#Diligence Certifications

[diligence-certifications]

In what ways can companies benefit from being recognized with an ISI mark?

The ISI mark, issued by the Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS), signifies that a product conforms to specific Indian standards. Companies can derive numerous benefits from being recognized with an ISI mark, which can significantly impact their businesses and market positioning. Here are several detailed advantages:

1. Enhanced Credibility and Trust

Consumer Assurance: The ISI mark assures consumers that the product meets high safety and quality standards. This can enhance customer trust, leading to increased sales and customer loyalty.

Brand Reputation: Being ISI certified can elevate a company's reputation, positioning it as a leader in quality and compliance within its industry.

2. Market Differentiation

Competitive Advantage: In a crowded market, an ISI mark can distinguish a company’s products from competitors. This certification can act as a unique selling proposition, especially in industries where quality is critical.

Better Market Access: Many retailers and distributors prefer or require products to have certifications like the ISI mark. This can open up new distribution channels and market opportunities.

3. Increased Sales and Revenue

Consumer Preference: Products with the ISI mark often experience higher demand because consumers are willing to pay a premium for assured quality and safety.

Export Opportunities: The ISI mark can facilitate easier access to international markets, as many countries recognize the value of compliance with established standards. This can lead to increased export potential for companies looking to expand globally.

4. Regulatory Compliance

Meeting Legal Requirements: In many cases, certain products must meet local standards to be legally sold. Having an ISI mark ensures compliance with these regulations, helping companies avoid legal issues and penalties.

Streamlined Processes: Acquiring the ISI mark can simplify the regulatory landscape for companies, as it may cover several compliance requirements under a single certification.

5. Improved Quality Control

Systematic Improvement: The process of obtaining an ISI mark requires companies to implement or enhance their quality control systems, which can lead to better overall product quality and consistency.

Internal Efficiency: The focus on adhering to standards can lead to improved operational processes, reducing wastage, and enhancing productivity, ultimately benefiting the bottom line.

6. Customer Loyalty and Retention

Long-Term Relationships: Customers are more likely to stay loyal to a brand that they perceive as committed to quality and safety. The ISI mark can contribute to fostering long-term customer relationships.

Referrals and Word of Mouth: Satisfied customers are more likely to recommend products with an ISI mark to others, leading to an organic increase in clientele.

7. Opportunity for Continuous Improvement

Regular Audits and Assessments: The process of maintaining the ISI certification involves regular monitoring and re-evaluation of products and processes, driving companies towards continuous improvement.

Feedback Mechanism: The standards provide a basis for constructive feedback, helping companies to identify areas for improvement and innovation.

8. Access to Technical Guidance and Support

Expert Advice: The BIS often provides support and resources to companies looking to achieve ISI certification, including guidelines on compliance and quality management systems.

Networking Opportunities: Companies with the ISI mark may find additional networking and partnership opportunities within industry groups and among other certified businesses.

Conclusion

In summary, being recognized with an ISI mark brings a multitude of benefits that can enhance a company's market position, credibility, and operational efficiency. From gaining consumer trust to ensuring compliance with regulations and fostering continuous improvement, the value of ISI certification extends far beyond mere compliance. Companies that leverage these advantages are often better positioned for growth and success in their respective industries.

[reraplus]

Record-Breaking Real Estate Deals in India

India’s real estate sector witnessed record-breaking real estate deals in the July-September quarter of 2024, signaling its resilience amidst economic challenges. The latest report from Grant Thornton Bharat highlighted 25 deals worth $1.3 billion during the period, marking an all-time high in deal numbers. However, despite this surge in record-breaking real estate activity, there was a notable drop in deal value compared to previous quarters.

Breaking Down Q3 2024: Trends and Key Drivers

The sector recorded a 5% increase in deal volumes from Q2 2024, and a significant 54% rise compared to Q3 2023. Investors’ confidence in the realty sector in India remains strong, even though the average deal size fell due to smaller, diversified investments in residential and commercial real estate. This trend reflects a shift toward strategic investments, showing adaptability in the face of economic challenges.

An important trend driving this activity is the rise of real estate technology companies (proptech) and their role in attracting investor interest. With the integration of digital tools, the real estate industry is evolving, creating new opportunities for investment and improving market transparency.

The Role of Qualified Institutional Placements (QIPs)

One of the major forces behind the uptick in deal volumes has been the surge in qualified institutional placements (QIPs). During Q3 2024, QIPs raised $940 million, almost six times the amount from the previous quarter. This increase demonstrates the growing reliance on public markets by real estate companies, reflecting their confidence in institutional capital.

QIPs have emerged as a critical funding source, helping firms meet regulatory standards and improve market visibility. The real estate sector’s embrace of QIPs not only signals growing investor interest but also points to greater transparency and accountability, further attracting institutional investors.

Private Equity and M&A: A Steady Presence

Private equity (PE) and mergers & acquisitions (M&A) have maintained a steady flow of activity, even with the overall value of deals seeing a 71% drop compared to Q2 2024. Q3 saw 12 PE deals totaling $401 million, highlighting sustained interest in the sector despite lower valuations. Interestingly, the top two PE deals alone accounted for $346 million, reflecting a concentration of value in a few high-profile transactions.

The focus of these deals has largely been in urban areas and key commercial hubs, where the demand for premium real estate remains high. Furthermore, outbound deals—primarily involving student housing and online rental platforms—indicate that Indian real estate firms are increasingly exploring international markets.

Looking Forward: Future Prospects for Indian Real Estate

As we approach the final quarter of 2024, the Indian real estate market appears poised for continued growth. Investor confidence, combined with the rise of new financial instruments like QIPs and the steady involvement of private equity, is expected to drive further momentum. The increasing role of real estate technology is another factor likely to shape the future of the industry, as more companies adopt digital solutions to enhance operations and attract investment.

The market’s adaptation to regulatory frameworks and its focus on transparency will likely make real estate an even more attractive option for institutional investors. As more firms turn to public markets, the sector’s credibility and attractiveness to foreign investors will continue to improve.

What This Means for Investors

For those considering entering India’s real estate market, the latest data offers valuable insights. The increase in deal volumes indicates that there are numerous opportunities for both small-scale and large-scale investments. Whether through private equity, M&A, or QIPs, the sector provides diverse entry points for investors with varying levels of risk tolerance.

Additionally, the rise of proptech—technology-driven real estate solutions—offers a new area for growth. Investors should keep an eye on companies that are leveraging digital tools to modernize the buying, selling, and management of properties, as these businesses are likely to play a key role in the sector’s future.

Conclusion

The Indian real estate sector’s resilience in Q3 2024, reflected in its record deal volumes, underscores its strength even amid fluctuating values. With the continued support of institutional investors through QIPs and sustained private equity interest, the sector is well-positioned for future growth. Investors should watch for emerging trends, especially the rise of real estate technology and public market participation, to seize the opportunities that lie ahead.

[mayakern]

I have three skirts from the old factory and one from the new factory, the new fabric was a little disappointing in the beginning, but it's since grown on me since it doesn't pill at all and is way cooler in warmer weather! I just bought three new skirts for the sale since I love them so much

i totally understand ppl who prefer the vibe of the old skirt material, but the new material is MUCH higher quality. the old skirts were a polyester faux jersey and had a looser weave and lower thread count, making the material much more susceptible to wear and tear and to pilling in the wash. our old factory also did not have the same certifications for quality materials that our current one does, and several times we caught them trying to switch fabric on us without saying anything, which is suuuper shady.

and as mentioned yesterday, towards the end of our working relationship their defect rate became astronomical. it was truly horrific: bad sewing, stained garments, garments that had already started to pill/fall apart. it was truly heartbreaking not just as someone whose business was relying on this product, but as someone who (while designing/selling clothing) strives to create as little garment waste as possible. we had to sell bundles of defective skirts at a steep loss just in the hopes people could repurpose the fabric for sewing projects so that we could minimize our garment waste. i cannot overstate how devastating this was to me on a personal level. there was even a while where devin and i weren’t totally certain we could keep designing and selling clothing.

our new factory not only has certifications for their ethical labor and high quality materials, but they are consistent in both the materials they use and the quality of their sewing. we know when we order a certain material from them, we will get exactly what we are expecting. they make a lot of their fabric in house and when they do special order things, because they are certified up their entire supply chain, we can feel confident that not only is the material up to par quality-wise, but it was also made ethically.

a lot of stuff has come out in the past few years about shein clothing containing lead or other harmful chemicals, or period underwear containing pfas, etc, and while based on the price point we were paying for garments and our own due diligence looking into working conditions, etc., i don’t think that was an issue with our old factory, with how much worse things have gotten since COVID, having those third party certifications and having years of records of successful audits by those third parties is absolutely invaluable to us.

[xiakato]

Interview with the Director(M)- NINGNING

“Took you long enough to get here,” The woman takes a sip from her glass, her office overlooking a beautiful mountain range in the valleys of Switzerland. 

“Giselle doesn’t like giving me the answers I want,” You sit in one of the chairs in front of her desk. 

“She’s always been one to beat around the bush.” 

“Rather annoying, I had to fuck it out of her,” You sigh placing the audio recorder onto her desk. 

“Well if the stories I’ve heard about you are true, I can’t blame her,” The woman’s smile is captivating. Of course the low light that these women seem to rejoice in, added to the atmosphere nearly as much as their beauty. 

“You could see later, first and foremost it’s an interview my dear Ning Yizhuo.” 

“You’ve certainly done your research, even knowing that name I’ve long since forsaken.” 

“It was difficult, you’ve nearly scrubbed every record of your name besides one of course.” 

“My death certificate?” 

“Yes, why? Why go through all that trouble for everything else but leave that?” 

“Because Ning Yizhuo is dead to the world and anyone that may fall about the story of the Ning family, the family that was found dead in their home.” 

“Tell me about your family,” You pull out your journal, filled with the notes from the previous two interviews. The stories these girls hold you feel that they need to be heard. 

“Run of the mill family, I feel, well as run of the mill we could be for 1740,” She leans back in her luxurious chair, looking out of the floor to ceiling windows. The snow falling to the ground as if it’s a missing piece of a larger than life puzzle, “There were whispers, that my family was plotting to betray the Emperor, yet my family still tried and true. My father was a devoted man, my mother could care less, her only care was the children. Till a night such as this one,” she nods her head at the beautiful snowy night and the surrounding alps, “It was a cold night, the fire burned brightly. They descended about our house, blood lined the walls. The blood of the maids spilt in their living quarters sullied their footsteps. They dragged us out of our beds. The terror that encased my body, the tears that stained my cheeks. The cries of my family that fateful night fell on deaf ears as we were slaughtered one by one,” She pauses as a tear falls down her cheek, remembering that painful night of which changed her life, it haunts her, even now, tormenting her in her dreams, “I was left bleeding out on the floor, my vision slowly fading and that’s when I saw her. Skin was white as the snow that fell around her.”

“Is that how she got her nickname?” 

“You seem to know who it is already so yes that’s how she did get that name, Winter.” 

“What of Karina’s brother?” 

“Oh Sunwoo, a cutie, very diligent. He’s long since gone on to work for an unsavory group of vampires. One's hope is to turn the tide of the elders, hoping to get their hands onto power that is yet out of their grasp.” 

“What is this group?” 

She gets out of her chair, “Follow me,” You grab the recorder and follow, “The group is nothing less than a meager thorn in the side of the ones aligned with the elders. They wish to garner enough power and people that could use the power of elders, ones that aren’t an elder themselves. Much like you.” 

“What would they want me for?” 

“They seem to have found a way to extract the power of the hosts, killing them obviously. I heard recently that they’ve been rather busy. I could only assume they’re looking for you,” She opens the door to her bedroom, a lavish room decorated with black and red satin. 

“I see, well enough of them, how did you come to be in charge of this place?” 

“Elder Marius took a particular liking to me, he is long since dead. Watched him turn to ash.” 

“Thanks for your time Miss Ning,” You bow slightly to her and stop the recorder, turning on your heels to leave. 

“Where do you think you’re going manthing?” Her words stop in your tracks, “You seem to think you can just leave without giving me my payment.” 

“What sort of payment do you think you’re going to get?” You turn to look at her, your eyes falling to her perfect legs crossed as she sits on the edge of her bed. 

“The only thing of use that you can give, so strip,” She commanded, her eyes glowing under the light from the fireplace. You were hoping to avoid this as you didn’t want to fuck everyone you interviewed yet her you are pulling your trousers down. She gestures for you to get closer, you do without a second thought. Her soft and slender hand wraps around your cock, shivers run down your spine as you feel how cold she is despite being near a fire. She smirks to herself, “I see why Giselle decided to keep you around.” 

“She keeps more around for more than just my dick,” You tell her as you make her lay on the bed, hiking up her skirt making short work of her panties. 

“Rather confident about it, you should know by now anything that comes out of her mouth you can’t trust,” She chuckles which is replaced by a sharp inhale and a moan as you slide your cock into her, her tightness squeezes your cock not wanting to let go, “Fuck.”

You grip tightly onto her thighs using them as leverage as you thrust deep into her, she squeezes your cock at random intervals adding to your pleasure. Looking down at her, seeing her with that smirk etched on her lips. You part her lips with your thumb, her fangs grazing across it as you keep thrusting, getting her to feel every inch. Her legs wrap around you tightly as she reaches her climax. You slowly pull out as her juices cover the bed sheet. 

“We aren’t done here pretty boy,” She says between catching her breathing, she gets on her knees arching her back, spreading her ass, “Fuck my ass~” 

You don’t have to be told twice, as you push your tip into her ass, “So tight,” You continue to push deeper and deeper.

“No o-ne has fucked my ass since the 80’s, I had to do it myself~” She moans out as you bottom out in her tight ass, “Break me pretty boy, tear that ass up,” She smiles as she feels your cock piston in and out, “FUCK YES!” 

Her moans echo through the halls, the sound skin slapping against skin accompanies it. Your hand wrapped up in her hair as she takes your cock, her mind merely a blank slate. Her eyes glazed over as her ass was used just like she wanted. You pull out quickly, surprising her as she squirts adding to her puddle. Her whole body shakes as she looks back at you, ”You fucker.” 

“I’m only giving you what you wanted, remember that Yizhuo,” You pull her ass back up, spreading it, looking at your handy work. You smile to yourself as you slide back in with ease. She hasn’t recovered from her latest orgasm as you get back to your pace from before. You grip her hips tightly as you pound away chasing your own high using her like a sex toy. She digs her nails into your forearm. You go as fast as your own hips allow as you start to fill her ass with your cum. You keep going, you want to break her, and you will. Grabbing her other arm using them as leverage.

“FUCK FUCK!” She screams out as she starts to squirt as you rail her ass, making sure her ass will forever be able to take your cock whenever. Shooting another load into her, you finally let her go as she collapses on the bed, cum dripping from her ass. You catch your breath as you head over to your trousers. 

“Dirty slut,” You say getting dressed, and walking towards the door as she starts to giggle digging her fingers into her ass spreading it more. 

“Don’t you want to fill my ass more~?”

[roo-bastmoon]

w00t w00t

Been super busy. Few things to mention quickly:

Jimin has earned 6 RIAA Gold certifications in his career for selling over 500k units in the USA!

This is awesome but we NEED to get back to streaming diligently on all platforms. We especially need premium Apple, Amazon, and YouTube streams to balance out Spotify.

Jimin has been sent to radio but we need to keep showing there's support and interest around Who and the entirety of Muse!

Here's your motivation:

Be back later in the week for more Are You Sure! Keep streaming!!

Love, Roo

[rebouks]

Robin’s first day at school after the winter holidays was just like any other; painful, overwhelming, and slightly boring.

There was a myriad of reasons he didn’t want to be here, but Oscar and Courtney were adamant it was somehow important-.. and mandatory, so Robin didn’t have a choice. They’d become immune to his avoidant shenanigans over time too, no longer were they so easily fooled, even when he’d made himself sick on purpose.

 He’d given up eventually, the worried glances they’d exchange each morning proving to be as tiresome as school itself. Pretending to be fine was better than being shipped off to some snooty shrink again; one who wouldn’t believe him anyway, who couldn’t even imagine the nonsense he was subject to on a daily basis, despite their fancy certificates hanging behind their fancy desks.

Robin was completely mute whilst at school, save for the odd whisper to Jude or sometimes Jacob, if necessary-.. but never Juniper. She was too condescending with her concern and far too obvious. He wanted to fade into obscurity, not be thrust into the limelight by an overzealous cousin trying to do the “right” thing by speaking on his behalf.

He’d resorted to telling her off in the end, her lip quivering as he explained how she was only making things worse. Robin wasn’t sure what had surprised her more, the fact that he was so vehemently opposed to being defended, or that he’d spoken to her at all. She’d acquiesced though, so that was something.

The only person he spoke to properly was nurse Wiles, or Silvia, as she insisted at this point. The cacophony of voices and Robin’s general disdain for being trapped in this hellish building for six hours a day usually resulted in a pounding headache and a disgusting, dissolvable aspirin; he was her most frequent visitor, discounting the child that was practically allergic to everything in sight.

He kept to himself as much as he could, scrawling out enough work to avoid being pulled up and listening to music wherever he could. He had a solid collection of tiny I-pod shuffles and headphones by now, enough to rotate between classes as they inevitably wound up being seized by exasperated adults.

His favourite deception were the decoy headphones, their obnoxious size drawing immediate attention and victorious confiscation. He’d huff and hand them over in defeat, only to thread a smaller more inconspicuous pair beneath his shirt and tuck them under his thick, curly mop as soon as their backs were turned; they were none the wiser, content with their perceived punishment. Robin thought teachers were supposed to be smart…

Though Robin’s long tangle of curls were useful in some ways, they also drew their fair share of unwanted attention. As if being provoked, shoved, tripped, and called “Mutey” wasn’t enough, he was often referred to as a girl, particularly by the other boys.

He wasn’t entirely sure why it was so hilarious, or why it never got old, especially since it was painfully obvious by now that he didn’t give a shit. He was used to being the proverbial punching bag. Being as different as he was obviously made him an easy target, almost as though he had a bullseye permanently woven into the fabric of his jumper.

He’d surmised that they had their reasons for picking on him though; some had parents who were just as cruel, some had none at all, some were desperate to fit in, and some were just too stupid to know any better.

Either way, Robin had decided a long time ago that he’d rather they mithered him with their so-called bullying than risk upsetting some poor schmuck who wasn’t privy to the concealed insecurities that diluted their venomous words and wicked laughter.

Most of Robin’s classes were raucous, yet dull. He could barely hear himself think over the combined clamour of diligent workers and class clowns, and since he could usually glean the answers to any questions from his classmates or the teachers themselves, he never saw much point in trying.

He knew it probably wasn’t great to miss out on the “working out” part of the work, but it was too hard to concentrate even if he’d wanted to. Oscar always helped him with his homework after dinner anyway, so a least he wasn’t going to end up completely lacking in the brain cell department-.. hopefully.

Swimming lessons and PE weren’t so bad, but art was his favourite class of all. Most people got too caught up in what they were doing to daydream noisily or obsess over potentially incorrect answers. There was no right or wrong when it came to creation, and Robin was actually good at drawing, painting, or whatever else his sticky fingers fancied throwing together.

His art teacher even let him wear his headphones during class too, so he’d get to sit at the back of the room in a blissful cocoon of loud music and pencil shavings, wishing every period were this laid back.

All in all, school was utter shite; and at the end of each terrible day when the bell finally rang, Robin was beyond glad that it was over.

Previous // Next

[cupids-chamber]

— " HOME LIFE "  • Commissioned by an anonymous user Fluff / Gender neutral reader

Idia, he wasn't one to socialize, preferring to stay indoors and rarely engage in social events or conversations with strangers (or anyone in particular), unless necessary of course. However, he found comfort in his games and console, that was probably the only area in which he'd bring himself to converse and socialize with others, willingly, out of his own accord.. without fear, anxiety, or nervousness, it was his comfort space to communicate through devices. 

In fact, if anyone were to tell Idia, that he would have been happily married with many adorable children in the future, he would've laughed right at their face.. and then he'd eventually get embarrassed and awkward and then scurry off, never to be found again... Which is why it's still a shock and surprise now, after all these years… That the two of you were married, with children no less… Children who he loved even more than himself. 

Sometimes, when Idia finally has some time, he’ll sit in silence, by himself and he can't help but wonder how lucky he was for finding you and having you as his, being able to call himself yours… It was an unbelievably random yet fateful first meeting, yet you were so perfect… even his brother loved you! And not to mention, during the little to no first interactions the two of you had, he realized that you were totally his type... you were perfect, meeting every standard and more of his.. and exceeding it by a dozen... he still couldn't believe how he got here sometimes, Mindlessly staring at his hand, intensely gazing at his wedding and engagement rings affectionately.. Sometimes he'll take it off, re-reading the quotes and names engraved on the inside of each individual band... He practically had it all memorized by now. 

Idia slacked back into the plush fabric of the couch, his mind going blank as he relaxed, replaying the scene in which you said your vows to him, at the altar, as if it was just yesterday, the memory played through like a film...Idia found himself softly mouthing the words you said to him that day, he probably has your lines and vowels remembered better than his own (Maybe even better than you).. His hair tips turned a soft hue of pink. After all, how could one forget the tone of your voice, how fluently the words fell out of your lips, how beautiful you were in your wedding dress as you spoke it felt like his world was complete and that he cou—... Suddenly Idia's half lidded eyes opened wide, as he felt a weight crash on top of him. 

He looked down, only to be met with small locks of little tiny blue fire sparks, for hair, and dazzling (e/c) eyes, diligently staring back into him, "Papa, what are you up to?", she asked curiously, her head tilting ever so slightly, as she spoke, signaling curiosity. Idia had five lovely daughters, Persa here was the youngest of his set of twins, the third youngest of all five. Persa was a rather expressive child, one could easily tell her tone from her movements alone.  

Idia's hand gently caressed her hair as he helped her get into a comfortable position, beside him, "Nothing much, just taking a break from work". Idia's current job was pretty fluctuating, there would be months where he'd work from home and others where he’d have to work somewhere else, a rather inconsistent workplace. The months where he would be able to stay at home were the absolute best for him. Not because he’d get to avoid socializing and getting along with new people, but because he had more than enough time for his family and children when at home. 

Idia could recall way back when he first began working, you were still working and finishing off your last few final assignments, so you could get your degree and certification for (insert preferred field of work), his inconsistent schedule completely depleted the amount of time the two of you shared, with one another. The months or days where he was allowed to work from home, his work and home life blurred, and all was blended into a mesh of utter chaos. Idia couldn't be more than thankful for your help back then, encouraging him to take breaks, and generally setting the barrier he needed from work and home.

Needless to say, Idia's job schedule inconsistencies were difficult at first, as it messed up quite a few things, however, now, it was probably the biggest help for him, in regards to parenthood, the functionality was the biggest help for him.

Persa nuzzled into her fathers arms, and Idia let out a pleasant sigh, and before he knew it, another child jumped into his arms without an warning, "Ow...", Resi whined out as she caressed her arm, having hit it a bit too hard on the couch when she jumped, "What's wrong?", Idia asked softly, gently caressing her hand and taking a quick peek in case there were any new bruises formed.

 “This is why I kept telling you to take a look at your surroundings, before doing anything Irrational, Resi”, Idia sighed, Resi was the youngest of all five of his daughters, and also the most active child in his family — She doesn't think before she acts, which results in her hurting herself most of the time, though Idia and his partner have been working on her behavior, trying to teach her any alternatives they could find, in order to deviate her hyperness somewhere else. However, she still seems to grow hyper when seeing people she likes and ends up getting herself hurt. Thankfully, before Idia could scold her anymore, she pouts and apologizes softly, it was an sincere apology nonetheless. 

A few minutes passed and then Idia's alarm rang, Idia sighed, it was time for him to return to his work. "Need anything from papa before he leaves?", Idia asks softly, making sure the two are all set so that he could return to his work. When they said no, Idia reminded them that it was fine to come into his office, just to knock and ask before doing so, in case they needed something. And after that Idia made his way out of the living room, and back into his office. 

About an hour later Idia heard a knock on his door, and someone opened the door slightly, sticking their head into the room, "Papa can I come in?", she asked cautiously, Idia did have some dangerous equipment from before in his office and she just liked to be sure before all else. "Yeah, of course you can come in, Ephee... Just avoid the things at the back, those are papa's work materials", Idia said and Ephee nodded hesitantly before coming inside. Ephee was his second oldest daughter, and she usually did school from home.. So she was home schooled, she took after Idia more, both in physical appearance and personality, she keenly reflected her fathers personality, mirroring it almost perfectly, except she also had a very cautious nature. 

"Papa what are you doing?", she asked as she peaked through his desk, he usually had a candy or two left on his desk, just for her.. Because she'd stop by his office whenever her online lessons would be finished, "Just looking through some documents, why?", he asked, chuckling as he noticed her snooping around his desk. He hands her the candies she was looking for, "Everyone is getting ready for dinner, you should come to the dining room soon!" 

He smiled at her softly, "Of course I will.", he shifted around the papers a bit more, moving around his office and looking through the new boxes of whatever his workplace had sent him to take a look at, "Would you like to stay here or are you leaving?", he hummed softly as he asked her, Ephee peaked up and responded, "If the others saw my candies they'd get angry, it's better if I finish it here", she chuckled mischievously as she recalled the last time she had teased her sisters about the candy scenario. 

Idia chuckled in response, he couldn't wait for dinner.

His family may have not been the most functional of all, but it was a family where everything was maintained and everyone was happy. By no means were they functional, and nor were their parenting methods all that common or exciting, but it's what worked for them and that's all that mattered. And truthfully, he wouldn't have it any other way.

© cupids-chamber, do not repost, plagiarize, translate, or adapt my work without prior permission and or confirmation.

[exoluxionlove]

[INFO] EXO Chen, Baekhyun, and Xiumin file lawsuit to terminate exclusive contract with SM.

Rough translation via Papago:

"◆ The full text of the group EXO's members Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen (Byun Baekhyun, Kim Minseok, and Kim Jongdae)'s notice of termination of the exclusive contract against SM Entertainment.

━

This is Lee Jae-hak, a lawyer for Lin, a law firm that acted as legal representatives for Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen (Byun Baek-hyun, Kim Min-seok, Kim Jong-dae, hereinafter referred to as "artists"). In the following, the legal representative would like to share the artist's position on the exclusive contract between the artists and SM Entertainment Co., Ltd. (hereinafter referred to as "SM"). Artists have previously sent content certificates to SM seven times from March 21 to recently through our legal representative, and through this, we have repeatedly requested transparent settlement data and copies of settlement grounds.

It is the artist's minimum right to request an accurate and transparent basis for settlement of accounts that have been unclear, and SM is also an obligation to comply with the exclusive contract and the Pop Culture and Arts Industry Development Act. However, SM maintained its unfair position that it could not provide a copy of the data.

At the same time, SM has repeatedly committed extremely unfair tyranny, claiming a long contract period of at least 17 or 18 years by signing a long-term contract with artists for more than 12 to 13 years and then having them sign a follow-up exclusive contract again.

Artists feel that SM is forcing artists to sign so-called slave contracts based on their superior status for more than 20 years, including a considerable amount of training.

I would like to convey the various injustices that artists have not been able to tell you through the position below.

<1> Artists' position on activities so far and SM's refusal to provide settlement data

1. Artists have previously signed a long-term exclusive contract with SM for more than 12 to 13 years and have been working diligently as members of EXO.

2. During the long-term exclusive contract period as above, artists have only trusted SM's explanation of the settlement amount that is settled every time, and have received the settlement amount by looking at the data unilaterally prepared by SM without specific and objective evidence. In response, artists have recently formally requested copies of settlement data and settlement grounds several times through their agents, but SM replied that they cannot provide copies of the data.

3. SM is obligated to provide artists with settlement data and settlement grounds, including total income details, expenses subject to deduction, and amount subject to deduction, under the existing exclusive contract, under the Pop Culture and Arts Industry Development Act. In addition, the settlement cycle under the above exclusive contract arrives twice a year, so the above settlement data and settlement basis must also be provided twice a year. However, during the exclusive contract period of 12 or 13 years, SM has not properly provided such settlement data and settlement grounds to artists.

4. According to the precedent, the exclusive contract is based on a high degree of trust. If the agency fails to fulfill its obligation to provide settlement data, the celebrity will not be properly guaranteed the right to review and dispute the profit settlement. In addition, despite several requests through an agent's lawyer, SM has already failed to comply with the obligation to provide data, resulting in a reason for termination of the existing exclusive contract.

5. Despite the artists' earnest request to provide a copy of the settlement data by May 31st through several proofs of contents, SM was forced to notify SM that the existing exclusive contract would be terminated on June 1st.

6. If SM paid the artist the settlement money accurately, there would be no reason not to provide the settlement data and settlement basis. SM's failure to provide these settlement data and settlement grounds is a strong proof that SM did not pay the artists properly, and the artists will take all civil and criminal legal actions against SM, including filing a settlement claim.

7. Also, if you haven't provided settlement data and settlement basis to other SM artists, as in the case of artists (Baekhyun, Xiumin, Chen), this may not just be a problem for Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen, but for all SM artists in the end.

8. In fact, it is very difficult for Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen to file a legal dispute against SM, a large company, but they started with the heart and courage to replace the various doubts that many SM artists have.

<2 > Artist's position on unreasonably long-term contracts and further extension attempts

1. Previously, artists have signed exclusive contracts with SM for more than 12 to 13 years. This is too different from the standard contract for pop culture artists (singer-centered) announced by the Fair Trade Commission based on the seven-year contract period, and it is unilaterally disadvantageous to artists beyond the minimum reasonable extent.

2. SM already has 13 years of contract, including an extended period in the provisional disposition of the TVXQ case, and the reasonable violation of the Seoul Central Law is that SM uses its superior position to exercise unfair control and excessively violate its economic freedom and basic rights. In the case, the court again pointed out that it is very difficult for idol stars, such as applicants (TVX members), to continue their popularity in their 30s and beyond.

3. As such, the existing exclusive contract seriously restricts personal rights for an excessively long period of time and constitutes "an act of unfairly using the position of the transaction" in Article 45 (1) 6 of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act. In addition, due to the type of unfair trade practices in attached Table 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the same Act, such a long-term compulsion corresponds to "compelling profit provision" or "providing disadvantages (setting unfavorable transaction conditions)" in the above attached Table.

4. Furthermore, SM made artists sign an exclusive contract to extend their debut date by 7 years and an additional 3 years if they are overseas. However, in the case of K-pop artists in Korea, it takes at least months and years to make their debut, and overseas activities are a natural premise. Furthermore, even though Xiumin and Chen were members who planned to work in China from the beginning, the exclusive contract, which adds three years if they work abroad, forced them to sign a long-term contract of more than 10 years based on the date of the exclusive contract from the beginning.

5. On the other hand, SM is trying to claim a minimum contract period of 17 years or 18 years by having artists sign a follow-up exclusive contract again, not even enough to sign an exclusive contract for 12 to 13 years as above. This is SM's repeatedly committing extremely unjust tyranny against artists.

6. In the process of sealing a subsequent exclusive contract, the artists were unable to negotiate properly under the existing exclusive contract, and it was difficult to set the terms of the contract or reflect their wishes on an equal footing. In the case of a provisional disposition in the TVXQ case, the court should have been able to stop the existing negotiations and negotiate with other entertainment agencies other than SM if the applicants (TV TVXQ members) only passively signed the exclusive contract form presented by SM, Even if an extension agreement was reached after the applicants (TVXI members) established their position as entertainers, applicants who were already bound by the existing exclusive contract could not strengthen their bargaining power. (Refer to the Seoul Central District Court on February 15, 2011).

7. It is also pointed out that such subsequent signing of exclusive contracts constitutes "an act of unfairly using the status of the transaction" in Article 45 (1) 6 of the Monopoly Regulation and Fair Trade Act. As such, the long-term compulsion using a subsequent exclusive contract is considered to correspond separately to the "compulsory provision of profits" or "unprofitable provision of transaction conditions" in attached Table 2 of the Enforcement Decree of the same Act.

8. Also, I understand that this long-term exclusive contract is in a similar situation not only for Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen, but also for most artists from SM.

9. Baekhyun, Xiumin, and Chen are seriously considering filing a lawsuit against the Fair Trade Commission for the long-term signing of existing exclusive contracts and subsequent exclusive contracts.

<3> A message to the fans

1. I'm sorry for causing so much concern to the fans about this, and I can't help but feel sorry.

2. Due to the difference in position with SM, we are inevitably pushing for legal action, but we will do our best to find wise measures so that fans do not worry too much and resolve the dispute well.

3. In fact, we are very scared and scared of this moment because we want to make a small voice about injustice that we have not been able to tell you before.

4. We hope you will be interested in our words and our hard courage. Once again, we sincerely thank our fans for supporting us for a long time."

Source

[autumnmobile12]

My Hero Academia: CPR + BLS

You know, Pro-Hero is probably one of those professions where it's mandatory to know CPR and Basic Life Support. Because after the villain's been taken out or all the people have been evacuated from a disaster zone, the Pros and their sidekicks are definitely the first responders until the paramedics arrive on scene.

And the idea that Aizawa, Endeavor, Mirko, Best Jeanist, Hawks, Ryukyu, everyone has to re-certify every two years is really, really hilarious to me. It's just so absurdly mundane.

If your job doesn't require CPR certification, let me break this down for you: You sit for two hours give or take, watch a video that's you've probably seen before, maybe take a brief test, and demonstrate that you can in fact perform CPR on a mannequin as well show you can use an AED kit and maybe demonstrate the Heimlich maneuver, and then you wait for an email that has your certification cards. It's tedious and the information doesn't change very much, but it is essential to review, so you suck it up and you be as diligent as you can because there could absolutely come a day where you will be in an emergency situation and need to use these skills. Nonetheless, you really just want to get on with the written and practical tests and get out of there.

That said...Hawks is definitely an annoying prick who keeps asking questions just to purposefully draw out the session.

Kaminari would probably bring snacks, suddenly start choking, and become the unwitting live demonstration.

Iida studied beforehand, took notes throughout, and then got way too into the practical exam. (Because you are often acting out a simulation to prove you are adhering to proper safety measures.)

Mineta...can he even...?

[brutalisttarot]

Pick An Image: Back To School Reading

Pile 1

You guys could be going back to school for an exam or test. If that doesn’t apply then it means that your case signifies working hard diligently for an exam, a degree, certification, or an award or scholarship. You guys r gonna be selfish and guarded with this since this feels like a passion project or something you really want. However, do not be too obsessed with this, stop being controlling and thinking you’re the best of the best, because your hopes may get too high and crash in the end. There may be a lesson reprimanded by an intelligent masculine figure, could a teacher or someone hosting, could be a professor or leader in charge who would communicate something critical to you so stay calm and stoic.

Chanelled song: punksong-cfcf

You guys need to stay apathetic and get over whatever you need to, just chill out and the setback won’t feel as heavy

Pile 2

There’s an uneasiness and feeling of lack when it comes to education, you guys may be worrying over grades or receive bad news. However, there’s an opportunity such as beginning a new module or subject that’s gonna develop your confidence. I just feel that you just need to stop holding back and keeping grudges, you have to leave behind a module or something that doesn’t serve you it could be addictive or you think is your pride but you know it’s bad for you anyways. You’re gonna emerge WAY more passionate when you let this thing go. You guys may even throw a tantrum or make a really bold statement but once you’re out of this it feels like no turning back, you’ve found like hey! I actually I have the optimal right skill sets to do well actually in this course/module. You’re gonna find out that you’re gonna be good at something new as long as you sacrifice.

Pile 3

I feel like you guys will be feeling yourselves back to school, with optimism and confidence. However, beneath the facade there’s a lingering feeling of negative thoughts. Break the habit and continue to both inwardly and outwardly exude optimism, because the more you pay attention to conflict previously in school, you may self sabotage an emotional offer that involves walking away from old things that no longer serve you. You have to speak your work and take an opportunity.

Channelled song: Locket - Crumb

You guys have a cold attic right now (metaphorically speaking), I feel like your expression emotionally will be heard by your close loves ones etc.

[storiesfromgaza]

Do you see this charming young lad?

He holds a microphone in his hand while an angelic smile graces his face.

His name is Awni, "Awni Adel Eldous," a twelve years old boy.

Children at this age are often mischievous, aren't they?

Yes, but Awni was different.

Despite his deep passion for photography and editing, he was diligent in learning, dedicated to it.

Awni was one of the top students in his school, securing the third position in his seventh-grade class with a remarkable 97.78% average.

Despite his profound passion for photography and editing, his teachers dubbed him as the outstanding and creative student. He received numerous certificates, including winning the Friends of Libraries competition, achieving fourth place in the Fruit of Reading competition, and being selected to represent his school in the Addressing addiction through the internet competition.

Due to his excellence, and his passion for computers, his teachers chose him to explain to his friends the computer ports under the supervision of his teacher as part of the young teacher's strategy.

Doesn't all of this indicate that he has a brilliant future ahead of him? Awni, alongside all of this, had a deep affection for computers and video editing, aspiring to become a YouTuber.

On the second of May in 2020, he decided to create a YouTube channel and posted his first video over a year later, marking the start of his dream.

Awni used to contact famous YouTubers on Instagram, praising, supporting them and interacting with their stories. They were somewhat his role models in this field, and he aspired to succeed like them in this field.

“Nothing is impossible; keep going, legend.”

“My brother, there's nothing quite like the winter in Palestine, in Gaza. Legendary weather, sahlab (warm Middle Eastern sweetened milk drink) with charcoal nearby, it's a fantastical experience. and roasted chestnuts on the charcoal. I hope you come to Palestine. All the love”

“Aouni's comment on a story showcasing a page from the Holy Quran shared by one of the YouTubers he deeply admires: 'Your voice is incredibly lovely, I swear, I hope you keep sharing it with us through the Quran.”

And a year later from this date, specifically on the 18th of August 2022 he posted an introductory video in which he revealed his face and celebrated reaching one thousand subscribers. He expressed his gratitude to his followers, and this achievement was monumental for him. It served as a reason for joy for him, he felt his soul soaring in the sky with joy. but despite this, his enthusiasm and ambition continued to soar. He dreamt of his channel reaching one hundred thousand subscribers, half a million, one million and, eventually, ten million.

It is a colossal dream, Isn't it? But, don't we all have the right to dream, even if our dreams are as vast as the expanse of the sky?

Yet, he didn't know that on the very same day he achieved his first dream, the 18th but in October this year, the occupation would bomb his house in the Zaitouna (olive) neighborhood of Gaza City. Killing him, along with his family, and that his body would be covered in dust, laid to rest with his dreams...

On the same day his soul had soared in the heavens due to happiness a year before, his home was struck by bombardment, leading to his soul departing to the heavens, for eternity.

Awni departed, leaving his channel looming on the horizon, lifeless and soulless, mirroring his body's fate, as the spirit of its creator succumbed to this harsh world that refused to let him live in peace.

Today, eight days after his departure from our world, Awni's YouTube channel has reached 489K subscribers. But where is Awni?

[justforbooks]

Are we losing the ability to write by hand?

We are far more likely to use our hands to type or swipe than pick up a pen. But in the process we are in danger of losing cognitive skills, sensory experience – and a connection to history

Humming away in offices on Capitol Hill, in the Pentagon and in the White House is a technology that represents the pragmatism, efficiency and unsentimental nature of American bureaucracy: the autopen. It is a device that stores a person’s signature, replicating it as needed using a mechanical arm that holds a real pen.

Like many technologies, this rudimentary robotic signature-maker has always provoked ambivalence. We invest signatures with meaning, particularly when the signer is well known. During the George W Bush administration, the secretary of defence, Donald Rumsfeld, generated a small wave of outrage when reporters revealed that he had been using an autopen for his signature on the condolence letters that he sent to the families of fallen soldiers.

Fans of singer Bob Dylan expressed ire when they discovered that the limited edition of his book The Philosophy of Modern Song, which cost nearly $600 and came with an official certificate “attesting to its having been individually signed by Dylan”, in fact had made unlimited use of an autopen. Dylan took the unusual step of issuing a statement on his Facebook page: “With contractual deadlines looming,” Dylan wrote, “the idea of using an autopen was suggested to me, along with the assurance that this kind of thing is done ‘all the time’ in the art and literary worlds.” He also acknowledged that: “Using a machine was an error in judgment and I want to rectify it immediately.”

Our mixed feelings about machine-made signatures make plain our broader relationship to handwriting: it offers a glimpse of individuality. Any time spent doing archival research is a humbling lesson in the challenges and rewards of deciphering the handwritten word. You come to know your long-dead subjects through the quirks of their handwriting; one man’s script becomes spidery and small when he writes something emotionally charged, while another’s pristine pages suggest the diligence of a medieval monk. The calligraphist Bernard Maisner argues that calligraphy, and handwriting more broadly, is “not meant to reproduce something over and over again. It’s meant to show the humanity, the responsiveness and variation within.”

But handwriting is disappearing. A high-school student who took the preliminary SAT used for college admittance in the US confessed to the Wall Street Journal that “audible gasps broke out in the room” when students learned they would have to write a one-sentence statement that all the work is the student’s own, in cursive, or joined-up handwriting. “Cursive? Most students my age have only encountered this foreign language in letters from Grandma.”

The Common Core State Standards for education in the US, which outline the skills students are expected to achieve at each grade level, no longer require students to learn cursive writing. Finland removed cursive writing from its schools in 2016, and Switzerland, among other countries, has also reduced instruction in cursive handwriting. One assessment claimed that more than 33% of students struggle to achieve competency in basic handwriting, meaning the ability to write legibly the letters of the alphabet (in both upper and lower case). “We’re trying to be realistic about skills that kids are going to need,” said one school board member in Greenville, South Carolina. “You can’t do everything. Something’s got to go.” Children who cannot write in cursive also can’t read it.

Schoolchildren are not the only ones who can no longer write or read cursive. Fewer and fewer of us put pen to paper to record our thoughts, correspond with friends, or even to jot down a grocery list. Instead of begging a celebrity for an autograph, we request a selfie. Many people no longer have the skill to do more than scrawl their name in an illegible script, and those who do will see that skill atrophy as they rely more on computers and smartphones. A newspaper in Toronto recorded the lament of a pastry instructor who realised that many of his culinary students couldn’t properly pipe an inscription in icing on a cake – their cursive writing was too shaky and indistinct to begin with.

As a practical skill in the digital world, handwriting seems useless. There is a term in Chinese, tibiwangzi, which means “take pen, forget character”. It describes how more frequent use of computers and smartphones has discouraged the use of traditional Chinese handwriting, including the ability to write traditional characters. Chinese children pick up a pen to write (“take pen”) but experience a kind of “character amnesia” when it comes to putting pen to paper (“forget character”). According to the China Youth Daily Social Survey Center, 4% of Chinese youth are “already living without handwriting”.

What does it mean to live without handwriting? The skill has deteriorated gradually, and many of us don’t notice our own loss until we’re asked to handwrite something and find ourselves bumbling as we put pen to paper. Some people still write in script for special occasions (a condolence letter, an elaborately calligraphed wedding invitation) or dash off a bastardised cursive on the rare occasions when they write a cheque, but apart from teachers, few people insist on a continued place for handwriting in everyday life.

But we lose something when handwriting disappears. We lose measurable cognitive skills, and we also lose the pleasure of using our hands and a writing implement in a process that for thousands of years has allowed humans to make our thoughts visible to one another. We lose the sensory experience of ink and paper and the visual pleasure of the handwritten word. We lose the ability to read the words of the dead.

We are far more likely to use our hands to type or swipe. We communicate more but with less physical effort, forgetting the vast evolutionary history that fitted us for physical movement and expression as a means of understanding our world.

In 2000, physicians at Cedars-Sinai hospital in Los Angeles took a remedial handwriting course. “Many of our physicians don’t write legibly,” the chief of the medical staff explained to Science Daily. And unlike many professions, doctors’ bad writing can have serious consequences, including medical errors and even death; a woman in Texas won a $450,000 award after her husband took the wrong prescription medicine and died. The pharmacist had misread the doctor’s poorly handwritten instructions. Even though many medical records are now stored on computers, physicians still spend a lot of their time writing notes on charts or writing prescriptions by hand.

Clarity in handwriting isn’t merely an aid to communication. In some significant way, writing by hand, unlike tracing a letter or typing it, primes the brain for learning to read. Psychologists Pam Mueller and Daniel Oppenheimer compared students taking class notes by hand or on a laptop computer to test whether the medium mattered for student performance. Earlier studies of laptop use in the classroom had focused on how distracting computer use was for students. Not surprisingly, the answer was very distracting, and not just for the notetaker but for nearby peers as well.

Mueller and Oppenheimer instead studied how laptop use affected the learning process for students who used them. They found that “even when laptops are used solely to take notes, they may still be impairing learning because their use results in shallower processing”. In three different experiments, their research concluded that students who used laptop computers performed worse on conceptual questions in comparison with students who took notes by hand. “Laptop note takers’ tendency to transcribe lectures verbatim rather than processing information and reframing it in their own words is detrimental to learning,” they wrote. In other words, we retain information better when we write by hand because the slower pace of writing forces us to summarise as we write, as opposed to the greater speed of transcribing on a keyboard.

The researchers studying how technology transforms the way we write and learn are akin to ecologists who warn of species decline or environmental pollution. We face a future without handwriting. Researchers worry that abandoning the pen for the keyboard will lead to any number of unforeseen negative consequences. “The digitisation of writing entails radical transformations of the very act of writing at a sensorimotor, physical level and the (potentially far-reaching) implications of such transformations are far from properly understood,” notes Anne Mangen, who studies how technology transforms literacy. Writing on a keyboard with the words appearing on the screen is more “abstract and detached”, something she believes has “far-reaching implications, educationally and practically”. Like species decline, skills decline gradually.

It is popular to assume that we have replaced one old-fashioned, inefficient tool (handwriting) with a more convenient and efficient alternative (keyboarding). But like the decline of face-to-face interactions, we are not accounting for what we lose in this tradeoff for efficiency, and for the unrecoverable ways of learning and knowing, particularly for children. A child who has mastered the keyboard but grows into an adult who still struggles to sign his own name is not an example of progress.

As a physical act, writing requires dexterity in the hands and fingers as well as the forearms. The labour of writing by hand is also part of the pleasure of the experience, argues the novelist Mary Gordon. “I believe that the labour has virtue, because of its very physicality,” she writes. “For one thing it involves flesh, blood and the thingness of pen and paper, those anchors that remind us that, however thoroughly we lose ourselves in the vortex of our invention, we inhabit a corporeal world.”

Handwriting is also evocative in a way the printed word is not. Literature abounds with plot twists prompted by the appearance of a handwritten letter or signature. In Charles Dickens’s Bleak House, Lady Dedlock recognises the unusual handwriting of her former fiance, whom she thought dead, on a legal document, prompting the events that lead to the revelation of her greatest secret.

Our own handwriting can be a surprisingly effective prompt to memory. When American chef and cookbook author Deborah Madison stumbled upon some old handwritten recipes from the 1970s, she was transported back in time. Jotted down in brown notebooks along with notes and doodles and food stains and lists of suppliers that she used for the restaurant Greens in San Francisco, the recipes were “a record of time spent fitting new thoughts together”, she wrote. “At times it looks careful and deliberate. Other times my hand gets distracted and strays, looks sloppy and tired. But mostly it conveys such a deep sense of discovery that reading through these notebooks, I am reinfected with the obsessive excitement I felt then.” She doesn’t think the same feeling would emerge from a list written on a computer: “There’s much to be said for the mark of the hand.”

The novelist Mohsin Hamid takes notes by hand in notebooks and tries to remove himself from the online world when he is working on a novel, although he writes his novels on a computer. “The technology is shaping me, configuring me” when he uses it, he told the BBC, and he sees danger in embracing machine-like ways of doing things. The human way of doing things imposes limits, depending on our tools. Ten fingers can fly across a keyboard, but the experience of writing with a pen or pencil in one hand requires more patience. The average American can type 40 words a minute but can only write 13 words a minute by hand. As the calligraphist Paul Antonio notes, when he teaches children to write, he is really teaching them to slow down.

As the IT way of looking at the world replaces other ways of knowing, our wilful deskilling of longstanding human activities is not only happening with handwriting. Other embodied skills, also valuable, are at risk of disappearing.

“When we focus on making a physical object, or on playing a musical instrument, our concentration level is mainly self-directed,” the sociologist Richard Sennett argues. The act of manipulating a tool or of drawing a bow across a string forces us to feel and do simultaneously, and the more skilled we become at the act, the less we have to think about what we are doing. This form of “situated cognition”, as Sennett calls it, takes time to develop. It also forces us to slow down, as we see when we study people who make things by hand. “Part of craft’s anchoring role is that it helps to slow down labour,” Sennett told American Craft magazine. “Making is thinking.”

Lee Miller, a bootmaker in Austin, Texas, spends up to 40 hours hand-crafting a single pair of boots using tools that are more than 100 years old. Miller notes how the time dedicated to his craft is inseparable from what he creates. “No automated machine can do as fine work as the human hand can,” he argues. His customers, who are willing to wait years for the custom boots he makes, agree.

The significance of the handmade object derives from our knowledge of the time and effort and skill that went into making it; even the most sophisticated machine churning out identically sophisticated objects doesn’t inspire the same feeling. “We are knowing as well as sensing creatures,” the philosopher  Julian Baggini writes. “Knowing where things come from, and how their makers are treated, does and should affect how we feel about them.” One need not belong to the elite to enjoy the luxury of owning handmade goods; platforms such as Etsy offer a wide array of handmade goods for every budget.

Some critics argue that our desire for handmade goods is increasing because so much of what we buy is now mass-produced, alienating us from a human connection to the objects we use. This is perhaps one reason that the revelations of horrific working conditions at the Chinese factories that make iPhones prompted outrage. The recognition that these sleek technologies emerged from overworked – even suicidal – human hands changed the way we understood them, at least until the outrage faded and the new version of the iPhone landed in stores.

Our desire for the mark of the human hand hasn’t diminished. Today we satisfy it in a novel way, however. We embrace a vicarious form of craftsmanship comprised of images of well-made things rather than the things themselves. We look at perfectly prepared meals on Instagram, or the efforts of strangers on home remodelling TV shows and do-it-yourself videos on YouTube, which range in quality from highly produced plumbing tutorials to boring, badly lit snippets of people mowing their lawns (which still somehow garner tens of millions of views). This is in keeping with the growth of other vicarious pursuits.

New forms of hands-on making have arisen, forms more in step with our technological age, such as the maker movement, which grew out of a late-20th-century hacker culture that sought to give individuals more power over how their technologies worked. Chris Anderson, who left his position as editor of Wired magazine to join a DIY drone-making company, argues that this new breed of DIY tech tinkerers and 3D printing mavens are responding to a culture that has become too invested in the virtual. “Making something that starts virtual but quickly becomes tactile and usable in the everyday world is satisfying in a way that pure pixels are not,” he wrote, predicting that the growing number of “makerspaces” would usher in a new industrial revolution. Critics such as Evgeny Morozov argue that the movement hasn’t produced a revolution but rather another form of “consumerism and DIY tinkering” sponsored by large corporations and the US military.

On a beam in the library of 16th-century essayist Michel de Montaigne’s home near Périgord, France, is carved a liberal paraphrase of a passage from the book of Ecclesiastes: “You who do not know how the mind is joined to the body know nothing of the works of God.” Montaigne embraced the human body in all its glorious and alarming incarnations (his essays contain gleeful descriptions of his own and others’ bouts of flatulence) and he criticised the hypocrisy of those who deny their corporeality. Our bodies are one of the central ways we understand ourselves, Montaigne believed. They are a reminder of our frailty and a check on the ego. “And upon the highest throne in the world, we are seated, still, upon our arses,” he wrote.

The physical requirements of everyday life in Montaigne’s time were fundamentally different from our own, and far more difficult, prompting greater humility. Such humility is rare in our technological age. The mundane tasks we perform every day with our bodies seem insignificant compared with the powers available to us when midwifed by our new technologies. It’s easier, physically, to send a message to the other side of the world than it is to tie your own shoelace.

But our instruments and tools remain extensions of our bodies in crucial ways. As the computer scientist Joseph Weizenbaum observed in his book Computer Power and Human Reason, we must “internalise aspects of [our tools] in the form of kinesthetic and perceptual habits”. Our tools become part of us. In a similar way, our bodies help us find our way in the world. “The body is our first and most natural technical object,” the French sociologist Marcel Mauss observed.

Our choice of tools and the way we use them facilitate not only habits of hand but also habits of mind. Our embodied experiences shape not only how we learn to do mundane things, but also how we understand the world around us. In Wallace Stegner’s novel Angle of Repose, one of the characters describes the mores of an earlier generation: his grandmother, who grew up on a farm, “could kill a chicken, and dress it, and eat it afterward, with as little repugnance as her neighbour”. Her generation had a different relationship to the physical world, which was reflected in the way they understood its challenges. “When animals died, the family had to deal with their bodies; when people died, the family’s women laid them out.”

Today, we experience less discomfort and don’t confront our bodies’ failures as often. Our increased comfort may mean that we struggle more with our bodies’ inevitable decline, often using technology to prolong life for as long as possible.

Some of our disappearing habits, such as handwriting and drawing, might not seem important. They are modest skills whose benefits are experienced privately, cannot easily be monetised (unless you are that rare thing, a professional calligrapher), and whose use in daily life no longer makes sense for an increasing number of people.

Yet the quiet disappearance of handwriting from our lives shows how the extinction of certain experiences happens: experiences recede gradually, not through some top-down edict or bottom-up populist campaign. And we rationalise their obsolescence not as a loss but as another mark of progress and improvement. A skill fades, and with it a human experience that spans millennia. Even those experiences leave a trace, like the cave drawings in Altamira and Lascaux, painted about 40,000 years ago and hundreds of miles apart, which both contain images of the same thing: the human hand.

Handwriting’s rapid decline in a world dominated by screens is also a symbol of how thoughtlessly we’ve settled between the old and the new. New technologies don’t have to destroy old ways of doing things. The printing press didn’t destroy handwriting. There is no reason to assume the triumph of the keyboard and touchscreen over pen and paper is inevitable, or that software spells the end of drawing by hand, or that the encroachment of technology in the classroom need force out more traditional embodied forms of learning. We can achieve some form of coexistence, even if it is likely to be an uneasy rather than a peaceful one.

“For our flesh surrounds us with its own desires,” the poet Philip Larkin wrote. It also surrounds us with opportunities – to learn, to understand, to feel in a way that our vicarious, screen-based experiences do not. As our world becomes ever more saturated with images and virtualisations, we shouldn’t let our desire for alluring technologies eclipse the human need to see, touch and make things with our hands.

🔴 This is an edited extract from The Extinction of Experience: Reclaiming Our Humanity in a Digital World, published by the Bodley Head

Daily inspiration. Discover more photos at Just for Books…?

[walkswithmyfather]

“The Meaning of ‘Jehovah Rapha’ in Scripture - God, Our Healer” —By Hope Bolinger:

“We have an infinite God who goes by many names. And these names, scattered throughout Scripture, often have a different meaning, showing us another facet of this wonderful creator, healer, and provider.

During times of sickness, we may call upon God using his name that is tied to healing, “Jehovah Rapha.”

The Name: The Hebrew word rophe or rapha means "heal, "cure," "restore," or "make whole." Shortly after his people left Egypt for the Promised Land, God revealed himself as Yahweh Rophe, "the LORD who heals." The Hebrew Scriptures indicate that God is the source of all healing. As you pray to Yahweh Rophe, ask him to search your heart. Take time to let him show you what it contains. If he uncovers any sin, ask for his forgiveness and then pray for healing. The New Testament reveals Jesus as the Great Physician, the healer of body and soul, whose miracles point to the kingdom of God.*

Key Scripture: If you diligently heed the voice of the LORD your God and do what is right in His sight, give ear to His commandments and keep all His statues, I will put none of the diseases on you which I have brought on the Egyptians. For I am the LORD who heals you. (Exodus 15:26 NKJV)

Although God is attentive to our prayers, we may pray using different names as a reminder to ourselves about God’s power, his wonder, his strength, his provisions, and many other divine quantities.

God also reveals a part of himself via a name. We can learn something new about him every time we discover a new name in the Bible. Names had a whole other type of weight in the Old and New Testament. It wasn’t just something one slapped on a birth certificate. Names could determine one’s telos (purpose), life trajectory, or one’s family lineage. We’ll dive into the meaning of the words Jehovah Rapha and what they mean for us today.”

Read the rest of the Webpage here:

[kazerielle]

Luminous

Chapter 2

Keith Kogane x Original Character

Highly favored would be the first impression coming from the child whose had everything served to her on a silver platter. A visage graced by the galaxies and luxuries poured from the heavens, who wouldn't dream of such a life. Many would. Many envious souls would.

His posture is as reprimanding as his tone matched with a false sense of security for a smile. The overwhelming, almost nauseating aroma of lavenders started to haze her nostrils the moment they set foot in the last corridor leading to the principal's office. The principal had a love for flora and faunas which anyone could tell from the landscape of the school.

Trimmed with perfection and watered with diligence, Eivryn would often spot Keith around the school taking care of the plants as punishment for supposedly misbehaving.

Sir Callen is known to be a cordial principal. He never raises his voice even in ire situations, he's neutral mannered, he greets every student in the hallway matched with a polite smile. The wrinkles bought by his grin gave a genuine amiable vibe that surrounds him.

Now Eivryn, daughter of the man who set milestone after milestone in the astronomical field and one of the administrators of the Space Garrison, Elios Rios Flerielle, was never a difficult child to deal with. She acts accordingly, from mannerism and her way of tackling academics.

But there is a certain trait she holds that stood up amongst the strict eyes of the adults, her tendency to retort to their authority, some found it amusing and the others, it lit their irritation, especially those acquainted to her father.

She was no more than the second born of the meritorious Elios. She had no redeemable esteem other than her countenance. Sir Callen being one of them. Eivryn wasn't ignorant to how the swift frown glooms over his face after simply crossing paths with her. She wasn't gonna make it a one sided dislike either.

The door knob clicked, a strong gust of icy air greeted her and it wasn't the refreshing kind of cool, it was a one way trip to getting hypothermia. She's trying to make sense if he's an aspiring ice king with a rain forest for a lair.

He's a minimalist by heart but his love for grass sure is extravagant. Wouldn't be surprising if he turned out to be vegetarian, Eivryn thought.

Mr. Callen's office felt unnervingly white, with sunlight from the window pane behind his oak desk glinting off the polished trophies and framed certificates symmetrically lined on the shelves with a few sprawling greenery on each sides. At the center of all the meticulously arranged array of flowers to the regularly furnished oak furniture, sat Mr. Callen on his huge swivel chair.

"Good day, sir." Even though she's open with her irritation towards somebody whereas the other party fails to notice, she isn't ill mannered. She knows when to lower her head but aggrandize her pride for those who wish to aggravate her further

"What a lovely surprise to see you in here, miss Flerielle. May I know why?" The principal began, his tone light and conversational, placing both of his hands on his chin with the support of both of his elbows on the desk. Wearing the same obvious falsified smile. But Eivryn did not flinch an eyebrow at his mocking courtesy.

The blonde teacher responsed with an indignant fervor, still alarmed "It was quite the horrendous sight sir, she threatened James by the ne-"

"He was bullying another kid." Eivryn interjected with insouciance. Although what Miss Janet tried to interpret was true, she had to pull the narrative by its roots.

Mr. Callen’s smile didn’t falter, though the edges of it faintly jerked. "We didn't practice accusations here, Eivryn." he stated, his voice still calm but tinged with subtle rebuke.

"And I was never taught to lie." She retorted monotonously, her face stoic.

The principal’s lips pressed into a thin line as he laced his fingers together. "Well, miss Eivryn.." He trailed off, intertwining his fingers, his hazel locks swayed along the air conditioner.

"I know you're in a hard place right now.." He locked his azure eyes with Eivryn's magentas. He softens his voice in such a way that it mimics empathy. "But that is no excuse for you to threaten someone." His tone narrowed.

Eivryn felt her jaw tighten, she stayed silent, not even an attempt to talk back and tell him he was pushing bounds, she just subconsciously gnaws at her inner cheek.

"I do not want to call your parents to personally inform them of your behavior" he sighed, his tone laced with a sham concern, glancing at her as though gauging her reaction.

"You're not vulgar Eivryn, ergo, you should act by that nature." The last words dragged on with emphasis, his tone turned stern momentarily.

"But," the principal added, his tone softening as though extending an olive branch "since I have a lot of respect for you father. I will only appoint you to a minor punishment in hopes it is enough for you to learn the weight of your actions." Excusing by reputation was his biased manner of leeching off the approval of the superiority Eivryn's blood held. Taking advantage of Eivryn's docile attitude towards her dad.

He clasped his hands together gleefully, as if to praise himself for granting her a favor. "You'll mop the hallways with Keith!"

Before Eivryn could even form a question, Mr. Callen affirmed "he is after all the cause of this, is he not?" She didn't press the matter further, wanting to finally inhale fresh air. Miss Janet took this as an indication to leave the room so she escorted Eivryn out.

"And Eivryn, please stay away from my flowers.. You might tarnish it." On the back of her head, before the door closed by its hinges, she could feel Mr. Callen’s gaze lingering, his smile surely still plastered on his face.

When the door knob clicked close, only then could Eivryn feel herself breath.

The bustling corridors was now quiet after the day's chaos, squeaking of sneakers against the polished tiles and the rhythmic swish of the mops being dragged across the floor echoed through the vacant halls.

Almost an hour has passed, both earnestly engrossed in doing their chores despite being required to do so. Keiths dark mullet clinging to his forehead from the exertion, mostly because of the awkward tension building up in his throat.

Taking subtle glances at Eivryn whose brows were crossed, the frown in her face obviously showed that she wanted to get this done and over with. The raven haired boy felt his stomach turn in guilt, he felt responsible for putting her in this situation.

His mind preoccupied, wavering on how he should express his gratitude considering her already foul mood. But even before his mind could process, the words already composed themselves out of his mouth. His head hanging low.

"Thanks for sticking up for me earlier." Eivryn turned to look at him, she could visibly see how red his ears have flushed.

Eivryn shrugged, her gaze fixed on the floor as she swiped the mop over a particularly stubborn stain. "He was getting on my nerves and I wasn't having it." She replied curtly.

"Oh... Has something happened?" He looked up, his violet eyes flickered curiously. "You usually don't care about his squabbles most of the time." He added. He recalls her deadpanning at the sight of the brunette threatening Keith at a random nook in the school.

"Nothing major other than the lack of sleep I'm getting from our neighbors arguing." She grumbled. Now that Eivryn lifted her head to wring the mop on the bucket.

"I thought you were a heavy sleeper." Keith remarked.

Eivryn paused, meeting his gaze for the first time since they’d started cleaning. A faint smirk curved her lips. "Didn't think you of all people would notice."

"I think majority of our classmates knows why you're late every period after lunch time." He quipped, dipping his mop into the bucket with a splash.

"Hey, at least I still attend classes" Eivryn huffed a laugh. A moment that imprinted itself on Keith's mind for years for him to remember, confirming that she does have other expressions than just her default nonchalance.

Seeing him gape, she briskly went back to mopping and looking at the floor. Her long strands of pale brown covering her face yet again.

Keith looked away, embarrassed. The silence stretched between them, the atmosphere was filled with unspoken thoughts. Keith wanted to continue conversing with her. For reasons he is yet to know, he likes hearing her voice.

"You okay if I speak honestly?" Glancing at him, her voice shrunk but it was enough to catch Keith's attention which halted him mid swipe.

He nodded.

"My brother passed last week." Her normal timbre is back remaining direct.

"He'd always make me my favorite bento box before he goes back to the Garrison from break." She trailed off, her words carried a bittersweet memory. A glint of gratification in her eyes, yet sorrow loomed over them. Staying quiet, all Keith did is listen intently, was observe the subtle twitches in her expression. He noticed the fatigue her body beared.

"Those are the only instances I actually have the appetite to eat." She added, softly. Fidgeting with the mop's handle.

"My dad made me the same bento box to cheer me up and that wretched crow took it away." She seethed, she felt petty for resenting a bird but she couldn't help it.

"I'm sorry I made a scene earlier." Her head hung low. It took a lot to get that out of her chest, Keith could tell.

He shook his head, "I don't mind. This is my first time having someone help me clean the halls." He smiled, his voice pitched with reassurance.

"Keith, right?" She asked, her eyes fixated on his.

"We've been classmates since first grade and you still don't know my name." Chuckled, returning the eye contact.

"I can barely remember names, I'm surprised no one noticed" Eivryn deadpans.

"Wanna join me for lunch so I don't accidentally fall asleep?"

"You have narcolepsy?" Keith looks at her concerned.

"Just sleep deprivation." The two shared a quiet laugh before resuming to their mopping, the silence between them now lighter, almost comforting. The punishment didn’t seem so bad anymore.

[vargamornight]

like man, i really didn’t expect to be told when my dad died, so that part of this is not a surprise. the surprise is he died without a will, when he had a shitload of guns and silver and gold coins, a kid, and like nine siblings, half of whom suck shit.

the surprise is the fact that legally those things should be mine because the moron didn’t do his due diligence and will his hoard to his shitbag brother if that was who he wanted to inherit.

the surprise is the fact that i have to do fucking legwork to even TRY and claim my inheritance, such as it is, because my shitbag uncle did everything in his power to stop me, specifically, from being able to do so.

he refused to claim the body, meaning the county cremated him and did not provide anyone a copy of the death certificate. he absolutely will not share any information i may need to stop him from stealing my dad’s bank account. he literally used his dead brother’s truck to cart his dead brother’s belongings to one of his FIVE properties and didn’t tell anyone his dead brother was even dead until he’d secured all his dead brother’s shit. and refused to even try to find me to let me know. i had to hear all of this from an aunt to whom i have literally never spoken in all my years, who ALSO doesn’t live in the state where my dad died, who only told ME this because she HATES HER SHITBAG BROTHER and doesn’t want him to get away with stealing my inheritance.

it’s also a surprise that he died on his couch, given how much time he spent in his recliner. maybe he knew he was dying and he didn’t want to ruin the chair

[mayakern]

Hi Maya! I tried looking in your FAQs but am not able to find this information. The past few years I've only been thrifting as I grow more aware of how the clothing industry is. Fast fashion going in mountains of landfills aside, the treatment of workers is absolutely horrendous 99% of the time. Your Meyoco skirt is my first piece of clothing I didn't get from thrifting the past year, and I'm absolutely in LOVE. I believe it's more than fair to pay $60 for a skirt as long as every designer, worker involved is compensated fairly. I don't believe that someone as empathetic as you would ever partake in a business model that takes advantage of the others, but for the peace of my own mind I just wanted to outright ask and make sure that the skirts are produced in an environment/manufacturer/business where the workers are compensated fairly after you've received your fair share of profit margins. 😅I adore your designs so much, and am already budgeting how to make it a staple of my non-essential purchases, I just would like to know that I'm supporting a business that align certain values that's important to me! Thank you very much for reading!

this is a great question! sorry if i'm kind of scattered answering it, im still dealing with neck pain (just got a cortisone shot which should help in a couple days but for now i'm relying on rest, pain meds and muscle relaxers so i'm a bit out of it)

first off, we've always done our best to search for manus that have good working conditions. we don't have the budget to personally visit factories outside the US, but we get footage from the manufacturers that show the working environment (specifically while making our items) so we can ensure the spaces look up to snuff (good lighting, ventilation, enough space, cleanly kept, etc). we also always look out for any red flags like a PPU (price per unit) being too low to afford fare wages to the workers.

without being able to hire someone to do a full blown investigation it's hard to 100% know what's going on in a factory, and unfortunately we do not have the budget for that, but we do our due diligance.

and i'm really happy to report that our new primary factory, which we found with the help of a supply chain manager, is GOT certified, which is a HUGE leap for us. basically, GOT certification requires a factory to meet certain thresholds for ethical labor and environmental practices. for our factory specifically, this includes a biometric clocking system that makes sure the hours worked are consistent with GOT requirements, as well as regular medical check ins and a dr on site. they also run internal social audits (sedex, ICS, inditex). they provide food and transportation for the workers and have multiple regulated breaks.

GOT certification also covers things like making sure the dyes and materials are ethically sourced. unfortunately because our skirts are synthetic fiber, we cannot brand the skirts specifically as being GOT certified because GOT certification only covers natural fiber, BUT all the other materials and the labor practices surrounding the skirts are certified. they are also certified for their ethical recycling for reuse of scrap material specifically regarding their synthetic fibers.

in addition to this, we do not function the way fast fashion does. fast fashion relies on constantly pushing the trend cycle faster and faster so that garment workers are pushing out new garments in weeks or days rather than the more traditional 3-4 month cycle (which is where we fall). this traditional cycle is why we used to have fashion "seasons," which honestly we don't believe in either. our goal is that when you buy a skirt, it is loved and worn and kept for years and years. we don't follow trends or seasons: we just make things we like.

also, we strive to never order more garments than we think we can sell. traditional fashion/retail typically strives to order 20% more product than will sell so that they can make maximum sales because nothing will ever sell out. that extra 20% is baked into cost/loss and usually is what ends up in places like ross or in landfills. so although we know it's frustrating that we continually sell out of our designs, we do this for a reason: as much as we're able, we want to not contribute excess waste to this world. this is also why we don't include specialty boxes or packaging with our orders, even tho literally every piece of small business advice recommends doing this for improving brand recognition/customer retention. for us, even tho it might generate more sales, it's not worth it to generate more waste. it's a very small thing, but over thousands and thousands of orders over the years it builds up.