#lower operating costs

[hsmagazine254]

Electric Cars: Accelerating Towards a Sustainable Future

Embracing the Revolution of Electric Vehicles In recent years, the automotive industry has witnessed a significant shift towards electric vehicles (EVs), marking a crucial step in our journey towards a greener and more sustainable future. Electric cars offer numerous advantages over traditional combustion-engine vehicles, including reduced emissions, lower operating costs, and a thrilling driving…

[queerliblib]

QLL in the media again! Love what we’re doing?! Help us keep doing it 🌈 📚

[dnhengineers]

Vertical Glue Mixer: Efficient and Uniform Adhesive Mixing for Plywood Manufacturing

In plywood production, efficiency and precision are the most important factors in ensuring high-quality board production. One of the most crucial elements in this production is the Vertical Glue Mixer—a revolution in uniform adhesive mixing for better plywood bonding. If what you're searching for is an advanced glue mixing technology that maximizes productivity and reduces waste, this futuristic machine is a production-line essential.

Why a Vertical Glue Mixer?

A Vertical Glue Mixer is specifically designed to provide homogeneous adhesive mixing for plywood, ensuring a consistent glue spread on veneers. Unlike conventional mixers, a vertical mixer offers better blending, reduced glue wastage, and improved bonding strength, making it a preferred choice for modern plywood factories.

Key Benefits of a Vertical Glue Mixer

1. Superior Mixing Efficiency

Vertical design allows for complete and even blending of adhesives, which creates even viscosity and consistency across the batch. This produces improved plywood adhesion, minimizing defects in the finished product.

2. Economical Glue Use

Effective adhesive dispensing implies that manufacturers can lower the use of glue without affecting the quality, resulting in extensive cost benefits in the long run.

3. Reduced Production Cycle Times

Using a high-speed mixing device, a vertical glue mixer reduces preparation time, enabling production cycles to be completed quickly and output to be maximized.

4. Minimal Maintenance & Longevity

Designed with robust parts and sophisticated automation, these mixers have negligible maintenance needs, making them a sound long-term investment for plywood production.

5. Eco-Friendly Operations

By minimizing glue waste and maximizing adhesive blending efficiency, a Vertical Glue Mixer supports an environmentally friendlier plywood production process with decreased ecological footprint.

Selecting the Most Suitable Vertical Glue Mixer for Your Plywood Operation

In selecting a Vertical Glue Mixer, there are important considerations to make:

✔️ Mixing Capacity – Select a machine in conformity with your volume of production.

✔️ Automation Features – Choose a model with easy-to-use controls for convenient operation.

✔️ Material Compatibility – Use one that can handle different adhesive types for general applications.

✔️  Manufacturer Reputation – Buy equipment from a reputable plywood machinery manufacturer for guaranteed quality.

A Vertical Glue Mixer is an important investment for plywood plant owners who want to improve efficiency, quality, and cost savings. By adopting this performance-intensive adhesive mixing system into your production process, you can achieve smooth operations, better plywood bonding, and increased profitability.

Want to find the ideal Vertical Glue Mixer for your plywood factory? Contact DNH Engineers a renowned manufacturer of plywood machinery and give your production a boost! Visit www.dnhengineers.com for more details.

[wachinyeya]

A company making wooden wind turbine blades has successfully tested a 50-meter-long prototype that’s set to debut soon in the Indian and European markets.

Last year, the German firm Voodin successfully demonstrated that their laminated-veneer timber blades could be fabricated, adapted, and installed at a lower cost than existing blades, while maintaining performance.

Now, Voodin has announced a partnership with the Indian wind company Senvion to supply its 4.2-megawatt turbines with these wooden blades for another trial run.

Wind power has accumulated more than a few demerit points for several shortfalls in the overall industry of this fossil-fuel alternative.

Some of these, such as the impact on bird life, are justified, but none more so than the fact that the turbine blades are impossible or nearly impossible to recycle, and that they need to be changed every 25 years.

Wind turbine blades are made from a mixture of glass and carbon fiber heated together with sticky epoxy resin, and these materials can’t be separated once combined, which means they go into landfills or are incinerated when they become too battered to safely operate.

GNN has reported that folks will occasionally find second-life value in these giant panels, for example in Denmark where they are turned into bike shelters. In another instance, they’re being used as pedestrian bridges.

But there are way more wind turbine blades being made every year than pedestrian bridges and bike shelters, making the overall environmental impact of wind power not all green.

“At the end of their lifecycle, most blades are buried in the ground or incinerated. This means that—at this pace—we will end up with 50 million tonnes of blade material waste by 2050,” Voodin Blade Technology’s CEO. Mr. Siekmann said recently. “With our solution, we want to help green energy truly become as green as possible.”

The last 15 years have seen rapid growth in another industry called mass timber. This state-of-the-art manufacturing technique sees panels of lumber heat-pressed, cross-laminated, and glued into a finished product that’s being used to make skyscrapers, airports, and more.

At the end of the day though, mass timber products are still wood, and can be recycled in a variety of ways.

“The blades are not only an innovative technological advancement but a significant leap toward sustainable wind production,” said Siekmann, adding that this isn’t a case of pay more to waste less; the blades cost around 20% less than carbon fiber.

Additionally, the added flexibility of wooden blades should allow for taller towers and longer blades, potentially boosting the output of turbine by accessing higher wind speeds.

Now partnered with Voodin, Senvion will begin feasibility analysis in the next few months, before official testing begins around 2027.

[sheena6sharma]

[nasa]

What We Learned from Flying a Helicopter on Mars

The Ingenuity Mars Helicopter made history – not only as the first aircraft to perform powered, controlled flight on another world – but also for exceeding expectations, pushing the limits, and setting the stage for future NASA aerial exploration of other worlds.

Built as a technology demonstration designed to perform up to five experimental test flights over 30 days, Ingenuity performed flight operations from the Martian surface for almost three years. The helicopter ended its mission on Jan. 25, 2024, after sustaining damage to its rotor blades during its 72nd flight.

So, what did we learn from this small but mighty helicopter?

We can fly rotorcraft in the thin atmosphere of other planets.

Ingenuity proved that powered, controlled flight is possible on other worlds when it took to the Martian skies for the first time on April 19, 2021.

Flying on planets like Mars is no easy feat: The Red Planet has a significantly lower gravity – one-third that of Earth’s – and an extremely thin atmosphere, with only 1% the pressure at the surface compared to our planet. This means there are relatively few air molecules with which Ingenuity’s two 4-foot-wide (1.2-meter-wide) rotor blades can interact to achieve flight.

Ingenuity performed several flights dedicated to understanding key aerodynamic effects and how they interact with the structure and control system of the helicopter, providing us with a treasure-trove of data on how aircraft fly in the Martian atmosphere.

Now, we can use this knowledge to directly improve performance and reduce risk on future planetary aerial vehicles.

Creative solutions and “ingenuity” kept the helicopter flying longer than expected.

Over an extended mission that lasted for almost 1,000 Martian days (more than 33 times longer than originally planned), Ingenuity was upgraded with the ability to autonomously choose landing sites in treacherous terrain, dealt with a dead sensor, dusted itself off after dust storms, operated from 48 different airfields, performed three emergency landings, and survived a frigid Martian winter.

Fun fact: To keep costs low, the helicopter contained many off-the-shelf-commercial parts from the smartphone industry - parts that had never been tested in deep space. Those parts also surpassed expectations, proving durable throughout Ingenuity’s extended mission, and can inform future budget-conscious hardware solutions.

There is value in adding an aerial dimension to interplanetary surface missions.

Ingenuity traveled to Mars on the belly of the Perseverance rover, which served as the communications relay for Ingenuity and, therefore, was its constant companion. The helicopter also proved itself a helpful scout to the rover.

After its initial five flights in 2021, Ingenuity transitioned to an “operations demonstration,” serving as Perseverance’s eyes in the sky as it scouted science targets, potential rover routes, and inaccessible features, while also capturing stereo images for digital elevation maps.

Airborne assets like Ingenuity unlock a new dimension of exploration on Mars that we did not yet have – providing more pixels per meter of resolution for imaging than an orbiter and exploring locations a rover cannot reach.

Tech demos can pay off big time.

Ingenuity was flown as a technology demonstration payload on the Mars 2020 mission, and was a high risk, high reward, low-cost endeavor that paid off big. The data collected by the helicopter will be analyzed for years to come and will benefit future Mars and other planetary missions.

Just as the Sojourner rover led to the MER-class (Spirit and Opportunity) rovers, and the MSL-class (Curiosity and Perseverance) rovers, the team believes Ingenuity’s success will lead to future fleets of aircraft at Mars.

In general, NASA’s Technology Demonstration Missions test and advance new technologies, and then transition those capabilities to NASA missions, industry, and other government agencies. Chosen technologies are thoroughly ground- and flight-tested in relevant operating environments — reducing risks to future flight missions, gaining operational heritage and continuing NASA’s long history as a technological leader.

You can fall in love with robots on another planet.

Following in the tracks of beloved Martian rovers, the Ingenuity Mars Helicopter built up a worldwide fanbase. The Ingenuity team and public awaited every single flight with anticipation, awe, humor, and hope.

Check out #ThanksIngenuity on social media to see what’s been said about the helicopter’s accomplishments.

Learn more about Ingenuity’s accomplishments here. And make sure to follow us on Tumblr for your regular dose of space!

[felassan]

IGN: "Key Dragon Age developers have announced they are leaving BioWare after the developer restructured to focus on the next Mass Effect." Michael Douse, publishing director of Larian Studios: "*laid off I wrote more but then deleted it because I’m not about to ruin a long weekend. Something something $30 billion corporation operating for decades unable to provide the necessary economic foundation from which to support a big RPG. But again, I deleted it. It is possible not to layoff large parts of your development teams between or after projects. Critically, retaining that institutional knowledge is key for the next. It’s often used as an excuse to ‘trim fat’ and to an extent I understand that under financial pressure, but doesn’t that just highlight how needless the aggressive efficiency of giant corporations is? I’d understand it if they were pumping out hit after hit - perhaps you could argue it’s working - but clearly the aggressive streamlining (layoffs) aren’t. It’s *nothing but cost cutting* in the most brutal sense. It’s *always* people lower down the food chain that suffer, when it’s *clearly* strategy higher up the food chain that’s causing the problem. On a pirate ship, they’d toss the captain overboard. Video games companies should be run like pirate ships. The delta between VC and unemployed game developer is fascinating because where one falls upwards the other in parallel velocity tumbles downwards. You can tank an entire multi-billion dollar initiative and head upwards, while an incredibly talented artist, engineer, QA, etc can head into poverty. I don’t have LinkedIn btw 😬 Just in case any of this annoys you, just imagine I meant the exact opposite of it and you’re the best. Have a great weekend ✌️ "[source]

Michael Douse: "To make it absolutely clear, what I hate about the way layoffs are carried out is that they are done *before* decision makers know what do do with a studio, and not as a result of figuring out a direction. This is consistently true. It is a short term cost saving measure at a huge human expense that doesn’t solve a long term problem. (A lack of a viable strategic direction defined at an executive level). You can probably figure it out if you trust your developers instead of firing them. On a positive note, I’m seeing a slight shift in this direction. In the low-stakes arena of remasters and remakes, but they are the foundation of something bigger." [source]

[videolari]

ISTANBUL OBESİTY CENTER

Welcome to the Istanbul Obesity Center, where transformative weight loss solutions meet world-class medical expertise. As obesity continues to be a growing concern across the globe, our center is dedicated to providing patients with effective and safe surgical options, tailored to individual needs. Whether you’re exploring gastric sleeve surgery, gastric balloon placement, or gastric bypass surgery, our skilled team in Turkey is here to guide you through every step of the process.

Gastric Sleeve Surgery in Turkey

Opting for gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey can be a transformative choice for individuals seeking effective weight loss solutions. This minimally invasive procedure involves removing a significant portion of the stomach, allowing patients to feel fuller quicker and consume fewer calories. With highly trained medical professionals and state-of-the-art facilities, Turkey has emerged as a premier destination for this type of surgery.

One of the key benefits of undergoing gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey is the affordability without compromising quality. The cost of the procedure is significantly lower than in many Western countries, allowing more patients to access this life-changing surgery. Moreover, many clinics offer comprehensive packages that include accommodation, pre-operative assessments, and post-operative care, enhancing the overall experience.

Patient reviews consistently highlight the exceptional care received during their weight loss journey in Turkey. From the initial consultations to the post-operative follow-ups, the emphasis is placed on patient comfort and outcomes, which has contributed to high satisfaction rates. This reinforces the credibility of Turkey as a leading destination for gastric sleeve surgery.

If you are considering gastric sleeve surgery, now is the perfect time to take the first step toward a healthier and happier life. Explore your options and see how this life-changing procedure can make a difference in your life today!

Gastric Balloon in İstanbul

For those seeking an effective and less invasive option for weight loss, the gastric balloon in Istanbul offers an excellent solution. This non-surgical procedure involves the temporary placement of a silicone balloon in the stomach, which helps to significantly reduce hunger pangs and promote a feeling of fullness. As a result, patients can effectively control their food intake and achieve their weight loss goals.

The gastric balloon is designed to remain in place for six months, during which time individuals often experience substantial weight reduction. Many patients report losing 15 to 30 kilograms, giving them the confidence to lead healthier lifestyles. This procedure is ideal for individuals who may not be ready for more permanent solutions like gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey or gastric bypass surgery in Turkey.

Another important aspect of the gastric balloon procedure in Istanbul is its flexibility. Patients can opt for an outpatient experience, allowing for a quick recovery and minimal disruption to their daily lives. The Istanbul Obesity Center is known for its comprehensive aftercare, ensuring that patients receive the support they need throughout their weight loss journey.

With positive weight loss surgery Turkey reviews highlighting the success and satisfaction rates, the gastric balloon has become a popular choice among those looking to kickstart their journey towards better health. If you've been considering options for weight loss, the gastric balloon in Istanbul might be the perfect step for you.

Gastric Bypass Surgery Turkey

Choosing gastric bypass surgery in Turkey can significantly change your life for the better. This advanced surgical procedure is designed to ensure effective weight loss for those who have struggled with obesity. At the Istanbul Obesity Center, we focus on providing state-of-the-art treatments combined with exceptional care, ensuring our patients have the best possible experience and outcomes.

Key Benefits of Gastric Bypass Surgery

Effective Weight Loss: Gastric bypass effectively reduces the size of your stomach and alters the digestive process, leading to substantial weight-loss results.

Improved Health Conditions: Many patients experience a reduction in obesity-related health issues, such as diabetes, hypertension, and sleep apnea.

Enhanced Quality of Life: Beyond physical benefits, patients often report improved mental health and overall life satisfaction after surgery.

Success Stories

We have countless testimonials from satisfied patients who have transformed their lives through gastric bypass surgery in Turkey. These real-life success stories showcase not only the physical changes but also the newfound confidence and active lifestyles our patients have embraced post-surgery.

If you're considering gastric bypass surgery, take the first step towards a healthier and happier life by contacting us today. Our team at the Istanbul Obesity Center is ready to assist you on your journey to weight loss and improved well-being!

Weight Loss Surgery Turkey Reviews

When considering weight loss surgery Turkey reviews play a crucial role in understanding the quality of care and the outcomes experienced by others. Many individuals who have opted for gastric sleeve surgery in Turkey, gastric balloon in Istanbul, or gastric bypass surgery in Turkey have shared their positive transformations, contributing to a growing pool of success stories.

Patients frequently highlight the professionalism and expertise of healthcare providers at Istanbul Obesity Center. From the initial consultation through the surgical procedure and post-operative care, they rave about the support and guidance received, making their journey smoother and more reassuring.

Moreover, several reviews emphasize the transformation not just in weight but also in lifestyle and confidence levels post-surgery. Many individuals report achieving their desired weight goals, leading to improved physical health and overall well-being.

For those contemplating these procedures, reading testimonials and reviews can provide valuable insights. Clients often recommend reaching out for consultations to discuss their personal goals and objectives, ensuring that weight loss surgery aligns perfectly with their expectations.

[reasonsforhope]

"The UK’s greenhouse gas emissions fell by 3.6% in 2024 as coal use dropped to the lowest level since 1666, the year of the Great Fire of London, according to new Carbon Brief analysis.

Major contributions came from the closure of the UK’s last coal-fired power station in Nottinghamshire and one of its last blast furnaces at the Port Talbot steelworks in Wales.

Other factors include a nearly 40% rise in the number of electric vehicles (EVs) on the road, above-average temperatures and the UK’s electricity being the “cleanest ever” in 2024.

Carbon Brief’s analysis, based on preliminary government energy data, shows emissions fell to just 371m tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent (MtCO2e) in 2024, the lowest level since 1872.

Other key findings from the analysis include:

The UK’s emissions are now 54% below 1990 levels, while GDP has grown by 84%.

About half of the drop in emissions in 2024 was due to a 54% reduction in UK coal demand, which fell to just 2m tonnes – the lowest level since 1666.

Another third of the drop in 2024 emissions was due to falling demand for oil and gas, with the remainder down to ongoing reductions in non-CO2 greenhouse gases.

UK coal demand fell at power stations (one-third of the reduction overall) and at industrial sites (two-thirds). In 2024, the UK closed its last coal-fired power station, as well as the final blast furnace at the Port Talbot steelworks. Furnaces at Scunthorpe paused operations. Both sites are due to convert to electric-arc furnaces that do not rely on coal.

Oil demand fell 1.4% despite increased road traffic, largely due to the rise in the number of EVs. The UK’s 1.4m EVs, 0.8m plug-in hybrids and 76,000 electric vans cut oil-related emissions by at least 5.9MtCO2e, Carbon Brief analysis finds, only slightly offset by around 0.5MtCO2e from higher electricity demand.

The UK’s EV motorists each saved around £800, on average, in 2024 – some £1.7bn in total – relative to the cost of driving petrol or diesel vehicles.

Gas demand for heating increased, despite warmer average temperatures than in 2023, as prices eased from the peaks seen after the global energy crisis.

However, gas demand fell overall due to lower gas-fired electricity generation, thanks to higher electricity imports and increased output from low-carbon sources.

The UK would need to cut its emissions by a larger amount each year than it did in 2024, to reach its international climate goal for 2035, as well as its national target to reach net-zero by 2050...

Lowest since 1872

...

Apart from brief rebounds after the global financial crisis and the Covid-19 lockdowns, UK emissions have fallen every year for the past two decades."

-via CarbonBrief, March 12, 2025

[vesearlee]

──── 𝑻𝒂𝒄𝒉𝒚𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒅𝒊𝒂

To see the well-versed, experienced cardiac surgeon in such a state of distress was a sight you were not keen to experience again, and even at the cost of your shared secret, you would do anything to soothe him and bring him down from the adrenaline high.

𝐏𝐀𝐈𝐑𝐈𝐍𝐆 ── Zayne x Scrub Nurse!F!Reader 𝐖𝐎𝐑𝐃 𝐂𝐎𝐔𝐍𝐓 ── 2.1k 𝐓𝐀𝐆𝐒 ── Smut, fluff, pet names, secret relationship, power imbalance, innappropriate use of an on-call room, Greyson is so sick of Zayne's shit ➺ Wall, public, desperate sex, creampie, praise, uniform, size kink 𝐁𝐄𝐓𝐀 ── @smutconnoisseur (my absolute saviour, thank you for buckling in with my utterly insane rambles) 𝐀𝐍𝐓𝐇𝐄𝐌𝐒 ── Keep It Down by Migrant Motel 𝐀𝐎𝟑 ── HERE 𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑 𝐍𝐎𝐓𝐄 ── My first smut I have written in a year, oi vey.

─── 𝑳𝑨𝑫𝑺 𝑴𝒂𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒍𝒊𝒔𝒕 ───

The atmosphere was tense — not unlike any other time within the bustling halls of the surgery floor, but this time, the air was thick with apprehension, a dash of uncertainty for what laid behind the double doors of the operating room. 

As though you could feel the gaze of those above in the observation window, you shivered from nerves beneath the countless layers you wore. The shirt you wore was form fitting, as all scrub wear was, but it felt somehow even tighter, closing in around your throat even with the deep-necked collar. 

In front of you were the immovable and ever-focused figures of your superiors. Both were skilled surgeons and almost indistinguishable while gowned in endless layers, but one stood out in particular — he was straight-backed and intently homed in on the chest cavity of his patient while his deft fingers moved with purpose, going from scalpel to scissors, to thread and needles. The occasional, clear command of: “Suction,” came every few seconds to every minute. 

“Doctor,” a voice spoke, clear and kind in tone. 

“We’re almost finished–” Snip.

Footsteps shuffled around you as a few team members re-emerged in new places to better accommodate the final stages of surgery. This singular procedure had been in the pipeline for months, and naturally, they called upon the most skilled surgeon to undertake it, the chief of surgery himself, Zayne. 

Few knew of the intimate relationship between the chief surgeon of Akso hospital and his dedicated scrub nurse — a secret you desperately hoped to maintain.

Time seemed to melt away in a haze of stolen glances and lingering touches, your history together blurring into an intoxicating mix of professional respect and burning desire. A shiver ran down your spine as Zayne declared the surgery complete, his commanding voice sending a familiar heat through your core. 

He stepped back from the patient, his scrubs marked with evidence of his skilled work — crimson streaks and surgical fluids that somehow made him look even more imposing, more powerful.

“Sir,” you said quietly, outstretching your hands to meet him halfway. Your own gloved hands carefully pulled the soiled gloves from his hands to reveal the scrub cuffs of his shirt.

Zayne strode silently toward the sliding, pressurized door leading to the preparation room. A large metal basin gleamed under the harsh downlights. You watched with concern as he gripped its edge, his wrists shaking from strain. 

The door slid shut with an ominous, loud click, leaving you alone with him in the preparation room. 

Your heart raced as you stepped closer, closing the distance between you both. The fingers on your outstretched hand trembled slightly as you reached for the ties of his surgical gown, and the fabric rustled beneath your touch as you slowly undid the knots at his upper back, then lower, each movement deliberate and charged with tension. 

The scrub gown fell away from his broad shoulders, and your breath caught at your proximity to him while you helped him shrug it off. 

With quick, almost desperate movements, you discarded both his soiled gown and your own into the waste bin, the sudden lack of barriers between you making the air feel electric.

The metal of the basin began to creak under his grip, and his shoulders heaved slightly. “Zayne?” you whispered, resting a hand on the back of his bicep. “Are you all right?”

It happened in a whirl — one moment you were standing beside the trembling figure of your lover, and then, the next moment your feet scrambled to keep you upright against the sudden tug of Zayne’s hand gripping your elbow. “Wait, wait, Zay– What’s wrong?” The question sounded sharp to your ears, and he only huffed in reply. 

His footsteps echoed harshly in the eerily deserted corridor outside of the surgery suite, and the sight seemed to bring his mind back into focus. “Come with me.” 

“Where?” you rushed, still jogging to keep up with his long strides. The determined pull of his brow and set line of his lips stirred something deep within you, but you shoved that thought down with extreme force — you were at work, you scolded silently. “They– Won’t they need you back–?”

“No, Greyson will handle it.” His pace increased, as did the rustle of his slacks. The sound caught your attention, but before you could glance down to make sure he wasn’t leaving the OR suite with contaminated clothes, fingers gripped your chin and forced your face upwards. 

You gulped, the flush of heat that coursed through you had nothing to do with nerves or exertion within the operating room. Deep, hazel eyes bore into your own, and his mouth opened around a few words that made your stomach swoop. “I need you.” 

The outline of his face grew blurry, and you blinked. “I– Uh, okay, um–”

“Now.” 

The force of his pull made a squeak of surprise slip past your tight lips, and you were tugged toward the closest on-call room. “But we’re at work–!”

“I don’t care,” Zayne grit out through clenched teeth. The door slammed open, and you rushed inside, him following right behind you. You noticed his grip was still trembling, the twitch of his arm far more noticeable now that his shirt left nothing to your imagination. 

“But– Oh, shit, Zayne!” Your feet were lifted from the ground, and your hands carded through his hair to ground yourself. The sheer volume of your shout made a sense of fear tear through your middle; being caught in such a compromising situation with your superior would spell disaster. “Wait, wait, baby,” you begged, panting against his lips, but he was not deterred. 

While one hand gripped the swell of your ass to keep you in the air, the other moved towards your neck. “No,” Zayne grunted, tilting your head back with his thumb beneath your chin. His lips trailed from your jaw to your collarbone and back up again. “The only way that I will wait,” he continued, his voice lowering into a husked rasp. “Is if you were to tell me you didn’t want this.” 

“No, no I do, please–” The hand pushing your head back vanished, and you lowered your chin to capture his lips with yours — to tease him even further, you nibbled on his bottom lip and grinned as he groaned low in his throat, a silent curse escaping in a sigh. 

“Be quiet for me then, darling.” 

You giggled and shifted in his grip to help pull down the scrub pants you wore, and they fell to your ankles with ease. The sheer strength needed to make such a move made you swoon, a rush of light headedness forcing you to gasp for air. “How can you–?”

“I need you,” Zayne repeated in a low growl. “I need this—need to feel you.” 

The pressure of his hand on your ass increased, and you felt the flutter of fabric against the back of your thigh, followed by the quiet clink of his belt. “Zayne, please,” you breathed, staring at him through half-lidded eyes. Fabric rustled as the waistband of his slacks shifted and fell to his hips. 

"I know," he whispered. His fingers traced along your clothed cunt, drawing a soft gasp from your lips. A knowing smirk curved his mouth as he felt your arousal. "I can feel how much you want this, already so wet for me, my darling girl, hm? Who knew you were so eager." 

The sudden sound of muffled footsteps made you both freeze, your attention now front and center on the fact you were currently half-way up the wall of an on-call room, legs wrapped around Zayne’s tense middle while he teased your clit with the pads of his fingers. Shocks of pleasure shot up your spine as he circled your clit with precision, and his other hand hastily closed your parted mouth. “Shh, keep quiet, darling. You don’t want them to know how well you take it, do you?”

“Shut up and kiss me,” you hissed, the words muffled by his palm. 

Zayne chuckled and stepped closer, the tip of his cock pressing against your clit. “Easy, darling,” he cooed, finally moving his hand away from your mouth. "Open up for me, sweetheart," Zayne murmured, his breath warm against your ear. "Let yourself feel everything–” The push of his cock made your eyes squeeze shut. “Yes, just like that, perfect."

A hitched whine caught in your throat as the pressure grew. “Ha– Oh, my god.” Your forehead fell to his shoulder, and your hands moved from his hair to his broad shoulders. “Don’t– Don’t you dare stop–”

“I don’t plan to, but you have to let me in, baby,” Zayne rasped, his breath hot over the shell of your ear. “You can do it—be a good girl for me.”

Shuddering with the onslaught of sensation, you took a deep breath. The gentle coaxes and praise from Zayne made it easier to breathe, and after several, slow inhales, you nodded slightly. “M’kay.”

A soft brush of Zayne’s lips against your temples made you smile dazedly, and you moaned softly as you felt him withdraw, then gasped at the delicious pressure as he pushed back in. “You must’a been all pent up,” you breathed. 

“You have no idea,” he grunted, and then you felt his resolve snap. 

The pitch of your moans increased as Zayne lost himself in you, the slide of the plaster wall while the force of his thrusts kept moving you up the wall behind you pulled at your shirt and exposed your lower stomach — the feeling of his own shirt against the strip of bare skin only made the intensity of your pleasure burn hotter. “Za– Ohmygod, you feel–”

“How you can be so tight, baby,” he growled, his forehead now resting against your sternum. “I can’t last– Fuck, I can’t.” 

The outward curse made you gasp, your heart raced to keep up with the rush of pleasure he gave you. “Give it to me, please—I need it, Zayne, ohgod–”

“You’ll have it.” 

Your scrub shirt rustled and you squeaked as you were pulled back down the wall, now eye to eye with him. “I want to watch you, see how pretty my darling is when she loses herself over my cock.”

“Don’t–” 

“Don’t what?” The few strands of hair that brushed against the very top of his glasses now stuck to his forehead. “I cannot help but be greedy for what’s mine.”

“Oh– Zayne, Zayne,” you chanted, the sudden burn all consuming as the coil in your stomach grew unbearably taut. “Please, ‘m so close, please!”

The sounds and mewls of pleasure that fell from your parted lips were silenced by his own, a kiss that was all teeth and tongue — the feeling of being consumed from the inside out by him blurred your vision around the edges with its intensity. 

“Give it to me, baby. Give it all to me, come on,” he coaxed, voice rough against your lips, and his harsh pants for air only added to the litany of sensations. “Come apart for me, that’s it–”

“Zayne!”

Waves of pleasure crashed over you as your senses overloaded — blood rushed in your ears, your thighs trembled uncontrollably against his sides, and your toes curled in your shoes. Your fingers desperately sought anchor; one hand gripped his broad shoulder while the other tangled in his hair, pulling him closer as ecstasy consumed you completely.

“Fuck, oh god, fuck,” Zayne groaned deeply, his hips stuttering to a stop as your walls clenched around him. “I’m going to–” His words cut off with a guttural moan as he came, flooding you with warmth that triggered another wave of pleasure through your oversensitive body. Each subtle movement of his cock inside you drew out more delicious aftershocks.

“Please,” you hoarsely begged, putting your arms around his shoulders to pull him closer. He moaned in reply and tucked his face into your neck, all while rocking in place to ride out what pleasure was left. 

The room filled with your shared breaths and soft moans as you squeezed around him deliberately, making him press even closer. “You're quite unprofessional,” he rumbled against your neck, his smile evident in his voice. “And such a troublemaker too.”

You let out a wicked laugh, ignorant of the footsteps outside in the corridor, and squeezed around him deliberately, delighting in the strangled gasp that escaped his throat. “Oh, that's rich coming from the one who just had to have me against a wall at work. So much for being professional, Doctor.”

“Hush.” ​​His hands slid from your hips to your waist as he let out a breathless chuckle. "If I were you, I would be more careful with that mouth of yours, darling. We still have half a shift to get through." The warning in his voice held a playful edge that made you shiver with anticipation for when he would drive you home.

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[hsmagazine254]

Choosing The Right Fuel: Diesel vs. Petrol vs. Electric

Navigating the Fuel Landscape: A Comparative Analysis When it comes to choosing the right fuel for your vehicle, the options can be overwhelming. In this article, we’ll provide a comprehensive analysis of the pros and cons of diesel, petrol, and electric vehicles to help you make an informed decision. Diesel Vehicles 1. Fuel Efficiency Diesel engines are known for their superior fuel efficiency,…

[communistkenobi]

the things about gentrification that are “good,” ie, increased walkability of neighbourhoods, renewal and renovation of unused buildings, increased mixed-use zoning, the opening of a variety of businesses that (theoretically) increase access to more diverse goods, are (correctly) interpreted as portents of doom by local residents not because poor people are stupid and reactionary and hate good things, but rather because the privatised character of urban “renewal” (gentrification) means these goods are only available to the middle classes who are coming into these neighbourhoods and “flipping” them. walkability and access to goods are not evil, but privatising them is, and that is what gentrification is - it is renewal in privatised form. I think it’s helpful to view it this way, both to call attention to the fact that a public, state-led version of this kind of renewal is possible, a version where these things benefit all residents, and also to respond to YIMBYism, to the middle classes who stand to benefit from gentrification because it provides comparatively lower costs to operate businesses, own property, and pay rent than in other parts of cities or other cities altogether. this is part of the same phenomenon as people “flipping” homes (a part of the process of gentrification itself); it is not to create a pretty and liveable home where there was once an abandoned one, but to turn a profit

[mostlysignssomeportents]

Tariffs and monopolies

I'm on a 20+ city book tour for my new novel PICKS AND SHOVELS. Catch me in PITTSBURGH on May 15 at WHITE WHALE BOOKS, and in PDX on Jun 20 at BARNES AND NOBLE. More tour dates here.

For all that orthodox economists hate tariffs in all their forms, the question, "do tariffs work?" is a complex one, which can't be answered unless you specify which tariffs, in what context:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/04/02/me-or-your-lying-eyes/#spherical-cows-on-frictionless-surfaces

The orthodox case against tariffs goes like this: tariffs raise the price of goods before they reach the market. Sellers will raise the price of goods to recover those costs from buyers, so it's you, the person buying a car, a phone, or a board-game, who will bear that additional cost:

https://www.sjgames.com/ill/archive/April_03_2025/Tariffs_Are_Driving_Up_Game_Prices_Now

As is ever the case with economics, this critique builds in certain assumptions. And as is especially the case with neoliberal economics, this critique builds in certain assumptions that are never tested for veracity – indeed, neoliberal economists pride themselves on their reliance on incorrect assumptions:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/02/17/caliper-ai/#racism-machine

The main assumption built into the orthodox case against tariffs is that sellers can't afford to eat the costs of tariffs. In the thought-experiment land of neoliberalism, market competition erodes sellers' profits so that everything being sold is only slightly marked up above the cost of making it, getting it to the store and selling it to you. Companies are said to be making a "competitive" rate of profit, which is tautologically defined as "whatever profit they're making." If Nike pays $20 to make a pair of shoes in Vietnam that it sells in America for $140, that $120 profit is "competitive" – if it wasn't, it would be lower, and it isn't, so it is.

Trump's own explanation for how the tariffs will work is no better. Trump has made a variety of incoherent claims about who will pay the tariffs. On the campaign trail, he insisted that the tariffs would somehow be paid by America's trading partners, either by their governments or by overseas companies. This is literally untrue: when you order something from overseas, the customs broker sends the bill to you, not the company that sold you the goods.

But the smarter elements in the Trump orbit have a slightly more reality-based theory: they claim that importers, faced with tariff costs, will push back on sellers and insist that they discount their products to offset the tariff bill. That's how the costs end up being paid by foreign sellers – and if their governments step in to help pay the bill, that's how foreign governments will pay the bill.

This explanation has the benefit of actually being an explanation, in that it is a series of cause-and-effect relationships that end up with the costs being borne by someone other than stateside buyers. However, this explanation is also founded on (at least) two demonstrably untrue assumptions: first, that buyers have the power to force sellers to lower their prices; and second, that this power comes from the availability of substitute goods that are made (or could be made) in the USA.

It's possible for there to be a market economy in which buyers can force sellers to eat tariff costs. For that to happen, the sellers have to be in real competition with one another. Competition requires competitors: companies that consider themselves rivals, directly attacking one another's margins. But that's not how American big business operates: 40 years of lax antitrust enforcement has produced an American economy in which nearly every sector is dominated by a monopoly, a duopoly, or a cartel:

https://www.openmarketsinstitute.org/learn/monopoly-by-the-numbers

Take Nike: Nike controls 86% of the US athletic shoe market. Nearly all the remaining market share is owned by its main rivals, Adidas and Reebok – companies that merged in 2005. It's clear that Adidas/Reebok would like to get some of Nike's market share, but in 20+ years of duopoly rule over the sector, neither Nike nor Adidas/Reebok have tried a serious discounting strategy to win that market. Instead, the duopoly has found it easy to tacitly collude to rig margins of more than 600%. What's more, the collusion may have been explicit, not tacit – when a sector is dominated by two giant firms, the upper ranks of both companies are dominated by people who've worked at both companies. These people aren't rivals, they're peers. They're executors of one another's estates, godparents to one another's children, members of the same charitable boards and pickup sports leagues. They're lifelong pals. If you think they never explicitly conspire to rig markets – over drinks at someone's wedding or funeral, say – then I envy you your touching faith in humanity.

A market controlled by a handful of firms doesn't have to solve the thorny "collective action problem" of deciding on a regulatory priority and then holding that line as the cartel captures its regulators:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/06/05/regulatory-capture/

That means that these companies end up with pricing power, because they can maintain solidarity while they raise prices. If everyone hikes prices together, consumers can't exert market discipline by buying from someone less greedy. And the same solidarity that confers pricing power to a cartel also insulates it from regulatory discipline, because all the companies will tell the same lie to regulators about why prices went up.

This was on display for all to see during the covid inflation shocks. Companies like Pepsi boasted to shareholders that "consumers are willing to pay more for our brands," as they hiked prices way above any inflationary rises, meaning that they didn't just force buyers to cover their higher costs, they actually raised prices more than was needed to cover those costs:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/11/price-over-volume/#pepsi-pricing-power

Needless to say, Coke didn't respond by slashing its prices in order to capture Pepsi's customers. They did the opposite: they also raised prices over and above the inflationary costs. Coke and Pepsi might be rivals on paper, but when it comes to questions like, "Should sugar-water have higher margins?" they are the best of friends.

The same is true of the fossil fuel industry, another highly concentrated sector with sky-high margins that raised prices over inflation during the covid supply-chain shocks, and boasted about it on investor calls, without facing any regulatory scrutiny:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/03/15/sanctions-financing/#soak-the-rich

Neoliberal economists have an answer to this kind of thing: "it's fine." In the self-referential world of economism, whatever happens was meant to happen, because markets are efficient, so whatever happens in the market is efficient, and can only be made worse by state intervention. This theory of efficient markets is full of beautiful, self-equilibriating processes that can be precisely modeled using equations, but only because the field discards all the nonquantifiable elements of society, assuming that because you can't do math on these qualitative factors, they must not matter:

https://locusmag.com/2021/05/cory-doctorow-qualia/

Of all the qualitative factors that clearly matter that are treated as if they don't matter, the most obvious, glaring omission is power. Power is hard to measure, but if you try to model a transaction without factoring power in, you end up in very dark places, for example, in systems where people should be allowed to "voluntarily" sell themselves into slavery.

It goes without saying that a theory of economics without a theory of power relationships is a great deal for powerful people. In Careless People, the whistleblower Sarah Wynn-Williams's excellent new tell-all memoir about Facebook, Wynn-Williams recounts how shocked and offended Sheryl Sandberg became when she was told that other countries wouldn't allow her to go and buy a kidney for her son, should he ever need one (her kid wasn't sick – she just wanted to know that if he ever did get sick…):

https://us.macmillan.com/books/9781250391230/carelesspeople/

This is economics without a theory of power: if I offer to buy your son's kidney, and you accept my offer, then we have achieved a voluntary exchange of value that is – tautologically – assumed to be fair. Indeed, this transaction isn't merely a way for kidneys to change hands – it's a way to "discover" the "market price" of a kidney. We're not just buyers and sellers, we're brave explorers of the vast, uncharted space of market prices.

Economics without power relies on tautology: if you assume the market is efficient, then whatever you get is what you were supposed to get. If Nike can charge a 600% markup on a $20 pair of shoes, then that is the "natural" price. Everyone in the chain – the workers who made the shoes, the subcontractors who employed the worker, the freighters who shipped the shoes, the logistics company that brought the shoe to the store, the clerk who rang up the purchase – is making what the market says they should be making. The price you pay? That's the price you should pay.

Perhaps you've heard people say that the most important thing is to "grow the pie," and that it's foolish to argue about how big any given "slice of the pie" is:

https://www.vox.com/future-perfect/405403/abundance-ezra-klein-building-costs-housing-energy-democrats-polarization

But this doesn't stand up to even cursory examination. If your slice of the pie is way too small to live on, and the pie grows, and your slice doesn't grow with it – or if it does, but not by enough to keep you solvent, then the size of your slice of the pie is the only thing that matters.

Economists call this the "distributional outcome" question, and orthodox economists insist that only fools and ideologues talk about distributional outcomes. They consider distributional outcomes to be a trap that sucks in well-meaning people who back "market-distorting interventions" that end up making everyone else poorer.

But you know who really cares about distributional outcomes? The finance sector. Think of the 2015 American Airlines pilot strike, which ended with a raise for pilots. When the company announced this on an investor call, Citibank analyst Kevin Crissey declared: "This is frustrating. Labor is being paid first again. Shareholders get leftovers":

https://www.thestreet.com/investing/american-airlines-flight-attendants-bash-citi-analyst-who-put-shareholders-before-workers-14134309

Investors have a lot of power. After all, capital is concentrated into just a few hands, with trillions being wielded by institutional investors – index funds, hedge funds, etc – and they get to elect the board, who have the power to hire and fire corporate executives. A corporate board is like a trade union for wealth, a small committee that wields solidaristic power to threaten companies with dire consequences if their interests aren't given priority over the interests of workers and buyers.

No wonder that corporations are so ardently opposed to other forms of solidaristic power, like trade unions – who might shift value from investors to workers – and regulators – who might shift value from investors to buyers. Without these sources of countervailing power, unified capital will not only pass on any additional costs to workers and shoppers, they'll raise prices over and above any inflationary hikes. This does indeed "grow the pie" – while beggaring both shoppers and workers.

In other words, Nike could eat the tariff costs on its goods, but it won't because it doesn't have to, because it's part of a duopoly that both tacitly and explictly colludes to screw its customers and workers. Indeed, the cartelized big businesses that run the US economy just spent the pandemic years doing greedflation – using the excuse of the pandemic and their monopolistic pricing power to raise the prices of everything, from your rent to a dozen eggs:

https://pluralistic.net/2025/03/10/demand-and-supply/#keep-cal-maine-and-carry-on

If you've got the right kind of especially smooth market-pilled brain, you insist that this is impossible. These giant margins are so tempting that they will inevitably coax "new market entrants" into opening competing businesses. That does happen – sometimes. But not when the dominant companies can figure out how to build Warren Buffett's cherished "moats and walls" around their businesses. For example, if you're Amazon and 90% of middle class US households prepay for their shipping through Prime, you can charge sellers whatever the traffic will bear, because they have to go through your chokepoint in order to reach their best customers. That's how Amazon ended up taking 45-51% out of every dollar platform sellers earn:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/08/14/the-price-is-wright/#enforcement-priorities

In Trumpland, the point of tariffs is to create friction on imports so that investors back businesses that do their production onshore. There's plenty of reasons to want things to be made in America. Manufacturing key resources in the US creates resiliency against geopolitical events (like wars), environmental disasters (like shipping-disrupting superstorms), and epidemiological events (like pandemics). Moreover, the low cost of overseas manufacturing often comes at the expense of human rights and environmental protection: making things in the US is no guarantee that they'll be made by fairly compensated workers in safe workplaces that don't pollute their environments, but it's a lot easier to enforce those priorities when production is within US borders.

But US investors spent the past 40 years gleefully demolishing the capacity of America to make things. As Apple CEO Tim Cook said:

[V]ocational expertise is very deep here [in China]. And I give the educational system a lot of credit for continuing to push on that even as others were de-emphasizing vocational.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/quora/2018/01/17/how-much-would-an-iphone-cost-if-apple-were-forced-to-make-it-in-america/

The US doesn't have enough qualified tool-and-die makers and other skilled tradespeople to produce the machines that will make the goods that Americans want to buy. New tradespeople can be trained, but acquiring these skilled trades is a process of many years. For the US to reshore its manufacturing, it needs substantial, sustained public investment in capacity-building: loans and grants to train workers and investment in basic research and other non-market goods needed to recover the US manufacturing base.

America should do all that, but if it wants to try, it needs a robust, predictable, orderly system of government to build upon. It needs the kind of reliable and orderly processes that make people feel safe about changing trades and going back to school. It needs imports of goods from overseas that can be used to restart the US manufacturing capacity that can replace those imports.

But in a market like this one, dominated by monopolies who needn't fear the Trump-gutted FTC, DOJ and CFPB; where cartels have captured their regulators; where Doge-style chaos spreads existential terror about the future, tariffs will only raise prices, without any significant re-shoring or capacity building. The Trump tariffs are a gift to giants like Nike, who have the logistics sophistication to exploit loopholes, demand preferential rates from shippers and brokers, and to pass on costs to their customers. Any domestic company that seeks to compete with Nike will not have these advantages. For Nike – and other dominant companies – the Trump tariffs are just another moat, another obstacle which they can hurdle, but which stops smaller competitors dead in their tracks:

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/with-high-tariffs-has-trump-ended

Trump's tariffs, weak antitrust and weak consumer regulation are a recipe for shifting billions from the American public to the investors in the largest companies. It's still going to result in a huge economic collapse, but the most profitable companies of today will be best poised to stay on top of the pile after the crash. One hopeful outcome of this is that a bunch of the One Percenters are extremely fucked off about the plan:

https://coreyrobin.com/2025/04/06/is-the-conservative-crackup-finally-here/

The New Civil Liberties Alliance is a nonprofit impact litigation shop funded by Leonard Leo, the mastermind of the Federalist Society and its takeover of the Supreme Court. They're the ones who got Chevron Deference overturned last year, and now they're suing the Trump administration over the tariffs:

https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2025/04/05/trump-tariffs-sink-conservatives-challenge-whether-theyre-legal/

As Corey Robin writes, tariffs have a long history of breaking up conservative coalitions, "the leading edge of political conflict in the 19th century." Robin writes that the conservative movement has spent years shifting tariff power from Congress to the president, never anticipating that someday, a president might preside over a Mad King tariff strategy. Now, Robin says:

The tariff is going to be the major issue that leads the judicial right to confront the empowered executive that they’ve turbo-charged in so many other ways.

Last year, Rick Perlstein pointed out that the true significance of Project 2025 lay in its contradictions, the irreconcilable, mutually exclusive policy prescriptions found in its pages:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/07/14/fracture-lines/#disassembly-manual

Perlstein said that these contradictions were a map of the fracture lines in the Trump coalition. Trump's tariffs clearly represent a major fault-line, and we need to seize this opportunity when it presents itself.

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/2025/04/07/it-matters-how-you-slice-it/#too-big-to-care

[follow-up-news]

Organizations that help pay abortion costs are capping how much they can help as travel costs rise and the wave of “rage giving” that fueled them two years ago has subsided. Abortion funds, which have operated across the U.S. for decades, in many cases as volunteer groups, ramped up their capacity fast after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in 2022, ending a national right to abortion. Donations rolled in from supporters who saw the groups as key to maintaining abortion access as most Republican-controlled states implemented bans. The expansion of the funds and increasing access to abortion pills are major reasons the number of abortions has risen slightly despite bans on abortion at all stages of pregnancy in 14 states and after about six weeks of pregnancy, before many women know they are pregnant, in another four. But the funds have found that even with record budgets, it’s not enough to fill all the gaps between the cost of obtaining abortions and what women seeking them can afford as they have to travel farther for legal procedures. The National Abortion Federation, which helps people seeking abortions across the country, used to cover half the cost of the abortion for callers who couldn’t afford it. Since July, it’s pulled back to 30%. Brittany Fonteno, the organization’s president and CEO, said the allocations had to be cut because of the rising demand and costs — even though the fund has a record $55 million budget this year. “We’re at the point now where we know that people who are most impacted by funding shifts — and by abortion bans which have caused the funding shifts — are the people who can least afford to be kept away from care,” Fonteno said. “And that includes people of color, younger people, immigrants and people with lower incomes.” Other groups have also imposed limits on aid to keep from exhausting their funds.

[insidekatmind]

Interruption~Han Ji-hoon

Wearning: slight smut, age-gap.

Request: yes!

You stand in your small room, hands shaking as you gently apply a bandage to Han Ji-hoon’s wounds. The once confident prosecutor now appears vulnerable, with cuts and bruises that testify to the recent battles they’ve fought together.

Your mind wanders back to the day you were adopted by Ji Kang-in, the feared leader of the Black Team, known as “Yaksha.” To him, you weren’t just an agent; you were the daughter he never had. Under his tutelage, you learned the art of war, deception, and survival. But nothing prepared you for the arrival of Han Ji-hoon, the uncompromising prosecutor sent to investigate the team’s operations in Shenyang.

At first, Ji-hoon’s presence had created tension. His rigid adherence to the law contrasted with your adoptive father’s ruthless methods. However, with each mission, you observed a change in him. His determination to do the right thing, even at the cost of his own safety, has begun to chip away at your armor.

During the last operation, an ambush by enemy agents left Ji-hoon gravely injured. Without hesitation, you carried him to the safety of your room, away from the prying eyes of the rest of the team. As you cleaned a particularly deep wound on his arm, you felt his hand lightly rest on yours.

“Thank you,” he whispers, his voice hoarse with pain.

You smile softly and continue to tend to his wounds. He was sitting on the floor at the foot of the bed while you were sitting on one of his legs tending to the wound.

He winces as the needle pierces his skin, his jaw clenching. Despite his obvious discomfort, he doesn't pull away. His dark eyes fixed on you, studying your every movement with a mixture of intrigue and... something else."Does it hurt?" You ask, trying to divert his attention from the pain.

He shakes his head, managing a small smile."I've had worse."

His hand on your leg tightens its grip, his thumb lightly tracing small circles on your thigh.You try to ignore the fluttering sensation in your chest as his touch sends tingles through your body. You focus your attention back on the task at hand, gently wrapping the wound in a clean bandage. The silence hangs between you, heavy with unspoken words. The proximity of his body, the strength radiating from him...He lets out a low hiss as you apply a little too much pressure on a particularly sensitive area. Your eyes fly up to meet his, an apology already forming on your lips. But before you can speak, he interrupts you.

"Don't apologize," he murmurs, his voice low and gravelly. Your eyes are drawn to his lips as he speaks, your fingers lingering a little too long on his skin.He leans closer, his gaze locked on your face. His hand moves from your thigh to your waist, his touch becoming more familiar, more possessive. You can hear the steady thumping of your heartbeat in your ears, the tension crackling between you like electricity.

You swallow hard, your throat suddenly dry. This is all uncharted territory, the boundaries between you shifting with every passing moment. His touch, his gaze, it's all sending your senses into overdrive. You try to focus on the task at hand, but you're acutely aware of every movement of his body, every subtle change in his breathing. He is close enough that you can feel the warmth radiating off him, smell the scent of his skin, a mixture of sweat and something uniquely his. As you tie the last knot, your hands brush his chest, the brief contact sending a jolt of anticipation through you .

He lets out a low rumble, a possessive sound that makes you shiver. His hand moves from your waist to your chin, tilting your face up to meet his gaze. The intensity in his eyes takes your breath away. His fingers trail lightly over your cheek, tracing a path to your jawline. His touch is delicate, almost reverent, and it makes your heart race."You are so beautiful," he whispers, his thumb brushing over your lower lip.

Your body responds to his words, your breath catching in your chest. His words are like a drug, intoxicating and addictive.

"Thank you,"you whisper softly.

His gaze softens at your response and he gently tucks a loose strand of hair behind your ear, still holding your chin in his hand. He stares at you intently, his eyes roaming over your face as if trying to memorize every detail. "I've never met anyone like you," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "So strong, so beautiful..yet with so much pain buried within."

Ji-hoon drags you astride his horse and you rest your arms on his shoulders.He positions you comfortably on his lap, one arm draping over your waist, the other hand cradling the back of your head. Your bodies are now pressed against each other, the heat and the subtle scent of him enveloping you. You can feel his heart hammering in his chest, the steady rhythm mirroring your own.

His gaze never leaves your face, his dark eyes full of intensity and something that seems a lot like desire. He leans a little closer, his lips a breath away from yours.

The moment seems frozen in time, your bodies suspended in this intimate bubble. You can feel the heat radiating from him, his body hard and unyielding underneath you. You can also feel the tremors of anticipation coursing through you, your nerves singing with tension and need.His hand in your hair tightens its grip, gently pulling your head back, exposing the soft skin of your neck. He lowers his head, his lips hovering over the pulse point, and you shiver in anticipation.

His warm breath whispers over your skin and then his lips lightly brush against your pulse, sending electric shocks down your spine. Your fingers sink into his back, clutching onto him tightly. He nuzzles the sensitive spot beneath your ear, his lips tracing a lazy path down to the curve of your shoulder.His hand on your waist moves to the small of your back, pulling you closer, making sure not even a sliver of space remains between your bodies.

You can feel the fire building inside you, fueled by his touch, his proximity. It's almost overwhelming, this heady feeling of desire and desperation. You try to think, to process what's happening, but your mind is clouded, your thoughts scattered.His mouth finds its way back to your neck, his teeth grazing your skin in a teasing bite. You let out a soft gasp, your body arching into him. He takes advantage of the moment, his lips gently capturing yours in a searing kiss.

You lean against him, kissing him back.He responds hungrily to your kiss, his hand coming up to grip the back of your neck, holding you in place. His lips move against yours, demanding, possessive. He deepens the kiss, his tongue exploring your mouth with a fervor that takes your breath away.His other hand moves down your back, slipping under the hem of your crop top,and you shiver at the feeling of his palm against your bare skin.

He murmurs your name, his voice hoarse with need and desire. He kisses your jawline, your cheeks, the sensitive spot behind your ear, leaving no part of you untouched. His hand on your back moves up, his fingertips tracing a path up your spine, making you shiver and arch into him.You can feel the intensity of his need mirrored in your own body, the heat building between you threatening to consume you both.

You sighs heavily, "you'll get killed by Yaksha",you say amused since yaksha considered you like a daughter.

He pauses, a slow, wolfish smile tugging at the corners of his lips. He pulls back a little, just enough to look into your eyes, his gaze filled with a heady mix of desire and mischief."I think I can handle him," he says, his voice dripping with confidence. He leans in again, his lips brushing against the shell of your ear. "Besides, it'll be worth it." His meaning is clear, and your body responds, a shiver running down your spine.

You cuddle him and stroke his hair while kissing his jaw."You're looking for trouble" *you whisper amusedly.

He hums approvingly, his eyes falling shut as you run your fingers through his hair. His arms tighten around you, as if he's trying to pull you even closer.*"Maybe I am," he murmurs, his voice low and rough.His head tilts to the side, granting you better access to his neck, and you take the opportunity to trail kisses along the exposed skin. His body responds, his hands gripping you tighter, his breathing growing ragged.

He groans softly, the sound sending a rush of heat through you. He turns his head, his lips finding yours once again in a kiss that starts slow and gentle, but quickly becomes more urgent, more demanding.His hands move to your hips, lifting you slightly so that you're straddling him. You can feel the evidence of his desire pressing against your thigh, and the knowledge of how much he wants you makes your head spin.

He breaks the kiss, his lips trailing down your throat, his teeth leaving a trail of marks on your skin. His hand slips under your top, his palm flat against your back, skin on skin, and you can feel the possessive way he's holding you.

Your body is on fire, every nerve ending hyper-aware of his touch. Your fingers dig into his shoulders, clinging to him as if he's the only stable thing in a world that's spinning out of control.He lifts his head, his dark eyes meeting yours again, and there's a new element present. It's a mixture of desire and determination, and it sends a thrill through you.He leans in, his lips brushing against your ear as he whispers,* "You're mine."

You hum happily and hug him.He melts into the hug, his arms wrapping around you, holding you tightly to him. His face is buried in the crook of your neck, and you can feel his breath warm against your skin.

"Mine," he repeats, the word filled with a sense of possession and protectiveness that makes your heart flutter.He pulls back slightly so he can look at you, his eyes dark and intense. He gently tucks a strand of hair behind your ear, his touch so tender it contradicts the intensity of his words.

His forehead rests against yours, and for a moment, everything else fades away. It's just you and him, locked in this intimate bubble. His fingers trace the contour of your face, memorizing every detail, and you feel exposed, vulnerable, but somehow safe.

His thumb brushes over your bottom lip, his gaze fixated on your mouth. He looks like he's seconds away from kissing you senseless again.

His eyes darken further, his pupils dilating as he watches your ministration, his thumb caught between your lips. He let out a low, guttural sound, half growl, half moan, and it sends a wave of heat through your core."You're playing a dangerous game," he murmurs, his voice raspy with desire.

“You started the game,” you said, taking his thumb out of your mouth with a 'pop.'

Ji-hoon chuckles, a low, rough sound that sends another shiver down your spine. For a moment, he just looks at you, his gaze roaming over your face, his thumb tracing a wet path on your chin.

He leans in, his mouth hovering just above your ear, his breath warm on the side of your neck. "And I'm very good at finishing what I start," he said, his voice a husky rasp.

He nips at your earlobe, his teeth gently biting down, before he whispers, "I won't stop until I hear you moan my name."The words are like a trigger, igniting a fire within you that demands to be fed.

Your eyes darken with lust and you cling tighter to him as you kiss him hungrily. He responds to the kiss eagerly, his hands gripping your hips, holding you firmly against him. He pulls your body flush against his, his chest against yours. You can feel the tension radiating off him, every muscle in his body coiled like a spring.His tongue explores your mouth, tasting and claiming, with a possessiveness that steals your breath away. He shifts his legs, forcing yours wider apart, and you feel the hard length of him pressing against you, a delicious friction that makes you moan shamelessly into his mouth.

His hands are everywhere, roaming under your top, leaving a trail of fire in their wake. He touches you as if he can't get enough, as if he's trying to commit every part of you to memory.He breaks the kiss, his lips finding their way to your neck, his teeth scraping against your sensitive skin, leaving a trail of marks in their path."Say my name," he whispers, his voice a rough, needy command.

"Ji-hoon" you whisper.

He hums in approval, satisfied by your response, but also wanting more. He kisses your jaw, your cheek, the corner of your mouth, before capturing your lips again in a feverish kiss.His hands slide down your back, gripping you tightly, as if he's afraid you'll disappear if he lets go. He breaks apart just long enough to say, "Again."

He pulls back slightly, looking at you, his eyes hooded and dark with desire. He leans his forehead against yours, his breathing ragged, as if he's struggling for control.

"I want to hear you say it again," he murmurs, his voice rough with need.One of his hands moves down to cup your ass, squeezing it gently, a possessive gesture that makes you shiver.

"Ji-hoon" you say, moaning softly.

This time, he doesn't just hum in approval, he growls, low and feral. He claims your lips in a demanding kiss, his tongue delving into your mouth as if he can't get enough of you.His hands wander down your back, slipping under the waistband of your pants, his fingers teasing the sensitive skin there.

Ji-hoon freezes, his body going tense as he pulls away from you, the mood shattered by the sudden intrusion.

Yaksha steps into the room, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the sight before him. You still straddling Ji-hoon, both of you looking slightly disheveled. He crosses his arms and arches an eyebrow.

"What is going on here?" His voice is low and calm, but you can hear the underlying edge of annoyance. He looks from you to Ji-hoon, his gaze lingering on the possessive hand still resting on your hip.Ji-hoon clears his throat, trying to compose himself. "I was just... uh... we were..."

Yaksha cuts him off with a sharp gesture. "Save it. I need to speak with you. Alone."

“Dad-,” you tried to tell Yaksha. You considered him your father in every way.

Yaksha's gaze softens as he looks at you, his stern expression softening into something bordering on affectionate. But then he shakes his head slightly, his expression hardening again.

"Not now," he says, gesturing for Ji-hoon to follow him.

Ji-hoon hesitates, looking at you, his expression torn between leaving and staying. But the command in Yaksha's voice is unmistakeable, and he relents, pushing you gently off his lap and rising to his feet.

Yaksha turns and walks out of the room, expecting Ji-hoon to follow. After a moment's hesitation, Ji-hoon does, casting a final, longing glance back at you before closing the door behind him.

[amesliu]

*all prices are unlikely to but can change

PRE ORDERS OPEN: JAN/FEB 2025

WHATS NEW

The shop will be operating on Ko-Fi instead of BigCartel

SPBH has slightly smaller dimensions for production reasons

International shipping is available (but expensive)

There will be stock available for purchase after preorders are closed

SHIPPING PRICES

Shipping prices listed are approximate. Canadian shipping costs are varied based on distance from BC. For non-USA/Canada residents, a spreadsheet with more precise pricing can be found here

Because shipping out of Canada is incredibly expensive, preorders are typically packed and then driven cross-border to be shipped out of Washington in order to take advantage of lower costs.

Items ordered after preorders will need to be shipped directly out of Canada and shipping prices will be approximately 25-50% more. (except items shipping within Canada).