#rental business profitability | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

batboyblog · 7 months

Text

Things Biden and the Democrats did, this week #7

Feb 23-March 1 2024

The White House announced $1.7 Billion in new commitments from local governments, health care systems, charities, business and non-profits as part of the White House Challenge to End Hunger and Build Healthy Communities. The Challenge was launched with 8 billion dollars in 2022 with the goal of ending hunger in America by 2030. The Challenge also seeks to drastically reduce diet-related diseases (like type 2 diabetes). As part of the new commitments 16 city pledged to make plans to end hunger by 2030, the largest insurance company in North Carolina made nutrition coaching and a healthy food delivery program a standard benefit for members, and since the challenge launched the USDA's Summer EBT program has allowed 37 states to feed children over the summer, its expected 21 million low income kids will use the program this summer.

The US House passed a bill on Nuclear energy representing the first update in US nuclear energy policy in decades, it expands the Nuclear Regulatory Commission and reduces reducing licensing fees. Nuclear power represents America's single largest source of clean energy, with almost half of carbon-free electricity coming from it. This bill will boost the industry and make it easier to build new plants

Vice President Harris announced key changes to the Child Care & Development Block Grant (CCDBG) program. The CCDBG supports the families of a million American children every month to help afford child care. The new changes include capping the co-pay families pay to no more than 7% of their income. Studies show that high income families pay 6-8% of their income in childcare while low income families pay 31%. The cap will reduce or eliminate fees for 100,000 families saving them an average of over $200 a month. The changes also strength payments to childcare providers insuring prompt payment.

The House passed a bill making changes to the Small Business Administration’s 8(a) program. The 8(a) is an intensive 9 year program that offers wide ranging training and support to small business owners who are socially and economically disadvantaged, predominantly native owned businesses. Under the current structure once a business reaches over 6.8 million in assets they're kicked off the program, even though the SBA counts anything under $10 million as a small business, many companies try to limit growth to stay on the program. The House also passed a bill to create an Office of Native American Affairs at the SBA, in order to support Native-owned small businesses.

The White House and HUD announced steps to boost the housing supply and lower costs plans include making permanent the Federal Financing Bank Risk Sharing program, the program has created 12,000 affordable housing units since 2021 with $2 billion and plans 38,000 additional units over ten years. As well as support for HUD's HOME program which has spent $4.35 billion since 2021 to build affordable rental homes and make home ownership a reality for Americans. For the first time an administration is making funds available specifically for investments in manufactured housing, $225 million. 20 million Americans live in manufactured housing, the largest form of unsubsidized affordable housing in the country, particularly the rural poor and people in tribal communities.

The Department of Energy announced $336 million in investments in rural and remote communities to lower energy costs and improve reliability. The projects represent communities in 20 states and across 30 Native tribes. 21% of Navajo Nation homes and 35% of Hopi Indian Tribe homes remain unelectrified, one of the projects hopes to bring that number to 0. Another project supports replacing a hydroelectric dam in Alaska replacing all the Chignik Bay Tribal Council's diesel power with clear hydro power. The DoE also announced $18 million for Transformative Energy projects lead by tribal or local governments and $25 million for Tribal clean energy projects, this comes on top of $75 million in Tribal clean energy projects in 2023

Transportation Secretary Pete Buttigieg put forward new rules to ensure airline passengers who use wheelchairs can travel safely and with dignity. Under the planned rules mishandling a wheelchair would be a violation of the ACAA, airlines would be required to immediately notify the passenger of their rights. Airlines would be required to repair or replace the wheelchair at the preferred vendor of the passenger's choice as well as provide a loaner wheelchair that fits the passenger's needs/requirements

The EPA launched a $3 Billion dollar program to help ports become zero-emission. This investment in green tech and zero-emission will help important transportation hubs fight climate change and replace some of the largest concentrations of diesel powered heavy equipment in America.

the EPA announced $1 Billion dollars to help clean up toxic Superfund sites. This is the last of $3.5 billion the Biden administration has invested in cleaning up toxic waste sites known as Superfund sites. This investment will help finish clean up at 85 sites across the country as well as start clean up at 25 new sites. Many Superfund sites are contained and then left not cleaned for years even decades. Thanks to the Biden-Harris team's investment the EPA has been able to do more clean up of Superfund sites in the last 2 years than the 5 years before it. More than 25% of America's black and hispanic population live with-in 5 miles of a Superfund site.

Bonus: Sweden cleared the final major barrier to become NATO's 32nd member. The Swedish Foreign Minster is expected to fly to Washington to deposit the articles of accession at the US State Department. NATO membership for Sweden and its neighbor Finland (joined last year) has been a major foreign policy goal of President Biden in the face of Russian aggressive against Ukraine. Former President Trump has repeatedly attacked NATO and declared he wants to leave the 75 year old Alliance, even going so far as to tell Russia to "do whatever the hell they want" with European NATO allies

#Thanks Biden #Joe Biden #Politics #US politics #Democrats #Climate change #end hunger #hunger #proverty #disability #native Americans #tribal rights #clean energy #child care #housing #housing crisis

772 notes · View notes

eatmangoesnekkid · 1 month

Text

I don’t live my life thinking a lot about money, trying to ‘get’ more money, or not having enough money yet I am not motivated by money either. The act of receiving more money does not make me rush to hurry up and finalize my books or open up my school. I can’t remember the last time I worried about money because having money is an intimate frequency and energy of FREEDOM. You have to break the frequencies of constantly penny-pinching, being stingy, allowing how much money you have in the bank to dictate your mood or living afraid to buy the very things that you need that will expand or evolve you, which is not the same thing as shopping all the time as a coping mechanism for being human, incurring consumer debt or being irresponsible and reckless with your money. And your life force will never thrive when you are a slave or prisoner to money.

The Practical and Spiritual Journey to Making More Money —You Must Enlist Your Warrior and Your Energy

You have to look at earning money like a game and enjoy growing your money and playing the game or else you never win. Not just saving or hoarding it away in your bra but allowing your money to work for you while you sleep like putting it in stocks. I have a degree in Accounting and have always believed that women were born to be skilled in financials but we are socialized to perceive ourselves not. But when you were born with a womb, you are naturally gifted at multiplying a seed into something much larger and intelligent like a whole baby. You are a natural amplifier, nourishing and growing what has been received. Be willing to look into investments and not be afraid of accumulating “healthy debt” and learn to move your money around in order to grow it. Look to investing part of your earnings into different funds, even if it is just cutting back on buying coffee and putting that money you would have paid for a daily coffee into a savings that will accrue and be used to invest in the future. If you already have cash flow, getting rental property to airbnb or sell (everyone I know that is quietly wealth-oriented owns at least 2-3 homes) which can be overwhelming to think about when living pay check-to-pay check but just beginning to think about how you can earn more money from your own money passively gets the ball rolling in your consciousness like what would it be like to open up a laundry mat, build it up and sell it in a few years for huge profit? Laundry mat ownership is such a fast lucrative business, just like what you see in the hood in movies. Or buy a raggedy house, build it up and sell it for a higher cost and incredible profit. Some of you straight and bi women entrepreneurs who are ready for good lovers must find love and attraction with lovers who are builders and handymen and can help to upscale and modernize your home that you can then resale for great profit and stop messing with dusties who have zero skill sets and create more stress on your life. 🙏🏿 Because when you live a highly stressful, parasympathetic, flight or fight life, the first thing you lose is your sexual desire or libido i.e. your umlimited creative power. No thank you!

If you have a spiritual business like me, you can do deals underneath the table but also work towards a LLC to legitimize your company which gives you tax breaks and allows you to earn more money. Something about going through the channels to make something official moves it from just being a hobby to a legit business. As magical spiritual woman, your power move is to attract someone willing to invest in your work as a start-up. If you do, you must cherish this person, love this person with all your heart, hips and soul (if the relationship is romantic but of course it can also be platonic or familial, either way, love this person), adore them deep and true. The person, this angelic being, this God, is saving you massive stress and headache. Their presence in your life serves a larger purpose —you must help them to understand this because our world teaches us to be so fearful and suspicious of being helped or helping someone rather than gracious and honored. Too many people are missing out on great blessings of interdependence because they live afraid and suspicious of the big heart of another human. So sad that many amazing beautiful people are stuck in their little corners hoarding away and missing out on healing, thriving, and experiencing the gifts and/or talents of another human because of how we have been wired to perceive the desire to meet one another’s needs and desires by status quo culture. To be a woman who can love someone in ways that relax their body so deeply that they can finally get out of their head and rest well and regenerate their tissues at night is incredibly priceless.

**This is not the same thing as looking for a handout, walking around broken like the world owes you something or hoping someone will help because you tell a victimization story. It is about being mature and resourceful and consciously manifesting what is needed and not simply what would be cool or cute potentially through love and loving.

But not every woman is ready or qualified for the aforementioned experience because you do have to develop skills that will be greatly useful, nourishing, nurturing, decompressing, relaxing or expansive or beneficial in other ways to another person. You can’t just be attractive or whatever. You have to be a woman who has developed a certain ease and peace in her body and life first and and that is what joining my school and online temple will help you master. And I personally believe you must also really love someone if the harmony is right because 1. love is incredible and healthy for the body to experience for however long it lasts 2. love is essential for the brightest sustained outcome. I’m not talking about the “sprinkle, sprinkle“ foolishness being promoted online. I am advocating for more love between people and all that comes with truly loving someone.

Be so skillful in your mature womanhood that you don't run from challenges, but face and engage them head on, and refine, recalibrate, and evolve beyond them. Never lose the boundaries that you are running a business albeit a spiritual one but still a business. Stay devoted and disciplined, both are essential. Work towards hiring people who can help you scale and grow eventually.

The Spiritual Journey to Making More Money—You Must Invoke Your Lover

The key to having more money is to learn to surrender and trust and truly allow the universe to be your provider, which is not an intellectual idea but a frequency of feminine energy. This is less about gender and more about the willingness to live a little bit beyond the egoic surface layer of reality of urgency that tells you to hurry and produce, to hoard or take or trigger you to constantly need to check off a to-do list, always needing to plan or to cross your t’s and dot your i’s which will allow you to buy that nice house and cute car eventually, but could greatly inhibit your energy from flowing where you never really can feel the joy of a simple moment pulse up your spine because you live in stress and overwork for external things that never make you fully truly happy.

No matter what stage of life you are, the undercurrent of your reality must feel like more relaxation and freedom if you want to have more money but not exhaust yourself in rigorous pursuit and constant labor for it.

I had to learn to draw in the frequency of freedom—to laugh at myself, to play, to rest, to relax, to do silly shit like twirling throughout my day —when life was very stressful, drama was high, and money was low. Neighbors would see me twirling. I would sometimes twirl for customers whose shopping totals were over 200 dollars. Because changing frequencies or weaving new realities is most potent when life is hard. You have to discover strategic ways to do the things you really want to do in life but was told you couldn’t afford. You must also have this hunger and desire to play the game of life to win while laughing at yourself along the way as you refine more and more and develop intimacy with the currencies of relaxation, love and freedom, which naturally include having more money.

But do not just copy and paste and take from others. Give. —India Ame’ye

Keep me away from the wisdom which does not cry, the philosophy which does not laugh and the greatness which does not bow before children.

Kahlil Gibran, Mirrors of the Soul

Chapter: The Money Drop (unedited)

206 notes · View notes

city-of-ladies · 2 months

Text

"Here’s what we know about Julia Felix: she lived in Pompeii from at least 62 CE. She was possibly illegitimate but was definitely not a member of the social and cultural elite. She worked for a living setting up and running a very interesting business and, by 79 CE, she had planned to shift her focus from managing a business to owning property. We know all these things because twentieth-century excavations at her business uncovered an advert, carved in stone and attached to the external wall of her huge building. It reads:

"To rent for the period of five years from the thirteenth day of next August to the thirteenth day of the sixth August, the Venus Bath fitted for the nogentium, shops with living quarters over the shops, apartments on the second floor located in the building of Julia Felix, daughter of Spurius. At the end of five years, the agreement is terminated."

This find illuminated the building it was attached to, bringing what otherwise looked like a very large anonymous domestic house into dazzling focus. With this description of the purpose of each room written by the owner herself, archaeologists and historians could see the site through a whole new lens and they realised that they had discovered a Roman entertainment space for the working middle classes. It is, so far, a completely unique find and it is magnificent. It offers us, as modern viewers, two amazing things: a little glimpse into the lives of the commercial classes of the Roman Empire who are so often completely and utterly invisible, and a brutal reminder that so much of what we ‘know’ about Roman women in the Roman world comes from rules concerning only the most elite.

We’ll do that second part first, because it’s the least fun. Roman written and legal sources are pretty universal in their agreement that although women could own property, they could not control it; they had no legal rights, could not make contracts and were to be treated as minors by the legal system for their entire lives. In order to buy or sell property women required a male guardian to oversee and sign off on any transactions. This is a basic truism of women in the Roman Empire, repeated ad nauseum by sources both ancient and modern including me, and it is undermined by Julia Felix’s rental notice.

The rental ad makes it pretty clear that Julia Felix is the owner-operator of a business complex including public baths, shops and apartments (there’s more too, as we’ll see), and she doesn’t seem to require anyone else to help her rent it out. She names her father – sort of; ‘Spurius’ might just mean that she is illegitimate – but this is effectively a surname, a personal identifier to differentiate her from other Julia Felixes in the area. It doesn’t mean her father was involved. Furthermore, the use of her father’s name as an identifier suggests that Julia didn’t have a husband and was either unmarried or widowed in 79 CE. The strong implication of her advert is that Julia Felix was an independent lady, a honey making money and a momma profiting dollars who could truthfully throw her hands up to Destiny’s Child.

We will never know if Julia escaped the flames and choking ash of 79 CE, fleeing as it swallowed her business and her home, but one discovery, made on 28 January 1952, suggests that she didn’t. The archaeologists, led by Amedeo Maiuri, uncovered on that day the skeleton of a woman who had fallen while running across the garden during the disaster. It’s clear this fallen woman was well off, because she was wearing a lot of gold jewellery. She carried four gold half-hoop earrings and wore four gold rings. Two of these rings were particularly expensive; both contained a red carnelian gem, one carved with a figure of Mercury, the other with an eagle. Around her neck she wore a necklace of gold filigree, dotted with ten pearls and hung with a green pendant. Someone stole both the necklace and earrings from the Pompeii Antiquarium in 1975 and no one, somehow, had ever bothered to photograph them so all we have are descriptions but the rings that survive are fine and expensive. The woman who wore them – was wearing them when she died – had real money to buy these objects and the woman who wore them did'nt leave Pompei in time.

Moreover, when she was found it was clear that at the moment of her death she was heading not towards the street or towards safety, but towards the shrine to Isis in the garden where all the most valuable possessions were kept. The valuable possessions that Julia Felix grafted for and maybe couldn’t bear to leave behind. There’s no way to tell whether this skeleton is Julia Felix, whether these bones once stood and looked at the plots of land Julia bought and made plans, or whether they belong to a looter or a chancer or someone just caught out. But it’s nice to pretend that Julia Felix, who shaped the city’s roads around her dream and offered respite and luxury to workers and made a tonne of money doing it, died and was buried with the place that still bears her name."

A Rome of One's Own: The Forgotten Women of the Roman Empire, Emma Southon

#julia felix #historyedit #history #women in history #ancient rome #pompei #businesswomen #italy #italian history #roman history #roman empire #1st century #historyblr #historical figures

208 notes · View notes

bitchinbarzal · 1 year

Text

Always Our Daughter | N Hischier

summary; even after you split, his mom will always consider you her daughter.

In all of your time with Nico, you’d always been close to his mother. Katja had treated you like a second daughter from the moment Nico had brought you home.

So when you split up she was heartbroken. You felt sorry to be loosing a second family but you knew this was best for you both.

Nina reached out a few times to check on you but they all went radio silent for a few weeks until you got a text from his mom.

hi sweetheart, just checking in! you’ve been busy! it’s been so strange not having you around, we’re so proud of you! Please reach out if you ever need anything — you’ll always be our daughter.

It felt nice that she thought about you.

It was a little sad how you felt. You missed them.

Everything was changing; you’d moved out of your shared apartment in Hoboken and up to Buffalo for cheaper rent. Your mom had taken all of your belongings out of your shared home back in Bern.

She’d sent you a picture of the house almost completely empty, considering you’d bought the house together in the off season you were the only one who was able to stay in Switzerland to decorate and Nico didn’t get much of a say.

you moved! your mother showed us pictures of your new house, it’s gorgeous! please let us know if you’ll be visiting us on your trip back to Bern this Christmas, we miss you so much.

When you finally found a place you got to work making it yours, trying to make it home.

you’d never lived alone, constantly moving from rental to rental in Jersey to accommodate Nico’s lifestyle. Your first apartment was perfect and you’d considered buying it but as the internet does, fans had shared your address online and you then had to move a further seven times for the same reasons.

When you’d finally settled on your home in Bern you had planned to make it your own, you made countless Pinterest boards for each room.

You stayed up late nights in the bedroom, laying on the mattress on the floor holding one another while you spoke about all of the things you’d do to the house and all of the memories it would hold.

You spoke about how you’d get married in the garden, how you’d bring your children home here and how you’d decorate their nursery’s.

you went to South Africa?! how was it, sweetheart? you always said you wanted to go… I saw on facebook you’re dating someone new, is he nice? We’d love to meet him. miss you sweetheart.

When Nico had finally settled payment and given you your half of the money for the house you decided to go on vacation. A vacation you’d spoken about going on with Nico countless times but hadn’t gotten around to it.

On the plane you’d been sat next to a guy who you got chatting with. He told you he was headed to Johannesburg to do work, he worked with a non profit.

The two of you spent the entire flight chatting away, getting to know one another and before you parted ways at the airport you exchanged phone numbers with the promise to call when you got back to the US.

hi sweetheart, your mother told us you got a new job! Congratulations sweetheart you’ll be great.

After you’d gotten home and Alex called you, he showed you all the stuff he’d done in South Africa and you were enamoured with it and began complaining about your job and how you wanted to help more people.

Being the captains girlfriend in New Jersey meant you took lead on fundraisers and community events, you missed it.

So Alex told you about an event organiser position that was open in his company so you went for the interview and got it.

It felt nice to be helping make a difference again.

happy new year love. it was so nice to see you last week, congratulations to you and alex. you’re going to be an amazing mother, nobody deserves this more than you. can’t wait to meet this little one! don’t become a stranger please…. we love you! x

Things with Alex moved quickly. He moved into your apartment, the two of you settled into a routine and only a few months in you found out you were pregnant.

It was a massive shock and you were something bordering excited and disappointed. You liked Alex, truly you did and it was nice to be sharing your life with someone again but this was all a lot happening in such a short period of time.

Whenever you thought about having babies you always imagined them with brunette hair, Nico’s nose crinkle and his beautiful big eyes.

You called your mom and cried for a little bit, she tried her very best to soothe you. At one point you considered calling Nico, just wanting someone who would make you feel better.

it’s been a while! A little girl…. congratulations sweetheart, not long until she’s here. nico sends his well wishes, Nina shared your photos with him I hope you don’t mind. let us know if you got our gift in the mail.

A little girl.

You posted it on instagram, a heart shaped cake with pink icing inside with the caption ‘my sweet slice of heaven ☁️🩷’

Nico saw it, everyone saw it. They all tried avoiding the conversation in the locker room but Nina sent it straight to him ‘HAVE YOU SEEN THIS?!? THAT SHOULD BE YOURS!!!’

Things with Alex hadn’t been so smooth sailing, he’d been making off handed comments about your body and you guys had been arguing about finances, with the additional costs of a baby coming you were trying to be smart. That wasn’t something you’d ever had to worry about with Nico, he’d fight you to keep your credit card in your purse. He always said his money was the least he could give you for everything you’d ever given him.

oh sweetheart. claudia is just perfect. she looks exactly like you and she’s got the chubbiest little cheeks. your mom told us what’s happened the past few months, I’m so sorry sweetheart, someday someone will come into your lives for you both and change it for the best. one day claudia will know just how strong her mommy is. we’re always here to support you; we’re so glad you reconnected with nico. he’s been showing us all the pictures and videos you send him, we’re so excited to meet her someday. take care of yourself schatz, we’ll see you when you come home x

Claudia, the love of your life.

Your babygirl was born and she was perfect. Everyone said she looked like you which you were grateful for, not a reminder of Alex who had taken off just before she was born.

You freaked out when you went into labour, all alone with nobody to call so you called the only person you knew you could rely on.

He was by your side, holding your hand and whispering words of encouragement in your ear.

“I can’t do it! I can’t!”

“You can Schatz, you can. You’re so strong you can” you cried out in pain, squeezing his hand tighter.

He named her.

“Does she have a name?” He asks, stroking the little girls cheek.

“Alex wanted to call her Emma but I don’t like it” you scrunched your nose in discontent “My mom gave me a book of Swiss names but Alex wouldn’t even let me look at it he didn’t like-“

“How about Claudia?” He asks and your eyes go wide before you give a soft smile, remembering back to the first night in your house, holding one another while you said

“and our babies! if it’s a girl, Claudia and if it’s a boy I’d like to use Luca”

You nod, eyes full of tears “Claudia… hi babygirl”

Even after you’d gotten home and settled into life with your little girl you kept in contact with Nico. He asked for updates at least four times a day and you would FaceTime when he was on the road.

The devils last game of the season was against the sabres and you took Claudia to her first NHL game.

Nico found you both, standing next to the ice he waved to the baby through the plexi

“Hi, Chäferli!”

happy birthday to Claudia! we can’t wait to give her gift, we may have gone a little overboard but you can’t blame us… she’s our first grandbaby!! love you and we’ll see you three later at her party.

“Happy birthday Chäferli!” Nico shouted, peppering kisses all over the one year olds face as she sat in her high chair eating her cupcake delivered specially from the team.

Your camera shutter caught both of their attention, the two looking over at you with smiles and you shrugged “Capturing the memories”

Nico shakes his head, unclipping Claudia from her high chair and waltzing over to where you stood in the kitchen with your camera pushing the camera down from your face to kiss you softly

“Best day of our lives” he mumbled and you stroked Claudia’s cheek while nodding

“Our precious girl, you made this family”

#nico hischier imagine #nico hischier x reader #nhl imagine

742 notes · View notes

probablyasocialecologist · 4 months

Text

In Almería lies the world's largest concentration of commercial greenhouses, often referred to as ‘the sea of plastic’. This vast expanse of polytunnels, housing millions of kilos of fruits and vegetables mainly destined for export, stretches for hundreds of kilometers, a white panorama until the horizon. Also within this sea of plastic dwell the migrant workers who work to ensure Europe's supermarkets are stocked year-round. While they perform the vital task of ensuring Europe's all-season access to fresh produce, these workers often live in a state of physical and institutional vulnerability. This state of affairs remained largely hidden, until recent shocks like the Covid-19 pandemic and armed conflicts exposed the fragility of our food supply chains. Spain issues approximately 150,000 permits annually for seasonal laborers (European Parliament 2021). However, within just the province of Almería, there are more than 100,000 migrants working in greenhouses, 80% of them holding undocumented status in the country. This lack of legal recognition leaves the workers off official records, denying them universal rights such as labour rights and access to formal rental contracts. It is a dire situation that forces many to call the shanty towns surrounding the greenhouses their homes. During my research, I often heard how some workers pay up to 6,000 euros annually to greenhouse managers for the working contracts necessary to seek legal status in the country, turning the quest for legalization into a profitable business. Almería serves as a primary entry point for migrants traveling from West and North African countries to Europe. For those who cross the Mediterranean without visas - the majority of greenhouse laborers - this work is virtually the only option for income generation on arrival. While informal greenhouse jobs provide financial support to workers and their families back in their home countries, they also perpetuate vulnerability in livelihoods and employment, highlighting and embedding a stark contrast between EU citizens enjoying affordable food and the undocumented migrant workers compelled to work in precarious conditions to provide it.

#almeria #food #agriculture #europe #food security

145 notes · View notes

seat-safety-switch · 1 year

Text

Today's technology industry is all about one thing: selling dumb shit to idiots, then going bankrupt. You might not think that this is a profitable business, and you'd be right. One of these days, I'll figure out exactly why this keeps happening, but in the meantime, these companies sure leave a lot of waste behind.

There's the obvious things: office furniture, giant neon signs of the founder's head, the occasional electrical test gear. What you don't think of is transportation. Every big company, though, is gonna need at least one company car. You can't ask the employees to drive their own cars across town for a business meeting, and the not-really-a-taxi taxi service just shut down and set off a bomb in their headquarters to stick it to the landlord.

Usually, these cars are one of the first things to go. Cars are easy to get rid of, especially fleet cars. Everyone needs one, they're a durable store of value, and you can do skids with them. Mostly, though, they're too big for the auditors to miss, even when they're working in a hurry before the sheriff padlocks their access to the supply warehouse. That was the case with the local scooter rental company, which went belly up a few weeks ago and left electric scooters strewn all over the city, their modems blinking in search of a server that was now partially dismantled and used to mine Poochpoints in Southeast China.

Although I had to fight off a lot of other scrappers when I heard the news, I still managed to fill an entire trunk full of the scooters. Which means it's finally time for me to go electric, although I admit that the conventional view of a motor vehicle by Big Government is not "thirty-six electric scooters leashed together and controlled like a dogsled, careening the back third of a Dodge Neon through the city at upwards of a buck-eighty." Really a failure of imagination on their part. That's why they need the forward-looking innovation of these brave founders who aren't afraid to go bankrupt doing whatever crackhead shit they came up with this week. Keep changing the world, that's what I say.

514 notes · View notes

razorroy · 13 days

Text

Kamala Harris vs. Donald Trump

Tax plan Trump and Harris have competing tax plans. Both nominees' plans would have to be passed by Congress, which has the power of the purse. Here's what Harris has proposed so far:

Harris says she'd provide bigger tax benefits for families but would offset the costs by raising corporate taxes, while Trump has said he'd extend the tax cuts enacted in 2017.

Under Harris' tax plan, according to an analysis by the Penn Wharton Budget Model, 95% of Americans would see lower taxes, and higher earners would pay more taxes. The top 0.1% — whose annual average income exceeds $14 million — would pay about $167,000 more in taxes.

Harris wants to eliminate federal taxes on tips, which Trump first proposed.

She also says she wants to provide a financial cushion for small businesses with a tenfold increase in the startup expense deduction — lifting it from $5,000 to $50,000. New businesses wouldn't need to claim the deduction in their first year, when many take losses and would not be able to use it. Instead, they'd be able to wait until they're profitable and use the deduction at that time. Businesses would also be able to take part of the deduction in one year and save the rest for future years.

Child tax credit

After Trump's running mate JD Vance pitched boosting the child tax credit to $5,000, up from the current top tax break of $2,000, Harris one-upped Vance's number, suggesting a child tax credit of $6,000, although this would be for the parents of newborns.

Harris also suggests a return to the pandemic-era expansion of the child tax credit, up to $3,600 for young children. She hasn't released income eligibility thresholds, but it's likely that it would phase out for those at higher income levels.

Earlier this year, Senate Republicans blocked legislation that would have increased the child tax credit.

Housing shortage Harris says she'd address the nation's housing shortage with several initiatives. She promises to build 3 million affordable new homes and rentals by the end of her first term, offering tax breaks to builders who construct homes for first-time home buyers. She's also proposing a $40 billion fund to help local governments find solutions to the low housing stock.

And she wants to provide Americans who have paid their rent on time for two years with up to $25,000 in down-payment assistance, with more support for first-generation homeowners.

Inflation

Inflation has cooled nearly to pre-pandemic levels — it's now at 2.9% — but prices have risen nearly 21% since the beginning of the pandemic. A recent survey found two-thirds of middle-income families said they're falling behind their cost of living

Harris is trying to address the effects of inflation on lower- and middle-class Americans, an approach used by the Biden administration. She blames price gouging by food suppliers and grocery chains for high prices at the store and pledges to take on corporations with the first federal law against price gouging. Economists have expressed doubts about the efficacy of such a law because they say that the reasons for food inflation are complex.

She also wants to lower prescription drug costs, which has been a focus for the Biden administration. Last month, the White House announced Medicare reached agreements with drug manufacturers for lower prices for 10 drugs that treat a range of ailments, from heart failure and blood clots to diabetes, resulting in savings for patients of 38% to 79%, according to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services. It was Harris who cast the tie-breaking vote for the Inflation Reduction Act, which granted Medicare the drug negotiating authority.

Immigration

Harris has not yet issued an immigration policy platform. At campaign events, Harris has mostly brought up the bipartisan border security deal that collapsed in Congress earlier this year after Trump urged GOP lawmakers to reject it. Harris has promised to revive the bill and accused Trump of scuttling it for political reasons.

The legislation would have enacted permanent restrictions on asylum, given the president the power to quickly deport migrants when border crossings soar and boosted the ranks of border agents, deportation officers, immigration judges and asylum adjudicators. It would also have expanded legal immigration, allocating 50,000 new immigrant visas annually for five years.

While the bipartisan border deal did not include a legalization program for undocumented immigrants — a longtime Democratic priority in immigration negotiations — Harris has expressed support for an "earned" path to citizenship for this population on the campaign trail.

Julie Chavez Rodriguez, Harris' campaign manager, signaled to CBS News that Harris would likely continue a June order by Mr. Biden that has severely curtailed access to the U.S. asylum system. It's a move officials credit for a four-year-low in illegal border crossings.

Harris' campaign has tried to distance her from the more liberal immigration positions she espoused when she was a presidential candidate in 2020. Those prior positions included an openness to decriminalizing the act of crossing the border without authorization and overhauling Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE).

Abortion Harris and Trump have opposing views on abortion access, an issue that could be a crucial motivator for voters in November.

Both Trump and Harris have highlighted the Supreme Court's reversal of Roe v. Wade in June 2022, and the role that the three justices appointed by Trump played in that landmark decision, albeit for different reasons: Trump has touted his nomination of three of the five justices who voted to overturn Roe, while Harris has criticized her opponent for specifically selecting justices who would dismantle the constitutional right to abortion. Since the high court's decision in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization, nearly one-third of states have near-total bans on the procedure in place, while access to abortion is severely restricted in a handful of others.

Harris has made abortion rights a focal point of her campaign and lambasted "Trump abortion bans" on the trail.

In her speech at the Democratic National Convention accepting the party's presidential nominee, the vice president pledged to sign into law legislation that restores the federal right to abortion — if such a bill is passed by Congress.

IVF Access to in vitro fertilization services became a campaign issue after the Alabama Supreme Court ruled in February that frozen embryos created during the IVF process could be considered children. The decision threatened the availability of IVF services in Alabama and thrust access to fertility treatments into the national conversation, including among the presidential candidates.

Harris has repeatedly said she supports the right of women to make their own decisions about their bodies and family-planning, and told the crowd at the DNC that since Roe's reversal, she has heard stories of couples who have had their IVF treatments cut off.

The vice president said in a video shared to social media that Trump "is literally the architect of this entire crisis," and said the Alabama ruling is a "direct result" of the Supreme Court's decision overturning Roe.

Climate Harris has not outlined her climate policy yet, but she is expected to continue to pursue the goals of the 2022 Inflation Reduction Act, which funded energy and climate projects aimed at reducing carbon emissions by 40% by 2030.

As vice president, Harris advocates moving the country toward a "clean energy economy" while not completely backing away from oil and gas, which is a major industry in battleground states like Pennsylvania. The Keystone State is one of the top natural gas producers in the country.

In an interview with CNN, Harris said that as president, she wouldn't ban fracking — a technique for extracting natural gas from shale — a departure from a statement she made in 2019 that she'd support a fracking ban. Citing the creation of 300,000 clean energy jobs during the Biden administration, she told CNN that her experience as vice president shows "we can increase a thriving clean energy economy without banning fracking."

A Harris campaign spokesperson said 300,000 clean energy jobs were created under the Biden-Harris administration in both 2021 and 2022.

The Democratic Party platform says it will increase protections against drilling and mining in the Arctic, although U.S. oil production has hit record highs during Mr. Biden's presidency. Mr. Biden approved almost 50% more gas and oil leases during his time in office than Trump did during his first three years in office.

Trump has vowed to undo what he calls Biden's "electric vehicle mandate" on Day One in office. A spokesperson for Harris' campaign told Axios Harris doesn't support an electric vehicle mandate. The Biden administration has not issued a mandate, but it has introduced incentives to encourage Americans to buy EVs and set a target that half of all new vehicle sales be zero emissions by 2030.

Guns

President Biden in 2022 signed the most significant update to gun safety law in almost three decades in the wake of mass shootings in Uvalde, Texas, and New York. The Bipartisan Safer Communities Act augmented background checks for gun buyers under 21, provided billions for mental health services and closed the so-called "boyfriend loophole" to prevent convicted domestic abusers from purchasing a firearm for five years. It also clarified the definition of gun dealers — 26 GOP-led states are suing to block this provision. The measure also creates penalties for straw purchases and gun trafficking. In 2023, Mr. Biden announced the creation of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, to be overseen by Harris.

Before she became the nominee, Harris visited Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, the site of the 2018 mass shooting that left 17 dead, where she called on states to pass "red flag" laws, which allow courts to seize guns from those deemed to be a threat to themselves or others. Twenty-one states have enacted red flag laws, but many do not enforce them. She also announced federal funding and resources aimed at providing training and technical assistance to help states with their red flag programs. In 2024, the Justice Department announced the creation of the National Extreme Risk Protection Order Resource Center, dedicated to training and technical assistance to support states and localities in implementing their red flag programs.

At her speech at the Democratic National Convention, Harris only made passing reference to gun violence. "In this election, many other fundamental freedoms are at stake," she said. "The freedom to live safe from gun violence in our schools, communities and places of worship."

Education

As a senator, Harris backed a bill that would have provided tuition-free college for most families.

The Democratic Party's platform also calls for free college tuition for all. This is not an idea Harris has been discussing on the campaign trail.

Israel and Gaza Both Harris and Trump have, at times, been critical of Israel's handling of its war against Hamas in Gaza. But neither has threatened to pull support for the ally.

Harris has called the bloodshed in Gaza "devastating," but vowed there would be no change in policy toward Israel.

She has pushed for a cease-fire deal that would release the remaining hostages held by Hamas.

She backs a two-state solution.

Ukraine and Russia

Harris pledged in her DNC address that she "will stand strong with Ukraine and our NATO allies."

Harris accused Russia of committing "crimes against humanity" in Ukraine a year after the war began.

The Biden administration has spearheaded a number of aid packages for Ukraine, including weapons, and worked with allies to sanction Russia for its invasion. Still, the administration's response — especially early on in the war — has been criticized as slow-moving, and more recently, Republican opposition in Congress further slowed aid to Ukraine.

China Harris has offered few details about how her China policy would differ from Mr. Biden's. In her Democratic National Convention speech, Harris said "America — not China — wins the competition for the 21st century."

She told "Face the Nation" in September 2023 that the U.S.-China economic relationship is "not about decoupling, it is about de-risking."

Harris briefly met Chinese President Xi Jinping in 2022 in Bangkok amid friction between the two countries. The vice president said she stressed the need to "maintain open lines of communication to responsibly manage the competition between our countries."

She has condemned China's aggression in the South China Sea, accusing it of "undermining key elements of the international rules-based order" and coercing and intimidating its neighbors.

Harris has also reaffirmed U.S. support for Taiwan.

In the Senate, Harris cosponsored the Hong Kong Human Rights and Democracy Act and the Uyghur Human Rights Policy Act. Trump signed both into law.

Iran nuclear deal It's unclear whether Harris would seek to renegotiate a new nuclear deal with Iran if she wins the election. During the 2020 campaign, Harris, who was running in a crowded Democratic presidential primary, told the Council on Foreign Relations that she would seek to rejoin the Iran nuclear agreement, "so long as Iran also returned to verifiable compliance."

The Harris campaign has a lot to comb through for her vision for America over the next 4 years!

Meanwhile, Donald J. Trump can ace a tremendously hard cognitive test and cheat like no one has ever seen before at golf.

He has also been known to throw temper tantrums that rival a three year old that can result in ketchup bottles being thrown at walls. Trump loves McDonald's, sex with women other than Mrs. Trump. Believes in conspiracy theories. Enjoys wearing extremely tight polo shirts that show off his tremendously large man boobs.

Trump lost all four hundred million of his trust fund from his daddy and will lose all of your money to lawyer fees if you simply make a donation to his fake "Save America" scam.

34 notes · View notes

sashaisready · 7 months

Text

The Blood Pact: Chapter 3 - Gotcha

Bucky Barnes Vampire AU x Female Reader

Reeling from a bad break-up, you're desperately trying to find a new place to live but the Brooklyn rental market is a complete nightmare. You take a chance on an intriguing newspaper ad and enquire about a room in a shared house, where you'd be living with two mysterious men. The catch is that they want something other than your money for you to pay the rent...the one thing they don't have

Warnings: More descriptions of vampire feeding/blood drinking - also reader is kinda *into it*, if you catch my drift, so just a heads up! And Bucky is a MENACE in this chapter. A little shit.

Series Masterlist

Chapter 4

And so it began.

You had signed a contract to live with Steve and Bucky in their beautiful house - all for the tiny sum of access to your blood a few times a week. An unusual arrangement, sure, but needs must.

Wanda was delighted that you’d found a new place. Obviously she wasn’t privy to the exact details of the contract, but she didn’t need to be. You wouldn’t want to worry her, after all. And you weren’t sure how you could tell her without sounding utterly insane. She helped you move one afternoon, hauling boxes up the stairs as she gasped at the beauty of the house. You had explained your roommates were ‘at work’ so you had free rein of the place.

“And how much are you paying for this room again?” she asked, admiring the shower as you unpacked your toiletries and cosmetics.

“Errr like…700?” you offered noncommittally.

“$700 for a double room and your own bathroom in BROOKLYN?” she shrieked, her long red locks swaying as she shook her head in disbelief. “Are they aware you’re practically stealing from them?”

“They work in antiques so are pretty wealthy already” you shrugged nonchalantly, hoping your casual tone would get her off the subject. “I don’t think they really need the cash, it just helps offset the bills and stuff”.

“Are they hot?” she asked cheekily, elbowing you in the ribs.

"Wanda!” you exclaimed, laughing as you moved back into the bedroom and grabbed your clean sheets. “…yes” you relented, dressing the bed.

Wanda screeched and grabbed the corner of the sheet to help, lining it up with the mattress as she giggled.

“So what, are they together or…”

“No, just close friends” you explained, picking up the duvet cover. “They’ve known each other since they were kids. Practically brothers”.

Wanda nodded as she diligently flipped the duvet into the covers. “So, which one d’you want?”

You laughed. “God, you are the horniest woman on earth…”

Wanda giggled, curtseying in response. You playfully tossed a pillow at her.

“Neither. I don’t think sleeping with my roommates slash landlords is likely to end well”.

You kept your eyes trained on the sheets, hoping Wanda wouldn’t notice you flushing as you thought about Bucky. You hadn’t stopped thinking about him since that night…his mouth on your skin and-

Wanda just rolled her eyes. “Spoilsport”.

🩸

It didn’t take long to establish a routine of sorts at the house.

Steve and Bucky slept all day rather than ‘working’ of course. They really did work in antiques, but did most of their work at night and had several mysterious assistants who would come and go throughout the day, collecting and dropping off parcels for the business. You just left them to it.

Steve had told you that they had both been turned sometime during World War II, and acquiring antiques was pretty easy after the world had collapsed. They set up a business easily, building a small fortune as they used their earnings to buy more items cheaply and sell for a profit once society started to stabilise again. Over the years they settled in Brooklyn with different aliases and business names, doing most of their sales by mail and cheque – or cash transfers now that the times had moved on. The small percentage of face to face selling happened via their assistants, so no long term customers would wonder why their antique dealers never seemed to age…

They had bought the townhouse in the fifties for a good price - quickly paying it off. No mortgage meant they didn’t need much money to get by in human society, and the little business they did more than covered that. They carefully switched identities when needed and were cautious that the neighbours barely saw them. Not that they had many neighbours nowadays, as most of them were wealthy types whose Brooklyn home was just one of many in their large property portfolios. Others rented theirs out to ever changing tenants, nobody staying long enough to have any suspicions about their quiet, antique dealer neighbours. After decades of practice, they had mastered the incognito thing.

Steve didn’t tell you any details about how they were turned, and you didn’t pry – it felt strangely personal to ask. They’d share if they wanted to.

Your landlords’ nocturnal habits meant the house was all yours in the daytime. You worked from home, sitting at your computer reviewing articles and proofreading for your clients – occasionally padding to the kitchen for tea and snacks. Your roommates didn’t eat, so you had as much fridge and pantry space as you needed – bar the occasional blood bag from one of their trades. They let you open the shades, but asked that you close them again by sunset – just in case.

You’d tested just how deep they slept, starting small by playing some quiet music in your room – gradually getting louder and louder over a few days, but there wasn’t a peep from the next floor.

You tried shouting or singing loudly, but they didn’t stir. You had clumsily dropped a pan one afternoon, it clattered loudly on the kitchen floor and echoed through the silent house as you winced – expecting a cranky vampire to emerge in the doorway and chastise you for waking them. But there was still nothing.

Once when you were feeling particularly bold, you’d even run up their stairs and banged on their doors – but the silence remained. It seemed that when they slept, no sound would wake them. You could do whatever you liked, which was very freeing. You just didn’t go into their rooms, just as they didn’t go in yours without asking, mutually respecting each other’s privacy.

Steve was the perfect roommate. Sweet, chatty, asking you about your day and how work was. You would often forget about his supernatural origin. He was just a normal guy…who happened to feast on human blood. Sometimes you’d rib him playfully about his age and tease him for posting the ad in the newspaper of all places, but it was all very good natured and well meaning.

Bucky on the other hand…was a little more complex. He seemed to revel in making you uncomfortable, wanting to embarrass you. He was often patronising and condescending, teasing you when you didn’t understand something or asked what he deemed to be a stupid question. It had none of the lightness of your jokes with Steve. He had little patience for you not understanding the intricate ins and outs of their world – as if this wasn’t all brand new to you. You had a feeling he liked to rile you up, maybe it excited him to hear your blood pumping as you lost your temper.

You hated to admit it to yourself but you still felt that pull towards him. He was entrancing, as much as you began to loathe him you found you just couldn’t stay away. It was infuriating.

At first you had just put up with it, rolling your eyes and biting your tongue. But the teasing became more intense, and you’d shared a few terse words here and there when you started to fight back. Steve would sigh, reluctantly stepping into his role as the peacemaker as he separated you both and talked you down. You couldn’t explain it, but found yourself enjoying your little sparring sessions, the quiet exhilaration in your belly when you’d exchange insults back and forth. The way his eyes seemed to shine with excitement when you gave as good as you got felt intoxicating.

God only knows what this said about your psychological state…

The feeds were going well. Your sessions with Steve were more muted, you felt a slight warm fog cloud your mind during his, but it was nothing like that first time with Bucky which had felt like taking some sort of drug. Steve’s turns were pleasant enough, but he was all business. He only fed from your wrist, thought the thigh was a bit much. He didn’t touch you any more than he had to, getting in and out as efficiently as possible. He was polite and pleasant, apologising for any pain and thanking you profusely afterwards as he bandaged you up. They each had a little first aid kit they’d use to clean your wounds after the feed. It all felt quite transactional, but that was fine by you.

Bucky’s feeds were…not like Steve’s. His days brought you a mix of excitement and anxiety as you waited for evening to come around. He would often berate you for not being ready, or for having a messy room. He liked the thigh almost exclusively and would take his time finding the ‘perfect spot’, his cool fingers running languidly over your skin as he searched for a vein he wanted. You would hike your shorts up and lie back on your bed, your teeth digging tightly into your bottom lip as you suppressed any accidental moans. He must’ve known what he was doing. His lips would hover over his chosen area and just as you thought he was ready, he would drag them further along and land elsewhere. The edge of his fangs would scrape delicately across your flesh, tickling you perfectly. Sometimes he did this over and over, edging you and dragging it out before apologising insincerely for his error.

Then he’d plunge his fangs in without warning, you never knew if he was about to bite or was still choosing where to go, so it caught you off guard each time. After the initial burn, that familiar haze would flood your senses again and you’d lay back and close your eyes. It was like a high you’d never experienced anywhere else, balling your fists as you gently whimpered under your breath. Sometimes you’d hear him moaning as he fed, your hips squirming as you were pinned under him. You knew that you were sopping wet between your legs each time, desperate to grind yourself into him. You wondered if he knew it, too.

You didn’t really understand why it made you feel the way it did. You were quietly ashamed that you enjoyed it so much.

Afterwards he’d get to his feet, grinning down at you as he took in your spent form. You’d watch him through heavy eyelids, too dazed to throw back any retort to whatever little sarcastic comment he made. Then he’d apply the bandage delicately, often taking slightly too long to withdraw his hand from you once he’d finished.

One evening it all came to a head. You were cooking in the kitchen as Steve and Bucky chatted at the table about a business deal. This was becoming pretty typical, you would cook and eat and they would catch up – talking about work or asking about your day (more Steve than Bucky, of course). Then you’d head upstairs with whichever of them was feeding that night. You preferred doing it in your bedroom as you still felt tired afterwards and liked being comfortable on your bed. Steve assured you that the fatigue would lessen over time, and he was correct – you could already feel yourself getting more alert after each one.

“...Yeah you’re right” Bucky sighed as Steve showed him an email on his phone. “It’s just the client wasn’t a fan of those vases and-”

He was interrupted by a sharp scream from the stove area. They both jumped to their feet as they turned to look at you. You were clutching your finger and gritting your teeth, grabbing at kitchen towels. You’d nicked the tip slightly when cutting vegetables, a drop of bright red blood seeping through the wound as you held the towel up to it.

“You okay?” asked Steve, his voice concerned.

“Yeah, sorry, it’s not deep it just surprised me-” you started to explain. But then stopped in your tracks when you saw Bucky.

He looked…wild. His eyes no longer resembled the cyan blue ones you’d gotten to know over the last few weeks. They seemed darker, colder. You couldn’t find a drop of humanity in them. His mouth was curled into a snarl as he stalked towards you at speed like a hunter.

You began to scream, shrieking as you held your arms out to stop him. “W-wait Bucky no! Stop-”

But it was too late. His arms enveloped your torso and his fangs were bared and you felt your legs give out, paralysing you with fear as you fell against the counter, only staying upright from his crushing grip. You screamed again as you saw Steve soar towards you both, your heart thumping in your chest as tears began to stream down your cheeks. This was it. The end of you. How foolish you’d been…why on earth did you think this was a good idea…

And then…Bucky laughed.

He laughed and released you, his fangs retracting and his eyes shifting back to the ones you recognised. You stared at him incredulously.

“Gotcha” he smirked mockingly.

“Goddamn, Buck…” Steve sighed with exasperation as his body relaxed. “That’s not funny. You had me going too. I was about to jump you”.

You gawped at him, unable to grasp what has happening as your breathing finally went back to normal and the tears stopped.

“That was…a joke?” you asked in disbelief, your voice hoarse from the screams.

Bucky just winked. “Oh come on, humans used to have better senses of humour, I swear…”

You gasped, the remnants of your fear transforming into unmistakeable rage. You clenched your jaw, your hands becoming fists as the full weight of what he’d done began to sink in.

“You think I’d really lose it over a tiny drop of your blood? You must think pretty highly of yourself, Doll” he mocked.

“You…fuckin’-” you whispered. You rocketed towards him, your temper well and truly lost. No rationality remained. You pummelled his chest with your fists, trying to shove him – but he was like a brick wall, you couldn’t even nudge him.

“You think that’s funny?” punctuating each sentence with a finger prodding into his chest as you looked up at his smirking face. “You ASSHOLE. You think it’s funny to pull shit like that? Make me look stupid? Scare me? For kicks?” you shouted.

You could faintly hear Steve trying to calm things down, but his words were lost in the blur of your anger.

You hit Bucky again but he didn’t even flinch. “Is that meant to hurt me?” he asked sweetly, clearly loving every moment of this.

You inhaled deeply, swinging for him again with your injured hand. The pain long forgotten. He effortlessly grabbed your forearm and stopped you before your fist could make contact. He looked deep into your eyes as he squeezed his fingers around your wrist. Then, as he held eye contact, he quickly moved your cut finger between his lips, sensually moaning as he gently sucked the blood from the tip.

That was the detonator. You went completely off the deep end, screaming and throwing kitchen utensils at him as you lost your final shred of self-control. Bucky just continued his trademark smirk. A drinking glass got caught in the crossfire, shattering at your feet when Steve finally stepped in.

“Alright, that’s enough. Both of you” he said sternly, hooking his arms under your shoulders and dragging you across the kitchen. You squirmed in his grasp, protesting, as he planted you as far away from Bucky as possible.

“You’re going to get hurt with all this broken glass” he chided, like a parent scolding their child.

You finally relented, crossing your arms and huffing as you turned away from both of them.

“And you” Steve angrily chastised Bucky. “That was too far”.

You couldn’t see Bucky’s face but you would bet good money that he didn’t show contrition for his actions.

Steve turned his attention back to you. “Why don’t you go upstairs and cool off? I’ll finish cooking your dinner and bring it up, okay?”

You nodded sullenly as you calmed down. “Thanks…but...um…can you even cook?”

You didn’t look at Bucky but heard him scoff. You ignored it.

Steve chuckled. “I may not eat, but yes I can cook. I used to be human, remember? I’ll finish up and bring it to you”.

You nodded again. “Thank-you Steve. I’m sorry about the glass, I’ll replace it”.

He smiled in response. “Don’t worry about it, we’ve got a bunch”.

You smiled back, grateful for his kindness. You turned to Bucky.

“Tonight’s your feeding night, so I hope you enjoyed that little taste because you’re not getting anything else from me this evening” you spat.

Bucky just grinned and licked his lips. “Delicious”.

You turned on your heel and left the kitchen, slamming the door behind you. You took a moment to adjust again, taking a deep breath. You couldn’t believe you had lost it like that, embarrassed to have let them see you in that way. Normally you were very calm and collected, it took a lot to truly upset you. But that just seemed to be the effect Bucky had on you. He got under your skin like nobody else you’d ever met. You decided you would apologise to Steve again properly when he brought your food up.

You sighed, mentally shaking it off as you went to go to your room, but stopped when you heard voices in the kitchen. You couldn’t help but listen in, straining to hear what they were saying.

“What the hell were you thinking?” asked Steve. You could hear the sounds of the broken glass being picked up and placed on a surface.

“What? She freaked out! How was I supposed to know she couldn’t take a joke?” Bucky replied aghast, as if he was the maligned party.

You rolled your eyes, resisting the urge to storm in and have it out with him again.

“Don’t play dumb. We both know what you’re doing” Steve scolded.

“Well, what am I doing?”

“Playing with your food”.

“It’s just a bit of gentle ribbing…relax. It’s fun.” Bucky sighed.

“You’re not supposed to get that close to her. You know that. For her sake. This is a professional arrangement. She’s not your plaything”.

You raised an eyebrow. Is that really all they saw you as? Just dinner, something to play with? Well...they were right of course. That’s what you were to them. It was why you were here. But you were also a person. Not just a blood bank. And what did Steve mean by close? Bucky certainly wasn’t getting close to you, if anything he hated you…

…didn’t he?

“It’s strictly professional. Nothing more” Bucky countered.

“Good. As we’ve always said, boundaries are important here.” Steve replied. “And would it kill you to be a bit nicer to her? She’s actually pretty sweet. It may be professional but there’s no reason we can’t all get along”.

Bucky sighed. “Fine. I’ll apologise. I’ll go up and see her”.

“Not tonight” Steve warned. “She was mad as hell, let her cool off - she’s probably up there making a stake for you right now”.

They both laughed.

“Okay…You’re right. But I’ll talk to her, I promise”.

“Good”.

“Also…what a firecracker. She has a mean right hook. Caught me off guard”.

“Yeah…I wouldn’t want to be on the wrong side of her. Better you than me” laughed Steve.

The conversation shifted back to their work so you crept upstairs and slipped into your bedroom as quietly as you could. Your mind was spinning with everything you’d heard. Steve referring to you as ‘food’ and ‘plaything’ upset you more than you thought it would. It made you feel like an object, not a person. Like you were nothing more than another item in the house – the food source, no different to the refrigerator or the kitchen sink. Just something they needed. You didn’t need them to think of you as their best friend, but you didn’t want to be just dinner, either. You knew their age and experience probably meant you seemed naïve and green by comparison, a mere human, but you’d hoped they saw you as more than just a vein.

And Bucky’s admissions had confused you too. You knew he liked playing with you and riling you up, but what did Steve mean by ‘we both know what you’re doing’? What exactly was Bucky was doing?

You distracted yourself with finishing some work and texting Wanda when there was a knock on your door sometime later.

“Come in” you called.

Steve stepped in, carrying your dinner on a tray with a glass of water. He smiled warmly as he placed it on your dresser.

“Thank-you for doing that. It smells great. God, Steve, I’m sorry…I behaved so poorly earlier. I shouldn’t have thrown shit and shouted, I apologise” you said bashfully. “You don’t need that in your home”.

Steve held up a dismissive hand. “No apology necessary. He was being an asshole, I would’ve hit him too – in your position”.

You grinned. “Doesn’t quite have the desired effect when you’re hitting someone with super strength or whatever”.

Steve laughed. “You had him on the ropes…”

You both sat in the silence for a moment as you got up to get your plate.

“Why is he like that?” you asked quietly, collecting the food on your fork.

Steve sighed. “He’s not always. I know you won’t believe me, and I understand why, but he can be a really good guy. He’s…been through a lot. I think sometimes he forgets where the line is”.

You nodded, wondering what Bucky had ‘been through’ exactly.

“Does he hate me?” you whispered.

Steve chuckled. “God, no. As stupid as it sounds, he wouldn’t enjoy torturing you if he did”.

You frowned as you ate. “Not confusing at all…”.

Steve nodded. “Zero argument here”.

You shared a smile and Steve got up to leave. “He’s going to apologise. And I’m sorry he scared you, that crossed the line. This is your home too, you should be comfortable here. I hope you know that we both want you here, even if it didn't feel like it tonight...”

“Thanks Steve”.

You felt more at ease now. Maybe Steve just saw you as food, but at least he was nice about it.

He winked and got up to leave.

“Steve…is he going to be okay tonight? Like…not eating at all?” you asked, slightly worried you were starving Bucky by denying his feed.

But Steve just chuckled, touched that you were concerned about Bucky even when he didn’t deserve it.

“He’s a big boy, he’ll manage. He deserves to go hungry tonight. Besides, we still have a couple of extra bags in the icebox if he’s really desperate”.

“Refrigerator, Steve” you giggled.

“Right! That one. Sorry…40s stuff”.

Steve left you to it and you finished your meal, reading for a while before getting into bed for an early night. Sleep eluded you as you thought of Bucky and your fight, already nervous about facing him again tomorrow.

#vampire bucky barnes #bucky barnes #bucky barnes x you #bucky barnes x reader #the blood pact fic #james bucky barnes #Vampire bucky au #Vampire bucky x you #Vampire bucky x reader

54 notes · View notes

clairedaring · 7 months

Text

Jom giving Khun Yai advices about the future - A scene from EP. 10 of I Feel You Linger In The Air

If you asked me my top 5 all-time favorite scenes from IFYLITA, I think this scene where Jom was scratching Yai's back while casually giving him advices about the future would definitely be in the top 5 (and at certain times I think I like this scene most.

One of the biggest grievances/qualms IFYLITA novel readers may have with the adaptation is probably series!Jom isn't as self-aware that he is an architect from the 21st century as book!Jom who was definitely depicted to be a little more sassy and constantly reminding himself that he's an architecture who has modern skills that can definitely be put to good use.

But this scene in EP. 10 of IFYLITA, corresponding with Chapter 11: Return Love to The Wind of the novel, is one of the brilliant moments where book!Jom completely comes to life through the portrayal of Nonkul Chanon.

Rather than dissecting the scene step by step, I've quoted this particular excerpt from the novel, paired with the gifset I made of the scene from ep.10.

Worried by the thought, I ask out a question. "Khun–Yai, since your family moved from Bangkok, it means the Luang has houses and properties in the province, doesn't he?"

"The province?" Khun–Yai turns his head.

I slap my mouth once in aggravation. Bangkok in this era is probably referred to as the Bangkok Region and the Capital. "Sorry. It was a mistake. What I mean is, did your family move from the Capital?"

Khun–Yai eyes me with mild suspicion but still answers, "Yes. My father owns plenty of lands in the Capital. My mother also has hundreds of lands in Thonburi and Nakhon Pathom. My grandfather transferred the ownership of the properties to her before she was born. Why do you ask?"

Oh…So, his parents have always been well–off. I take a deep breath and speak in all seriousness.

"Keep the lands safe. If not necessary, don't ever sell them. The prices of lands in Thonburi will be higher than gold in a short time. Capitalize the farms and paddy fields. If you don't gain much profit from renting them out, take care of them yourself. Hire workers and manage your own lands. As for the properties in the Capital, I hope you protect them with your life. Build residences or row houses for rent and collect the monthly rental fees. You will make more money than the salary of a civil servant."

I have thought it out with ambition. No matter what, I will not let Khun–Yai become a nobleman turning poor. He must have a business with a stably monthly income, not only a salary from any title. The row houses and everything will be designed in advance by me. I will do it for free, not charging a single coin. I am so engrossed in my plan that I don't notice Khun–Yai turning around and smiling.

"Do you know what you sound like?"

Seeing his weird, playful gaze, I ask right away, "What do I sound like?"

"You sound like a wife concerned about her husband's possessions, worried about how to gain profit from them," he stresses every word loud and clear.

"Khun–Yai!!!" I exclaim in shock, eyes widening.

"Yeah…?" Uggggggh. "Don't speak in such a sweet voice." My head hurts as if I have a migraine, but a contented grin paints Khun–Yai's face. "Please don't say that. It's inappropriate. Besides, I'm a man. I can't be a wife."

Bonus excerpt: "What is appropriate, then? Should I ask for your parents' blessings to have their son manage my possessions for the rest of my life?" "Khun–Yai, I'm begging you. Don't joke like this. I'm going to have a heart attack." My heart is fragile. "Please turn around so I can scratch your back." Seeing my serious expression, he relents and turns around, not forgetting to throw one last playfully flirtatious glance at me. I inhale and claw his back in annoyance. "Ohh…Poh–Jom, if you scratch that harshly, my back will break," Khun–Yai groans.

Note: Before the quoted excerpt, there's also an extensive part where Jom pondered on the consequences of WW2 and its effects on Thailand's civil servants or high-rank authorities and how he could helped Khun Yai. You can read the full novel here.

i just really like that although series!jom is a bit more clueless and deer-in-the-headlights than novel!jom, the series is still very careful with their adaptation and brought this scene to life where jom uses his 21th century knowledge to help take care of khun yai (ALSO MY BABY). like i just find this entire yaijom scene (that was cut from the TV version, outrageous) so damn cute and it's been months after the show has ended but my mind is still lingering in this scene.

#i feel you linger in the air #claire opens her goddamn mouth #ifylita #nonkul chanon #bright rapheephong

36 notes · View notes

firewalkzwit · 11 months

Text

in the mood for love // neil lewis x reader

To accept that life is not David Lynch's magnificent "Blue Velvet", or much less Billy Wilder's "Double Indemnity", was not an easy thing for a man like Neil Lewis, who adored nothing more than to vicariously live through the screen time of the 50's Hollywood heartthrobs that starred as his favourite characters.

So, in the event that a Rohmerian woman whose quirk could even be seen through her yellow lens Godard-ish sunglasses, Neil found it to be an offer he couldn't refuse.

Word count: 2.8k

Cross-posted on AO3

A.N: i actually never finished watching the detectives bc i was honestly not a fan of the plot so bare with me lol, i was only too in love w cill and lucy liu's characters but the movie itself kinda disappointed me

also, yes i made them fans of MY favorite movies, arrest me.

The sound of intense tapping of nails on the counter, crowded by a disastrous attempt at organising countless VHS tapes scattered all over it, caused the plastic of the films to rattle as the table vibrated. Neil's tired eyes rolled upwards to catch a glimpse of the face before him, a slight frown drawn between her eyebrows and an intensely inquisitive stare which hardly helped him to decipher what exactly she wanted that actually merited bothering him.

The harsh placement of the VHS on his desk caused him to grit his teeth, it felt almost imperative, and it ached him to see his most prized possessions be mistreated. His eyes drifted back up to her, the yellow-tinted lens of her sunglasses still didn't stop him from finding them oddly familiar. Scanning to the rest of her clothes as if he wanted to glimpse her personality based on her looks, he felt like a detective. The black minidress on her body was rather loose, and the sleeves ended close to the start of her wrists, as if it was too short for her arms. It seemed like an intentional fashion choice, despite how unflattering it looked to him. The dress hugged her waist in the centre, with a peculiar silver belt he'd only see in the outfit of a woman in a nouvelle vague film. In fact, her entire style seemed to be the one of a sixties Parisian flâneur, as if she was ruthlessly trying to imitate Anna Karina. Over the turtleneck that culminated her dress, a thin, long golden chain that went as low as her belt had a large and round golden pendant hanging from it.

But as soon as she spoke he was disappointed to find no thick, sexy french accent, but rather an ordinary speech, almost too friendly and passive to be attractive. His eyes drifted down to the VHS on his desk; while he expected Vivre Sa Vie, le Bonheur or Pierrot le Fou, there was no La Collectionneuse on his desk, but rather the most unexpected of outcomes.

Jane Birkin would never rent a chick-flick, Neil thought.

The membership she handed did not belong to her, it was that of a man's, an old one too, judging by his name.

"Alright, that will be eight dollars."

"Jeez, eight?"

"Eight."

"You do know the other rental charges only five, right?"

"I was not aware, thank you." Not only was she of poor taste, but also quite irritating. Even though he refrained from explaining how being a smaller business practically obliged him to charge more to make an actual profit, it was before he could begin to explain the late fees that she snatched the VHS from his hand.

"I'm actually going to keep looking." And just like that, she turned and began to walk slightly bent over, looking at the orange labels that hung on the shelves. Curiosity consumed him, and he also felt it his duty as the owner of the videoclub to assist his customers in making a choice.

"Are you looking for something in particular?"

"Well... What do you have with Robert De Niro?" Neil's eyes suddenly lit up, as if her personality had a chance at salvation the moment those words came out of her mouth.

"Most of his works, there's his classics like Goodfellas, Taxi Driver... I even have Heat if you're looking for something more thrilling."

"Heat?"

"Heat is one of the most critically acclaimed nineties crime dramas. It also stars Al Pacino, it's this kinda' cop and criminal trope but so realistically achieved, even the sound of firearms is claimed to be one of the most realistic in the history of film-"

"I'll just take that one." The tip of her finger slowly grazed his as she gently took the Heat VHS from his hands, a friendly awkward grin displaying discomfort. "It's just for my dad."

"Oh... Sixteen Candles' for you I guess." A soft nasal laugh left her body as her head tilted down, shaking in denial.

"No, that's for my dad too." Ok, weird, but by then she had undeniably picked his curiosity.

"Nothing for you then?"

"I prefer a cheaper rental, this is my dad's membership." As if he couldn't see for himself that such a name would never belong to her, it could only be that of an old geezer who he still struggled to recognise even though he was a member. And even though she intended to make a subtle comment, it did not come off that way.

"Oh yeah? And what do you rent in the cheaper club?" Media Giant could have a wider offer and lower prices, but Neil assumed it wasn't a real loss if the clientele consisted of girls like her.

"I like French movies, Harmony Korine, seventies giallos... Why, you want me to rent them from you instead?" While her first pick was particularly predictable, Italian giallos were a genre he was interested in exploring, and of which he hardly had any in his extensive collection. Neil shrugged almost dramatically, trying to incite her to take yet another pick.

"It wouldn't hurt your dad. Except for the giallo part, ‘can't help you there."

"You mean you have no giallos here?" His face deformed into an awkward pout, as if he'd been defeated in his own ground. "You look like the type of guy to own them on Criterion."

"I don't think so, no." By that point, the humiliation of her light cackle upsetted and confused him even further, returning her change as she piled up the tapes.

"If you ever want to watch a good Dario Argento movie, you let me know when I return you these." And marking her goodbye with a soft grin that slightly lifted the sunglasses that rested above her cheeks, Neil was taken aback beyond speech. Was it a date? Was she joking? He couldn't quite understand, and so couldn't come up with a proper response.

But seven days passed before she returned, and he would have to charge her the late fees that added to the sixteen dollars. However, in the course of those five days Neil hardly remembered her, briefly making a comment about it to his friends. Neil was not the type of man to stress easily, and he was exercising his peace that particular afternoon as he watched the director's cut of Psycho, to him a movie that truly never got old. He snacked on the couch in a slobby posture, his limbs spread over it without a care about presentation. It was not the type of day for him to expect too many customers, and it was too hot to go outside anyway. Hardly did he ever struggle to find an excuse to stay in anyway, so when he heard the doorknob pushed down his expression shifted into a displeased grimace. His eyes peered over the backrest, displeased to find that someone had indeed come in.

As he got up and stretched, mindfully appearing to be homeless, he caught a glimpse of her again. Her head was tilted and on her hands were the two tapes she had borrowed. He was surprised to have even forgotten that he'd rented her the films, usually being more attentive about what went in and out of his club. Probably the bizarre interaction had caused him to forget. That time she wore a tiny pair of black shorts with black stockings up the knees and also black, sharp-pointed flats. The usual thick, high-waisted belt accompanied a loose sage blouse, which was accessorised with elongated collars of various unique beads, and the peculiar yellow-tinted shades. Not that Neil cared at all about fashion, nor did he understand it, but he assumed she was going for chic.

"Sorry for not coming by sooner, hope you didn't miss these." She placed the tapes on the counter and quickly began looking through her pockets for the money she assumed she'd have to pay for being two days late. Before he could tell her how much extra she owed, she placed the four dollars on top of the movies.

"How'd you know how much..." Neil's finger drew a circle above the tapes and the money, as if she was some sort of genie or simply gambling with how much he'd charge compared to his prime competitor.

"My dad." She quickly interrupted, offering him her usual small grin of politeness before making her way out. Yet by that point Neil wasn't oblivious to her previous invitation, overwhelmed by the curiosity her strange looks provoked him.

"Is... the offer for that Dario Argento still up?" He could tell she was smiling through the way her cheeks lifted, visible from behind, and the way her voice sounded. When people smile and talk, their voice accommodates to the wider lips and sound friendlier.

"Glad you asked."

It was by that point that the old-Hollywood mystery enthusiast Neil and the French new-wave, foreign murder-thriller enjoyer Y/N frequented each other in what consisted of visits to the Gumshoe Video and her place. In contrast to his original impression of her, she was quite the film collector, owning a perfect shrine that ranged from art house Kino Lorber films to a wide range of classics on Criterion. She was truly well stocked. The only thing obvious to him from the start was that she was a great enthusiast of foreign films, something she even gave away in the unique way she dressed.

She was also an occasional actress, kindly starring in the indie projects of some of her film geek friends, many who shockingly knew Neil as well. It was natural for them to have so many people in common, especially because people with mutual interests were bound to come across each other in such a small town, however he was surprised to not have seen her previously roaming around or in any of his friends' films. She had a look that just gave away she'd be into acting, the role of a muse seemed to fit her character perfectly.

Because of this, as soon as Neil began to grow an interest in impressing her, she was surprised to hear he wanted to try and film an experimental short, try his luck at producing something beyond an advertising trailer for his videoclub, something more artistic.

Obviously he invited her to star in it, and even though he'd expected her to jump in his arms in excitement, never did she show herself to be shocked or taken aback by any of the bizarre propositions he had in mind. Neil wasn't very knowledgeable or even interested in the world that existed beneath experimental indie films, but she seemed to be willing to comply with the various shots of strange ideas he sketched frantically in strangely-drawn frames.

When it was finally time to shoot, it was clear that the whole tape would be very rudimentary, using the 35mm film gauge she had offered to lend him, demanding that he treat her camera with extreme care.

Despite Neil's attempts of disclosing what exactly he had in mind, rough sketches were clearly not enough, as the minute they began to shoot and the scenes began to come to life, it became too clear to her that Neil just wanted to see her naked, behaving like a conceited filmographer in poor attempts of masking his amateurism. It was hard to imagine senior film-makers like Jean-Luc Godard, especially the favourites of Y/N, and the thousands of breast and butt-naked women takes they had witnessed being filmed in their lifetime. Neil found it hard to imagine them behaving with naturality, but then again he assumed it was the only way to behave if they were actually in search of pristine shots.

"You don't seem to be taking this too seriously." She finally scolded, her forearm hugging her chest to cover her breasts once Neil cut the cameras.

"What do you mean? I'm directing here."

"You're wasting film in countless shots of my tits, what message are you trying to convey?" Interrogation was not on his plans, especially because Neil expected artistic and abstract film to not be questioned, but rather merely interpreted.

"It's about... the beauty of the raw human body." His tone didn't project confidence, and Y/N could tell he was feeding her bull-shit.

"Okay, then I'll film you too."

"Sorry, what?"

"It's not the human body if you also don't see the male." He didn't seem too convinced, obviously it was far more amusing to simply watch than to have to partake. "You and all these film-makers are so open minded when it comes to seeing women, but there's still a taboo for the male body." Neil couldn't find in him the interest to follow her idea. Obviously she had a valid point, but he was never the type to pay attention to the underlying message behind highly interpretable films, rather driven to puzzling movies where connecting the dots until the end was the reason to get his brain working.

However, how could he disagree? By that point it couldn't get more intimate than that, and a sudden high of confidence invaded him and prompted him to begin to undress himself. He began by his shirt, clumsily taking it off and visibly embarrassed. As he begins to rid himself from his pants and underwear, feeling the lens of the camera stare at him probingly, the desire to turn back strikes him to his core. He finally stands there, exposed and naked. He tries to look defiant and confident, but he's achingly vulnerable.

The camera is delighted with his expressions, and his body is posed like he wants to bend inwards and disappear into the air, but just when the filming of his most exposed self seems to never end, the camera lowers and his eyes meet with hers, and her own naked body too.

The naturality with which she accepted being in the spotlight seemed to indicate it was not the first time she filmed something of the sort, and Neil began to wonder who exactly had been gifted with pioneering in such a scene. He, on the other hand, was awkward and hardly artistic, his skinny body and shaky blue eyes screaming how out of place he felt.

"Do you think that's good enough?"

"Yes, I can't keep lending you more film anyway."

"That was... something." As she sat on the floor naked, her back arched sideways and her legs to her left as her arm supported the body, displaying total relaxation. Meanwhile, he couldn't wait for her permission to get back dressed, staring at her clothes as he waited for her to pick them up and imply she could do the same.

"It's a great thing when you realise you still have the ability to surprise yourself. Makes you wonder what else you can do that you've forgotten about."

"American Beauty?"

"Yes." In a way, the scene did share odd similarities to the American classic. The filming of odd, regular things and their naked bodies, Neil was bound to expect what would come next would follow as in the movie. He slowly crouched and sat before her, the two sharing brief stares that felt like a lifetime. Her gaze was soft and mellow, contagiously transmitting her tranquillity to his own as he pondered on whether to make a move or not.

By that point it was obvious they were not going to leave that room without something happening before, but the decision of who would initiate the contact seemed to be difficult as the longest minute of their lives passed by them.

So when she finally accommodated her posture and began to lean closer to him, he crawled her way progressing from soft and careful movements to pounding her against the floor. The sound of bone against the wooden floor caused them both to wince, her face wrinkling in a frown of pain. It was before she could hold her head to stroke herself that his own hand slid down from her temple to the back of her head, holding her up to finally kiss her.

The kiss was long, and the sound of their lips engaging in humid contact as their tongues went in and out of each other's mouth echoed across the empty room, Neil's free hand travelling from her navel to her breast as her arms wrapped around his slender body. Her legs followed the motion, soon making her look like she hung from him, clinged to his back as he arched to reach closer to her. Her gaze ogled from the corner of her eye in search of the camera as her arm reached out, finally being released from his grip to set up and continue to film themselves, a prime example of human beauty in its most raw expression.

Needless to say that beyond physical pleasure, it was an intellectual disappointment for the two that despite their love for film, they still couldn't make sex look and feel like a scene from Body Heat, sexiness was greatly rehearsed after all.

this sucks ass i just wanted to write filmbro cillian murphy and yap about my favorite movies tbhngl

#cillian murphy #watching the detectives #neil lewis #neil lewis x reader

72 notes · View notes