#business matters

[sizzlingsandwichperfection-blog]

why is the tea already selling out? obviously it's because people want it, but will the current blends restock? will that happen soon?

It is hard to be an unpaid social media intern for a coffee and tea company.

First, you must convince a lot of people to buy your tea and coffee--which is no small matter because you are asking people to buy something taste-based before they have tasted it.

If you are good at your job, thousands of people will buy the coffee and tea. Huzzah. They will be happy, since it is truly exceptional coffee and tea. And the world will suck less because more people will have access to comprehensive tuberculosis care. You did it. You are a good unpaid int--

BUT WAIT. There is another job. You must oversee the buying, packaging, and sale of the exact right amount of coffee and tea. If you buy too much, you will have spent money that you cannot recoup. This will mean less money going to fund comprehensive tuberculosis care simply because you thought too highly of your ability to sell coffee and tea.

Then again, if you don't buy enough coffee and tea, you will lose out on sales, which will also mean less money going to fund comprehensive tuberculosis care.

So either way, you are kind of a failure!

Some varieties of tea (and soon all varieties because we're close to selling out of the others) will be unavailable until September, when Keats & Co. properly launches and we are able to restock and reassess. We're sorry about this!

In many ways, this is a failure, but it also gives us time to make sure the supply chain is working well and that our costs are controlled and all that kind of stuff.

[hothaven]

Lunch is served😋💦 who wants a big ass😈🤭

Text me on telegram @julie101510

[ainosgarden]

How else could you explain his hand feeding the audience? How words came out like canaries, summer fruit in the dead of winter? They were all in love with him. He had that effect on everyone.

Lestat as Harlequin in style of Art Nouveau theatrical poster

[beyondplusultra]

—you gently covered the mouth that said a false happiness would be enough.

[beauty-funny-trippy]

A new national day of protest is set to sweep across all 50 states on Saturday, April 5, with demonstrations organized under the banner "Hands Off" targeting threats to democracy, bodily autonomy, and climate justice. Organizers say the protests are a direct response to figures like President Donald Trump and tech billionaire Elon Musk, accusing them of undermining key democratic principles and freedoms.

"Donald Trump and Elon Musk think this country belongs to them. They’re grabbing everything they can, and it’s up to us to push back. On April 5th, we’ll take to the streets with a clear message: Hands off!" ~ ThirdAct.org

A map published by the event's website, HandsOff2025.com, shows protests stretching from Anchorage, Alaska, to Miami, Florida. Some of the largest gatherings are expected in cities like Washington, D.C., San Francisco, and Philadelphia, while smaller events are planned for college campuses and public squares nationwide.

"Across the country, grassroots activists, workers, community leaders and everyday people are coming together to say that it's time for billionaires and extreme lawmakers to take their hands off our healthcare, our wages, our safety, and our rights," the spokesperson said. "Trump and his billionaire allies are openly planning a power grab to roll back our rights, strip workers of protections, and dismantle the foundations of democracy in service of tax breaks for the wealthy and corporations. The stakes couldn't be higher."

Find an event near you here.

[superbat-lmao]

Jason travels to an alternate universe where Bruce only cares about being Batman. He took in each of his kids to serve the mission, not be his children.

Now, faced with alternate versions of his family, Jason has to grapple with the fact that his Bruce does care, that he is his father. Because the man in front of him now, trying to send him home, isn’t even close.

[idolomantises]

me: you know some of the comments about sera and prince not being able to sexualize them anymore were weird, but im sure that'll be the end of bad faith criticisms

instagram comments: (yelling at me over domino's redesign because they think its "twink death")

me:

[sinensis26]

I take back what I said earlier: I would absolutely sell my craft creations, and by "sell" I mean "trade for something I equally value". Do you like my punk rock giraffe stuffie? You can have one for $81... or a bag full of coreopsis seeds. A knit fringe lumberjack hat? Thats $195... or a jar of local honey. Ill sew new clothes for all of your kid's dolls, usually $300+ in labor and material, but Id rather they draw me a really cool picture that I can hang on my fridge.

[biggest-gaudiest-patronuses]

probably will be FORCED by Pomp And Circumstance to go to the CLOWN HOSPITAL, for a CLOWN INJURY (may or may not be An ALLEGEDLY Fractured Foot...a MOURNFUL MALADY incurred in the most PATHETIC and LAPSIDAISICAL Fashion of TRAGICALLY UNFASHIONABLY Events......

Anyway. Forgot what I was saying. Buy me 1/25th of an x-ray or whatnot I guess

[reasonsforhope]

Federal regulators on Tuesday [April 23, 2024] enacted a nationwide ban on new noncompete agreements, which keep millions of Americans — from minimum-wage earners to CEOs — from switching jobs within their industries.

The Federal Trade Commission on Tuesday afternoon voted 3-to-2 to approve the new rule, which will ban noncompetes for all workers when the regulations take effect in 120 days [So, the ban starts in early September, 2024!]. For senior executives, existing noncompetes can remain in force. For all other employees, existing noncompetes are not enforceable.

[That's right: if you're currently under a noncompete agreement, it's completely invalid as of September 2024! You're free!!]

The antitrust and consumer protection agency heard from thousands of people who said they had been harmed by noncompetes, illustrating how the agreements are "robbing people of their economic liberty," FTC Chair Lina Khan said. 

The FTC commissioners voted along party lines, with its two Republicans arguing the agency lacked the jurisdiction to enact the rule and that such moves should be made in Congress...

Why it matters

The new rule could impact tens of millions of workers, said Heidi Shierholz, a labor economist and president of the Economic Policy Institute, a left-leaning think tank. 

"For nonunion workers, the only leverage they have is their ability to quit their job," Shierholz told CBS MoneyWatch. "Noncompetes don't just stop you from taking a job — they stop you from starting your own business."

Since proposing the new rule, the FTC has received more than 26,000 public comments on the regulations. The final rule adopted "would generally prevent most employers from using noncompete clauses," the FTC said in a statement.

The agency's action comes more than two years after President Biden directed the agency to "curtail the unfair use" of noncompetes, under which employees effectively sign away future work opportunities in their industry as a condition of keeping their current job. The president's executive order urged the FTC to target such labor restrictions and others that improperly constrain employees from seeking work.

"The freedom to change jobs is core to economic liberty and to a competitive, thriving economy," Khan said in a statement making the case for axing noncompetes. "Noncompetes block workers from freely switching jobs, depriving them of higher wages and better working conditions, and depriving businesses of a talent pool that they need to build and expand."

Real-life consequences

In laying out its rationale for banishing noncompetes from the labor landscape, the FTC offered real-life examples of how the agreements can hurt workers.

In one case, a single father earned about $11 an hour as a security guard for a Florida firm, but resigned a few weeks after taking the job when his child care fell through. Months later, he took a job as a security guard at a bank, making nearly $15 an hour. But the bank terminated his employment after receiving a letter from the man's prior employer stating he had signed a two-year noncompete.

In another example, a factory manager at a textile company saw his paycheck dry up after the 2008 financial crisis. A rival textile company offered him a better job and a big raise, but his noncompete blocked him from taking it, according to the FTC. A subsequent legal battle took three years, wiping out his savings. 

-via CBS Moneywatch, April 24, 2024

--

Note:

A lot of people think that noncompete agreements are only a white-collar issue, but they absolutely affect blue-collar workers too, as you can see from the security guard anecdote.

In fact, one in six food and service workers are bound by noncompete agreements. That's right - one in six food workers can't leave Burger King to work for Wendy's [hypothetical example], in the name of "trade secrets." (x, x, x)

Noncompete agreements also restrict workers in industries from tech and video games to neighborhood yoga studios. "The White House estimates that tens of millions of workers are subject to noncompete agreements, even in states like California where they're banned." (x, x, x)

The FTC estimates that the ban will lead to "the creation of 8,500 new businesses annually, an average annual pay increase of $524 for workers, lower health care costs, and as many as 29,000 more patents each year for the next decade." (x)

Clearer explanation of noncompete agreements below the cut.

Noncompete agreements can restrict workers from leaving for a better job or starting their own business.

Noncompetes often effectively coerce workers into staying in jobs they want to leave, and even force them to leave a profession or relocate.

Noncompetes can prevent workers from accepting higher-paying jobs, and even curtail the pay of workers not subject to them directly.

Of the more than 26,000 comments received by the FTC, more than 25,000 supported banning noncompetes. 

[afriblaq]

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Paulina Bryan’s vision for the Live Lawyer App @livelawyerapp stemmed from her son’s frequent police stops after buying a new car. He would call her, anxious and unsure how to handle the situation, sparking her idea to create an app that connects users with lawyers via video chat during police encounters. Paulina, in a moment of frustration and creativity, mused that it would be ideal if one could Skype a lawyer in such situations. This idea sparked the beginning of a journey that would take several years and immense dedication. In 2014, Paulina began the patent process for the Live Lawyer App. However, the path was not easy. Tragically, in 2016, her son was murdered, a devastating loss that strengthened her resolve to bring her vision to life. Paulina channels her grief and determination into developing an app that aims to provide immediate legal representation for individuals stopped by the police. The Live Lawyer App operates on a simple yet powerful principle: if stopped by the police, users can activate the app to connect with a lawyer via a FaceTime-like feature. This immediate legal support can help navigate the complexities and anxieties of police encounters, ensuring that users’ rights are protected. The app also alerts pre-selected contacts of the user’s location, adding an extra layer of safety.

www.livelawyerapp.com

[edorazzi]

Page 43 of my Miraculous Mentor AU comic A Matter of Trust! In which the last of the Sphinx bloodline finally come face to face... 🦋🐈

Index | Start | Prev | Next

Weekly updates each Sunday! You can also read ahead early on Patreon, and/or buy me a Ko-fi if you'd like to support my work! 💖

[hothaven]

Why haven’t you bought my contents? DM for captivating contents lovelies😈🍆💦

Reblog lovers🏳️‍⚧️

Telegram @julie101510

[blckbuzinessdistrict]

Get your meat directly from a farm and right to your table! 😆🥩 @swansonfamilyfarm proud to offer quarter, half, and whole cow beef shares—a sustainable, farm-to-table option for high-quality meat straight from the source. By supporting Swanson Family Farm, you’re empowering local farms, fostering food security, and contributing to a lasting impact on agriculture.

Ready to stock your freezer with premium beef? Visit swansonfamilyfarmllc.com to learn more and be part of their growing community of supporters! 🌱💪

Over the last decade, Swanson Family Farm has worked hard to connect family farms across the country, providing nutrient-dense food and supporting farmer-led, farm-based training programs. 🐄✨

@successisus_

[beauty-funny-trippy]

Tens of thousands of protesters mustered in cities and towns across the country on Saturday to sound off against the Trump administration's cuts to the federal government and its polices.

Carrying homemade posters and chanting "Hands Off," the protesters came out to the more than 1,200 rallies nationwide despite rain in many cities, according to organizers.

Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), spoke at the Washington DC rally, "Their tariffs are not only imbecilic — they're illegal, they're unconstitutional, and we're going to turn this around."

Paul Osadebe, a lawyer for the Department of Housing and Urban Development, spoke during the rally in Washington, saying the oligarchs do not "value you, or your life, or your community. ...We're seeing that they don't care who they have to destroy or who they have to hurt to get what they want."

Multiple protests rallied in all 50 states — major themes included, 'Hands Off': our Bodily Autonomy, our Schools, our LGBTQ Rights, our Freedom of Speech, our Social Security, Medicaid and Medicare, our Wallets, our Jobs, our Civil Rights, our Clean Energy, our Democracy.

And, importantly, there were no reports of any major disturbances or arrests at any of the over 1,200 rallies.

This is the living embodiment of a government that is "of the People, by the People, and for the People."

Democracy is a beautiful thing.

[quiddie]

Anatomy of a Spell

Okay, I just had a lovely Bards of New York fan that does not play DnD herself ask about the Detect Thoughts that Decima cast on Katari in episode 35. Since there are specific mechanics I was leveraging to twist the narrative knife, let me explain here rq! 

What Decima knows: 

Having been warned by Valor (and then briefly speaking on it with Katari too,) Dec knows Katari is particularly bothered by psychic magic. 

How Detect Thoughts (2024 version) works:

Once the spell is up and running, you have this as an option: “If you probe deeper, the target makes a Wisdom saving throw. On a failed save, you discern the target’s reasoning, emotions, and something that looms large in its mind (such as a worry, love, or hate). On a successful save, the spell ends. Either way, the target knows that you are probing into its mind,” 

So the spell never actually was about knowing Katari’s thoughts (though that would have been nice both as Decima’s player and a Synntari fan) — it was always just to disrupt their moment. In Decima’s calculus, Katari remaining off-balance between herself and Synnove keeps her more firmly in the camp of accepting Beatrix’s mission. She can’t risk Katari moving back into alignment with the party and potentially being dissuaded by JB, so the plan was to use the DT and tearfully run off, hoping Katari would follow her into the lift. That would have been a much more overtly manipulative scene, and who knows if it would have worked given Katari’s insanely high Insight. 

I actually ADORE how things shook out instead: Garavellir’s counterspell, Synnove following, and the later conversation between those two? INCREDIBLE. 

I love that Decima’s best path to achieving her goals as Lord Inquisitor was to stir up drama in the group. If they weren’t going to trust her, she had to make sure they didn’t trust each other too much either. It’s a fun double-fake: her change in tone outside of the throne room suggests that she is the good cop to Beatrix’s bad cop, but in actuality she knows she’s the bad cop to Garavellir’s good cop (hence her eagerness to take off with Katari and leave the rest of the group alone with him to consider the offer, knowing full well that both the bar and penthouse were well-surveilled.)

What a FUN episode! That chess scene has lived rent-free in my mind since Wednesday, and I’m so happy to have finally met the rest of the Bards!