#commercial carpet machine

[kigtuae]

Elevate Your Cleaning Standards with Kaddah International’s Tailored Solutions

Maintaining a clean and hygienic environment is crucial for any business, whether it’s a bustling office, a retail store, or an industrial facility. But with diverse cleaning needs and challenges, finding the right products and services can be a daunting task. That’s where Kaddah International General Trading LLC steps in, offering a range of tailored cleaning solutions designed to meet the specific demands of your business.

Why Customized Cleaning Solutions Matter

Every business is unique, and so are its cleaning requirements. A one-size-fits-all approach rarely delivers the results needed to maintain high standards of cleanliness. By opting for customized cleaning solutions, you ensure that every aspect of your facility’s cleanliness is addressed, leading to a safer, more appealing environment for employees and customers alike.

What Kaddah International Brings to the Table

At Kaddah International, we understand that different businesses have different cleaning needs. That’s why we offer a range of services and products that can be tailored to fit your exact requirements:

Comprehensive Product Range: We provide everything from industrial-grade cleaning machines to specialized chemicals, all sourced from leading global brands. Whether you need powerful vacuum cleaners, efficient floor scrubbers, or eco-friendly cleaning agents, we’ve got you covered.

Expert Floor Restoration: Over time, floors can become worn and dull, detracting from the overall appearance of your space. Our floor restoration services are designed to bring your floors back to life. Using advanced techniques like grinding, polishing, and sealing, we can restore the shine and durability of your floors, extending their lifespan and enhancing their look.

Customized Cleaning Plans: No two businesses are the same, so why should your cleaning plan be? We work closely with you to develop a cleaning strategy that fits your specific needs and budget. Whether it’s daily maintenance, a weekly deep clean, or a specialized service for high-traffic areas, we tailor our approach to ensure your facility is always in top condition.

Reliable Supply of Cleaning Chemicals: Our range of cleaning chemicals is selected for their effectiveness and safety. We provide solutions that are tough on dirt but gentle on surfaces and the environment, helping you achieve the highest standards of hygiene without compromising safety.

Partner with Kaddah International for Unmatched Cleanliness

Choosing Kaddah International General Trading LLC means partnering with a company that prioritizes quality, reliability, and customer satisfaction. Our tailored cleaning solutions ensure that every aspect of your facility’s cleanliness is taken care of, allowing you to focus on running your business.

Ready to elevate your cleaning standards? Contact us today to learn more about our customized cleaning solutions and how we can help you maintain a pristine and hygienic environment. With Kaddah International by your side, you can trust that your cleaning needs are in expert hands.

[welcogm]

Benefits Of Industrial Carpet Washing Machines

Industrial carpet washing machines are heavy-duty, large-scale machines designed for effectively cleaning and maintaining carpets on a commercial or industrial level. They are commonly used in settings such as hotels, airports, offices, convention centers, and other high-traffic areas where large carpeted surfaces require regular and thorough cleaning.

Features of industrial carpet washing machines may include:

Utilizable with ease.

Simple to use and just needs 1-2 persons to operate the machine. Reduces labor costs and boosts machine effectiveness.

Band of the conveyor kind with a speed controller. It can move freely forward and backward, washing every section of the carpet thoroughly and minutely.

The carpet is even more thoroughly cleaned by two rows of nozzles for rinsing.

Through the nozzles, water and soap chemical can be sprayed.

Three to four brushes that can freely rotate in either a clockwise or counterclockwise direction remove debris from the carpet.

A solitary cylindrical brush.

Automatic height adjustments for brushes can be made in accordance with the carpets' thickness. No need to manually adjust.

Control systems with PLC and touchscreens are available.

It's essential to use industrial carpet washing machines correctly and follow safety guidelines to avoid damage to the carpets and ensure the longevity of the equipment. Additionally, proper cleaning agents and solutions suitable for industrial use should be utilized to achieve the best results.

Welco Garment Machinery Pvt. is a manufacturer of industrial carpet washers, including carpet washers, carpet wringers, and dust removers.

Our goal is to help your company produce more and better goods. Your firm may use industrial carpet washers to increase productivity, improve product quality, and save resources regardless of performance, size, or location.

For more details visit to our website:

https://www.welcogm.com/carpet_washing_machines.php

[serviceerw]

Wet and Dry Vacuum NZ | Vacuum Cleaners Auckland | NZ Cleaning Supplies

Vacuum cleaners auckland - Window cleaning equipment nz — Are you looking for top-of-the-line window cleaning equipment, soap dispensers, sugar soaps, and other cleaning products? NZ Cleaning Supplies is your one-stop shop for all your needs! Our selection of high-quality products can help you save time and money when it comes to cleaning windows and other surfaces. We have the best selection of window cleaners and carpet cleaning machines to get the job done quickly and efficiently. With our team of experienced Auckland commercial cleaners, we guarantee

[hbyrde36]

Burnin' For You

(Pt 1 of 2) AO3

Written for the Spicy Six Winter Fanworks Challenge

Hosted by @thefreakandthehair!

Dialog Prompt: “Who sets the fire alarm off at 3am in December?” / “Who runs outside without a coat at 3am in December?”

Ever since Steve's ex broke up with him and walked out on their life together he hasn't been able to sleep in their apartment on his own. For months now he's taken refuge in the space under his desk, in his /thankfully/ privacy office on the 8th floor of a high-rise on the edge of the business district. It was all going fine, really, until the night the fire alarm went off.

WC: 2,557 | Rating: E (for smut in pt. 2!)

The ear-piercingly loud siren of the building’s fire alarm jerked Steve out of an already fitful sleep. He startled awake, tried to sit up, and wound up banging his head against the underside of his desk hard enough to see stars. 

Great.

Just what he needed, another knock to the head. As if the two concussions he’d picked up playing sports back in high school hadn’t been enough.

He laid there like an idiot for a moment or two, hoping it was a mistake and the grating sound would stop on its own, but the wailing of the alarm only seemed to grow louder the longer he was awake. 

Shit.

What was he supposed to do now? 

The obvious answer was to follow protocol and go outside to wait for the fire department to arrive, which he really, really, didn’t want to have to do. In his defense there was no smell of smoke or anything but seeing as it was the middle of the night and everything, there was basically zero chance that this was a drill.

He sighed heavily and reluctantly got up, shoving his feet into a pair of slippers he kept in his office for late night trips to the bathroom, or sometimes to the coffee machine in the break room when he really couldn't sleep, and grabbed his cell phone off the charger. He didn’t bother stashing his pillow or rolling up the sleeping bag, still hopeful that it was a false alarm and he’d be back in no time to resume what was left of his night on the hard floor with its all too thin commercial carpeting.

He walked on autopilot to the elevator, remembering just as it dinged and opened that if there really was a fire or some other emergency, he should be taking the stairs. He shuddered as his mind conjured up high resolution images of being trapped in there as the building burned down around him. 

Thanks for that, brain.

He shook his head and quickly backtracked to the stairwell access door.

-

Steve shivered, wrapping his arms around himself as he crossed the street wearing nothing but red checkered flannel pajama bottoms and a white long sleeve t-shirt, his version of Christmas pajamas. Not that he felt very festive this year, but he was trying. At least he had something on his feet. He blamed sleep deprivation for the fact that he hadn’t thought to grab his coat off the rack on his way out.

He came to a stop next to the building that faced the one he’d just fled, chin tucked in tightly to his chest, slowly curling in on himself more and more as the cold seeped into his bones. It couldn't have been more than forty degrees outside. His teeth chattered and he wondered how long it would take for the fire department to arrive. Maybe he could just sneak back into the building for his coat. It wasn’t like there was anyone around to stop him.

The abrupt sound of a throat clearing loudly nearby made Steve nearly jump out of his skin. His head snapped up, locking eyes with a man who was leaning against the wall not five feet away from him. Steve knew with certainty that he’d never seen him before, even in passing. He would have remembered those deep brown eyes and gorgeous head full of long dark curls. He wasn’t sure how he’d missed noticing the stranger’s presence just now, his only excuse being that he hadn’t expected anyone else to be around at this time of night. 

“Oh, uh. Hi.” Steve stuttered out awkwardly. “Were you in there too?” 

“Yeah.” The man said, sounding a little nervous himself. Steve guessed he was also surprised to see another person.

“That’s odd.” Steve said, tilting his head to the side. “I didn’t hear anyone else in the stairwell.” And with the way his own footfalls had echoed on the steps he thought for sure he would have.

“Oh. I took the elevator.”

“That was pretty dumb, what if it got stuck?” It was a little tactless even for Steve, given that he’d almost done the same thing, but could he really be blamed for putting his foot in his mouth given the hour and the circumstances?

The stranger raised both eyebrows. “Wow, charming.”

“Wasn’t trying to be.” Steve grumbled.

“Okay, fine. If there was a fire it would have been stupid, but clearly… ” The other man trailed off, gesturing towards the building which sat whole, still, and very much not on fire in front of them, before grumpily pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket.

Steve swallowed hard. Smoking was a disgusting habit, or so he’d been trying to tell himself for the past six months since he decided to quit, but damn if this infuriatingly attractive stranger didn’t make it look hot. The way he raised one to his mouth and wrapped his plush lips around the end of it had warmth pooling in Steve’s gut despite the frigid temperature surrounding him.

Nope. He wasn’t going there. He needed to deflect, now. 

“But you couldn't have known that. Unless… '' Steve paused, a thought occurring to him. Suddenly it clicked and he was livid. “Oh you absolute fucking asshole!” 

It probably wasn’t completely fair, but it was easier to be pissed off at some jerk, cute or not, for being an idiot than it was to face the truth. He wouldn’t be in this situation if he could just sleep in his apartment like a normal person, but ever since Tommy left he couldn’t stand being there for any longer than it took to take a shower and change his clothes. It was supposed to be their home, their life that they were building together, until it all fell apart.

“What did I do?!” The other man squawked in reply.

Steve gave him an unimpressed look, gesturing to the cigarette in his hand and, more pointedly, to the smoke that was curling up and away from it. 

“Shit.” He cursed, throwing the cigarette to the ground and stubbing it out violently with the toe of his boot, as if getting rid of the evidence now would erase it from Steve’s mind. “It was an accident, okay? It’s never been a problem before, I just blow the smoke out the window and it’s all good, usually, but I guess the direction of the wind wasn’t on my side tonight.” 

Steve bristled. “Well thanks to your accident,” He began, using air quotes to highlight how ridiculous it sounded. “I'm stuck out here freezing my ass off. Who sets the fire alarm off at 3am in December?!”

The man smirked, an expression that somehow made his already stupidly pretty face that much more attractive, and crossed his arms over his chest as he spoke. “Who runs outside without a coat at 3am in December?”

Well, he had him there. 

Still Steve glowered, willing a scathing retort to form on his tongue. But, before he could manage it the doe-eyed stranger was shrugging out of his jacket and stepping up to drape it across his shoulders. The leather was worn soft and smelled vaguely of tobacco and some expensive brand of warm, spicy cologne. Steve breathed the scent in deep and felt the beginnings of a blush crawl up his neck to settle on his cheeks. 

“Better?” The stranger asked, voice gone soft in a way that sent shivers up Steve's spine that had nothing to do with the weather. 

“Yeah, uh, thanks… “

“Eddie.”

“Eddie.” Steve repeated, liking the way the other man’s name felt on his tongue. “Steve,” he said, introducing himself in return before adding, “but, won’t you be cold now?”

Eddie shrugged. “I’ll be fine, I run hot.”

You can say that again.

Steve looked Eddie up and down as subtly as he could manage, taking in the way his newly exposed t-shirt was stretched tight across his body, accentuating lightly toned arms and a thin waist. He bit down on his lip hard, trying to snap out of it. He couldn’t remember ever being this attracted to someone at first sight. 

“If you don't mind me asking, what are you doing here in the middle of the night?” Steve asked.

“14th floor, Hellcheer studios. Do you know it?”

Steve nodded. He’d never visited that part of the building before, but he knew of the small yet successful startup production company that was housed above his own offices.

“I sneak in here a lot at night to record when inspiration strikes. I don’t like taking up time that could go to other artists. There's less pressure too, when no one else is around. Just me, my guitar, and a microphone.”

“Couldn’t you get in trouble for that?

“No, it’s, uh, let’s just say I know the owners really well.” Eddie chuckled, rubbing the back of his neck nervously. “What about you? And don’t say working.”

“How do you know I’m not here burning the midnight oil, same as you?”

Eddie laughed and shot him a truly wolfish grin. “Well, for one, no one really works between Christmas and New Years unless they absolutely have to, and for two, you’re wearing pajama bottoms, sweetheart.” 

“Oh, right.” 

Steve deflated a little. He’d completely forgotten the state he was in and was instantly embarrassed at the reminder. He didn’t even know what he was still doing here. He was so stupid, standing on a street corner waiting for the fire department when really he should just get over himself and go home, be normal. 

He slid his shoulders out of the leather jacket to try and give it back to its owner before he fled, but Eddie was having none of it. He wrapped it right back around him, only this time they were facing each other and Eddie had to move in extra close to swing it around his back. So close that Steve could feel the other man’s warm breath brush across his cheek as he spoke. 

“No, please keep it on.” Eddie began, rubbing his hands up and down Steve’s covered arms, warming him further. He kept his voice low and gentle and the whole thing was so undeniably intimate that Steve thought he might actually swoon. “I can't have you freezing to death when it’s my fault we’re stuck out here. I’m sorry if I said something to upset you. I didn’t mean anything by it, I swear. I was just…  teasing, I guess, and maybe a little curious?”

Steve was too tired to come up with a believable excuse, if there even was such a thing.

“I, um, I can’t sleep in my apartment anymore. Ever since my ex left I just… it doesn’t feel right to be there alone?” 

It was quite the admission to make to a perfect stranger on the sidewalk in the middle of the night, but despite his initial embarrassment, there was something about Eddie that made him want to open up. He felt strangely safe.

“I’m sorry, that must be rough. How long has it been?”

“A few months.”

“Oh, Steve.”

“And I know what you're going to say. I should be over it by now. That’s what everybody says.”

“Actually I was going to say, your poor back. I can only imagine how much it’s suffering sleeping on a cot or god forbid the horrible floors in that building.”

“Oh.” Steve said, looking away.

“Hey, you’ll get over it in your own time. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.” Eddie said, reaching up to cup his cheek. The hand was so warm on his icy skin that Steve was helpless to stop himself from nuzzling into the touch. 

“Thank you.”

A beat of silence fell over the two men and by all rights it should have been uncomfortable, standing there wrapped up in someone he didn’t know, but Steve couldn't bring himself to care. Eventually the sound of sirens in the distance prompted him to speak again, knowing the fire department would be there soon. 

“I kinda am, y’know? Over it, I mean. My ex… looking back I’ve realized he wasn’t the best person. I don’t miss the relationship exactly, I think it’s more like I miss what could have been.”

Eddie hummed in agreement. “I get that.” He said, and paused before asking, “why haven't you moved?” 

“I think at first it was because I hoped he’d come back.” Steve answered, risking a glance into Eddie’s wide sympathetic eyes. “Pathetic, I know.” He murmured. 

“None of that Stevie, you’re not pathetic for holding out hope.”

“After a while I realized it was for the best. Tommy… I don’t think he was ever as committed to us as I was. I don’t think he even liked me by the end, let alone loved me.” Steve sighed, closing his eyes against the memories that flooded his mind.  “I was offered a promotion. It would have come with a huge pay raise but it also would have meant longer hours at the office and less time at home. I turned it down, there wasn’t any amount of money worth that, to me at least, and besides, I like my job. Tommy didn’t agree, he was furious.”

“I’m sorry, but the guy sounds like a dick.”

Steve laughed, cracking a smile for the first time in a long time. “Yeah, yeah I guess he was.”

A fire truck with flashing lights came barreling around the corner seconds later, coming to a stop directly in front of them. Eddie, to Steve's disappointment, let him go, explaining that he should be the one to talk to them since the whole thing was his fault, and stepped away to greet the handful of responders.

It was only a few minutes before Eddie came jogging back, a look of obvious concern pinching his face. 

“I tried to tell them it was my fault, that it was a mistake, but their chief said he has to clear the building anyway and it could take a while. I don’t think we’re getting back in there tonight. I guess we’ll both have to head home for the night.” Eddie sounded sad at the idea, as if he were as upset as Steve was that their time together was coming to an end. 

But maybe it didn’t have to.

“It’s alright, my apartment isn’t all that far from here.” Steve said, contemplating the best way to make his move. 

“I’m sorry,” Eddie said, grasping Steve’s hand and squeezing it. “I know you said you hate sleeping there alone.”

This man could not be real, Steve decided, he was far too fucking sweet. And something about that must have made him feel brave, because he looked Eddie right in the eyes and just went for it. 

“I was sort of hoping… maybe I wouldn't have to sleep alone?”

Eddie raised a single eyebrow, face breaking out into a tentative smile. “Are you sure?”

In reply, Steve tucked a finger into Eddie’s belt loop and tugged him forward, closing the distance between them as he crashed their mouths together. Eddie let out a pleased hum as he deepened the kiss, and Steve was pleasantly surprised to find that his lips were even softer then he could have possibly imagined

Part 2!

Thanks and love to @penny00dreadful for being the best cheerleader and beta reader a gal could ask for! 🥰

[workersolidarity]

[ 📹 The Israeli occupation army bombs and shells the tents of displaced Palestinian families before they can even evacuate their belongings outside the city of Rafah, in the southern Gaza Strip on Wednesday. The occupation forces open machine-gun fire and tank shells into densely populated areas and tent cities built to house displaced families as they advanced on the center of the city. The local Kuwait Specialized Hospital reported receiving 35 bodies of murdered Palestinians, along with 129 wounded civilians over the last day. 📈 The current death toll in the Gaza genocide now exceeds 34'844 Palestinians killed, including 14'690 children and 10'000 women, with another 78'404 wounded since Oct. 7th, 2023. ]

🇮🇱⚔️🇵🇸 🚀🚀🏘️💥🚑 🚨

ISRAELI OCCUPATION FORCES EXPAND OPERATIONS IN RAFAH, CARPET BOMBING CONTINUES, KEREM SHALOM CROSSING STILL CLOSED, NEW MASS GRAVE DISCOVERED AT AL-SHIFA

On the 215th day of "Israel's" ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the Israeli occupation forces (IOF) committed a total of 7 new massacres of Palestinian families, resulting in the deaths of no less than 55 Palestinian civilians, mostly children but also women, while another 200 others were wounded over the previous 24-hours.

It should be noted that as a result of the constant Israeli bombardment of Gaza's healthcare system, infrastructure, residential and commercial buildings, local paramedic and civil defense crews are unable to reach countless hundreds, even thousands of victims who remain trapped under the rubble, or who's bodies remain strewn across the streets of Gaza.

This leaves the official death toll vastly undercounted, as Gaza's healthcare officials are unable to accurately tally those killed and maimed in this genocide, which must be kept in mind when considering the scale of the mass murder.

In a new horrific atrocity announced by Gaza's media office, a third mass grave was discovered at the Al-Shifa medical complex in Gaza City on Tuesday, from which at least 49 decomposing bodies of murdered Palestinians have been found so far.

This brings the number of mass graves discovered at hospitals in recent weeks to 7, including one mass grave at Kamal Adwan Hospital in Beit Lahiya, in the northern Gaza Strip, three at Al-Shifa Hospital in the Al-Rimal neighborhood of Gaza City, and three at the Nasser medical complex in Khan Yunis, in the southern Gaza Strip.

In a statement issued by media office, the office said, “We condemn in the strongest terms the crimes of genocide and the continuous killing committed by the occupation army against our Palestinian people. "

“We hold the US administration, the international community and the occupation fully responsible for these mass graves and this blatant aggression," the office added.

In other news, there are conflicting reports about the reopening of the Kerem Shalom crossing, where the Gaza Strip at Rafah meets the Egyptian border, the crossing where nearly all humanitarian aid has entered the Gaza Strip from.

The Israeli occupation initially announced on Wednesday that the Kerem Shalom crossing had been reopened to aid trucks, while reports on the ground say a single fuel truck was allowed to pass on its way to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine, also known as UNRWA, before the crossing was again closed by the Israeli army forces occupying the site.

Meanwhile, the Israeli occupation army expanded the scope of its operations in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah.

Zionist Merkava tanks and other armored vehicles were seen firing tank shells into high-rise buildings, apartment complexes, and other civilian infrastructure in central Rafah, passing through the Al-Awda roundabout in the heart of the city, and reaching to the Al-Najma roundabout, near the entrance to the Shaboura Refugee Camp, southeast of the Tal al-Sultan neighborhood.

Israeli artillery shelling and airstrikes hammered from the outskirts of the Al-Geneina neighborhood, to the Brazil neighborhood east of Rafah, while Zionist aircraft bombed in the vicinity of the site of the former Al-Quds Open University.

Merkava tanks were also witnessed to be firing large-caliber shells into the Al-Shoka neighborhood, a densely populated village in Rafah, while Israeli air forces bombarded the same neighborhood.

Palestinian media sources say hundreds of civilian vehicles were seen leaving the city, the last city standing which has yet to have been leveled by the Israeli occupation forces.

The carnage caused by the Israeli bombing and shelling was immediate, with the Kuwait Specialized Hospital, the only operating hospital in Rafah, reporting it had received 35 martyrs and 129 wounded over the previous 24-hours.

Israeli occupation fighter jets and artillery concentrated firepower on the buildings of Zaroub, the Al-Qeshta tower, and Al-Masry in central Rafah, resulting in several intense fires and civilian deaths, while continued Israeli bombardment prevented the arrival of paramedic and civil defense crews.

At the same time, an Israeli airstrike targeted a gathering of Palestinian civilians, killing at least one and wounding several others, while an IOF warplane bombed a residential house in the Al-Geneina neighborhood, east of the city.

The atrocities continued when Israeli warplanes bombed another group of civilians west of the border crossing, wounding two people who were transported to the Kuwait Specialized Hospital.

Occupation air forces further bombarded the Salah al-Din Gate area on the border with Egypt, killing two Palestinians, while two more Palestinians were killed following an Israeli airstrike on a residential home belonging to the Al-Qadiri family in central Rafah.

Elsewhere, occupation artillery shelling targeted the town of Khuza'a, east of Khan Yunis, also in the southern Gaza Strip, slaughtering two women and wounding many others.

Yet another Zionist bombing of the Mufti's land area, north of the Nuseirat Refugee Camp, in central Gaza, wounded several civilians, while occupation artillery shelling targeted the village of Al-Masdar, also in central Gaza.

In other areas of the Palestinian enclave, Zionist aircraft and helicopters opened fire on the east of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, southeast of Gaza City, while further strikes targeted the Al-Mughraqa area, in central Gaza. Israeli army vehicles from the Netzarim Corridor also fired intense waves of shells and gunfire.

According to Palestinian media outlet WAFA, Israeli occupation forces bombed an apartment in a residential building owned by the Al-Louh family, in the vicinity of the Al-Falah School in the Asqoula area of the Al-Zaytoun neighborhood, assasinating a man, his wife and their children, while also wounding a number of others. The dead and wounded were transferred by local civil defense personnel to the Baptist Hospital in Gaza City.

In continued Zionist aggression, Israeli aircraft bombarded a gathering of citizens on Street 8, south of Gaza City, killing one civilian and wounding a number of others.

At the same time, an Israeli bombardment targeted near the Indonesian Hospital in Jabalia, in the north of Gaza, while similarly, occupation artillery forces shelled the town of Beit Lahiya.

As a result of the Israeli occupation's ongoing special genocide operation in the Gaza Strip, the death toll among the local population rises endlessly, now exceeding 34'844 Palestinians killed, including over 14'690 children and 10'000 women, while another 78'404 others have been wounded since the start of the current round of Zionist aggression, beginning with the events of October 7th, 2023.

May 8th, 2024.

#source1

#source2

#source3

#source4

#source5

#source6

#source7

#source8

#source9

#source10

#source11

#videosource

#graphicsource

@WorkerSolidarityNews

[valencebagelbandit]

every god needs an imp chapter 2!

notes: I'm so hyped for this fic!

summary: homelander hunts down his new pet magician.

Six later days Homelander was walking out of an investors meeting that he didn't understand a word of when he spotted Ashley meekly trying to get his attention by following him half tripping over the slightly to high heels she was wearing clipboard in hand. "Homelander! Homelander, hi." Ashley smiled at him as she stood next to him finally.

"yes?" he sighed, drained from talk of quarterly spending and debates about whether or not the vought for women TV channel was worth it anymore.

"So, the final member of the seven!" her smile dropped corners of her mouth nervously twitching. "she's not answering our calls, texts or emails..."

Homelander stared at her lips, parted slightly in a combination of apathy and annoyance he couldn't quite process at the moment. "seriously? you can't get this D list snooki knock off to answer an email? good job Ashley Christ it's like you're somehow trying to make my life hell." he slipped his hands over his face and through his hair before clenching them exhaling dramatically through his nose between glaring at an intern who nearly ran into him.

"you know what, fuck it. I don't need to do a commercial for the Homelander edition sneakers I'm taking care of this myself the seven is my team and clearly everyone here is fucking incompetent." he turned away from Ashley before she could reply storming straight into the elevator.

The MGM Grand was, well, grand. Homelander landed in the parking lot, paying not a single lick of attention to the people who stared at him as he walked through the hollow chest of the lion. It reminded him of the sphinx, a monument to hedonism and a display of wealth but an omen of doom for marriages and wallets. One day, one day soon, they would build things like this to him paragons to the god that is homelander.

walking into the lobby he payed no mind to the marble floors and decor he didn't care he'd seen more impressive things at vought land, instead he made a beeline to the casino area figuring it was before sunset his little magician was probably out entertaining drunk floridians who thought that Vegas was the pinnacle of entertainment. The gaudy carpet made him dizzy instantly, bright lights, endless sounds of mud people chattering, music playing, and the reek of alcohol was overloading his super senses in seconds. It felt like he was 16 in a crowd of investors that poked and prodded at him laughing hot disgusting whiskey breath into his face as tears welled in his eyes. but now he was 41 and couldn't take off miles away he had to face it, he's a god it should be easy. should be.

He wandered through the maze of beeping machines and the drunken heathens who banged away at them hoping for their money back for what felt like years before finally reaching the bar. sitting down for a second he spotted a small crowd surrounding a small stage where he could see faint glows of purple spill out highlighting the edges of the onlookers turning them all into silhouettes. His feet moved automatically to the area peering over the heads of tipsy men who cheered at the figure standing in front of a table doing complex card tricks even he couldn't keep up with.

Eyes flicked from soft hands to the magician, Eccentrica, as she stood up to her full height. It was like a spotlight snapped on revealing eccentrica magica in all her glory. covered complex spirals of purple metal that matched her glowing irises hugging her body so tight that her silhouette looked naked. The armor mimicked a suit with coat tails and a collar like a blazer that opened up to her chest in a V to her cleavage. That manic smile was wide and sharp framed by red heart shaped lips, round face framed by a cloud of curly brown hair, the top of her head covered by a top hat that matched the armor. her skin was pale, soft despite being bulletproof only further display that she was the cream of the crop even if the crop she came from was Walmart brand. Despite this homelander was amused by her, she was good at her job he observed as she took tips from one far too drunk man slipping her a 100$ in twenties that she didn't care to correct him on. plus, she was nice to look at; thick thighs, his height, not too fat but still plump giving something to really grab, and on top off all of that big boobs which was a deal sealer for him.

“hmm.” she was looking down as she approached him standing in front of him inches away hands on hips, she clicked her high heels together so she was standing perfectly straight. “Vought really wants me back so badly that they sent their top show dog eh?” tilting her head up she looked up at him from just under the brim of her top hat glowing eyes piercing into his soul making his bones feel cold.

“I'm not a show dog, I'm running the show. I'm here because we're giving you the opportunity to join the seven. We would very much appreciate your help, you have a strong fanbase and your talented you've convinced me that your worthy of joining the seven.” homelander tucked his arms behind him neatly speaking slowly and confidently, eyes still locked with Eccentrica’s.

Eccentrica let out a curt chirp of a laugh as she took her top hat off shaking her hair a bit, “that's what you think, you're a show dog that's why you're so darn pretty. Also why on earth would I become a hero?” she cocked her head, the glow in her eyes dimming the longer she went without using her powers. She was like some kind of bunny, the kind you pull out of a hat: unexpected, fluffy, and dramatic.

Homelander didn't respond to her instant compliments, that's one thing he had to give her; she was charismatic. “Don't you want to serve your country? Plus the pay is good, you get your own penthouse, and… well the best part you get to be even more famous, fame far beyond your little notion of daytime TV fame.” Giving her a good ol 'corporate smile he offered her his left hand. “Come on eccentrica, what have you got to lose?”

She stared at him, eyes flicking between his hand and face for a moment. “My dignity. I may be famous for kissing women and doing cocaine on live TV but I'm not insane.” She walked past him, she walked straight past him not even bothering to move all the way past him, her left arm hitting his. Then she sat at the bar and ordered a cherry Pepsi.

Who the fuck did she think she was?

thank you for reading <3

[cast-you-dxwn]

For the first time in countless millennia, smoke rises against the skyline of the City of God.

Not the wispy white that would normally rise this day, from pyres in honor of the parentage of Mother Mary. It is thick, black, flattening against the stratosphere into foreboding clouds that cast long shadows upon the realm, plunging entire districts into dim twilight.

For the first time since the Fall, Heaven burns.

The normally peaceful streets sound with chaos, shrill screams, the rumble of explosions, the sharp staccato of gunfire. Tracers scythe into the sky, criss-crossing the streets, street to street and building to building. The Council District has been abandoned, but still pockets of resistance flare within the most ancient buildings that served as the seats of the Holy Realms governance.

A perimeter has been established, in accordance with plans set forth long before any of those who man it were born. A wall of iron and angelic steel, but meant to protect the Council district from outward threat, never those from within. Defensive Line Alpha, where the mortal soldiers of Legio Mortalis 778 hold the line.

Checkpoint Theta, a hastily constructed barricade on 3rd street, on the intersection where the Council District melts into the Commercial District. Four Contubernium stationed at this foothold, a dam against the flood. Thirty-two men and women to hold the line.

————

“GET SOME! FUCKING GET SOME!”

Legionnaire Salterns strained voice can scarcely be heard over the deafening booms of his weapon, the Model 19 heavy machine gun behind the checkpoints barricade throwing out a steady, withering stream of fire. Empty shell casings already form a brass carpet around Albert’s feet, and the rounds tear into the street, into buildings, massive chunks of gold and marble flung into the air and pulverized into dust.

Its primary effect is keeping the advancing Exorcists from doing so any further, suppressing them, forcing them into cover in alleyways, behind cars, giving the rest of the checkpoint time to set up their firing positions. That said, the effect it has when some unlucky heretic is caught out in the open is no less spectacular. One particularly brave Exorcist catches the 12.7x108mm SMRB round directly through her chestplate, throwing her to the ground, dead even before the mass-reactive charge detonates, bursting her torso and riddling the street with golden blood and chunks of flesh.

“AIN’T SO FUN WHEN THEY FIGHT BACK? HUH? COME AND GET SOME, YOU SKINNY BITCHES! IVE GOT FUCKING PLENTY- FUCK!”

His tirade is cut as a round catches him full in the stomach between his plates, twisting him sideways and stumbling off of the small raised platform that holds the gun emplacement. He hits the ground hard, the golden cobblestones and unrelenting spot to land, turning onto his side and pressing both hands to the wound, hoping to stanch the flow of ichor that now seeps through the gaps in his fingers.

“Shit- fucking…AGH! SOMEONE GET ON THAT GOD-DAMNED M.G!” He cries out, kicking a booted foot towards the now-vacant emplacement, his hands too preoccupied with holding his guts in to gesture properly as the Exorcists begin to advance without the threat of the heavy weapon.

——————

“Medic! Attend to Saltern!”

Decanus Von Licht’s voice, ever calm and collected, cuts through the chaos of the battlefield even as the rest of the checkpoints garrison sets up at the barricade, taking cover, their rifles chattering in unison bursts as they do their level best to maintain their hold on their position. Alistair does not bother to confirm his order, he knows that it has been received, and so he turns his attention elsewhere.

His gaze lands upon another, Legionnaire Kyrkos, currently squatting over the constituent pieces of a Model 98 mortar, the technical journal open by one of her feet, yanking with all of her might on the release mechanism of the weapons stability bracer.

“Adalia!” Alistair barks, casting a glance over his shoulder towards the barricade before returning his attention to the woman before him. “I kindly ask you what is prohibiting you from getting our mortar emplacement operational!”

Kyrkos flinches, looking up at the Decanus, then back down at the manual, her hands shaking as she stammers out. “I-I don’t know sir! The retaining pin is stuck, and the sighting mechanism won’t depress any further!”

The Decanus makes a displeased grunt, and seems to move to speak, before he is interrupted by a pair of black-clad figures dropping from the sky upon him. He is barely able to draw his blade in time to parry a strike meant to take his head from his shoulders from one, striking out with a boot into the stomach of the second, forcing her back to give himself room to breathe.

“Exorcists, within the perimeter! We are in danger of being overrun!” He calls out, gripping the hilt of his blade in two hands, his movements fluid and quick, fending off the assault from the two masked angels as best he can.

But though he is not overcome, he is being pushed back, forced to give ground.

——————

“Oh shit, oh, fuck-“

Legionnaire Kyrkos mutters under her breath as the Decanus is forced away by a pair of exorcists, her gaze flickering between the fight and the technical manual at her feet. She thinks to rise and assist Alistair, but her orders are to return the mortar to working order at all costs. She knows what she must do. She turns her full attention to the manual.

“Subsection 13.6.2-A, field maintenance- I wouldn’t have to fucking DO field maintenance if the Fabricators actually did their jobs, sons of bitches-“

Her personal tirade is interrupted by the force of a body hitting her from above. The force knocks her onto her back, keenly aware of the new weight pressing upon her chest plate as she stares up into the grinning, L.E.D visage of an exorcist perched upon her supine form.

Adalia curses, her hand moving to her hip, hoping to reach her sidearm, but a heeled boot comes down upon her wrist, and she barely has time to react as the Trueborn warrior moves to plunge her spear downward. Adalia’s free hand snaps up, armored fingers catching the haft of the spear and halting the cruel steel tip only a few inches away from her unhelmeted face.

“Your boots are fucking tacky.” She hisses, as the servos in her armor whirr louder and louder the longer and harder the Exorcist presses downward, the two both straining for supremacy as the battle rages around them.

—————

The line is in danger of collapsing. Giving ground to the Insurrectionists may be the only option. But here, and now, the Loyalist soldiers of Checkpoint Theta are in grave danger of being overrun.

[dwellordream]

“By 1900, the domestic role of women was already beginning to reflect the long-term effects of social and technological changes that had been taking place since the Civil War. Most significantly, women’s marital and maternal roles were different from the ones that their grandmothers had experienced in 1850. Marriages themselves were not as permanent as they had been in the past. By 1900, the divorce rate had risen to one in twelve couples; by 1915 the rate was one in nine. Two-thirds of divorces were sought by women, a clear indication that a growing number of women were unwilling to accept unsatisfactory marriages and that, increasingly, they had the courage and the means to obtain their independence.

The proportion of women choosing never to marry at all had risen from 6 percent (where it had been throughout the 19th century) to 10 percent in the 1890s. Within this new group of women who never married were many educated professionals and others who felt that they could find satisfactory lives, work, and companionship without husbands and children. Among married white women of childbearing age, the birthrate had dropped 50 percent in the course of a century; it had gone from seven children for each woman in 1800 to three to four children in 1900. Among African-American women, the birth rate began to decline dramatically after 1900. By the 1920s about half of all married black women in northern cities were remaining childless, compared to only one-fourth of married white women. The birthrate of immigrant groups also decreased as they became more assimilated into American culture.

…As a rule, innovation happened more quickly in cities than in rural areas, and new technology was available to the well-to-do many years before it reached the homes of working people. Few of the new home utilities and labor-saving machines were ready for mass consumption before 1920. Between 1890 and 1920, for example, most American women were still washing household clothing and linen by hand in tubs with corrugated scrubbing boards. In a series of separate operations, each of which required fresh hot water, they boiled the clothes on the stove, rinsed them, blued the whites, and starched nearly everything except work clothes. Every item was wrung out through a hand-cranked roller mangle and hung to dry, outdoors or indoors, depending on the weather. The next day almost everything, including sheets, had to be ironed, using heavy flatirons that were heated on the stove and reheated as they cooled.

All but the wealthiest housewives did some laundry themselves, or assisted their domestic servants with the backbreaking labor. Any family who could afford it hired a laundress to come in by the day or take clothing to her own home to wash. By 1910, commercial steam laundries--staffed mostly by women workers--had become big business in cities and large towns, easing the chores of wash day for housewives. In later decades, automatic washing machines would return laundry to the home, making it, once again, the responsibility of the housewife.

…In 1900, nearly all American homes had cast-iron stoves, which had replaced fireplace cooking and heating in all but the most primitive houses. Stoves made cooking much easier and used fuel economically, and their temperature could be more or less controlled through the manipulation of a set of dampers. Many kitchen stoves had attached water-heating and storage reservoirs, which made dish washing and laundry easier than they had been in the days when all water had to be hauled and heated in kettles over the fire.

Most Americans used coal for heating and cooking, though families burned wood in parts of the country where trees were still abundant. Coal and wood smoke left a thin film of grime on furniture and windowsills and embedded itself in carpets and curtains, making housecleaning a repetitive and thankless task. Coal-fired furnaces and central heating systems, which burned more clearly than small stoves and had been available for decades, were still so expensive in the 1890s that they were found only in the urban homes of affluent people.

…Ironically, the opportunity to improve housekeeping with new sources of energy and new appliances would actually make housework more complex, multiplying some tasks while relieving the burdens of others. The presence in the home of hot running water meant washing and cleaning were easier, but also suggested the need to take more baths or to mop the floor more often. Washing machines made it possible to wash the same clothes more frequently than before. Easily regulated gas or electric ovens meant the housewife could attempt more elaborate cooking and baking than her mother had been able to produce in her day.

Despite its heavily advertised promises, the new domestic technology did not actually liberate women from housework. Rather, it served to intensify the personal importance of the home and the woman’s role in it by suggesting that her housework could be scientifically perfected. All the domestic experts and professional home economists promoted scientific housekeeping and the consumption of new appliances and energy sources. In magazines and books, on the lecture circuit, and in secondary schools, where domestic science became part of the required curriculum for girls, these authorities encouraged homemakers and potential homemakers to time their tasks, to break household jobs into segments, and to follow strict sanitary guidelines, especially in cleaning bathrooms and kitchens, potential sources of infectious disease.”

- Karen Manners Smith, “Women at Home.” in New Paths to Power: American Women, 1890-1920

[youre-where-i-wanna-go]

My YouTube account just reached 1k subscribers so now I'm gonna make a list of the coolest Angela Bassett video finds I've found and shared on there and how I found them (even if the target audience here is only like one person)

Mr. & Mrs. Smith deleted scenes

Gonna start with the most recent find bc I never thought this footage would see the light of day. They shot all these scenes and only 30 seconds of Angela's voice made it to the movie bc the villains were dropped completely. Turns out the footage had been hiding on the second disc of an unrated special edition DVD release all along.

Old TV Commercials (KFC, Equal, Allstate)

These commercials you're really only able to find if you know what you're looking for. And the way I found out was through interviews in which they were mentioned (one was a newspaper clipping from 1991 that mentioned Equal and Allstate). Then it's watching tons of old commercials from those brands on YouTube until finally Angela's pretty face shows up. So grateful to the people who uploaded them first (even if they didn't mention Angela in the description).

Doubletake & Liberty

There are quite a few movies and shows in Angela's filmography that seem impossible to find. And some of them are really not available to watch anywhere unless you pay private sellers to send you the files. That's what I had to do to unearth these two rare gems. [insert Thanos gif iykyk] but no regrets because I really wanted to see them. Still hoping to find Equal Justice, STAT and the full Ryan's Hope episode

Ryan's Hope clip

Which brings me to the next tiny (very tiny) gem. For some time I had my doubts she was actually ever even in this soap opera. That was until I watched the Oscar's red carpet 2023 and they aired this super short clip of her character. Next to Angela's dress and Gaga's performance that was my highlight of the night.

My Man Bovanne

Talk about credits that aren't even on her IMDb. I found out about her role in this in the Playbill of Joe Turner's Come and Gone (which Angela starred in on Broadway in 1988). Made an account for the one website that hosted this little-known-about short film to be able to screenrecord it. That was a happy day. Fun fact I learned in a newspaper clipping since: Angela only got to be in it because the person who was first cast for her role got sick.

HeartBeat

Another one that took me very, very long to find. This is probably the one I had to use the most detective skills for. Found a dead video on a site that used to host it, tried to look up the account owner on other social media channels and finally found their tumblr that was still active (hooray) and they sent me the file. Best day ever (even though the plot of the episode is really heartbreaking).

Angela talking about kissing Gaga to Access Hollywood

Listen... Listen. If you know me, you know that these two are my QUEENS. They are everything to me and the fact that they played lovers? That they kissed and enjoyed it? Means the world (read my fanfiction on AO3 😉). This interview in particular has only been available as an article to read on their website for many years now but I could never find the video. I wanted to hear Angela say how she kissed Gaga and pulled her in and told her I love you when the director called cut and made Gaga jump. I found an old link to a long deleted YouTube video in an old tweet on one of my many Twitter searches for any trace of this video. Bless the person who uploaded it back then and bless the people who shared it on Twitter and bless the person who backed it up in the Wayback Machine. I owe you all eternal gratitude.

A 17-minute interview about Ruby's Bucket of Blood

DVD extras hold many gems and this is one of the biggest Angela-focused special features on a DVD I've seen. According to a friend who bought the DVD much longer ago, it wasn't even always part of it so I feel very blessed that this came with my DVD that I only bought bc it's one of my favorite movies and I like to collect those on physical copies.

Her Boyz n the Hood audition tape

In a newspaper clipping I read that this has actually been a part of physical releases of this movie since they still put out Laser Discs. But somehow I've never seen it surface online. I found it in a torrent that had all the Bluray special features (the best kind of torrents) and decided to share it of course. It has since gone viral on TikTok (where someone reposted it) which made me very happy. Who thought we'd ever get to see Ms. Angela Bassett audition??

Celebrity Poker Showdown

You have to admit, Angela in a reality game show is just gold. Was looking for this for a long time too and eventually found a Russian torrent (thank you Russians). Was luckily able to share the full episode on YouTube so everyone can get the full experience of "Angela folds" ten times in a row 😁

Angela's full performances of 3 songs on Close to the Enemy

[I only linked one here] Angela's character on Close to the Enemy was unfortunately very small but the British DVD release had extended scenes of 3 of her performances on it. [The American Bluray for some reason didn't.] Glad I found out about these.

1993 Fresh Air radio interview

I don't know if this counts as a rare find as it is freely available on the NPR website and in my university library BUT I have never seen it acknowledged until I shared it on YouTube and let me tell you I put blood, sweat and tears into captioning this 16-minute interview 😭 the payoff was grand. One interviewer from Variety used it in her research and mentioned it to Angela (who couldn't even remember it lmao) and part of the audio was also used in a tribute post the Academy (yes the Oscar Academy) did for her birthday. It's not my interview but I know they wouldn't have done so if it wasn't for my video (that I posted in tribute to the great Tina Turner. RIP.)

(Assumably) all her episodes of Search for Tomorrow

If I'm not mistaken this was her first on-camera acting job and a cool guy posted all her episodes (and hundreds of episodes she wasn't in) on YouTube last year. Luckily I downloaded them all right away as his channel no longer exists. Her episodes are safe on my hard drive tho and her scenes are safe on my YouTube channel :)

I was going to share a link to the unaired pilot of Identity (2011) that someone posted but it's already been privated again. Might post her scenes at some point, in the meantime if you're interested in this episode you can always dm me, I saved it to my hard drive. Very exciting find indeed as I also never expected it to see the light of day.

Honestly I get excited over every interview, DVD extra, speech or segment from a TV special that I come across (especially old ones). Sharing these on my YouTube channel is my pride and joy and I also have a scenepack account on Instagram (@/angelabassettscenes) where I share all her scenes from her bigger projects that I can't share to YouTube for everyone who wants to watch, edit or GIF them. Seeing people get as excited as I do when I share my finds makes me so happy and I'm definitely not done. Many DVD featurettes still to come. Angela's work will be preserved on this channel by any means necessary 😌

If you've read this far, thank you for reading and have a good day/night

[ninetiescoppola]

SINGLE, SO WHAT?

A few months ago I went to my long term orthodontist. I have known her since I was fourteen, we gossip and tell stuff about our lives, just girls being girly. But this time that I left her office I almost had a little stroke for two things, one because she said “you must be really sad without a boyfriend” and the second was because I would have to wear braces again. I didn’t say a word, just nodded my head (for both phrases). On my way home I started to think: when a relationship could save me from my depression? 

My whole life I never had a healthy relationship. At first I thought that the problem was me, but then a few months apart I could see the awful and ugly truth (and when I say ugly I mean literally). When I look back and see those old mistakes I get chills, feel immediately nauseous and have a little voice in my head saying “what the hell were you thinking?”, but then the same thing happens over and over again every year, it’s like a cycle with no end. This year I decided that something had to change, so I chose celibacy… Or almost. Just a short break from men. Not having a crush on somebody is the most amazing feeling in the world. I feel that I could make the new Miss Dior commercial just to show how light and fresh I am. 

I kinda feel guilty for never having a serious boyfriend. I'm always so delusional and sensitive about everything that I totally ignore the walking red flags. It's like I was blind to all the bad traits and only be able to see things that you find fantastic at first, but then you realize that it was the bare minimum and you feel like a complete idiot for the rest of your life. I remember that this happened with my first boyfriend. I was a fifteen year old freshman in high school and we had the same classes. If the time machine were created today I would turn back just to slap myself on the face several times until my younger self gives up the idea of dating that creep. Oh, I forgot to tell the story… In summary, we dated for two months and he lied, cheated, treated me like shit and humiliated me in front of my friends. Turns out that actually he was dating my best friend at the time who moved from Chile. I found that out a few weeks later after we broke up on a facebook post. I felt crushed. For months I thought that was my fault because I wasn’t good, pretty or smart enough to be his girlfriend. And one day I realized that life took back something that clearly wasn’t good for me. It was not worth it. I had to get through all of that shit to see how amazing I was. A year after they broke up too. 

As I said before, I have always been a delulu or a Charlotte York kind of girl. I don't know if it's because I have too much pisces on my birth chart or if it's because I'm just a f-ing fool. Always idealizing the perfect guy with the perfect traits and the perfect personality. I understand that everyone has flaws but why does life keep sending me people with JUST flaws? C’mon universe I expected more from you!

After a while, I stopped searching for the ideal guy and started focusing on myself. All those years being a men's carpet I had decided that a makeover would be perfect: eight hours in a hairdresser’s salon, thousands of bucks on clothes and lots of skincare products later, I became a new person. And then I found my true perfect match: a credit card.

Having a boyfriend is really nice, but enjoying your own company and not owing nothing to anyone can be truly fantastic. I had to learn that the hardest way. Every weekend I enjoy a very caloric treat, sit my big ass on the couch and watch a movie or a whole season of a TV show in a row. After all, I rather suffer for not being some hot actor’s girlfriend than suffer for a stupid asshole who is proud to think that having a dick is a sign of dignity (hot boyfriend of the month: Nicholas Chavez).

[thetruearchmagos]

Delightful Dining

Bardish Roasthouses, In Brief

Hey folks! Managed to squeeze this bit of Worldbuilding out, just about. Hope you like it!

Tagging @athenswrites @theprissythumbelina @hessdalen-globe @caxycreations @thatndginger @username-cause-i-need-one

The Practice

The Bardish Roasthouse is a form of dining establishment commonly found in the urban centres of the Republic of Bardin. As the name would suggest, they primarily serve large portions of various forms of roast meat, commonly lamb, beef, and chicken, accompanied by assorted dishes unique to each individual House.

Roasthouses are primarily communal establishments, catering to large groups of diners. Their basic configuration centers on an 'island', where the large pillars of meat roast on spits while displayed to diners arrayed around them. Low tables surround the island, which can fit half a dozen or more, seated on cushions or the lavish carpeting. Rice, stewed vegetables, and rich pastries are common accompaniments to the meat, though more exotic dishes are served by some less orthodox Houses.

The History

A stable fixture of the modern Bardish culinary scene, the Roasthouse is the product of a long tradition of communal dining dating back centuries, well before the earliest historical records of the region were made. It is thought that they are an evolution of the practices of the once nomadic forebears of Bardin, who lived off the land as they drifted across the region and relied on shared cooking utensils and equipment. Having settled down to form their numerous city states across the North Alphanian coast, many of their practices were adapted to suit more sedentary lifestyles.

The Roasthouse was one such adaptation, providing a fixed location for a community to gather and feast. And yet, while the basic communal spirit of dining remained a key element of the Roasthouse 'experience', some such establishments would take on a different role in the rapidly changing social fabric of Bardish life and society.

As the region's commercial interests and political machines both rapidly expanded, many Roasthouses began to cater exclusively to these upper crusts of society, with prices to match. They became a comfortable place to settle matters of business, and a confidential one for the countless political movers and shakers vying for the chance to shape the course of the land. Such establishments would gain an air of mystery to them, surviving even the formation of the Republic and unification of the realm to continue serving these special customers.

Because of this, many Roasthouses would never entirely shake off their association with shady dealings and unseemly practices. A number of famous Bardish commercial and political scandals have featured private Roasthouse dealings prominently, occasionally leading to calls for their investigation. However, as the general quality of life of the Bardish citizenry continues to stay fairly well off, the institution of the Roasthouse has again opened itself to all comers, and has remained a major element in that society's rich social fabric.

The Manners

Probably the most curious aspect of the most traditional Roasthouse experience comes with the cutlery, or lack thereof. Aside from the region's common practice of dining with hands, it is often expected that diners will come to the table with their own sets of cutlery. Such items often serve as an excuse to display one's wealth and taste to their peers, or act as identifying symbols connected to various regions, organisations, or professions. For a commonly subdued society, this practise is often seen by foreigners as an unusually ostentatious display.

[kigtuae]

[hcfiles]

I understand that, in Hollywood, most actors don't mind adopting a character in their free time to promote other characters of movies they are in. But, it's not demanding they do it, especially 24/7. Not every public event nor private moment demands them to fake a character.

Henry Cavill does it all the time, especially in "private" moments. He left his Self behind and only introduced his persona the entire time. Maybe he thought that, by repeating it too much, he would believe he was that character and would be transformed into his AVATAR. And I even suppose he ended up believing it.

But, someone pulled the carpet from underneath his feet. He was clearly made a fool. A team mistake only? No! There's more about this, despite having the situation, precedents. Unless, they don't really care for who they will link his image to as long as the money paid for PR stunts comes in.

In this case, there was negligence, greed and lack of professionalism from his manager and PR team. But, that's not it. There was also, immoral intentions. This PR stunt seemed to have more goals, rather than just boosting his womanizer image, he wasn't aware of.

He became a PR vending machine. This business must be very profitable, for he did it so many times. But, as people say where I come from, "Lies have short legs". It was a matter of time until something like that happened.

It might seem intriguing how his team consciously allowed to announce this PR WITHOUT giving the woman a new profile and cleaning her background BEFORE announcing this PR, what makes me suppose Natalie could have been an unpredictable replacement. But, I also suppose all this circus was intentional to, unsuccessfully, try to sell her as a celeb by trying to paint her as a bitch (most likely).

Despite Natalie's reputation, it would all have been avoided if his team had done their homework, right? Well, maybe they have. Because, this didn't seem to happen because of Natalie's rep - partially invented. But, because this was the plan all along so as to sell her as a bitch. And Mr. Perfect was used as an unawared muppet.

Apparently, someone who knew him and his manager, was really pissed, knew Natalie as well and the truth behind this shenanigan, decided to throw the sh*t on the fan and expose the lies. BUT, this is all part of a dirty plan to sell Natalie as a bitch she's not, expecting to make her a celeb with a scandal.

In the beginning Henry seemed to be hit by a train, completely unaware and lost, really helpless. That makes me think he was initially unaware of a second part's plan, getting into it as he was informed and ending up performing it with mastery.

DG seemed to be giving a f**k and the only moment she pronounced herself about this shenanigan was when she made a video defending herself from racism accusations (which weren't exactly addressed to her). That was a red flag. She was actually helping Natalie's promotion.

Don't get me wrong, but I always thought the racism discussion (always valid, important and relevant) was pushed too hard in this PR stunt as a narrative to promote Natalie with the help of DG's video and the intentional and paid articles about Natalie's black face.

That rumoured commercial was unknown and it would continue that way. But, they sure knew it would generate discussion on the internet (Of course it should!). So, they manipulated his fans and followers justifiably offended by racism to promote the sl*t.

YES! I'M SAYING HENRY CAVILL'S TEAM AND NATALIE VISCUSO IMMORALLY USED SUCH A SERIOUS MATTER AS RACISM AND THE INDIGNITY THE MATTER CAUSES TO PROMOTE HER!

- - - Please, spread that! - - -

It was as of that article, talking about her disastrous apology attempt (actually an attempt to give her a status of celeb) what made her popular on the internet. Before that article, no one had a clue on that rumoured commercial attempt she was in (which could be forged as fake news).

They brought it to light with a purpose. If they hadn't brought it to light with that apology excuse, no one would ever know about that supposed commercial (The same they tried with her dying dog, this time for commotion, to humanize her image).

That supposed commercial attempt was a dirty strategy for algorithms to promote her image, trying to give her a status of celeb. They consciously wanted to promote her as a bitch for a fuss, so she could be noted, and that disastrous apology was the way they found (Pitiful how low some go for spotlight!). From that, she was promoted as the most hated HC's date on the internet.

And Henry Cavill, the King of fake news, was the muppet who said Amen to all of that,:

a) pretending he wasn't accountable,

b) deluded thinking his fans and followers would understand he was not a part of it,

c) pretending the shenanigan was actually, two separate and different PR jobs,

d) while parading with the Queen of fake news.

[hbcleaningmckinney]

The Disadvantages of Home Carpet Cleaning Machines

While home carpet cleaning machines may seem like a convenient option, they come with several disadvantages that can affect the cleanliness and longevity of your carpets. That's where Heaven's Best Carpet Cleaning in McKinney, TX, can help with professional services.

One major drawback of home carpet cleaning machines is their limited cleaning power. They often lack the suction and water extraction capabilities of commercial-grade equipment, leaving behind excess moisture and residue that can lead to mold, mildew, and re-soiling. Additionally, home machines typically use generic cleaning solutions, which may not be suitable for your specific carpet type or stain. This can result in discoloration, damage, or ineffective cleaning.

Another disadvantage is the time and effort required. Home carpet cleaning machines can be cumbersome to use, requiring multiple passes and frequent refilling of water tanks. This process can be time-consuming and physically demanding, especially for larger areas.

By opting for professional carpet cleaning in McKinney, you can overcome these disadvantages. Heaven's Best Carpet Cleaning employs powerful equipment and specialized techniques to ensure deep and thorough cleaning. Our experienced technicians use safe and effective cleaning solutions tailored to your carpet's needs.

For superior carpet cleaning results without the drawbacks of home machines, contact Heaven's Best Carpet Cleaning at 469-216-2462. Let us take care of your carpets, providing you with a cleaner and healthier living space in McKinney, TX.

To know more, visit https://www.hbcleaningmckinney.com/

[goblininawig]

Red Dwarfcember: Presents

Summary: Lister scavenges gifts for his crewmates.

Prompt: Presents

Rating: T (no warnings)

Words: 1,239

A03 link or keep reading below.

Lister wanders through the refuse of ghosts long gone, scavenging another derelict vessel. This one, though, stands out from most he’s seen. Usually space vessels had seen commercial use of some sort, but this one was a billionaire’s private pleasure vessel. 

Unfortunately, he and his many companions seemed to prefer silk, so all of the beddings and clothing had fallen apart over time. The once-fresh food, neither canned nor irradiated, had long since rotted, even what had been in refrigeration units. There were no large stockpiles of supplies, either mechanical or medical. 

It seems that there isn’t actually much of anything worth salvaging. But Lister is going through all the rooms and storage spaces just once more. In case he missed something worthwhile. He doesn’t want to go back empty handed, especially since Rimmer and Holly’d already told him it was a waste of time. 

In the expansive kitchen, he paws through the objects beneath the sink. He’d ignored most of them before, after seeing that none of it was edible. But now, he looks more carefully, and selects a few likely-looking cleaning products and an unopened packet of sponges. He shoves them all in a duffel, and moves on.

In the master bedroom, he steps into the spacious closet, and sorts through the scraps of clothes, plucking ornate buttons off their rotting threads, and shoving them in his pockets. By the time he’s gone through all the piles, he’s got enough that they clink against each other as he walks.

At the back of the closet, he stands, swinging the duffel up on his shoulder. It hits the wall panel, knocking it loose. Curious, Lister peers into the dimly lit space. It seems to be a secret compartment. Putting his duffel back down, he pries the loose panel away. Lister kneels, and peers at the object inside what appears to be a hermetically sealed plexiglass display box.

“Oh, no smeggin’ way!” he exclaims to himself. 

Sat inside the box, on a plush crimson pillow, is a bicorne black beaver felt hat. A faded red, white, and blue cockade is affixed to the top right. It’s Napoleon Bonaparte’s hat. Right there for the taking. So take it, he does.

Back on Red Dwarf, Lister finds Kryten in the Drive Room. “Hey there, Krytes. Found ya somethin’.”

He unzips the duffel and pours out the cleaning products. They fall in a heap on the carpet. Lister drops the bag and scoops the bottles and packet of sponges up in his arms. Clumsily, he passes them over to Kryten. The mechanoid’s lipless mouth turned up into a smile.

“Oh, Mr. Lister, sir! I haven’t seen this brand of cleanser since I was on the Nova 5. This does bring back memories. Oh, thank you, sir!”

“No prob, Kryters,” Lister grins. “Enjoy.”

He leaves the duffel on the floor for Kryten to pick up, and returns to the trolley he left in the corridor. Lister pushes the trolley with the hermetically sealed box to the service lift. 

On the way, he spots the Cat, curled up on top of a vending machine, napping. He pulls the handfuls of buttons from his pockets and leaves them in a heap beside the Cat, for him to find when he wakes. Then he keeps on towards the lift.

Lister stops the trolley outside his sleeping quarters and enters to find Rimmer sat at the table with a magazine in front of him, a skutter beside him.

“No, no, no, you moronic mess of metal! Turn the other page! I’ve already read this one.”

Rimmer’s nostrils flare as the skutter makes a rude gesture with his clawed head. He kicks at it in frustration, but his projection, of course, phases right through the skutter, who takes this as its exit cue.

“Sorry to interrupt your fascinating day, Arnie,” Lister smirks, drawing Rimmer’s glare to him. He holds up his hands, placatingly, “I got something to show ya from that ship.”

“Why did you even bother, Listy?” Rimmer tuts, standing and striding closer. “The scans showed there wasn’t a smegging thing worth salvaging.”

“Yeah, well, it wouldn’t be the first time Holly made a mistake, would it?” Lister returns cheerfully. “C’mon, this might make up for your toy soldiers.”

“I hardly think bringing that up will put you on my good side, squire…. Oh, my god,” Rimmer stops just outside the bunkroom, eyes locked on the tricorn hat in its case. “You didn’t – that couldn’t be – it isn’t –”

“Napoleon’s hat, yeah,” Lister taps the small museum-like information card affixed to the front of the case, which identifies the hat’s original owner, and dates the relic to 1815. 

Rimmer takes a knee. He shoves his fist into his mouth to muffle a whine of overwhelming fanboy glee. Then he gets up, jogs down to the end of the corridor and back again. He stops in front of the trolley, trembling with excitement. He phases one hand through the case, and mimics touching the black beaver felt. “I’m touching Napoleon’s tricorne!” he whispered. 

Lister rolls his eyes but doesn’t argue. The poor smegger hasn’t been this excited since he mistook a garbage pod for an alien vessel.

Lister is starting to regret giving Rimmer the stupid hat. He’s become obsessed. He whined and fussed until Holly gave him the white and blue uniform worn to command the Grande Armée, complete with knee-high boots, golden epaulets and white waistcoat. He won’t let anyone else use the cinema, insisting that he’s got weeks worth of Napoleonic War documentaries to binge. And now, he’s found the git trying to actually put the thing on.

Of course, there’s no way for Rimmer to wear it, but he’s got four skutters holding the case above the chair he’s sat in. When they hold it steady, it looks, for a moment, as if the hat is actually on Rimmer’s head…above a pillow, surrounded by a large case, and likely not the grand effect the hologram had been hoping for.

“Hold it steady, you worthless mechanicals,” Rimmer snips, adjusting his white sash. “It was working there for a moment.

Lister draws a hand down his face. “Rimmer, this is low, even for you. You’re being ridiculous. It’s just a hat.”

Rimmer makes eye contact with him in the mirror. “I’ll have you know, miladdo –” he begins.

But then he stops, as one of the skutters loses hold of the case, causing it to swing wildly through Rimmer’s projection. Everything seems to move in slow-motion, but even still, Lister can’t get to the case before it crashes to the metal deck, breaking off a large corner. He watches, horrified, as the hermetic seal breaks, the felt is exposed to air for the first time in millions of years, and it disintegrates. Rimmer staggers to his feet. There’s a moment of utter silence, and then Rimmer starts to scream.

“You utterly smegging worthless skutters!” he hollers, face turning red. “I’ll see you all disassembled for this! You’ll be used for parts! You’ll never work on this ship again!”

Taking advantage of his frothing tirade, the skutters head for the door. Rimmer growls and rushes after them.

Left alone with the remains of the hat and case, Lister kicks it out of his way, and shrugs. “At least he  can’t blame this one on me.” He climbs up into his bunk, and settles in for a nice, quiet smoke.

[upgrade-your-enclosure]

Upgrading Lab-mouse cages

This topic goes close to me bc I work in a lab and have hours every day to think about what I can do for these tiny creatures

Lab mice are kept in these cages by standard:

The minimum legal enrichment (at least in germany) is a nest, something to climb, something to chew, and a way to socialize. This cage has a hut for a nest, the top bars for climbing and the hardened pellets for chewing

In my opinion that's both unfitting and not enough. There's some very simple changes and a lot of bigger/harder changes:

Simple changes:

Using wooden or paper huts. It's commonly believed that mice can't see red, but in reality they will always choose darker colours and more natural materials as hides

lowering the light in one part of the cage, eg simple cage sleeves, lowering the general room light, shading the rack

raising the temperature. Mouse are generally kept at 21 - 24°C, but really prefer 26 - 30°C

scanning the room for ultra sounds

scattering some grains for foraging (this is also perfect for training the mice to make health checks easier)

Other still very simple changes:

adding nesting materials. Mouse prefer paper scraps, paper towels, etc, but there's also cotton squares and wood wool commercially available

adding wood for chewing. Again there's many options ranging from wooden bricks over wooden huts to whole branches

adding a running plate or wheel (I know running plates are said to cause spinal deformity, but in my experience that is a very low chance as opposed to the negative effects no movement has)

adding more bedding so digging is easier

adding tubes, boxes, swings and climbing structures

Changes that get closer to pet keeping:

add diggable bedding for builing nests and tunnels

add more huts. More! Mooore! (seriously mouse love a cluttered space and feel most comfortable walking along walls)

add a second layer (most easy part is just wedging a wooden board in there) and raising the top bars (there's raised cage tops for more height)

adding a maze/labyrinth to allow the mice to compartimentalise their cage/hide from light, sounds, movement, etc

stopping to feed ad libitum. In comercial setting, this can be done with feeding machines, privately this can be done by feeding like any other pet (adding a bowl of fresh food twice a day and removing after an hour or two)

scatter feeding instead of having the food in a rack

adding a digging box

Changes for pet keeping:

Going at least one, better two sizes up with the cages

adding toys

adding more mice to the group (in research most mice are kept in groups of 2 to 5. Mice prefer bigger groups though (plus "two" is a pair, not a group))

adding a big, big layer of bedding (see previous category)

adding toys, including food toys, smell toys, etc

giving food treats like yogurt, comercial treats, varied food, dead or life insects (mice are good hunters!)

feeding grains and similar (if you're unsure about a balanced diet, feeding grains additionally to pellets is totally fine)

adding a bigger wheel or running plate (a wheel is better, if you can provide a good one with appropriate size)

offer a free run time. This could for example be in a bath tub. Lay it out with linen or carpets, fill the tub with toys, treats and cardboard boxes, and offer the mice to go there (eg by builing a stairwell, or by training them "taxi" with a travel box)

spend regular time with them to aclimate them to humans

Changes for a near perfect enclosure:

Upgrate to an aquarium with a grid top

add more climbing options. Like way more!

Put heavier huts on stilts

Add even more tunnels

provide fresh food

change up their enrichment (eg digging box, swimming pool, fresh plants, offer tea additionally to water)

All these images have good and bad items, and imo all enclosures can be adapted to the housed animals needs. I'll try to add credit, but please message me if you have questions about specific images

I was about to add sources but found some great in a single site: here

I also always recommend bin cages as they are cheap and very very customisable. The best example I found is this one