#unless and until they consume more goods and services

[sizzlingsandwichperfection-blog]

awesomecoffeeclub.com

[confetticoloredclowns]

𓆩Bob Velseb x Reader HCs𓆪

Wooooo, first (official) post on this absolute garbage fire of an app. And of course it's Bob ✋💀 but is anyone really complaining? Because I'm sure not. Anyways this post was made really late at night, and there may be grammar and spelling mistakes because I'm running a fever rn- so I'm sorry 😭

CW+TW; Cannibalism, Murder, Knife mentions, Blood mentions, NSFW at the end ;)

🜲 Bob's a big guy, I think we all know this- but he's also really, really comfortable. And warm. He's the best cuddle buddy, hands down. The butcher man will often times pick you up from behind, nuzzling his face into the crook of your neck while mumbling something like "I've missed ya, sugar" after a long day of "work".

🜲 He almost always has his hands on you, even in public! He's usually got an arm wrapped around your waist, or a hand on your shoulder. Hell, sometimes he's even HOLDING you. It's really sweet, but sometimes unexpected or overwhelming.

🜲 Bob is really big on cuddles! He's either got you in his lap, or snuggled up to his side. Sometimes the big guy falls asleep on you; rather effectively trapping you in your spot until he wakes up. It's all in good nature, of course, it just means that he loves you.

🜲 PRAISE. Both giving and receiving, Bob LOVES it! Especially from you. Speaking of which, you'll usually have a "You look stunnin' t'night, sweetpea. I could just eat you up" or a "Not even angels compare to what you've got, sweetness" whispered into your ear. Bob never fails to make you blush.

🜲 Big guy is very protective. If another person is even THINKING about trying to hurt his little darlin' consider them dead in an instant. That goes for bastards trying to flirt with you, too. You're HIS and his only.

🜲 Bob's anger can get ahold of him sometimes, and it's overwhelming. But he'd never, EVER take it out on you- you mean too much to him. Most of the time he'll just leave for a few minutes, before coming back covered in blood. Sure, red stains get everywhere but it could be worse!

🜲 His knife is the same as his anger. He'd never draw it on you (unless you reeeaallllllly asked him to). Sure, he's a cannibal and all- but the idea of knowing that he hurt you? Bob doesn't like to think or even TALK about it. The idea is often shoved down with a "Hm. Interestin'. Anyhow, did ya hear 'bout the news this mornin'?"

🜲 Bob has, and will try to get you to eat "Long Pork" as he calls it. You know damn well it's human meat, and have expressed your discomfort with consuming the substance. But Bob is persistent, always saying something like "Awh, C'mon, sweetness. Just a bite? I promise it ain't all that bad. Tastes just like Pork!" And "I'll give ya some special Lovin' if ya try iiitt~"

🜲 He also really, really likes cooking for you! Any dish you can think of, he's got the skills to do it! Which often leads to him making you all your favorite meals whenever you're sick, or feeling down. Physical contact, acts of service and personal time are his love language, after all.

🜲 Bob also really enjoys giving you tiny little trinkets! Anything that be finds on his victims that he thinks you might like, he's taking. Sure the items are always a little bloody, but that can just be washed right off!

꒷꒦NSFW꒦꒷

🜲 Bob is a horny motherfucker 24/7. He's really good at hiding it, but goddamn it doesn't take much to get this man going at all. Cuddling usually always turns into him slamming his hips up into you, biting down on your shoulder just to hear those delicious little noises you make.

🜲 He has good stamina, surprisingly. He'll have you pinned down to the bed, practically cockdrunk from how many times you've came- and he's still going, fast, too. "Just one more round, sugar. I promise I'm almost done" Bob usually lasts anywhere from 3-6 rounds, only to just collapse and nearly fall asleep right on top of you.

🜲 Aftercare with Bob is always some of the sweetest moments; him cradeling you in his arms, usually humming a little tune as he peppers kisses along your face and neck. Any bruises or marks left upon your skin always end up being kissed, Bob uttering a gentle apology under his breath.

🜲 Overall, being in a relationship with this big, lovable cannibal man is wild. But in the best ways possible <3

[eli0004]

AoT as songs during a breakup and why [Pt. 1 Men Edition]

Contains: Eren, Armin, Jean, Connie, Reiner, Bertholdt, Levi

Warnings: insecurity, implied cheating, drug use, pining, toxicity, crying

Eren- [Black Cats- ZillaKami]

After you two break up, Eren goes through three phases. Anger at you, anger at himself, and finally just trying to forget and pretend nothing ever happened. He’s the type of guy that smokes until he’s numb, and forces himself to ignore the heartbreak. If he broke up with you, he’ll probably be back in your DMs in a week. But if you hurt him, he’ll expect you to come back and apologize. The man is too prideful to beg.

Armin- [If Only- Fink]

Sweet Armin 🥹 baby boy, he blames himself. Even if the breakup was your fault, he’s thinking of all the ways he could’ve been better for you. He’ll run through every possible reason you felt like he wasn’t enough for you, any sign he missed that he wasn’t trying hard enough. He won’t get over you, even as the time passes, there will always be room in his heart that he’ll keep unoccupied in case you ever decide to come back for him. This boy will love you forever, even if it hurts.

Jean- [It’s Called: Free Fall- Rainbow Kitten Surprise]

Jean is a very emotional guy…in private. He won’t outwardly show how it affects him, he’ll go out with friends and make an appearance at parties like it’s no big deal. For the first while he’s able to fool himself too. It’s one night when he gets home after a trip to the lake with his friends and starts thinking about how quiet his evenings are without you, he breaks. He feels a bit hopeless, and frustrated that he can’t just turn it off. He doesn’t want to feel it, because he’s scared it will consume him. He’s scared that other people will recognize his vulnerability.

Connie- [Who Needs Love- Trippie Redd]

My man is a LIAR. Connie hates you. He’s talking shit, he’s saying you were toxic and he’s glad you’re gone. He doesn’t need you and he could have anyone he wants, so why be sad? Until he runs into you at a party and you drunkenly admit that you still love him. Suddenly the world is colorful again, and loving really is worth the pain.

Reiner- [Creep- Radiohead]

Even if Reiner isn’t a loser, in his own mind he is. He went into your relationship believing you deserved so much better than him, he never understood how you managed to look at him and see anything worth loving. Everything he ever did was to ensure your happiness, so if leaving him is what will make that happen, he’ll let you go. He’ll watch you post on your instagram story when you go on dates, he’ll see your happy lil smile and he’ll smile to himself, ignoring the tear that escapes his eyes and moistens his pillow. He tells himself that he’s just proud of you, and glad you’re doing well.

Bert- [Break- Alex G]

Bert is a loser, and he believes he’s a loser. It’s endearing, because he doesn’t understand how he managed to pull you in the first place. He would walk to the ends of the earth and back barefoot to make you happy, his love knows no bounds. He’s a certified simp and he doesn’t mind being called one, because he doesn’t see any reason not to be proud that others are acknowledging how diligently he loves you, how devoted he is to your happiness. When things end, he feels cheated and drained. Like it was all for nothing. The type of guy who will say he’ll never love again, and even if it’s not true, it will definitely be a long time before he does.

Levi- [Killer- Phoebe Bridgers]

Levi has some pretty significant abandonment issues. He’s another one that would do anything to see you smile, he believes that the more he does for you, the more worthy of love he is. He doesn’t see himself as lovable unless he can be of service. Even if he doesn’t show it, Levi can be pretty insecure. He knows he isn’t the most approachable, he can be blunt and brash, and he doesn’t always know how to be gentle. But your love makes him feel like he’s good. He’s not ready to give that up, and he’s thinking of all the ways he can show you he wants to make it work. He can’t accept that it’s over, and one way or another he’ll have you back in his arms.

[cornbake]

The Moon Will Sing PT4

WARNINGS: Heavy Angst, Hurt no comfort No one properly wants this but here you go none the less LMAO Master List

Astarion couldn't tear his eyes from the letter that sat innocently within his tent.

Surely Cazador wouldn't risk coming into their camp to place this? It must have been someone else on his behalf. It always is.

His mind played a thousand horrors on repeat as his crimson eyes never left the sealed parchment. A thousand different words. A thousand different scars.

By the time he refound himself the sun had started to crest into the bright light of twilight. Mentally shaking himself off, he grabbed the letter, giving it a good look over before he even decided to open it.

It was not trapped, yet he did note that the red ink was in fact blood. Your blood. He could recognize the sent anywhere. After all, you had offered yourself to him whenever he felt hungry.

Ice took over his still veins, the idea that Cazador even had the option to write in your blood was all ready enough proof for his fears. Even so, he opened the letter to read the rest of the blood written letter.

The hand writing was swift yet elegant as always, the deep red making the note more ominous, if it needed to be more than it already was. If Astarion could feel even worse he surely would.

Dear Little Star,

I trust this letter finds you in good health, as your galivanting in the sun seems to prove.

As you are surely aware, I have yet to forget your owed responsibilities to your family. Yet worry not. It seems I have been gifted someone in your stead. Unless you care to come home where you belong.

Do not mistake my resolve for leniency. You owe you life to me boy, and as such, I am willing to allow yourself to come to me to repay your debt, less I have to resort to making your newest fascination in your image.

Do not keep me waiting, for the clock ticks swiftly towards an irreversible outcome.

Your beloved Father, Cazador Szarr

Astarion could breath, not that he had reason to in the first place, yet his throat twisted closed. He couldn't see anything as his vision blurred and his body trembled.

He wanted to scream, to run away and never return. But most of all... He wanted to run to you.

He never seemed to realize it, yet now in the absence of it he couldn't see how he could ever be so blind. Over the days of traveling and fighting, he had felt his muscle relax and his mind clear. He was at peace. Something that was so forin that he didn't realize it until it was pried away from him.

"And honestly... I don't think your services are worth the cost."

His words come back to haunt him. Just for a moment, everything was clear. Just for once in his current torment did he find a still peace.

You weren't pried from him. He had willingly fed you to the beasts. You had given him and given him and given him. So much you had given freely to him. You gave him food, both in something he couldn't eat, not that you knew at first, and in blood. You had given him protection, from blades and words. Friends and foes. You had given him comfort from his own thoughts. Given him something he had never thought he could even have. You gave him hope. Love. Your whole heart.

He had thrown it all back in your face. Told you that all of it was nothing.

That you where nothing.

His hand curled into his hair, letter crumpling in his grip. His thoughts, his feelings, his fear. They all consumed him once more. All of it at once. All of his faults coming back to him at once.

And all he could do was cry and long for the comfort of your touch. Craving the soft hands of a seasoned warrior to gently rub circled into his back. Desire the whispers of an angelic voice that tell him he's safe, that no one could ever hurt him again. Yearn for the feathery light touches of your lips as the kiss his head when he finally drifts back into a peaceful slumber.

All he once had. And yet....

His jaw clenched, threating to splinter his teeth into shards. He face damp with the falling of tears. Breath hitching as he tried to hold back his feelings, trying to desperately shove them back into the bottle he once held them all in. A bottle he never realized had opened at some point, yet he knew who had opened it for him.

He knew it all now. He knew all he ever wanted, truly wanted, had been behind him this entire time. All he had to do was turn around. That's all he had to do. He had what was promised to him. He had it. He had it. He fucking had it!

His voice seemed to carry as he cried out in his anguish. Hands threating to pull out his silver hair. The same hair you had once touched with such care and kindness.

Oh how he would give anything to have that back... Any anything he will give.

[wherethatoldtraingoes2]

THE EARTH FROM A DISTANCE, SEE HOW IT SHINES?

hi! call me:

robin

tommy

striker

(and if you know me, ricky works just fine too!)

i’m your friendly neighborhood blogger. he/they/it, but neos work too! i don’t have time to care, to be honest.

no real main theme for this blog, just whatever I hyperfixate on, really! but my interests include

🩵 - comics! mainly read dc and the occasional idw comic (i’d like to read more tmnt and marvel stuff, so please dump your recs in my askbox) but i also LOVE indie stuff so give me any cool ones you find.

my personal recs;

spill zone (fun style, representation, 14+ indie comic. had a lot of fun reading it)

the boy wonder (also fun style, 13+ dc miniseries. really well written and super accessible to people not used to comics, and worth your time no matter how deep-in the understanding of characters you are.)

nightwing: rebirth (loads of fun to me, but i haven’t finished it yet!)

robin lives! (pretty neat! suffers from ‘bruce wayne is an angry parent’ syndrome, but interesting imo)

🩵 - yellowjackets! i’m mainly here for the cannibalism but thank you @the-lonelyshepherd for doing the civil service of getting me to like it. NOT FINISHED WITH SEASON TWO ‼️‼️ NO SPOILERS ‼️‼️

🩵 - poppy playtime! alright i KNOW it’s not the best horror game out there but i enjoy it. unfortunately i do not have a pc and can’t play it though…

🩵 garten of banban (IRONICALLY. I PROMISE. it’s fun to watch the chaos).

🩵 - warrior cats! a recovering warrior cats kid. sorry

🩵 - musical theater! all of it, really, but my personal favorites

hadestown

newsies

hamilton

(ironically) spider-man: turn off the dark

the lightning thief

epic

in the heights

grease (complicated relationship w grease… the sexism is. sexism-ing)

jekyll and hyde

🩵 - tmnt! mainly 2018 and 2012 — i haven’t seen 2024, much of 2003, or much of ‘87 or the 90s movies. but i want to!

my thoughts, in general

i don’t have a dni. i’ll block you if you’re weird and that’s it. but with that said;

free palestine.

fuck nazis and republicans.

no rights for anyone until we have rights for all

black lives matter, cops are pigs.

my non-political thoughts that i feel like disclosing;

am i proship? am i antiship? no, i’m a person with a blog who doesn’t care (however for fictionkin reasons i block batcest and turtlecest, but i literally do not care. do what you want.) i do not actively ship anything, so ‘proship’ falls under that umbrella. i just reblog stuff i mildly enjoy— the only couple that consumes MY brain is my ocs.

i don’t believe in “problematic” media. sorry. i do, however, believe in not funding artists that are actively in hate groups, so write your hazmat hostel fanfiction, just don’t buy harry potter merch and we’re good.

i’m not here to get involved in discourse. bring me into it outside of my accord and i’ll block everyone involved unless i really truly care about them.

tag your shit and i don’t really care what you do. just make sure i can filter it and we’re good.

that’s all!

[beardedhandstoadshark]

Why doesn't the Mushroom Kingdom ever up its security so that Bowser stops making off with Princess Peach? it's like they want Peach to be perpetually kidnapped by Bowser

Probably cuz they’re actually cool with each other, I mean they invite Bowser to Mario Kart and Tennis. Plus Mario Bros 3 was already a stage play, so who’s to say most of the rest aren’t!

Or we go the alternative route, it might be because Mario already is their max security. The mushroom kingdom’s a place full of, well, Toads. Aside from the Bros being op compared to all them, the kingdoms trade mainly lies in construction with focus on pipe-based transportation systems, healthcare services, and by the prevalence of power stars within the kingdom, most likely also energy exports.

However, their military advancements are severely lacking, with the regular Toad guard only being armed with spears, and seemingly only a fraction of Toads capable of using the plentifully growing power items like the fire flower. (My hc is that it takes some skill and strength to properly channel enough fire without burning yourself). Because of that, if they were to upgrade their military, they’d have to do so via alliances and importing.

Only the biggest contributor in developing and producing both military units and technology is none other than the Koopa Kingdom, whose king probably wouldn’t want to give his advanced tools to the princess he’s actively trying to kidnap for good.

Of course, the Mushroom Kingdom can (and does) have alliances with other kingdoms - most noticeably for their military, the Pink Delegation of Bob Ombs - but not only won’t it be enough to fight properly- on top of offensive machinery, the Koopa kingdom‘s the one for powerful sorcery, a lot more versatile and offensive kind of magic than the consumable-based and otherwise mostly making-life-easier mushroom kingdom magic. And to top that off, that Koopa sorcery includes necromancy. Basically, if the Koopa Kingdom decides to invade you, you’re screwed.

But Bowser also got a nice side, doesn’t really care about other kingdoms unless they have something he wants (usually non-heat based energy sources) and mostly only does what he does because he’s got a major crush on Peach. Everyone knows that for all he will inflict on anyone standing in his way, Bowser will never actually bend a single hair on the princess herself.

So the Mushroom Kingdom has two options. They either try to stop Bowser when the Koopa Kingdom invades and inevitably risk every single citizen getting turned into blocks again in the best case…or they just let him do his thing.

Minimum civilian harm, collateral damage usually limited to castle grounds, and most importantly, a big window of time when Bowser will focus his entire army on the stopping of two very overpowered plumbers, therefore leaving the entire rest of the kingdom alone to rebuild the damage and stay undisturbed for the entire duration until his defeat, recovery, and re-stocking of the army.

The Mushroom kingdom is essentially artificially recreating the thing that Hyrule has going on naturally with its reincarnation curse- single guy keeps saving the world from recurring evil with the princess at the center of the conflict in return for guaranteed peace of the kingdom during in-between times.

Or maybe all of them are just really, really, bored and it’s good training for the newby Toad guards who don’t know it’s all in good sport yet.

[phoenixyfriend]

Ko-Fi Prompt from adam:

macroeconomics, how stuff affects LRAS + SRAS? doesn't necessarily need to be ELI5 if it's easier for you to reference other econ terms

I actually had to check what "ELI5" means and apparently it's "Explain Like I'm Five." Never seen that before but it does make sense.

Here's (significantly more than) five hundred words on macro econ.

I cannot promise that this is how your teachers want you to view things. A lot of this is being processed through "cynical business major that came out the other side of college with a grudge against other business majors."

LRAS: Long run aggregate supply. This is a theoretical model that allows for multiple elements of the economy to be variable in the larger context. We are looking at long-term effects to shifts in the economy. LRAS assumes that aggregate supply is functionally unchanging in the long run, and only ever shifts temporarily. If one element shifts, the others will compensate (e.g. a rise in prices will result in lower quantities, but the total sold in dollar amount will be the same). This is in part because the model assumes that production is working optimally.

SRAS: Short run aggregate supply. This is a theoretical model that fixes most variables and looks at only the effects of individual aspects. Think of it as viewing only the immediate effects of a change to one element, with the assumption that nothing else will change.

What is aggregate supply?

Aggregate supply is, functionally, 'the total price of everything we can sell in a country during a given time.' All the money that is spent, on basically anything, combined. Your rent, your groceries, your tuition, your phone, and anything else (that is not imported), only for everyone in the country. All the money that changes hands is included except imports... and maybe wages.

People seem very keen to not include wages unless it's for direct-to-consumer services. I wasn't sure and tried to look it up for you, and people are very concerned with how wages affect AS, and not very concerned with explaining if "the $20k I paid my employee" is something that gets counted in this whole process.

"Wow that sounds like the GDP." It is. You can mince words about things like imports and exports, taxes, and so on, but GDP is one form of measuring aggregate supply (not including unreported income or illegal sales of drugs, etc).

What is Aggregate Demand?

The reverse! It is the amount of money people are willing to spend. Does that sound confusing? It is.

Aggregate Supply is the collective sales of goods produced, so it includes everything we make, including exports, like integrated circuits, petroleum, and cars.

Aggregate Demand is the collective sales of goods demanded, so it includes everything we buy, including imports, like Korean skincare, pharmaceuticals, and cars.

What affects Aggregate Supply?

AS is affected by numerous factors, but primarily labor, wage rates, general prices, and available financial capital.

(Assume everything is adjusted for inflation.)

Labor

If labor sharply decreases (e.g. COVID hits and unemployment skyrockets), then the Aggregate Supply nosedives, even if Aggregate Demand doesn't dip as sharply.

For our COVID example: People still need food and toilet paper, so the Demand for physical goods isn't affected as severely, but Supply goes down, and Services outside the medical industry take a nosedive; people are much less likely to get a non-necessity service (like massages, live entertainment, or housecleaning) when the people doing that work are often unable to work legally at all, due to legal restrictions.

LRAS assumes that either product costs will rise, or that labor will return to normal after a period of time, and that Aggregate Supply will return to equilibrium after a period of time. On a small scale, things that can affect labor are certification (e.g. if the government suddenly requires a certain license to practice a trade, labor will dip until people have that certification), wages (lower wages mean fewer employees), and worker safety (the revelation that a common element of production is highly carcinogenic and requires greater safety precautions means fewer people are willing to work for a minimum wage... in theory).

Of course, those last two are a lot less influential when the minimum wage is so low that people have to take any job they can find just to afford groceries, but that's another rant.

Price

This is most noticeable with luxury goods. In a traditional supply and demand curve, an increase in cost will lower demand for a product. However, many products do not respond to prices in that manner, due to being necessities. People cannot go without insulin, gas for their commute, or food (even shitty food), and so an increase in general costs can lead to a short bump in Aggregate Supply on the basis of people paying more across the board for things they can't go without, even if they have to take out loans to do it. In the long run, though, AS eventually shifts back to equilibrium, either through market costs being forced down by public outcry or government intervention, or through the people who couldn't afford these things just... dying off.

Fun fact: the lipstick effect is used to describe people in economic downturns ceasing to buy large luxuries (like a new car), but still buying small luxuries (like lipstick) to keep up morale, since it's a much smaller hit to the bank account, but provides a similar dopamine boost in a bad situation.

Wage Rates

If you're like me, your first instinct is that a depressed wage means fewer purchases across the board. Surprisingly, this is not what the usual use of wages in SRAS is.

AS theories assume that a rise in demand will lead to companies seeing a rise in sales, and thus hiring more workers at slightly higher wages in order to meet that demand.

In AS theory, higher wages mean greater labor, mean greater production, and thus higher AS.

(Same result, different reasoning. I view wages as being an element of how much people are able to purchase, and thus how AD affects AS.)

Available Financial Capital

This is an easy one: the more money a company has available, to spend on wages, supplies, and equipment, the more they can produce. If all companies are given more capital (see: stimulus bills, loosened restrictions on banks giving out small business loans, a miracle in which all of Jeff Bezos's money is seized and redistributed to the many small businesses he was cannibalizing), then Aggregate Supply rises.

----

Anyway, that ended up much longer than the 500 words I promised. If you enjoyed this "Economics for Dummies" segment, please toss me a donation on Ko-fi, or sign up for my patreon! I promise I'll appreciate it. (Prompts not necessary, but open.)

[howlingday]

Weiss: Poor, foolish Whitley. So young, and so naïve.

Whitley: Excuse me?

Weiss: The world harsh and cruel, my baby brother, and no one will listen to you unless you can entertain the masses as well.

Whitley: Don't call me a "baby". Not only is it inaccurate, it is also rude.

Weiss: And yet my words are no less true. One day, you will understand what it means to be ignored because you're boring. If you want the people to learn, you must entertain them. Until we meet again, baby brother. (Leaves)

Whitley: Hm... Perhaps she's right. Perhaps my education could be a bit more... jovial.

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

Ruby: ...

Jaune: ...

Whitley: (Rapper get-up) Welcome back to business economics. ...Yo.

Whitley: It has come to my understanding that some of you are having trouble understanding my class. ...Yo.

Jaune: We're the only ones here.

Ruby: Ssh!

Whitley: As such, I have prepared a simple rap to follow along and understand the needed facts to survive in a capitalist-driven economy in which you provide goods and services for your peers and lessers.

Ruby: ...

Jaune: ...

Whitley: ...Yo.

Whitley: (Turns on track, Raps)

She sells sea shells on a sea shore,

But the value of these shells will fall

Due to the laws of supply and demand

No one wants to buy shells,

'Cause there's loads on the sand

Whitley: (Draws seashell on the board, Scratches red X over it)

Step One:

You create a sense of scarcity

Shells will sell much better

If they're rare, you see,

Bear with me,

Take as many shells as you can find

And hide them on an island

Stockpile them high until they're rarer than a diamond

Whitley: (Draws hand, Draws more hands)

Step Two:

Gotta make the people think that they want 'em

Really want 'em

Really fuckin' want 'em

Fuckin' Ironwood wants 'em!

Influencers! Product placement!

Prime time entertainment!

If you haven't got a shell,

Then you're just a fuckin' waste, man

Whitley: (Draws building with seashell, Lancaster draw up logos)

Step Three:

It's a monopoly

Invest inside some property

Start a corporation,

Build a logo,

Do it properly,

"Shells Must Sell"

This will be your new philosophy

Swallow all your morals,

They're a poor man's quality

Whitley: (Lancaster nervously swallow lumps, Whitley draws bigger and bigger circles)

Step Four:

Expand! Expand! Expand!

Clear forest! Make Land!

Fresh blood! On hands!

Whitley: (Draws circles with different things, Lancaster call Weiss)

Five!

Why just shells?

Why limit yourself?!

She sells seashells!

SELL DUST AS WELL!

Whitley: (Wildly draws different randomness, Lancaster joins War of the Roses)

Six!

Sell guns! Sell stocks!

Sell diamonds! Sell rocks!

Sell water to a fish!

Sell the time to a clock!

Whitley: (Excitedly puts up campaign poster, WotR wheel in a projector)

SEVEN!

Step hard on the gas,

Like a bat out of hell,

And run to be the councilman of Mantle!

Whitley: (Puts up more and more posters, WotR gather slides for the projector)

EIGHT!

BIG SMILE! BIG WAVE!

YEAH, THAT'S GREAT!

Know the truth is overrated,

Tell lies out the gate!

Whitley: (Angrily rips down half the posters, WotR turn off the lights)

NINE!

POLARIZE THE PEOPLE!

CONTROVERSY IS THE GAME!

IT DOESN'T MATTER IF THEY HATE YOU IF THEY ALL SAY YOUR NAME!

Whitley: (Projector turns on to blind Whitley, Sees his father staring from the board)

Ten...

The world was yours...

Stepped off the stage as the world applause...

You're a liar. A cheat. A scoundrel. A whore...

Whitley: (Falls to his knees, Sobs)

And you sold seashells on the seashore...

Whitley: (Sniffs, Stands up) Erm, ahem! I, uh, hope you all learned something from this.

Ruby: Er, y-yeah, like, uh, how supply and demand needs to maintain an equilibrium, or else an inflation or deflation will disrupt the economic flow to both consumers and providers detriment.

Jaune: And how product placement can influence people to buy more, and that consumerism helps the provider gain more reach in their influence on others.

Weiss: (Smiles) You did good, Whitley.

Whitley: (Smiles) Thank you.

[fourhornedsatyr]

As an avid fan of Mike Pondsmith's Cyberpunk setting I cannot help but just look at the year 2024 in the US and be like: Yea Mike, you were a little off and a bit ahead, or a lot, but like holy fuck the internet and cyber tech has been so misused and is now the tool of corporations to fuck us over.

First off, phone phishing??? I have spam filters and still get 2-5 phishing phone calls a day that, if I do pick up, try to trick me into giving away my voice and data. This has become so common that literally no one I know answers a call unless they know the number or are actively awaiting a call from an unknown number (for job interviews, appointments, etc).

We, on the regular, deal with AI that is meant to steal our voices, names, and other cruical data. This has brought us to manage unknown numbers the same way we manage superstitious entities such as fae in fairy tales. How fucked up is that?

Streaming, once an alternative to and then a replacement of video stores, has come to replace TV and is severely less consumer friendly as access to media has become severely fragmented by the corporate nature of these services. I won't even get into the decreasing quality of popular media, just simply look at Disney to see the shift.

Social media? Something that was meant to connect family, friends, and community? Yea, that's now a sespool of ads, has algorithms that will try to feed you misinformation, and has been made into an addictive drug meant to keep people seperated and inactive in the freetime that we have.

There's come a large group of people in my generation (gen Z) and those who came before us (Millenials), who simply do not pay for our media. Piracy of old and new movies, shows, videogames, music, and even books has simply become the norm because we cannot afford to pay for it, and what we can access on the corpo sites has been severely reduced in quality by easily evaded ads.

And what do I have to say to that? We live in a capitalist society and we gotta play the game to live until we break it. They can't create a product that we're willing to use? Boohoo, someone outcompeted them by providing us with a product that removes ads that only serve to degrade, seperate, or comodify us. Corporations act like they deserve our subservience, money, and labor -- they don't.

Moving on from just entertainment and social media, search engines, our phones, and nearly everything we have to access the internet is used to track us and sell our data so that we may be comodified more efficiently by the corpos. We may say "I'm gonna google that", but many of us have stopped using google and other engines because of how bad they are at actually giving us good results. Task specific search engines and ones that don't track or sell our data (like duckduckgo) have become common place.

Also, just, most people do not own their own media? Some people don't own a single movie, show, song, book, videogame, or any other digital media and instead opt to stream them (ie spotify) or purchase access to them (ie steam). I know very few people in my generation who own a cd player or any type of physical music, and it just throws me.

The internet and digital tech could have been so much better and can do so much good, but no, it's used for capitalism instead.

Wage theft, job theft, piracy, and phishing.

Down with the capitalist system, let's bring on a future wherein our art, knowledge, social forums, and automatons are not weaponized against us so that we may share the resources we need to survive, thrive, and live fulfilling lives.

[nickgerlich]

The Price Is Right

Once upon a time, grocery stores paid employees to either apply price stickers to each can, bottle, and box, or use a handy little tool to stamp the price on the package. It took a lot of time, but since cashiers had no way of knowing prices—short of memorizing them—it had to be done. Things got complicated when prices rose, because then new numbers had to be affixed to packaging, sometimes with a higher-priced label stuck right on top of the previous.

Bar code scanners changed all that in 1974, allowing supermarkets to use shelf labels to announce the price, and the cashier to simply scan the items at check-out. It worked, and still does, as long as the item has been entered into the store’s inventory system. When prices changed, it meant having to update the database, as well as replacing old shelf labels with new.

But there is a better way, though. It’s just that they have been slow to gain traction. Until now, that is, with Walmart announcing they will roll out electronic shelf labels (ESLs) at 2300 of their stores by 2026. The ESLs can be updated remotely, meaning that the database and shelves can be done simultaneously. It will no doubt make life a lot easier for Walmart and its employees.

And that’s where things can get interesting. The ability to change prices at any given moment means that Walmart and any other retailer could—not saying they would, necessarily—use surge pricing. That is when sellers jack up prices because demand is strong. It also goes by the moniker dynamic pricing.

Of course, it means that prices could be revised downward too, if conditions warrant it, like if a retailer needs to push out some merchandise for whatever reason, from freshness dates to short-term sales and sales promotions, as well as trying to close out an item.

The truth of the matter is that we have lived with some degree of dynamic pricing for years. It explains why shopping for airline tickets is better on Tuesdays (that’s what I hear, anyway). It’s why hotels typically cost more on weekends. It’s why some gas stations charge more in the morning, when people who forgot to get gas the night before are suddenly panicking.

As a traveler, I have learned how to play this game. It’s almost like gambling, though, because sometimes I win, sometimes I lose. I typically do not make hotel reservations until day-of, unless I have knowledge that rooms might be in short supply. For example, on this trip west, I did not reserve my room in Albuquerque until Monday morning. I had started my search the day before, though, and already knew that rooms were running about $200 a night, typical for summer.

I rolled the dice and waited 24 hours, hoping that their bookings would not be high. I won the bet, and got a Homewood Suites for $160. But if I were planning to return in October for Balloon Fiesta, I would book now, knowing they will likely be at or near full occupancy then, with prices increasing as the supply of rooms decreases.

But back to Walmart. Again, I am not saying they will do devious things, but the ability to do so—whether them our any other retailer—exists. Imagine this scenario: The National Weather Service announces a blizzard is likely in two days. We all know this causes people to desire French Toast, so everyone is going to load up on bread, eggs, and milk. This would be a great time to raise the prices of those in-demand items, along with others that their in-house research could easily show to be popular when bad weather is in the forecast.

This has already been done around the world with soft drink vending machines, raising prices during the day when demand is high, and reducing them at night when sales are low. You could do the same when it is exceptionally hot or cold. Nefarious? Perhaps, but then again, isn’t pretty much everything we do intricately tied to supply and demand?

Personally, I like this effort. The academic in me would almost pay good money to work with Walmart to study consumer behavior and price sensitivities. Imagine all the data! Imagine all of the journal articles to be written!

But then again, the consumer in me harbors some concerns about folks in an office somewhere—either upstairs at the store, or at HQ—yanking my chain and messing with me. It would be a huge twisted game of The Price Is Right, in which the retailer is constantly trying to figure out the right price to maximize their returns. You thought you knew your prices. They could change that on a whim.

Hang on to your wallets. This could get interesting.

Dr “The Price Of Technology” Gerlich

Audio Blog

[liciatalks]

I'm seeing the conversation of shows having shorter seasons. Where old series would have 16-20 episode seasons, 8 episodes seem to be the standard now. Series are missing "Filler" episodes.

SIDE NOTE: Western media never had "filter" episodes. Filler episodes is a term originating around anime, where animes based off of mangas would catch up to the current story line and would have to produce episodes to buffer the time. Think vamping during live shows, noise until the next band or act is ready.

There is a server lack of non plot driven episodes.

Some series do not need them, they are written in a way where that the audience has all the information they need. Contrary to popular belief, you do not need to know the complete backstory of every single character. Some things can and should be left up to the imagination.

'The Last of Us' is a great example of this. We connected to the characters and story with zero "Filler" episodes. Every episode was too push the plot forward.

Controversialy, Hazbin Hotel also did not need these episodes. It is structured like a Broadway musical so it's storytelling reflected that. You don't just stop the story of a play to have two characters have date night unless that moved the plot forward.

Other series would benefit from these episodes. As much as I love 'The Mandalorian' and 'Loki', both series would benefit with longer seasons. Choices and moments felt rush and you either didn't connect to characters or they felt really out of character.

The reason for shorter seasons could come down to several things.

Networks/Streaming services will only pay for 8-10 episodes

Show creators, fearing cancellation, condensed their stories down

Audience comprehension of media literacy

I believe in some article it was revealed that Netflix has technical specifications for every single one of their shows down to what cameras can be used. So it's not out of the realm of possibilities that networks/streaming services would limit how many episodes you could write. With limited episodes come with limited storytelling, You now have to figure out which pieces are important and which pieces you can leave out.

Series are also getting canceled in shelved almost everyday on these platforms. So creators knowing this try to squeeze as much as they can in a small format thinking it's better to tell any story whether it's good or bad. Just hoping they can make it to a second season to "fix" things.

MEDIA LITERACY. There is a growing number of audiences that if something is more complex than a saltine cracker it confuses the everliving fuck out of them.

Villains must be villainous in heroes must be heroic. Do not make my villain have a sympathetic moment. The hero can't be seen as an asshole they're the hero. The plot isn't going in a straightforward line, confusion. Why are they on this side quest this has nothing to do with the main mission, even though later on it will. How Am I supposed to know those characters are together, they haven't had sex or kissed !?

And if audience are reviewing something bad because they couldn't understand it networks/streaming services are going to shift gears to reflect that. Meaning complex in slow burning stories are out the window. They want simple fast pace easily consumable shows.

Until networks/streaming services stop thinking only of money, and show respect for those creating their series AND audiences start comprehending things above a first grade reading level we're not going to see any changes.

Networks/streaming services make money off of these series and they're just consumable enough to get people talking about it.

If you're wanting complex long form series your best bet is going to be indie project and companies. Those who are in it for the art.

[pmmechanicalny9873]

P&M Mechanical Inc.

Nearly twenty years ago, P&M Mechanical, Inc. was the HVAC provider of choice for the people of Fairfield and Westchester counties. Turning on the air conditioner is an easy solution.

Among our many notable and important clients are Eversource and Con Edison hvac companies in ny There has been a meteoric rise in the availability of eco-friendly temperature controls.

P&M Mechanical, Inc. is an industry leader in security firms. We will finish the assignment regardless of the expense.

You can choose between three different maintenance plans to find the one that fits your needs and your budget the best.

It could be wise to stock up before prices continue to rise.   It will be a big part of my identity. New systems might get support from existing initiatives. To get the best deal, buy all three items simultaneously. 

There is a need for evaluation in numerous services, including plumbing, air quality, HVAC, and response times to consumer complaints. Get in touch with us anytime you need help with the HVAC, plumbing, or anything else related. The Port Chester, New York headquarters of the well-known P&M Mechanical Inc. Priority number one should be making sure each and every customer is satisfied. You can reach us at any time from our main office in Port Chester, New York.

This pays no attention to our requirements whatsoever. Their reputation for being finicky among the executives who work with them precedes them. For example, they prefer updates that are provided frequently. Our primary goal as a small, family-run business has always been to provide goods of excellent quality.

The employees care more about pleasing other people than they do about getting to know their consumers. Unless the other person comes to the topic with an opinion, your best attempts at creative description will go unheard. If you ever find yourself in a monetary bind and could need our assistance, please don't hesitate to get in touch with us.

New York and Connecticut both have excellent HVAC providers, so I'm not sure which one to choose. Master everything that is required of you. Our insurance coverage in Connecticut and New York cover every kind of house and business imaginable. Almost every kind of HVAC system imaginable is in our inventory. We considered the requirement for privacy from nearby residences throughout the whole design process. After bringing in HVAC experts, we were much more dedicated to satisfying customer requests. We promise to keep working on it until we discover a solution that works for you. Among the many things that our qualified professionals are good at when it comes to HVAC systems are installation, service, repair, and diagnosis. Only native-born Connecticutans have ever set foot inside the HVAC system; no one else has. We guarantee that our services will keep your home safe throughout any storm that may strike your area. If the weather is nice, you should probably remain indoors. Everything remains the same regardless of the weather. Our qualified technicians can swiftly fix the air conditioning system of any building in New York City, regardless of the weather. It is totally up to you to make sure your air conditioner is reliable. Keeping things at a comfortable temperature requires the usage of an air conditioner.

Our HVAC services have a history of happy customers in the New York and New Jersey regions. With this new information in hand, we can go forward with the project. Consistently going above and above for our clientele is one of our several strengths. We will always do all tasks, no matter how large or small. All written pledges are guaranteed to be reliable. You must persevere regardless of the weather. Our organization is capable of incredible things if we can remain united and committed to our goals and beliefs at all times.

Our HVAC services are unparalleled in Connecticut. Our pledge to you is that we will be available at all hours, day or night, until the issue is resolved. As a result of always exceeding client expectations, my company has become one of the most reliable HVAC companies in Connecticut. It is within our power to govern each of the fifty states. New York City may have an easier time locating a trustworthy HVAC specialist. Repair or replacement of the HVAC system may be required if the problem continues. When you need HVAC services in the New York-Connecticut area, give P&M Mechanical Inc. a call. Any time you need our HVAC system serviced, feel free to give us a call.

Among our many notable and important clients are Eversource and Con Edison. There has been a meteoric rise in the availability of eco-friendly temperature controls.

[mimosasky]

Solid Advice For Getting A Higher Page Ranking

You could be the most ambitious person on the planet when it comes to creating a website with all the bells and whistles that people will love, but unless your visitors can find your site when they search specific terms, your efforts are just going to be wasted. Read these tips and make the most of your efforts.

To maximize your search engine optimization impact, consider your off-site networks. Is your website and/or business widely linked? Are you doing everything you can to take advantage of the power of social networking? If you cannot answer "yes" to either question, consider these ideas an easy way to boost your page views and name.

Identify and present yourself in the marketplace as a specialist in a particular field. This is a profitable way to market your sites. Build a niche website that targets clientele interested in your specialty, then use SEO best practices to lead them to it. Keep your customers needs in mind and meet them; don't make assumptions about what they want.

Knowing the value of different domain endings is a good way to help with search engine optimization. For instance, focus your efforts on trying to get links from .edu websites, by writing content tailored to them or making them aware of your site, as search engines give them more weight than other endings, like .com or .org.

Make it easy for visitors to understand and use the website. Do not bog them down with Internet marketing lingo. Instead, create a simple website that highlights what you are trying to market. Links should be easily accessible and important information should be prominently located. Guide them through the process of exploring your website.

Learn how to promote using social media. Simply posting links to your company website is not advertising - it is spam. Providing content as a reason to visit your website is much more effective, and it also allows consumers to feel as though you are interested in their personal wants and needs.

SEO is the best way to make sure your website gets to page one of those search results so that people will see your site and hopefully purchase your product or service. Following these tips will keep your site rising until it's number one on the search engine results pages.

Read more here Social media marketing

[ikeepbookkeeping]

Don’t hire a bookkeeper until you read this!

Hiring a bookkeeper can be the most important decision you will make in your business. Ask yourself the following 2 questions and it will help you in making a more informed decision.

Can your small business afford an individual bookkeeper?

If you’re thinking about hiring an individual bookkeeper, there are a few things to keep in mind first. Unless your business is very small and you can easily handle all the bookkeeping yourself, it’s probably not a good idea. Here are four reasons why:

If you are paying someone to attend your office, you are inherently paying them for their travel time and breaks as they spend time in your office.

Unless you are proficient in various accounting and financial software programs, you’ll be placing a huge amount of trust in this individual’s abilities.

An individual bookkeeper is unlikely to be familiar with your industry and the specific needs of your business.

Hiring an individual bookkeeper means that when they get sick or their personal situation changes, you can be left on your own with no notice.

What are alternatives to hiring an in-house bookkeeper?

There are several alternatives to hiring an individual bookkeeper, including doing your own bookkeeping, using an online bookkeeping service, or working with a professional bookkeeper. Each option has its own advantages and disadvantages. Here are four options to consider:

1) Do Your Own Bookkeeping: This is the cheapest option and can be done on your own computer. However, it can be complicated and time-consuming, and you may not have enough expertise to manage your finances effectively. As a business owner, there are probably 100 more important things you could be doing than chasing down receipts or learning how to do a bank recnciliation.

2) Work With a Professional Bookkeeper: This is the most professional option, there are dedicated expert bookkeeping providers and it will provide you with more comprehensive financial management services than either do-it-yourself or online bookkeeping services. You may also find that a professional bookkeeper is more knowledgeable about compliance issues.

If you’re looking for reliable bookkeeping services that will save you money, then you should consider customized services. With customization, your accountant can take all the information you provide and create a realistic budget that considers your specific financial needs and goals. This way, you know exactly how much money you’re spending each month and where to adjust so that you can save even more.

If this sounds like something you would benefit from, call us today to schedule a chat!

[fish-boned]

Curious About SEO? Use These Great Ideas.

You could be the most ambitious person on the planet when it comes to creating a website with all the bells and whistles that people will love, but unless your visitors can find your site when they search specific terms, your efforts are just going to be wasted. Read these tips and make the most of your efforts.

Make sure your site is great. The best SEO in the world can bring people to your page, but it won't keep them there. Building a quality site will keep your site at the top of the heap. If you can't say that your site is good enough to be on the first page of results then you have some work to do.

Joining SEO communities is a great way to learn little insider tricks of the trade. Say Google suddenly changes their policy and begins to treat HTML title tags differently. You may not find out about this until your site falls in the rankings. But if you're signed up to receive newsletters and e-zines from the SEO community, you will always be in the know.

Add new content to your website in a consistent manner. This will keep your search engine rankings up because it will keep people coming back to your site to see what's new on your pages. Additionally, new content that is well written with SEO in mind will attract the search engine bots. Adding great content to your website is a win-win proposition all around.

If you want to make sure your website has high-visibility in search engines, make sure you are using relevant keywords throughout your page. For instance, if your website is about vegan foods, you should use phrases like "healthy vegan recipes" or "meat-less alternatives" throughout your website. That way, people who search these specific keywords will be more likely to see your site.

Learn how to promote using social media. Simply posting links to your company website is not advertising - it is spam. Providing content as a reason to visit your website is much more effective, and it also allows consumers to feel as though you are interested in their personal wants and needs.

SEO is the best way to make sure your website gets to page one of those search results so that people will see your site and hopefully purchase your product or service. Following these tips will keep your site rising until it's number one on the search engine results pages.

Read more here What is SEO and how it works?

[originalpackersandmoversblog]

Finding Your Reputable Moving Company in Simple Steps!

Shifting is a very big and lengthy task that becomes hazardous when it is question of your belongings that are fragile, heavy or expensive. It requires lot of time to collect your things at one place and then further take it to the next step for packing which needs much more consciousness. There are always some choices with the people for implementing the process and taking it to the level of success. The items at your place, whether it is household or commercial goods, they need special handling so that minimum damage can be caused to them. So it is impossible to do it from your end, therefore the team of professional packers and movers are the need of an hour. They have deep knowledge about the techniques involved in handling the types of items. These relocation companies help you for whatever reasons you are moving and get their job done efficiently. You only have to pay little amount of money to make sure that all your belongings are shifted smoothly at your destination.

As mentioned above that the process needs proper planning for execution actually on ground. Therefore, there are many steps you have to follow for choosing an authentic and genuine choice in this regard. At times this process can be too expensive and even you have to spend extra amount where the damages can happen at any phase. So before booking your project with any transportation company you have to check from each aspect. 

Pre-plan your move

For having any service without any complaints, you have to be assuring that the company you are choosing will give you the best services. For this you have to systematically plan your moving process. Apparently by hiring the company at the last moment will cost you on higher side and also there will be hidden costs that you have to pay without even getting into notice. It is advisable to make the estimated budget for your process to get the reliable resources for the same. Making check list of your items that needs to be carried will be helpful for you, even if your service provider has provision of inventory list with them. To be on the safer side it is a necessary step.

Research about the company

You should do the thorough background homework for the maximum number of companies who deal in this domain. Without having proper knowledge about the packing and moving firm you cannot deal with them. This could be gained by using simple Google Search on the browser which shows you endless results for the best suppliers in the transportation industry. You should check at least 4-5 companies for the same in order to have error free services.

Take recommendations

By taking references from your closed ones such as friends, relatives and neighbors will be very beneficial for you while picking the right resources. The mouth of word works well in this aspect. The past experiences from the people whom you know matters a lot because they have deal with the packing and moving company in person. They have spent quite a long time with them in getting their things done in proficient manner, so they can guide you in a better way.

Check for customer’s feedback

Every renowned business has made its strong presence in the hearts of their customers and so does packers and movers Noida.The clientele of such reputable companies is enough to give you clarity about the kind of services and products they are serving. Feedback from customers play huge role in establishing the identity of any business. So any negative feedback will put a bad impression on the further consumers on which the company has to deal with yet. Reviews from customers on various websites can be checked that will tell you how much successful projects have been done by the transportation company that you are looking for.

Compare the prices

Without getting all the necessary information from the company, do not pay the charges because unless and until you will get bet deal that is worth for your money, you will not be satisfied and happy. Take moving quotes from at least top five companies so that you can compare the differences between the types of relocation services they are offering and choose the suitable one according to your pocket.

Avail any offers if available

Though it is not recommended to pick the company which is offering discounts on their services yet on the other side once you are convinced with your service provider then you can surely avail the special offers from them. If they have disclosed their discounted offers on the website and it is for every customer then they are good to go. But never leave the chance where your costs are cutting down for the services you are looking.

Finding a reputable moving company can be a daunting task, but it's essential for a smooth and stress-free move. Here are some simple steps to follow when searching for a reliable moving company:

Research: Start by researching moving companies in your area. Look for companies with good reviews and ratings on websites like Yelp, Google, and Angie's List. Ask for recommendations from family and friends who have recently moved.

Get Multiple Quotes: Contact at least three moving companies and ask for quotes. Be sure to ask for a detailed breakdown of the costs and any additional fees that may apply.

Check for License and Insurance: Verify that the moving companies you are considering are licensed and insured. You can check the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration's website to see if the company is registered.

Check the Company's Experience: Look for companies with years of experience in the moving industry. Experienced movers are more likely to have the knowledge and skills necessary to handle your move.

Ask for References: Ask the moving company for references from previous customers. Contact these customers and ask about their experience with the company.

Avoid Large Deposits: Be wary of moving companies that require a large deposit upfront. Reputable companies typically don't require payment until after the move is complete.

Read the Contract Carefully: Before signing a contract, make sure you read it carefully and understand the terms and conditions. Ask questions if anything is unclear.

By following these simple steps, you can find a reputable moving company that will ensure a smooth and stress-free move.

Many moving suppliers provide services at affordable prices; the only thing you have to do from your side is to pick the genuine and competent one from the bunch of fake service providers.

Plan your next move wisely by taking assistance from Packers and Movers Noida

Have a wonderful experience of stress free moving in your near future.