#Emergency Title Loan

[ezcartitleloans-blog]

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[relicfragment]

Genuinely don't know what the fuck we're going to do lmao.

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[joelalorian]

Fall Into Me - Chapter Seven: I'll Catch You Darlin'

dbf!Joel x f!reader

Summary: Joel is hanging on by a thread as a single father to a tenacious 10-year-old Sarah. Feeling like he's drowning, like the world is about to spit him out, he needs some help before he breaks in half. At your dad's insistence, you show up in his life and change everything.

Story is inspired by the song Fall Into Me by Forest Blakk. Chapter titles will be lyrics from the song.

Word Count: 3.9k

Chapter Warnings: Explicit, under 18 take a hike. No outbreak AU. Lots of feelings, unprotected p in v, flirting, dads being dads. Two idiots falling in love. Joel is his own warning. Age gap of about 9 years (Reader 24/25, Joel 33/34). No use of y/n. Reader has a nickname used only by her dad and Joel uses various terms of endearment (darlin', sweetheart, etc.).

Thank you so much to everyone who reads this self-indulgent story and extra thanks to those who comment and/or reblog - you all make me feel like a rock star!

Dividers by the wonderful @saradika-graphics

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Chapter Six | Main Masterlist

Moonlight peeked through the gap in the dark curtains, beams of soft light dancing across your face. Blinking your eyes open, you glanced around the room, momentarily uncertain where you were. Even in the pre-dawn light, the walls were noticeably darker than your room, furniture a rich mahogany, the bedding a deep blue. The spot in the bed beside you was empty but warm, and it jogged your memory.

You were in Joel’s room, in his bed.

You slept with Joel last night… but, no, wait. You didn’t, you know, sleep with him, though you wanted to and now wished you had.

The two of you made a mess of each other on the couch – you still couldn’t believe you made Joel come in his pants. You’d never done such a thing and it was so fucking hot! Even hotter was the fact that he wasn’t even embarrassed about it. Instead, he let you know how much of an effect you had on him, murmuring affectionate words in your ear. Afterwards, you both cleaned up, Joel loaning you a pair of boxer briefs and joggers to replace your soaked jeans and panties, and finally sat down to watch a movie and order pizza. It was a perfect Sunday date night in. When Sarah and Tommy returned, they joined you for a bit, Sarah cuddled into your left side as you cuddled into Joel on your right. Somehow, after Sarah went to bed and Tommy left, you ended up in Joel’s bed, the dark sheets covering you as he held you in his broad arms. Too tired for anything more, you fell asleep.

It was the best night of sleep you had in your entire life.

Glancing at the alarm clock on the nightstand, you sighed. Too early to rise, you huddled under the covers wondering where Joel went off to. Just then, the bathroom door creaked open, and Joel emerged, climbing back into bed next to you. His arms encased you in the warmth of his body and you hummed happily, placing soft kisses on his chest.

“Mmm, what are you doin’ awake, darlin’,” he murmured, nuzzling his nose in your hair.

“Dunno,” you replied, fingertips dancing along his arms and over his shoulders. Joel pulled you closer still and, with a tilt of your head, you pressed a kiss to his pouty lips, the scruff of his beard and mustache tickling your skin.

Just being in his arms, in his bed, caused a wave of arousal to pool in your lower belly. Thinking of last night on the couch, your hips pressed forward without conscious thought from your brain and your lower belly brushed against the swelling length of Joel’s cock.

“Is someone feelin’ a lil’ needy?” Joel asked, voice thick and velvety, as one hand wandered down the length of your back to squeeze at the plumpness of your ass.

“Always need you, Joel,” you practically whined, internally cringing at your own neediness. You always swore you wouldn’t beg for a man but with your skin practically burning for his every touch, you’d give anything for Joel to be inside you. You never wanted someone so much you felt like you could shatter from the wanton desire pulsing through you.

Shifting forward, Joel rolled you onto your back and hovered above you, bracing himself on one veiny forearm. The thumb of his free hand swiped slowly across your bottom lip, pulling at the pouty flesh, his dark eyes searing as your tongue darted out for a taste of his skin. With a growling moan, he darted forward to press his mouth to yours, nipping at that bottom lip while his hand traced a path down your neck and chest, seeking the roundness of your breasts. Precise in his movements, Joel swallowed your little mewls as he plucked at your nipples one at a time until they were hardened peaks. You squirmed as each delectable pinch sent a bolt of arousal straight to your pussy.

Without a word, Joel read your movements, his hand gliding further down your body to dip beneath the elastic of your panties. Leaning back slightly, his eyes met yours, pupils blown, and arched a single eyebrow. You were absolutely drenched, your arousal seeping through the fabric of your panties to coat the flesh of your inner thighs.

“All this for me? I’ve been so neglectful, you poor lil’ thing. Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of you, darlin’.”

Joel’s eyes never left yours as he swiped through your folds, the rough pad of his index finger strumming at your clit for a few beats before slipping inside you. It had been a while since you had anything other than a tampon inside you and your breath caught at the feeling of his thick finger stretching you. Soft mewls quickly turned to panting moans as he added another finger to the mix, curling them both to hit that little fleshy bundle of nerves that made you desperate to come as his thumb teased your clit.

“Shhh, darlin’. We need to be quiet,” Joel whispered, his breath in your ear causing goosebumps to prickle across your scalp and along your arms. Biting your lip, you did your best to stay quiet, breathing heavily through your nose as Joel scissored his fingers, opening you up to take the fullness of him.

Suddenly realizing you’ve been so focused on what Joel was doing to you that your hands hadn’t moved from his waist, you shifted. Hips arching up chasing the orgasm that teetered just out of reach, you slipped one hand around Joel’s hip, digging your fingers under the waistband of his boxer briefs to take the heft of him in hand.

Fuck, he was huge. Joel chuckled and your faced heated at the realization that you said that aloud. “That’s why I’m making sure you’re ready to take me, darlin’. I don’t want to hurt you, ever.”

How was this man real? He was everything you never knew you always wanted and then some. And God damn did he know how to work you right over the edge. Afraid of being too loud, you bit into the flesh of Joel’s shoulder to drown your moans as an intense orgasm washed over you. Joel’s fingers worked you through it, soothing you through the trembling aftershocks until you came back to your senses.

“Please, Joel. I need you. I’m ready. I need you now. Please,” you babbled, hands scrabbling at his underwear, wanting him as naked as you. So much for not begging.

Pushing back, Joel tugged his boxer briefs down his hips and thighs, kicking them away as he settled between your thighs. Your eyes widened when you caught a glimpse of his cock, mouth watering with the desire to taste him. Next time, you thought, as he tilted his hips forward, balancing his upper body on his arms. This was the moment you’d both been waiting patiently for.

Joel’s big brown eyes met yours, seeking confirmation that this was what you wanted, and you smiled. “Please, Joel,” you whimpered, hips bucking in search of friction.

Sealing his lips to yours, Joel pushed forward, easing his cock into you with an exaggerated slowness. The mixture of pleasure and slight pain was exquisite as inch after inch of his cock caressed your walls, eyes rolling back when he finally bottomed out.

“Fuck, baby. Y-you feel so fucking good wrapped around me, squeezing me so tight. I could live here, just like this, forever.” Joel’s voice a deep whisper as he rocked into you, cock sliding along your fluttering walls, hitting just the right spots with every movement. He was do deep inside you; you’d swear you could feel him deep in your belly.

The broadness of him surrounded you as he fed you his cock with steady thrusts. Sex never felt so good, and you knew it had everything to do with Joel and the way you felt about him. You’d never felt this way about anyone before and, though it overwhelmed you, it was the greatest thing in the world. You were bursting to tell him the true depth of your feelings, but hesitated, not wanting to be the first to make such a declaration, especially in the heat of the moment.

The pace picked up, Joel kissing you deeply as he rocked into you. You swallowed each other’s moans as you wrapped your legs around his hips, drawing him ever closer, ever deeper. The brush of his lower belly and coarse curls against you created just the right amount of friction on your clit it threw you right over the cliff, moaning into Joel’s mouth, fingernails digging into the skin of his back. No doubt there would be a dozen half moon markings on his back later.

Within a few thrusts, Joel’s pace turned erratic as he sought his own pleasure. Tearing his lips from yours, he frantically blurted, “Where?”

“Inside. Come inside me, baby,” your mewled, aching to feel him pulse inside you.

Two more thrusts and Joel came, his low groan muffled by your neck as he burrowed his head into the pillow. “Fuck,” he drew out the word, followed by a sigh of your name before he collapsed half on top of you. The bulk of him like a weighted blanket covering your body. “That was amazing. I can’t wait to do it again.”

Still delirious, you both chuckled as quietly as you could manage, chests heaving as you tried to catch your breath. Rolling off you, Joel pulled you close so that you were now sprawled half over him and cuddled you until your heart rates returned to normal.

A glance at the clock let you know you were out of time. Sarah would be up any minute looking for breakfast before getting ready for school. The thought of unwrapping yourself from Joel and leaving his bed pained you, but you both got up. You did a quick cleanup while Joel jumped in the shower. As much as you wanted to join him, you both knew you’d lose track of time if you did. Instead, you jumped in after Joel finished, letting him deal with getting Sarah’s breakfast.

It wasn’t until you emerged from the shower that nervous energy coursed through you at the thought of going downstairs. Did Sarah know you stayed over? Did Joel want Sarah to know that you stayed over? You should have talked to Joel about this before he went downstairs, but it was too late now. The questions still swirled in your head as you slipped on the borrowed joggers and scraped your hair into a knot at the back of your head. You wore a tank top to sleep in and were about to put your shirt from the night before on when one of Joel’s flannels caught your eye. Holding the fabric up to your nose, you breathed in the scent of him – fresh cut wood and a musk that was so uniquely Joel – and slipped the shirt on with a tender smile. Time to face the music, you thought.

Steps light as you walked down the stairs, you heard Sarah chattering away to Joel and smiled when Joel’s deep voice muttered responses. Their connection warmed your heart and you wanted so badly to be part of this family unit with them.

Catching sight of you as you turned the corner, Joel’s dark chocolate eyes lit up, lips twitching into a half smile. “Good mornin’, darlin’,” he greeted once you stepped through into the kitchen, leaning down to kiss the top of your head as if the two of you hadn’t spent the last hour getting full carnal knowledge of each other. “How’d you sleep?”

“Mmm, good morning you two,” you replied, slipping into the seat next to Sarah with a smile at the young girl. “That was the best night of sleep.”

Joel looked pleased with himself as he placed a glass of water on the table in front of you along with a plate of scrambled eggs and bacon. “Just what I hoped to hear.” He took the seat across from you at the little four-top table and the three of you dug in.

Sarah kept up a stream of chatter as you ate, telling you all about her ice cream date with Tommy the night before. About mid-way through breakfast, you nearly choked on your eggs when the little girl blurted, “You’re wearing Daddy’s clothes. Does that mean you’re officially his girlfriend now?”

Sputtering, your wide-eyed gaze darted to Joel. He sat there looking cool as a cucumber, lips quirked in a grin and umber eyes twinkling with mischief. “Yeah, darlin’. Does that mean you’re officially my girlfriend now?”

Eyes narrowing at the menace of a man sitting across the table, you smirked. Two could play this game. “Well, I don’t know. What do I get for being your official girlfriend?” you asked, voice dipping toward sultry.

Joel visibly gulped, eyes searching your face before he cleared his throat. “Anything you want.” He said it so simply, the words leaving his lips so effortlessly, and it threw you.

“What about what you want?” you deflected.

Sarah gazed between the two of you, nose scrunched, equal parts happy and confused. Why did adults make everything complicated?

Playfulness glinted in Joel’s eyes, winking at Sarah before turning back to you. “I want you to be my official girlfriend.”

“Okie dokie,” you replied with a nonchalant shrug of your shoulders, feigning indifference as you took the last bite of eggs on your plate to hide your smile.

Joel shook his head, wide grin splitting his face, and went to reply when his phone buzzed. He shot a brief look to you before answering. “Hey JB,” he greeted, listening as your dad spoke. “Yeah, she’s here. Just getting the nugget ready for school.”

One thick-fingered hand tapped a rhythm on the wooden table, phone to his left ear as he gazed at you. Your dad was talking a lot, the echo of his voice carried in the air, but you couldn’t decipher what he said.

“It’s no bother, man. She’s a good girl and we love having her here.” Joel winked at you again before motioning for Sarah to go finish getting ready. “Yeah, JB, you can talk to her.”

Accepting the phone as he passed it across the table, you sat back in the chair. “Hey Dad. What’s up?”

“What’s up with you, ya dirty stay out? I didn’t see your car last night or this morning and wondered where ya were. Guess I shoulda known you’d be over there.”

There was something off with your dad’s tone and you panicked, trying in vain to think of an excuse on why you would’ve stayed the night. Mouth opening and closing a few times, your dad beat you to the punch.

“Don’t be makin’ a nuisance of yourself over there, ya hear? It’s one thing to have a crush on the guy, but it’s another to force yourself into every aspect of their lives, Spud. Don’t be getting’ in the way of their family time. You know how important that is.”

Your dad kept going, rattling off some other advice you didn’t ask for, but you were stuck on one thing. He thought you had a crush on Joel. He was much more observant than you ever gave him credit for. You and Joel would not be able to keep your now official relationship secret for long, not with good ol’ JB nosing around.

Joel’s eyes burned into you, but you couldn’t meet his gaze, staring down at the flaws in the tabletop instead.

“Anyway, I just wanted to wish ya good luck on your meeting at the school today, sweetie. You make your old man proud,” your dad said. “Tell Joel I’ll see him later. Love you, Spud.”

“Thanks Dad, love you too,” you uttered, the line going dead before you finished speaking. Shaking your head to clear your thoughts, your eyes met Joel’s, finally. “He thinks I have a crush on you and shouldn’t interfere with your family time.”

Tilting his head to the side, brows pinched, Joel reached a hand across the table to link his fingers with yours. “We’ll tell him real soon, darlin’. Don’t want you keeping secrets from your dad like this.”

“You sure? What if…”

“Don’t worry about it. I’m here, in this, for the long haul,” Joel replied imploringly, his fingers squeezing yours. “I haven’t felt like this in too long, if ever, and I’m not givin’ it up for anything. Okay?”

The tell-tale tickle of tears welled but you refused to let them spill over, nodding with a watery smile. “Okay.”

The day started off cool, but the southern sun beat down on the back of Joel’s neck by early afternoon, causing him to shed the red flannel he wore to the job site. Gulping down a bottle of chilled water, he glanced at his phone hoping for a message from you.

You were on his mind constantly. Something triggered a memory or thought of you at almost every moment of the day. He’d see a bird and wonder if you knew what species it was. Or he’d hear something funny and wonder what you’d think about it. Or memories of you in his lap and in his bed would hit suddenly, making him hot under the collar and below the belt.

Joel Miller was a man falling in love and powerless to stop it. Not that he wanted to, anyway.

Just then his phone buzzed with a message from you asking him to call you when he had a moment. He’d always make time for you, he thought, his fingers already hitting the call symbol.

“Hey handsome,” you answered on the second ring, breathless as if you were running.

“Howdy darlin’,” he replied, voice deep and rumbly, just the way he knew you liked it. “How’d the meeting go?”

You were silent for a moment too long, and Joel pulled the phone from his ear, checking that the call didn’t drop.

 “Well, you’re talking to the new middle grade science teacher, so I’d say it went well.” He could feel the pride in your voice and his heart swelled.

“Congrats, darlin’. I knew you’d get it and you’ll be the best damn science teacher those kids will ever have.” He was already thinking about how lucky Sarah would be to have you as a teacher. Letting his voice go a little deeper, he added, “We should celebrate this weekend. Sarah has two sleepover birthday parties to go to, so we’ll have the house to ourselves. I can take my time in showing you just how proud I am of you, and we can be as loud as we want.”

Your breath audibly hitched on the other end of the phone, causing Joel’s lips to twitch into a smirk. “I’d really like that, Joel,” you breathed, and his jeans suddenly grew tighter.

Adjusting himself as subtly as possible, Joel sighed. “I should go, sweetheart. There’s a ton to do at this site and I’m already looking at a few long days this week. Call JB next. He’s dropping by in a bit, and I don’t want to let something slip that I shouldn’t know yet.”

Sighing deeply into the phone, you said, “Alright, I’ll call him now. We gotta tell him soon, Joel. This is only gonna get harder, you know.”

“I know, sweet cheeks. We will, I promise.” Hearing his name, Joel nodded to one of his crew before saying goodbye. Your sweet voice echoed in his ears as he worked like a dog the rest of the day. JB was a proud papa when he stopped by, bragging about you to anyone who would listen. Guilt gurgled in Joel’s gut knowing the two of you were keeping a secret from the guy, but he pushed it down, pretending that he didn’t know anything about your new job and let JB share the details. The sun set long before he left the site, and he arrived home to find leftovers warming on the stove while you got Sarah ready for bed.

The sight of you walking down the stairs, smiling sweetly at him, set his soul on fire. God, how he longed to be with you all the time, to wake up next to you every morning and come home to you every evening.

“Come ‘ere, my sexy teacher girlfriend,” he greeted softly, pulling you in for a scorching kiss. He wasted no time, tongue dipping into your mouth to tangle with yours. “You’re so beautiful and smart, I’m so lucky I get to call you mine.”

You laughed with a little shake of your head. “I’m the lucky one, Joel. I can’t believe some lucky lady hadn’t snatched you up before I came along.”

Even though he was dirty and probably stunk of sweat from working all day, Joel hesitated to let you out of his embrace. As if sensing his feelings, you nuzzled into him.

“I wish I could stay the night, but I should get back to my dad’s,” you said, reluctantly.

“I know, darlin’. We’ll tell him soon and then you can stay over whenever you want.” Joel walked you out the door, thanking you for taking care of Sarah and cooking dinner. He kissed you a few more times on the way to your car and even ducked down to buckle you in and kiss you one last time before finally stepping back. “I’ll see you in the mornin’. I—”

That pesky little four-letter word had been bouncing around his heart and mind for weeks, even before the two of you decided to give this thing before you a shot, but he hesitated to say it first. He’d never said it and meant it, and to him it was a really big thing that he needed to time just right.

The rest of the week passed in a blur of work for Joel. Business was good, keeping him, Tommy, and a few other guys busier than any of them preferred. It was getting to the point where Joel needed to hire another crew so they could run two jobs at once. Though it was a great thing, making changes to his business always increased Joel’s anxiety. Management wasn’t his forte and he was terrified of screwing something up, but maybe that’s what made him a great small business owner. He was hyper vigilant in both the business and construction side of operations, going the extra mile to make sure things ran safely and smoothly.

The downfall of being so busy was, of course, the complete lack of time to spend with Sarah or you. It made him extra happy to know that Sarah had you to lean on and spend time with while he was busy, though. You were the piece of the support system that Sarah had been missing and seeing the bond between the two of you grow stronger every day warmed his heart to the point of bursting.

Finally, Friday arrived, and Joel busted his ass to get done early, rushing home to shower and setup a little something in the backyard to celebrate you landing your first teaching position. He had the perfect evening planned.

tbc

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[ms-demeanor]

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[donutfloats]

so about your AU! i had two questions i was scratching my head about some days ago which were:

1. why does shamura not only have the domain of war (hence peace as well), but also the domain of wisdom?

2. what happened to the bishops crowns after their defeat by the lamb?

i was scratching my head because if you can have multiple domains (that arent complementary), it would mean you can have multiple crowns. but then theres the question of why the lamb didnt absorb the bishops crowns powers upon their defeat.

then i figured you can only have one crowns abilities, so when you defeat another god, you get to choose which crown to keep. even though lamb wasnt a god, they did have the red crown on their brow, and they chose to keep the red crown—the other crowns got destroyed. which would also explain why no other gods have emerged since the hundreds were slain: once a crown is destroyed, its destroyed for good. the red crown is the last crown and so it shall remain. and i dont think it can be destroyed because like you said its a bit of a special crown. the world would probably collapse without it, which is why i think mystic seller (some higher god from another universe with the power to travel between them?) tells lamb to do their job right.

but then the question remains of why shamura has two domains irrelevant to each other. personally i think one of them, wisdom, is not actually a crowns domain, but has been treated as such because shamura is very wise, so their faithful started praying to them for wisdom as well as peace and protection.

ANYWAY. wall of text. your thoughts? how did you go about these things in your AU? id love to know what other people make of these two questions.

Thanks for asking!!!

1. Shamura doesn’t actually have the domain of knowledge. It’s a self proclaimed title. Shamura is, by all accounts, the most successful Purple Crowns bearer BECAUSE of their knowledge and wit, this is emphasised by their endless hoard of books that they have collected and read through their decades of godhood. It is a trait that they’re proud of and why losing their mind was a terrible toll

I mean, you gotta be pretty damn Knowledgable to come out as the victor in a giant War against EVERY SINGLE OTHER GOD in the land

2. The crowns are in Gabriel’s possession, but they don’t not control them, nor can they put said crowns on.

They’re already a crown bearer first off, so they can’t wear two, and secondly for a person to receive a crown they most go through a sort of “Coronation”

This was down originally by the Duck Siblings, but since The Great War there hasn’t been a new crown bearer since

“Wait how did Gabriel get the crown then if it can only be received through a coronation?” They didn’t! It was loaned to them originally by Narinder, and only officially became theirs when Narinder “died.” In a way, their fight was the perfect scenario to set a sort of “coronation” into motion that lead Gabriel into becoming the official new Crown Bearer

Don’t ask me exactly how that works lol

Anyway, with this in mind the other crowns are (in the game time line) dormant, they can be fussed with and even popped on someone’s head- but the crowns won’t attune unless a Coronation is held

Hope this helped explain how the crowns work!

[straight-into-the-animus]

Emergency Commissions Open

Hi all, as title says!

Those who know me know this is really difficult to post and ask, but being unemployed for the summer as a substitute teacher on top of not being paid back by people I've loaned money to on top of my car needing work done before the winter on top of needing to rent books (bleugh) for the school year leads to a very very sad bank account.

So while I've been lacking on requests due to life problems, and I'll put those out as I go, I'm going to make it a goal to work exclusively on commissions that YOU want for the indefinite future. Anything (excluding minors, OCs and non-con) is on the table.

NSFW? Sure.

Rarepair? Yeah.

Weird AU? Love it.

Reader insert? I write all genders.

Not AC? We'll try and work with it!

Something else? Ask!

Please check out my ko-fi linked below and donate whatever you can and I'll write for whatever prompt you put down, or message me over dm if you want something a bit larger to discuss. You can get a taste of my writing on my masterpost here and the general scope of what I prefer/do better at.

I know this is a difficult time for people and I never want to make anyone feel guilty for not being able to support me monetarily. But please reblog this post if you can, it literally means the world to me. Thank you so so much and have a great day!

[opera-ghosts]

Nipper and His Master’s Voice

The famous Nipper picture as revised for the Gramophone Company, from an oleograph

For much of the 20th century, one of the world’s most famous trade marks was a picture of a small terrier staring into the brass trumpet of a primitive gramophone.  “His Master’s Voice” read the caption.

The picture was painted, probably in 1898, by the Huguenot artist Francis Barraud; the dog, ‘Nipper’ (he tended to nip people’s legs), had belonged to his elder brother Mark but was inherited by Francis on Mark’s death.  Nipper himself had died, in 1895, before the picture was painted.  Originally, the dog was shown listening to a cylinder phonograph, on which the user could record his own voice; thus, Nipper could have heard the voice of his master emerging from the trumpet.  As Gramophones played only pre-recorded discs, a dog could hear only a master who happened to be a recording artist.

The story goes that Barraud offered his picture to the Edison Bell company (responsible for the phonograph in question), but they rather sniffily turned their nose up at the idea.  Then a friend suggested that Barraud improve the picture with one of the brass horns used by the new Gramophone Company, so the artist approached them at their offices in Maiden Lane, off the Strand, for the loan of a brass horn to copy.  “Yes, certainly”, was their response, “and if you replace the phonograph with a Gramophone, we will buy the picture.”

The Gramophone Company took delivery of the revised picture in October 1899; they paid Barraud £100 (£50 for the painting and £50 for the Copyright).   Barraud had copyrighted the original painting in February 1899.  No one knew what sort of phonograph was in that picture, until in 1972 the late Frank Andrews, of the City of London Phonograph & Gramophone Society (CLPGS), realised that Barraud’s copyright application would have been accompanied by a photograph. Searching through a box of applications in the Public Record Office in Chancery Lane, he found that photograph, showing the dog in front of an Edison Bell phonograph with a rather ungainly black horn.  An illustrated booklet was published in 1973, The Story of ‘Nipper’ and the ‘His Master’s’ Voice Picture, written by Leonard Petts, then archivist at EMI, with assistance from Frank Andrews.

Francis Barraud talked of how “It suddenly occurred to me that to have my dog listening to the phonograph, with an intelligent and rather puzzled expression, and call it ‘His Master’s Voice’, would make an excellent subject” but recently two possible sources for the title, at least, have been put forward in For the Record,* the journal of the CLPGS.  In 1888 a painting was exhibited by Sir William Orchardson called Her Mother’s Voice. It is in the Tate Gallery, a typical Victorian narrative picture of a widower listening to his daughter singing and reminding him of her mother.  A more probable source is an engraving which appeared in the magazine Black & White in 1891, of a scene in which members of the Browning Society listened, a year after the poet’s death, to a recording of his voice. It was captioned ‘Listening to the Master’s Voice’. Barraud is likely to have been aware of this scene (its title might in turn have been inspired by the Orchardson picture).  (*FtR 52, 2014 and 76, 2020)

In 1950, a party from EMI, with two members of the Barraud family, went to a courtyard in Kingston-upon-Thames where it was said that Nipper had been buried.  Excavations near the stump of a mulberry tree in what was now a garage parking area revealed no bones that could be definitely identified as those of Nipper, but the site, then behind a bank, is widely regarded as Nipper’s resting place.

The picture, without its title, was registered by The Gramophone Company as a Trade Mark in December 1900 (it had been registered in the USA in July by Emile Berliner, the inventor of the Gramophone).  In later years, up to his death in 1924, Francis Barraud was engaged to paint copies of the picture for the Company’s various offices; the original remained in the EMI boardroom for many years, and close inspection shows the pentimenti where the phonograph was overpainted.  The picture was reproduced in Gramophone Company publicity from the outset, but did not replace their existing ‘Recording Angel’ trade mark.  In the USA, the Victor Talking Machine Company, which was affiliated to the Gramophone Co, made more use of it as a trade mark. The two firms divided the world between them (Victor supplied the Americas and Far East; Gramophone supplied Europe and the British Empire apart from Canada) and thus Nipper and the Gramophone became a worldwide emblem very quickly.  Ultimately, it was the British company which used it most prominently, for when a court decided in 1910 that the word Gramophone was no longer a proprietary name, the company registered the picture with the title ‘His Master’s Voice’ and the title alone as Trade Marks. ‘His Master’s Voice’ then became their brand name. It was a clumsy epithet, but public usage soon abbreviated it to HMV, as eventually, after WW2, did the company.

Take-overs, sell-offs and globalisation of products caused EMI to drop the Nipper trade mark by the end of the 20th century, and it was sold to the newly independent HMV shops in 2003.

The famous Nipper picture as revised for the Gramophone Company, from an oleograph

Nipper (photograph by Barraud, Liverpool and Oxford Street, London)

The original picture, with a phonograph, as shown in Barraud’s copyright photograph of 1899 (National Archives: Copy 1/147)

His Master’s Voice, cartoon by Victor Gillam, 1903; already, the picture was well enough known to attract a political cartoonist.

Blue plaque at 126 Piccadilly, London, the location of Francis Barraud’s studio in 1899

Nipper needle tins, 1902-1960; the embossed tin (top left) is the earliest, 1902-3.  Top right is a cardboard packet from WW1, and bottom right, one of the many ‘clones’, mainly from overseas, trying to cash in on the dog’s popularity without infringing the trade mark

Copyright Christopher Proudfoot 12 March 2024 via huguenotmuseum.org

FRANCIS BARRAUD (1856-1924) English artist with a version of His Master's Voice painting which he originally completed in 1899

[tarot-by-e11e]

hi! I really hope 2024 has been treating you well ❤️ I would love to join your game🫶"Cocoon"

My initial is S :)

Favorite song that inspires you to make scenarios in your head - B.I.T.C.H by Megan thee stallion lol. That song makes me feel like a bad ass bitch that can rob a bank 😂

Favorite Movie because you can never get over the plot - I’ve watched howls of the moving castle so many times now. Just love that movie because there’s something so magical about it 💕

Favorite fictional character with (in your opinion) the best character development arc - Steve rogers, captain America >> is not only a fine man but also has a fine ass hehe

Thank you so much!

(reminder: this is for entertainment purposes only) Hi S,

Thank you so much for participating in

my "COCOON" ask game.

From the title alone, it sounds badass so I'm definitely gonna listen to this song; Howl's Moving Castle is such an amazing film! Yup, Captain America has such an interesting character development story.

The cards I pulled for you are:

King of Coins Reversed, Death, Queen of Coins

So what you are called to let go of this 2025 is your money-spending habits. I wouldn't say poor money management skills but it feels like you need to be more strict with yourself. You know why this card pulled out, so don't even pretend. You know you don't need that item in your online cart. Focus on necessities, bills, utilities and your emergency funds first. You know that's your priority right?

I'm not saying to not buy that concert ticket. I'm not saying to not book that next flight. All this card is asking is, reprioritize my dear.

The next card pulled is asking you to let go of the idea that you are forever stuck in this perpetual financial lack. It's more of, your mind seeking proof every time you mention that you don't have money or you'll stay in debt forever. So this isn't just a physical issue with money, it seems that you are called to do the inner work to ask yourself, what subconscious belief is insinuating that you aren't capable of living a financially free and stable lifestyle? Which limiting beliefs about money are literally holding you back?

Finally, the last card is asking you to let go of this 2025 is your indulgence to luxury while burning through your credit card. Seriously, the fact that all three cards are asking you to let go of something related to how you manage your money, I think the message is pretty loud and clear, don't you think so too?

Again, nothing wrong with treating yourself but you're stuck into this YOLO mindset, especially with your resources that it's concerning. Granted, we only have one life to live, but you need to save up for rainy days too.

Won't it be a better option to swim in your hard-earned financial and literal independence rather than drown in suffocating debts, student loans, and unpaid hospital bills?

You need only to learn to be more strategic with how you make money work for you for a few months/years and you'll see the fruits of your responsible financial labors that will help you indulge yourself sustainably. It just takes a bit of an adjustment period for you.

Channeled song for you is:

8th random shuffle from my dice throw

Last Intuitive Message to end this reading:

I feel like this song would be a great manifestation theme song for you~ It's like you are working hard on being amazing and responsible for your life. Doesn't seem amazing to imagine a life where you are financially stressed less? Nobody needs to know your business and you don't owe anyone any explanation as to why you had to take charge of your own life by starting with finding out a better way to manage your finances. You are doing this for you, you are working on yourself behind the scenes. Consider this song as your villain era's lick back revenge anthem~

Thank you for taking the time to participate in my new ask game.

Feel free to head back into my ask inbox to send your feedback.

If you want an in-depth extended version of your reading, please head into my Paid Readings and purchase a reading with me.

Want to show me a bit of appreciation other than your feedback, I accept tips in my Buy-Me-A-Coffee link.

[morlock-holmes]

Starting to get really pissed off about the way people talk about Biden's student loan forgiveness plan. Here's the authority he relied on, the Heroes Act, 20 U.S. Code § 1098bb:

"Notwithstanding any other provision of law, unless enacted with specific reference to this section, the Secretary of Education (referred to in this part as the “Secretary”) may waive or modify any statutory or regulatory provision applicable to the student financial assistance programs under title IV of the Act [20 U.S.C. 1070 et seq.] as the Secretary deems necessary in connection with a war or other military operation or national emergency to provide the waivers or modifications authorized by paragraph (2)."

This is the same authority Betsy DeVos relied on to pause loan payments during the pandemic.

I don't want to hear another person pontificate about this ever again without being able to tell me:

Why they think the statute does not straightforwardly allow the loan forgiveness program;

Why the Supreme Court felt that the statute didn't allow the loan forgiveness program;

Why Biden should have known the court would rule the way it did;

Whether you think Biden had an alternative authority to enact a loan forgiveness program and if so what that authority is.

The fact that most people can't seem to do any of these things but still confidently talk about how obvious it is that Biden never wanted student loan forgiveness in the first place makes me want to throw a chair through a window.

[ezcartitleloans-blog]

Exploring the Benefits of Car Title Loans in Louisiana - EZ Car Title Loans

Financial emergencies can come unannounced in the state of Louisiana, where people may be left needing urgent financing. Car title loans are a convenient solution when traditional lending options are not feasible due to low credit scores or urgent time limitations. Car title loans work by tapping into your vehicle's equity, thereby easing the path for quick and uncomplicated cash availability. Here are some reasons for you to consider car title loans in Louisiana, and look at the advantages they bring during financial crunch time.

Available to All Credit Types:

One great advantage that comes with Car Title Loans is that they are available to everyone regardless of what type of credit he or she might have. In normal circumstances, other lenders will check the credit scores of the applicant, making it difficult for those on the low-score list to access any form of credit from any lending institution in town. Car title loans, on the other hand, are primarily secured by the value of the borrower's vehicle, meaning that a pristine credit history isn't mandatory to procure the loan. This makes it an inclusive option for people who face financial difficulties, providing a lifeline when all other doors are closed.

Fast and Easy Application Process:

Time is of the essence in the case of financial emergencies. The need for quick approval processes that come with car title loans in Louisiana cannot go unmentioned. Unlike other loans that take up to weeks to be processed and require your credit history for close scrutiny, car title loans can be done within twenty-four hours. The application is streamlined with minimal documentation and is mostly hinged on the worthiness of the vehicle to be used as collateral. This speed and convenience of car title loans in Louisiana make them a preferred option for people in urgent need of funds.

Continued Use and Ownership of Vehicle:

One of the fallacies in relation to car title loans is that the borrower has to surrender their vehicle during the loan period. But this perception is not correct. The borrowers can keep their vehicle with them and use it, even during the time the loan is ongoing. Only the title is held onto as collateral, providing a practical solution for individuals who depend on their vehicles for daily tasks. This factor makes car title loans different from pawnshops or any other form of secured loans, making them flexible and user-friendly.

Flexible Repayment Options:

When it comes to Car Title Loans in Louisiana, the borrowers are presented with flexible repayment options, which the borrower can adjust according to their needs. While loans are generally short-term, the lender may work with the borrower to create a repayment plan that aligns with their income and budget. This flexibility may be very crucial for the person who experiences temporary economic setbacks, as this will provide an apt pathway to settle the loan without causing further burdens on their finances.

No Employment Verification:

In contrast to many other traditional loan forms that usually require pervasive employment verifications, a car title loan usually has no strict employment criteria. This makes them particularly ideal for people who might be between jobs or facing irregular income streams. If the borrower can prove by other means that he/she is able to pay the loan through other incomes like disability benefits and/or rental income, then chances are he/she will still be considered for a car title loan.

If you're looking for the right car title loans in Louisiana for your needs, be sure to contact www.ezcartitleloans.com today. The company offers car title loans in cities such as New Orleans, Baton Rouge, and Shreveport, as well as other states like Texas, Wisconsin, Idaho and Arizona.

[paydayquid]

Are You Sure That Short Term Loans UK Are what you’re Looking For?

Throughout your life, you are constantly looking for extra money to deal with emergencies. Not only do we comprehend our clients' loan needs, but we also assist them in locating a suitable lender in the hopes of obtaining additional dollars. To apply for one of the loan products based on your needs, you don't have to travel far and you quickly arrive at Payday Quid. A legitimate option if you don't have a debit card in your wallet to use for a loan is a short term loans UK. Instead of waiting to look for another loan, it allows you take care of all your urgent demands at once.

To increase the likelihood that you will receive the loan offer, we compare some of the leading lenders in the UK. Whether you need a loan for house upgrades, a vacation, a car loan, or bill payment, contact us right away, and we'll try our best to assist!

How does Short Term Cash funding operate and what is it?

Payday loans are unsecured, short term loans UK given to salaried people based on their monthly income. This loan indicates that using a debit card is not required when applying for this product, as stated in the title. This indicates that no loan application is turned down due to a debit cards inadequacy. Therefore, short term loans direct lenders enable anyone to apply for a loan online: Loans make money without any hindrances, every day of the week.

As a lender rather than a broker No matter what your situation, The Payday Quid aims to provide exceptional acceptance rates. In order to deposit the money into your account, which usually happens in a matter of hours, we will require you to verify your information, submit your payment information, and sign online when we make you an offer. Is there anything more straightforward?

Short Term Loans UK Only Operate under These Circumstances

Before you decide to apply for a short term loans UK direct lender with us, there are a few requirements to take into account because lenders do have particular requirements that borrowers must fulfill. You must first be a resident of the United Kingdom and be older than eighteen. Additionally, you must have a steady income of £500 per month after taxes. Additionally, you must have a debit card linked to a working bank account. If your loan request is accepted, the funds will be deposited into your bank account, enabling you to take out cash with your debit card.

Being fully independent, we evaluate each application individually to make sure the loan is appropriate for you, therefore we may provide same day loans UK to people who have had problems getting loans from their banks or even other short-term lenders. To make sure we are a responsible lender and our clients don't face extra issues after taking out a short term loans UK direct lender, we must perform a credit check as part of that procedure.

https://paydayquid.co.uk/

[themthouse]

The "National Emergency Library" & Hachette v. Internet Archive

While the Internet Archive is known as the creator and host of the Wayback Machine and many other internet and digital media preservation projects, the IA collection in question in Hachette v. Internet Archive is their Open Library. The Open Library has been digitizing books since as early as 2005, and in early 2011, began to include and distribute copyrighted books through Controlled Digital Lending (CDL). In total, the IA includes 3.6 million copyrighted books and continues to scan over 4,000 books a day.

During the early days of the pandemic, from March 24, 2020, to June 16, 2020, specifically, the Internet Archive offered their National Emergency Library, which did away with the waitlist limitations on their pre-existing Open Library. Instead of following the strict rules laid out in the Position Statement on Controlled Digital Lending, which mandates an equal “owned to loaned” ratio, the IA allowed multiple readers to access the same digitized book at once. This, they said, was a direct emergency response to the worldwide pandemic that cut off people’s access to physical libraries.

In response, on June 1, 2020, Hachette Book Group, HarperCollins, John Wiley & Sons, and Penguin Random House filed a lawsuit against the IA over copyright infringement. Out of their collective 33,000 copyrighted titles available on Open Library, the publishers’ lawsuit focused on 127 books specifically (known in the legal documentation as the “Works in Suit”). After two years of argument, on March 24, 2023, Judge John George Koeltl ruled in favor of the publishers.

The IA’s fair use defense was found to be insufficient as the scanning and distribution of books was not found to be transformative in any way, as opposed to other copyright lawsuits that ruled in favor of digitizing books for “utility-expanding” purposes, such as Authors Guild, Inc. v. HathiTrust. Furthermore, it was found that even prior to the National Emergency Library, the Open Library frequently failed to maintain the “owned to loaned” ratio by not sufficiently monitoring the circulation of books it borrows from partner libraries. Finally, despite being a nonprofit organization overall, the IA was found to profit off of the distribution of the copyrighted books, specifically through a Better World Books link that shares part of every sale made through that specific link with the IA.

It worth noting that this ruling specifies that “even full enforcement of a one-to-one owned-to-loaned ratio, however, would not excuse IA’s reproduction of the Works in Suit.” This may set precedent for future copyright cases that attempt to claim copyright exemption through the practice of controlled digital lending. It is unclear whether this ruling is limited to the National Emergency Library specifically, or if it will affect the Open Library and other collections that practice CDL moving forward.

Edit: I recommend seeing what @carriesthewind has to say about the most recent updates in the Internet Archive cases for a lawyers perspective of how these cases will effective the future of digital lending law in the U.S.

Further Reading:

Full History of Hachette Book Group, Inc. v. Internet Archive [Released by the Free Law Project]

Hachette v. Internet Archive ruling

Internet Archive Loses Lawsuit Over E-Book Copyright Infringement

The Fight Continues [Released by The Internet Archive]

Authors Guild Celebrates Resounding Win in Internet Archive Infringement Lawsuit [Released by The Authors Guild]

Relevant Court Cases:

Authors Guild, Inc. v. Google, Inc.

Authors Guild, Inc. v. HathiTrust

Capitol Records v. ReDigi

Index:

MASTER POST

First-Sale Doctrine & the Economics of E-books

Controlled Digital Lending (CDL)

The “National Emergency Library” & Hachette v. Internet Archive

Authors, Publishers & You

-- Authors: Ideology v. Practicality

-- Publishers: What Authors Are Paid

-- You: When Is Piracy Ethical?

[panicinthestudio]

Large pottery tile of a tiger

Han dynasty (202 BC-AD 220), China

19 1⁄4 in. (48.6 cm.) wide, softwood frame

The tile is modeled in relief with a tiger with pronounced stripes emerging from the right side and stretching its forelegs.

On loan: Denver Art Museum, prior to 1983.

A very similar striding tiger can be seen decorating a pottery title illustrated in, “A Brief Report on the Cleanup of Hollow Brick Han Tombs in Xianyang City,” Kaogu 1982:3, pl. 1:1.M34. See, also, the Eastern Han pottery architectural element molded with more stylized depictions of tigers, which are shown flanking a bi disc, illustrated by Olov Jansé in Briques et Objets Céramiques Funéraires de l'Epoque des Han, C.T. Loo & Cie, Paris, 1936, pl. XVIII (3a-c), and later sold at Christie’s New York, Fine Chinese Art from the Arthur M. Sackler Collections, 18 March 2009, lot 319.

Christie’s

[mysmartcousin123]

ARE MANUFACTURED HOMES A GOOD INVESTMENT IN 2023 || mysmartcousin

 Title: Unveiling the Investment Potential: Exploring the Benefits of Manufactured Homes A GOOD INVESTMENT  in 2023  mysmartcousin The real estate market is ever-evolving, and savvy investors are always on the lookout for promising opportunities. In this blog, we dive into the world of manufactured homes and examine whether they present a lucrative investment option in 2023. With insights from mysmartcousin, we'll explore the unique advantages and potential challenges of investing in manufactured homes, allowing you to make informed decisions and harness the potential returns in this dynamic market.

1. Understanding Manufactured Homes: To lay the foundation for our exploration, we'll start by understanding what manufactured homes are and how they differ from traditional site-built homes. Gain insights into the construction process, quality standards, and the flexibility these homes offer in terms of design, customization, and placement. By understanding the unique characteristics of manufactured homes, you'll be better equipped to assess their investment potential.

2. Affordability and Cost-Efficiency: One of the key advantages of manufactured homes is their affordability compared to site-built homes. We'll delve into the cost considerations associated with purchasing and owning manufactured homes, including lower upfront costs, potential savings on land expenses, and reduced property taxes. Explore how investing in manufactured homes can offer a more accessible entry point into the real estate market, enabling individuals to build wealth through strategic investments.

3. Rental Income Potential: Manufactured homes can be an attractive investment for generating rental income. We'll examine the rising demand for affordable housing options and the potential to earn consistent rental returns by investing in well-located manufactured home communities. Discover the benefits of owning and managing rental properties in this niche market, including tenant demographics, property management considerations, and the potential for long-term cash flow.

4. Market Trends and Appreciation Potential: While manufactured homes have historically been associated with lower appreciation rates, we'll assess the current market trends and explore whether this perception still holds true in 2023. Understand the factors that can influence the appreciation potential of manufactured homes, including location, community amenities, and the overall growth of the affordable housing market. Gain insights into strategies for maximizing appreciation and capitalizing on emerging trends.

5. Financing and Investment Strategies: Investing in manufactured homes requires a tailored approach to financing and investment strategies. We'll provide an overview of the financing options available for purchasing manufactured homes, including traditional mortgages, chattel loans, and alternative financing methods. Explore investment strategies, such as portfolio diversification, partnerships, and long-term planning, to optimize your investment returns and mitigate risks.

6. Regulatory Considerations and Due Diligence: Investing in manufactured homes comes with its own set of regulatory considerations. We'll highlight key regulations and guidelines that govern the manufactured housing industry, ensuring that you approach your investments with compliance and due diligence in mind. Understand the importance of conducting thorough property inspections, reviewing rental agreements, and staying informed about local zoning laws and regulations.

Conclusion:

Manufactured homes can offer a compelling investment opportunity in 2023, with the potential for affordability, rental income, and long-term appreciation. However, as with any investment, thorough research, due diligence, and a strategic approach are essential. Partnering with mysmartcousin can provide valuable guidance and insights throughout your investment journey. By carefully analyzing market trends, understanding financing options, and staying abreast of regulatory considerations, you can unlock the investment potential of manufactured homes and make informed decisions that align with your financial goals.