#audi exclusive

[demoralised]

Satin Sand Beige Audi RS 6 Avant

[ghastigiggles]

oops i drew an audie and joseph interaction again. woops

i lost my shit laughing at this on the drive home last night and lost my shit laughing at it again this morning

[freshthoughts2020]

[wingster7045]

My 2010 Audi A8L exclusive looking real crispy right now

[what-shitfuckery-is-this-ew]

BOYCOTTING FOR PALESTINE

The Official BDS Boycott Targets

Campaigns

Block the boat: End maritime arms transfer to Israel

Ban Apartheid Israel from Sports (FIFA, Olympics)

CAF get off Israel's train: Boycott CAF

Greenwashing Apartheid

Israeli Spyware

Military Embargo

Farming Injustice

Consumer Boycotts - a complete boycott of these brands

Cisco

Axa

Puma

Carrefour

HP

Siemens

Chevron

Intel

Caltex

Israeli produce

Re/max

Ahava

Texaco

Sodastream

Intel

Organic Boycott Targets - boycotts not initiated by BDS but still complete boycott of these brands

Disney

Macdonald's

Dominos

Papa Johns

Burger King

Pizza Hut

Wix

Divestments and exclusion - pressure governments, institutions, investment funds, city councils, etc. to exclude from procurement contracts and investments and to divest from these

Elbit Systems

CAF

Volvo

CAT

Barclays

JCB

HD Hyundai

TKH Security

HikVision

Pressure - boycotts when reasonable alternatives exist, as well as lobbying, peaceful disruptions, and social media pressure.

Google

Amazon

AirBnb

Booking.Com

Expedia

Teva

Here are some companies that strongly support Israel (but are not Boycott targets). There is no ethical consumption under capitalism and boycotting is a political strategy - not a moral one. If you did try to boycott every supporter of Israel you would struggle to survive because every major company supports Israel (as a result of attempting to keep the US economy afloat), that being said, the ones that are being boycotted by masses and not already on the organic boycott list are coloured red.

5 Star Chocolate

7Days

7Up

Apple

Arsenal FC

ALDO

Arket

Axe

Accenture

Ariel

Adidas

ActionIQ

Aquafina

Amika

AccuWeather

Activia

Adobe

Aesop

Azrieli Group

American Eagle

Amway Corp

Axel Springer

American Airlines

American Express

Atlassian

AdeS

Aquarius

Ayataka

Audi

Barqs

Bain & Company

Bayer

Bank Leumi

Bank Hapoalim

BCG (Boston Consulting Group)

Biotherm

Bershka

Bloomberg

BMW

Boeing

Booz Allen Hamilton

Burberry

Bath & Body Works

Bosch

Bristol Myers Squibb

Capri Holdings

Costa

Carita Paris

CareTrust REIT

Caterpillar

Coach

Cappy

Caudalie

CeraVe

Check Point Software Technologies

Cerelac

Chanel

Chapman and Cutler

Channel

Cheerios

Cheetos

Chevron

Chips Ahoy!

Christina Aguilera

Citi Bank

Codral

Cosco

Canada Dry

Citi

Clal Insurance Enterprises

Clean & Clear

Clearblue

Clinique

Champion

Club Social

Coca Cola

Coffee Mate

Colgate

Comcast

Compass

Caesars

Conde Nast

Cooley LLP

Costco

Côte d’Or

Crest

CV Starr

CyberArk Software

Cytokinetics

Crayola

Cra Z Art

Daimler

Dr Pepper

Del Valle

Daim

Doctor Pepper

Dasani

Doritos

Daz

Dior

Dell

Deloitte

Delta Air Lines

Deutsche Bank

Deutsche Telekom

DHL Group

David Off

Disney

DLA Piper

Domestos

Domino’s

Douglas Elliman

Downy

Duane Morris LLP

Dreft Baby Detergent & Laundry Products

Dreyer’s Grand Ice Cream

eBay

Edelman

Eli Lilly

Evian

Empyrean

Ericsson

Endeavor

EPAM Systems

Estee Lauder

Elbit Systems

EY

Forbes

Facebook

Fairlife

Fanta

First International Bank of Israel

Fiverr

Funyuns

Fuze

Fox News

Fritos

Fox Corp

Gatorade

Gamida Cell

GE

Glamglow

General Catalyst

General Motors

Georgia

Gold Peak

Genesys

Goldman Sachs

Grandma’s Cookies

Garnier

Guess

Greenberg Traurig

Guerlain

Givenchy

H&M

Hadiklaim

Huggies

Hanes

HSBC

Head & Shoulders

Hersheys

Herbert Smith Freehills

Hewlett Packard

Hasbro

Hyundai

Henkel

Harel Insurance Investment & Financial Services

Hewlett Packard Enterprise

HubSpot

Huntsman Corp

IBM

Innocent

Insight Partners

Inditex Group

IT Cosmetics

Instacart

Intermedia

Interpublic Group

Instagram

ICL Group

Intuit

Jazwares

Jefferies

John Lewis

JP Morgan Chase

Jaguar

Johnson & Johnson

JPMorgan

Kenon Holdings

Kate Spade

Kirks’

Kinley Water

KKR

KFC

KKW Cosmetics

Kurkure

Keebler

Kolynos

Kaufland

Kevita

Knorr

KPMG

Lemonade

Lidl

Loblaws

Levi Strauss

Louis Vuitton

Life Water

Levi’s

Levi’s Strauss

LinkedIn

Land Rover

L’Oréal

Lego

Levissima

Live Nation Entertainment

Lufthansa

La Roche-Posay

Lipton

Major League Baseball

Manpower Group

Marriott

Marsh McLennan

Maison Francis Kurkdjian

Mastercard

Mattel

Minute Maid

Monster

Monki

Mainz FC

Mellow Yellow

Mountain Dew

Migdal Insurance

Marks & Spencer

Mirinda

McDermott Will & Emery

Motorola

McKinsey

Merck

Michael Kors

Mizrahi Tefahot Bank

Merck KGaA

Micheal Kors

Milkybar

Maybelline

Mount Franklin

Meta

MeUndies

Mattle

Microsoft

Munchies

Miranda

Morgan Lewis

Moroccanoil

Morgan Stanley

MRC

Nasdaq

Naughty Dog

Nivea

Next

NOS

Nabisco

Nutter Butter

No Frills

National Basketball Association

National Geographic

Nintendo

New Balance

Nutella

Newtons

NVIDIA

Netflix

Nescafe

Nestle

Nesquick

Nike

Nussbeisser

Oreo

Oral B

Old spice

Oysho

Omeprazole

Oceanspray

Opodo

P&G (Procter and Gamble)

Pampers

Pull & Bear

Pepsi

Pfizer

Popeyes

Parker Pens

Philadelphia Cream Cheese

Pizza Hut

Powerade

Purina

Phoenix Holdings

Propel

Ponds

Pure Leaf Green Tea

Power Action Wipes

PwC

Prada

Perry Ellis

Prada Eyewear

Pringles

Payoneer

Procter & Gamble

Purelife

Pureology

Quaker Oats

Reddit

Royal Bank of Canada

Ruffles

Revlon

Ralph Lauren

Ritz

Rolls Royce

Royal

S.Pellegrino

Sabra Hummus

Sabre

Sony

SAP

Simply

Smart Water

Sprite

Schwabe

Shell

Soda Stream

Siemens

StreamElements

Schweppes

Sunsilk

Signal

Skittles

Smart Food

Sobe

Smarties

Sephora

Sam’s Club

Superbus

Samsung

Sodastream

Sunkist

Scotiabank

Sour Patch Kids

Starbucks

Sadaf

Stride

Subway

Tang

Tate’s Bake Shop

The Body Shop

Tesco

Twitch

The Ordinary

Tim Hortons

Tostitos

Timberland

Topo Chico

Tapestry

Tropicana

Tommy Hilfiger

Tommy Hilfiger Toiletries

Turbos

Tom Ford

Taco Bell

Triscuit

TUC

Twix

Tottenham Hotspurs

Twisties

Tripadvisor

Uber

Uber Eats

Urban Decay

Upfield

Unilever

Vicks

Victoria’s Secret

V8

Vaseline

Vitaminwater

Volkswagen

Volvo

Walmart

Wegmans

WhatsApp

Waitrose

Woolworths

Wheat Thins

Walkers

Warner Brothers

Warner Chilcot

Warner Music

Wells Fargo

Winston & Strawn

WingStreet

Wissotzky Tea

WWE

Wheel Washing Powder

Wrigley Company

YouTube

Yvel

Yum Brands

Ziyad

Zara

Zim Shipping

Ziff Davis

[syrupfog]

One Piece Spring Break Race-to-the-Beach AU. 

The race starts at 11pm, goes through five states, ends at a beach house large enough that it was once filmed on MTV. 

The prize? Glory. And gas money. 

The cars are as follows;

The Merry. Usopp’s beat up Volkswagen Jetta with Luffy, Zoro, Nami, Usopp, and Sanji. 

The Sunny. Franky’s modified school bus with Franky, Robin, Chopper, Brook and Jinbei. 

The Punk. Kid’s 30 year old red jeep, with just Kid and Killer. In it for glory.

The Tang. Law’s perfectly clean Audi. Contains Law, Bepo, Penguin and Shachi. 

The Phoenix. Sabo’s smart car with Sabo, Ace and Marco.

Hour 1; 11pm 

The East Blue immediately starts in the wrong direction. Nami is screaming at Zoro. He does not get to drive anymore. 

The Punk cuts off The Tang getting onto the interstate. There’s cursing on both ends. Law swears revenge.

The Sunny is playing Coldplay exclusively, as Franky says it’s “tradition”. 

The Phoenix is taking “a shortcut”. They may be lost.

Hour 2; 12am. 

The East Blue: Zoro and Sanji are asleep. Luffy has eaten all of the road snacks. 

The Sunny: Chopper is also asleep. Robin is reading aloud from her book on decomposition. 

The Punk: has hit 100mph. Killer is on cop-watch.

The Tang: has delegated a sleep rotation for maximum wakefulness. The rotation has already fallen apart as Shachi has revealed the crate of Monster energy. 

The Phoenix: shakes when it gets over 60mph.

Hour 3: 1am. 

Cars have entered The Mountains. 

East Blue: Luffy drives for 15 minutes before Nami bans him for going too fast on curves. 

Sunny: does not do well on inclines. Jinbei does not go over the speed limit. 

Phoenix: has found the secret tunnel THROUGH the mountain.

The Punk: has received their first speeding ticket. Kid’s plates are expired. 

The Tang: currently in first, because Penguin slammed two monsters and sped past the Punk while they were pulled over.

Hour 4: 2am. 

The East Blue: Usopp is the one driving when they hit The Deer. No one is hurt but the car is Totaled. Usopp is in tears and Luffy is trying to cheer him up by reading from riddles dot com. 

The Sunny: gets the distress call.

The Punk: gets a second speeding ticket. Killer takes over because Kid speeds more when he’s angry. 

The Tang: Shachi and Penguin have a meltdown when they realise Biscuit World is closed. Bepo says they have biscuits at home. 

The Phoenix: Ace is upset they won’t let him drive. He has narcolepsy.

Hour 5: 3am. 

The Sunny: Nami takes over driving. Franky refuses to stop playing Coldplay. Brook is offended about this, he brought his whole mixtape collection. Usopp is in mourning. Luffy is so happy to be around more friends.

The Punk: killer gets a speeding ticket. 

The Tang: shocking everyone, Bepo hits 110mph going down the mountain. He is screaming. Law bans him from driving. 

The Phoenix: Stops for gas and picks up a hitchhiker named Teach

Hour 5.5 

The Phoenix: Marco physically removes Teach from the car. The car is, at the time, doing 60 mph. Fuck that guy.

Hour 6: 4am. 

The Sunny: has stopped for gas. Luffy is walking in circles around the bus, humming offkey Coldplay. Zoro, Usopp and Chopper are watching him with worried eyes from inside the bus. Sanji is inside buying all the beef jerky they have.

Punk: hits a cow and flips. Kid and Killer both wear their seatbelts very responsibly (??) and are fine. 

Tang: passes Punk. Shachi is driving. Turns back. Law is screaming that he won’t let them in his car. Law is overruled because Penguin and Killer have a Stardew farm co-op.

The Phoenix: Marco and Ace are making out. Sabo regrets this passenger combination.

Hour 7: 5am. 

The Sunny: Jinbei and Brook and Nami are asleep. Chopper has mistakenly drunk an energy drink and has stopped blinking. Sanji and Zoro are arguing in whispers as Nami is asleep on the bench next to them. Luffy licked a window when it fogged up.

The Tang: Law is driving. Bepo is shotgun. Penguin is sitting on Killer’s lap, and Shachi is squished between Killer and Kid. Law is FUMING. He and Kid are in an intense argument about toll roads versus back roads. 

The Phoenix: Ace is asleep again.

Hour 8: 6am. 

The Sunny and the Tang are in the flat states near the coast. The Phoenix is taking backroads and has lost GPS signal.

Hour 9: 7am. 

A firefly has been squished on the windshield of the Sunny, and Luffy, Usopp and Robin are OBSESSED. There’s glowing goo all over the windshield. Sanji is cowering behind Zoro at the back of the bus. Nami is, thankfully, asleep.

The Tang has broken the sound barrier, because Law is still driving and he needs to get OUT OF THIS CAR. Penguin is straddling Killer. Shachi and Kid might start hate fucking soon. Bepo is asleep. 

The Phoenix has stopped at a 24 hour antique shop.

Hour 10: 8am. 

The sun is rising. The Sunny is in the middle of a Britney Speaks sing-along led by Brook, even though Franky won’t turn the Coldplay off. 

Robin is driving. At a red light, she sees The Phoenix at the opposite side of the intersection. She says nothing.

The Tang stops for gas, and Law stumbles out and onto the ground like a man at an oasis in the desert. He goes inside and buys gas station sushi because a strong man chooses how he dies.

Hour 11: 9am. 

The Sunny is in the right state! The end is near! Zoro has fallen asleep in Sanji’s lap and Sanji seems to be having a crisis. Franky and Robin are holding hands. Luffy is attempting to crawl onto the roof at every red lighy.

The Phoenix and the Tang pull up next to each other at a stop light. Ace is asleep on the back seat but Marco and Sabo wave. Law gives them the middle finger and Bepo apologises. Penguin’s fingers are under Killer’s mask and no one wants to talk about it.

Hour 12: 10am. 

The Sunny drives over the bridge to the island where the beach house is located! There is rejoicing!! They’ve made it!! 

…except it turns out the island is still a 20 minute drive from one end to the other. Nami spots the Tang right behind them out the window.

Nami screams at Franky to Floor it. Franky Floors it. Law, who has not slept at all and needs to get away from whatever is happening in the back seat, also floors it. 

Luffy manages to get the emergency hatch at the top of the bus open and crawls onto the roof, waving wildly

Yelling for Torao to look at him as Zoro grabs onto his ankles to keep him attached to the bus. 

Kid sees Luffy and starts yelling at Law to speed up. Law yells at Kid that it’s a single lane road. Penguin is making out with Killer’s mask. Shachi’s hands are… somewhere.

They race down the waterfront road as the bus shakes from exertion and the Audi purrs like a kitten. Everyone is screaming. 

The Tang drives into the opposing traffic to try to overtake the sunny just as they reach the beach house at the very end of the lane

There’s a squealing of tires as they both brake to a stop on the lawn, mere inches from the front door. 

Chopper stumbles out onto the sand, having lost years off his life in the last few seconds of that race. 

Law gets out and starts throwing rocks at everyone in the back

Then, the front door of the beach house opens and Ace walks out, roast beef sandwich mid bite. 

Everyone stares at him. 

“Hey,” Ace says. “What took you so long?” 

Nami wails. 

Luffy scampers all the way onto the Sunny’s roof and jumps at Ace. 

Ace does not catch him.

Killer and Penguin are making out on the sand, killer’s mask partially up. 

Zoro and Sanji are… in the back of the bus. Doing… something. 

Jinbei starts unloading luggage. 

After recovering from his fall, Luffy jumps over to Law and drags him in to pick rooms.

[accio-victuuri]

NOVEMBER 19 : The Full Story 📝

oh well sort of, cause this is what is known and shared publicly with tons of filling in the blanks by cpfs. someone made a side by side incidents during this day and time for the past years 2017 to now 2023 and it’s good to see it all laid out. it’s hilarious to see the realization among turtles that we could be wrong about their anniversary date. for years, we always talked about the month of June but now, November is making a great argument 😂

( these freakin masterminds are so naughty! I swear!!! 🤣🤣🤣 )

source of the compilation i’m using to outline is 圣衣雪琳 cause they perfectly summed up the key points very well. I already talked about some of these in my previous post but this is for the “11/19 lore” exclusively and so we can expand on other years.

I’m a sucker for timelines so let’s go 💪🏼

2017: At this time, they already know of each other and depending on who you ask might have already been low key stalking the other. LOL. WYB’s was about Just Dance and ZZ is a selfie and hotpot ; the latter post about going home.

I don’t think that this holds much significance in terms of an actual relationship and stuff happening behind the scenes. However, it feels like fate that they both posted on this day even without that significance being there. We cpfs love to talk about how they are fated and certain things, no matter how mundane, turned out to be a piece that completed the puzzle. There is some push back with some turtles saying this shouldn’t be included cause it seems like the start of this 11/19 is 2018 but again, just leaving this here. I could probably add 2015/2016 if we really wanna back track lol

2018: THIS IS THE KEY CPN IN ALL OF THIS. I have already explained it here. The infamous Japan trip. How both of them seemingly making references to their post from this year vs today (2023) especially XZ who even posted on the same time. There are so many rumors about this timeline, even going as far as saying the next day, they started living together. How this was WYB saying it’s WYB, not LWJ. So the relationship they have now is not between fictional characters but the real one.

I’m eating this candy whole. No one can tell me otherwise. I’m sold 🤣🤣🤣

Have we been wrong? did they officially become together 11/19/2018. Some are even pointing out that one of GG’s photos shared today appears to be him traveling back from IM to Beijing.

and who is in Beijing? His home. Yibo. 🏡

We love to think about them sharing photos to each other and i’m imagining this is ZZ sending something similar to WYB and saying that he is on his way back.

2019: Bazaar video was released, it’s message being a favorite among BXGs. Going by the assumption that this is their anniversary of sorts, it makes sense to have a message like that to be delivered.

how he met his love in a dream ( presumably that summer and playing wwx opposite wyb’s lwj ) and when he woke up, his love is still there. meaning even in reality, he still feels the same. no. it was not scripted, the one who shot it said it was xz’s answer and he was shocked too.

They posted some work related stuff on that day, with WYB’s being audi’s. the part of the caption we are clowning about is : Don’t blame me for not reminding you. Which in the original post and context is about the benefits you will get if you buy an Audi. but in cpn speak it could mean that ZZ probably forget, but he actually didn’t cause that bazaar love confession was clear.

2020: I already talked in detail over here #2 with was going on at the time.

It’s also the start of the whole Thursday is a good day to see you, in reference to WYB’s vogue post. Then it snowballed into a whole CPN of it’s own.

I forgot to add one important thing tho, around this time 11/18 there schedules were public and both are supposed to go back to Beijing. WYB was from Hangzhou and ZZ was from Nanjing. The incident of WYB changing his flight 3x so he can go back to Beijing is this time 11/18. We clowned that he was so eager to be in the same city with ZZ but with what we think now, it could be he wanted them to be together badly because it’s their anniversary the next day 11/19. 🤯

2021: Both of them posting a Douyin video that involves changing clothes. Which is a very common transition trend on the app but seeing it done on the same day was a treat and unusual. GG’s was posted 11/17 and WYB was 11/19.

I wanna remind people too that this is the same month we got the mysterious “voices” both in Shenzhen Vlog ( his husband wang yibo ) and talks of ZZ being at the Luoyang press conference filming. The same month the whole Ximalaya CPN started too. So they were definitely “acting up”.

2022: No actual posts but a parallel. 11/17, Guangdian appeared on the itunes chart because of fan’s effort. 11/18, WYB released a song ( government related ) called Light Chaser. So spotlight = light chaser has similar element and theme of light. Then on 11/20 WYB’s shared a douyin with 👀.

2023: Probably making up for how quiet last year was, they decided to give us a big hint/s of what 11/19 is all about. 😂😂😂

This is all fake and cpn talk. I do enjoy when candies go years back! This journey of trying to piece things together is a bxg’s strength so we’re really thriving today— with all the possibly unrelated events we have managed to stitch together into this! 🙃

[sims4cars-breezemotors]

“Performance meets precision”

2023 Audi RS3 🇩🇪

The 2024 Audi RS 3 delivers intelligent, responsive performance. It’s an experience you’ll want to repeat—daily.

Available since September 2’nd for “No Limits” and “All Inclusive” tiers exclusively.

Model with HQ interior, open/close doors, trunk and functional light.

Go and join my Patreon!

[ummick]

Mick Schumacher Completes Tire Test For McLaren As Alpine Decision Looms

The 2024 Formula 1 British Grand Prix may be in the rear-view mirror, leaving just iconic images of Lewis Hamilton's return to the top step of the podium behind, but the work continues at Silverstone, and for one driver in particular, the effort Monday comes ahead of a critical decision regarding his, and the F1 driver grid's, future. Mick Schumacher was one of a trio of drivers participating in a Pirelli tire test at Silverstone on Tuesday, as the sport's exclusive tire supplier works to refine the compounds for the 2025 F1 season. Schumacher climbed into the cockpit of McLaren's MCL38, their challenger for the 2024 F1 season, as part of his reserve driver duties with Mercedes, McLaren’s engine supplier. Alexander Albon drove for Williams, with Haas, where Schumacher once drove on a full-time basis, calling on Pietro Fittipaldi. This was not Schumacher's first time testing for McLaren. Last July the former Haas driver climbed into the MCL35M for a testing session with the Woking-based team at Portimão Circuit in Portugal. Daniel Ricciardo drove the MCL35M to victory for McLaren at the 2021 Italian Grand Prix. According to Pirelli's media report, the conditions at Silverstone were too wet for the three drivers to test the hardest compounds, so the focus shifted to runs on the green-walled intermediates, using them with and without tire blankets. As noted by Pirelli in the media report, "...a total of 201 laps were completed; 53 by Schumacher (best lap 1:37.428), 86 for Albon (1:41.116), and 62 for Fittipaldi (1:42.124)." While there is no context associated with those times, such as whether Schumacher's best lap came with or without tire blankets, it is worth noting that Hamilton's best lap on intermediates during Sunday's British Grand Prix, courtesy of data from F1 Tempo, was 1:37.220. Lando Norris' best lap on the intermediates during Sunday's British Grand Prix-in the MCL38, remember-was a 1:36:746.

Schumacher's test with McLaren comes ahead of Alpine's decision regarding their second seat for the 2025 season. Ahead of the Austrian Grand Prix, Alpine confirmed that Pierre Gasly would be returning to the team next season on a new, "multi-year" contract. Earlier this season the team announced they and driver Esteban Ocon would be parting ways at the end of the 2024 campaign. That means one spot remains for the team to fill, and Schumacher is under consideration for that position. Also under consideration is Jack Doohan, and the two drivers recently completed a testing session at Circuit Paul Ricard in the A522, Alpine's challenger for the 2022 F1 season. Alpine is also making a push for Carlos Sainz Jr., who has yet to decide where he will drive next year. Sainz was strongly linked with Williams earlier this season, but Alpine has joined the fray for his services, along with Sauber/Audi.

[nevadas-night-time-novelist]

I’d ask for more stuff for the reader with the employers (other than Audi) but rrrrrfgg. So little content of them

I feel you Anon, but that's cuz there's jack shit info on them. This got longer than intended and tumblr wont let me save anymore to this post, so I'll make another post with Conductor and Deliberator! :]

Stygian x reader

CW: Talks of death/decay

STYGIAN

Arguably the oldest of the four widely known employers, for as long as life has existed, so too has death. Black wisps of smoke curled around his skeletal form, flowing down without pattern or consistency. His few visible features deep set in his face, from his dull pink eyes, to his cheekbones protruding prominently.

His paper thin skin seemed to barely sit on the pink toned bones, looking as if any movement would tear it away, it was something you'd wondered about often when thinking of him.

"Worm." His voice was hollow, a soulless husky rasp with a hint of airiness to it. That was how he referred to everyone he deemed below him, which was everything but his kin.

Being called upon to aid in his work was exciting, yet a heavy burden. Plenty of dead souls passed this realm, and you were part of an exclusive team of judges, dictating where each S-3LF should go. To be reborn, to be banished to purgatory, sentenced to hell, or perhaps the worst fate you'd come to learn of, to be torn asunder into nothing, scattered across the cosmic void.

Sure, purgatory and hell weren't pleasant places, but arguably seemed kinder fates that simply becoming completely undone, as though one had never existed at all...

He snapped his fingers, and you were alone in his office. "Sit." His voice was cold and commanding, yet it always had that tone. Reading him was difficult, always a frigid reception, emotionless to the fullest extent. You obeyed without a word, the chair uncomfortable and worn, unlike the one behind his desk, which was new, plush, and looked a whole lot more comfortable.

His gaunt figure passed by, and a hint of ash mixed with embalming fluids flooded your nose, still incredibly potent despite how often the smell filled your office space.

Narrow hip bones lay neath the skirt of his black floor length toga, a belt of tiny animal skulls rested around his waist. "You are being far too kind to these pathetic bugs. You have yet to submit souls to be cast into The Nothing. Weakness like this shall not be taken lightly."

"I'm sorry, sir." His eyes narrowed.

"These are unworthy beings deserving of erasure, if you can't comply, you'll find yourself joining them into obscurity."

"I'll do better, sir. I vow it."

"As is expected. You are meant to make my job easier. Remember, you are replaceable."

"Understood, sir."

You were suddenly back in your office, leaving Stygian alone in his. He sat at his desk, gritting his teeth. Yes, this little worm was weak, below him, so why couldn't he get you off his mind?

Too kind for their own good, even when he insulted them, berated and tore them apart, they were ever-so polite and always replied formally. His smoke curled around his head, growing thicker as his annoyance grew, filling the room with a black and pink haze.

He was the beast of death, reeling in souls and fixing the afterlife for all, and love and romance weren't really his deal. He was utterly blind to this, doubly so because it was mere mortal that caught his fancy.

He snapped his fingers, and at once a younger fellow Employer appeared in the chair ahead of him. "You really need to stop doing that. I was busy." Dreamer sighed and looked at Stygian. "Why did you call on me, brother?"

Stygian sighed, like a wind blowing through bones. "A mortal being plagues my mind. You deal with these things regularly, what do you propose is wrong with me?"

Dreamer twirled her star earring. "Depends, what thoughts are you thinking?"

"They infest my mind like maggots, writhing in my skin and burrowing deeper. Their face haunts my mind, a ghost trapped in my skull. Tell me Dreamer, tell me, what is wrong?"

Summoning a tea cup, Dreamer sipped thoughtfully. "You're in love."

"What?"

She giggled and rolled her eyes. "This mortal, whoever they are, you're in love with them. Indulge in it, or don't. Do what thou will, tis what thy's best at. But if you do intent to pursue them, do change out of your deathly rags, okay Steeg?" She clapped her hands, and was gone.

In love? HIM? Bullshit, Dreamer was in her own world again. No. He wasn't in love. He needed to kill you, to break you from his mind entirely, to make you cease to exist, to-

A stack of documents landed in his tray, and he groaned, taking the top one off. His eyes instantly went to the bottom, your signature freshly inked. "Perhaps the purple one has a point." He slumped in his chair slightly, casting the paper aside. Auditor could file them himself, he enjoyed that stuff anyway.

Stygian got up, melting into the floor, appearing back in his private quarters. Heading to his wardrobe, he cracked it open, seeing nothing more than old suits, funeral attire, and worn out reaper robes. He groaned and rubbed his eyes, of course his clothing was useless, he rarely took care of his physical form.

He's living death for Maker's sake, why is he fussing about this?!

"Your thoughts are disrupting my flow." Connie was sitting in a chair in Stygian's bedroom.

"Tis a shame we cannot all have coherent thoughts, Conductor." Stygian scowled angrily. "Precisely what are you intending to achieve here?"

Conductor let out a melodic chuckle, his voice smooth like a fine tuned instrument. "You're not yourself. You're... Bothered. And I don't mean your usual gloom filled irritated self." He rested his head on a fist. "And since when do you change your attire but once a century?"

Stygian gritted his sharp teeth. "Well. Fine. Dreamer may have placed..... Strange thoughts in my mind, about... 'Love.' With some mortal of all things." He threw an old suit on the floor. "And that my clothes are RAGS!"

Connie straightened his tie. "She.. Has a point on that second thing." He pulled his baton, twirling it around in his hands, a blue light shooting out and wrapping itself around Stygian, and instantly tall, dark, and depressing was in a new, freshly pressed three piece suit with a pink tie to match his eyes. "Much better."

Stygian tapped his tie, and a skull lapel pin appeared on it.

Again Conductor swirled his baton, and a fat bouquet of white lilies mixed with blood red roses appeared in Stygian's arms. "Mortals are finicky, they enjoy things like that. Now go and demand they accept your offer."

You were seated at your desk still, condemning another old soul to the void. This one had lived so many lives, so many wicked lived. Dissolving them would be a blessing to the world... That was rather cruel, unlike your usual thoughts. Strange...

"Ahem." You spun in your chair, seeing Stygian in a full suit, his misty 'hair' flowing down, streaks of pink inside inky black. "You will attend a restaurant with me tonight. We need to discuss what happened earlier in greater depth."

Stygian wasn't asking, he was commanding. "Y-yes sir." You found yourself questioning his motives, he never spent time with anyone besides his brothers and sister.

His eyes narrowed, reading you back. "Here." He grunted, thrusting his arm out, shoving the bouquet into your face. "I've been informed that your kind... enjoys such gestures."

"What.. is this?" You looked up from your roses and lilies, and spotted soft pink flushing his cheeks, his eyes averted. "Sir?"

"Just get ready." Stygian snapped his fingers, a body hugging lacy black dress, with rhinestones and intricate little patterns embroidered on, and a classy all black suit, equally bejewelled with lace gloves both appeared on your desk. "Hopefully either of those should be to your liking."

You picked out one of the garments and rushed off to the staff toilets, heart racing and hands shaking. This wasn't happening, right? In a second, Stygian's hand would slam on your desk, and he'd bark at you to wake up. Surely he hadn't picked up on your slight attraction to him, right?

It was cringe-worthy, the living embodiment of death making your stomach butterflies flutter wildly. His cold demeanour, his harsh attitude, the puppy-love feeling of him softening these traits for you, it was all a fantasy, right?

Dressing up, you stepped out, and nearly collided with Stygian, who was lingering outside. "You... look nice." He grumbled, covering his mouth. "I figured you could perhaps enhance your appearance further with this."

He held out a box, opening it to show off a beautiful necklace with pink gemstones encrusted in rose gold metal. "A-are you sure about this sir? This doesn't seem like you."

Stygian looked at you finally, smoke swirling around his skull, twirling around your face as he stepped closer. "Don't think I haven't picked up on your signals, mortal. I can hear the way your heart races when you're close to me, I feel the lingering stares that could almost imprint in my form. I've ignored it and pushed it down for as long as I could, mistaking my own affections for resentment.

You wish to entangle yourself with death? Then prove to me you're worthy of it." Your hands grasped his cheeks, passing through his misty form and grabbing a hold of the black bone beneath, pulling it towards your face, feeling his teeth against your lips.

His flames were cool, but his bones were warm, pleasantly heating your hands as you held him, one of his skeletal hands covered yours, the other pulling you closer by your hips.

A lightheaded feeling washed over you, you started to collapse in his arms, but he was quick to support you. As he pulled back, you noticed a white mist flowing from between his teeth.

"Quite literally stealing your breath away." Resting in his arms a moment, his hand rubbed your back to comfort you, the other cradling your head against his chest. "To be in love with a mortal... To my kin it's unheard of. But you're different. You always have been. You vex me, but I crave it."

He slipped the necklace around your neck, and you looked up from the comfort of his skeletal form to his pink eyes. "Does this mean you're not firing me at dinner tonight?" You joked and he closed his eyes and sighed.

"Of course not. How dare you expect me to let such a good thing go."

[bballlvr8]

BBALLLVR8'S THOUGHTS ON PRESEASON AP POLL 6-10

6. Notre Dame- Brings back their PG Olivia Miles who is going to completely change the dynamic in the way that notre dame played last year, gives hannah the opportunity to be off the ball. The only reason I feel that they aren't higher is because they have two big losses. For at least a few weeks in the beginning of the season Maddy Westbeld will not be playing, they won't have Kylee Watson at the beginning of the season and KK Bransford is redshirting so they have some pretty big losses. - I would have actually put them lower lol.

7. LSU- My problem with LSU is they are so guard heavy it makes no sense. I also never see much success with teams whose whole roster is basically transfers.. I actually would have put them lower. ADR does not move me as the center..i hope she put in heavy work during the offseason. I just don't see the hype with this team at all..

8. Iowa State- Audi is the truth, a lot of their squad from last year returned and I thought they were a great team last year. - I think 8 is a good rating.

9. NC State- I am actually shocked that they are this low, they bring a great freshman in Zam Jones, pretty much has the same core as last year with the exclusion of River Baldwin. They will definitely be playing with a chip on their shoulder, cause honestly I would have them above LSU.

10. Oklahoma- TBH I don't know much about their players, I felt that Oklahoma did show great promise during the season last year, and with the addition of Raegan Beers, I feel that 10 is good for them.

[thommi-tomate]

Thomas has launched the annual Christmas auction to benefit the Nicolaidis Youngs Wings Foundation, in which he and his friends put unique items up for auction like:

Thomas' away jersey worn in a UCL match and signed (at the moment bid for €750)

Signed Thomas personal boots (at the moment offered for €250)

2 VIP tickets for the FCB UCL Round of 16, with access to catering in the Adidas Lounge, and also a signed jersey from the entire team (at the moment best bid for €500, donated by Adidas)

FCB away match broadcast with exclusive catering in the Miele Lounge at the Allianz Arena for up to 15 people and a guided tour of the stadium (at the moment best bid for €200, donated by Miele)

2 VIP tickets for the FCB vs Werder Bremen match in the Audi Hospitality Lounge, with catering by DO & CO and before the match an exclusive guided tour of the FCB museum. (at the moment best bid for €700, donated by Audi)

2 VIP tickets for FCB Basketball at the game against Real Madrid Basketball, in seats directly on the court along with a signed jersey (at the moment best bid for €300, donated by REWE-Markt)

World Cup ball signed by Thomas (at the moment best bid for €100)

Sadio Mané's away jersey from last season (at the moment best bid for €100)

Page

[aelinschild]

PROLOGUE

Holding Me Like Water In Your Hands

Main Masterlist | HMLWIYH Masterlist

Hello and welcome to my first-ever fic! My idea for this is extensive and full of feels, featuring all the best ToG characters (AKA all of them) but mainly centering on Rowaelin. I really have no idea what I'm doing, but I have ideas, and I want to bring them to life, so yeah!

SYNOPSIS:A cross continental move forces Aelin Galathynius to open her eyes wider than before, and at the doors of Terrasen's most exclusive and expensive private high school, she realizes her life is flowing through her. And if she wants to make the most of her life, she needs to grab onto something. Or maybe someone. WORDCOUNT: 421 GENERAL WARNINGS: Language, Drug use, Alcohol, Allusion to sex/intimacy, Brief descriptions of sexual assault, Domestic violence, Very severe angst, Messy Divorces (More to be added)

The Audi glided into the gas station, rolling to a stop at the pump. 

“You have five minutes, Linny, and don't forget my pringles!” Evalin Galathynius trilled, before sliding out of the car and towards the pump. 

I rolled out my shoulders and stretched my legs in the limited space of the SUV. Google Maps was recalculating after our stop, alerting me that I only had two more hours of my mother's anxious ramblings before we would arrive at the Galathynius’ newest purchase. 

A house. 

Back in Terrasen. 

Orynth to be specific. 

My mother and I had set out at nine this morning to begin our journey to Orynth, northward of Rifthold, and my entire life. Dad wasn't even home this morning when we left. 

I prop open the door and step out of the Audi. I can smell the cigarette smoke from the other side of the car where my mother is filling the tank. Its smell is a constant reminder of the current state of my life. Swallowing my comment about the safety of fire-bearing items and gasoline, I secure my slippers to my feet and wander over to the convenience store attached to the gas pumps. 

The bell dings when I walk through the door, and I beeline for the washroom before I begin my stockpiling of snacks. The floors are sticky, and I can’t help but sigh at what will become of my slippers after this journey. When I make it to the obviously neglected washroom, I quickly shut and lock the door before I turn to the mirror. 

The girl that stands in the reflection looks hollow. 

Her golden blonde hair that reaches her elbows doesn't shine anymore, it simply hangs limp, void of the beautiful soft curls that once elevated it. The bags beneath her eyes are sunken, darker even than they were last week. There’s a breakout on her forehead that rose to the surface of her once sunkissed skin. And her eyes, those she can barely look at. The blue is dull, and the golden circle that kiss her pupil are barely visible anymore. 

That girl is me, Aelin. 

And after driving for the last five hours, I feel like shit and my bladder is on the verge of explosion from the four black coffees I've put down. 

I let out a defeated snort, one that slowly merges into maniacal laughter. The girl in the mirror laughs with me, but there's no joy in this bathroom. 

There’s no joy in the girl either. 

[douradoluxurycar]

Discover Extravagance: Luxury Car Dealerships in Dubai Offer the Ultimate in Opulence and Performance

Dubai is known for its opulence and luxury lifestyle, and there are several luxury car dealerships in the city where you can find high-end vehicles. Keep in mind that the availability of specific brands and models may change over time, so it's a good idea to check the latest information and visit the dealerships' websites or contact them directly for the most up-to-date offerings. Here are some luxury car dealerships in Dubai that were well-known in Luxury car industry.

Al Nabooda Automobiles: Al Nabooda Automobiles is one of the largest dealerships for Audi, Porsche, and Volkswagen in Dubai. They have a strong presence in the region and offer a range of luxury vehicles.

Al Tayer Motors: This dealership represents several luxury car brands, including Jaguar, Land Rover, Aston Martin, and Bentley. They have a flagship showroom on Sheikh Zayed Road in Dubai.

Dourado Luxury Car : This dealership is the leading car dealer for new and used vehicles in Dubai with an inventory of over 300+ luxury cars from leading brands. They have a strong presence in the region and offer a range of luxury vehicles.

AGMC: AGMC is the official dealer for BMW, MINI, and Rolls-Royce in Dubai. They have multiple showrooms and service centers across the city.

Emirates Motor Company: As the authorized distributor of Mercedes-Benz in Dubai and the Northern Emirates, Emirates Motor Company offers a wide selection of Mercedes-Benz vehicles.

Premier Motors: This dealership is known for selling high-end cars, including the likes of Maserati and Ferrari.

Lamborghini Dubai: As the name suggests, this dealership specializes in Lamborghini vehicles, catering to the elite sports car market.

McLaren Dubai: McLaren fans can visit this dealership to explore the British manufacturer's high-performance sports cars.

Bentley Dubai: Bentley Dubai is the place to go if you're interested in purchasing a Bentley luxury automobile.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Dubai: For those seeking the pinnacle of luxury, Rolls-Royce offers a range of bespoke luxury vehicles, and the Dubai dealership is a showcase for these exquisite cars.

Bugatti UAE: If you have a passion for the fastest and most exclusive hypercars, Bugatti's dealership in the UAE is worth a visit.

Remember that Dubai is home to some of the world's wealthiest individuals, and the city's luxury car dealerships cater to this clientele by offering an extensive selection of high-end and exotic vehicles.

[justforbooks]

How TikTok Shop ads turned an obscure, inaccurate book into a bestseller

If you’ve spent enough time scrolling through TikTok, you might have seen a video from an account like @tybuggyreviews, a handle with half a million followers that exclusively posts videos selling products through the TikTok Shop.

The creator, whose verified Instagram account identifies him as Tarik Garrett, used the @tybuggyreviews account to pitch viewers on supplements, water flossers, earbuds, workout machines, bible study guides, probiotics for women to help “that smell down there,” watch bands, inspirational hoodies, inspirational T-shirts, face massagers, foot massagers, rhinestone necklaces, oil pulling kits, and colon cleanses.

In the TikTok Shop, creators earn a commission for each sale linked to their account. Garrett’s product videos got tens of thousands of views. A few even topped a million views. But nothing from his account took off quite like his sales pitch for an obscure 2019 publication called The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies.

“Now I see why they’re trying to remove TikTok. This book right here? This book of herbal remedies? They do not want us to see this book,” Garrett said at the beginning of one Shop video, referring to a new US law that requires TikTok’s Chinese parent company to either sell the app or face a ban. TikTok is challenging the law in court, arguing that lawmakers citing national security concerns as a reason to pass the bill did not adequately argue why those concerns should supersede the First Amendment. The law, to be clear, does not cite the Lost Book of Herbal Remedies’s availability on the TikTok Shop as a reason for banning the platform.

Garrett posted his pitch for the book on April 15. As of May 7, the video had more than 16 million views. Garrett opened the book and showed pages of its recommendations, urging users to take screenshots (and purchase a copy of their own) before it’s too late.

The camera lingered on a list of plants that, the book claimed, were treatments for cancer, drug addiction, heart attacks, and herpes. As of Wednesday, the listing for The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies that Garrett linked to has more than 60,000 sales on the TikTok Shop. To put that number in perspective, appearing on a bestseller list generally requires 5,000–10,000 sales in a week.

And that interest isn’t staying exclusively on TikTok. Google search interest in the book’s title spiked on the same day Garrett posted his video. The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies was, as of Wednesday, May 8, ranked 10 on Amazon’s bestseller list for books, and has appeared toward the top of Amazon’s bestseller rankings for the past three weeks.

A spokesperson for TikTok said that videos linking to Shop products must abide by both the community guidelines, which ban medical misinformation, and Shop policies, which do not allow misleading content. If a video violates only the Shop policies, they said, they’ll simply remove the link to the Shop but keep the content up. If it violates community guidelines, the video comes down.

The violations were enough for TikTok to remove his product review account. Garrett did not respond to a series of emailed questions.

How e-commerce took over TikTok

TikTok has long been good at guessing what its users might want to see, but less good at monetizing that trick. When the platform launched its Shop feature in the United States last fall, the For You page shifted, pushing video after video like those made by @tybuggyreviews in the hope that its users will start buying the products that go viral on TikTok directly from their store.

The result became a For You page with constant interruptions from random product pitches. The Shop ads, like much of the content pushed on TikTok, are personalized, though TikTok Shop recommendations are heavily influenced by reporting on stories like this one. Your results may differ. And yet, it is clear that TikTok has catapulted the Remedies book into relevance beyond a niche audience. The company earns money off of the explosion of sales on the shop, some of which come from creators who are explicitly promoting unproven cancer “cures” and conspiracy theories about the platform.

Like the Shadow Work Journal, a workbook that went super viral on TikTok Shop several months ago as a mental health tool — despite its dubious effectiveness — The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies is part of a swell of wellness creators, brands, and products that have found success reaching new audiences on TikTok Shop.

Shop videos have become a sort of “loophole” for health misinformation on TikTok, said Evan Thornburg, a bioethicist who posts on TikTok as @gaygtownbae and studies mis/disinformation and public health. Creators, and those with something to sell, know that Shop videos will get privileged on For You pages. Some creators may use those videos to promote dangerous health claims. In other cases, Thornburg noted, “the creator promoting the material isn’t necessarily spouting off disinformation, but the material that they’re convincing people to purchase is.”

A recipe for misinformation

The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies appears to be a case of both: The book contains misleading information, and creators are circulating misleading health claims in order to sell books. A video with nearly 1 million views promoting the book’s TikTok Shop listing is basically a series of ominous, AI-generated images with an AI voiceover. The video claims that the book contains secrets previously locked away in an ancient book located in the “Vatican library,” and that The Lost Book of Herbal Medicine was previously only available on the “dark web” before surfacing on TikTok. (Not true: The book is for sale on Amazon, the author’s website, and appears to be available through some academic and public library systems.) Another Shop video with more than 1 million views is captioned, “Cure for over 550 diseases, even cancer.”

I scanned through a copy of The Lost Book of Herbal Remedies this week. The 300-page book contains a disclaimer noting that it’s intended to “provide information about natural medicine, cures, and remedies that people have used in the past,” that it is not medical advice, and that some of the “remedies and cures found within do not comply with FDA guidelines.” It’s split into two parts: an alphabetical listing of ailments and conditions alongside the plants that the authors believe can cure or treat them, and an alphabetical list of plants, sorted by region, with instructions on how to prepare them.

The list of ailments the book includes proposed treatments for cancer, several STDs, mental health disorders, and digestive issues, among many other things. A few stand out: The book lists cures for smallpox, strep, and staph infections. There’s an emergency medicine section that includes plant remedies for serious medical conditions like internal bleeding and poisoning.

Flip to the entries for the plants and you’ll find lists of claims referring to research that is not cited. An entry promoting Ashwagandha’s “anti tumor effects” and ability to “kill ... cancerous cells” refers to “research,” but does not note that, while there is some indication that Ashwagandha can slow the growth of cancer cells, these studies were conducted on rodents and have yet to be replicated on humans.

Nicole Apelian, one of the book’s authors, while active on TikTok, it’s not her main social media presence. Her TikTok bio encourages her 17,000 followers there to check her out on Instagram, where she has 100,000 followers. Apelain also runs Nicole’s Apothecary, an herbal shop mentioned in the book that sells some of the tinctures she recommends, sells memberships to an online “Academy” for fans of her book, and advertises her paid appearances and workshops.

The endless whack-a-mole

As a journalist, there’s a pattern that becomes evident when writing about health misinformation on social media: something gets views, you assess the real or potential harm and try to understand its context, you contact the company to ask about the harmful thing. Maybe the video or post or group is taken down, maybe it’s not. The company gives you a statement, refers you to their policies on misinformation, and then you publish the article. This happens over and over because writing about misleading health information is a game of whack-a-mole that feels harder and harder to win.

Thornburg, the bioethicist, noted a couple reasons why we can’t climb out of this purgatory. First, meaningful moderation of a platform like TikTok is somewhat implausible. Social media companies are “never going to prioritize the amount of labor that would need to consistently be put into misinformation management,” they said.

Most sites rely on a combination of human moderators and AI, and it’s difficult to create automated moderation tools that don’t also censor allowed content. For example: health misinformation targeting minority communities often taps into legitimate distrust of medical professionals and institutions that have roots in recent history. An AI tool designed to moderate keywords associated with this sort of targeted misinformation might also sweep up criticism of health care systems in general.

And second, the creators who profit off health misinformation are really good at figuring out what they can say where, and what Thornburg calls “life boating” their audiences from one platform to another as needed. “You will have people who will drive interest in something through TikTok because the virality and the algorithm are aggressive,” Thornburg said. Then, their profile will link out to their Instagram or Linktree or YouTube channel.

Health misinformation on social media is a million cross-pollinating moving targets. TikTok Shop is a hot spot right now. Later, it might be something else on another platform. Chasing this content from platform to platform, harm to harm, viral video to viral video, is exhausting.

At the end, Thornburg shared the question that drives a lot of their work in this space, “Who do we consider accountable for these things that are harmful and regulate them or hold them to certain standards?” Often, it’s not really the person behind the individual piece of content driving the incentives for making it.

As a result, Garrett’s account was taken down, along with a few other popular videos advertising a book that has already sold tens of thousands of copies. As long as the incentives remain, it won’t be long until the next product promising a miracle starts polluting my For You page.

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