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capitalism ruined the meaning of life by brainwashing people into thinking life has any meaning at all
we are born to live, as is everything on this planet and everything on every other planet, the planets themselves were formed purely to exist, because they have the capability to exist in this universe, no other reason.
Plants do not exist to give us oxygen or food or any resources at all, they exist because theyre meant to, they thrive in earths soil and grow purely because the environment allows it to, a seeds only purpose is to grow, and after that the only purpose is to live. the resources from plants are there to aid nature in its growth, to aid the lives of everything naturally on this earth. the same with animals, and the same can be applied to humans.
generosity is the only thing we need to survive, what one person lacks another has spare, a task one person cannot perform another can. we should all aim to give people as many useful things to them as we can, memories, resources, time.
money is a meaningless concept corrupted by greed and neglectful of compassion.
memories cannot be escaped, the one thing we will have for the (majority) of our lives, memories unite all of us, people, animals, plants. memories have no language, they exist within every sense and exist within the lack of senses. history is a mandatory subject based purely on memories and keeping memories alive. memories have more meaning than money ever will.
a million pounds makes you rich in greed.
a million memories makes you rich in experiences, in knowledge and in life.
we exist to live, and we remember the ones that have lived before us, and we will continue to remember the lives of others because the meaning of life is to live it, remember it and keep those memories alive.
#capitalist pig#capitalist system#capitalist dystopia#anti capitalist#capitalism#capitalist media#capitalist society#capitalist realism#capitalist propaganda#venture capitalist#capitalist bullshit#capitalistic#capitalist hell#visual capitalist#the meaning of life#core memory#memories#marxism#karl marx#communism#politics#socialist#socialism#social issues#philosophy#live your best life#live your life#philosophy of life#philosophical#political
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do you think academic librarians feel about the public adulation for jstor the way i feel about the public attitude towards libby (i.e., negative)?
#library#librarians of tumblr i summon thee: is it annoying to have people experience affection for individual vendors? it seems like it might be?#i understand the 'well if they're using our services that's great :)' attitude but surely there are limits?#i mean the jstor thing is also complicated because their staff made the choice to call the cops on aaron swartz#libby is just owned by venture capital. i haven't seen anybody waxing rhapsodic about hoopla. kanopy is sort of popular?#hoopla is owned by midwest tape a longtime library a/v supplier#& they put straight up n*zi shit in a bunch of library collections in like 2021 because their vetting is. um. not great#kanopy is owned by the same investment firm that owns libby/overdrive; they have a monopoly in the public library market#(ala estimates >90% of libraries that offer ebooks use libby)#they're also big with schools; if you've used the sora app that's the same company#vendors in academic publishing are also very bad! everybody hates elsevier but they aren't the only ones by a mile#anyway. feel free to weigh in#this is probably a facebook question but i am not going on there
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im sorry but you cannot attribute every single human behavior to capitalism. yes capitalism has shaped literature for the worst. yes the bookish world would probably be a better place without goodreads or booktok.
however the concepts of bibliomania and tsundoku were created in the 1800s, well before there were thousands of ads for shiny covers and celebrity authors being flung into your face. people were already buying more books than they could ever possibly read when books were still made with manual typesetting. you can't blame this one on amazon.
that's not even touching the fact that bibliomania is sometimes a symptom of ocd, or the existence of hyperlexia.
sometimes, people just like to do something, and it makes them act irrationally. and, yes, capitalism corrupts that. but to pretend that all human excess is because of capitalism is simply erroneous. you need to stop pretending that eradicating capitalism will make us perfect creatures free from hedonism oh my fucking god
#shut up az#in fact under communism i plan to read and hoard even more books#for you see i am one of those aforementioned hyperlexics#there's a goblin in my brain that tells me to read and then points an anxiety gun at my head#gonna venture that goodreads didnt put him there#sorry the original post about judging others by how much they Consume was correct#but so many people in the notes took it to mean that all book hoarding and reading fast is inherently because of capitalism#as if this is not the website where people read millions of words a week that were posted and obtained For Free#WHAT IS MY AO3 MARK FOR LATER IF NOT TSUNDOKU BY ANOTHER NAME#never talk to me and my collection of vintage paperbacks ever again
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Useful Tips for Becoming a Successful Agriculture Investor
Agriculture investment refers to the allocation of financial resources, capital, or assets into various aspects of the agricultural sector with the expectation of generating a return on investment (ROI). This could mean investing monies in agriculture land for sale such as coconut land for sale in Sri Lanka, or other types of investments. It involves deploying funds in activities and projects related to agriculture for the purpose of profit, income generation, or long-term wealth creation. Agriculture investment can take many forms, including:
Farmland Acquisition: Purchasing agricultural land for the cultivation of crops or the raising of livestock. This can involve both large-scale and small-scale farming operations.
Infrastructure Development: Investing in the construction and improvement of infrastructure such as irrigation systems, roads, storage facilities, and processing plants to enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency.
Technological Advancements: Funding the development and adoption of agricultural technologies, such as precision agriculture, automation, and biotechnology, to improve crop yields and reduce operational costs.
Agribusiness Ventures: Investing in agribusinesses, such as food processing, distribution, and marketing, that are part of the agricultural value chain.
Research and Development: Supporting research initiatives related to agriculture to develop new crop varieties, pest-resistant strains, and sustainable farming practices.
Input Supply: Investing in the production and distribution of agricultural inputs like seeds, fertilisers, pesticides, and machinery.
Commodity Trading: Speculating on the future prices of agricultural commodities, such as grains, oilseeds, and livestock, through commodity markets or futures contracts.
Sustainable Agriculture: Funding practices and projects aimed at sustainable and environmentally responsible farming methods, which can include organic farming, agroforestry, and conservation efforts.
Rural Development: Supporting initiatives that improve the overall economic and social well-being of rural communities, often through investments in education, healthcare, and infrastructure.
Venture Capital and Start-ups: Investing in start-ups and companies focused on innovations in agriculture, such as vertical farming, aquaculture, or agricultural technology (AgTech).
Agriculture investment is important for food security, economic development, and job creation in many regions. However, it also comes with risks related to weather conditions, commodity price fluctuations, and market dynamics. Investors often conduct thorough research and risk assessments before committing their resources to agricultural ventures. Additionally, they may need to consider factors like government policies, environmental regulations, and social impacts on their investment decisions in the agricultural sector.
How to become a successful agriculture investor
Becoming a successful agriculture investor requires a combination of financial acumen, agricultural knowledge, and a strategic approach to investment. Here are some steps to help you become a successful agriculture investor:
Educate Yourself: Gain a strong understanding of the agricultural sector, including the different sub-sectors (crops, livestock, agribusiness, etc.). Stay updated on industry trends, market conditions, and emerging technologies.
Set Clear Investment Goals: Define your investment objectives, whether it is long-term wealth creation, income generation, or diversification of your investment portfolio.
Risk Assessment: Understand and assess the risks associated with agriculture investments, such as weather-related risks, market volatility, and regulatory changes, whether you are looking at land for sale or any other type of investment.
Develop a Diversified Portfolio: Diversify your investments across different agricultural sectors and geographic regions to spread risk.
Market Research: Conduct thorough market research to identify promising investment opportunities and potential demand for agricultural products.
Build a Network: Establish connections with farmers, agricultural experts, government agencies, and industry stakeholders who can provide insights and opportunities.
Financial Planning: Create a budget and financial plan that outlines your investment capital, expected returns, and cash flow requirements.
Select the Right Investment Type: Choose the type of agriculture investment that aligns with your goals, whether it is farmland, agribusiness ventures, or agricultural technology.
Due Diligence: Conduct comprehensive due diligence on potential investments, including assessing the quality of farmland, the financial health of agribusinesses, and the technology's potential for scalability and profitability.
Sustainable Practices: Consider investments in sustainable and environmentally responsible agriculture practices, as they are gaining importance in the industry.
Risk Management: Implement risk management strategies, such as insurance, to protect your investments from unforeseen events like natural disasters or crop failures.
Continuous Learning: Stay informed about changes in the agricultural industry and adapt your investment strategy accordingly.
Legal and Regulatory Compliance: Understand and comply with local, national, and international regulations and tax laws that may impact your agriculture investments.
Monitor and Adjust: Regularly review the performance of your investments and be prepared to make adjustments or exit underperforming ones.
Long-Term Perspective: Agriculture investments often require a long-term perspective, so be patient and avoid making impulsive decisions based on short-term market fluctuations.
Seek Professional Advice: Consult with financial advisors, agricultural experts, and legal professionals to ensure that your investments are structured and managed effectively.
Successful agriculture investment often involves a mix of financial expertise, industry knowledge, and a willingness to adapt to changing conditions. It is important to approach agriculture investment with a well-thought-out strategy, and to be prepared for both opportunities and challenges in this sector.
#Agriculture investment refers to the allocation of financial resources#capital#or assets into various aspects of the agricultural sector with the expectation of generating a return on investment (ROI). This could mean#or other types of investments. It involves deploying funds in activities and projects related to agriculture for the purpose of profit#income generation#or long-term wealth creation. Agriculture investment can take many forms#including:#●#Farmland Acquisition: Purchasing agricultural land for the cultivation of crops or the raising of livestock. This can involve both large-sc#Infrastructure Development: Investing in the construction and improvement of infrastructure such as irrigation systems#roads#storage facilities#and processing plants to enhance agricultural productivity and efficiency.#Technological Advancements: Funding the development and adoption of agricultural technologies#such as precision agriculture#automation#and biotechnology#to improve crop yields and reduce operational costs.#Agribusiness Ventures: Investing in agribusinesses#such as food processing#distribution#and marketing#that are part of the agricultural value chain.#Research and Development: Supporting research initiatives related to agriculture to develop new crop varieties#pest-resistant strains#and sustainable farming practices.#Input Supply: Investing in the production and distribution of agricultural inputs like seeds#fertilisers#pesticides#and machinery.
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are there any critiques of AI art or maybe AI in general that you would agree with?
AI art makes it a lot easier to make bad art on a mass production scale which absolutely floods art platforms (sucks). LLMs make it a lot easier to make content slop on a mass production scale which absolutely floods search results (sucks and with much worse consequences). both will be integrated into production pipelines in ways that put people out of jobs or justify lower pay for existing jobs. most AI-produced stuff is bad. the loudest and most emphatic boosters of this shit are soulless venture capital guys with an obvious and profound disdain for the concept of art or creative expression. the current wave of hype around it means that machine learning is being incorporated into workflows and places where it provides no benefit and in fact makes services and production meaningfully worse. it is genuinely terrifying to see people looking to chatGPT for personal and professional advice. the process of training AIs and labelling datasets involves profound exploitation of workers in the global south. the ability of AI tech to automate biases while erasing accountability is chilling. seems unwise to put a lot of our technological basket in a completely opaque black box basket (mixing my metaphors ab it with that one). bing ai wont let me generate 'tesla CEO meat mistake' because it hates fun
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One of permaculture's earliest missteps was its belief that we should all become small-time capitalists in the service of the movement. This has led to a proliferation of permaculture-related small businesses—YouTube channels, personal brands, conferences, etc. I have no objection to this as a matter of survival; everyone has to make money somehow under the relentless demands of capitalism. But relying on businesses to do the work of evangelizing has essentially turned permaculture into a consumer trend, rather than a movement. A movement is not a stack of books, an endless series of Kickstarters, and a bunch of social media stars. A movement is a collective attempt to change society. Operating as businesses and personal brands makes the "collective" part impossible since those are necessarily individualistic ventures, and it also greatly limits what kinds of change can be made. We cannot move beyond capitalism—which is greatly accelerating the destruction of life on Earth—by being capitalists. We cannot spread permaculture by undermining the condition for our own survival. If permaculture is to become a movement rather than a consumer tchotchke, it will need to stop functioning as a constellation of small businesses and start building collective power on the basis of solidarity. This is called organizing, and it means working together to fight for our shared interests, as permaculturists and as humans living on an imperiled planet.
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U.A. High in my DR !
Basics
Students are separated randomly into specific departments and classes sectioned by the letters A-K.
These departments are:
Department of Heroics (A - B): Students in this department learn everything they need to know in order to become excellent heroes in service to the community. They are trained in battle, first aid, rescue, support, and all manners of heroic-related lessons.
Department of General Education C - E): Students who don’t make it to the hero course are included here. This department supports students aiming for college and other pursuits. It’s also possible for students with good grades and exceptional strength and quirk skills to be transferred into the hero course (And either the support or business course mind you). Basically regular HS but they get to say that they went to UA on their resume.
Department of Support (F - H): Students here focus on developing support equipment that helps heroes out on the battlefield. With a workspace stock to the brim with all sorts of special tools and their own studio to build things, this department provides an unmatched creative environment.
Department of General Management (I - K): This department focuses on all aspects of heroic business, from the founding and managing of hero agencies to the promotion of public opinion regarding heroes. They even do hands-on lessons in venture capitalism. They have a lot of free time.
Each class is usually comprised of 21 students. That means that the total student population at UA would be 693.
We stay in the same class with the same teacher for all 3 years.
Since UA is a highly prestigious school, we get a lot of funding and benefits for the dorms and when we go on trips and whatnot. (Food we buy for the dorms is paid for, we get free snacks/concessions in the sports festival, free hero costume updates and renewals)
The school curriculum is way less loaded than here. The school system is much better.
The Hero Teachers are actually good at teaching.
Since U.A. is famous, it has many sponsors with support and hero merch companies, so some hero course students (usually 3rd years) have their own hero merch already. Students are sometimes sponsored and do photoshoots and are invited to red carpet events. (Following the School Festival, Class 1-A gets loads of sponsors and stuff!)
The teachers and students are encouraged to decorate their classes and most of them do so.
U.A. has a popular school website.
Staff and students are recommended to have Twitter to update the public events, the majority of the students obviously don't take this seriously, there's always someone who has beef and makes it public (Monoma) and it always ends up like those MHA Tweets, it’s the funniest thing ever.
Schedule
School is Monday - Friday and starts at 8:25 and finishes at 15:10. Regular classes take place during the first half of school, then the afternoon (for the Dept. of Heroics) you will have hero training. Only Dept. of Heroics students have an additional 7th period.
The teachers move between classes while the students stay in 1 class (besides electives).
Wednesdays are half days and only consist of hero training (so no typical school work), though sometimes it's replaced by FHS. You also don't have to wear your uniform on Wednesdays.
We will always have some kind of free time for school despite our somewhat busy schedules.
Not all school days are the same (emergency drills, other schools coming to train with us, etc.).
Classes
Core Subjects for Dept. of Heroics
Homeroom: Taught by Aizawa. Acts as a study hall. The class reps will often give a small meeting with the class about important events during this period.
Japanese: Taught by Cementoss. Focuses on reading, writing, and literature.
Mathematics: Taught by Ectoplasm. Covers algebra, geometry, and calculus.
English: Taught by Present Mic. Emphasizes reading, writing, and conversation skills.
Home Economics: Taught by Midnight. Cooking and other aspects of household management.
Foundational Hero Studies (FHS): Taught by All Might, Aizawa or Midnight. Hero related studying: hero laws, safety precautions, first aid, jsl, media training, dividing hero and civilian identity etc.
Hero Training: Taught by various teachers, usually Aizawa or All Might, it changes every week and we are informed about the activities during homeroom. For example: Quirkless Combat, Rescue Training, Combat, Quirk Training etc.
Elective Subjects
Thought by various teachers. This is the only class where students move instead of teachers, these are shared, so you could end up with classmates from other classes. Students get to completely choose what electives they have. If they don’t choose, they are placed in extra training or study hall.
Options:
Foreign Languages (e.g., Chinese, Korean)
Journalism
Art Foundations
Photography
Ceramics
Psychology
Choir
Band
Orchestra
Woodshop
Metalshop
Chemistry
Poetry
Cooking
Baking
Biology
Physics
Film Analysis
Computer Programming
Animal Work
Volunteer Work
Theatre
Student Council
Literature Analysis
Forensics
Study Hall
Class 1-A Timetable
Around UA campus
The updated UA security system is really good. The sensors are so good, you don't even need to have your ID out. They can scan it anywhere on your person. If you lost or misplaced your ID, the gates also have facial recognition software, so it's fine. If you're not a student or staff, you NEED a visitor pass or the school will go into lockdown on you.
We can use our school IDs to get snacks and drinks from vending machines around the school hallways. It’s free and they are replenished daily.
UA has a courtyard where we can eat outside. Most of the 2nd and 3rd years get food from places outside of the school campus and eat outside in the courtyard. Because of this, the cafeteria isn't as crowded and when we eat lunch we can sit and enjoy our food comfortably. The cafeteria is also luxurious and looks like a fancy mall café.
The library is huge and has many resources with much to explore. There are many different levels with varying types of quiet floors and study halls. It's also open 24/7 so students who are fighting to finish a project can pull all-nighters.
There’s a little shop that has U.A. and hero merch and school supplies including books for courses. You can also buy the merch on the online website.
UA has extracurricular groups and clubs for those who aren't in the hero course such as other sports and things like cheerleaders, debate, theater, music, cooking, ballet, and much more. I mean, hero course students CAN do those things but they WILL have a hard time doing so all while dealing with said hero responsibilities. As mentioned before, business course students have a lot of free time and general ED students are basically regular HS students who just so happen to be going to UA and for support course students, it really depends on how much work you choose to take on for yourself.
There is a study center where students who need extra help can go. Students with failing grades must go here for a set amount of hours to get the help they need. It’s strictly work, and talking about anything other than school is basically prohibited. It’s usually run by Ectoplasm and his clones or Hound Dog.
Work studies & Internships
All first years do an internship, it’s required. This is usually after the sports festival when students have had a chance to show off their skills.
Work studies are basically experience-oriented off-study programs that allow students in the hero course who have Provisional Licenses to work with pros at their agencies. Students will be able to use their quirks under the guidance of a pro, and can even be dispatched to fight villains and help out in disaster areas. If you do well, you can be scouted to become the hero’s sidekick.
Work studies are a more serious version of internships. They entail helping pro heroes on the streets and with investigations. They are usually reserved for 2nd and 3rd-year students, who usually have their licenses. 1st years didn't do them in the past. However, with the rise of villain activity, the school decided to open up work studies to 1st years as well, albeit a very small and select few of them. If they didn't find a good agency with a proven track record they wouldn't do it at all.
Events
U.A. has seasonal dances and a lot of events, like Halloween, Hero Day and other festivals.
Uniforms
Color palette
The uniforms the students receive consist of 4 sets of each clothing (besides the coat and varsity jacket):
Shirts
Long sleeve
Short sleeved
Sleeveless
Blazer
Long sleeves
Sleeveless
Cardigans
Sleeveless (two color variations)
Long sleeved (two color variations)
Sweaters
Sleeveless (two color variations)
Long sleeved (two color variations)
Pants
Shorts
Below The Knee
Classic
Skirts
Mini
Below The Knee
Maxi
Ties
Necktie
Bow Tie
Socks
Quarter
Crew
Knee High
Thigh High
Tights
Shoes
Coat
Varsity Jacket
Gym Clothing
Tank top
Loose Zip-up Sweatshirt (long sleeves, short sleeves, sleeveless)
Cropped Zip-up Sweatshirt (long sleeves, short sleeves, sleeveless)
Shorts
Below Knee Shorts
Sweatpants
Swimwear
Sleeveless, Short sleeved and Long sleeved
Lanyards
Uniforms aren’t required on Wednesdays
Students are allowed to accessorize their uniforms however they want and wear their own jackets
Piercings, colored hair, nails, makeup etc. are allowed
The uniforms aren’t gendered - all students receive all versions and are allowed to wear whichever one they prefer
For students with mutant type Quirks, custom made uniforms are made
Button and sleeve/lapel stripe differences between the department uniforms [1-General education, 2-Hero, 3-Support, 4-Management].
School Bag
Along with the Uniforms the school hands out bags. You can return them and use your own if you’d like.
A standard deep blue nylon matching the uniforms. The U.A. logo sits at the right bottom corner.
Class
If you’re standing at the front of the classroom looking out at the desks, the seating arrangement starts at the leftmost side of the room (“A” names), going front to back and then going to the next row to the right, and so on. keep in mind that the alphabetical order here is based on the Japanese alphabet. My number is 10.
Here's how I laid out the desks for 21 students:
Since we stay in the same classrooms for most of the days we can leave out stuff at our desks. They have shelves underneath with 2 outlets and lots of space.
Class 1-A Friend Groups
Everyone is actually really close, but those are what groups spend the most time together. Of course we hang out in different groups or all together too.
We have frequent movie and game nights, 1-A has a group chat and it’s always active, there’s always someone wanting to do something. Sometimes we invite people from other classes.
DekuSquad
Izuku
Ochako
Tenya
Tsuyu
Shouto
Haruka
Hitoshi (after he joins our class)
BakuSquad
Katsuki
Eijirou
Mina
Denki
Minoru
Hanta
TokoSquad
Fumikage
Mashirao
Mezou
Tooru
MomoSquad
Momo
Kyoka
Yuga
Kouji
Rikido
I hope this was helpful! <3
© credits: seating arrangement • basics @/Priicklleshifts on TikTok • uniforms • dividers
#mha dr#mha shifting#bnha dr#bnha shifting#shifting#shifting realities#reality shift#reality shifting#shifters#reality shifter#shiftblr#shifting community#desired reality#shifting motivation#shifting blog
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If there is a truly painful part of our current existence, it is the decline of our most trusted brands. Venture capital scum are buying up the companies that made all of your dad's favourite junk, slapping the name on some absolute shit to make a quick buck, and then escaping with the profits to the cosmos.
Many of us grew up staring at the tools that our parents used. That kind of youth exposure – being forced through continuous exposure – trained us to know that these are the Good Tools. They will not let us down, not like the common garden-variety horseshit that clogs the shelves, in their ugly generic boxes. So it's extra harmful when their modern incarnations don't stand up to this childhood idyll.
Those of you who are regular readers of Adbusters will criticize us for ever trusting a brand name. And it's easy to see why, once you've been condescended at for long enough to understand what marketing has done to the human soul. These names mean nothing, and are easily manipulated by evil moneymen to induce an emotional attachment in the population rather than cold, hard, logical thinking.
The rest of us, who are apparently not visiting this cursed Earth from the halcyon era of late 2005, will waste at least two hundred dollars over the course of our lives. We do so by buying one of four identical piece-of-shit toy vacuums cynically wearing the Shop-Vac® name – at least twice – in case the first one was just a fluke. And it's not just sucky tubes that suck now: every brand with significant goodwill from the days of yesteryear is a victim of this. It's hard not to feel cheated.
There is good news, though. Paradoxically, it is now the ugly, dollar-store no-name brands that are pretty good. It's because those brands now mostly consist of the Taiwanese factories that got stiffed by these same vampire assholes in the first place. It turns out they make a pretty good power tool, too, as long as you're willing to buy them from Qwijibo Heavy Fabrication through a series of shell corporations, top-secret dead drops, and the sacrifice of a goat. I personally cannot wait the remaining six months to get my hands on a Qwijibo Throb-Master 9000, because I have a lot of mouse nests to pull out of my dad's old Ford. I'd buy a new one, but it's built like shit.
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No, Uber's (still) not profitable
Going to Defcon this weekend? I'm giving a keynote, "An Audacious Plan to Halt the Internet's Enshittification and Throw it Into Reverse," on Saturday at 12:30pm, followed by a book signing at the No Starch Press booth at 2:30pm!
https://info.defcon.org/event/?id=50826
Bezzle (n): 1. "the magic interval when a confidence trickster knows he has the money he has appropriated but the victim does not yet understand that he has lost it" (JK Gabraith) 2. Uber.
Uber was, is, and always will be a bezzle. There are just intrinsic limitations to the profits available to operating a taxi fleet, even if you can misclassify your employees as contractors and steal their wages, even as you force them to bear the cost of buying and maintaining your taxis.
The magic of early Uber – when taxi rides were incredibly cheap, and there were always cars available, and drivers made generous livings behind the wheel – wasn't magic at all. It was just predatory pricing.
Uber lost $0.41 on every dollar they brought in, lighting $33b of its investors' cash on fire. Most of that money came from the Saudi royals, funneled through Softbank, who brought you such bezzles as WeWork – a boring real-estate company masquerading as a high-growth tech company, just as Uber was a boring taxi company masquerading as a tech company.
Predatory pricing used to be illegal, but Chicago School economists convinced judges to stop enforcing the law on the grounds that predatory pricing was impossible because no rational actor would choose to lose money. They (willfully) ignored the obvious possibility that a VC fund could invest in a money-losing business and use predatory pricing to convince retail investors that a pile of shit of sufficient size must have a pony under it somewhere.
This venture predation let investors – like Prince Bone Saw – cash out to suckers, leaving behind a money-losing business that had to invent ever-sweatier accounting tricks and implausible narratives to keep the suckers on the line while they blew town. A bezzle, in other words:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/19/fake-it-till-you-make-it/#millennial-lifestyle-subsidy
Uber is a true bezzle innovator, coming up with all kinds of fairy tales and sci-fi gimmicks to explain how they would convert their money-loser into a profitable business. They spent $2.5b on self-driving cars, producing a vehicle whose mean distance between fatal crashes was half a mile. Then they paid another company $400 million to take this self-licking ice-cream cone off their hands:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/09/herbies-revenge/#100-billion-here-100-billion-there-pretty-soon-youre-talking-real-money
Amazingly, self-driving cars were among the more plausible of Uber's plans. They pissed away hundreds of millions on California's Proposition 22 to institutionalize worker misclassification, only to have the rule struck down because they couldn't be bothered to draft it properly. Then they did it again in Massachusetts:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/15/simple-as-abc/#a-big-ask
Remember when Uber was going to plug the holes in its balance sheet with flying cars? Flying cars! Maybe they were just trying to soften us up for their IPO, where they advised investors that the only way they'd ever be profitable is if they could replace every train, bus and tram ride in the world:
https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/
Honestly, the only way that seems remotely plausible is when it's put next to flying cars for comparison. I guess we can be grateful that they never promised us jetpacks, or, you know, teleportation. Just imagine the market opportunity they could have ascribed to astral projection!
Narrative capitalism has its limits. Once Uber went public, it had to produce financial disclosures that showed the line going up, lest the bezzle come to an end. These balance-sheet tricks were as varied as they were transparent, but the financial press kept falling for them, serving as dutiful stenographers for a string of triumphant press-releases announcing Uber's long-delayed entry into the league of companies that don't lose more money every single day.
One person Uber has never fooled is Hubert Horan, a transportation analyst with decades of experience who's had Uber's number since the very start, and who has done yeoman service puncturing every one of these financial "disclosures," methodically sifting through the pile of shit to prove that there is no pony hiding in it.
In 2021, Horan showed how Uber had burned through nearly all of its cash reserves, signaling an end to its subsidy for drivers and rides, which would also inevitably end the bezzle:
https://pluralistic.net/2021/08/10/unter/#bezzle-no-more
In mid, 2022, Horan showed how the "profit" Uber trumpeted came from selling off failed companies it had acquired to other dying rideshare companies, which paid in their own grossly inflated stock:
https://pluralistic.net/2022/08/05/a-lousy-taxi/#a-giant-asterisk
At the end of 2022, Horan showed how Uber invented a made-up, nonstandard metric, called "EBITDA profitability," which allowed them to lose billions and still declare themselves to be profitable, a lie that would have been obvious if they'd reported their earnings using Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP):
https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/11/bezzlers-gonna-bezzle/#gryft
Like clockwork, Uber has just announced – once again – that it is profitable, and once again, the press has credulously repeated the claim. So once again, Horan has published one of his magisterial debunkings on Naked Capitalism:
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2023/08/hubert-horan-can-uber-ever-deliver-part-thirty-three-uber-isnt-really-profitable-yet-but-is-getting-closer-the-antitrust-case-against-uber.html
Uber's $394m gains this quarter come from paper gains to untradable shares in its loss-making rivals – Didi, Grab, Aurora – who swapped stock with Uber in exchange for Uber's own loss-making overseas divisions. Yes, it's that stupid: Uber holds shares in dying companies that no one wants to buy. It declared those shares to have gained value, and on that basis, reported a profit.
Truly, any big number multiplied by an imaginary number can be turned into an even bigger number.
Now, Uber also reported "margin improvements" – that is, it says that it loses less on every journey. But it didn't explain how it made those improvements. But we know how the company did it: they made rides more expensive and cut the pay to their drivers. A 2.9m ride in Manhattan is now $50 – if you get a bargain! The base price is more like $70:
https://www.wired.com/story/uber-ceo-will-always-say-his-company-sucks/
The number of Uber drivers on the road has a direct relationship to the pay Uber offers those drivers. But that pay has been steeply declining, and with it, the availability of Ubers. A couple weeks ago, I found myself at the Burbank train station unable to get an Uber at all, with the app timing out repeatedly and announcing "no drivers available."
Normally, you can get a yellow taxi at the station, but years of Uber's predatory pricing has caused a drawdown of the local taxi-fleet, so there were no taxis available at the cab-rank or by dispatch. It took me an hour to get a cab home. Uber's bezzle destroyed local taxis and local transit – and replaced them with worse taxis that cost more.
Uber won't say why its margins are improving, but it can't be coming from scale. Before the pandemic, Uber had far more rides, and worse margins. Uber has diseconomies of scale: when you lose money on every ride, adding more rides increases your losses, not your profits.
Meanwhile, Lyft – Uber's also-ran competitor – saw its margins worsen over the same period. Lyft has always been worse at lying about it finances than Uber, but it is in essentially the exact same business (right down to the drivers and cars – many drivers have both apps on their phones). So Lyft's financials offer a good peek at Uber's true earnings picture.
Lyft is actually slightly better off than Uber overall. It spent less money on expensive props for its long con – flying cars, robotaxis, scooters, overseas clones – and abandoned them before Uber did. Lyft also fired 24% of its staff at the end of 2022, which should have improved its margins by cutting its costs.
Uber pays its drivers less. Like Lyft, Uber practices algorithmic wage discrimination, Veena Dubal's term describing the illegal practice of offering workers different payouts for the same work. Uber's algorithm seeks out "pickers" who are choosy about which rides they take, and converts them to "ants" (who take every ride offered) by paying them more for the same job, until they drop all their other gigs, whereupon the algorithm cuts their pay back to the rates paid to ants:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men
All told, wage theft and wage cuts by Uber transferred $1b/quarter from labor to Uber's shareholders. Historically, Uber linked fares to driver pay – think of surge pricing, where Uber charged riders more for peak times and passed some of that premium onto drivers. But now Uber trumpets a custom pricing algorithm that is the inverse of its driver payment system, calculating riders' willingness to pay and repricing every ride based on how desperate they think you are.
This pricing is a per se antitrust violation of Section 2 of the Sherman Act, America's original antitrust law. That's important because Sherman 2 is one of the few antitrust laws that we never stopped enforcing, unlike the laws banning predator pricing:
https://ilr.law.uiowa.edu/sites/ilr.law.uiowa.edu/files/2023-02/Woodcock.pdf
Uber claims an 11% margin improvement. 6-7% of that comes from algorithmic price discrimination and service cutbacks, letting it take 29% of every dollar the driver earns (up from 22%). Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi himself says that this is as high as the take can get – over 30%, and drivers will delete the app.
Uber's food delivery service – a baling wire-and-spit Frankenstein's monster of several food apps it bought and glued together – is a loser even by the standards of the sector, which is unprofitable as a whole and experiencing an unbroken slide of declining demand.
Put it all together and you get a picture of the kind of taxi company Uber really is: one that charges more than traditional cabs, pays drivers less, and has fewer cars on the road at times of peak demand, especially in the neighborhoods that traditional taxis had always underserved. In other words, Uber has broken every one of its promises.
We replaced the "evil taxi cartel" with an "evil taxi monopolist." And it's still losing money.
Even if Lyft goes under – as seems inevitable – Uber can't attain real profitability by scooping up its passengers and drivers. When you're losing money on every ride, you just can't make it up in volume.
Image: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LA_BREA_TAR_PITS,_LOS_ANGELES.jpg
CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
I’m kickstarting the audiobook for “The Internet Con: How To Seize the Means of Computation,” a Big Tech disassembly manual to disenshittify the web and bring back the old, good internet. It’s a DRM-free book, which means Audible won’t carry it, so this crowdfunder is essential. Back now to get the audio, Verso hardcover and ebook:
http://seizethemeansofcomputation.org
If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:
https://pluralistic.net/2023/08/09/accounting-gimmicks/#unter
Image: JERRYE AND ROY KLOTZ MD (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:LA_BREA_TAR_PITS,_LOS_ANGELES.jpg
CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/deed.en
#pluralistic#bezzles#hubert horan#uber#rideshare#accounting tricks#financial engineering#late-stage capitalism#narrative capitalism#lyft#transit#uber eats#venture predation#algorithmic wage discrimination
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Vox x reader drabble
A/N Idk, man. I just wanted to write sumn softer with him, and this came out. Couldn't figure out a name for it
Cw: SFW, Gn!reader, use of the petname dollface/doll, bully him bully him bully him
You sat in Vox's lap as he worked, head on his chest, listening to the oddly comforting sound of his internal mechanisms whirring away under ear.
It had been rather tiring of a day for you to say the least, and although the demon had been rather surprised you had dare ventured into his observation room, he hadn't exactly been against you taking up the current position you held against him so long as you didn't distract him until he finished up.
The arm that had wrapped around your waist to pull you to sit in the space between his thighs had taken up residence on your hip, gently rubbed circles against it absentmindedly while his other hand typed rather loudly.
As you had been pulled against him, you'd practically melted into his embrace. The observation room was very cold so as to not cause all the technology (including Vox himself) to overheat, and he was much warmer than said room.
Your tired eyes cracked open, and you looked up at him through your lashes as you pressed your chin against his chest upon hearing Vox let out an irritated his.
His red eyes narrowed at the monitor before him, brows angrily furrowed as he grit his teeth. He could feel your gaze on him as his lip curled and somewhat pushed himself to calm down a bit.
"You okay?" You asked.
Vox sighed, eyes somewhat softening as he forced himself to look away from the screen displaying numbers in front of him. The ghost of a smile spread across his face as the light from his monitor illuminated your sleepy expression.
The demon would never be able to quite admit the way just seeing and feeling you pressing against him, looking up at him with somewhat messy hair and eyes, which shone with adoration made him feel.
He was sure you were aware anyway, as embarrassing as that was.
"I'm just peachy, dollface. Stocks are down slightly from last year, is all." He said, bringing the hand on his keyboard to rest on the top of your head, running his fingers through it to smoothe out the wayward strands.
You hummed at the contact, it petering off into a slight snicker as you considered his words. "You're loaded already. Would losing some really be that bad?" You watched his smile fade as his expression soured again, his hand in your hair coming to a stop.
"Yes. Yes, it would be." He said pointedly. You laughed at the way he said it and moved around to sit facing towards him, knees on the soft leather of the seat in between his legs as you leaned up towards his glowering expression.
Vox's cheeks tinted light blue as your face stopped just before your nose pressed against his monitor, your hands resting on his shoulders casually. "I know you're capitalism king, but you really ought to stop being so greedy, baby~" you cooed at him, grinning as his sour expression became irritatedly flustered at your tone.
"You know damn well what stock prices falling could mean. What if there's a crash or somethi- oh-!" he stopped short as your lips made contact with his monitor once on his cheek, then again and again and again - peppering him with kisses.
"Doll- (Name)!" He exclaimed, glitching slightly as you felt his display heat up under your at your sudden onslaught of affection. You chuckled as you felt his hands grip onto your hips as if he were trying to steady himself.
When you finally stopped kissing him, you leaned back with a somewhat smug look on your face as you looked at his pouting and flustered expression.
"It's not funny." He grumbled.
"Yeah, it is actually." You said. His pout only deepened, prompting you to tilt your head at him, laughter quieting to slight giggles.
Vox admired the way your eyelids drooped again, you looking at him with a mischievous smirk in a way only you were allowed to.
He sighed deeply, urging his heart to stop racing in his chest and tried to sound disappointed in you. "And would you look at that? You distracted me from my work. I ought to tell you to shoo." He said with a raised brow, expression now calm.
You raised your eyebrows right back at him, smiling as you already knew the answer to the question. "But are you gonna?"
You two engaged in a silent staring contest for a good 5 seconds before Vox grumbled a 'no' under his breath as he turned away from you bitterly.
You burrowed your face into his neck with a muffled proclamation of 'thought so', snuggling into him all the more and him begrudgingly reciprocating.
I'm probably gonna post this, then notice a ton of spelling or grammar errors tomorrow, but who cares~~ (morning me will)
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I Knew You Were Trouble
Summary:- Your friends with benefits situation with Colby takes a turn for the worse when you catch feelings for him. Just when you thought relationships were off his menu, he surprises you by wanting to make it official. The problem? His track record with girlfriends is shorter than a Snapchat story.
Pairing:- Colby Brock x Reader
Warnings:- Friends to lovers, reader and Colby are in love with each other; it's evident to everyone except the two of them.
The early morning sun illuminates your bedroom in light yellows and oranges. You let out a sleepy groan as you stretch your sore muscles. The sensation of a muscular body pressing against your bare back prompts you to recall the events of the previous night.
After a night out with friends, you returned home later than usual. Upon opening the front door, you were greeted by Colby, your friend and roommate, lounging on the sofa with crossed legs and an expression that was a mix of annoyance and the classic 'we need to talk' look. And then the argument had started which ended in him dicking you down into the mattress.
You let out a sigh and turned to lie on your left. You were greeted by Colby's sleeping figure, his face just inches from yours. Your eyes traced his features, gentle and soft in sleep. His dark brown hair, almost black, with a few purple highlights that only showed in the light, stuck out, with some strands falling across his eyes. Your gaze drops to his bare chest, noticing the 'lock your heart' tattoo on the left side. His right hand is adorned with intricate designs that you absolutely love.
But that was the thing, wasn't it? You were in love with Colby Brock. The feelings you had for him weren't sudden or fleeting. It wasn't a case of love at first sight. Rather, your affection for him had grown slowly, blossoming over time.
The first encounter with Colby dates back to your high school years. You were friends with Sam, who in turn was friends with Colby. Once you met, the three of you became inseparable, akin to the Three Musketeers, minus the swords and hats.
Eventually, the guys got the idea to launch their own YouTube channel. They kicked things off with a series of hilarious vines, and as their confidence grew, they ventured into the spine-chilling world of ghost hunting. You even made cameo appearances in a handful of their spooky adventures.
Although you always found Colby attractive, you never pursued those feelings, worried it might jeopardize the friendship. However, one night of slightly drunken truth or dare resulted in the two of you agreeing to a friends with benefits arrangement.
By that time, you were already too involved. Colby wasn't one for relationships, especially those that lasted more than a month or so. He was not a fuckboy by any means. He was a short-term relationship kind of guy, and the women he dated were well aware of the arrangement. However, you weren't interested in being just another conquest, so you decided to tuck your feelings away, hoping they'd fade in time.
He was the embodiment of trouble. From the moment Sam made the introductions, and your gaze landed on him, it was clear as day – he was trouble, with a capital T.
Brushing aside the cascade of thoughts, you reach out with a delicate finger to sweep Colby's dark brown locks away from his closed eyes. Your gentle touch rouses him from sleep, a lengthy yawn escaping his lips as his blue eyes flutter open, drowsy and blurred.
His lips form a slow, sensual smile as he rasps out the words, "Mornin', darling."
Oh, how you love his voice. Especially in the mornings, after you had gone at it like rabbits. But right now, his voice is deep and thick from the effects of sleep. Colby shuffles around to find a comfortable position before placing a hand on your bare waist. His warm touch on your slightly cold body causes goosebumps to erupt all over you, prompting you to snuggle back under the covers and closer to him.
You both lie there, quietly looking into each other's eyes as the sun ascends fully into the sky. Eventually, the sound of your alarm breaks the tranquility, prompting you both to start the day. You sit up in bed, rubbing your eyes as you observe Colby getting dressed.
"What are your plans for the day?" He asks, pulling on his xplr hoodie.
"I have the day off," you say, mustering the energy to rise from bed, pull on your own hoodie, and head toward the bathroom.
Something in the tone of your voice prompts Colby to wrap his hands around your waist and pull you closer to his body.
"We're good right?" He confirms, gently nuzzling your neck before placing a kiss there.
"Yep! All good," you force out with a smile, untangling yourself from him and walking into the bathroom, closing the door behind you.
Despite your smile, there's something not quite right about it. Now that he thinks about it, you've been off for the past few weeks. Colby rakes his fingers through his hair, further tousling the already disheveled locks. He sits down on the edge of the bed and pulls out his phone to text Sam.
As you peer into the mirror, a whirlwind of thoughts swirls in your head. The bathroom door stands as a lone sentinel, keeping Colby at bay, who is probably itching to burst in and grill you for answers. You're pretty certain he's onto you; you haven't been exactly Oscar-worthy in your performance of 'normalcy'. And Colby, being the human lie detector he is after years of friendship, is bound to pick up on your act.
With a sigh, you twist the faucet, letting the cool water cascade over your hands and onto your face. Teeth brushed and hair tamed into a neat bun, you swing the bathroom door open. As expected, there's Colby, lounging on your bed like he owns the place, utterly absorbed in his phone.
The creak of the door captures his attention. He quickly glances up at you, slips his phone into his pocket, and rises to his feet.
"What's wrong, darling? And don't even think about lying," he says firmly.
"It's nothing, Colby," you mutter, while an internal opera of sighs plays on. You're itching to spill your feelings, but the fear of wrecking whatever it is you two have—friendship, relationship, or that awkward in-between—clamps your mouth shut. You can't imagine a life where he and Sam are not a part of.
Colby understood that you were not going to share anything with him if you didn't want to; you had a stubborn streak. So he inched closer to you, extending his hand to gently hold your chin.
"If anything is on your mind, just let me know, okay?" He murmurs softly before leaning in to give you a kiss.
You absentmindedly nod, already hooked on the sensation of his lips on yours. Colby leans back after giving you a final peck, smiling gently as he takes a step back.
"I'm meeting Sam later to discuss the new video. Want to come?" he asks, hope shining in his eyes.
Shaking your head, you manage to force out another smile. "I think I'll take advantage of the rare day off and stay in for a bit. But hey, good luck with your video!"
Colby gives a nod, though his expression still suggests that he dosen't believe that you're actually fine. "Catch you later."
You observe him heading to his room. Shutting your bedroom door, you decide on what to do with your day off. Ultimately, you opt to tackle the looming pile of pending tasks.
-----
With each passing day, there's been this tension growing between you and Colby. You found yourself slowly retreating, responding to his texts at a snail's pace, and occasionally, his calls would just dance to the tune of your ringtone, unanswered. And when he'd question this growing distance, you'd toss him a salad of excuses, seasoned with the ever-reliable 'I'm swamped with work' or the classic 'It's not you, it's my schedule.'
Swinging open the door to the home you shared with the guys, you can't help but release a sigh that screams 'weekend vibes'. The plan? Full-on couch potato mode and binge-watching galore. But as you make a beeline for the stairway to heaven (your room), there's Sam and Colby, glued to the couch with their eyes locked on a laptop screen, editing their new video.
The sound of your heels clicking announces your arrival. They both glance up, a smile flickering across Sam's face.
"Hey! Welcome back! It's a weekend, are you excited?"
You laugh. "I sure am! I'm so ready to binge watch netflix and laze around."
Sam lets out a chuckle. You lock eyes with Colby, but his thoughts are a mystery. It's a strange kind of agony just to meet his gaze, and you can't help but feel a bit ridiculous for it. So, you opt for a simple nod and muster up a smile, which, to your surprise, he mirrors back to you.
Colby's gaze lingered on your ascending form. You appeared elegant with your hair swept into a ponytail, revealing your delicate neck, and wearing a charming blue dress featuring a sweetheart neckline and lantern sleeves, its hem grazing your mid-thighs. Your white heels highlighted the length of your legs.
Sam watches his best friend, struggling to conceal his grin.
"Just tell her," he suggests.
Colby jerks back, his eyes widening as he gazes at his best friend.
"What?"
Sam chuckles, observing that his friend seems to have lost the ability to speak today.
"I said, you should tell her. She genuinely thinks you only see her as a friend."
"How did you even-" He starts before breaking off with a sigh. "Never mind. It's obvious isn't it?" Colby glances at the blond, to which the latter nods.
Colby slumps into the couch, exhaling deeply. "How do I even start? 'Guess what? I've caught feelings and I'm ready to upgrade us from a casual fling to a full-blown romance'?"
"Exactly, dude!" Sam chuckles, giving Colby a hearty slap on the back.
Colby exhales sharply. Trust Sam to be the voice of reason. Yet, for Colby, it's not as simple as Sam suggests. Should things go south, it's not just a plan that falls apart—it's a whole saga of friendship at stake.
In the meantime, you've swapped your clothes for cozy pajamas and snuggled under the blankets, with a rom-com flickering in the background. Yet, your mind can't help but wander to a certain brunette. Almost as though your musings had magical powers, a knock echoes on your bedroom door, and like a scene from a movie, it swings open to unveil none other than Mr. Tall, Dark, and Handsome.
"Hey," Colby starts. "Can I talk to you for a minute?"
You pause for just a second before giving a nod. Bad idea, you think. Because just being in his vicinity seems to be a recipe for heartache. Colby takes a seat on the edge of the bed.
"So.." he trails off. Fuck, what was he supposed to say? Despite Sam's advice to be direct, Colby struggles to utter a word. It dosen't help when you mirror his stance, shrinking the distance between you. His mind fizzles out with your proximity, every thought evaporating, leaving him with nothing but the gentle fragrance of your body wash teasing his senses.
Taking a deep breath, he prepares to speak but you beat him to it.
"I want to end this arrangement we have," you declare abruptly.
"What—Why?" he manages to utter, though he can't fully grasp your words. It's as though his brain has ceased to function.
"I just…" you try to explain, "I want to start dating. I don't want to hold you back, you know."
He's itching to tell you not to see anyone else, but that would be like the pot calling the kettle black. The mere idea of you with another person sends Colby into a whirlwind of emotions. Suddenly, it hits him – he's jealous. He rakes his fingers through his hair.
"Could we… perhaps consider dating?" he murmurs, his gaze intense.
You're momentarily stunned. "You mean, real dating? As in, going out, hand-holding for the world to see, that kind of dating?"
You're taken aback by his words, mainly because the Colby you're acquainted with is to dating what a fish is to a bicycle—utterly indifferent and slightly confused by the concept.
Colby laughs at your words. "I'm not sure what other version of dating you're picturing, but yes. The kind where we go out, hold hands, and let the whole world know we're together."
His face takes on a grave look. "I've liked you for a while now. So I really want to give this a try."
You pause to consider. Your feelings for him have been simmering for just as long. Despite being aware that his romances tend to have a shorter shelf life than a Snapchat story, you're willing to roll the dice. If things go south, at least you'll have the consolation prize of knowing you took the leap; even if the landing might sting a bit.
His blue gaze seemed to drill into you as you mulled over his words. At last, you faced him..
"Ok, let's try it."
Colby could feel his heart soar as you agree. Acting on impulse, he wrapped his arms around your waist, drawing you in closer as he pressed his lips against yours. Despite having shared numerous kisses before, this one felt particularly intimate and surreal. Colby gently parted your lips, allowing his tongue to intertwine with yours.
After what seemed like an eternity, Colby takes a moment to catch his breath. He couldn't help but relish the taste of you.
"Fuck," he rasps. Just like the two ends of a magnet, your lips meet again with an undeniable fervor. Colby gently supports the back of your head with his palm, adjusting it slightly to get a better angle.
The knock on your bedroom door jolts you both into parting.
"Pizza's here," comes Sam's voice, slightly muffled by the door. "Better grab some before it gets cold."
"Be right there," Colby calls back. The sound of Sam's footsteps recedes with each step he takes downstairs. Turning to you, the brunette offers a soft smile. Your wide doe eyes and the flush of your lips, still tender from his kisses, paint a picture of innocent beauty.
"Shall we go downstairs?" he suggests, and you nod in agreement.
"Are you truly serious about giving us a chance?" he inquires.
"Mm-hmm, I want to give this a shot, Colby," you respond, a slight smile forming on your lips.
Colby rises, sweeping you into a whirl, his smile spreading wide.
"Well, get ready then because I'm about to woo the shit out of you."
His words causes a laugh to tumble out of you. "Ok, Mr. Perfcet. We'll see."
You pull his face down, pressing a chaste kiss to his lips.
"The pizza!" Sam yells from downstairs, prompting chuckles from both of you.
It took me a while to write this. Tell me how it is. Don't be shy to send in requests or ask stuff in general. If you simply want to talk, my asks are always open!
And as always, thank you so much for reading and supporting my works. Each and every one of you are precious! ❤️
HAVE A NICE DAY! :)
Credits to the amazing @cafekitsune for the cute line divider. Go check them out!
#colby brock#sam and colby#sam golbach#sam and colby x reader#colby brock imagine#sam golbach imagine#colby brock x reader#colby brock oneshot#colby brock fanfic#colby brock x y/n#friends to lovers
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when did you know you loved me? pt.3/4 ♡
deer!reader had never been more comfortable with anyone in her life. she enjoyed that she got to be herself around him — a little weird, sometimes quiet, simply enjoying eachothers company until she could think of something to say.
“it feels oddly good. like the contrast of the cold shells on my hot back? it’s therapeutic.” pope observes as you sit cross legged on the beach beside him, placing the collection of shells you’d gathered along his bare back, enjoying the peace it brought you.
“okay new business venture, i offer my services of shell-therapy where i place shells on peoples backs along the beach and they pay me lots of money.” you smile, watching your boyfriend shake his head from where his temple rests on his stacked hands.
“oh hell no, this is a special service for me only. far too intimate. also as much as i enjoy this, i wouldn’t pay for it. bad business move.” pope banters in response and you laugh openly. he always entertained your silliness, or your goofy ideas that logistically made his head hurt just a little. to this, you felt a wave of affection.
“i love you.” you grin, shaking your head. it’s the thousandth time you’ve said it, but the abruptness of it compared to the conversation makes pope lift his head, craning it around to look at you with a confused yet adoring smile.
“oh— well, i love you. a lot.��� he reciprocates and you lean forward, kissing his sweaty temple.
“can i ask you something a little weird? there’s a segment missing in my ‘us’ section of my journal and i wanna fill it out.”
“ask away.” he croons as he settles back down in the position he lay in before.
“when did you know you loved me? was there a moment? or was it a slow gradual thing that just crept up on you?”
there’s a silence for a moment as pope considers, before he slowly rolls over — tipping all the shells off his back back onto the sand and laying on his back once more, breathing out a slow breath of consideration. the sad “hey” that you were about to mewl at him destroying your artwork on his back died on your tongue, more interested in what he had to say.
“you know… there’s part of me that wants to say the first moment i saw you i was in love with you. i mean, shit — it absolutely felt that way.” he splutters with a quiet laugh.
“really?” you return his tone, chuckling as you gather your shells once more, not wishing to lose them.
“i mean yeah. when i saw you struggling to walk all those dogs along the beach after the storm i remember thinking ‘okay, that is definitely the most beautiful girl i’ve ever seen’” he relays, soft smile remaining as he closes his eyes once more, enjoying the warmth of the sun on his face.
“aw…” you hum, pulling your knees to your chest and continuing to listen.
“and then of course i saw you again working at the library, and i knew i definitely had to have you, even though i kinda felt like a creep thinking that… because you barely knew me.” he cringes and you giggle, starting to place shells on his toned stomach instead.
“but i dunno… i think… i think i knew for sure that i loved you, like hard core— capital L loved you… was the first time you came to meet my folks. you came to dinner and you wore that pretty dress with the flowers on it? the one i love? and i could see the way my pops just thought you were everything, and my mom clearly adored you… and i realised i didn’t just love you… i wanted a life with you. like, the whole shebang… marriage, babies one day… all of it. you’re like… my forever. ugh, that was total cringe. but it’s true.”
he peeks an eye open, to see if you’d totally caught the ick for his sappy story, but was happy to see you grinning ear to ear. you launch forward, pressing a kiss to his mouth. it’s a little sandy and salty, but it’s pope — so you don’t care.
“i want you forever and ever.”
“yeah? good. i want that too.”
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hello system that operates my computer do you mind explaining the discord hate ty
hello software that runs on my computer of course :3
In summary, it's about enabling venture capital and complaining when they ruin the internet. It's not discord-specific. There's two components to it: monopolizing and enshittifying.
Once upon a day someone decided that their options for a chat platform weren't sufficient and built their own alternative. Then, some investors came along and who can say no to 20 million? With that kind of money you can undercut (read: offer a free service) the competition and become the default platform everyone goes to.
People love free services!
Sadly, the investors will come knocking again at some point. That's the second phase. Because people know only your service (or everyone else has gone bankrupt) they're very hesitant to move. That allows you to raise prices and paywall all kinds of features. At this point users will complain but that doesn't matter, enough of them will stay anyway and enough of those will pay up, as well.
Off the top of my head this has already happened at Google Search, Reddit and Twitter. Imagine my frustration when the same people who complained during the reddit thing, migrated to discord.
I will not address free vs. paid software here (and means to afford them). That deserves to get addressed as well but not in this post.
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is it just me or is this kinda not a good idea?
I think it's a gamble. And like anyone who cares about something deeply, watching it take a high-stakes gamble can be terrifying.
What I think people don't take into consideration is just how flooded their recent youtube videos have been with scammy sponsors and cheap fast-product get-rich-quick scheming vendors. Sure, their writers and producers made it fun by adding some really excellent characters to the mix, but I wouldn't touch a thing like Mistplay if you paid me as much as they paid Watcher for their video. However, the thing is, look around at all the youtubers you know who are up and coming. You can't make it on that platform without advertising trash to your audience.
With the vimeo OTT program, i believe there is a shared revenue and more incentive to promote more simple dedicated engagement; it's not ad sense clicks; it's just clicks. It's a soft start and there are going to be some kinks to work out but if they get to control their brand more and decide what gets made without needing some nu-venture, cash hungry sponsor to look at it, then I think they could change media online for the better.
Having said all that, the execution? Not their best. Watcher--listen, I love them so much--has had a consistent and terminal administrative problem and that means stuff falls through the cracks. From a communicative standpoint, when you're about to take your company in a controversial direction, you should know two things.
The backlash! You gotta get ahead of it. You need your PR team on the go a MONTH before launch
Always soft launch a big move. Get your feelers out for how people react especially if you don't have the kind of shark PR person who would know already that people don't respond well to paying for something they didn't used to pay for.
Watcher is still a baby company in so many forms and I will wholeheartedly support their move to do what they can to keep control of their creative content today and in the future. I'm not in their offices so I can't make as prescriptive a judgement as Twitter feels emboldened to about capitalism and greed or whoever they think their audience is however I can and will say that with any form of growth, the growing pains are going to show. i'll give them grace as they pivot and figure out how best to move forward especially with the volume of vitriol the internet loves to spew when they feel entitled to art forms that used to be free.
I'll say it again. At least we're no longer having garbage peddled at us regardless how much I crave Fabian Sax biblically.
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The farmer in Bangladesh or the street vendor in Brazil doesn’t have nearly the impact of the venture capitalist in California or the petroleum oligarchs of Russia and the Middle East. The richest 1% of humanity is responsible for more carbon emissions than the poorest 66%. The rich are bad for the Earth, and the richer they are the bigger their adverse impact (including the impact of money invested in banks, and stocks financing fossil fuels and other forms of climate destruction). In other words, we are not all the same size. Billionaires loom large over our politics and environment in ways that are hard to understand without taking on the shocking scale of their wealth. That impact, both through their climate emissions and their manipulations of politics and public life means they are not at all like the rest of humanity. They are behemoths, and they mostly use their outsize power in ugly ways – both in how much they consume and how much they influence the world’s climate response. Let me put it this way: if you made $10,000 a week – a princely sum by the standards of most people – you would have to work every week from the year of Jesus’s birth until this week to earn over a billion dollars. To earn as much as Elon Musk’s net worth at that rate – currently $180bn, according to Forbes – you’d have to work every week for more than a third of a million years – that is, since before Homo sapiens first emerged in Africa.
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Billionaires are a menace to the rest of us: their sheer political size warps our public life. Disproportionately older, white and male, they function as unelected powers, a sort of freelance global aristocracy who are too often trying to reign over the rest of us. Some critics think that the supergiant tech corporations that have spawned so many modern billionaires operate in ways that resemble feudalism more than capitalism, and, certainly, plenty of billionaires operate like the lords of the Earth while campaigning to protect the economic inequality that made them so rich and makes so many others so poor. They use their power in arbitrary, reckless and often environmentally destructive ways.
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