#chest freezer dealer

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Incomplete vs. overshoot

I'm on tour with my new novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT in Seattle (Feb 26) with Neal Stephenson, then Portland, Phoenix and more!

You know the "horseshoe theory," right? "The far-left and the far-right, rather than being at opposite and opposing ends of a linear continuum of the political spectrum, closely resemble each other, analogous to the way that the opposite ends of a horseshoe are close together":

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Horseshoe_theory

It's a theory that only makes sense if you don't know much about the right and the left and what each side wants out of politics.

Take women's suffrage. The early suffragists ("suffragettes" in the UK) were mostly interested in votes for affluent, white women – not women as a body. Today's left criticizes the suffrage movement on the basis that they didn't go far enough:

https://www.npr.org/2011/03/25/134849480/the-root-how-racism-tainted-womens-suffrage

Contrast that with Christian Dominionists – the cranks who think that embryos are people (though presumably not for the purpose of calculating a state's electoral college vote? Though it would be cool if presidential elections turned on which side of a state line a fertility clinic's chest-freezer rested on):

https://www.wnycstudios.org/podcasts/otm/segments/how-alabama-ivf-ruling-was-influenced-christian-nationalism-on-the-media?tab=summary

These people are part of a far-right coalition that wants to abolish votes for women. As billionaire far-right bagman Peter Thiel wrote that he thought it was a mistake to let women vote at all:

https://www.cato-unbound.org/2009/04/13/peter-thiel/education-libertarian/

Superficially, there's some horseshoe theory action going on here. The left thinks the suffragists were wrong. The right thinks they were wrong, too. Therefore, the left and the right agree!

Well, they agree that the suffragists were wrong, but for opposite reasons – and far, far more importantly, they totally disagree about what they want. The right wants a world where no women can vote. The left wants a world where all women can vote. The idea that the right and the left agree on women's suffrage is, as the physicists say, "not even wrong."

It's the kind of wrong that can only be captured by citing scripture, specifically, A Fish Called Wanda, 6E, 79: "The central message of Buddhism is not 'Every man for himself.' And the London Underground is not a political movement. Those are all mistakes, Otto. I looked them up."

Or take the New Deal. While the New Deal set its sites on liberating workers from precarity, abuse and corruption, the Dealers – like the suffragists – had huge gaps in their program, omitting people of color, indigenous people, women, queer people, etc. There are lots of leftists who criticize the New Deal on this basis: it didn't go far enough:

https://livingnewdeal.org/new-deal-and-race/

But for the past 40 years, America has seen a sustained, vicious assault on New Deal programs, from Social Security to Medicare to food stamps to labor rights to national parks, funded by billionaires who want to bring back the Gilded Age and turn us all into forelock-tugging plebs:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/11/06/the-end-of-the-road-to-serfdom/

If you only view politics as a game of elementary school cliques, you might say that the left and the right are meeting again. The left says Roosevelt got it wrong with the New Deal (because he left out so many people). The right says FDR was wrong for doing the New Deal in the first place. Therefore, the left and the right agree, right?

Obviously wrong. Obviously. Again, the important thing is why the left and the right think the New Deal deserves criticism. The important thing is what the left and the right want. The left wants universal liberation. The right wants us all in economic chains. They do not agree.

It's not always just politics, either. Take the old, good internet. That was an internet defined by technological self-determination, a wild and wooly internet where there were few gatekeepers, where disfavored groups could find each other and make common cause, where users who were threatened by the greed of the shareholders behind big services could install blockers, mods, alternative clients and other "adversarial interoperability" tools that seized the means of computation.

Today's enshitternet – "five giant websites, filled with screenshots of the other four" (h/t Tom Eastman) – is orders of magnitude more populous than that old, good internet. The enshitternet has billions of users, and they are legally – and technologically – prevented from taking any self-help measures when the owners of services change them to shift value from users to themselves:

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

The anti-enshittification movement rightly criticizes the old, good internet because it wasn't inclusive enough. It was a system almost exclusively hospitable to affluent, privileged people – the people who least needed the liberatory power of technology.

Likewise pro-enshittification monopolists – billionaires and their useful idiots – deplore the old, good internet because it gave its users too much power. For them, ad-blocking, alternative clients, mods, reverse-engineering and so on were all bugs, not features. For them, the enshitternet is great because businesses can literally criminalize taking action to protect yourself from their predatory impulses:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/10/20/benevolent-dictators/#felony-contempt-of-business-model

Superficially, it seems like the pro- and anti-enshittification forces agree – they both agree that the old, good internet was a mistake. But the difference that matters here is that the pro-enshittification side wants everyone mired in the enshitternet forever, living with what Jay Freeman calls "Felony contempt of business-model." By contrast, the disenshittification side wants a new, good internet that gives every user – not just a handful of techies – the power to decide how the digital systems they work use, and to be able to alter or reconfigure them to suit their own needs.

The horsehoe theory only makes sense if you don't take into account the beliefs and goals of each side. Politics aren't just a matter of who you agree with on a given issue – the real issue is what you're trying to accomplish.

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/2024/02/26/horsehoe-crab/#substantive-disagreement

[the-barefoot-hatter]

hurt people hurt people so give me everything you've got

“Hiya Fordsy!” Bill smiled.

“Bill, what on earth are you-“

“Well, I didn’t want to spoil your surprise, but come in, come in, take a seat!” the triangle bubbled, pulling Ford to the chair. Bill gestured to the array of tools on the table proudly. “You know how things between us have been weird since-”

“-you lied to me, trapped me between worlds, tried to kill my family and destroy my dimension?” Ford interrupted.

Bill’s bright yellow glow flickered and dimmed before the showman rebounded. “…Nail on the head, Sixer! Haha, speaking of…” he said, picking up a hammer- comically oversized in Bill’s tiny fingers- from the table and pressed it gently into Ford’s hand.

“What.” Blood rushed in his ears. Bill was talking, of course he was still talking he never shut up, but he couldn’t hear it properly…

“-and, OK, it’s summer, but you can lock me in the freezer! I already checked I can fit the big chest AND the kitchen one if I scrunch up, dealer’s choice, buddy! And the tattoos ARE tricky but I found a chisel and a mini iron and a dremel in Shooting Star’s craft bag, so we can give it a shot, and I got the car battery and jumper cables ready too, so-”

“…Huh?” Ford said, tearing his eyes away from the hammer and focusing on the triangle again.

“So we’ll be even!” Bill said, clearly repeating himself, playing with a nail. “I figured we’d start with a classic and work our way down the list! Or, or we could jump around, or double up, it’s up to you really-“

Bill was nervous, Ford realized dimly, staring at him. He set the hammer down, pinching between his eyes tiredly. “Bill…”

“OH, I get it now, of course, so dumb of me!” Bill laughed, a little too loud, tapping the side of his own head with the hammer. “You want ME to do it!”

Ford blinked.

Bill smiled.

“What-“ Things were moving syrupy slow. “Bill, that’s not what I-”

WHAM

A shaken, pained gasp.

“I… ok, yeah, maybe didn’t think this through,” the triangle wheezed, fingers twitching. Bill hadn’t picked a nail the same proportion to his hand as Ford’s had been. No, he’d picked the same size. Possibly the same nail-

And he’d nailed it too hard, right into the wood of the table.

“Ha, a- a little help, Sixer?” Bill said, smile twitching on his strained face. “S-should’ve put a book down or something…”

The silver blood welling up finally snapped Ford to action. “Bill, of all the stupid, idiotic, moronic- what were you THINKING-“

“T-that’s one way to get you hold hands again?”

“Try again!” Ford snapped.

Bill was quiet for a long moment.

“I… I thought you’d like this. I really… isn’t this what you want?” the triangle asked pleadingly.

Revenge.

Pain.

Tit for tat.

Bill’s blood on his hands had been what he’d dreamed about for thirty years, and now it was happening, here, in his home, offered up freely. “… No,” Ford said, softly. “It’s… it’s really not.”

[robotrightsactivist]

A sewage leak anywhere was an unwelcome thing, but the loss the gravity generators made the situation considerably more daunting. Sam had done it a few times before, but this one was pretty nasty. If he were just another maintenance bot, he would at least be able to turn off his smell. But unfortunately for Sam, he was designed to imitate human biological processes as closely as possible, and the maintenance firm he was employed by specialized in what the others refused. And he was a janitor, and janitors on this level of Brightstar Station were rarely able to authorize a maintenance bot to do the job for them. Too valuable, get a human to do it. Better yet, get an illegally employed non-human worker to do it for cheap. Which left Sam.

Thankfully they let him shower afterwards, which was nice even if he was in a full protective suit. The fact that it would recycle the air meant that it still let the air in, and that the suit was fifty years old meant the filters half-worked about half the time. Sam was just grateful that no one bothered him at work. Not that anyone would talk to him anyways, because even in the impossible scenario where he was human he was still awkward. Too nervous to say the wrong thing. To not know the right thing. It was easier to be quiet than to step into an interaction that would reveal how obviously non-human he was.

Sam had overheard through the conversations of off-stationers that other bioroids existed, elsewhere in the Sol System, but the way and how of their existence so wildly varied between total subjugation (Saturn, Uranus, most moons of Jupiter) and full citizenship (Venus, Mercury, some places on Earth) that leaving seemed too risky. Out here, in the Oort Cloud, all machines were product, which was good or bad depending on where you were and who you were with. And after what he had been through, an uneventful and repetitive existence was a luxury.

Once the common areas had thinned out and everyone else had left for home, Sam checked all the empty corridors that were more common towards main generators. Once he was sure there were no wandering groups of ill-intended human teenagers, dealers, and other folk he’d rather not bump into, he quickly made his way through the passages.

Eleven floors down and seven halls space-side, there was what appeared to be a stunted hallway. There, Sam looked over his shoulder, checked the cameras and when he was again sure no one knew he was there, he used the old janitor’s key to unlock the closet.

The long and narrow room was Sam’s home, a collection of discarded utilities and repurposed treasures delicately fitted into a living space where he had spent almost a decade. The welcome mat made of many pieces of fabric, he found that in the trash after an art fair, the antique wooden coat hanger holding all the outfits Sam could possibly wear, the metal shoe rack where all three of his shoes lived when he wasn’t working. His small collection of discarded carpets, lining the floor, each a different texture and feeling on his bare feet. The mattress in the far corner was discarded for being a few centimeters too short, that was an amazing find. Sam had no shortage of discarded blankets, but he especially loved the quilt he snatched from the mouth of the carbon recycler, and pillows were easy to refurbish if one knew how to do it. He had many books, some very new and others very old. Sam needed to eat eight hundred and sixty one calories every four days, so he was thrilled to find a battery operated freezer-chest, where inside he kept a rotating assortment of frozen meals he could heat up in the mini stove. The tablet with the slightly-fractured screen, where he could watch media on the public channel. He enjoyed watching old movies if he could find them. Sam avoided the news and anything that reminded him of the world outside his little home.

And of course, there were dioramas. Every corner and every unused space of the closet had a different diorama, of landscapes, of houses, of buildings, of gardens and trees and fantastical worlds. A city square in a magical town populated with different non-human creatures, that took almost nine months. A group of tentacled aliens on a camping trip, sharing stories while a unicorn watches from the trees, four months. The inside of a garden cottage where a friendly witch was teaching her apprentice how to cook eggs, six months. The temple of a crystalline goddess visited by a pilgrim of stone, he was still working on that. A treehouse where a family of mice lived happily, fourteen months. Those were his favorites, but there were many others, all beautiful and intricate and engrossing. Sam read books on painting, sculpting, and organic chemistry so he could make the right adhesives, the right paints, the right techniques, the exact materials to make his little pockets of reality. Sam loved them all.

Near his bed was a small wooden frame, and inside it was a photo of a ten-year-old boy with red hair beaming while holding a trophy. It was when Samuel won the junior station judo tournament, two months before the accident that killed him. To Sam, the memories were like the grainy clips of media civilians pirated from visiting ships, translated fictions conveyed through filters of understanding. When Sam awoke for the first time, he knew he wasn’t Samuel, but Sam did his best to play the part his parents wanted, because he wanted to be loved by them and make them happy. But after a year, and subsequent visits to the synthetic reproduction firm that had made him, Sam became his parents’ preferred object of scorn. Mother asked him questions designed to humiliate him, as if his pretending to be their son was something he plotted. “You’re hurting my feelings,” Sam would say to dissuade her. Eventually, Sam’s efforts to defend himself would be catalyst for Father to start hitting him. This continued for years, and even as Sam grew older and his body became taller and stronger and his voice changed, Father would continue to find reasons to hurt him. Sometimes Mother sat and watched it happen, that was agonizing. They spent almost half their wealth into seeking out a black market designer and commissioning them to recreate a dead human from neural scans, creating a bioroid engineered to love them as a human child would, why would they hurt him? When Sam was legally fifteen, he saw that Father was looking for him with a knife in his hands. Sam remembered what the warranty said about accidents, that if he was brought back in decent condition he could be harvested for parts. That night, Sam fled his parents’ pavilion, resisting every program and every cloudy memory telling him he loved his parents and they loved him. Samuel was loved by his parents, and he loved them. Sam wasn’t sure he did, not anymore, but when Sam recognized Samuel’s face in an old print magazine, he cut it out and found a frame to put it in. Around it, Sam placed little objects Samuel would like: action figures, interesting stones, the occasional old coin. Sam liked to believe that somehow, somewhere, Samuel appreciated this little shrine.

When he remembered it, Sam fished his latest find from the deepest pocket in his overalls, and set it before the frame.

“I found this today,” Sam said to his ghost. “Can you believe they’d throw out an action figure like this? Look, he can do a butterfly kick!” Sam tapped the foot of the action figure, and it sprung into a perfect butterfly kick and landed on two feet. Samuel often practiced those and hoped to get it right someday, when he was big and strong.

Sam remembered Samuel not wanting to die. He remembered being pinned under the column that would crush him to death as soon as his arms couldn’t hold it up anymore, how he held on even as his arms went numb. How he had so much to live for, how could it end right now?

So, Sam would live as best he possible for as long as he could. If things on the Brightstar got too rough, there was a little wallet where he had hoped he saved enough money to leave, maybe to one of places some rumored to be friendly to machine beings. But for now, this was good.

[techmateequipment123]

Electrolux Refrigerator Dealers in Delhi

Techmate Equipment: Your Trusted ISO-Certified Electrolux Refrigerator Dealer in Delhi

Are you searching for a reliable partner to meet your refrigeration needs? Look no further than Techmate Equipment, an ISO Certified organization renowned for its exceptional quality and service standards. As one of the leading Electrolux Refrigerator Dealers in Delhi, we take pride in offering world-class refrigeration solutions tailored to suit diverse commercial and industrial requirements.

Why Choose Techmate Equipment?

ISO-Certified Excellence At Techmate Equipment, we adhere to the highest quality benchmarks, ensuring every product and service meets international standards. Our ISO certification is a testament to our commitment to excellence.

Authorized Electrolux Dealer As authorized Electrolux Refrigerator Dealers in Delhi, we bring you the latest models of Electrolux refrigerators known for their durability, energy efficiency, and advanced technology. From compact options for small businesses to large-scale units for industrial use, we have it all.

Comprehensive Product Range Our inventory includes a wide array of Electrolux refrigerators, designed to meet the needs of hotels, restaurants, cafes, and other commercial establishments. Whether you need upright refrigerators, chest freezers, or under-counter units, we have the perfect solution.

Unmatched After-Sales Support Techmate Equipment goes beyond just selling products. We provide top-notch after-sales service, including installation, maintenance, and repair services to ensure your refrigeration systems perform optimally.

Why Electrolux Refrigerators?

Electrolux is a globally trusted brand, celebrated for its cutting-edge technology and eco-friendly designs. By choosing Electrolux refrigerators, you invest in:

Energy Efficiency: Reduce operational costs with energy-saving models.

Durability: Long-lasting performance for years of reliable use.

Innovative Features: Smart controls, superior cooling, and ergonomic designs.

Serving Businesses Across Delhi

Based in the heart of Delhi, Techmate Equipment is dedicated to meeting the unique refrigeration demands of businesses across the region. Whether you’re a small café or a large hotel, we have the expertise and products to support your operations.

Contact Techmate Equipment Today!

If you’re in the market for Electrolux Refrigerator Dealers in Delhi, Techmate Equipment is your go-to choice. Partner with us for high-quality refrigeration solutions and experience unparalleled service from an ISO Certified organization that values your satisfaction above all.

For inquiries or to explore our product range, call us today or visit our website. Let Techmate Equipment keep your business cool and efficient with premium Electrolux refrigerators!

Optimize your commercial kitchen today with Techmate Equipment – Your trusted partner in refrigeration.

[conquercool01]

Blue Star Deep Freezer Dealers in Bangalore

Blue Star Deep Freezer Dealers in Bangalore are pivotal in providing top-tier freezing solutions to a diverse range of customers, including households, restaurants, supermarkets, and industrial clients. Known for their reliability, durability, and advanced technology, Blue Star deep freezers are designed to meet the stringent storage requirements for perishable goods, making them an essential asset for many businesses in Bangalore.

Strategically located across the city, these dealers operate in key commercial areas such as Koramangala, Whitefield, Jayanagar, and Indiranagar. This widespread presence ensures that customers can easily access quality freezing solutions, regardless of their location. Blue Star deep freezer dealers offer a variety of models, including chest freezers and upright freezers, available in different capacities to meet specific needs, from small-scale operations to large industrial storage requirements.

The dealers provide comprehensive services, starting with expert consultations to help customers choose the right deep freezer model based on their unique needs. This personalized approach ensures that clients get the most efficient and cost-effective solutions. Competitive pricing and flexible financing options further enhance accessibility, making it easier for businesses to invest in high-quality freezing solutions.

Installation services are a critical component of their offerings. Blue Star dealers in Bangalore employ trained technicians who ensure proper setup, optimizing the performance and energy efficiency of the units. Correct installation is crucial for the longevity and effective functioning of deep freezers, and these dealers emphasize this aspect to guarantee customer satisfaction.

After-sales support is another area where Blue Star deep freezer dealers excel. They offer regular maintenance services and prompt repair solutions, ensuring that the freezers remain in optimal condition throughout their lifespan. This ongoing support helps maintain the efficiency and reliability of the units, providing peace of mind to customers.

In summary, Blue Star deep freezer dealers in Bangalore stand out for their extensive product range, expert guidance, professional installation, and robust after-sales service. Their commitment to quality and customer satisfaction makes them a preferred choice for freezing solutions in the city, catering to a broad spectrum of needs across various sectors.

[the-horror-snob-archives]

Watching "Ginger Snaps" for the first time. I'm loving it so far, it's giving me "Heathers" vibes for some reason and it has Katherine Isabelle (Ava from Supernatural) and Emily Perkins (Becky Rosen from Supernatural) in it.

It's different from a lot of werewolf movies I've seen before. Giving it a solid 8/10. It wasn't particularly scary but the plot was really good!

Here's a Summary from Wikipedia:

In Bailey Downs, a rash of dog killings has been occurring. Brigitte and Ginger Fitzgerald are teenage sisters who harbor a fascination with death, and as children, formed a pact to move out of the suburb or die together by the age of 16. One night, while on the way to kidnap a dog owned by school bully Trina Sinclair, Ginger begins her first period. The scent of blood results in the girls being attacked by the creature responsible for the maulings. The creature bites Ginger. As the girls flee, the creature is run over by a van belonging to Sam Miller, a local drug dealer.

Following the attack, Ginger undergoes transformations that concern Brigitte. Her wounds heal quickly, and she starts to behave aggressively, grow hair from her scars, sprout a tail, and menstruate heavily. She begins dating her classmate Jason McCardy. One night, Ginger bites Jason's neck and has unprotected sex with him, despite his insistence to use protection. Later, she furiously beats Trina in public, and kills a neighbor's dog. Brigitte seeks out Sam to obtain information on what his van struck, and they agree that Ginger was attacked by a werewolf and is transforming into one. Sam suggests infusing an extract of monkshood, also known as wolfsbane, a perennial plant often referred to in lycanthrope folklore.

Trina accuses Ginger of kidnapping her dog. She fights with Ginger and is accidentally killed. The sisters hide the body in a freezer. Brigitte accidentally breaks off two of Trina's fingers, and the fingers are misplaced. On Halloween, Brigitte brings monkshood to Sam and he creates an extract of the herb. Brigitte is attacked by Jason (who was infected by Ginger when they had sex), and defends herself by using the monkshood syringe on him. She witnesses his immediate change in behavior, which proves it is a cure. At school, she discovers Ginger's murder of a faculty member and witnesses her killing another. Ginger discloses her intent to target Sam next at the Greenhouse Bash, a Halloween party hosted by him.

The girls' mother finds the fingers and Trina's corpse. She drives Brigitte to the Greenhouse Bash, saying that she will protect them. Brigitte arrives to find Ginger hurting Sam for rejecting her sexual advances. Brigitte wounds Ginger's and her own palm and clasps their hands together, infecting herself with Ginger's blood. She convinces Ginger of her loyalty and willingness to help her. As the sisters leave, Brigitte decides to abandon her mother. Ginger feels her transformation approaching and Sam knocks her unconscious with a shovel. They take Ginger back to the Fitzgerald house to prepare more of the cure for her.

Ginger transforms into a werewolf on the way home and escapes the van. Sam and Brigitte hide in the pantry as Sam makes the cure. When he goes to find Ginger, a transformed Ginger attacks him. After finding Sam, injured and bloody, Brigitte tries to save him by drinking his blood to calm Ginger, but is unable to go through with it. Ginger senses Brigitte's insincerity, and kills Sam.

As Ginger chases Brigitte, Brigitte returns to the room where they grew up. Brigitte defends herself while holding the syringe in one hand and a knife in the other. Ginger lunges at Brigitte and into the knife, fatally wounding herself. Brigitte lays her head upon her dying sister's chest and weeps.

[amarantine-amirite]

Venetian Blinds

When you see teachers outside of school, it shouldn't feel like you got caught breaking out of prison. It should feel more like watching a dog walk on its hind legs.

Mr. Marco, my English teacher, spotted me at the grocery store and pointed at me. "That jacket," he barked, "take it off!"

"What's wrong with it?" I said with the confused look on my face, looking confused. I know I'm not allowed to wear that jacket at school, but I'm in the grocery store. I shouldn't be beholden to the school dress code in the grocery store.

"Angela, you can't wear a jacket or hoodie with a drawstring because it's a choking hazard." he scolded, "I thought you knew that"

"Sort of," I responded quizzically, "but I didn't think it would be a problem for us." I can see it for a small child because the first 5 years of parenting are more or less suicide watch, but for 9th graders? I don't think you have to worry about kids strangling themselves on a jacket by the time they're teenagers.

Nevertheless, we haven't been able to wear jackets with drawstrings on them at school for a while now. They've told us that we can't wear jackets with drawstrings out of respect for a former student called Phoebe Gamelon. Years ago, a drug dealer strangled Phoebe with the strings of her hoodie because she cut in front of him in line at McDonalds four months prior to her death. He then kept her body in a chest freezer in his apartment for about a week. Next, he "borrowed" some sheets from his girlfriend and wrapped up the body. He then tied it off using a super long telephone cord distinctively patched everywhere with all different kinds of tape. Once tied, he dropped the body into an alley with a note suggesting it was a gang murder. The only reason he got caught: he had his name on the note.

I had trouble believing that. So did my parents, to the point that they flat out refused to buy new jackets that comply with the rules. They responded with a rant that could be summed up as "Seriously, draw-strings on hoodies and jackets are a health risk now? Why don't we just wrap all children in bubble wrap. It would be easier than having to babyproof every somewhat sharp edge on this planet. I grew up in a house with Venetian blinds with looped strings to raise and lower them and they were recalled at some point because kids were accidentally hanging themselves. Let me tell you, that recall did nothing for mankind. The next generation after these kids are going to be nothing but cowards."

I totally forgot about that conversation until this happened. Our AV club made a Super Bowl commercial for Tech Mahindra that strongly suggested that they were the people who built the OS for the Opportunity rover, something that was wildly untrue. At the end of the whole thing, the school got rid of the AV club.

We had a work period in the computer lab. We were to set up SAS on our machines, and everybody got stuck.

Beth had completely checked out. She just leafed through her planner. "They shouldn't have gotten rid of the AV club, it wasn't our fault," she lamented.

Her perspective intrigued me. I couldn't help but chime in, "How could putting out a Super Bowl commercial where you claim Tech Mahindra designed the OS for the Opportunity Rover not be your fault?" I asked skeptically.

"They told us to say that!" Beth retorted. Her mismatched eyes flashed with defensiveness. "And why did we get in trouble for false advertising when they didn't? It's not fair."

"No idea," I shrugged, "but on a more disturbing note, if Tech Mahindra did manage to design the OS for Oppy, it wouldn't have made it off the launch pad."

The tension near our workstations seemed to rise as our words hung in the air. Little did Beth and I know that Dilip had been listening in on us, uncomfortable with the direction the conversation took. "That's racist, man," he protested.

I shook my head. "No, it isn't," I disagreed, "Have you seen their ASL translator? It's useless."

Tech Mahindra's ASL translator had so many problems. It struggled to differentiate between again and 1000, quiet and egg and finish, and rock and work

Other people have had problems with it too. I saw something on the news that said the ASL translator mistook the sign for monthly for condom and it nearly got someone arrested. The physics department at Gallaudet University found it hilarious that it mistranslated the sign for physics as difficult. Other people said that Tech Mahindra's ASL translator mistranslated busy as Alberta and piano as Newfoundland. Supposedly, the problem arose from a miscommunication between an ASL subject matter expert located in Toronto and the development team in India that resulted in signs for anything related to Canada getting prioritized over other signs so as to avoid falling offside of Canadian content rules. It only demonstrated that none of the people involved with the project really understood Canadian content rules.

They also fell victim to the infamous "store I go" syntax problem. Basically, the algorithm looks for words in the wrong part of the sentence. A simple Google search could've pointed them in the right direction here. If you google "store I go ASL", the first thing that pops up is a handy article from LifePrint titled The Myth Of "Store I Go".

I searched online for the news story about the guy who nearly got arrested because of how bad the ASL translator was so I could show Dilip what I was talking about. In the process, I made the mistake of hovering over one of those AI generated ads. If you hover your mouse over them, it infects your computer.

I'v always believed that only a really stupid person would click those pop-ups that say "hundreds of hot singles in your area want to party" thinking that it was for real. Everyone knows those things are scams. Today, I discovered where clicking those things would take you.

They don't take you to anything dating related. They take you to a thing that you can type a dead person's name in and it pulls up a simulation of their entire lifetime.

That's how sophisticated artificial intelligence has become. They now have an AI that scans a person's brain and makes a full simulation of their life. You can even interact with the simulation at any point in time. Just punch in a date and voila!

For moral reasons, the only case where you can legally use this tool is when someone who died recently delivers their final message to only a handful of individuals the deceased knew and trusted. Misuse comes with steep consequences. Anyone caught eavesdropping on the deceased's final message to their chosen people gets life in prison. Anyone who uses the tool for anything else gets the death penalty. Yet, oddly enough, the tool is on the web, open for anyone to use. The only thing stopping people from using it when they aren't supposed to is willpower.

That didn't stop me from punching Phoebe's name into the scanner. Interacting with the simulation of her life showed me that the story of her demise was true. Not only can you get strangled with hoodie strings, there are people who are too stupid to commit crimes.

Her last words are going to give me nightmares. "No! Don't kill me! I'm not Angela!"

@seaside-writings

[baliportalnews]

Masuki Hari Jadi Ketiga, ARTUGO Perkuat Pemasaran di Pulau Bali

BALIPORTALNEWS.COM, DENPASAR - Hampir genap tiga tahun berkiprah di pasar peranti rumah tangga, ARTUGO, brand home appliance asli tanah air, kian jeli menentukan strategi dalam upayanya agar makin diterima oleh masyarakat. Sukses melakukan ekspansi area pemasaran hingga ke seluruh wilayah Indonesia termasuk pulau Bali dan sekitarnya, kurang dari tiga tahun, kini ARTUGO makin mantap untuk melakukan penetrasi market baik melalui penambahan varian produk, kegiatan branding yang masif, maupun memperkokoh relasi dengan mitra dealer. “Sebagai daerah wisata, pulau Bali dan sekitarnya memiliki potensi besar, khususnya untuk penjualan chest freezer yang merupakan produk unggulan dari ARTUGO. Ditambah, dengan menjamurnya usaha rumahan berbasis kuliner yang memerlukan produk penunjang dengan spesifikasi tertentu dari segi tampilan dan fitur,” ujar Branch Manager ARTUGO Cabang Bali, Ida Bagus Kusuma Putra. Kusuma menjelaskan, Chest freezer besutan ARTUGO sendiri dihadirkan dalam tampilan warna-warni dan memiliki kompresor Wide Range Voltage yang mampu tetap bekerja optimal di tengan kondisi tegangan yang naik–turun antara 160–260 volt. Selain itu pilihan kapasitas yang begitu bervariasi mulai dari 100–1.600 liter serta pemilihan Pre-Coated Metal (PCM) sebagai inner cabinet material yang tangguh terhadap benturan, anti karat, dan mudah dibersihkan turut membuat produk penunjang usaha ini banyak dipilih oleh para pelaku UMKM. “Selain chest freezer, tahun ini ARTUGO makin fokus untuk mempertajam penetrasi pasar di lini peranti dapur khususnya kompor,” imbuh Kusuma. Terbaru, ARTUGO baru saja merilis seri kompor tanam gas terbarunya ARTUGO AH 2738 EB. Keunggulan sekaligus keunikan kompor dua tungku ini terletak design tungku yang menyerupai mahkota. Karenanya, nama Queen Hob disematkan agar makin mudah dikenali oleh konsumen. Design tungku ARTUGO AH 2738 EB memiliki satu titik pusat api dan delapan titik api di sekelilingnya. Dengan design tersebut, abi biru sempurna yang dihasilkan, akan makin presisi disetel besar kecilnya sesuai dengan kebutuhan. Terdapat pelindung api di sekililing tungku yang akan melindungi knop agar tidak terpapar panas, sehingga lebih awet. Selain itu, jarak antar tungku diatur sedemikian rupa sehingga lebih luas, agar pengguna tidak perlu khawatir panci akan berhimpitan ketika menggunakan kedua tungku secara bersamaan. Badan kompor bermaterialkan tempered glass dengan lifetime warranty, turut menjadi daya tarik dari kompor ini. Tak lupa, segi keamanan yang dipastikan lewat hadirnya thermocouple, yang bertugas memutuskan aliran gas saat tidak ada sumber api, semakin menyempurnakan kompor dua tungku ini. Dari sisi branding, ARTUGO memiliki strategi untuk melakukan kegiatan promosi dengan menggandeng mitra dealer. Hal ini dianggap ideal, mengingat dealer ataupun toko adalah tempat dimana ARTUGO dapat lebih mudah menjangkau konsumen secara langsung dan lebih tepat sasaran. Berbagai kegiatan antara lain demo masak, bedah produk, dan kegiatan edukasi lainnya dilakukan dengan melibatkan pihak toko. Terbukti, dengan strategi ini selain brand awareness yang makin naik, relasi ARTUGO dengan mitra dealer juga semakin solid, sehingga pada akhirnya berdampak dengan naiknya penjualan. “Saat ini kami menargetkan untuk menambah jalinan dengan lebih banyak mitra dealer serta memperkuat kolaborasi dengan mitra dealer yang saat ini telah bekerjasama. Sebagai brand, kami menyadari bahwa diterimanya sebuah produk, tidak hanya cukup ditentukan oleh kualitas, namun juga faktor distribusi. Ini tak lepas dari peran penting mitra dealer , sebagai jembatan sampainya produk ARTUGO ke tangan konsumen,” pungkas Kusuma. Bangun Komunikasi Secara Apik, Berikan Layanan Terbaik Sebagai penghuni baru di pasar peranti rumah tangga, membuat ARTUGO berbeda dengan brand yang terlebih dahulu hadir, adalah tantangan tersendiri. Selain dari sisi produk, layanan servis dibangun menjadi salah satu pilar brand. Berinovasi dengan menghadirkan Service Trifecta, layanan purnajual berbasis digital pertama di Indonesia pada sektor home appliace, ARTUGO menjamin kenyamanan konsumen dalam mendapatkan pelayanan prima, sejak hari pertama membeli produk. “Nama Trifecta merujuk pada tiga layanan utama di dalamnya,” ujar CEO ARTUGO, Robert Widjaja. Robert menjelaskan, layanan tersebut terdiri dari Digital Warranty, Service Tracking, serta 7–Day Solution. Digital Warranty, yaitu sistem pendaftaran garansi produk melalui mekanisme digital, di mana konsumen cukup melakukan scan QR Code pada produk, mengikuti beberapa langkah registrasi, setelah itu secara otomatis produk akan terdaftar dalam website www.artugo.co.id. Kendala yang biasa terjadi karena hilangnya nota pembelian atau kartu garansi kini tak lagi menjadi persoalan. Sedangkan, Service Tracking merupakan fitur yang dibuat agar konsumen dapat memantau kemajuan proses perbaikan produk ARTUGO miliknya secara transparan dan real time. Yang terakhir, 7-Day Solution adalah komitmen waktu yang diberikan ARTUGO saat produk mengalami masalah dan memerlukan perbaikan lebih lanjut. Maksimal dalam tujuh hari sejak konsumen menyampaikan keluhan, ARTUGO akan memberikan solusi mulai dari meminjamkan produk pengganti, hingga mengganti produk bermasalah dengan produk yang baru. “Kami yakin, akan ada tantangan–tantangan baru bagi ARTUGO di tahun tahun mendatang. Namun demikian dengan kepercayaan dari konsumen, relasi yang kuat dengan mitra dealer, serta dukungan dari rekan–rekan media yang mengiringi perjalanan kami, tantangan tersebut akan dapat kami jawab bahkan menjadi cambuk untuk tumbuh dengan lebih baik lagi. Kami berterima kasih serta berkomitmen, untuk terus konsisten menghadirkan Great Product, Excellent Service  bagi ARTUGO Family di seluruh Indonesia , termasuk di Bali dan sekitarnya,” pungkas Robert.(tis/bpn) Read the full article

[rdcooling]

We are top brands Deep Freezer & Visi freezer Dealer in South Delhi and also, we deal in all other major brands like Voltas, Celfrost, Haier, Bluestar, Carrier. Buy Top quality commercial freezers at best prices with an energy-efficient compressor and corrosion-resistant durable body which Keeps your leftover food fresh for a long. We are also dealing in Convertible Freezers, Hard Top Deep Freezer, Deep Freezers, Chest Freezers, Vertical Freezers and Visi Freezers. For commercial enquiry, visit www.rdcoolingsolution.in call us at 8882359125 mail us at sales@rdcoolingsolution.in

[carrefrost-blog]

Best Chest Freezer Dealers

Carrefrost is the one of the major Chest Freezer Dealers and manufacturers of trading  refrigeration products in India. Our main focus is to provide  the durable and best Water Cooler to our clients at reasonable prices. It is dynamic and progressive company. We focus on quality not on quantity. Our products units are spread in very large area of 1000 square meters, which helps to fulfill the bulk requirements.

[zahabi777]

[inkmonster21]

Best Buds

Fezco x Reader

Euphoria Universe x Reader

1. Your Local Drug Dealer

~

I sit up in bed with a long stretch. That was the best I have ever slept in so long! I stand up, wrapping my robe around myself and going right to the shower. As soon as I start the water my phone chimes indicating I got a snap.

Fez sent a snap...

I open the message. Fez is sitting on the counter of the store taking a selfie, "Good mornin. Come by anytime, ma." I raise my camera up taking the best photo after a couple of attempts. "I plan on it."

The breeze entered through the holes in my jeans, making ht summer heat bearable. and with every step, my nerves rose. Soon, the store came into view, Fez sitting in the shade against the wall. I walk over, planting myself in front of him.

He looks up with a small smile, "Look who it is." I wiggle my fingers in a wave. "Hey. I'm sorry about yesterday. I didn't realize it was the middle of the night when I added you." Fez shakes his head, taking a stand to his feet. "it's no worries. I was up." He walks closer to the door, holding it open. "Come on, ma. Let me show you what I got." "Um, okay." I step inside with him, feeling the close vicinity. My nerves thick as I follow him. The pure scent surrounding him is making me lofty.

He leads me past the drinks and opens one of the doors walking into the freezer. I follow him seeing an entire back corner carved out just for him to do business. A young boy sat on a stool counting bills.

"Ashtray, this is (Y/n). Dylan's older sister. (Y/n), this is Ash." The kid nods his head before going back to counting. "Hey." I wave awkwardly before putting my hands behind my back. The kid nods before continuing his business.

Fez pulls out a gallon ziplock bag and opens it. "This is Alien OG. Got a pound. Gorilla Glue got an ounce on that. Blueberry Skittles only a quarter." I stare at the bags with confusion. "I... uh..." Fezco smiles letting out a light chuckle. "So, you saying you just started. Like last night?" I nod embarrassed. "I know nothing about this stuff."

Fez nods with a smile. "Cute. I got you, ma." He pulls out three separate bags, placing a few nugs of each plant in the bags. Thankfully my cheeks burnt down before he turned to me with the weed all packaged. "6gs on house. Come on back. I'll smoke you up." Fez grabs my wrist lightly, leading us away from the freezer and back into the light.

Fezco leans up against the wall, putting a blunt between his lips and sparking the end. I watch as his chest fills, rises, causing his shirt to tighten on his body. He exhales blowing the smoke into the sky. Fez holds out the blunt for me. "This is that Alien OG. I put 2 grams of that in the bag." I nod as I inhale the greens. "So, you been a real hard-ass on drugs, huh?" I shrug fighting a smile. Fez scoffs, "Fucking bummer." I take the blunt again smiling at him. "I didn't know, okay? Now I do. It's fucking awesome."

Fez keeps staring at me as I exhale the smoke. "What is it?" Fez smiles looking away. "Nothing, nothing. Just weird seeing a girl like you smoke." I pass the blunt his way, our fingers touching as he grabs it. "Get used to it, Fezco. I have a feeling you'll be seeing me a lot more." Fez bites his lips a sheer second before taking a hit of the blunt. "I hope so, (Y/n)."

After several minutes of conversation, jokes, and a joint, my mom starts calling. "Fuck." "Wasup?" "My mom's calling. She likes to have tea on Sundays." Fez lets out a laugh, "Tea? Like holding up pinkies and shit?" I push my pinkie up pretending to be British, "That's quite right sir." "Oh shit. look at you. You're good at that. I would've believed you." I silence her call rather than having to answer in front of him. I shuffle my feet swinging my hands behind my back. "I guess I should get going." Fez scans the area before asking, "Aye, you need a ride?" I start to reject but he decides for me. "You are way too fucked to be walking. Get in." Fez opens the door for me allowing me to fall into the front seat.

The drive home didn't take long. I was a straight shot from the store. Only a 15-minute walk. "It's the one on the left." Fez pulls up to the gate looking at the house in amazement. "No shit. You live here?" I nod looking at the large home. "Yeah. My mom's dream house." "Damn, girl." I look at him rolling my eyes, "Don't do that." "Do what? Look at you? You're pretty." Fez traces his thumb over my chin. "I... I should-" He nods, looking deep into my eyes. The feeling getting me drunk. "Yeah, I know." I exit the car waving him off before punching in my code and entering the gate.

~

About three weeks after I started smoking I found a new way of living. My entire life my mom always pushed the core values she believed in. Religion and image. The two most important things. If you're religious, well then you can't do any wrong, and when you can't do any wrong, you must present a perfectly clean image. You're pure, pretty, and proud. My mom was so fucking crazy that she was convinced I was supposed to marry Nate Jacobs and have two darling boys. It makes me puke.

I lock my door, open the window, kick my feet up, and spark a blunt. The light buzz of my phone and the ringtone catch my attention. I smile seeing the name plastered on the screen. "Hey, Fez." "Sup ma. How are you doing?" "Good. Smoking. Might watch a movie." "How was your day?" I giggle into the phone as I ash the blunt in the tray. "Sudden interest in my boring summer days?" Fez mumbles into the phone, "I like hearing you talk bout it." "How bored I am?" "Nah, baby, your day." I blush at his words.

"It was a good day. The cheer camp started today. It wasn't completely horrible. I was able to be land my back tuck today." "That's crazy for real. You do those flips and shit?" "Yeah. I'm one of the tumblers on the team." "That's tight. So... listen... You wanna like... come over tomorrow. The store is closed tomorrow. Figured I'd take a day off." I freeze in my chair. "Like... come to your house?" "Yeah." I smile letting the reality sink in. "Or if you-" "No, I want to come. What time should I be there?" "Anytime you want, baby." "Okay. I'll talk to you later Fez." "Catch you soon, ma."

Fez hangs up the phone with Ash by his side. His fists balled up in front of his face. Fez lays down his phone next to his leg on the couch. "So?" Ash asks with dying nerves. He had been persuading Fezco to call (y/n) all night! Fez looks to his brother, a smile growing on his face. "We're chillin tomorrow." Ash hops off the couch howling at his brother. "See? Fuckin told you, man! She's into you!" Fez shakes his head, "I don know bout all dat, She's preppy." Ash rolls his eyes. "If she was a real prep she'd only be buying from you. Not making phone calls at 2 am. Y'all keep me up, man."

[conquercool01]

Blue Star Deep Freezer Dealers

Blue Star Deep Freezer Dealers are a crucial part of the brand’s distribution network, providing high-quality freezing solutions to a variety of customers, including households, businesses, and industrial users. Known for their durability, energy efficiency, and advanced cooling technology, Blue Star deep freezers are designed to meet the stringent storage requirements of perishable goods.

Located in both urban and suburban areas, these dealers ensure widespread accessibility, catering to different market segments. Key locations often include commercial hubs and marketplaces where the demand for reliable freezing solutions is high. This strategic placement helps in meeting the immediate needs of restaurants, supermarkets, dairy farms, and pharmaceutical companies that rely on efficient storage for their products.

Blue Star dealers offer an extensive range of deep freezers, including chest freezers and upright models. These freezers come in various capacities and configurations to suit specific needs, from small-scale operations to large industrial storage requirements. The models are equipped with features like robust build quality, quick freezing capabilities, and efficient insulation, ensuring long-lasting performance and minimal energy consumption.

Dealers provide comprehensive support from the initial consultation to after-sales services. They help customers select the right model based on their unique requirements, ensuring that they get the best value for their investment. The competitive pricing and financing options offered by these dealers make high-quality deep freezers accessible to a broader audience.

Installation services are handled by skilled technicians who ensure that the freezers are set up correctly for optimal performance. Regular maintenance and prompt repair services are also provided to keep the freezers in top working condition, minimizing downtime and ensuring continuous operation.

In addition to product quality and reliable service, Blue Star deep freezer dealers emphasize customer satisfaction. They maintain a strong relationship with clients through dedicated support and timely assistance, reinforcing Blue Star’s reputation for excellence in the refrigeration industry.

In summary, Blue Star deep freezer dealers offer a comprehensive package of high-quality products, expert advice, professional installation, and robust after-sales support, making them a preferred choice for freezing solutions across various sectors.

[hartigays]

please take this as a prompt to write as angsty a fic as u want. mwah mwah (💌 — astrid)

(to preface: this is basically just canon divergence nonsense after barry burns rafe’s arm on his bike in s1 👹)

rafe jerks awake with a start.

he’s not sure what roused him from his (not so peaceful) slumber, until he hears the sharp knock again. it’s something hitting one of his bedroom windows - the one closest to his bed.

the room feels like a deep freezer when rafe crawls out from between his sheets. he likes the room to be cold when he sleeps - he has dreams, and dreams make him sweat.

(maybe they can be classified more as nightmares. but no one is asking, so it doesn’t really matter either way.)

rafe enjoys the cold significantly less when he has to walk through it in the middle of the night. it feels good on his arm, at least, where barry burned him. it soothes the sting that he’d been able to ignore while unconscious.

when rafe walks up to the window to investigate, he nearly keels over and dies.

because the source of the noise is none other than barry the fucking coke dealer himself.

speak of the devil, and whatnot.

rafe shoves the window open with a grunt. it opens outward, nearly knocking barry off the roof and onto the ground below. the corner of rafe’s lips twitch - he really would’ve liked to have seen that.

if he knew barry had such bad balance and coordination, rafe probably would’ve shoved the window open a little harder.

“i said i’d get you your money,” rafe says, the first to speak.

barry just rights himself, arching one brow. “i know.”

“so why the fuck are you here?”

barry doesn’t wait for an answer. he simply stares at rafe for a beat, before crawling through the window, elbowing rafe out of the way in the process.

the movement makes rafe’s arm throb, and he clutches at it with a hiss.

not sparing rafe a single glance, barry just circles the room, whistling. far too loud for this time of night.

“sweet setup you got here, country club,” barry tells him. he finally turns to look at rafe head-on, his dark eyes unreadable.

rafe is still clutching his arm, wincing. “thanks. it looks nicer without you in it, so. bye.”

barry laughs, a full-bodied thing that should make rafe want to kill him. it certainly shouldn’t make rafe shudder like a bitch in heat, but it does.

it does.

“ain’t getting rid of me that easy,” barry snorts. then, his gaze zeroes in on rafe’s hand grasping his wounded arm. “get over here and lemme see that.”

“no,” rafe answers, immediately, shaking his head. “no fucking way.”

barry purses his lips. he stares at rafe like he’s staring into his soul, and rafe wants to gouge his eyes out so he’ll stop.

“wasn’t aware i gave you an option, baby boy.”

rafe’s heart does a messy little dance in his chest, and his insides feel like a puddle of goo.

he hates barry, he really does. the fucker gave him a 3rd degree burn not even twelve hours ago. and yet. here rafe stands, eyes and stomach full of hearts and butterflies and all that disgusting shit, all because of something as pathetic as a nickname.

it’s not even an affectionate nickname. it’s condescending, and it should make rafe want to tear someone’s head off. preferably barry’s.

it doesn’t.

rafe moves closer, cautiously. when he’s within reach, barry just reaches out and grabs rafe’s bad arm, yanking him in and closing the distance.

rafe bites his tongue so hard he nearly draws blood, trying to stuff his pained groan right back down his throat. it doesn’t really work, and barry notices, but doesn’t comment on it.

instead, he takes rafe’s arm and examines it, like the burn is something he’s never seen before. like he’s not the one who put it there.

“lemme fix this up for you,” barry mumbles, still staring at rafe’s arm. like maybe the burn will magically sprout legs and run off into the night, never to be seen again.

“why?” rafe asks, swallowing around the lump that has been steadily growing in his throat since barry’s arrival.

barry uses his free hand to grasp rafe’s chin, forcing their eyes to meet. “because you ain’t in control, rafe cameron. and you need to get that through your pretty little head.”

“that doesn’t answer my question, like, at all,” rafe mutters, then winces when barry’s grip on his arm and chin both tighten.

“because i’m in control,” barry continues, like rafe never even spoke at all, “you got that? you ain’t making the decisions around here no more.”

“wasn’t aware i was making any decisions in the first place,” rafe mutters, glaring down at his arm.

barry lifts rafe’s arm up, releasing his chin to gently trace his fingers over the tender wound. rafe winces again, and barry grins like a shark.

“quit arguin’ and be a good boy like your momma taught ya. and while you’re behaving, go get me some first aid shit.”

rafe feels like he’s frozen in place, the words turning over and over and over in his head. until barry’s nails dig in, and then he’s crying out, stumbling backwards. he’s out of the room a second later, practically tripping over himself as he heads down the hall to the storage closet where he knows ward keeps emergency supplies, disoriented.

by some miracle, the first aid kit is sitting right in the center of the middle shelf. rafe snatches it without a thought, turning to head back to his room before pausing.

barry has never been in control. it’s a pathetic illusion, rafe decides. he won’t gain control either - another thing rafe decides. and barry needs to be made aware of that.

rafe steels himself, trying to keep his chin up as he walks back into his room. he’s not going to let barry play this little game - not in his house, not after that little shitshow of a display this afternoon.

barry has his back turned, looking at some of the paintings hung on rafe’s walls. rafe walks up as quietly as he can, but he knows the moment barry realizes he’s behind him. because barry’s body tenses just so, just enough for rafe to notice.

when barry turns, rafe swings.

barry catches rafe’s fist easily, and okay. maybe barry isn’t as unbalanced or uncoordinated as rafe had thought. in a split second, barry has a hand wrapped around rafe’s throat, squeezing tight enough that rafe wheezes.

walking them back towards rafe’s bed - forcibly, rafe would like to make that clear - barry’s face twists into a furious snarl.

rafe collapses onto the bed with a gasp when barry lets go of his neck, coughing and wheezing as he tries to catch his breath.

“try that shit one more time,” barry warns, “and you ain’t gonna like what comes next.”

then, barry leaves rafe sprawled on the bed, massaging his throat, and makes a beeline for the first aid kit. rafe can hear him rummaging through it, grumbling to himself, before returning with a few assorted items.

when barry kneels down in front of him, right on his knees, rafe almost passes out again. he feels like he’s trapped in one of his nightmares, with some added sexual tension to spice things up a bit.

“gimme your arm,” barry orders, and rafe complies.

his throat is still aching, and he’s not particularly interested in barry making that worse, too. it’s already bad enough that barry is probably about to skin him alive - he doesn’t need any more choking involved. unless it’s the sexy kind.

but even then, rafe isn’t particularly interested. not when slaughtering barry in his room feels so incredibly tantalizing right now.

instead of skinning him alive, barry just smooths burn cream over the blistered mark on rafe’s arm. the way barry rubs it in is almost soothing; a smooth circling of his fingers, his touch almost featherlight.

when the burn cream sets, barry grabs some gauze from the pile next to him. he’s about to plaster it onto rafe’s arm when he pauses, staring at the burn like he’s been hypnotized.

“you sure are pretty when you all marked up,” barry says, breathless, like just the thought of marking rafe leaves him reeling.

rafe wishes, fleetingly, that barry would be interested in marking him in ways that wouldn’t leave him in agonizing pain afterward.

but wishes never really do come true, do they?

barry finally places the gauze on rafe’s arm, carefully, then wraps it up in a sticky bandage. he looks up at rafe when he’s finished, finally not staring at the burn like it’s something fucking holy.

“you’re not in control,” rafe tells him, his voice trembling. “you’re not. just because you did this doesn’t- ”

“you damn right i did this,” barry hisses, lurching upright so he can tower over rafe.

it’s the only time he can, really, what with rafe being a walking skyscraper and all.

“i gave the pain, i took it away,” barry continues. “ain’t that control, princess?”

“no,” rafe argues, shaking his head furiously. “no.”

“what would you call it then, if you so damn smart?”

rafe glares up at him, gritting his teeth. “i don’t fucking know, sadism? narcissism?”

barry snorts, then leans down and plants both hands on either side of rafe’s head, boxing him in. “then we one in the same, rafe cameron.”

this is the part where they should angrily kiss, rafe thinks. but barry doesn’t kiss him. he just straddles rafe’s hips, pinning him down before closing the distance and sinking his teeth into rafe’s bottom lip.

rafe arches up into it, trying to tangle his fingers in barry’s hair, but barry just swats his hands away. when he pulls back, he runs his thumb over the teeth indents now decorating rafe’s bottom lip.

“i hate you,” rafe pants, staring up at barry, his pupils blown wide. “i’m gonna kill you, barry. i’ll slit your throat while you’re asleep in your shit trailer and you can die in your own filth. and i’ll like it.”

barry moves in again, biting down on rafe’s jugular. this time, he draws blood. it’s staining his teeth when he pulls back.

“not if i kill you first,” barry says, softly, like it’s a sweet promise and not a harsh threat. “in my shit trailer, where you’ll be sleeping, because you gonna come running back, rafe cameron. and you can die in my filth, all marked up by me, so everyone will know who you belonged to when they put yo’ stupid ass in the ground. six feet deep.”

rafe wants to argue, but that’s part of the problem. he wants too much with barry. and he knows he’s right. rafe will come running back, someday, some way, somehow. he will.

when barry climbs off of him, rafe feels like he’s lost a limb. he keeps losing things to barry. and this whole thing between them, it’s a death sentence. at least for one of them.

rafe shouldn’t feel emptied out, hollow and lifeless, when barry pushes open the window he’d come through and crawls back onto the roof.

barry turns back, just for a moment, to flash scarlet-stained teeth at rafe before speaking.

“see you soon, country club.”