#Buyers Role

[lets-blogoff]

The Power Of Sustainable Design In Commercial Furniture Manufacturing

The Power Of Sustainable Design In Commercial Furniture Manufacturing - #letsblogoff #Entertainment, #FurnitureManufacturing, #HomeImprovement, #LetsBlogOff, #ModularOfficeFurniture, #Tips - https://www.letsblogoff.com/the-power-of-sustainable-design-in-commercial-furniture-manufacturing/

[lambsouvlaki]

For the Hell of It - Putting on a Show(*)

Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc

Rating and warnings: NSFW, smut, pre-discussed kink, light bdsm, voyeurism & exhibitionism (discussed, nothing is done in public).

Word count: 1,929

Summary: Jason tries being a little meaner in the bedroom, to delightful results for everyone.

Masterlist

----

In the middle of the night, the bedroom door opened and the Red Hood walked in. 

Andy looked up from the book she had been reading. It was a little after three in the morning with the muted sigh of wind rushing past the lofty heights of his apartment. The bedside lamp cast the large industrial-styled room in golden light and murky shadows. 

Jason shut the door behind him. 

She opened her mouth to ask how patrol went, then found the words dying in her throat. He was standing at the door, mask inscrutable, observing her in silence. 

Belatedly it struck her that she had never seen him wear his armour into the bedroom before. She slid her reading onto the bedside table and cocked her head at him. 

“Did you wait up for me?” His voice rumbled through the modulator. 

“Blame the jet lag.” She shrugged. “Couldn’t sleep. Figured I’d try again once you got back.”

He slowly crossed the space between them.  

She pulled her knees up under the blankets. She didn’t know what to make of the way he studied her, but her body already knew how it felt about having his sole focus. The armour only made it worse. She wondered if he knew. 

“You remember that talk we had?”

“Which one?” she looked up, only to recall exactly the conversation he was referring to, in the face of blinding white lenses. “Oh.”

Her cheeks warmed. She was very aware of the looming figure standing over her, and anticipation unfurled within her.

“Yes, I remember.”

He pulled his gloves off, loosening finger by finger. He reached down a warm, bare hand and gently traced her cheek. His thumb grazed her lip. He pushed down lightly. She opened her mouth. He slid it in and she curled her lips around it. 

He drew his damp thumb back and traced it down her jaw to tilt her chin up. 

“The safe word?”  

As though it hadn’t been branded onto her mind the moment she agreed to this. 

She repeated the word. It came out breathless. 

He turned away. 

“Take off your clothes.” 

Her cotton shirt then her silky bra and matching panties landed on the floor. Her nipples pebbled in the sudden cold. She sat bolt upright, awaiting further instructions. Her heart in its cage beat like the wings of a hummingbird. 

Jason reached up to take his helmet off and placed it on the desk. 

“Lie down,” he said and he removed his weapons. “Spread your legs, and get yourself warmed up for me.”

A blush rose in her cheeks. He sat in the armchair, facing her. He leaned back, with his legs casually spread wide, and lit up a smoke. He watched her expectantly. 

She did as she was told. 

She had never put on any kind of performance before, but she wasn’t going to let that stop her now. Most nights Jason relished this part himself. He was an artist with his fingers and she was his sculpture, beauty and pleasure drawn from stoic marble. Tonight he was the audience, and she was artist and art together.  

The idea turned from daunting into arousing without her noticing. Her timidity fell away and her pleasure rose. 

In the half light the glint of the cigarette reflected in his eyes. 

“Do you touch yourself when I’m out?” 

She shook her head, mussing her hair against the sheets.” 

“No?” he drawled, incredulous.

“No.” It didn’t occur to her to be dishonest. Her role in the scene was not a fabricated one. 

“Why not?”

“I… prefer the ache of waiting for you.”

He swore quietly.

“There’s a toy in the bedside table. Get to it.”

She reached out blindly and swiftly found it. Jason enjoyed using it on her, but she had never used it on her own. It let him draw out and build up her pleasure to his own exacting standards without getting distracted by his own ends. He was a wretched tease. She both adored and hated the thing. 

He took a long drag of smoke as she adjusted. Her head tipped back against the pillows. Her eyes fluttered shut, but she didn’t want to lose sight of him and kept reopening them. He watched with burning intensity. 

Her excitement built and built, far past any notions of simply warming up. He had told her to get ready for him, but he made no move beyond stubbing the cigarette out and attempting to brand her with the heat of his eyes alone. 

“Can I… can I climax?” she asked.

“No.” 

She withheld her whine.

Normally Jason’s body language was so open and reassuring around her. This was nothing of the sort. The Red Hood, hard and uncompromising, watched her fuck herself on a dildo, and she was more hopelessly turned on than she had ever been under her own touch.  

 Slowing down was unthinkable as stopping. She had unthinkingly built her pace up, and now she had no off-ramp.

She wasn’t going to ask again. 

She wasn’t. 

With one hand cast over her face and the other between her legs, she writhed. 

Jason let out a harsh breath and stood. Every heavy step towards her felt like salvation and doom both. 

He put a hand on her shaking knee. 

She squeezed her eyes shut. Despite the calluses and the hardness of his demeanour, his thumb rubbed her skin in a familiar reassurance. 

It did not help her predicament. Her breath hitched.

He pushed her hand aside and withdrew the toy. He replaced it with two of his fingers. 

She moaned. His touch set her alight and her breath grew thin. His touch was as scorching as his gaze which pinned her down like a lance through the chest. 

“I’m-I’m going to cum if you keep doing that,” she said. 

So he stopped. 

She wanted to cry. She covered her face with her hands and took desperate heaving breaths.

The sound of unbuckling belts cut through her panting. 

“Look at me.” 

Her eyes snapped open. 

Jason lifted her by her hips and impaled her in one blow. 

She sang out in relief. 

He set a swift pace, slowing only a moment to let her rearrange pillows to support her back, shooting her straight back to the loft heights she had teetered along for so long. He drove her higher still. His thumb rubbed circles over her clit only twice, and her climax slammed into her. 

Her whole body shook. He did not slow his pace, relentlessly working her through it. 

She breathed hard as she came down, arching her back for him. The relief was short lived but it brought her a moment of clarity. 

Jason’s focus was fixed to her entrance, watching himself sink in and out, in and out. So locked up inside his own head tonight. 

“Okay?” she asked quietly, breaking character. 

His eyes flickered up to hers, and he gave a short nod. His hand on her hip gave a quick squeeze. 

Then the hard tilt returned to his jaw and they were back in it. 

“Spent the night at a strip club,” he said harshly. 

Her eyebrows rose. It was unusual only in that he was telling her about it: his protection extended to sex workers all over the city. She trusted him, it was a non-issue.  

“Working out a territory dispute. Negotiations. Should have been done hours ago. But no, they had to keep stopping to watch the girls.” His lip curled and he changed his angle to something deeper. “Made them make out and touch each other. As though we’re there for a good time, as though I have any interest in getting hard with that pack of slavering animals.” 

He brushed his sweat slicked hair from his face and swore. She was so helplessly turned on by him even when he was hacked off, she couldn’t come up with any response. 

“Waste of my fucking time,” he growled, thrusting with emphasis. “When I have you alone in my bed. Waiting for me. Clenching on nothing. Dripping wet, just for me. Aren’t you, sweets?”

“Yes.”

He pulled out. 

She made a needy noise of objection. 

“On your knees or in your mouth?” 

She rolled over without hesitation. 

He chuckled. He ran his hands up her body, possessive and appreciative. He gently pushed her down onto all fours and pushed back in. His pace was more sedate now and his grip softer, having worked out some of his frustrations. 

Well, that just wouldn’t do. 

“Did you get hard at the club?” she asked. 

His pace stuttered. “What?”

She reached back to touch his thigh, a silent reassurance she was still in character. 

“Did it turn you on, surrounded by beautiful women making out with each other?”

The snap of his hips picked up. “Yes,” he conceded, arousal and shame and frustration in his voice. 

She looked back over her shoulder. Her hair was tousled, her skin flushed, and her lips swollen from where she bit them. 

“Were you thinking of me?”

“I–” The look he gave her was a little stunned, a little star struck. 

“There, in that red lingerie you bought me, draped over you?” If he wasn’t thinking it before, he was now. 

A whispered “yes,” passed his lips. The burning intensity rose in his eyes once more. 

“...touching myself?” 

He made a hungry noise in his throat. 

“Up on the stage, in front of everyone,” she said, as she looked forward again, flicking her hair aside and arching her back. “Putting on a show?”

He growled, then she was pinned to the bed. 

“I’d have to kill them all for looking at you,” he said into her ear, bending over her. “And I would–mm–before I’d take you right there.” 

He stood tall again, still holding her bent in half with a hand on the back of her neck. His other hand was on the meat of her ass, to drag her back to meet him. He put one leg up on the bed next to her for more power. A thick muscled thigh rippled against her side. Raging waves of need pulled her back down into the depths. 

“Trying to upset me, sweetheart?” he asked, back to ruthless and in full control. She was in paradise. “You know only I get to see you like this. That’s why you’re mine.”

She whimpered, so close to the edge. 

“Only I can hold you down and fuck you like you deserve. Only I get to watch you writhe… hear you beg.” 

“Hnng, please.” 

“Please what?” 

“Please! Jason, I–I– fuck, Jay, I don’t– I need..”

“That’s my girl,” he said, dark and appreciative. “You know you’re mine before anything else.” 

She sobbed a cry.

“You can cum,” he drawled, sneaking a hand around her hip to reach her clit.

Her climax rocked through her violently. Her vision blanked and her body seized up in great wracking jolts. Her mouth hung open, breathing hard against the blanket. 

She vaguely heard his voice encouraging her through it, before he followed after her into bliss. 

He curled over her back and held her fast against his hips. He growled her name in her ear. 

The last of her strength fled her limbs. It felt like her bones had simply melted.  

He collapsed on the bed behind her. With shaking, tired arms he gathered her to himself and nuzzled into her neck. He made a soft inquisitive noise. She sighed in contentment in reply. They tangled their legs together, and basked in the afterglow. 

Next>>

[sleepinglionhearts]

Man, just saw a post about it, but renewed my frustration over work nonsense yesterday

Being like, oh, cool! It's disability pride month! We get to switch the displays in the store! I wanna make a really cool display right up front!!

Getting a cart to go start selecting books from our wide array of children's books, picture books, YA novels, adult fiction, nonfiction, etc that I know feature disabled characters and people and that I've seen sitting on the shelves for a while, our previous book buyer was always suuuuuper vocal about finding books w disabled characters, after all, representation just MATTERED SO MUCH to her,

And then being absolutely dumbfounded when we BARELY HAVE ANYTHING outside of characters w ADHD/Autism. MAYBE anxiety. PERHAPS a character has cancer. THE FAINTEST SUGGESTION of a wheelchair in one book. Huntington's? Question mark? In another? Conditions resulting in disfigurement/amputation? The concept could possibly exist in this book, uhh.. maybe...... anything else? Ha! Not on these shelves I fucking guess?!

Like.... we have a ton of books w queer rep! Different body types! Different skin tones! Teach your toddler about social justice! Transgender characters! Nonbinary characters! The alphabet but we're making it gay! At least one book, I think, with asexual characters! But no, we don't have our self-empowerment books anymore or the little guide to sexuality and disability, we have Buddhist monk advice for anxious people, but nooooo we DON'T have that cool book that talked about disability activism anymore, and definitely not in time for July!

I know she and I were at odds before she left, and I know my specifically putting "National month of..." prompts up on my desk calendar after she expressed it was "so difficult to find out what each month is the month of!" probably really irritated her, but I'm like. Appalled that she hadn't been ordering to restock for disability pride month since she always made such a big deal about having books like that in the store.

[moisthalforcboy]

Also, I love that it seems like they retroactively looked into that sick dagger that they destroyed, the remorse was real with Travis and Marisha lol

[angelsndragons]

man i haven't seen critical role hot takes this bad since luc brenatto died.

[rincewindsapprentice]

Two minor things I wish were a bit clearer to people about the American political system:

Lawmakers will often propose bills that have no hope of passing in order to make a political statement, appeal to a specific electoral demographic, or appeal to their donors/lobbyists. Just because a super progressive or absurdly fascist bill is proposed does not automatically mean it will leave committee (i.e., will not face a full vote) or even have a hope of passing.

The FDIC is funded entirely by banks themselves. It is insurance, after all. Taxpayers only indirectly fund it by having their money in a bank. The recent "bailouts" of Silicon Valley Bank and the other failures were to cover the deposits of clients not to bail out the bank. Those deposits were more than covered by the large amount of money the FDIC has been able to accumulate over the years. While deposits above $250,000 aren't automatically guaranteed by the FDIC, they can still be covered if the FDIC has the money. It is, once again, insurance after all.

[headspace-hotel]

Oh my god I'm sooooo mad right now

So. I have no business telling people not to collect wild plants/materials.

I do it all the time.

However.

The words "wildcrafted," and "foraged," even "sustainably harvested," are terrifying to see in an ad on Etsy or Instagram

There is a such thing as the honorable harvest where you ASK the plant if it is okay to take, with the intention of listening if the answer is NO. Robin Wall Kimmerer talked about this, She did not make it up, it is an ancient and basic guideline of treating the plants with respect.

Basically it is not wrong to use plants and other living things, even if this means taking their life. But you are not the main character. You have to reflect on your knowledge of the organism's life cycle and its role in the ecosystem, so you can know you are not damaging the ecosystem. You have to only take what you need and avoid depleting the population.

Mary Siisip Geniusz also talked about it in an enlightening way in her book Plants Have So Much to Give Us, All We Have To Do is Ask. She gave an example of a woman who was on an island and needed to use a medicinal herb to heal her injured leg or she would not survive the winter. In that situation she had to use up all of the plant that was on the island. This was permissible, even though it eliminated the local population, because she had to do it to save her life. But in return the woman had the responsibility to later return to the island and plant seeds of that plant.

And what makes me absolutely furious, is that there are a bunch of people online who have vaguely copied this philosophy of sustainability in a false and insulting way, saying "wildcrafted" or "foraged" materials to be all trendy and cool and in touch with nature, when it is actually just poaching.

If you are from a capitalistic culture the honorable harvest is very hard and unintuitive to learn to practice. I am not very good at it still. This is why it is suspicious if someone is confident that they can ethically and respectfully harvest wild materials with money involved.

So there's this lichen that is often called "reindeer moss." It looks like this:

It grows only a few millimeters a year.

This is "preserved" reindeer moss.

It is from Etsy, similar is also sold in many other online shops, many of which have the audacity to describe it as a "plant" for decorations and terrariums that needs no maintenance.

It is not maintenance-free, it is dead. It has been spray-painted a horrible shade of green. The people buying it clearly don't even know what it is. It is a popular crafting material for "fairy houses," whatever the hell those are. So is moss, also dead, spray-painted, and wild-harvested. Supposedly reindeer moss is harvested sustainably in Finland, where it is abundant, for the craft industry. However poaching of lichens and mosses is absolutely rampant.

It's even more upsetting because there's hardly any articles drawing attention to the problem. This one is from 1999. And the poaching is still going on.

There is a "moss" section on Etsy, and it is so upsetting

These mosses and lichens were collected from the wild. Most of the shops are in the Pacific Northwest or Appalachia, which are the major locations of moss and lichen poaching. There are some shops based in Appalachia selling "foraged" reindeer moss.

Reindeer moss may be abundant in Finland, but in Appalachia it should NOT be harvested to be sold on Etsy as craft supplies! Moss doesn't grow quickly. Big, healthy colonies like this took years to grow. Some of these shops have thousands of sales, all of bags and bags of moss and lichen, and thinking of how much moss and lichen that must be, I am filled with horror.

Clubmosses do not transplant well, and these ones have no roots. The buyers do not realize they have bought a dead plant because clubmoss stays green and pliable after it is dead.

This is especially awful because in Mary Siisip Geniusz's book she talked about clubmosses being poached so much for Christmas wreaths that they had almost disappeared from a lot of forests.

I don't even know if this is illegal if it's not a formally endangered species so I don't know if I can report them I'm just. really sad and angry

[ribbonoflights]

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Understanding the Role of Real Estate Appraisers in North York

Real estate appraisers in North York play a crucial role in assessing property values and providing valuable insights into the local real estate market. They analyse various factors such as market trends, property characteristics, and comparable sales data to deliver accurate and unbiased appraisal reports. Their expertise aids homeowners, buyers, sellers, and investors in making informed decisions within North York's dynamic real estate landscape.

Expertise in North York's Unique Real Estate Landscape

Real estate North York possesses specialised expertise tailored to the area's unique real estate landscape. Their deep understanding of local market dynamics, neighbourhood characteristics, and property types enables them to deliver accurate valuations. With insights into North York's diverse housing options, commercial developments, and industrial properties, they provide invaluable guidance for clients navigating the region's dynamic real estate market.

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Real estate appraisers in North York offer comprehensive valuation services tailored to residential properties. They assess single-family homes, condominiums, and townhouses with precision, considering factors like property condition, location, and market trends. Their expertise ensures homeowners, buyers, and sellers receive reliable valuation insights to make informed decisions in North York's dynamic real estate market.

Navigating Commercial Property Valuations in North York

Discuss the complexities of commercial property valuations in North York and how real estate appraisers specialise in this area. Highlight their ability to evaluate retail spaces, office buildings, industrial facilities, and other commercial properties, supporting investors, developers, and business owners in making informed decisions.

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Real estate in North York adheres to rigorous professional standards and ethics, ensuring integrity and reliability in their valuation services. They follow industry best practices, regulatory requirements, and ethical principles, upholding transparency and accountability in every appraisal. Clients can trust in their commitment to honesty, impartiality, and professionalism, providing assurance in the accuracy and integrity of their assessments.

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Real estate North York prioritises a client-centric approach, focusing on understanding clients' unique needs and objectives. They provide personalised advisory services, offering trusted guidance and expertise throughout the appraisal process. With a commitment to delivering accurate and reliable valuation reports, they empower clients to make informed decisions confidently in North York's dynamic real estate market.

Conclusion

Real estate appraisers in North York play a pivotal role in upholding integrity and reliability in property valuation services. Through their adherence to rigorous professional standards, ethical principles, and industry best practices, they ensure transparency, accountability, and accuracy in every appraisal. Clients can trust in their commitment to honesty, impartiality, and professionalism, knowing that their assessments are conducted with utmost integrity and diligence. By following regulatory requirements and continuously updating their knowledge and skills, real estate North York provides invaluable support to clients navigating the complex real estate market. Their dedication to excellence serves as a cornerstone of trust and confidence, fostering strong relationships and facilitating informed decision-making for all stakeholders involved in property transactions.

[brailsthesmolgurl]

"It's priced reasonably..."

Preview: The boys' reactions to you buying things on impulse/on a discount! (Let's be fair, we all know they are all rich af, but I personally wanna give it a slice of life touch for them <3)

SYLUS

The big man you call your boyfriend stares at you when you stepped in through the front door with multiple bags loaded in your small palms. You had told him earlier on that you were going for window shopping and he was all too kind to give you his card and to ask you to use whenever you seem fit. However, coming over a huge discount on groceries are rare hence you had decided to use it as you 'deem it fit'. Sylus did noticed his phone's notifications going off a couple of times to alert him about transactions made on his card.

Instead of him looking at it, he would just mute the notifications and continue his humming while he seats himself comfortably on the couch and watches the news broadcast. "You had fun shopping, kitten?" He smirked, walking over to you to help you with the bags. "Next time, bring me along. I would like to see how my kitten makes good use of my card." Yet, you apologised for having to use his card when you told him you were supposedly going for window shopping but the man laughed in response, finding your apology to be adorable. "No more apologies kitten for I am not a stingy man."

RAFAYEL

Whilst on a shopping trip with Rafayel, this man would splurge on you. Apparently in this case, he would take up the role of the impulsive buyer rather than you. You eyeing something for more than 3 seconds? Considered it bought. You mentioning about something more than 3 times? Considered it purchased. You imagining something that may look good on him? Considered it a done deal. This man has no fear nor worry of ever going bankrupt as long as you're satisfied.

Staring at the huge lorry outside of his mansion, unloading everything you had mentioned would definitely put you in a state of shocked. Your boyfriend would approach you casually, wrapping his arm around your waist and nuzzling his nose against your neck. You would definitely question him on his purchasing behaviour but he would pout. "Gift giving and impulse buying goes hand in hand, and I do not see the reason why I should not be spoiling my cutie." Seeing you smile, he would continue. "It is just one of the ways I can show you that I love you, so don't hold me back on that, yeah?"

XAVIER

Grocery shopping with Xavier would be like going on a hunt for rare breeds of wanderers. Anything that are on discount would not be missed, especially with both of your sharp eyesights. However, you and Xavier are not known to be impulsive buyers. More like calculative buyers, the both of you seemingly carry a bit of a girl math's mentality. Other than necessities, anything that is supplemental to the house would be assessed for its usability and longevity. It is a perk the both of you would sometimes fight or bond over.

But if the discount is worth the product, then none of you would get it on the spot. You would have your moments where you would get something out of the blue, without running through your usual girl-math calculations, and you would be met with the quirk of an eyebrow from your boyfriend. "I suppose we lack this in our house." He would secretly do the math in his head but would never say anything to intentionally make you feel bad. "Yeah, we can make this work, no worries." Then, he would pull the same stunt as you, showing you something that he had got out of the blue as well.

ZAYNE

You would give Zayne a headache sometimes. Your childlike curiousity for interesting and new items would prompt Zayne to take on the role of a father figure. He might sometimes go as far as to suspect you may have a slight hint of ADHD in your system, but other than a slight migraine, he finds the quirk in you to be specifically unique to you. And, he never complains. Being the gentleman he is, he accepts you for who you are and tries to work his way around you whenever he could manage.

"Do you think you really need that?" He would point at the stuffed toys you are holding in your arms. Your point being all of them are begging you to adopt them with their big googly eyes. "Y/n, you might just have to pick one for adoption." Your slack-jawed expression would make him sigh and pinch the bridge of his nose slightly before he serves you a reminder of the consequences for your behaviour. "You had adopted exactly 36 plushies, and now, only 5 of them are actually adopted on your bed, while the rest of them are abandoned in your closet. So y/n, which one do you plan to ACTUALLY adopt now hmm?"

[leviathan-supersystem]

BEIJING — China’s struggling real estate developers won’t be getting a major bailout, Chinese authorities have indicated, warning that those who “harm the interests of the masses” will be punished.

“For real estate companies that are seriously insolvent and have lost the ability to operate, those that must go bankrupt should go bankrupt, or be restructured, in accordance with the law and market principles,” Ni Hong, Minister of Housing and Urban-Rural Development, said at a press conference Saturday.

“Those who commit acts that harm the interests of the masses will be resolutely investigated and punished in accordance with the law,” he said. “They will be made to pay the due price.”

That’s according to a CNBC translation of his Mandarin-language remarks published in an official transcript of the press conference, held alongside China’s annual parliamentary meetings.

Ni’s comments come as major real estate developers from Evergrande to Country Garden have defaulted on their debt, while plunging new home sales have put future business into question.

In 2020, Beijing cracked down on developers’ high reliance on debt for growth in an attempt to clamp down on property market speculation. But many developers soon ran out of money to finish building apartments, which are typically sold to homebuyers in China ahead of completion. Some buyers stopped paying their mortgages in a boycott.

Authorities have since announced measures to provide some developers with financing. But the national stance on reducing the role of real estate in the economy hasn’t changed.

This year’s annual government gathering has emphasized the country’s focus on investing in and building up high-end manufacturing capabilities. In contrast, the leadership has not mentioned the massive real estate sector as much.

Real estate barely came up during a press conference focused on the economy last week, while Ni was speaking during a meeting that focused on “people’s livelihoods.”

Ni said authorities would promote housing sales and the development of affordable housing, while emphasizing the need to consider the longer term.

Near-term changes in the property sector have a significant impact on China’s overall economy.

Real estate was once about 25% of China’s GDP, when including related sectors such as construction. UBS analysts estimated late last year that property now accounts for about 22% of the economy.

Last week, Premier Li Qiang said in his government work report that in the year ahead, China would “move faster to foster a new development model for real estate.”

“We will scale up the building and supply of government-subsidized housing and improve the basic systems for commodity housing to meet people’s essential need for a home to live in and their different demands for better housing,” an English-language version of the report said.

next time you complain about how things are in America, consider that if you lived in some kind of scary communist country like China, you wouldn't even get to fund a bailout for the real estate company owners who ruined the economy like you can (whether you like it or not) in the good old US of A! 🇺🇲

[wheelsgoroundincircles]

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

Things You Might Not Know About the 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am

The **1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am** holds a special place in automotive history, renowned for its bold styling, powerful performance, and cultural significance. Here are some fascinating facts you might not know about this iconic muscle car:

1. **"Smokey and the Bandit" Fame:

The 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am gained widespread popularity thanks to its starring role in the classic movie *Smokey and the Bandit*. Burt Reynolds’ character drove a black-and-gold Trans Am, turning it into an instant pop culture icon.

2. **W72 Performance Package:

The W72 performance package, offered in the 1978 model, significantly enhanced the engine's performance. With a 400 cubic-inch V8 engine, it delivered around 220 horsepower, which was a respectable number for the late 1970s when emissions regulations were restricting power outputs.

3. **Special Edition Models:

Pontiac released several special editions of the 1978 Trans Am, including the Gold Special Edition and the famous Black Special Edition, often referred to as the "Bandit Edition." These models featured gold accents, such as the iconic "screaming chicken" decal on the hood and gold alloy wheels.

4. **Improved Handling:

While muscle cars are known for their straight-line speed, the 1978 Firebird Trans Am was notable for its handling. Pontiac engineers upgraded the suspension and steering, making the Trans Am one of the best-handling American cars of its time.

5. **Optional T-Tops:

Buyers of the 1978 Trans Am could opt for T-top removable roof panels, which became a favorite among enthusiasts. These panels gave the car an open-air feel without compromising the structural integrity of the body.

6. **Last Year for the 400 V8:

The 1978 model year marked the last time Pontiac offered the 400 cubic-inch V8 engine in the Trans Am. This engine was one of the final remnants of the muscle car era, and its discontinuation was a sign of the changing times in the automotive world.

7. **Appearance Package Overhaul:

In 1978, Pontiac updated the Firebird's appearance, giving it a new front end with a split grille and updated rear-end styling. This refresh helped keep the Trans Am competitive in the rapidly changing car market of the late '70s.

8. **Turbo Hood Scoop:

The Trans Am featured a functional "shaker" hood scoop, which helped channel cool air into the engine, boosting performance. The hood scoop was not just for show—it played a real role in enhancing the car's capabilities.

9. **High Sales Numbers:

Despite rising fuel costs and growing emissions regulations, the 1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am was a commercial success. Pontiac sold over 93,000 units of the Trans Am that year, proving that demand for muscle cars still existed, even in a more restrictive era.

10. **Enduring Legacy:

The 1978 Trans Am continues to be a favorite among collectors and car enthusiasts. Its unique combination of performance, style, and cultural impact ensures that it remains one of the most beloved muscle cars from the golden age of American automotive design.

These little-known facts highlight the lasting appeal of the **1978 Pontiac Firebird Trans Am**, a car that has transcended its era to become a symbol of American automotive culture.

[usnatarchives]

Happy #NationalComicBookDay! Did you know the National Archives carries a wide array of comic books such as this No.90 "Batman" comic once used as evidence in an investigation by the Judiciary Committee of the United States on juvenile delinquency?

In April 27, 1953, the Judiciary Committee of the United States Senate created a Special Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency to investigate the causes of juvenile delinquency and to propose measures in response. The subcommittee examined several factors influencing young people, but it drew the most attention when it investigated the allegation that comic books contributed to the rise in juvenile crime. The subcommittee looked at comics like this one as evidence.

The early 1950s were a time of great anxiety about the nation’s youth. In 1955, Newsweek magazine reported that the national crime rate had increased by 33.4 percent since 1940, largely due to increased criminal acts by teenagers. Comic books were a new form of media and among the first consumer products specifically marketed to teenage buyers. Civic and religious leaders linked comic book reading to antisocial and criminal behavior, and several major newspapers launched anti–comic book editorial campaigns.

During April and June, 1954, the Subcommittee on Juvenile Delinquency held televised public hearings in New York, the center of the comic book publishing industry. They were especially concerned about comic books’ vivid, detailed illustrations of violent acts. In the end, the subcommittee found that reading comic books did not cause teenagers to commit crimes. They ruled against censoring or banning comics and instead called on the comic book industry to regulate itself by adopting a ratings code and imposing a voluntary ban on depictions of extreme violence. The committee concluded that, ultimately, it was a parent’s role to screen material their children read.

[iamonlyperson]

THE HOLLYWOOD REPORTER

YouTuber Markiplier Got Passes From Everyone in Hollywood — So, He Made a Hit His Way

Podcast adaptation 'The Edge of Sleep' from New Regency spent the weekend on Amazon Prime Video's most watched TV chart, but, as the YouTuber and team reveals, it didn't get there through traditional channels.

In 2019, 'The Edge of Sleep', the latest offering from Mark Fischbach, known to his 37 million YouTube subscribers as Markiplier, was pitched to every major platform in Hollywood.

By then, 'The Edge of Sleep' was already a popular podcast. In fact, it quickly became the biggest genre narrative podcast of all time, with some 6 million downloads and counting. And for the television adaptation, Markiplier would be reprising his role as a night watchman, who attempts to survive a mysterious global crisis where anyone who goes to sleep dies. The podcast’s creators, Jake Emanuel and Willie Block, were on board to write and run the TV version, and Longlegs producer Brian Kavanaugh Jones was attached to produce. There would be six episodes, made on a relative shoestring budget, served up to a rapt audience that Markiplier has cultivated for more than a decade with a channel primarily focused on Let’s Play videos.

Curtis, who’s represented Markiplier for eight years, wasn’t particularly surprised by the deluge of nos. As he tells it, Hollywood has never been willing to take his client seriously. The feedback? “Oh, the YouTuber? No, thanks.’ Just totally dismissive,” he says via Zoom, insisting the entire reason that they did 'The Edge of Sleep' as a QCODE-produced podcast first was because they wanted something to be able to show skittish buyers when they ultimately shopped the TV adaptation. It was also the reason that Curtis, whose client roster over the years has included Rami Malek and Veep‘s Timothy Simons, urged Markiplier to do his second podcast, Distractible, an unscripted offering featuring him and a few buddies.

“I went to Mark three years ago and I said, ‘Hey, look, I’m not getting a lot of love and respect for you in the market, you should do a podcast because I know you can build one of the biggest podcasts in the world. And at that point, I think traditional Hollywood will say, “Oh wow, you just knocked out Joe Rogan from No. 1 on Spotify. Let’s pay attention,”’” says Curtis. “And then he did that, and people still didn’t care. It’s been seven years now of trying to get traditional Hollywood to pay attention.” (For the record, Spotify did, allegedly inking an eight-figure dealfor him to host video episodes of Distractible and other podcasts.)

Markiplier is considerably more diplomatic. “I’m trying to show people [in Hollywood] that there is a different way, but at the same time, I do understand the mistrust of some creators,” he tells THR, acknowledging it was daunting to leap from his own videos to large-scale productions, with crews in the hundreds, even for him, who had scaled up gradually. “A YouTuber going into that is used to doing everything themself, so to learn to both collaborate with others and to let go a little and trust those who are experts in their department, it’s tough — especially when you have a distributor or some production company overseeing it or paying for it who wants to have input. It’s hard, and YouTubers can be very egotistical.” (Though he was simply an actor-for-hire and not a creative engine on Edge of Sleep, Markiplier still managed to butt heads with his producers, including the time he insisted upon licensing and editing in a different opening theme song, which he ultimately did with his own money.)

Most in Markiplier’s situation would have cut their losses and moved on. He hardly needs Hollywood, after all. But he didn’t generate nearly 17 billion video views by doing what others would do. “And I have a desire to prove myself and prove that I can play at other people’s games just as well as they can,” he says. So, he and the team, which also includes Oddfellows’ Chris Ferguson and director Corey Adams, among others, decided to forgo the traditional route. Markiplier agreed to put up a portion of the financing, and figure out a distribution strategy later. On Kavanaugh Jones’ recommendation, New Regency was recruited to come aboard as the studio and foot the remainder of the bill.

So, with COVID-19 still raging, the cast and crew decamped to Vancouver in the summer of 2021. The shoot lasted 25 days across 35 different locations, a triumph given the protocols in place at the time. According to New Regency’s chairman and CEO Yariv Milchan, it was a bet worth taking. “New Regency has a history of recognizing potential where others haven’t. Projects like The Revenant and Bohemian Rhapsody had been overlooked for years, yet we saw their value and brought them to life,” he says via email, adding: “With The Edge of Sleep, we saw a different potential in the unique combination of the largely untapped creativity from Markiplier and his dedicated fanbase, along with the success of the original QCODE podcast. We were inspired by the challenge to create, together with Markiplier and QCODE, a series at the right budget while embracing innovative marketing approaches.” (Though everybody’s staying mum on said budget, it’s said to be a small fraction of a typical prestige drama.)

In 2023, with a nearly completed series, they took it out once more. This time, they did so with the first episode available for potential buyers to preview. Again, they were greeted with a succession of passes. Curtis, who’s also an executive producer on the project, isn’t even sure they bothered to open the link and sample it. “It was the same thing, ‘No.’ ‘No.’ ‘No.’ And that’s the point at which 99.9 percent of Hollywood quits, it’s over,” he says. “But we knew, with Mark, you have this special ingredient that people truly undervalue — and he’s a complete genius in marketing to his fans.” 

He was confident that Markiplier could and would activate his audience. After all, he’d seen him do it many times before. A few years back, for instance, Markiplier had a YouTube channel called Unus Annus (“One Year” in Latin), where he posted a new video every day for a year, culminating in a 12-hour live stream on day 365 that ended with him deleting the entire channel. At one point, Curtis says there were 1.3 million concurrent viewers watching; and, in 24 hours, he says Markiplier managed to sell $19 million of merchandise. “And that was something that we couldn’t pay people to write about or talk about. No one cared,” says Curtis, who acknowledges he has a chip on his shoulder on his client’s behalf. “I mean, there’s less than 50 people in the entire world who could do that. We’re talking, like, Taylor Swift, Kardashian type stuff.”

Last month, Hollywood finally got its taste for Markiplier’s power. Over on YouTube, his platform of choice, he released a video announcing that Edge of Sleep would be coming out in a matter of weeks. That video, which didn’t even tell people where they could watch the series, racked up 3.5 million views. Then, on Oct. 18, the full season dropped on Amazon Prime Video via the Prime Video Direct content submission portal — or, technically, it was uploaded a few days before, for quality control. Almost instantly, and without any real promotion, it had broken into the Prime Video’s Top 10, where it remained, hovering around No. 6 or 7 through the weekend.

By Friday, a trailer dropped on both QCODE and New Regency’s social media, and Prime Video posted a clip on its social channels. A paid media buy launched that day, too. Later that evening, Markiplier called an “Emergency Meeting” of his fans, which turned into him hosting a three-hour livestream, during which he urged everyone to tune in and rate the series, as his goal now is to stay on the Top 10 TV chart for 30 days. In success, there will be a second season, and ideally distribution outside the U.S. According to the Amazon site, Content providers to Prime Video Direct receive 50 percent of net revenue for titles that are available to buy or rent. By Sunday, 1.2 million had checked out the livestream video just to hear him field questions about the making of the series, his first foray into scripted and dramatic TV. (He talked, too, about Iron Lung, a bloody film that he acts in and directs, for which he’s currently seeking a theatrical distributor.)

The irony of its success over on Prime Video, one of many platforms that passed on Edge of Sleep when it came through the traditional channels, is not lost on Markiplier or his rep. “We definitely want to break glass,” Curtis says. “We want people to pay attention to the fact that this guy who was told no over and over again is so powerful that he can launch a TV show to great success on his own.”

[blackhistorystoryteller]

Black history is not slavery

Slavery is not the only history of black Black history goes deeper than slave trade

This is a message for my black brothers and sisters

Today I will be talking about the people of benin

The historical kingdom of Benin was established in the forested region of West Africa in the 1200s C.E. According to history, the Edo people of southern Nigeria founded Benin. They no longer wanted to be ruled by their kings, known as the ogisos. They asked a prince from Ife, an important West African kingdom, to take control. The first oba, or king, in Benin was Eweka. He was the son of the prince from Ife.The kingdom reached its greatest power and size under Oba Ewuare the Great. He expanded the kingdom and improved the capital, present-day Benin City; the city was defined by massive walls. The height of power for Benin’s monarchs began during this period. To honor the powerful obas, the people of Benin participated in many rituals that expressed their devotion and loyalty, including human sacrifices.Artists of the Benin Kingdom were well known for working in many materials, particularly brass, wood, and ivory. They were famous for their bas-relief sculptures, particularly plaques, and life-size head sculptures. The plaques typically portrayed historical events, and the heads were often naturalistic and life size. Artisans also carved many different ivory objects, including masks and, for their European trade partners, salt cellars.The success of Benin was fueled by its lively trade. Tradesmen and artisans from Benin developed relationships with the Portuguese, who sought after the kingdom’s artwork, gold, ivory, and pepper. In the early modern era, Benin was also heavily involved in the West African slave trade. They would capture men, women, and children from rival peoples and sell them into slavery to European and American buyers. This trade provided a significant source of wealth for the kingdom.Benin began to lose power during the 1800s, as royal family members fought for power and control of the throne. Civil wars broke out, dealing a significant blow to both Benin’s administration as well as its economy. In its weakened state, Benin struggled to resist foreign interference in its trading network, particularly by the British. A desire for control over West African trade and territory ultimately led to a British invasion of Benin in 1897. Benin City was burned by the British, who then made the kingdom part of British Nigeria (which became Nigeria after the country gained independence in 1960). After that time, the kingdom no longer played a governing role in West Africa. However, even today, the oba still serves in Benin City as a government advisor.

[probablyasocialecologist]

Legacy media, partisan media, media funded by the rich is—with notable exception—animated not by a desire to expose wrongdoing or produce useful information, but to manufacture talking points, nuggets of superficially-sounding truisms and thought memes about why politics is best left to the professionals. Most “foreign policy” reporters and pundits, especially, are motivated by the creation, repetition, and dissemination of these talking points, these thought memes, these Reasons Nothing Can Change and Nothing You Do Matters.  Don’t use the word genocide—it’s not technically accurate.  And even if it is accurate, Biden is working hard to get a ceasefire anyway. And even if he’s not actually working for a ceasefire but simply renamed a “temporary pause” a “ceasefire” and still supports the vague objective of “eliminating Hamas” no matter the carnage, he can’t actually end the war anyway even if he wants to. And even if he could end the war, it’s politically bad for him to do so. Wait, no, it’s politically unimportant.  And even if it’s not politically bad or unimportant, civilian deaths have reduced anyway, so what’s the point? Also, didn’t you hear the UN “lowered the count of women and children killed in Gaza”?  Wait, they didn’t actually do this? Okay, well it’s already out there so it doesn’t matter. It feels true, it feels like the number is too high and brown people are shifty and untrustworthy.  And even if civilian deaths haven’t gone down and the UN didn’t actually lower its count, Hamas can’t remain in power anyway. This is just a pat thing to say, right? Sounds anodyne enough?  Okay, so you want Hamas to remain in power? You’re pro-Hamas? There was a ceasefire on October 6. Terrorist, terrorist, terrorist. Free the hostages. Hostages.  Ceasefire on October 6. How can Israel have a ceasefire with terrorists? Wait, it’s happened before, over a dozen times?  Look, Biden is doing all he can to broker a ceasefire which, I know I just said was impossible, and also said he was powerless to do. Unless he does it then he’s not. Look, we can’t really impact Israel, Biden is mostly a spectator, but also it’s important he and Congress send Israel another $26 billion in weapons. What about Darfur? Haiti? Tigray? These are things, no? I just googled “war crimes going on rn” and this came up and despite never mentioning them before I think we should bring them up. But the US isn’t giving these genocidal regimes billions a year in weapons? Yes, but Hamas, Terror, Hostages, Darfur, Iran, Houthis are violating maritime law.  Shocked and horrified but what they see on their social media timelines on a daily basis, and the US’s direct role in it, there’s tremendous professional incentive in our media to come in and explain away, redirect, justify, and cast doubt on the obvious conclusion that this has to stop, that it simply cannot go on. Because it won’t stop, it’s bipartisan consensus—the powers that be decided it has to go on and there’s an election to win in November. There is thus a buyer’s market, and has been for the past seven months, for reporting and opinion pieces to explain why Nothing Can Change and Nothing You Do Matters. 

[sayruq]

The most senior IDF commander dismissed for his role in the drone strike which killed seven aid workers in Gaza is a settler who signed an open letter in January calling for the territory to be deprived of aid, The Telegraph can reveal. A senior British lawyer said its contents – including a call for a “siege” of Gaza City – should be considered by the Israeli authorities investigating the killings. Col (Res) Nochi Mandel, the chief of staff of the Nahal Infantry Brigade, was one of two officers dismissed last week following the incident in which three vehicles belonging to the charity World Central Kitchen (WCK) were attacked by drones, killing all those inside, including three Britons. An investigation by the Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) characterised the strikes as a “grave mistake” but concluded there was no intentional harm. “Those who approved the strike were convinced that they were targeting armed Hamas operatives and not WCK employees,” it said.

The investigation into Col Mandel and his colleagues was led by retired Maj Gen Yoav Har-Even, president and CEO of Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, sparking claims of bias. The IDF is one of Rafael’s biggest buyers. The company, which sells nearly half of its arms to Israeli clients, makes the ‘Spike missiles’ which are reported to have been used to kill the aid workers. “We demand the creation of an independent commission to investigate the killings of our WCK colleagues”, said WCK in the wake of the IDF report last week. “The IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza”.