#incremental acquisition

[deep-definition]

The 8 Most Important PPC KPIs You Should Track for Business

Discover the most crucial PPC KPIs for driving sustainable business growth. Learn why profit, incrementality, and LTV are the game-changers in modern PPC campaigns. The 8 Most Important PPC KPIs You Should Be Tracking If you’re still measuring your PPC success based on click-through rate (CTR) and impressions alone, you’re about to be left behind. The role of paid media has evolved. It’s not…

[bcacstuff]

Starz, fresh off its separation from former parent company Lionsgate, reported results for the first three months of the year.

For the quarter, which was the company’s Q4 of fiscal 2025, Starz reported total revenue of $330.6 million, down 6.2%, and an operating loss of $136.3 million (compared with an operating loss of $30.8 million). Starz gained 470,000 streaming subscribers in the period, to reach 13.04 million overall — while total subscribers fell 330,000 because of the loss of a Starz linear TV carriage agreement in Canada.

The company’s results include a restructuring charge of $177.4 million, including $167.7 million for “content and other impairments” that the company said was “related to a strategic reassessment of the company’s content portfolio.” The initiative is “part of Starz’s broader effort to align its operations and cost structure as a newly independent, standalone public company,” it said. Starz also recorded $1.7 million in severance costs and $8 million in transaction-related costs for the March 2025 quarter.

For fiscal year 2025, Starz touted its $201.5 million in adjusted operating income before depreciation and amortization, beating its target of $200 million.

The Starz report comes after it officially separated from Lionsgate after a three-year process on May 7, when the Starz stock began trading on the Nasdaq under the symbol “STRZ.” Starz said that given the recent separation from Lionsgate it will not report earnings per share for its fiscal Q4 of 2025. The company will initiate EPS reporting with the quarter ending June 30, 2025. In addition, Starz said, it has adopted a change in its fiscal year end from March 31 to Dec. 31.

On the “business update” call with analysts, Starz CEO Jeffrey Hirsch said a key priority for the company now that it has split from Lionsgate is to “commence rebuilding our library and reclaim ownership economics, enhance cost efficiency and create new revenue streams,” with “no incremental overhead cost to the business.” The goal is to have almost half of its calendar year 2027 slate being owned and controlled by Starz, he said.

After spending about $800 million on content the past two years, Starz is targeting about $700 million in cash content spending in calendar 2026 with the ultimate goal of getting it down to about $650 million “over the next couple years,” CFO Scott Macdonald said on the call.

At the time of separation from Lionsgate, Starz had net debt of $559.1 million. That comprised debt of $300 million under its new Term Loan A facility and $325.1 million in senior unsecured notes that remained with the company, offset by $66 million in cash. On a trailing 12-month basis, the company’s total debt-to-equity ratio was 3.1x.

The Starz Networks segment ended the March quarter with 12.3 million U.S. streaming subscribers, representing sequential growth of 530,000. Total U.S. subscribers (including linear) reached 18.0 million, an increase of 320,000 from the prior quarter, primarily driven by the late-quarter premiere of original series “Power Book III: Raising Kanan” Season 4 (pictured above). According to the company, customer acquisition for the show’s premiere week was 50% and 30% higher than Seasons 2 and 3, respectively.

Starz’s total North American subscribers were 19.6 million, reflecting a sequential decline of 330,000. The decline was largely due to a “carriage dispute in Canada that resulted in the removal of the Starz-branded linear channel from a distributor’s programming packages,” the company said.

On the call, Hirsch said “we are confident that we will continue to drive OTT subscriber growth in calendar ’25” and that the company expects to return to positive revenue growth sequentially in the second half of the year.

“As we move into the year, our slate of five big tentpoles including the ‘Outlander’ prequel ‘Blood of My Blood,’ the return of ‘Spartacus’ after 12 years, a strong lineup of proven hits like ‘BMF’ and our ‘Power’ spinoffs coupled with a strong lineup of output titles from Lionsgate and Universal, gives us great confidence in our subscriber and revenue trajectory,” Hirsch said.

[queerbrownvegan]

Desert Ecology: Joshua Trees Are Disappearing

I'm excited to announce my 4th episode of my independent web series, Teaching Climate Together!

Desert ecology looks at how different species have adaptations to the desert, where resources operate differently than in other ecosystems. So, what's happening to Joshua Tree?

Most species have unique adaptation abilities in an extreme climate like the desert. One fascinating aspect of desert ecology is that numerous species are endemic (they are only found here) to the desert. The desert ecosystem is a quarter of the state of California. It spans 26 million acres in California, the Mojave, and the Colorado desert region. It is one of the most biodiverse areas, with over 2,400 species of native plants and hundreds of species of plants and animals.

The biodiversity in the desert is higher than in a pine forest in Northern California. You can find more species in the desert than in other ecosystems in Northern California! The Western Joshua Trees are currently at the forefront of desert conservation recently. As climate change continues to accelerate, the Joshua tree that has one that has been identified to be vulnerable to a changing climate. Joshua Trees are not able to migrate or adapt to a changing environment. Joshua trees migrate very slowly in tiny increments and with climate change they cannot adapt rapidly.

In Joshua Tree National Park, scientists have noted that if we continue business as usual, only 2% of the range will remain suitable habitat in the next 100 years. We are looking at a crisis for this species. Mojave Desert Land Trust and other partners and agencies are working together to implement policies and solutions to protect these ecosystems. The Mojave Desert Land Trust has cultivated a multi-faceted conservation strategy that uses land acquisition, restoration, stewardship, plant cultivation, and education to ensure the long-term preservation of the California desert.

Their service area spans nearly 26 million acres - the Colorado Desert and the entire California portion of the Mojave Desert. Since its founding in 2006, MDLT has protected approximately 120,000 acres of ecologically significant land and grown over 120,000 native plants for restoration and community use. California deserts are one of the largest carbon sequesters compared to forests. Deserts have a lot of vegetation and a whole layer of soil called the crust of the soil that is essentially life and is covered in biological soil crust that is a web of cyanobacteria, lichen, moss, and fungi that is a mat across the desert that helps the plant grow but also holds carbons and puts carbon into the roots of deserts.

Follow the work of Mojave Desert Land Trust and consider supporting their work. https://www.mdlt.org/

Hosts: Isaias Hernandez & Kelly Herbinson, Executive Director , Mojave Desert Land Trust Producers: Maksim Batuyev & Isaias Hernandez & Stranded Astronaut Productions Director: Tehya Jennett & Maxfield Biggs Editors: Tehya Jennett & Maxfield Biggs

[massyworld]

My Chapter 22 Commentary

“We aren’t going on a date!” “Yes, we are!” The beautiful boys that you are. I love the start to this chapter, their combined prettiness hit me like a truck ngl. It was also such an odd feeling seeing Kagiura’s hair still left in the same position as we last saw it months ago. Feelin like we’re on earth while Kagihira are on the Miller planet in Interstellar, time speeding by for us but inching ever so slowly for them. Anyway, they’re adorable here. And Kagiura is getting prettier by every chapter.

I love how much bolder Kagiura is now too; probably emboldened by Hirano’s initiative in choosing the location of the 10 seconds last chapter. And Hirano. Hirano, once again, saying no to something with Kagiura, then realizing he’s actually at least somewhat okay with it (if not more).

Chapter 22: Slowly but Surely. The Gap Between Givers and Takers Like everyone else, I’m soooo encouraged by the name of this chapter. Like. This is really happening huh. Things are really changing for Hirano in real-time, and he’s becoming very incrementally more aware of it. And the tagline is so ooogh… is it referring to the palpable difference felt when you are the giver of touch (by extension, affection, and by extension, love), is it referring to the gap slowly and ultimately diminishing to the point that there is no longer a difference felt whether one is the giver or taker and the effect felt is the same no matter what? Is it referring to the widening discrepancy between our boundless acquisition of our planet’s resources and what our poor earth is physically capable of supplying us with hence sending us further past the point of no-return for ecological sustainability? Only sensei has the true answers.

“We’re just going shopping! No one calls that a ‘date’!” “People go on shopping dates all the time!” Kagiura continuing to fight the good fight. He’s right, Hirano. I mean if even uniform dates exist, surely anything can be a date…

“How long?” “It’s a secret. But I’ll tell you… Once you fall in love with me.” Honestly, I don’t really know specifically, but I feel like the fact that sensei did a throwback to Hirano wondering how long Kagiura’d been in love with him, is more significant/relevant to the future storyline than we think right now…  

Other than, you know, Kagiura cranking up his rizz to MAXIMUM DRIVE Niibashi putting distance between him and Kagiura in front of Hirano is so funny. Even funnier is Kagiura’s adorable little “Niibashi’s mad at me because I’m missing a button :D” happy-go-lucky air here while he grins ear to ear. I also love the different ways both Niibashi and Hirano get angry around Kagiura hahah. Kagiura really is the perfect easygoing friend for that kind of personality. Still thinking about somebody pointing out the fact that Kagiura’s button was shown missing since the chapter cover for #20…

“Shall we skip practice today? I feel bad monopolizing you every day.” Please monopolize him until the end of time. Niibashi just quietly simmering in the background like my dinner. Hirano looking up at Kagiura in such a cute little way while holding the ends of his sweater, why the frick does this give me such domestic vibes.. Ha ha it reminds me of Kagiura holding Hirano’s ring folder when he was fixing it up in the nurs e ‘ s  o f  f  i     c     e         .            .                    .

I’m sorry I am now looking at the symbolism for paper cranes (the ones in the background on the table behind Niibashi calling Kagiura a slob, and well, it’s not much, it’s just stuff like honor, good luck/fortune (hmm), loyalty and longevity (hmmmmm)… Slowly but surely…

Sewing privileges transferred. Niibashi’s organs eroding from the inside-out from seeing (and probably simultaneously remembering everything Kagiura’s told him Hirano has done/said) every speck of affection dripping out from every crevice on Hirano’s gay little face and body.

“There’s nothing I can’t do if I put my mind to it.” Including realizing your growing romantic feelings for Kagiura, right? Man the way Hirano keeps poking/hurting himself in the process of trying to fix Kagiura’s button/make up for wrecking it himself… makes me emo how he doesn’t mind getting hurt if it’s all for Kagiura’s sake aghhhh byeeeee… Love all the fond smiles Kagiura gives when Hirano says something cool, gahhhh… they love each other so much… I cant handle them…. “Ugh, why do you have to be so stubborn even with something like this?!” “I’m just messing with you.” Aaaand there’s his first smile of the chapter, followed by the next one 6 pages later (and one of my favourite panels of Kagihira together ;___; laughing together and relishing purely just being with the other….

Can’t remember if someone said this already, but I don’t know if it’s significant here, them both being on one side of the window frame’s shadow (the ‘centre line’ (Romance: don’t cross the line)). I mean it’d make sense I guess, since what Kagiura initiated wasn’t super romantic relatively speaking, albeit still a very affectionate gesture. Either way though- no lines were crossed, for sure.

Bony shoulder… hard thigh from the lap pillow… the physical awareness of each others’ bodies…. the way Kagiura rubs his head on it like he’s a cat on a scratching post… I digress. Love how sensei does lighting in her manga. The shadow that separates part of Hirano from Kagiura on the page after Kagiura told him it makes his heart race. Oooh…

...It doesn’t make mine race, though. But… It’s still not bad at all. What if I died. No but for real, this hurtssss because Hirano’s thinking to himself how he doesn’t physiologically feel the same as Kagiura, but he still enjoys the contact. He still likes touching it. Even if I’m not in love with you the way you are with me, I still want to be with you Kagi-kun.

I also want to mention something. I’ve kind of picked up this little.. thing.. of counting the panels of their ten second touching as if each panel is a second. Now, I’m too lazy to look through right now but there was at least one time when it equated to about 10 panels, 10 seconds, right? Well here, I’m counting 14 panels of his head being on Hirano’s shoulder. I was talking with friends about this and we were so unanimous about the fact that this was *not* 10 seconds long. Okay, it could’ve been, but c’mon, between all their talking, do you reallyyyy think Kagiura was fully counting the whole time. Be for real

Oh… Was that 10 seconds already? Back to the lighting. MAN. So good. The shadow on both the boys as Kagiura removes the weight of his head from Hirano’s shoulder. I hope his shoulder felt lighter. I hope it felt wrong to feel so light. Just like when Kagiura removed his arms from around Hirano after the hug and Hirano shivered a little. I hope each and every continued loss of weight and warmth is an accumulated strip torn off of Hirano’s psyche, and I hope he reaches the point where he is just a building torn to shreds whose only hope for reconstruction is the handyman responsible for the teardown in the first place.

God I just noticed Kagiura’s made that smiling while looking down face before, in chp 17, and Hirano just watches him so closely… but that wasn’t after touching. However in chp15 it was after their first 10 sec touching, but he wasn’t smiling, he looked blushily anguished, and Hirano was observing him in the panel right before it, top left, just as he is here…

Oh Hirano…bold of you to think Kagiura’s only been teaching you basketball…

It’s so crazy how Miyano dispels all this manga-obtained BL wisdom and yet does not have the intuition to put 2 and 2 together from what is coming out of Hirano’s mouth. It’s okay, not everyone can be Tashiro/Hanzawa…

Also, I feel like everyone’s processed it long enough that it’s just normal now, but Hirano admitting his heart raced during the hug and it not being mentioned at all (not even in motherfreaking SFX) up until this point is insane. It’s insanity. What other finer details are being kept under wraps til much later? Anyway, so I guess Hirano’s parents aren’t the hugging type ;_;  

Love the Hiramiya banter. And Hirano’s chibi face in the, “Yeah, right???” panel. Aaaand cue Exhibit #2(?) of Hirano’s selective hearing in full display. So frustrating yet funny. Miyano literally giving out the secrets to the universe FOR FREE and Hirano’s out here like “man I really need the secrets of the universe, whatever shall I do”

I mean, personally, I don’t think we can know for sure yet if his heart was beating hard during the hug from surprise or from ~something else~, until they, like, schedule in a hug or something. Pencil it into their busy schedules in advance and know it’s coming and be fully prepared for it only for his heart to start racing again despite the precognition and become totally ruined inside and out, only then will I sleep soundly at night-

And then the infamous: When he’s around…it’s so much easier to focus. God I wish I could see him 顔が見てえ…Kao ga mitē…I want to see his face…. instant ruination. thrown asunder further into uncertainty. I’ve definitely had crushes where my infatuation developed while at a distance, pondering how much I think of them, and then leading to further physical reactions within their proximity. I feel… good things will come of this date. Though it’d be nice if Kagiura hugged Hirano during the date, to further nail down Miyano’s quote of how much they wanted to see the person, and then getting embraced after.

Ahhh… Hirano pissed off, then receiving Kagi’s text and instantly relaxing and smiling…and regaining the focus to study. Not to mention Hirano adding a date-like activity to their very non-date date. And calling it “not a date, but...”

I’m going to throw them into the sun. /lovingly

[umbrellaartist]

Goetic Princess (Helluva Boss adopt) [OPEN]

♥ Payment with Boosty

♥ Buyer gets the full-size image and unwatermarked (.jpg)

♥ No refund

♥ When I announce a buyer you must pay within 1-2 days

♥ If you do not respond after 48 hours of winning the auction, it will automatically move to the next highest bidder. So, please check your notes!

♥ Rules for the acquisition of adopts of my authorship: ♥

It is forbidden to resell it, as well as to appropriate the authorship of the design;

Character redesign is allowed, but only when its recognizability is preserved, based on the original appearance;

It is allowed to use the ADOPT for entertainment purposes, which include role-playing games, ENT, etc.;

For violating the rules, all rights to the character are transferred to me again (the ADOPT is withdrawn).

♥ Sale info: ♥

Respond to the highest bid in the chain!

Auction ends: 48 hours (after the highest bid)

BID HERE:

Starting Bid: $10

Minimum increment: 3$

Autobuy: 25$

[elendiliel]

A Very Civil War

This idea has been buzzing around my head for a while, but seeing this post catapulted it up the priority list. (Yes, I know that's a mixed metaphor, but I don't know how to unmix it.)

---

Ratchet knew something was different about his Energon ration the moment he picked it up, and it took him less than another moment to figure out what it was. While the colour and consistency of his fuel were unchanged, its weight had slightly but significantly increased, and the liquid level had perceptibly risen, since he dispensed it. Someone had topped it up while his back was turned, and it wasn’t hard to guess who that person was. Only two other people had access to the Energon storage logs and would therefore know about his ration situation, and Optimus would never do anything so underhanded – not to one of his own team, anyway. That just left…

Sure enough, when he looked down at the occupant of the seat beside him, he met the steady, unwavering, utterly unrepentant gaze of his new second. Despite the discomfort he knew prolonged eye contact caused her, Glitch maintained it even while taking a sip of her own fuel, daring him to say something. (Instead of depleting the team’s limited Energon supply, the visitor from another universe was making do with Earth fossil fuels, which she could apparently process just fine in moderation. Ratchet had asked her once how she could drink the stuff; she had made a face and replied, “Reluctantly, and carefully. In excess, motor oil is an intoxicant for us, and there isn’t exactly much of me.” There certainly wasn’t; she was barely twice the height of an average human and slender with it, which had necessitated several modifications to their base’s furniture and the construction of a new medical berth that she could reach without standing on anything.)

He couldn’t resist that stare for long; could anybody? But he didn’t have to put up with her tampering with his fuel. “I don’t need this much.”

“Yes, you do. I know you don’t go out in the field much, which I still don’t understand but that’s an argument for another day, but you use your processor, your tools and your hands all the time, not to mention wrangling some pretty sizeable patients. All of that needs Energon. Which is why I’ve logged increased fuel intake as an official prescription for you.” Of course she had.

“I can overrule that,” he pointed out. He was the senior medic.

“Try it and I’ll set Prime and Raf on you. Maybe Magnus as well.” That was a battle Ratchet knew he’d lose. He could, after much practice, cope with Optimus’ gentle persuasion and occasional guilt-trips on their own and for good reasons, but when combined with Rafael’s pure, open compassion and concern and Ultra Magnus weaponising every relevant rule and procedure in the book, they would be irresistible. Better try another angle of attack. “All right, maybe a slight increment would be acceptable, but I certainly don’t need a full ration.”

“That isn’t a full ration,” Glitch countered. “You’ve been starving yourself for decades, so your system wouldn’t cope with that sudden increase. I planned to add a bit more each time, as much as was safe, hoping you wouldn’t notice. One gamble that didn’t come off, clearly.” She smiled up at him, and he knew he’d lost the battle. “We need you running at a hundred percent. For your own sake, not just because you’re our senior doc-‘bot.”

Well, he wasn’t going to surrender without a fight, and she’d given him an opening. “I am the senior medic of this team, which means I know we don’t have enough Energon for everyone. Not for any long period of time, and certainly not at our usual rate of injuries.”

“Then one of us has got our sums wrong,” she fired back. “Or we’re using different data. Factoring in my presence,” there wasn’t a hint of arrogance in that phrase; it was simply a statement of fact, “and assuming the current trends in Energon acquisition continue, there’s more than enough of a margin to let you stop short-changing yourself. I don’t run on your Energon, but I can protect our teammates in the field,” as she had both a shield mod and medical tools that could be re-deployed as secondary shields, “and patch up the injuries I can’t prevent right then and there. All things being equal, that cuts down fuel consumption past the point where you definitely don’t have to starve yourself. Skies above, I see why you and Prime are Amicae. You’re as bad as he is sometimes.” She didn’t mean to be insulting, Ratchet knew, and his oldest friend did have a tendency to put himself – and only himself – in harm’s way too often for comfort.

But if that wasn’t the racer calling the turbofox fast… “I suppose that is a hazard of our profession.” He looked meaningfully at the scar on Glitch’s upper chestplate, which he knew to be a memento of a Decepticon ambush in which she had protected her partner almost at the cost of her own spark.

“True,” she conceded. “How d’you think I know how to spot someone on starvation rations? Or how to do this?” She indicated Ratchet’s still-untouched Energon. “Holdover from boot camp. Our drill sergeant sometimes docked someone’s rations when he wanted to get creative with punishments.” Ratchet winced slightly. Such behaviour would not be acceptable under Optimus’ authority. “I thought I didn’t need as much as the others, so I’d just top theirs up with mine when they weren’t looking. Even when that wasn’t the case, the standard ration was plenty for a two-wheeler but not quite enough for a construction model like Bulk, so I’d give him a little extra when I could.” The corners of her speech synthesiser twitched up in a brief smile. “Heh, no wonder he was the only one who clocked what I was doing. Anyways, I didn’t realise how much of an effect that was having until after our three worst troublemakers had left. Suddenly I wasn’t nearly so snappish and started doing better on every type of exercise. Not much better, I’ll admit, probably because I was still staying up late reading.” She gave Ratchet an uncomfortably thoughtful look as she took another sip of oil. “Speaking of, once you’ve finished that, I strongly recommend you get some proper rest as well. Or there might be more than extra Energon in your next ration.”

Ratchet primed his voicebox and synth to say, “You wouldn’t,” but he knew she would. She was just as stubborn as him or Optimus, a very direct problem-solver, and quite possibly missing one or two blocks of ethical code. And he also knew Optimus was worried enough about him to back her up – as Magnus also would. Besides, it would be pleasant to power down properly for a while, trusting her to hold the fort, and to take the edge off the symptoms of Energon deprivation he had been resolutely ignoring for so long. It wasn’t as though he couldn’t go back to a reduced intake when her back was turned. Conceding defeat and ending their very civil war (for the time being), he finally picked up the doctored fuel and began to drink. As a broad grin spread across her face, he found he didn’t mind losing that battle. (Much.)

[ajcgames]

In the weeds

I’m deep in the throes of optimisation at the moment, with a lot of asset reworking to fix some earlier mistakes I made.

One of the primary optimisations I wanted to make, along with a sort of high level ‘design review’, was the way I had been creating assets for my models. Many of the machines (and belt parts) share similar design elements. Some varied a little more than I wanted, but crucially they were all using their own materials.

I’ve since condensed all of the main buildable design elements into a single ‘super texture’ material that is used by all placeable models. I may run into some limitations with this down the road, but if it’s simply a case of rolling an additional material then that’s hardly a big concern. It certainly makes managing object materials super easy now compared to the old way I was doing things.

Tech tree

Whilst I’ve been tinkering with the assets, I’ve also been thinking more about the technology tree.

Generally you’ll start each campaign mission (and free play mode) with a core selection of unlocked buildable objects. Most likely an excavator, pulverizer, analyzer and mainframe.

These represent the minimum objects needed to generate science. The purpose of science points, ultimately, was to unlock new buildable objects. But after some though, I figured I’d need a way to allow the player to improve existing aspects of the factory.

By means of a happy accident, I ended up making all machines use a default multiplier for their work speed. That is, machines tend to process their work thus:

Progress += workSpeed * multiplier

By default every machine has a speed of 1, and a set work duration. The pulverizer takes 2 seconds per sample, for example. So it’s easy to raise the multiplier to something like 2 to halve the time it takes to do its job.

The change

So how does this play into the tech tree?

I want to split the research and development side of the game into two parts:

- Technology

- Research

Technology

This will be where you can spend science points to purchase (unlock) new ‘blueprints’. They’ll follow a logical path, so you can expect to see differences in obtaining new types of raw processing machines versus higher-grade analyzer machines, which will be further down the tree and require more points / prior unlocks.

Research

I’m cribbing an idea from an earlier game prototype I had for this. But in a nutshell, you allocate a certain ‘budget’ of science points to spend on research. A non-zero budget will accrue research time over a period of, say, 5 minutes. Once enough research has been complete, you earn a research point. You can spend these to immediately update machines across your entire factory. So one point might improve your Pulverizer speed by 120%.

My rationale for this is that I want there to be at least a couple of paths the player can pursue to improve their factory. Technology is a requirement, whereas Research is a ‘nice to have’. But you can slow down your Technology acquisition pace to gain factory upgrades quicker, and vice-versa.

It’s not exactly groundbreaking or innovating, but at least adds an additional layer of interest, and provides some nice incremental rewards for the player’s efforts in collecting science.

Game modes

The last thing I wanted to talk about today are the game modes. Up until now, I’ve been working on the mechanics to support a campaign-style game where you are apportioned out various tasks and objectives to fulfill on a given campaign level. A kind of puzzle, if you will.

But the real meat would likely be in a free play mode where, instead of tasks, you can take on contracts to produce a certain amount of item. I’m not sure how much work this would need to create, especially to make it compelling and non-grindy, but it’s on my radar if nothing else.

There will also be a creative mode, if for no other reason than to allow me to create some nice screengrabs for sending round if it takes my fancy 😊

That’s about all for today. I’m hoping I’ll finish off my optimisations work in the coming days, and I can get back to sharing more visual progress again.

Thanks for swinging by, and have a great day ❤️

[doonarose]

Tilt

(Good Omens Crowley/Aziraphale kissing and romance fic, this one with bonus Nina/Maggie)

Rating: T

Summary: Maggie tells Aziraphale that her and Nina have started a relationship but that he can’t tell Crowley because Nina doesn’t want to hear ‘I told you so’. Aziraphale tells Crowley because he can’t help himself and then Crowley decides to show Nina that him and Aziraphale are also now doing the kissing and being a couple thing. He accomplishes this by kissing Aziraphale up against the desk in the bookshop window, of course.

A/N: Big thanks to anything_thats_rock_and_roll for their helpful beta-ing and for letting me bounce random ideas and sentences off them – and for already working on the instalments to come! Next part is pretty much done! You can read all five parts in the series on AO3.

For some reason, Aziraphale’s desk has developed a wobble. The floors of the bookshop are old and warped in some places, but usually the spot the desk occupies under the window holds it steady enough. It’s rare for a day to pass without Aziraphale sitting here and pouring over some new acquisition or revisiting a favourite, and he likes to lay his hands against the wood, either side of the book, and rest some of his weight there. Now, one of the front legs has a half-inch of space under it and every time Aziraphale moves a manuscript or turns a page, the whole blasted table tilts, the front leg hitting the ground and the opposite corner rising a half inch. It keeps jolting him out of his thoughts, making him sit back in his chair and then the desk just reverses the move and settles onto its preferred three legs.

Eventually he realizes that this isn’t sustainable, huffing and mumbling his annoyance to himself. For over ten minutes he fiddles with the desk’s position, trying to toe the legs into slightly different spots on the floorboards, until a particularly hard push against it sends two books falling to the floor. As he picks them up, brushing them off carefully, he decides to call Crowley over to help. 

“Just, grab a hold of that end – very carefully, dear – and shift it a little bit to your right,” Aziraphale tells him after he explains the problem. 

They lift the desk, slowly so as not to topple any more of the books or lamps, and then set it back down, slightly further from the window. Crowley pushes an experimental finger into the unsteady corner and scowls when it tilts. “Still uneven,” he says. 

Aziraphale places his hands on his hips and exhales a frustrated puff of air. 

“You could just miracle it,” Crowley tries, already knowing the answer. 

Aziraphale just gives a sharp shake of his head. It wouldn’t be the same. 

Crowley keeps a smile from crossing his lips, shoves his hands in his pockets, and awaits further instruction. 

As Aziraphale resumes nudging and poking at the desk by incremental millimetres, Crowley catches sight of Nina and Maggie across the road. They’re sitting at a table just behind the glass of the coffee shop, holding hands and leaning in close as though they’re discussing something a bit secret, or perhaps a bit naughty. 

Crowley’s eyes narrow; he’s not sure how long Nina and Maggie have been together, but it’s been at least long enough for Maggie to have confided in Aziraphale that she was deliriously happy and that also, it was a secret and, specifically, not to tell Crowley because Nina couldn’t stand the ‘I told you so’s. Long enough that Aziraphale had held onto that secret for all of three days and then, bursting to tell him, had told him, and then felt bad and made Crowley promise not to say anything. 

And that was four days ago, so, definitely, certainly at least a couple of weeks, maybe a month. In fact, it’s very likely that Nina and Maggie have been together together for longer than Crowley and Aziraphale have been kissing, although Crowley shouldn’t be drawing comparisons because they are just humans in love and him and Aziraphale are immortal and ethereal, a demon and angel, forging a new and unknown path, also in love. With kissing. It’s bound to be quite a different matter entirely, he assumes. 

Nina’s gaze meets Crowley’s from across the road and he arches an eyebrow as she quickly pulls her hand back from Maggie, saying something that makes Maggie look up in his direction. 

This is his chance. 

Crowley steps forward, into Aziraphale’s space, grabs the lapels of his jacket and pulls him in to kiss him squarely on the mouth. Crowley keeps his eyes open, watching as surprise makes Aziraphale’s eyes go wide and just for a moment, Crowley wonders if he’s completely misjudged the circumstance. But then Aziraphale’s eyelids flutter closed and his mouth softens, fitting properly into the curve of Crowley’s lips, as he kisses him back.  

Aziraphale’s hands go easily to Crowley’s hips, a gentle welcoming squeeze and then moving over his jacket, up Crowley’s sides and across his back, embracing him as Aziraphale moves to deepen the kiss. Crowley feels Aziraphale lean into it, resting weight against his chest, his body soft and pliant. Aziraphale’s mouth opens around a pleased sigh and he licks out at the crease of Crowley’s lips. 

Still gripping him by the lapels, Crowley turns Aziraphale, pressing him back up against the desk, so that he can sneak a peek across the road at their audience. 

Both Nina and Maggie are watching, seemingly somewhat surprised, Maggie with a hand raised in what probably started as a friendly wave. Crowley’s eyes close again and he gives in to Aziraphale’s tongue still catching increasingly insistent at where he’s got Crowley’s bottom lip caught between his own. Just for a second, he lets himself get lost in it, giving in to the pressure of Aziraphale’s tongue, welcoming it into his mouth so that he can catch at it against his teeth. Crowley’s whole body chases Aziraphale’s as he leans back against the desk and moans unexpectedly low and loud and into Crowley’s mouth. 

Then Crowley steps back because the point is not to put on some sort of show for the ladies across the street, but simply to make them aware. Except pulling away from Aziraphale draws an unmistakably desperate whimper coupled with a look of frustration from him and it’s only as he steps back, brushing imaginary dust from his hands, that Crowley realizes Aziraphale has managed to perch himself on the edge of the desk and is now slipping off it and back to his feet. 

The desk falls back onto its preferred three legs with a knock and Aziraphale visibly works to settle his breathing. He’s giving Crowley a look that indicates he might be in trouble although Crowley can’t fathom why that might be. Looking over Aziraphale’s shoulder, Crowley is also bewildered to realize their audience has disappeared. 

“What –” Aziraphale stops to clear his throat because that came out raspy and rough. “What on earth was that about?”

At this point, Crowley has to notice him. Even after clearing his throat, his voice is still lower than it should be, scratchy around the edges like he just ran a mile or ate something too spicy or had been kissing Crowley for hours (and they haven’t done that yet, their record is about forty minutes). His bowtie is askew, sitting at a forty-five degree angle and the top button beneath has popped loose. His cheeks are flushed and his lips still wet and none of that tallies with what was a relatively chaste, very quick smooch to impress the neighbours. He looks hungry and annoyed, as though some dim-witted waiter had cleared his plate before he’d finished eating –.

“Crowley?” Aziraphale asks. 

Motioning towards the window, Crowley says, “I wanted Nina to see.”

It’s obvious that Aziraphale doesn’t comprehend the ploy, particularly since Nina is no longer sitting there. “May I inquire as to why?” He sounds curt, snippy even. 

Crowley figures this is probably not the right time to go back over Aziraphale’s failure to keep Maggie’s secret. “I just thought they should know, is all…” That doesn’t seem enough for Aziraphale who crosses his arms over his chest and raises an eyebrow at him. “You know, that we’re…” Crowley motions back and forth between the two of them.

“Kissing?” Aziraphale offers. 

“Well, yeah… no, that we’re partners, dating.” And now Crowley rolls his eyes at himself. They are not dating. They’re… “That we’re together. You know what I mean. Nina and Maggie were the ones that told me we had to talk to each other more and that kind of got things going. And I still don’t know why she hasn’t told me that her and Maggie are now a thing –”

“You’re upset that Maggie told me and then told me not to tell you.”

“Don’t be so stupid!” Aziraphale has hit the nail on the head there and Crowley isn’t quick enough to think of a reasonable alternative. 

“Right.” It’s clear from how Aziraphale clips the single syllable that he isn’t buying into Crowley’s bullshit and is genuinely a little bit annoyed at him. Before Crowley can say anything, the bell above the bookshop door rings and Maggie walks through, closely trailed by Nina. 

Crowley’s back to the door, he steps close to Aziraphale, reaching out and righting his bowtie with quick, careful fingers as he slips his sunglasses from his pocket and over his eyes with his other hand. He turns to face the two women and leans back on the desk in a slouch that causes it to tilt again and make both him and Aziraphale jump.  

A corner of Nina’s mouth quirks up as she greets them, “Hello boys.” She walks the few steps from the entrance to corner them in the alcove by the bookshop window and gives an animated eyebrow waggle. Maggie follows along beside her, pleasantly smiling even as her eyes do appear to twinkle. 

Aziraphale remains gracious, as always, a broad, welcoming smile that seems genuine slipping into place, as he says, “Nina, Maggie, how lovely of you to pop by. How are you both?”

Maggie lets Nina answer for both of them: “We’re good, very well, thanks. Not popping by though, I think your boyfriend kind of invited us around.” She throws a pointed look at Crowley who, at the very least, acknowledges the faux pas with a head tilt to the ground and a flush to his cheeks. 

Aziraphale flusters, hands out in front of him, fingers grasping at nothing and Crowley doesn’t know why. “Yes, well…” Aziraphale leaves that hanging for a beat too long as he casts an inscrutable look at Crowley. “Can I perhaps entice you to a cup of tea?” he offers. 

Nina steps forward, trapping them both even tighter in the alcove with the desk. “So you two are together-together now then?” 

Maggie makes a grab for Nina’s wrist but after a moment, Nina shakes her free and tilts her chin up, resolute, waiting for an answer. 

Crowley aims for aloof and misses: ‘Yu-up” He pops his lips on the ‘p’ and regrets starting this. The calculating eyes of Nina are stuck on him, Maggie’s are focused on Aziraphale off to the side, and Aziraphale, usually so calm, is still prickly beneath the surface. It had not previously occurred to Crowley that making Nina and Maggie aware of his and Aziraphale’s togetherness – of their kissing – might mean that Nina and Maggie will have thoughts and opinions about their relationship. That there might be questions put to him that he’ll need to answer; it’s unsettling. 

Nina nods but it isn’t approving, it’s certainly not the happy, gleeful way Crowley imagined – and disdained – she’d react when he imagined telling her. If anything, it’s skeptical. “And how’d that happen?” Beside her, Maggie grabs Nina’s wrist again, this time with both hands, holding on as she makes a sound, a click of her tongue and a hum that all at once conveys that that isn’t an appropriate question but also does nothing to stop Nina from asking it. 

“Well…” Crowley drawls, deflecting, as Aziraphale’s crossed arms tighten beside him, fingers against his own ribs starting to tap. “We could ask you the same thing?”

He intends it to be a gotcha moment but all he gets is the slightest flaring of Nina’s nostrils and the tensing of her forearm, already captured and soothed under Maggie’s hands. 

Aziraphale unwraps his arms and slides a couple of inches along the desk to none-too-covertly elbow him in the ribs. Maggie grins though, and then drops her gaze to the floor, blushing. 

Nina sighs, her free hand coming up to press at the back of her neck, and then relents with a lopsided smile as her hand slides into Maggie’s, fingers interlacing for a reassuring squeeze. “Look, I’d been single for long enough. And felt like I was ready, so I took her a coffee and I asked her out… and that was that.” She shrugs, nonchalant but the depth of it, the risk, is coming off her in waves. “The usual way,” she says. 

Crowley nods and after too long, seems to offer his blessing. “Yup.” After another long pause, Aziraphale and Maggie still exchanging increasingly meaningful looks and Nina, chin-up, still defiant, Crowley adds, “Same for us.” 

Nina barks out a laugh and Maggie tuts and Crowley has no idea what they know, he’s not even sure what they remember about all the demonic and heavenly happenings that have occurred over the last few months, although he suspects they remember more than they strictly should. It occurs to him for the very first time that Aziraphale might have already told them something about him and them and the kissing. 

Before he can ask, or clarify, Aziraphale places a gentle hand across his forearm and explains, “Actually, we started talking to each other,” he begins. “Like you said, well like Crowley said you said, we really needed to stop and talk to one another. So we did, we had several, very frank conversations which were not particularly comfortable but also… quite delightful. Except at the same time, well, it was the second coming, actually, and it felt like probably the world was going to end again, so we might have skipped a few steps and ended up professing our undying love to each other. Or rather, that came first, and then the talking.” He says it like the backwards of it all is just now occurring to him.  

Nina’s mouth has dropped open and Maggie’s brow has suddenly furrowed. Aziraphale pauses, squeezes Crowley’s forearm and then wrist and coaxes him into interlacing their fingers, their clasped hands resting between them on the desk, mirroring the women in front of them. 

Crowley keeps his chin high and his mouth set in a non-committal line even as his heart hammers at the vulnerability of being like this with Aziraphale in front of others. 

Aziraphale continues: “Then, when it was all over – the second coming, not the world – we thought we better keep talking and being in love. And to be honest, it was all going along quite famously, it was really quite silly of us not to have figured it out sooner, and then a few weeks after that we thought we should probably try kissing again.” He sounds oddly proud of that breakthrough, while Crowley is slightly mortified at how ridiculous their love story sounds when explained like this. It is also in this moment, that Crowley recognises that it was entirely Aziraphale’s doing that they ended up romantic about it at all. 

“Huh,” says Nina. 

“Did you say the second coming?” asks Maggie.

Ah, so at least there was something Aziraphale hadn’t told her.

“It’s fine now,” Crowley offers, his tone brokering no further discussion, but soothing nonetheless. 

Aziraphale squeezes his hand and Crowley looks up to be caught in his gaze, undeniably loving and no longer frustrated, which is a relief. 

“Yes, it’s all rather wonderful, now,” Aziraphale says, looking back to Nina and Maggie. “Now, unfortunately, we were just about to shut up shop as we have inventory out the back that needs cataloguing.” 

Surprise crosses Crowley’s face: not only does he not do inventory, he isn’t even sure what cataloguing inventory means.

Nina looks like she suspects Aziraphale’s obvious lie but she simply nods and allows Maggie to tug her in the direction of the bookshop door.

“Enjoy inventory,” Maggie says and Crowley realizes she also knows it’s a lie. 

Nina chuckles. “Yes, and if you decide to get naked on the desk later on, perhaps think about closing the curtains.”

Maggie flips the sign on the door to ‘Closed’ and they’re gone before either Aziraphale or Crowley manage to say anything. 

Aziraphale drops Crowley’s hand and Crowley takes his sunglasses off, pinching at the bridge of his nose. 

“The cheek of that woman,” Aziraphale offers, moving in the direction of the spiral staircase. “Not the worst idea, though.” 

And that leaves Crowley gobsmacked for a moment before he realizes that Aziraphale probably just means the bit about the curtains.

[learningdino]

Enhancing Early Learning with Montessori-Inspired Flashcards by Learning Dino

In the dynamic realm of early childhood education, fostering learning through interactive and engaging tools is paramount. One such innovative tool that has gained significant traction is the Montessori-inspired Early Learning Flashcards by Learning Dino. These flashcards, designed with a focus on real-life images and comprehensive coverage of various categories, serve as a valuable resource for parents and educators alike. In this blog, we delve into the multifaceted benefits of these flashcards and how they contribute to early learning and development.

Enhancing Learning Through Real-Life Images:

The essence of early learning lies in the connection between the child’s experiences and the educational materials provided. Learning Dino’s flashcards excel in this aspect by featuring real-life images of fruits, vegetables, colors, vehicles, animals, and household items. By incorporating images that children encounter in their daily lives, these flashcards facilitate a seamless transition from abstract concepts to tangible understanding. For instance, associating the image of an apple with its real-life counterpart helps children grasp the concept of fruits more effectively.

Comprehensive Coverage Across Various Categories:

Diversity in learning materials is key to catering to the holistic development of young learners. Learning Dino’s flashcards offer a comprehensive coverage of six essential categories: fruits, vegetables, colors, vehicles, animals, and household items. This breadth ensures that children are exposed to a wide array of vocabulary and concepts, laying a strong foundation for language acquisition and cognitive development. Moreover, the structured organization of these categories allows for systematic learning progression, enabling children to build upon their knowledge incrementally.

Promoting Multisensory Learning:

An integral aspect of Montessori education is the emphasis on multisensory learning experiences. Learning Dino’s flashcards embrace this principle by providing tactile engagement through their A6 size and rounded edges. The non-tearable and water-resistant properties enhance durability, making them suitable for both indoor and outdoor learning environments. Additionally, the incorporation of real-life images appeals to the visual senses, while parents and educators can supplement learning by incorporating auditory cues during flashcard sessions. This multisensory approach enriches the learning experience, making it more immersive and impactful for young learners.

Encouraging Active Parental Involvement:

Effective early learning extends beyond formal educational settings and relies heavily on active parental involvement. Learning Dino’s flashcards serve as a bridge between classroom learning and home environments, empowering parents to actively engage in their child’s educational journey. Through interactive flashcard sessions, parents can reinforce concepts introduced in school, facilitate language development, and nurture curiosity and exploration. Furthermore, the versatility of these flashcards allows for spontaneous learning opportunities during daily routines, such as identifying vegetables during grocery shopping or naming colors during playtime.

Facilitating Language Development and Conceptual Understanding:

Language acquisition is a fundamental aspect of early childhood development, and exposure to rich vocabulary plays a pivotal role in language proficiency. Learning Dino’s flashcards offer a plethora of words across various categories, enabling children to expand their vocabulary in a structured manner. Moreover, the contextual relevance of the images aids in conceptual understanding, as children learn to associate words with their corresponding objects or concepts. This contextual learning approach fosters deeper comprehension and retention, laying the groundwork for literacy skills development.

In the realm of early childhood education, fostering a love for learning and exploration is paramount. Learning Dino’s Montessori-inspired Early Learning Flashcards encapsulate this ethos by providing a versatile and engaging tool for young learners. Through real-life images, comprehensive coverage of categories, and a multisensory approach, these flashcards empower children to embark on a journey of discovery and knowledge acquisition. By incorporating these flashcards into early learning routines, parents and educators can nurture curiosity, promote language development, and lay a strong foundation for lifelong learning.

[creophagos]

[　𝙻𝙾𝙰𝙳𝙸𝙽𝙶 ...　]　HEADCANON.　➔　MAJIMA,　RYUJI.

ryuji's back tattoo, the nobori-ryū (ascending dragon), underwent a meticulous three-year creation process, incrementally expanding as he ascended the ranks within the yokohama underground. it is also in nukibori style, without any background.

it has a silver color scheme, with silver dragons symbolizing the purity of heart. in yakuza culture, ascending dragon motifs are found on those near the top of the chain. in short: the artist who decided on what tattoo to give ryuji saw that he would do great things. in addition to all the above, the dragon itself represents strength and vitality.

clutched tightly inside the dragon's claw is a pearl—a symbol of its power. ryuji's pursuit is not one of power acquisition or dominance over others; rather, his strength serves as a tool for protection.

[suzanmultimedia]

How to grow your business quickly

When you first launch your business, your main goal is to establish your brand and start growing. Unfortunately, this doesn’t happen overnight. Growth is an ongoing process that requires hard work, patience and dedication. There’s no special step or secret way to surpass other businesses in the industry or achieve immediate success.

How to measure business growth

There are a few factors to examine to gauge your business’s growth. Depending on your goals, you may prefer one factor over another, but analyzing them in context with one another can give you the clearest picture of how well your business is scaling.

Revenue: Revenue is a go-to metric in establishing business growth; after all, it’s the amount of money your company is bringing in. Revenue growth over time can be good, as it generally means you’re making more sales or higher-value sales. However, it’s important to balance revenue with expenses, because making more often means spending more.

Profit: A more important indicator than revenue is profit, which is what your company has netted over the course of a given period. When it comes to profit, a positive growth rate is great, but it doesn’t always tell the whole story. If your profit margin is healthy, even a flat profitability year over year might not be bad. But for new businesses, quick profitability growth should be a key focus.

Market share: Market share describes how dominant your business is in its space compared with competitors. For new companies breaking into an industry, growing market share rapidly is a major concern. Without gaining a significant foothold against your competitors, it will be hard to drive sales to grow revenue.

Customer acquisition: One of the best ways to grow market share is by focusing on lead generation and sales volume. By getting your brand in front of potential customers and then converting them to make a sale, you can grow your company’s market share and revenue at the same time.

Customer retention: Acquiring new customers helps you gain market share only if you retain those customers, so focusing on customer retention and improving this metric over time is also key to monitoring the growth of your business.

Team size: Growing your team is a significant expense, but the size of your team also represents how much you can do. Balancing a team that can meet operational needs with the payroll budget is a key challenge for every entrepreneur, so monitoring the growth of your team over time is particularly important.

Growth is important for any business, but it’s important to be smart about how you scale. Growing too quickly can leave you with a sizable payroll burden or customer demands you can’t meet, thereby setting you up for failure in the long run. Incremental growth and deliberate decisions about how to expand your operations and team are the best methods for establishing a business that’s set up for success well into the future. Keeping the tips above in mind is a great way to do just that.

[evenbutterfliescastshadows]

the fact that this isn't just an on/off toggle is infuriating to no end, along with basically every other incremental bit of damage done to this website since the yahoo acquisition.

i'm also trying to figure out how to switch my menu bar from the side back to the top where it used to be, this was recently changed and gives me ugly twitter vibes.

sad to see how much tumblr has devolved, yet i'll never leave because this site has my entire life experience from high school thru college archived.

the memories and connections with people are strong, they can't kill our spirit.

[renatoferreiradasilva]

The F-35 Enigma: A Costly Lesson in Lock-in and Diminishing Returns for the Defense Industry

By Renato Ferreira da Silva

The F-35 Lightning II, the most ambitious arms program in history, promised to revolutionize air warfare with its unparalleled stealth technology and sensor fusion. Yet, after decades of development and hundreds of billions of dollars invested, the aircraft has become a remarkable case study in the perils of technological lock-in, excessive complexity, and diminishing returns within the defense sector. For taxpayers and military strategists alike, the F-35 is a vivid reminder that "more expensive" doesn't always mean "better."

The Lock-in Trap: Too Big to Fail

The concept of lock-in describes a situation where the costs of switching from a system or technology become so prohibitive that the rational choice is to continue, even if superior or more economical alternatives exist. The F-35 embodies this perfectly.

Firstly, the sunk costs are monumental. The United States and its allies have already poured trillions of dollars into the program, from research and development to the acquisition of hundreds of aircraft. Discontinuing the F-35 now would mean invalidating these investments—a politically unfeasible and economically disastrous scenario. Governments face the harsh reality that cutting losses is, in practice, an admission of large-scale failure, with electoral and security repercussions.

Moreover, interoperability and standardization have created a global F-35 ecosystem. NATO nations and strategic partners have shaped their air forces around the aircraft, investing in specific infrastructure, training, and logistics. Breaking away would entail prohibitively high re-equipping costs and supply chain re-engineering, in addition to compromising the cohesion of military alliances. The reliance on the industrial base, with Lockheed Martin and its vast network of suppliers, adds another layer of pressure: jobs and critical defense capabilities are intrinsically tied to the program's continuation.

Complexity as a Hidden Price

The promise of an aircraft that could do "everything for everyone"—air superiority, ground attack, reconnaissance, with variants for different military branches—led to unprecedented complexity. The F-35 is less an aircraft and more a "flying computer" with wings, relying on millions of lines of software code to operate its most basic functions.

This software dependency generates hidden costs and persistent challenges. Continuous code development and maintenance are expensive bottlenecks, with bugs and updates delaying fleet readiness. Aircraft maintenance is equally burdensome, requiring highly specialized technicians and a global logistics system (the now-renamed ODIN) that, despite being designed for efficiency, has struggled to consistently deliver parts and support.

The result is a fleet readiness rate that often falls short of expectations, undermining the aircraft's nominal capability. An advanced machine, but one frequently in maintenance, yields a marginal return on investment.

Diminishing Returns: Where Investment Exceeds Output

Perhaps the most concerning aspect of the F-35 is that of diminishing returns. The pursuit of marginal performance increments – be it an enhancement in stealth or greater sensor integration – results in an exponentially higher cost. The program has reached a point where the additional strategic benefit for every billion dollars invested is progressively smaller.

This raises a crucial question: are we investing in over-engineered platforms when modern warfare might be shifting in directions that demand more distributed, adaptable, and perhaps more affordable solutions? The singular focus on the F-35 may be diverting resources from emerging areas like autonomous uncrewed systems, artificial intelligence, and cyber warfare, where smaller investments could yield far greater strategic impact.

The political economy of the F-35 is a vicious cycle: lock-in justified by sunk costs fuels complexity, which in turn generates diminishing returns, but the interconnectedness with the industrial base and national security makes it impossible to "pull the plug."

Lessons for the Future

The F-35 is, in many respects, an engineering triumph, but also a cautionary tale for global defense policymakers. The era of singularly expensive, multi-role military "platforms" may be reaching its limit of utility and cost-benefit. The future of defense may demand a more modular, flexible approach focused on interconnected systems, where resilience and adaptability outweigh reliance on a single, extremely high-cost asset.

Ignoring these lessons means condemning future generations of taxpayers to defense programs that, while technologically impressive, may become economic burdens with increasingly meager returns.

[simonhopes]

The Rise of Subscription-Based Business Models: A Game-Changer for Modern Commerce

In recent years, subscription-based business models have become a dominant force across multiple industries, transforming how products and services are delivered and consumed. From software and entertainment to food delivery and personal care, subscriptions are reshaping traditional sales models and enabling companies to build recurring revenue streams while forging stronger customer relationships.

This model, once primarily associated with magazines and newspapers, is now prevalent in both B2B and B2C sectors. With digital infrastructure and consumer behavior evolving rapidly, businesses are discovering that subscriptions not only offer financial predictability but also open the door to deeper engagement, loyalty, and personalization.

What Is a Subscription-Based Business Model?

A subscription-based model allows customers to pay a recurring fee—monthly, quarterly, or annually—to access a product or service. Instead of a one-time purchase, the value is delivered continuously over time. This could be access to cloud-based software (SaaS), streaming content, curated product boxes, or ongoing maintenance and support services.

The shift to this model is driven by a combination of technological enablement and consumer preference. Modern customers prefer flexibility, convenience, and personalized experiences—exactly what subscriptions are built to offer.

Benefits for Businesses

1. Predictable Revenue and Cash Flow

One of the biggest advantages for businesses is the predictability of income. Subscriptions enable consistent cash flow, making it easier to plan budgets, invest in growth initiatives, and make strategic decisions with confidence.

2. Customer Retention and Loyalty

With an ongoing relationship rather than a single transaction, businesses have the opportunity to increase customer lifetime value. Subscription models naturally encourage retention by continuously offering value and creating a habit around usage.

3. Data and Insights

Recurring interactions provide companies with a wealth of customer data. This enables tailored marketing, timely upgrades, and product improvements based on real-time feedback and behavioral trends.

4. Scalability

Most subscription models—especially digital ones—are highly scalable. Once infrastructure is in place, onboarding additional customers requires relatively low incremental cost, leading to stronger margins as the user base grows.

Popular Industries Leveraging Subscriptions

Software and Tech

Perhaps the most visible example is SaaS. Companies like Adobe, Microsoft, and Salesforce have moved from perpetual licenses to monthly and annual subscriptions, allowing users access to the latest features, updates, and cloud-based collaboration tools.

Entertainment and Media

Netflix, Spotify, and Disney+ have redefined how content is consumed. Instead of purchasing individual albums or DVDs, users now enjoy unlimited access under one flat fee.

E-commerce and Consumer Goods

Subscription boxes like Dollar Shave Club, Birchbox, and HelloFresh have revolutionized the way people shop for essentials, cosmetics, and meals—adding surprise, curation, and convenience to the equation.

Education and Learning

Online learning platforms are increasingly adopting subscriptions, offering unlimited course access, skill development paths, and certification programs under affordable monthly fees.

Challenges to Consider

Despite the clear benefits, transitioning to a subscription model isn’t without challenges. High customer acquisition costs, churn management, and maintaining consistent value delivery can be major hurdles. Moreover, businesses need to avoid the trap of overpromising and underdelivering, which can quickly erode trust and retention.

To succeed, companies must invest in seamless onboarding, exceptional customer support, and clear communication of benefits. Subscription fatigue is also a growing concern, with many users overwhelmed by the number of recurring charges in their lives. Therefore, businesses need to justify their subscription's value consistently and compellingly.

Building a Successful Subscription Strategy

For companies considering the shift to a subscription model, the following components are key:

Flexible pricing tiers to cater to different audience segments.

Free trials to let users experience value before committing.

Loyalty programs to reward long-term subscribers.

User-centric design for frictionless sign-up, usage, and cancellation.

Regular updates and communication to show ongoing improvement.

Integrating these elements can foster a sense of trust and demonstrate long-term commitment to customer satisfaction.

When presenting or pitching new subscription strategies, having access to proper terminology and business communication tools is essential. Platforms like businessphrases.net provide valuable phrases, templates, and expressions tailored for business professionals to effectively convey their ideas, especially in strategic planning and marketing contexts.

The Future of Subscriptions

As consumers increasingly seek experiences over ownership, the appeal of subscription models will only grow. We’re already witnessing hybrid approaches—like “subscribe and own” or “freemium to premium” upgrades—blending traditional and recurring models to suit different audience needs.

Emerging technologies such as AI and blockchain are also enhancing subscription services. AI helps personalize offerings, while blockchain ensures transparency and trust in digital transactions. Additionally, business-to-business subscriptions are evolving, with companies offering software, insights, and advisory services on a recurring basis—creating long-term partnerships rather than one-off contracts.

Conclusion

Subscription-based business models have fundamentally changed how companies operate and how customers interact with brands. With benefits ranging from predictable revenue and customer loyalty to data-driven personalization, it’s no surprise that this model continues to expand across industries.

However, the key to long-term success lies in delivering consistent value, adapting to customer needs, and maintaining transparency. As the digital economy continues to evolve, businesses that refine and innovate their subscription strategies will remain at the forefront of growth and customer engagement.

[aimarketresearch]

Dysphagia Market Size, Share, Trends, Growth Opportunities and Competitive Outlook

Executive Summary Dysphagia Market :

Global dysphagia market size was valued at USD 3.56 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach USD 5.38 billion by 2032, with a CAGR of 5.30% during the forecast period of 2025 to 2032.

An influential Dysphagia Market report looks over the market with respect to general market conditions, market improvement, market scenarios, development, cost and profit of the specified market regions, position, and comparative pricing between major players. To get knowledge of all the above factors, a transparent, extensive, and supreme-quality report is created. This market document has been prepared with the thorough market analysis carried out by a team of industry experts, dynamic analysts, skillful forecasters, and well-informed researchers. Key players in the market, major collaborations, merger and acquisitions along with trending innovation and business policies are also reviewed in Dysphagia Market report.

Market research covered in the winning Dysphagia Market business report helps the management of a firm in planning by providing precise and up- to-date information about the consumer’s demands, their changing tastes, attitudes, preferences, and buying intentions etc. The report also includes a comprehensive evaluation of the market’s growth prospects and restrictions. The industry analysis report provides guidelines about planning of advertising and sales promotion efforts. With the data covered in this report, Market of goods can be made efficient and economical which leads to elimination of all type of wastage. Thus, Dysphagia Market report is a crucial model to have increments in business activities, qualitative work done, and enhanced profits.

Discover the latest trends, growth opportunities, and strategic insights in our comprehensive Dysphagia Market report. Download Full Report: https://www.databridgemarketresearch.com/reports/global-dysphagia-market

Dysphagia Market Overview

**Segments**

- **By Type:** The dysphagia market can be segmented by type into oropharyngeal dysphagia and esophageal dysphagia. Oropharyngeal dysphagia occurs in the mouth and throat, while esophageal dysphagia occurs in the esophagus, affecting the ability to swallow. - **By End-User:** This market can also be segmented by end-user into hospitals, clinics, ambulatory surgical centers, and home care settings. Each end-user segment has specific needs and requirements when it comes to managing and treating dysphagia. - **By Region:** Geographically, the global dysphagia market can be segmented into North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, Latin America, and Middle East & Africa. Each region may have different prevalence rates and treatment protocols for dysphagia.

**Market Players**

- **Nestlé Health Science:** They offer a range of dysphagia products under the brand name Resource ThickenUp Clear, which is a thickening powder used to modify the consistency of liquids and foods for individuals with swallowing difficulties. - **Kent Precision Foods Group:** This company provides a variety of thickening agents and pre-thickened beverages for dysphagia management, catering to both healthcare facilities and home settings. - **Fresenius Kabi:** Known for their nutritional products, Fresenius Kabi offers a line of dysphagia-specific foods and supplements to support patients with swallowing disorders. - **Cipla:** This pharmaceutical company has developed formulations and medications to address underlying causes of dysphagia, such as muscle weakness or neurological conditions. - **Others:** Other players in the global dysphagia market include Medtronic, Cook Medical, and SimplyThick, each offering unique products and solutions for managing dysphagia.

For more insights and in-depth analysis, refer to: The global dysphagia market is experiencing significant growth due to various factors such as an aging population, increasing prevalence of neurological disorders, and a rising awareness about dysphagia among healthcare providers and patients. One of the key trends shaping the market is the focus on developing innovative dysphagia management products and therapies that improve patient outcomes and quality of life. Market players are investing in research and development to introduce advanced solutions that address the diverse needs of individuals with swallowing difficulties.

As the dysphagia market continues to evolve, market players are expanding their product portfolios and strategic partnerships to strengthen their position in the competitive landscape. Collaborations with healthcare facilities and research institutions are essential for gaining insights into patient needs and preferences, which can guide the development of tailored solutions for dysphagia management. Moreover, market players are also investing in marketing and promotional activities to raise awareness about dysphagia and the available treatment options among healthcare professionals and patients.

In terms of market segmentation, there is a growing emphasis on personalized medicine and patient-centric care in the dysphagia market. By understanding the distinct needs of different patient populations, market players can develop targeted products and services that improve treatment adherence and efficacy. Additionally, the integration of digital health technologies such as telemedicine and remote monitoring tools is transforming the way dysphagia is diagnosed and managed, enabling more personalized and convenient care delivery for patients.

Geographically, North America and Europe are key regions driving growth in the global dysphagia market, owing to the presence of well-established healthcare infrastructure, high healthcare expenditure, and increasing research and development activities in the field of dysphagia management. However, Asia-Pacific and Latin America are emerging as lucrative markets for dysphagia products and services, driven by a growing geriatric population and rising healthcare awareness in these regions.

Looking ahead, the global dysphagia market is poised for significant expansion as market players continue to innovate and collaborate to address the unmet needs of individuals with swallowing difficulties. By leveraging the latest advancements in medical technology, personalized medicine, and patient care, market players can make a positive impact on the lives of patients with dysphagia and contribute to the overall growth and development of the market.The global dysphagia market is a rapidly evolving sector driven by various factors such as the aging population, increasing incidence of neurological disorders, and growing awareness among healthcare professionals and patients. Market players are continuously striving to develop innovative products and therapies that enhance the quality of life for individuals with swallowing difficulties. This emphasis on innovation is evident in the expansion of product portfolios and strategic collaborations within the market. By partnering with healthcare facilities and research institutions, companies gain valuable insights into patient needs and preferences, which, in turn, enable the development of tailored solutions for dysphagia management. These partnerships also facilitate the introduction of personalized medicine approaches, leading to more effective and patient-centric care.

Moreover, the integration of digital health technologies is reshaping the landscape of dysphagia diagnosis and treatment. Telemedicine and remote monitoring tools are increasingly being used to provide personalized and convenient care for dysphagia patients. These technologies not only improve access to healthcare services but also allow for more efficient management of swallowing disorders. As market players continue to invest in research and development, we can expect to see more advancements in digital health solutions that further enhance the delivery of dysphagia care.

Regionally, North America and Europe currently lead the global dysphagia market due to their well-established healthcare infrastructure and high levels of healthcare spending. However, Asia-Pacific and Latin America are emerging as attractive markets for dysphagia products and services. The increasing geriatric populations in these regions, coupled with a growing awareness of healthcare, present significant opportunities for market expansion. Market players are likely to focus on these regions to capitalize on the increasing demand for dysphagia management solutions.

In conclusion, the dysphagia market is poised for substantial growth as market players continue to innovate and collaborate to address the needs of individuals with swallowing difficulties. By leveraging advancements in medical technology, personalized medicine, and digital health solutions, companies can make a positive impact on patient outcomes and contribute to the overall advancement of the market. As the market evolves, we can anticipate a greater focus on patient-centric care, tailored solutions, and strategic partnerships to drive the growth and development of the global dysphagia market.

The Dysphagia Market is highly fragmented, featuring intense competition among both global and regional players striving for market share. To explore how global trends are shaping the future of the top 10 companies in the keyword market.

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Key questions answered in the report:

What will the market development pace of the Dysphagia Market?

What are the key factors driving the Global Dysphagia Market?

Who are the key manufacturers in the Dysphagia Marketspace?

What are the market openings, market hazard and market outline of the Dysphagia Market?

What are sales, revenue, and price analysis of top manufacturers of Dysphagia Market?

Who are the distributors, traders, and dealers of Dysphagia Market?

What are the Dysphagia Market opportunities and threats faced by the vendors in the Global Dysphagia Marketindustries?

What are deals, income, and value examination by types and utilizations of the Dysphagia Market?

What are deals, income, and value examination by areas of enterprises?

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