and sooner, but feel free to look them up for inspiration.]

Wheelbarrows were then brought from China to Europe in the 12th century and were also used to transport people, as well as having the design changed.

In 1595 King Phillip II of Spain received the first clearly recorded wheelchair after becoming bedridden with gout. Unlike the other chairs it had the ability to have a reclining headrest and adjustable footrest. This chair was definently designed more for confort than practicality, as the king probably wouldn't need to travel any unkept roads like a poor person would.

Wheelchairs developed way more during the 18-19th centuries, and you can always look there for ideas if you want your character to be more independent.

I hope this was all helpful!

Mod Rot

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

twst food culture part ii

This is a supplementary post to continue off of this larger TWST food culture compilation post (as that one is getting super long as is).

Shaftlands

General

Macarons are one of the Shaftlands' signature sweets. Cream and raspberry, as well as lychee, are the popular flavors at the moment.

Macarons can be frozen so recipients can eat them fresh.

There are people who collect the stylish boxes that macarons come in.

According to Vil, mixing flavored syrups with carbonated liquids is common in the Shaftlands.

Stewed foods are the Shaftlands' specialty. This is because there are many stories about the Fairest Queen preparing many foods in a pot.

Apples are the most popular fruit in the Shaftlands. They are used for drinks, desserts, jams, and even savory meal items.

The Shaftlands favor flavored teas

Fairest City/Maquillaville

There are few food stands in Fairest City. This is because eating on the streets is seen as bad manners.

It is known for its luxury restaurants.

There is a strong cafe culture.

Queen's Film Studios sells cookies in tins shaped like the Sea Witch's shell necklace.

Fairest City is famous for its cuisine and sweets. Their sweets in particular are well developed due to the city's cafe culture.

Sweets with a pleasant appearance are popular. The most famous of patisseries make sweets which are like pieces of art.

Some sweets featured in famous patisseries include tarts, chocolate, mousse, macarons, brioche, roll cakes, financiers, mille-feuilles, strawberry tarts, and cakes shaped like apples with apple sauce inside, caramel apples, etc.

A specialty of Fairest City is "cream puff rings", which are cream puffs in ring shapes. They are meant to resemble wheels on rail cars, since Fairest City is located near mines. It is said that the cream puff rings (which is filled with a thick, high-calorie cream) were originally given to hard-working miners to restore their energy.

Luxury stores may offer amenities in addition to providing their services or helping customers shop. For example, staff may offer VIP clients drinks or chocolates.

Fairest City’s hotels have swanky restaurants built into them for guests to dine in. The fanciest of eating establishments are five star restaurants that have full sets of cutlery and napkins which you unfold and place in your lap.

The hotel restaurant we eat in for Tapis Rouge is called Haute Cuisine.

Fancy dining establishments offer food à la carte (ordered by the plate) and prix fixe style (picking your courses from a predetermined selection).

There is a drink called “Diabolo Menthe” served in Fairest City. It is a spearmint flavored syrup mixed with a slightly carbonated liquid. Very refreshing! (This is most likely a reference to the potion that the Evil Queen drinks to transform into an old woman.)

Eric Venue, Vil’s famous movie star father, uses a five-star restaurant to cater buffets for his movie shoots for every 6 hours of work. They also have snacks and drinks on demand (“craft services”), which includes coffee, milk, tea, juice, chocolate, fruits, and pancakes and waffles. Lots of light foods!

Many dishes at high-class eateries are French. For example, hors d’oeuvres might include escargot (snails), foie gras de canard (duck foie gras), and terrine a la campagne (country-style terrine). Courses are also named in French (viande and poisson courses, etc.).

Some dishes served include boeuf bourguignon (a beef and red wine stew) filet mignon de porc aux pruneaux (a pork filet with dried plum; it is made with pig heart, bouillon, and sauce), and flounder poêlé (flounder with an herb sauce). The beef bourguignon is a favorite dish in the five-star hotel restaurant that caters for Eric Venue.

Pork, especially the heart, is prized meat in Fairest City. Many of its dishes are pork-based. There is a story about how the Fairest Queen needed a heart for one of her potions and had her huntsman hunt as a tribute to her; the filet mignon de porc aux pruneaux dish was born from this legend.

The restaurant that caters for Eric Venue has a specialty dessert called tart fine pomme. It is a thin tart with slices apples. The restaurant uses the highest quality of apples (from Harveston), which are grown in a special soil, for their dishes and drinks.

Sage's Island

Night Raven College

The Mystery Shop sells certain limited breads.

The school cafeteria serves pies so delicious that they impress even students that hail from the Queendom of Roses. This is because one of the ghost chefs studied abroad in the Queendom.

Heartslabyul (cont. from part i)

Unbirthday parties can include meat pies, egg tarts, tarts, icing cookies, washed down with milk tea.

They also serve a drink that seems to be a reference to the Drink Me beverage in Alice in Wonderland. It changes flavor with every sip!

It is tradition to eat scones with lots of butter and jam.

Black tea is traditional in the Queendom.

Queendom of Roses (cont. from part i)

The Queendom is known for its pies.

Oysters are popular in the Queendom.

Scalding Sands (cont. from part i)

Spiced teas are what’s popular.

Coral Sea (cont. from part i)

Apples are imported.

The Coral Sea's water is good quality and rich in minerals, since many kinds of fish and aquatic plants live there. When those lifeforms decompose, they add minerals to the water.

Sunshine Lands

Ultramarine City

Fishermen are strong navigators; they grew up listening to tales of a man that saved a mermaid with his navigational skills and sought to hone their own abilities.

Fish that are too small to be sold are fed to seagulls. They are cherished as birds that can see through lies, as a seagull spotted a trickster’s disguise and prevented a groom from being deceived by this false bride.

Seafood is a local specialty, as the city is by the coast.

There is a hotel that overlooks the sea. It has a restaurant (Sunshine Bay Restaurant) that serves a very special local dish (freshly caught crab) for its guests.

Italian terms, like antipasto, are used to refer to dishes. The Sunshine Bay Restaurant serves octopus carpaccio (with capers, peppercorn, lemon, and olive oil) and seafood platter (mussels + oysters with lemon) appetizers. It’s all fresh!

The primo piatto they serve is something starchy like rice or pasta, for example a seafood risotto packed with shrimp, clams, scallops, octopus, squid, and mussels + grated lemon peel or a porcini mushroom orzotto.

The secondo piatto is when fish or meat mains are server. In the event, we have crab txangurro, made from freshly caught crab. Meat is shredded, incorporated with sauce, and baked. It is served in the shell, with vegetables, breadcrumbs and béchamel sauce.

The restaurant also serves white fish acqua pazza. It has a whole fish in it, soaked in tomato and olive oil sauce, then is steamed and baked.

For dessert, the restaurant serves a crostata with a berry filling. It’s similar to a tart but is more moist.

Sailors often eat fish daily on their voyages, so they prefer to eat things other than fish when they are back on land.

Guests are encouraged to catch their own crabs with their bare hands; the local crabs are smart and fast, making them hard for land dwellers to capture. The hotel’s chef will then cook them up.

Water, food, and oil ate kept in barrels and loaded onto ships. They are strong and airtight; the round shape makes them easy to transport.

Ultramarine City has a facility that hands out transformation potions to merfolk that want to work and study on land. They also host a land boot camp, which teaches merfolk about land life, such as what foods to expect and to not touch fire.

Ultramarine City sells gelato.

In the Sunshine Lands, they eat gelato sandwiched in brioche bread. It can be eaten even by sailors on rocking ships.

Jade refers to the eateries as ristorante and taverna, the latter of which are more casual eating spots.

Preserved ham (prosciutto) is a local specialty. Salted and smoked, they are a nutritious way to replenish energy on long sea voyages. Many shops suspend huge hunks of the stuff from the ceiling and display them in store windows. When it's the meat on the bone, it is called a ham log, but the prosciutto can also be served on pizza with mozzarella and a thin crust with olive oil.

Saltimbocca is veal, chicken, or pork topped with prosciutto and sage and then quickly pan fried. Simple but tasty, so it's popular!

The canned tuna is a local specialty. Regular canned tuna uses salad oil, but Sunshine Lands' canned tuna uses olive oil, which permeates in the flesh and makes it taste better. It's also more convenient to use for salad dressings.

There is also tuna sold by the jar; these are prepared by hand and are high-quality.

Lemons are a local specialty.

Sunshine Bay has a Sunday Market. They sell fresh seafood and bread, cooking utensils, seasonings, souvenirs, and other things. The market began in the olden times, when sailors would return from voyages and sell the fish they caught and items from foreign lands.

Jade says that Ultramarine City is best represented by olive oil or lemon syrup. Sea salt is also a specialty product; it has a lot of minerals and a rich umami flavor.

Amaretti are served here! They're meringue sweets (which maracons originated from, hence why they have a texture similar to a macaron shell) that don't use butter or margarine. They have little moisture and keep well, so they're great for long voyages. The ones in Ultramarine City use both sweet and bitter almonds.

Frit (small fish and french fries fried and put into a bag) is a popular street food.

[mostlysignssomeportents]

CDA 230 bans Facebook from blocking interoperable tools

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT (May 2) in WINNIPEG, then TOMORROW (May 3) in CALGARY, then SATURDAY (May 4) in VANCOUVER, then onto Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Section 230 of the Communications Decency Act is the most widely misunderstood technology law in the world, which is wild, given that it's only 26 words long!

https://www.techdirt.com/2020/06/23/hello-youve-been-referred-here-because-youre-wrong-about-section-230-communications-decency-act/

CDA 230 isn't a gift to big tech. It's literally the only reason that tech companies don't censor on anything we write that might offend some litigious creep. Without CDA 230, there'd be no #MeToo. Hell, without CDA 230, just hosting a private message board where two friends get into serious beef could expose to you an avalanche of legal liability.

CDA 230 is the only part of a much broader, wildly unconstitutional law that survived a 1996 Supreme Court challenge. We don't spend a lot of time talking about all those other parts of the CDA, but there's actually some really cool stuff left in the bill that no one's really paid attention to:

https://www.aclu.org/legal-document/supreme-court-decision-striking-down-cda

One of those little-regarded sections of CDA 230 is part (c)(2)(b), which broadly immunizes anyone who makes a tool that helps internet users block content they don't want to see.

Enter the Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University and their client, Ethan Zuckerman, an internet pioneer turned academic at U Mass Amherst. Knight has filed a lawsuit on Zuckerman's behalf, seeking assurance that Zuckerman (and others) can use browser automation tools to block, unfollow, and otherwise modify the feeds Facebook delivers to its users:

https://knightcolumbia.org/documents/gu63ujqj8o

If Zuckerman is successful, he will set a precedent that allows toolsmiths to provide internet users with a wide variety of automation tools that customize the information they see online. That's something that Facebook bitterly opposes.

Facebook has a long history of attacking startups and individual developers who release tools that let users customize their feed. They shut down Friendly Browser, a third-party Facebook client that blocked trackers and customized your feed:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2020/11/once-again-facebook-using-privacy-sword-kill-independent-innovation

Then in in 2021, Facebook's lawyers terrorized a software developer named Louis Barclay in retaliation for a tool called "Unfollow Everything," that autopiloted your browser to click through all the laborious steps needed to unfollow all the accounts you were subscribed to, and permanently banned Unfollow Everywhere's developer, Louis Barclay:

https://slate.com/technology/2021/10/facebook-unfollow-everything-cease-desist.html

Now, Zuckerman is developing "Unfollow Everything 2.0," an even richer version of Barclay's tool.

This rich record of legal bullying gives Zuckerman and his lawyers at Knight something important: "standing" – the right to bring a case. They argue that a browser automation tool that helps you control your feeds is covered by CDA(c)(2)(b), and that Facebook can't legally threaten the developer of such a tool with liability for violating the Computer Fraud and Abuse Act, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act, or the other legal weapons it wields against this kind of "adversarial interoperability."

Writing for Wired, Knight First Amendment Institute at Columbia University speaks to a variety of experts – including my EFF colleague Sophia Cope – who broadly endorse the very clever legal tactic Zuckerman and Knight are bringing to the court.

I'm very excited about this myself. "Adversarial interop" – modding a product or service without permission from its maker – is hugely important to disenshittifying the internet and forestalling future attempts to reenshittify it. From third-party ink cartridges to compatible replacement parts for mobile devices to alternative clients and firmware to ad- and tracker-blockers, adversarial interop is how internet users defend themselves against unilateral changes to services and products they rely on:

https://www.eff.org/deeplinks/2019/10/adversarial-interoperability

Now, all that said, a court victory here won't necessarily mean that Facebook can't block interoperability tools. Facebook still has the unilateral right to terminate its users' accounts. They could kick off Zuckerman. They could kick off his lawyers from the Knight Institute. They could permanently ban any user who uses Unfollow Everything 2.0.

Obviously, that kind of nuclear option could prove very unpopular for a company that is the very definition of "too big to care." But Unfollow Everything 2.0 and the lawsuit don't exist in a vacuum. The fight against Big Tech has a lot of tactical diversity: EU regulations, antitrust investigations, state laws, tinkerers and toolsmiths like Zuckerman, and impact litigation lawyers coming up with cool legal theories.

Together, they represent a multi-front war on the very idea that four billion people should have their digital lives controlled by an unaccountable billionaire man-child whose major technological achievement was making a website where he and his creepy friends could nonconsensually rate the fuckability of their fellow Harvard undergrads.

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

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/02/kaiju-v-kaiju/#cda-230-c-2-b

Image: D-Kuru (modified): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:MSI_Bravo_17_(0017FK-007)-USB-C_port_large_PNr%C2%B00761.jpg

Minette Lontsie (modified): https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Facebook_Headquarters.jpg

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