#Fast Payout

[lolymarak]

Genie Script - 90% Commissions -WE PAY OUT MORE ON Day 1

Introduction: Present the idea of the Genie Content, featuring its uniqueness and the rewarding 90% commission rate.

Click here link Genie script

Body:

The Enchantment of Genie Script: Investigate the elements and advantages of Genie Content. Underline how it hangs out on the lookout, creating it an important open door for people looking for high commissions.

90% Commissions - A Game-Changer: Jump into the liberal commission structure, making sense of why a 90% payout is an uncommon and worthwhile deal. Feature the potential for huge income right from the very first moment.

Why We Pay Out More on Day One: Share experiences into the organization's obligation to supporting its associates. Whether it's quick installment handling or special rewards, expand on why partners can expect significant income at every turn.

Success Stories: Incorporate genuine examples of overcoming adversity of subsidiaries who have encountered fast monetary development with Genie Content. This adds validity and urges expected subsidiaries to imagine their own prosperity.

Marketing Techniques for Success: Give tips and techniques to successfully promoting Genie Content. This could incorporate utilizing virtual entertainment, making drawing in satisfied, and taking advantage of specialty markets.

Conclusion: Sum up the central issues, emphasizing the remarkable open door Genie Content presents. Incorporate a source of inspiration, welcoming perusers to join and begin procuring their 90% bonuse

Click here link Genie script

[buddiesmutslut]

I’m being so ffr rn, if the show runners definitively show that Buddie is not going to happen?

I’m probably not going to be watching anymore.

I mean it when I say that they’re literally the sole reason I watched this show in the first place. I saw a billion TikTok edits of them & was like “Idek these characters I need to watch this show and see what’s going on over there.”

And like, it’s a fun show, I’m not saying it isn’t, but first responder shows are a dime a dozen. There are other shows that have queer characters and found family and wild adventures. Granted, they don’t have Buck & his bi arc, but I’d still read fanfics to get my Evan Buckley fix lol.

I don’t need them right now, I’m so down for the slow burn, will-they-won’t-they & the pining & the yearning & the build up and the GOOD foundation. I want to see Eddie figuring himself out and dealing with his repression and figuring out he’s queer (& Demi, pls God. I hope if I just say it enough, I can will it into existence somehow) before anything happens with the two of them, but if they take definitive steps to have one of them like, marry someone else or something, I think I’m gonna head out. Find me on ao3 for the rest of my days lol.

[fastpayoutcasinos]

Instant Withdrawal Casinos: How to Find and Use Them to Your Advantage

Are you tired of waiting days or even weeks to receive your winnings from online casinos? Look no further than instant withdrawal and fastest paying online casinos. In this guide, we'll explain what they are, how to find them, and how to use them to your advantage for the ultimate gaming experience.

What are Instant Withdrawal Casinos?

Instant withdrawal casinos are online gambling platforms that allow players to withdraw their winnings instantly or within a few hours of requesting the withdrawal. These casinos have streamlined the payout process, making it quick and hassle-free for players to receive their winnings.

How to Find Instant Withdrawal Casinos

To find instant withdrawal casinos, you need to do your research. Look for online casinos that advertise fast payout times or that have a reputation for quick withdrawals. Here are some tips to help you find the right casino for you:

Read Casino Reviews: Check out online casino reviews to get an idea of the withdrawal times for different platforms. You can also read user reviews to see if players have had positive experiences with quick withdrawals.

Check Payment Methods: Some payment methods are faster than others, so make sure to choose an online casino that offers fast payment options. E-wallets like PayPal and Neteller are known for their fast payout times.

Check Casino Licenses: Make sure the online casino you choose is licensed and regulated by a reputable authority. This ensures that the casino operates fairly and that your money is safe. How to Use Instant Withdrawal Casinos to Your Advantage

Once you've found an instant withdrawal casino that meets your needs, it's time to start using it to your advantage. Here are some tips to help you get the most out of your gaming experience:

Choose the Right Games: Some games have better odds than others, so choose games that give you the best chance of winning. Games like blackjack and video poker have low house edges, making them good choices for players who want to maximize their winnings.

Manage Your Bankroll: Set a budget for your gambling activities and stick to it. Don't bet more than you can afford to lose, and never chase your losses.

Take Advantage of Bonuses: Many online casinos offer bonuses to new and existing players. These bonuses can include free spins, cashback offers, and deposit bonuses. Take advantage of these bonuses to increase your chances of winning.

Read the Terms and Conditions: Make sure to read the terms and conditions of any bonus offers or promotions before you claim them. This will help you understand the wagering requirements and any other restrictions that may apply. Conclusion

Instant withdrawal and fastest paying online casinos can revolutionize your gaming experience. By finding an online casino that offers quick payouts and using it to your advantage, you can enjoy the thrill of gambling without the frustration of waiting for your winnings. Remember to choose a reputable online casino, manage your bankroll, and take advantage of bonuses to maximize your winnings. With these tips, you're well on your way to becoming a successful online gambler.

[litefau]

https://litefau.site

[blairelythere]

I pay $2000 dollars a month to live in a 900 square foot box.

I delivered $120 worth of fast food to an 8 bedroom house in a gated community. In that hour, I earned less than it cost to buy myself a frozen pizza and toilet paper that night.

My account was overdrawn. I was charged $35 for being $2 short.

Didn't have the money to pay for new car tabs when they expired -> $250 dollar ticket.

Rent was submitted by the due date but processed two days after. That was an $180 late fee.

I was discriminatorily fired because my self-harm scars are "triggering to others," and I "abandoned my job" after being harassed about it. Yeah, sorry, you should've stayed in the abusive work environment, bit your lip, and merrily carried on if you didn't wanna be fired. Oh, and also, you don't qualify for unemployment now.

Don't want to have to tell a future employer your dead legal name while job hunting? $200 filing fee, $150 record request, a court hearing, and 3 months of wait time for a name change.

Just reach out to the family that abused you. Reach out to the family that abused you. Reach out to the family that abused you. Reach out to the family that abused you. Reach out to the family that abused you.

Disability payout is awaiting approval. Oh, sorry, the wait time is 6+ months for a response. Yes, we know that you're already legally disabled. Yes, you still have to wait.

Did you miss a credit card payment? Well, shucks, gonna lower that measly score now. Don't worry about how it's a qualifier for apartments, car loans, and mortgages; it certainly won't negatively ripple throughout the rest of your adult life.

I still have my things - my knickknacks and toys. For now. The fact that you haven't sold them is a sign that you simply aren't trying hard enough... did you know that? Times are tough! It's time to sell everything replaceable and irreplaceable. Things are just things, right? You must have nothing left before you truly may have help.

I can't quite capture the feeling I'm feeling.

You must have nothing left.

It's awfully expensive being queer, poor, and alive.

[poguehearted77]

Between The Lines

Summary-> It's the little things that go on behind the scenes between you and Drew that makes your chemistry electric.

Belongs to my: OBX Season 5: Payback for Maybank Series

These can be read in any order!

"Park place." Maddison narrates where Drew lands his dog piece across the monopoly board. "I'll buy it." He says but your hand is in his face, "Not so fast. I'm sure you would love to buy it if I didn't already have a hotel on it. You owe me $1500. Pay up." You show him your open palm, ready for lots and lots of cash.

"He's so cooked. Look at that pathetic stack of cash Drew has. I've got piggy banks with more than that." Jonathan's comments send the four of you erupting into a fit of laughter which eventually dies down to a patient silence. "Sometime today would be great." Madison clears her throat.

"Josh is coming!" Drew points, appealing to your gullibility and you all fell for it. By the time you realized he was bluffing, the board was tossed and the pieces were all out of place. He gets up and runs off as if he already knew you'd be hot on his heels.

Your outburts left JD and Madison alone to pick up the pieces, but not without an interesting conversation. "50 bucks they're together by the time we finish the season." Madison says it so casually as she reaches underneath the couch for the pieces.

"So I'm not crazy? You see it too?" He looks almost relieved. "Trust me, I've got a knack for these things." JD seems skeptical about the timeline of the bet. "I dunno, we finish filming in four months. That might be too soon, I say by the premiere."

The both of them look up to Carlacia who seemed to have been streaming live on her istagram. She enters the room mumbling something about getting winded by you and Drew sprinting past her.

Madison scoffs, "That's like nine months from now. They could get together and break up by then, but you know what-- If that's what you wanna bet, then be my guest." She holds out her hand and JD shakes on it. "You're on."

"We're ready for you guys." One of the assistants notifys them that it was time to head to the screening room where the weekly table reads were held.

Today would be your first look at the script for the second episode, and to say you were shocked was an understatement.

Script Summary:

Eventually the pogues put their trust in Piper and she gives them a fair exchange of some arms that they can handle, while she opts for her weapon of choice, a steel pipe.

"How do you think I got the name and the scar?" She says and it puts an odd sense of comfort among the group, minus a skeptical Rafe, to know you were confident enough in your skills that you didn't need a gun.

They beleived they were in good hands, until they realized they weren't. There was movement coming from the bushes and it made the pogues stand on guard, beckoning them to come out. Soon, the figures finally revealed themsleves. More mercenaries.

"Nicely, done Piper. It seems you can still make yourself useful after all." The red-headed woman speaks up, tossing you a pouch of money that you caught with one hand effortlessly.

"Never doubt my capabilities, it's insulting." You warn, tucking the pouch into the bag strapped across your back. The british woman continues, "Y'know, Mr. Finch could use your talents again. Once we're done tying up loose ends, we're headed back to home base in Lisbon."

Rafe is livid. He knew he couldn't trust you. It couldn't be by pure coincidence that the mercenaries popped up in the middle of this oasis when you were leading. "Lisbon? You told us Finch was here-" Kiara exclaims and Rafe interrupts.

"It was all a lie, from the very beginning. Mr. Alami, the merchant from Agapenta, he was working with you, wasn't he? You knew he'd send us to you, and now you got your sad little payout from these dipshits for bringing us to them." Rafe seethes.

"I'll neither confirm nor deny that claim, love the enthusiasm though." Your attitude remains unbothered throughout the ordeal until Pope demands, "What do you want from us? We don't have the crown! Groff took it." The red head shrugs casually, sharpening her blades as she approaches the group.

"Don't you worry, Groff will get what's coming to him. For now, it's time to repay the debt that is owed. You get blood on your hands, I get blood on mine." Your eyes bulge, "Hang on, you never said you wanted to kill them." You step in and the woman pays you no mind.

"Perhaps because It's none of your concern. You've got your cut, now's a good time as ever to leave. It's about to get messy." She retracts her hand, about to plunge the blade into Pope when she's knocked out cold by a flying piece of steel.

The group looks over to you in shock, fear, and a hint of gratitude, but there's no time to gush about it when there's suddenly a brawl that breaks out between the mercenaries and the pogues.

You all hardly take them out before escaping.

"Piper, what the hell?!" John B yells and his anger is heavily agreed on in the group, you take it on the chin before offering the most sincere apology you could come up with. They're unconvinced. "I deserve that. Everything you heard back there is true. Finch's Fortress is in Lisbon. If you find him, you'll find Groff," You trail off, reaching into your bag, handing Cleo the pouch of money you'd just gotten.

"Take this. It's more than enough to get you a boat big enough to get across the atlantic and even have some leftover for food for a few days. When you arrive on the coast of Cascais, you'll need to head north in-land."

There's silence.

A long silence, nervous glances between the pogues and Rafe's eyes roll. "You guys cannot seriously be considering trusting her. She almost had us killed! Am I the only one who cares about making it back home?"

"Just shut up, Rafe!" John B silences him, and Pope speaks up. "Listen, I don't know about you guys but Piper just saved my life when she didn't have to. We've already lost someone. Going after Groff could be a suicide missison for all we know. But we all know this isn't about our safety, it's about revenge. For JJ." His speech is moving, the expressions agree.

"For JJ." They all agree.

"To Lisbon we go." Cleo chimes, and the group moves on.

End of Script*

You had just finished reading the script and you were blown away. The cast never knows what to expect whenevfer a new script is dropped in front of them.

"Wait a minute... If the pogues are going to Lisbon in the next episode then," Madison trails off and the director ties in, "So are we. Pack your bags, flights are booked for Saturday morning at 5am, please do not miss these flights, we're not opposed to writing you out!" Josh jokes and there's excited and shock all around the table.

You knew that the last season of the show had implied that the pogues would be on their way to Lisbon but it never dawned on you that it would be so soon, even though it made sense.

"You ever been to Portugal?" Drew leans in, a soft whisper in your ear tickled your skin and made the hairs on the back of your neck at attention. "Never, have you?" He thinks about it, "If a layover counts then yes, yes I have." You're not sure if the joke was funny or if it just left the mouth of an incredibly attractive man, nonetheless, it made you giggle.

Madison kicks JD from under the table, jutting her chin towards the two of you giggling in secret and he rolls his eyes. "Patience." He says it calmly, but Madison is impatient, she knows she'll reign triumphant by the end of it all.

-

It’s a Friday night—or, more accurately, the early hours of Saturday morning. The world outside your accommodations complex is still cloaked in sleep, and you should be too. But no. The responsibility of making your flight in two hours has ripped you from the warmth of your bed. Groggy but determined, you scrambled to gather your belongings, knowing you wouldn’t be back.

After a last sweep of the room, you opened the door with a flicker of confidence—only to jump at the sight of a six-foot-two figure standing in your doorway.

“Drew! Oh my god, you scared me.” Your hand flew to your chest in a theatrical gesture, your pulse thrumming in your ears.

A small smile tugged at his lips, his eyes crinkling slightly. “Sorry. Just wanted to make sure you were actually up. Everyone else already left. There’s one driver still waiting downstairs.” His voice was smooth, annoyingly easy to listen to this early in the morning. Too easy.

“You sound oddly refreshed for 3 a.m.,” you quipped, your own voice still husky from sleep as you grabbed your suitcase.

“That’s the beauty of insomnia.” He shrugged, gesturing to his temples with a finger like it was some kind of genius life hack. “You can’t wake up tired if you never really sleep.”

The elevator dinged open, and the two of you stepped inside. The silence that settled was heavy, charged with something you couldn’t quite define. It hung there until you both spoke at once:

“So where are you—” “How did you—”

You broke into quiet laughter, and Drew’s mouth twitched with amusement. “You first,” he said, giving you a slight nod.

“How did you know I hadn’t already left with the others?” you asked, tilting your head curiously. For a moment, something flickered across his face—an emotion too quick to name—before a light blush dusted his cheeks. He masked it with an easy tone.

“I did some askin' around,” he replied, the answer short and almost vague. It was just enough to spark your teasing instincts.

“Ah,” you said with a smirk, “so you missed me?”

Instant regret settled within you. The elevator seemed too small, too still as Drew turned to look at you, his gaze steady and disarming. For a heartbeat, he didn’t respond, and your cheeks grew warm under his stare.

“You could say that,” he finally said, the ghost of a smirk curling the corner of his lips. His attention shifted to the elevator doors as they slid open, leaving you to wonder if you’d imagined the whole thing.

The ride to the airport was longer than expected thanks to roadwork that forced a detour. You should've been annoyed, but at some point, your head found its way to Drew’s shoulder, and your eyes fluttered shut. The fabric of his hoodie was soft against your temple, and his warmth lulled you into a half-dream state.

Drew didn’t dare move. The weight of your head against him was almost too perfect, and he fought the sudden urge to reach for your hand resting on your lap. Instead, he focused on the ticking clock in the back of his mind and the quiet hum of the car.

When you arrived, he sprang into action. “C’mon, we don’t have time to waste,” he murmured, grabbing your suitcase and his carry-on in one hand while ushering you toward the terminal with the other.

You barely had to lift a finger. Drew handled everything—tickets, baggage check, even navigating customs—with practiced efficiency, his jaw set and his movements quick. He wasn’t just organized; he was determined.

“Do you always walk as fast as a drill sergeant?” you teased as you reached the gate, breathing a little easier now.

He shot you a look, his lips twitching. “I'm not a huge fan of being late,” was all he said. But the way his eyes lingered on yours for half a second longer than necessary told you there was more to it than that.

Finally, you made it to your seats in first class. You settled across the aisle from Madelyn, who flashed you a bright smile.

“I was starting to think you two wouldn’t make it,” she teased, leaning toward you with a glint in her eye. There was an underlying subtext to her words but you were too tired to decipher it.

“Drew made sure that didn’t happen,” you replied with a soft laugh. The words were simple, but they carried a warmth you couldn’t quite suppress.

From behind your seat, Drew caught the sound of his name on your lips--and god did he love the way it sounds. He didn’t know what you’d said, but it didn’t matter. The fact that you were talking about him stirred something in his chest.

As the flight began, you glanced back once, meeting his gaze. He held it for a fraction of a moment before looking away, his expression unreadable.

And yet, for the rest of the flight, he couldn’t stop thinking about you. Couldn’t stop replaying the memory of the weight of your head on his shoulder—or wondering what it might feel like to hold your hand in his.

Taglist: @percysley, @lilithblackkk, @rafegf-real, @eternallovers65, @drsza, @wearemadeofstardust0, @cadhlabear, @thepopcultureaddict, @citr0us, @sabrina-carpenter-stan-account, @madi44444,

[gnar-slabdash]

I made a mistake and thought too hard and hurt myself.

I was thinking about the Nigerian Job payout, and how everybody reacts to it. Yknow, It’s “THE score.” “Retirement money.” “Go legit and buy an island money.”

And all Nate says is “woah,” and then just kinda goes quiet… and after awkward goodbyes he actually shoves his way past Eliot to get out of there as fast as he can. Cause you know what that money is to Nate?

Too late.

[dreamsteddie]

Steve and Eddie who kind of flop in life and end up poor, living in a trailer in a different small town living quiet lives of no import.

The kids, Robin, Nancy, and Johnathan all seem to take the small handful of opportunities offered to them by the government in the aftermath of the Upsidedown to take off and make something of their lives. They're off writing headlines, making news, and living their lives to the best of their abilities, but Steve and Eddie find themselves stuck.

Steve stayed in Hawkins until the kids graduated and left for college. By then Nancy, Johnathan, and Robin are all in their second or third years of college. John and Nancy have their own apartment in New York together and don't reach out all that often, only seeing the rest of the Hawkins crew on Holidays and some vacations. Robin is flourishing at an all-women's college in Maine and has a partner and a cat and plans for graduate school brewing. She's always saying Steve can come out and join her whenever he's ready, but when the time comes it feels like he would just be trying to insert himself in the middle of a life he doesn't know how to fit into, so he turns to Eddie instead.

Eddie is permanently disabled in a number of ways following the events of season four. He struggles with chronic pain, has breathing issues due to the loss of part of his right lung, and lost enough muscle mass in his left leg that walking will never be easy or done without the use of a walker or arm bar crutches. The doctors said he recovered as well as he could have. The kids said he would get better with time. Wayne said it didn't matter if he never got better, he could do anything he set his mind to.

Steve is the only person who tells him the truth.

Steve tells him that it sucks. Tells him that it will probably always hurt. Doesn't give him false hope when he's trying to grieve the loss of the life he wanted to live. The goals he wanted to reach. When he falls deeper and deeper into himself, stuck in the muck of depression, Steve is the only person he lets in. The kids try their best but their lives are moving fast, and taking care of someone like Eddie is exhausting, no matter what they try to say. Eventually, everyone but Dustin gives up on reaching out, the younger boy showing up every Sunday to try and get Eddie out of the house. He always leaves disappointed.

When Steve asks him if he wants to use what's left of their partly government payouts and Steve's equally meager Family Video savings to buy a truly shitty trailer in a town an hour and a half south of Hawkins in the fall of 1990, it feels like the first boon he's been given in almost five years. He'll never be who he could have been if he had ignored Chrissy that day in 86', but he's always thought maybe he could be more than a ghost between Wayne's walls if he could just get out of this god-forsaken town full of people who know too much and too little of what's happened to him.

They get the trailer, pack what little they have, let Wayne hug them close, and leave.

Steve has already transferred to their new town's Family Video, moving up to claim the dubious honor of being the opening manager. Mostly he just unlocks the door, signs into the computer, and makes sure nothing catches fire. Eddie hoped that moving would miraculously make him fit to enter back into the world, but he spends most of his days with a blanket on the front porch, watching people pass by. He does, though, finally accept that he needs to apply for disability to help Steve keep the lights on and the water hot. That last little bit of hope that he could be what he used to be dies, but he's learning to be content with what he does have. He starts taking a walk, just ten minutes around the loop of the trailer park saying hi and trading polite nods with his fellow residents. He's not ok, but he's starting to build a new community of people not too different from himself.

The new trailer only has one bedroom. Eddie sleeps on a fold-out mattress in the living room. It had been a major argument when they first moved in with Steve insisting that Eddie needed the bed. Eddie argued that it wasn't fair for him to take the room when Steve was the one working 40 hours a week to keep them afloat. In the end, Eddie was the more stubborn of the two. It helps that Eddie has absolutely no qualms about crawling into bed with Steve on the nights when the couch bed really won't cut it for his aching body. Steve never questions it, just shuffles over a little and lets the other man in.

Steve doesn't question a lot of stuff.

He doesn't question when all their effects are shared between them with no effort to distinguish between yours and mine, Eddie's and Steve's. He doesn't question it four months in when Eddie starts to get his feet under him and decides to take up cooking, always trying his best to have everything done just as Steve walks through the door. He doesn't question when a good chunk of Eddie's first disability check goes to buying Steve a sturdy, if not very fashionable, new watch for his birthday since his old one went bust almost a year ago.

He doesn't question it when Eddie holds his hand for the first time under the stars hanging above their front porch.

He doesn't question it when Eddie introduces him to one of his new neighbor friends with a hand resting comfortably on his lower back

He doesn't question it when Eddie starts sleeping in the bedroom every night.

Or makes him box mix cupcakes for Valentine's Day.

Or kisses him for the first time on the couch that's never a bed unless they want to spend the day binge-watching bargain bin films.

Because really, isn't this how it was always going to go? Wasn't this exactly what Steve was asking when he asked Eddie to skip town with him?

Isn't this what Eddie was hoping for when he said yes?

[rockpaperimpala]

So about Netflix's the Last Airbender....

I am literally so confused you guys. You made me think I would HATE this show. And I LOVED it. Me. Known perfectionist and hater.

Katara was lovely. Yes, she started as a more soft spoken character than her cartoon version, but she was still passionate and hopeful throughout, just visibly unsure of herself. I think people were thrown off by this actress' natural way of expressing herself, which is Different from animated katara for sure, but not bad. Then she spends the whole season growing in Confidence and Fire. I Adored her fight with Paku, it really did feel like a payout of the whole season's development, and the bending kicked ass!

The Bending Kicked ass!!! The martial arts was fun and fast and creative and exciting! It looked SO good. That alone would be enough reason for me to watch and enjoy any show.

Zuko's actor was fantastic. He really captured the rage and confusion of this 16 year old banished prince. And there were so many Added moments between him and Iroh wich to me enriched their relationship. Like YES! This is why I'm watching, to see more of them, to see things done a little differently.

Iroh facing the consequences of his actions at Ba Sing Se!! That's what I'm here for!

Zuko's relationship with the men on his ship! That's what I'm here for!

The Extra layers we get to Ozai manipulating his children!

Also no one is talking about Admiral Zhao, who I had SO much fun with. I feel like they slightly fleshed out his character in a really dramatic way, really developing the hubris and frankly insane grasping ambition of someone who would kill the moon. I completely enjoyed this wilder, less controlled version of him, who comes up through the season from basically nothing and no one!

I am OBSESSED with King BUMI and his anger and disillusionment with the world! Like this was SO real. Living a hundred years of futile war would do that!!!! It is one of my favorite changes to the whole series. This new layer of emotion and character depth is what I'm here for!

Sokka was SO funny. He literally had me laughing out loud so often. That actor GETs Sokka, and GETS the way his humor is delivered. And is also able to tap into the more vulnerable side of him. People said he was "obsessed" with leadership. WHAT? That is a young person trying desperately to do his best and to try and find his place in the world, to figure what he has to offer. I loved his pride at hearing the Mechanist say that he would make a good engineer, and the sweetness of the moment that Yue's father says that he can be a hero without being a warrior. Sokka does so much growth in this series, in understanding himself and life.

And his chemistry with Suki was adorable!! I even like him and Yue (who was a totally unexpected sweetheart, despite her terrible wig)!! Like he has that same ability that Sokka has in the original to Connect with people.

Aang was great! He WAS fun loving and sweet and funny. I don't know what you guys wanted. Cartoons are always bigger and more exaggerated than live action. People's eyes swell up an, birds fly around their heads, and there are funny sound effects. That larger than life quality is the strength of animation! You have to look for different strength in live action. Like the SUBTLETIES of the acting choices. This little actor brought so much kindness, innocence, and strength to Aang.

And I FELT his frustration at being asked to do this at 12, his fresh hope anytime it looked like someone more experienced would be able to help him and no one did, and that's why he didn't learn waterbending this season, because he kept waiting for an freaking ADULT to show him the way, to help him carry this immense burden, but every adult he meets asks him for help instead, asks him to carry it himself, and then the finale hits and he realizes that there won't be any adults helping, he does have figure this out himself, and he makes the hard choice, takes on responsibility more than his years and offers himself to the ocean spirit, and he might have been lost entirely if not for Katara!

And that counter running theme to the show pays off: that he doesn't have to do it alone. He may not have more experienced guidance, because the adults have let him down again and again, but his friends will be with him, and they will figure it out together!

This is there throughout the series! Katara tells him this about learning waterbending, when he says he still wants to wait. Bumi tells him this in the palace at Omashu, and Aang sees the faith he has in his friends repaid!

I like these changes! And the show still found time for silly fun adventures and character building moments.

The show was never going to be the animated original. That is already a Masterpiece, and it frankly did NOT need to be adapted at all. I did not WANT a live action adaptation. I was adamantly convinced I would hate it. But the changes that they netflix show gave are what I Iike most about it. If I want to see Zuko say "you rise with the moon, I rise with the sun," I will go watch the animated original, because that version is perfect. And now, if i want to see Zuko say "Lu ten would have been proud to have you as a father," and see iroh pull him into a tight hug, I can watch this live action version, which is very good too. I'm going to disagree with most of the people on here and say that the Netflix's Avatar: The Last Airbender, DOES capture the heart of what we liked about the original show. It's spirit, fun, excitement, and characters. And the changes made are the reason we should be watching.

[robertreich]

Biden vs. Trump: Whose Economic Plan Is Better for You? 

Trump failed to deliver on his number one campaign promise:

President Trump presided over a historic net loss of nearly 3 million American jobs, the worst jobs numbers ever recorded under an American president.

This is no fluke. America’s economy has almost always done worse under Republican presidents. A New York Times analysis found that since 1933, the U.S. economy has grown nearly twice as fast on average under Democrats.

Now Trump’s defenders claim it’s not his fault that the economy collapsed under his watch. It was the pandemic. But there are two big things wrong with this.

First, the pandemic recession was as bad as it was because of Trump. His failure to lead with any national strategy left America in chaos throughout 2020, long after other nations had developed coordinated testing, tracing, and social distancing plans that allowed them to reopen their economies.

But secondly, even before the pandemic, Trump failed to deliver on his economic promises. Job growth slowed under Trump.

America added more jobs in President Obama’s last three years than in Trump’s first three.

Even before the pandemic most middle-class American households saw their incomes go down under Trump.

Trump’s major economic policy was cutting taxes on the rich and big corporations. He promised it would result in $4,000 annual raises for workers. How did that work out? Did you get a $4,000 raise?

Republicans keep claiming that if we just cut enough taxes on the rich, the wealth will “trickle down.” But it never works. Wage growth slowed after Reagan’s tax cuts for the rich and big corporations. And the Bush and Trump tax cuts didn’t trickle down either.

These giveaways to the wealthy came at the expense of investments in infrastructure, education, and health care, making life more expensive and difficult for everyone who isn’t rich.

They also exploded the debt and deficit. Reagan oversaw a 186% increase in the national debt — the biggest percentage increase in over 70 years. The Bush and Trump tax cuts, that mostly benefited corporations and the rich, are the main reasons why America’s debt is growing faster than the economy.

Republican presidents have led us into the three worst economic crises of the last century, and Democrats led us out of them.

Republicans talk about running the country like a business, but they want to run it the way Trump ran his businesses: with massive debts, a string of failures, and payouts for the folks at the top, while workers get shafted again and again. Given Republicans’ track record, why would any hard-working American put their financial security in the hands of a Republican president ever again?

[theambitiouswoman]

hi! i really want to get better with my finances next year but.... i have NO idea where to start. i'm a writer and english major, maths is my enemy and i'm so bad with numbers. but i'm 21, i'm getting older and graduating my masters next year and it's time to get started with my career as i won't be living off of this student loan anymore AND will have to eventually pay it back 😭

i wanted to know if you have any tips about finances, saving ... what i should even do, how i begin? any resources or beginner books to get me started on knowing anything money wise? i'm literally a 2 year old when it comes to this topic i'm quite clueless but i want it to change, so literally any basic advice would help me so much right now. by the time 2025 ends i want to be really good with money and finance knowledge!

First of all it’s amazing that you’re 21 & already graduating with your masters!!!

Let’s start with some simple tips:

For one month, write down every dollar you spend. This will show you where your money goes and where you can cut back.

Use the 50/30/20 rule: 50% of your income for needs, 30% for wants & 20% for savings or debt.

Even if it’s small, open a high yield savings account and set up automatic transfers. Saving a little every month adds up fast!

You can start learning about investing. These are beginner friendly ideas to help you grow your money:

1. Index Funds and ETFs: These are great for beginners because they’re low cost & diversified. Popular ones include the S&P 500 index funds (like VOO or SPY). You don’t have to pick individual stocks, you’re investing in a basket of companies.

2. Retirement Accounts: Roth IRA or 401(k) (if offered by your job). Contributions grow tax free in a Roth IRA, which is great for long term wealth.

3. Dividend Stocks: Some companies like Coca Cola or Johnson & Johnson play dividends. This gives you regular income while your investment grows.

4. Fractional Shares: Apps like Robinhood, Fidelity, or M1 Finance let you buy small portions of expensive stocks like Amazon or Tesla so you can start with as little as $5.

5. Real Estate Investing: If buying property isn’t an option yet, try REITs (Real Estate Investment Trusts), which let you invest in real estate without owning property.

6. Life Insurance: You can use life insurance to build wealth. With whole or universal life insurance, you can borrow against the policy’s cash value to invest or cover major expenses. Payouts are generally tax-free, and the cash value grows tax deferred.

You can check out these YouTube/Instagram accounts:

The Financial Diet

Clever girl finance

Her first 100k

Girls that invest

mrsdowjones

female.in.finance

shewolfeofwallstreet

Ellevest

Good luck! Proud of you 👑

[lostintransist]

I've come and gone from your page like four times, contemplating how to do part four with our stupid pretty Johnny "Soap" MacTavish.

The stupid pretty man with the pretty blue eyes that constantly seem to swing between shades of blue as they stare down at the black ink swirling on the operator's cheek bone across from him. Another shit mission and co-op with Shadow Company. AGAIN. They've become far to common and this... /Soldier/ laughed and bullshitted with their friend far to much. Even with the eye black masking those familiar curves. The straw broke on the camels back when the man snapped. Slamming the Operative against a wall, hand over that mouth that talked to damn much for a damn stealth mission. Those burning blue eyes searing (SROP AUTO CORRECTING ME DAMMIT) into the shocked ones, a loud 'bang!' echoing out. Having Johnny freeze stomach in his throat, breath held, staring... Staring... Staring... Before slowly looking down, seeing that smoking gun so dangerously close to his side. Turning back to look at an enemy soldier on the ground. "'m a decoy Sir, don' forget. Supposed to play stupid, doesn' make it so."

SUCH A GOOD IDEA! I wanted to expand on this a bit so anything in italics is taken exactly from @lialucis' delicious ask.

Soulmate AU if you wanted to see more about Johnny's tattoo before reading this.

Not proofread. The sun has been gone to long for my eyes to stay focused long enough to fix any errors I might have made.

The stupid pretty man with the pretty blue eyes that constantly seem to swing between shades of blue as they stare down at the black ink swirling on the [your] cheek bone [as you sit] across from him [at the long eating table].

The letters never made any sense to you. Though you once had a language professor chase you down to ask if you knew your tattoo was in Gaelic. You hadn't known but thanked him for the information. You had a tattoo artist you trust add vining leaves and small thistle flowers. Hiding it wasn't the goal, but you wanted to control who got to know. Almost everyone else had their marks in a hidable spot, able to mess around and not cause hurt feelings until it could be confirmed the marks don't match.

Not you though. Never had a first kiss because someone's claim to you superseded your autonomy. God sometimes you wish you could find the bastard and knock their block off. You had been close, once, to a first kiss. You had been sixteen and your mother found you sneaking off the back porch to meet up with a classmate who claimed to have your name inked across their inner right knee.

She broke down, disbelief and heartbreak crossing her face so fast tat even at sixteen and knowing everything you paused.

"The name on your birth certificate? The one we call you by? That isn't your first name. It's a tradition in a lot of places to give a secret first name so you can learn and grow into adulthood without having to worry about falling in love. I was going to tell you when you turned eighteen."

Despite all the justifications it had sliced at your bond with the claws of lies. You had gone to college out of state the same week you graduated and joined the military soon after bailing on your first semester. You had managed to flunk out of basic and ended up with a paramiltary contract group. You were a shadow because you liked to blow shit sky high and you were good with a weapon.

You were in Los Alamas on a job, functioning under Shadow Company Leader Phillip Graves. The man reminded you of fungus, creeping by so slow into your system that by the time he struck the killing blow you had been dead for weeks. Thankfully you didn't actually work for him. No. Phil lead the Shadows but he didn't create them. You worked directly for the head of the company, and she had given you a specific job.

See she thought that Phil was taking to many liberties in leading her company. Your job was to sniff it out, kill anyone you deemed necessary, and report back. The payout from this single job would set you up for life. You financial planner confirmed it. Now all you had to do was survive.

That brought you back to the man staring at you. His eyes trailed up and down the bits of your soulmate tattoo he could see. It extended up into your hair which had grown long again.

Pulling down your lower lid and sticking your tongue out at him before lifting your tray and disappering among the bodies of the other shadows. You kept running into him, almost as if he were searching you out. It grated at your already frayed nerves.

Another shit mission and co-op with [the 141]. AGAIN. They've become far to common and this... /Soldier/ laughed and bullshitted with their friend far to much. Even with the eye black masking those familiar curves. The straw broke on the camels back when the man snapped.

Phil had made his move, detaining Alejandro's men, and going home by home searching for the two members of the 141 that escaped. You slipped into the darkness behind them, skirting both the men who would kill you and the teammates who would label you a traitor. If you made it out of this they would know who really betrayed them.

[You had the misfortune of choosing the same wall for shelter as one "Soap". Slamming [you] against a wall, hand over that mouth that talked to damn much for a damn stealth mission [he snarled down at you. Again his eyes strayed to your tattoo insted of your eyes.]

"What are you doing here?"

A loud 'bang!' echo[ed] out. [Soap froze], stomach in his throat, breath held, staring... Staring... Staring...[at your eyes finally and not just your face], before slowly looking down, seeing that smoking gun so dangerously close to his side. Turning back to look at an enemy soldier on the ground.

"'m a decoy Sir. [The owner of the Shadows is not pleased with Phillip Graves and I am the nail in his coffin]. Supposed to play stupid, doesn' make it so."

The crackle of a radio between you breaks the moment.

"Johnny, you find any supplies yet?"

"Not yet L.T." he releases you and the button on the radio.

"Let's get your arm patched and get the fuck out of here. I have the city memorized. I had a feeling that something might happen." Peeking around corners you confirm the clear shot to an empty building.

Soap moves with you, on your heels and breath on your neck. Inside the empty builing there is a solid desk. You order Soap to sit there and begin to bandage his bleeding arm with the only roll of gauze you keep in your vest pack. Focused on wrapping and tightening down on the bleeding you miss his hand moving until a finger traces each letter with surity.

"I think this is my name." His whisper is shared to the dark as your eyes snap to his.

"What does yours say?" The quiet question comes out, harsh and haunting.

"That's the oddest thing, it's as if it's two names mashed together. As if their parent wanted to be sure they would know who their soulmate was."

Stumbling back you trip over your own boot. That conversation with your mother drifted back to you across the canyon of time.

"We slapped two family names together for you. We, I, wanted you to be sure when you found him," her heartbroken confession rocking you to the core.

"Holy fuck."

Soap grinned down at you before standing and offering you his uninjured side. Taking his hand he helps you up. You don't protest when his fingers slip between yours.

"How 'bout we go find my L.T. at a church and get the hell out of here bonnie?"

"You know I don't have much else going on tonight. That sounds like a plan."

His laugh is loud, and so much more gratifiing when it happens for you and not only near you.

Masterlist

[jjkamochoso]

Order Up!

Fluff

Feitan Portor x gn!reader

Feitan would do anything to keep you happy--including threatening a chef who messes up your order.

Warnings: mentions of violence and blood, some suggestive dialogue

"Feitan! Please, will you eat there with me?"

You and Feitan had been enjoying your free time without jobs lately. The last heist the whole Phantom Troupe was on had a huge payout meaning you could live more than comfortably for a while and you figured this was the best time to try the super fancy restaurant you had been eyeing ever since you stepped foot in the city you and your boyfriend were staying in. Feitan had his cowl pulled up but you could tell he was frowning.

"Why waste money? Good food for cheaper elsewhere."

You wore a pout, hoping to convince the stubborn man. "But it's our one chance to enjoy a nice date! We don't have opportunities like this often, you know."

Feitan couldn't disagree with that. There were times where you two had to survive on eating food from a trash can and now you were practically drowning in money. He still didn't like the idea of spending so much on something that wasn't tangible, though. He'd much rather save his money and steal you something nice that you could keep forever, like jewelry.

"I could wear that outfit you love so much," you suggested, turning on your charm the best you could. "What do you think, Fei?"

You heard him growl softly and you knew you broke his resolve.

"Fine. I take you there. Go get ready."

You couldn't contain your excitement as you gave him a quick hug and ran off to the shower in your hotel room. The person whose credit card you stole must've had deep pockets because you'd been staying here for about a month and haven't been kicked out yet. That, or Feitan tracked him down and killed him so he couldn't dispute the charges. Either way, it didn't matter to you since you were relishing the high life while you could. You took your time under the warm water, letting the smell of luxury soap wrap around you. When you were finished, you dried off with a big fluffy towel. As you applied lotion, you heard a knock on the bathroom door.

"Hurry up in there. I take shower too."

You were lucky Feitan couldn't see the shock on your face. He rarely showered and often had a scent of blood that trailed after him. This, of course, didn't bother you as you found him quite attractive in his greasy, metallic smelling state of being, but the fact that he wanted to show you he was taking this date seriously meant the world to you. You rubbed in the last of the lotion and put on your soft white bathrobe. It came with the hotel but it would definitely be leaving with you. You opened the door and hurried out of the way so Feitan could wash off. You let out a surprised gasp as his super fast reflexes caught you off guard, grabbing your hand before you could pass him by. His cowl and jacket were thrown on the floor and you were pulled into his t-shirt clad body, a rare moment of affection from the Spider.

"You smell yummy," he said, his nose rubbing against the crook of your neck, "I could just eat you for dinner instead."

"Feitan!" you whined, feeling your entire body heat up from his words. "As lovely as that sounds, we need actual food."

"Just one bite? A little taste?" he whispered, his razor sharp teeth grazing your now bare shoulder.

As much as you were enjoying this softer side of Feitan, you were getting to that restaurant in a timely fashion.

"Get into the shower or I'll throw you in the bathtub and scrub you like a dog."

He pulled away reluctantly, grey eyes ablaze with something less reminiscent of love and more akin to the blood lust of a predator toying with its prey. Whatever it was, you knew you wouldn't be leaving any time soon if you kept playing into his game.

"Go," you said sternly, pointing to the open bathroom door and pulling your robe back up on your shoulders. Feitan just cackled as he closed the door behind him and you knew tonight was going to be very interesting.

As he emerged from the bathroom, his hair freshly washed and styled, barely worn tuxedo gracing his small frame, Feitan caught a glimpse of you. He was often quiet, choosing to observe rather than speak his mind most times, but for once, he was genuinely speechless. Your outfit brought out your most attractive features and he couldn't stop staring. You felt his gaze from the corner of your eye and started to feel a bit self conscious being under such serious scrutiny.

"Is it too much? I think maybe I should change-"

Feitan cut you off with words in his native tongue. You were too afraid to ask what he said but he continued, effectively answering your question.

"Stunning. You perfect."

Self doubt threatened to overcome you but you swallowed it down. Feitan doesn't lie and certainly doesn't sugarcoat anything. If he said something, it was the truth. To him, you were everything he could ever ask for. To you, he was the whole world.

"You look handsome yourself, my love. Thank you for doing this for me."

"This for us. We deserve it."

You two put the finishing touches on your outfits, you attaching Feitan's bowtie while he clasped your jewelry. Walking out of the hotel lobby, you turned many heads as onlookers watched you with jealousy. You were a sight to behold, the true definition of a power couple. The walk to the restaurant was short and you were there before you knew it. Butterflies erupted in your stomach as Feitan opened the door for you. The ambiance inside was like nothing you had ever seen. It was dark, no overhead lighting to be seen, and candles were lit everywhere your eyes landed. There was someone playing the piano in a corner of the restaurant and you overheard one of the staff members talking about a reservation for a big name celebrity that was going to be there later. You were almost overwhelmed by the whole atmosphere being completely foreign to you but were brought back down to earth by Feitan's hand barely resting on your lower back. You knew he wasn't into touching or PDA of any kind so you wondered if he was turning to you for reassurance in this strange place as well. You gave him a soft smile as you walked up to the hostess. Feitan told her a name the reservation was under, which surprised you. There was no way he could've gotten one without you noticing, especially in only a few hours. You were fully expecting to have to wait for an open spot so when she quickly ushered the two of you to a secluded table, you were taken aback. You thanked her as she left menus for you to peruse.

"Did you do this for me?" you asked, gesturing to the table.

"Yes."

"Thank you."

Feitan didn't give you a verbal response but you knew he took your appreciativeness to heart. He didn't want to spoil the romantic mood right now but couldn't wait to tell you how he tracked down the maitre d' in record time and offered to help him lose some weight in the form of less limbs if he didn't secure the best table for you. You saw the menu didn't have prices and you knew you were in for one expensive meal, but you were practically vibrating with excitement to try one of everything. Feitan still didn't get the appeal of this place but he wasn't going to put a damper on your fun so he stayed silent as you rambled off your order. He put in his order as well and the waiter was off, leaving you to bask in the candlelight.

"This must be the life that boss lives every night," you mused, earning a slight smile from the man across from you. As you waited for your food, you both chatted about whatever crossed your minds at the time, enjoying the calm dining experience. Your appetizers finally came and you dug right in. You had never eaten anything so delicious in your entire life. You didn't even know food could taste like this! As you devoured your helping, Feitan was more apprehensive. The presentation of his dish was much too fancy. People eat like this every day? He didn't understand it but wasn't going to keep putting much thought to something that didn't really matter. When the food hit his tastebuds, he was pleasantly surprised. The composition may look silly, putting that much work into something that wouldn't last more than a few minutes, but it was so flavorful. You sneaked a bite off each other's plates, complimenting one another on your choices. You eagerly awaited the main course as Feitan was coming to terms with wasting his money here. When your new plates were set down in front of you, Feitan immediately put his fork into it and started shoveling. You, on the other hand, frowned.

"Aww man! I asked for no cheese."

You heard a loud clink of silverware striking porcelain. Feitan had dropped his fork and reached for your plate while you swatted him away.

"What are you doing?"

His eyes narrowed. "You no like it? They fix for you. I make sure."

"It's not a big deal, I promise," you sighed, but he wasn't having it.

"They mess up, they fix. You don't eat what you don't want. Not today, not ever."

He was usually headstrong but you had never seen him so adamant about something.

"Okay, if you want, you can let them know. Just, please, be nice about it? I want to be able to come back here in the future."

Feitan's smile did nothing to quell your fears; that made you worry even more about what he was planning to do. When he stalked off into the kitchen with your plate, you gathered your things to be ready to make a run for it in case the police were called.

Feitan was just beginning to not hate this place when they had the audacity to mess up your order. Of course he was going to fix it, he wasn’t going to let you eat something you didn't find enjoyable. He meandered into the kitchen, kicking open the doors loud enough to gather everyone's attention in there.

"Which one of you cook this?" he asked, showcasing the plate before resting it on the counter. A few of the staff rushed toward him, faces red with anger.

"You can't be in here!" one of them yelled. The staff member went to grab Feitan to drag him out but Feitan acted fast, grabbing a knife from the block and slamming the guy's hand down on the counter. He kept the knife poised over one of the man's fingers, drawing blood, as he addressed everyone.

"If you no answer question, man's fingers will be chopped like carrot. Who cooked this?"

One chef nervously stepped away from the others, raising his hand in trepidation. "I-I did, s-sir. Was it not to... to your satisfaction?"

"My partner asked no cheese. Cheese was there. You fix or your eyeballs end up in spaghetti. Got it?"

The chef, fighting back tears, shook his head and quickly re fired the dish. Feitan, now content, released the first man he apprehended and hurried back to you. He would never want to keep you waiting unnecessarily.

When Feitan came back, you were relieved that no one was screaming and his tuxedo wasn't covered in blood.

"I take it that it went well?" you asked.

"Yep. Your food will be out soon. Right, this time."

"You didn't have to do that for me. But thank you for showing you care."

You couldn't tell if it was a trick of the light or if his eyes actually softened for a second.

"You're welcome. I care all the time. I try to show more."

You reached over and gave his hand a short squeeze and he readily accepted it. When your main course came out again, the waiter dropped it off and practically ran away, leaving you happy with your correct order and Feitan happy at the fear he ignited in the staff.

"Better?" he asked, taking a bite of his own meal.

"Much," you replied.

The rest of the night went smoothly and the waiter informed you that the bill was being covered by the chef who messed up your main course. In addition, he comped two desserts as a sign of good faith and you were elated when they arrived at your table.

"You're not gonna have anything?" you asked, a big piece of cake dangling from the confines of your spoon. Feitan looked you up and down, a mischievous smirk appearing on his face.

"I'm saving room for my dessert at home."

[oliversrarebooks]

The Rare Bookseller Part 50: Frank's Mistake

Prev > Masterlist > Next

tw: hypnosis

July 1905

It was hot as blazes out, even in the dead of night, and sweat was pouring off Frank's brow and rolling down his back as he waited in the filthy alley. It was much too hot to wear a leather jacket, but he wasn't stupid enough to go hunting without some protection from fangs and knives, no matter how uncomfortable it was.

Going home empty-handed wasn't an option, not tonight. His gambling debts were catching up with him at a rate his part-time kitchen gig would never cover. He feared bookies more than he feared bloodsuckers. After all, he couldn't ram a stake through the heart of a bookie, not unless he wanted to end up in jail.

And so, here he was, pursuing the lowest of low hanging fruit -- the fledglings that tended to gather on Sparrow Road near the railroad tracks. The payout was small but practically guaranteed, as long as he waited long enough. He just had to stake some unfortunate freshly-risen corpse, pull the fangs, and plunk them down at the guild for a reward. Far less rewarding than staking an old vampire with a manor full of loot, but beggars can't be choosers.

He was leaning his head against the brick, looking up at the moon, wishing a cool breeze would break the sweltering heat, when... 

...he heard something odd. Something like music. Something that pulled on his attention.

A drunkard or merrymaker singing, perhaps? But the music wasn't raucous or off-key, it was...

...beautiful...

Only the softest of alarm bells rang in his mind as he left his hidden post to go wandering down the street in search of the source of the song. There were no vampires around anyway. He'd go look, and be back to his vigil in a few minutes.

The beautiful music grew louder as he stumbled into an alcove between buildings, finally finding the singer. He was a young man, pale and handsome under the moonlight, with possibly the most gorgeous voice that Frank had ever heard, one that wrapped around him like a warm blanket and coaxed him gently forward.

He was a vampire.

Shit!

That's what that delicious feeling trickling down his spine was -- enthrallment. He'd felt it before, of course, but never this strong, never so thick in his mind that trying to think was like wading through molasses, never catching him so off guard that he very nearly fell for it. 

Relax... don't fight...

He reached for his silver knife, his limbs already heavy and slow. Adrenaline was the only thing keeping him from being taken entirely by that maddening voice.

The vampire didn't seem threatened in the slightest, even once Frank's clumsy fingers managed to pull the knife from its sheath. He stepped closer, his song intensifying, with a placid expression and piercing blue eyes. Frank tried to raise the knife, to assume a defensive posture, to do anything, anything at all, but sway in time to the vampire's song.

Relax, relax... no need to fight... no need to resist...

Why... why was his enthrallment so goddamned strong? Why did it feel so... so... so infuriatingly good?

The knife slipped from his hands and clattered to the cobblestones as the vampire closed the distance between them.

"You can relax," said the vampire in a musical tone. "Just relax. I'm not going to harm you."

"Like hell," he said through gritted teeth, using all his willpower to resist. The vampire was so close. All he had to do was grab a stake and end it. If he didn't... well, he'd seen plenty of what happens to those enthralled by vampires.

He just had to... grab a stake...

"Relax, hunter. You don't need that." 

The vampire had the stake in his hand, tossing it aside. When did he --

He was going to die here. No, worse. He was going to be hypnotized by a vampire, made into one of their blood bag slaves. It had happened so fast, his mind snared by the song in an instant.

He'd let his guard down, too focused on his desperation and assuming that the only vampires near Sparrow Road would be weak fledglings. This vampire was obviously one of their nobility -- despite his simple dress, his bearing and power made that all too clear. He'd pay for this mistake for the rest of his life.

"Shh, shh." The vampire ruffled his hair with something like affection, leaning in close. "Just relax now, and let your mind quiet. Quiet, so that you can listen to me."

"I -- I don't --"

The vampire tilted Frank's chin up to gaze into his eyes, so blue, so deep, like the ocean. His song was deep as well, rolling like the tides, Frank's mind floating on the waves of the vampire's will.

So this was what it was like. So this was why so many thralls they rescued were in dazed bliss. Despite the threat to his life, it felt incredible. 

"You can rest, hunter. I swear I will not harm you. You can rest so safe and deep in my control."

"In... your..." His body had long ceased struggling, his arms heavy and hanging limply by his side, his head slowly lolling in time with the vampire's beautiful voice. Only the smallest of sparks in his mind remained. "You... you've hypnotized me," he said dumbly.

"Yes, I have. You're completely under my control now. But you have nothing to fear."

It was true, wasn't it? He couldn't move, could barely talk, and his ability to think was being stolen away by the moment. After all these years, he'd finally been caught. He'd be made a slave in this vampire noble's manor, his mind ensorcelled. His only hope would be one of his fellow hunters coming to destroy this monster and rescue him.

But who among the hunters could stand against this monster's voice, his irresistible aura?

Be still, the voice called to him, and he was so still, in body and in mind. Be still and listen. Relax and listen. Listen...

He blinked his heavy eyelids. Yes, he would listen. He'd listen to anything this vampire had to say. He'd listen to this song forever. He understood now why some thralls kicked and screamed to resist being rescued. 

"Believe it or not, I actually wish to hire you -- but I didn't think the guild would take kindly to a vampire striding in among them with a job. I have a task that requires a hunter. Many hunters, in fact."

"I'll do it..." His voice slurred, thick with drowsy enchantment.

"That's a good hunter," said the vampire, and Frank's heart soared. "Your task is to kill a vampire, actually, one far more of a threat to humanity than I am. Does that interest you?"

"I'm good at killing vampires. I can kill a vampire for you."

"The vampire in question is far more powerful than I am -- that's why it will take more than one. As many as I can hypnotize, really, and the more experienced, the better."

Frank nodded slowly.

"You wish to serve me, don't you?" the vampire hummed in his ear.

"Yes..."

"This is all you need to do for me tonight. I want you to go back to your guild and let them know that there are several dangerous vampires preying on humans in Bellwood Park. I wish for you to gather two or three of your companions and bring them there in the next few nights. When you arrive at Bellwood Park, you will not warn your companions in any way when you hear the sound of my voice. Do you understand?"

"I understand."

"You'll help make sure they listen, just as you are. You want them to be as relaxed and content as you are right now, don't you?"

"Yes... they need to listen..."

"You won't breathe a word of me or my powers to anyone between now and then. This experience will seem like a distant, hazy dream until you hear my voice again. But you'd do anything to hear my voice again, wouldn't you?"

"Anything..."

"That's right, hunter, you're doing so well." The vampire hummed gently in his ear, further melting his mind into bliss. "Now let's repeat that a few times to make sure it all sinks in..."

Be quiet and listen.

And he did.

---

When Lex opened the door to his manor, he found the windows open to the night air, the gas lamps cheerfully flickering, and bright guitar music coming from the music room. The smell of bacon and eggs still hung in the air from his thrall's breakfast, as did the delectable scent of human.

After so many lonely years, his manor felt like a home instead of a grave.

He wanted to rush to greet Fitz, but it wouldn't do with the hunter's sweat all over his hands. It was a sordid business, but a necessary one. There was no doubt that no matter how many hunters he bound to his cause, no matter how much information and advantage he gave them, many would fall by his sire's hand.

But wouldn't a vampire hunter wish to die nobly in the service of destroying a great evil? They wouldn't die by his hand, but the Maestro's, and many other humans would be spared by their sacrifice. 

Truthfully, there was only one human whose safety concerned him.

Lex washed thoroughly to rid himself of the stench of fear and exertion, reflecting on the night's work as he splashed water onto his face. Tonight's find had been a lucky one, a seasoned hunter found by chance near a fledgling haunt, one who had connections to the guild. With luck, he'd bring more compatriots with him next time. It was a risky business to enthrall several trained hunters at once, but Lex was confident in his abilities. None had ever resisted his voice long enough to pose a threat.

Satisfied, he opened the door to the music room to find his precious thrall strumming his precious guitar, the gas light illuminating his golden hair. He looked up at Lex with that cheeky grin. "Well, good evening, sir, I was wondering where you were."

"I had some matters to attend to."

"Ah, yes, matters. That explains everything, sir." He laughed. "Is there anything I can do for you? I'm eager to serve, Master," he said, jovially sarcastic.

Oh, he was such a pleasure. So full of life. So blissfully unaware of how deeply he was ensorcelled. The perfect thrall, all for Lex to enjoy.

This was why. This was why he was going to risk himself consorting with hunters. This was why he had to kill his sire now, before he took Lex's precious thrall away and broke him, a treasure he'd never regain once lost. This was worth putting everything on the line.

His need was rising within him, spurred on by Lex's earlier expenditure of magic and the delicious aroma of blood that permeated the music room. "I think I would quite like to feed, if that's all right with you."

Fitz's hand dropped off the guitar strings, his eyes going wide and glassy on cue. "Yes, Master," he half-whispered, no hint of teasing in his voice now. "Please, Master, drink. I'm all yours."

"Yes," he said, taking the guitar away and settling it onto the stand. He sat down next to Fitz, cupping his chin in his hand. "Yes, you are. You're mine."

"I'm yours, sir."

Lex hummed in Fitz's ear. Unlike with the hunter, he didn't need to push obedience into Fitz's mind. It was already there, just under the surface, easily pulled to the forefront by Lex whenever he needed it. Instead, he gave Fitz the only thing he really seemed to want: to be wanted.

I want you, I want you, I want you.

Fitz gasped as Lex's fangs pierced the place where his neck met his shoulder, making truly indecent noises and gripping the back of Lex's shirt as Lex hungrily lapped at the blood. It was so impossibly delicious, like no other blood he had tasted, and Lex would do anything to be able to drink it for the rest of his days.

There was no doubt about it -- he was having feelings towards Fitz which were highly inappropriate to have towards a thrall.

As he drank, he could feel his memories and thoughts mixing with Fitz's, and welcomed the sensation, eager for Fitz to know how much he was cherished. In Fitz's thoughts, he could feel warm sunshine on his skin, the taste of a crisp apple in his mouth, the riotous colors of flowers in the spring. He could feel human. Almost human enough to love Fitz.

But he wasn't human. It was a fleeting illusion caused by their connection. He loved Fitz, but only in the ways a vampire could: the desire to possess, to control, to consume.

And Fitz would never love him in the ways of a human, either. He was hypnotized to feel pleasure and crave his master's feeding. Fitz's love was also nothing more than a fleeting illusion. 

But the illusion of sunshine was far better than none at all, and Lex was tired of denying his cravings for so long.

Prev > Masterlist > Next

Wow, I can't believe it's been fifty parts of The Rare Bookseller! Thanks for reading this far, and thank you so much for all the reblogs, comments, and appreciation!

@d-cs @latenightcupsofcoffee @thecyrulik @dismemberment-on-a-tuesday-night @wanderinggoblin

@whumpyourdamnpears @only-shadows-dwell-where-we-are @pressedpenn @pigeonwhumps @amusedmuralist

@xx-adam-xx @ivycloak @irregular-book @whumpsoda @mj-or-say10 @pokemaniacgemini

@sowhumpshaped @whumpsday @morning-star-whump @silly-scroimblo-skrunkl

@steh-lar-uh-nuhs @pirefyrelight @theauthorintraining @whump-me-all-night-long @anonfromcanada

@typewrittenfangs @tessellated-sunl1ght @cleverinsidejoke @abirbable @ichorousambrosia

@a-formless-entity @gobbo-king @writinggremlin @the-agency-archives @just-a-whumping-racoon-with-wifi

@enigmawriteswhump @foresttheblep @bottlecapreader @whump-on-a-string @whumpinthepot

@cinnamoncandycanes @avvail-whumps @tauntedoctopuses @secret-vampkissers-soiree @whatamidoingherehelpme

@strawbearydreams @ghost-whump

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Meatspace twiddling

I'm on tour with my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me next weekend (Mar 30/31) in ANAHEIM at WONDERCON, then in Boston with Randall "XKCD" Munroe (Apr 11), then Providence (Apr 12), and beyond!

"Enshittification" isn't just a way of describing the symptoms of platform decay: it's also a theory of the mechanism of decay – the means by which platforms get shittier and shittier until they are a giant pile of shit.

I call that mechanism "twiddling": this is the ability of digital services to alter their business-logic – the prices they charge, the payouts they offer, the particulars of the deal – from instant to instant, for each user, continuously:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/19/twiddler/

Contrary to Big Tech's own boasting about its operations, the tricks that tech firms play to siphon value away from business customers and end-users aren't very sophisticated. They're crude gimmicks, like offering a higher per-hour wage to Uber drivers whom the algorithm judges to be picky about which rides they'll clock in for, and then lowering the wage by small increments as a way of lulling the driver into gradually accepting a permanent lower rate:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/04/12/algorithmic-wage-discrimination/#fishers-of-men

This is a simple trick. The difference is that tech platforms like Uber can play it over and over, and very quickly. There's plenty of wage-stealing scumbag bosses who'd have loved to have shaved pennies off their workers' paychecks, then added a few cents back in if a worker cried foul, then started shaving the pennies again. The thing that stopped those bosses was the bottleneck of payroll clerks, who couldn't make the changes fast enough.

Uber plays crude tricks – like claiming that a driver isn't an employee because the control is mediated through an app – and then piles more crude tricks on top – this algorithmic wage discrimination gambit.

Have you ever watched a shell-game performed very slowly?

https://www.masterclass.com/articles/how-to-do-penn-tellers-famous-cups-and-balls-trick-in-12-steps

It's a series of very simple gimmicks, performed very quickly and smoothly. Computers are very quick and very smooth. The quickness of the hand deceives the eye: do crude tricks with superhuman speed and they'll seem sophisticated.

The one bright spot in the Great Enshittening that we're living through is that many firms are not sufficiently digitized to to these crude tricks very quickly. Take grocery stores: they can get up to a lot of the same tricks as Amazon – for example, they can charge suppliers for placement on the most prominent, easiest-to-reach shelves, reorganizing your shopping based on which companies pay the biggest bribes, rather than offering the best products and prices.

But Amazon takes this to a whole different level – beyond simply organizing their product pages based on payola, they do this for search. You ask Amazon, "What's your cheapest batteries?" and it lies to you. If you click the first link in a search-results page, you'll pay 29% more than you would if you got the best product – a product that is, on average, 17 places down on the results page. Amazon makes $38b/year taking bribes to lie to you:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/11/06/attention-rents/#consumer-welfare-queens

Amazon can do more than that. Thanks to its digital nature, it can continuously reprice its offerings – indeed, it can simply make up each price displayed on every product at the instant you look at it – based on its surveillance data about you, estimating your willingness to pay. For sellers, Amazon can continuously re-weight the likelihood that a given product will be shown to a customer based on the seller's willingness to discount their products, even to the point where they go out of business:

https://www.businessinsider.com/sadistic-amazon-treated-book-sellers-the-way-a-cheetah-would-pursue-a-sickly-gazelle-2013-10

Twiddling, in other words, lets digital services honeycomb their servers with sneaky wormholes that let them siphon value away from one kind of platform user and give it to another (as when Apple silently began spying on Iphone owners to create profiles for advertisers), or to themselves.

But hard-goods businesses struggle to do this kind of twiddling. Not for lack of desire – but for lack of capacity. Jeff Bezos, owner of Amazon Fresh – an online grocery store – can change prices and layout millions of times per day, at effectively zero cost. Jeff Bezos, owner of Whole Foods – a brick-and-mortar grocer – needs a army of teenagers on rollerskates with pricing guns to achieve a fraction of this agility.

So hard-goods businesses are somewhat enshittification-resistant. It's not that their owners are more interested in the welfare of their customers, workers and suppliers – they merely lack the capacity to continuously rejigger the way their business runs.

Well, about that.

Grocers have been experimenting with "electronic shelf labels" in order to do "dynamic pricing" – that means that prices change quickly, in response to circumstances:

https://www.npr.org/2024/03/06/1197958433/dynamic-pricing-grocery-supermarkets

This doesn't have to be bad! As @planetmoney points out, it's a little weird that grocers don't discount milk whose sell-by date is drawing near. That milk is worth less to shoppers, because they have to use it more quickly lest it expire. Instead of marking down the price of perishable goods – day-old lettuce, yesterday's bread, etc – grocers put them on the shelves next to fresher, more valuable products, leading to billions of dollars' worth of food-waste and and unimaginable quantities of methane-producing, planet-cooking landfill.

In Norway, ESLs are pretty well established and – at least according to Planet Money's reporting – they are used exclusively to offer discounts in order to reduce waste. They make everyone better off.

But towards the end of the story, they note that Norway's grocery sector – which alters prices up to 2,000 times per day – has been accused of using ESLs to rig prices, hiking them and blaming them on pandemic supply-chain problems and loose monetary policy. Greedflation, in other words.

Greedflation is rampant in the grocery sector, all around the world. Remember when the price of eggs doubled and they blamed in on bird-flu, even as the CEO of the one company that owns every egg brand you've ever heard of boasted about how he could hike prices and suckers would just pay it?

https://pluralistic.net/2023/01/23/cant-make-an-omelet/#keep-calm-and-crack-on

In Canada, grocers rigged the price of bread, the most Les-Mis-ass form of corporate crime you can imagine (do you want guillotines, Galen Weston? Because this is how you get guillotines):

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bread_price-fixing_in_Canada

EU grocers – another highly concentrated industry – also collude to rig prices:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/09/17/how-to-think-about-scraping/

Which is all to say that while these companies don't have to use the twiddling capabilities that come with ESLs to enshittify their stores, we'd be pretty fucking naive to assume that they won't.

And here's the bad news: US grocers like Whole Foods (owned by Amazon, the company that wrote the enshittification playbook) are already experimenting with ESLs. So is Alberstons/Safeway, the massive, inbred conglomerate that has already demonstrated its passion for using twiddling to fuck over their workers:

https://knock-la.com/vons-fires-delivery-drivers-prop-22-e899ee24ffd0/

Economists love "price discrimination" – where prices change based on circumstance, trying to match the perfect price with the perfect customer. On paper, that sounds plausible: if I need a quart of milk for a recipe I'm making tonight and I get a 50% discount on some about-to-expire 2%, then everyone's better off. I get a discount and the grocer gets some money for milk they'd have to throw away at the end of the day.

But these elegant, self-licking ice-cream cones only emerge if the corporation offering the deal is constrained. Perhaps they're constrained by competition – the fear that you'll go elsewhere. Or perhaps they're constrained by regulation – the fear that they'll be punished if they use twiddling-tech to cheat you.

The grocery sector, dominated by a cartel of massive companies that routinely collude to rip us off, is not constrained by competition. And for years, regulators let them get away with ripping us off (though finally that might be changing):

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/21/us/politics/grocery-prices-pandemic-ftc.html?unlocked_article_code=1.ek0.t2Pr.g4n2usbxEcoa

For neoclassical economists, the answer to all this is "caveat emptor" – let the buyer beware. If you want to make sure that ESLs are only used to offer you discounts and not to gouge prices, all you need to do is note the price of everything you buy, every time you buy it, and triple-check it every time you go back to the grocery store. Just be eternally vigilant!

Thing is, the one thing computers are much better at than humans is vigilance. With ESLs and other twiddling mechanisms, you're a fish on a hook, and the seller is tireless in giving you a little more slack, then a little less, until you finally drop your guard.

Economists desperately want these elegant models to work, but "efficient market hypothesis" is a brain-worm that always turns into apologetics for fraud. Dynamic markets sound like a good idea, but they are catnip for cheaters. "Just be eternally vigilant" is miserable advice, and no way to live your life:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

In his brilliant novel Spook Country, @GreatDismal describes augmented reality as "cyberspace everting" – that is, turning inside-out:

https://memex.craphound.com/2007/07/31/william-gibsons-spook-country/

The extrusion of twiddling technology from digital platforms into the physical world isn't cyberspace everting so much as it is cyberspace prolapsing.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/03/26/glitchbread/#electronic-shelf-tags

[wumblr]

okay

For decades, nuclear power has been the largest source of clean energy in the United States, accounting for 19% of total energy produced last year

false. first sentence. off to a great start. you may notice this is a 2022 chart but i can tell you the only new reactors started since then are vogtle 3 and 4 (you may notice that's not a new power plant but new reactors at an existing plant), years late and $17b over budget, vogtle as a whole produces 1.1gwh, we use about 29 million annually. point being: it has not risen to 19%, the last reactor since vogtle was watts bar in 2016 and since then we've decommissioned 14 of them

The industry directly employs nearly 60,000 workers in good paying jobs

weirdly low estimate, almost by half

maintains these jobs for decades

"maintains" is doing a lot of work here, does that include toxic exposure payouts? because they are still fighting pretty hard to get those in the world's first nuclear contamination site, hanford

and supports hundreds of thousands of other workers

✅ true! 475,000 according to the NEI link above

In the midst of transformational changes taking place throughout the U.S. energy system

sure

the Biden-Harris Administration is continuing to build on President Biden’s unprecedented goal of a carbon free electricity sector by 2035

have they developed carbon free cement yet? (yes.) at scale? (no.) are we just not counting construction emissions because they're one-time emissions investments or how does this work exactly, i would love to know because i think we're also not counting emissions from waste transport to longterm storage because we haven't started doing that. anyway they've built a train for it even though we don't have a storage site so that's umm. that's uhh. fine i'm sure

while also ensuring that consumers across the country have access to affordable, reliable electric power

i guess you can still say "across the country" if you exclude texas as an outlier

and creating good-paying clean energy jobs.

i guess you can still call them good paying clean energy jobs if everybody who mines and refines the uranium dies of cancer because you just pulled out of the largest disarmament program in history due to it being geopolitically inadmissible (for russia... to continue... selling us the uranium from decommissioning...? i'm still trying to figure out the optics of that one but anyway as i have previously stated we didn't actually stop buying it in cases where it's "liable to cause supply chain issues")

Alongside renewable power sources like wind and solar, a new generation of nuclear reactors is now capturing the attention of a wide range of stakeholders

weird way to say that

for nuclear energy’s ability to produce clean, reliable energy and meet the needs of a fast-growing economy, driven by President Biden’s Investing in America agenda and manufacturing boom.

this is a carrier sentence to inject the president's name, but i would like to question which sectors of the growing economy are driving the most energy demand because i'm sure there are no nasty truths being elided there (it's computing)

The Administration recognizes that decarbonizing our power system, which accounts for a quarter of all the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions, represents a pivotal challenge requiring all the expertise and ingenuity our nation can deliver.

it's time once again for... the energy flow sankey chart! the reason the power system accounts for a quarter of greenhouse gas emissions is in no small part because 67% of it is lost to waste heat. has the nation's expertise and ingenuity started working on that yet

The Biden-Harris Administration is today hosting a White House Summit on Domestic Nuclear Deployment, highlighting the collective progress being made from across the public and private sectors

oh boy! a summit! talking about it is the same as doing it

Under President Biden’s leadership, the Administration has taken a number of actions to strengthen our nation’s energy and economic security by reducing – and putting us on the path to eliminating – our reliance on Russian uranium for civil nuclear power and building a new supply chain for nuclear fuel

gosh, i got ahead of myself and already criticized both of those things

including: signing on to last year’s multi-country declaration at COP28 to triple nuclear energy capacity globally by 2050

everybody criticized that

developing new reactor designs

which ones, the bill gates project that just got cancelled because utilities pulled out (edit: that's nuscale, the bill gates project is terrapower), the rolls royce submarine, or the one that just got regulatory approval (edit: this is also nuscale)

extending the service lives of existing nuclear reactors

yep! you sure showed the embrittlement at diablo canyon by doing nothing about it

and growing the momentum behind new deployments

nonsense clause, but it has this really ominous undercurrent due to its vagueness

Recognizing the importance of both the existing U.S. nuclear fleet and continued build out of large nuclear power plants, the U.S. is also taking steps to mitigate project risks associated with large nuclear builds and position U.S. industry to support an aggressive deployment target.

this one is not nonsense but they can't just out and out say "we are deregulating the industry because opening the process for public comment is most often the thing that slows it down" because then somebody might realize they're bulldozing ahead no matter what any constituent says, does, or actually wants

To help drive reactor deployment while ensuring ratepayers and project stakeholders are better protected, theAdministration is announcing today the creation of a Nuclear Power Project Management and Delivery working group that will draw on leading experts from across the nuclear and megaproject construction industry to help identify opportunities to proactively mitigate sources of cost and schedule overrun risk

i'm sure a revolving door working group packed with industry insiders can solve this without compromising their commitment to the profit motive, not that it particularly matters since the cost is passed on to the consumer in the form of fees on the electric bill

The United States Army is also announcing that it will soon release a Request for Information to inform a deployment program for advanced reactors to power multiple Army sites in the United States

good god... that is a fresh nightmare i did not see coming

Additionally, the Department of Energy released today a new primer highlighting the expected enhanced safety of advanced nuclear reactors

"expected" really serves to demonstrate several points i've made

i'm going to stop going line by line here because i know this is already too boring and long for anyone to read this far, unless anybody wants to know what i think about parts 50, 52, and 53 of the NRC licensing guidance -- which many of you have very clearly stated over the years that you don't -- and while i do want to acknowledge that it does go into more detail and even answer some of the questions i raised (vogtle comes up, diablo canyon comes up, a list of which SMR designs is given, or at least a list of the companies responsible for them),

what i would like to focus on is one conspicuous absence:

the reason we need a new fleet of reactors is because they are an essential part of the bomb production chain. they are the beginning of the refinement process, and we cannot carry out the plan (already underway) to replace the minutemen missiles currently in silos with sentinel missiles without significant new construction. we cannot start the president's desired wars with russia and china without the new sentinels. he's not going to be the one to carry this out, he's ensuring whoever is his successor in about 2030 or more likely 2040 will be armed to do so. limited amount of time left to prevent that