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mostlysignssomeportents · 12 days

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Google is (still) losing the spam wars to zombie news-brands

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TONIGHT (May 3) in CALGARY, then TOMORROW (May 4) in VANCOUVER, then onto Tartu, Estonia, and beyond!

Even Google admits – grudgingly – that it is losing the spam wars. The explosive proliferation of botshit has supercharged the sleazy "search engine optimization" business, such that results to common queries are 50% Google ads to spam sites, and 50% links to spam sites that tricked Google into a high rank (without paying for an ad):

https://developers.google.com/search/blog/2024/03/core-update-spam-policies#site-reputation

It's nice that Google has finally stopped gaslighting the rest of us with claims that its search was still the same bedrock utility that so many of us relied upon as a key piece of internet infrastructure. This not only feels wildly wrong, it is empirically, provably false:

https://downloads.webis.de/publications/papers/bevendorff_2024a.pdf

Not only that, but we know why Google search sucks. Memos released as part of the DOJ's antitrust case against Google reveal that the company deliberately chose to worsen search quality to increase the number of queries you'd have to make (and the number of ads you'd have to see) to find a decent result:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/24/naming-names/#prabhakar-raghavan

Google's antitrust case turns on the idea that the company bought its way to dominance, spending the some of the billions it extracted from advertisers and publishers to buy the default position on every platform, so that no one ever tried another search engine, which meant that no one would invest in another search engine, either.

Google's tacit defense is that its monopoly billions only incidentally fund these kind of anticompetitive deals. Mostly, Google says, it uses its billions to build the greatest search engine, ad platform, mobile OS, etc that the public could dream of. Only a company as big as Google (says Google) can afford to fund the R&D and security to keep its platform useful for the rest of us.

That's the "monopolistic bargain" – let the monopolist become a dictator, and they will be a benevolent dictator. Shriven of "wasteful competition," the monopolist can split their profits with the public by funding public goods and the public interest.

Google has clearly reneged on that bargain. A company experiencing the dramatic security failures and declining quality should be pouring everything it has to righting the ship. Instead, Google repeatedly blew tens of billions of dollars on stock buybacks while doing mass layoffs:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/02/21/im-feeling-unlucky/#not-up-to-the-task

Those layoffs have now reached the company's "core" teams, even as its core services continue to decay:

https://qz.com/google-is-laying-off-hundreds-as-it-moves-core-jobs-abr-1851449528

(Google's antitrust trial was shrouded in secrecy, thanks to the judge's deference to the company's insistence on confidentiality. The case is moving along though, and warrants your continued attention:)

https://www.thebignewsletter.com/p/the-2-trillion-secret-trial-against

Google wormed its way into so many corners of our lives that its enshittification keeps erupting in odd places, like ordering takeout food:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/02/24/passive-income/#swiss-cheese-security

Back in February, Housefresh – a rigorous review site for home air purifiers – published a viral, damning account of how Google had allowed itself to be overrun by spammers who purport to provide reviews of air purifiers, but who do little to no testing and often employ AI chatbots to write automated garbage:

https://housefresh.com/david-vs-digital-goliaths/

In the months since, Housefresh's Gisele Navarro has continued to fight for the survival of her high-quality air purifier review site, and has received many tips from insiders at the spam-farms and Google, all of which she recounts in a followup essay:

https://housefresh.com/how-google-decimated-housefresh/

One of the worst offenders in spam wars is Dotdash Meredith, a content-farm that "publishes" multiple websites that recycle parts of each others' content in order to climb to the top search slots for lucrative product review spots, which can be monetized via affiliate links.

A Dotdash Meredith insider told Navarro that the company uses a tactic called "keyword swarming" to push high-quality independent sites off the top of Google and replace them with its own garbage reviews. When Dotdash Meredith finds an independent site that occupies the top results for a lucrative Google result, they "swarm a smaller site’s foothold on one or two articles by essentially publishing 10 articles [on the topic] and beefing up [Dotdash Meredith sites’] authority."

Dotdash Meredith has keyword swarmed a large number of topics. from air purifiers to slow cookers to posture correctors for back-pain:

https://housefresh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/keyword-swarming-dotdash.jpg

The company isn't shy about this. Its own shareholder communications boast about it. What's more, it has competition.

Take Forbes, an actual news-site, which has a whole shadow-empire of web-pages reviewing products for puppies, dogs, kittens and cats, all of which link to high affiliate-fee-generating pet insurance products. These reviews are not good, but they are treasured by Google's algorithm, which views them as a part of Forbes's legitimate news-publishing operation and lets them draft on Forbes's authority.

This side-hustle for Forbes comes at a cost for the rest of us, though. The reviewers who actually put in the hard work to figure out which pet products are worth your money (and which ones are bad, defective or dangerous) are crowded off the front page of Google and eventually disappear, leaving behind nothing but semi-automated SEO garbage from Forbes:

https://twitter.com/ichbinGisele/status/1642481590524583936

There's a name for this: "site reputation abuse." That's when a site perverts its current – or past – practice of publishing high-quality materials to trick Google into giving the site a high ranking. Think of how Deadspin's private equity grifter owners turned it into a site full of casino affiliate spam:

https://www.404media.co/who-owns-deadspin-now-lineup-publishing/

The same thing happened to the venerable Money magazine:

https://moneygroup.pr/

Money is one of the many sites whose air purifier reviews Google gives preference to, despite the fact that they do no testing. According to Google, Money is also a reliable source of information on reprogramming your garage-door opener, buying a paint-sprayer, etc:

https://money.com/best-paint-sprayer/

All of this is made ten million times worse by AI, which can spray out superficially plausible botshit in superhuman quantities, letting spammers produce thousands of variations on their shitty reviews, flooding the zone with bullshit in classic Steve Bannon style:

https://escapecollective.com/commerce-content-is-breaking-product-reviews/

As Gizmodo, Sports Illustrated and USA Today have learned the hard way, AI can't write factual news pieces. But it can pump out bullshit written for the express purpose of drafting on the good work human journalists have done and tricking Google – the search engine 90% of us rely on – into upranking bullshit at the expense of high-quality information.

A variety of AI service bureaux have popped up to provide AI botshit as a service to news brands. While Navarro doesn't say so, I'm willing to bet that for news bosses, outsourcing your botshit scams to a third party is considered an excellent way of avoiding your journalists' wrath. The biggest botshit-as-a-service company is ASR Group (which also uses the alias Advon Commerce).

Advon claims that its botshit is, in fact, written by humans. But Advon's employees' Linkedin profiles tell a different story, boasting of their mastery of AI tools in the industrial-scale production of botshit:

https://housefresh.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/Advon-AI-LinkedIn.jpg

Now, none of this is particularly sophisticated. It doesn't take much discernment to spot when a site is engaged in "site reputation abuse." Presumably, the 12,000 googlers the company fired last year could have been employed to check the top review keyword results manually every couple of days and permaban any site caught cheating this way.

Instead, Google is has announced a change in policy: starting May 5, the company will downrank any site caught engaged in site reputation abuse. However, the company takes a very narrow view of site reputation abuse, limiting punishments to sites that employ third parties to generate or uprank their botshit. Companies that produce their botshit in-house are seemingly not covered by this policy.

As Navarro writes, some sites – like Forbes – have prepared for May 5 by blocking their botshit sections from Google's crawler. This can't be their permanent strategy, though – either they'll have to kill the section or bring it in-house to comply with Google's rules. Bringing things in house isn't that hard: US News and World Report is advertising for an SEO editor who will publish 70-80 posts per month, doubtless each one a masterpiece of high-quality, carefully researched material of great value to Google's users:

https://twitter.com/dannyashton/status/1777408051357585425

As Navarro points out, Google is palpably reluctant to target the largest, best-funded spammers. Its March 2024 update kicked many garbage AI sites out of the index – but only small bottom-feeders, not large, once-respected publications that have been colonized by private equity spam-farmers.

All of this comes at a price, and it's only incidentally paid by legitimate sites like Housefresh. The real price is borne by all of us, who are funneled by the 90%-market-share search engine into "review" sites that push low quality, high-price products. Housefresh's top budget air purifier costs $79. That's hundreds of dollars cheaper than the "budget" pick at other sites, who largely perform no original research.

Google search has a problem. AI botshit is dominating Google's search results, and it's not just in product reviews. Searches for infrastructure code samples are dominated by botshit code generated by Pulumi AI, whose chatbot hallucinates nonexistence AWS features:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/05/01/pulumi_ai_pollution_of_search/

This is hugely consequential: when these "hallucinations" slip through into production code, they create huge vulnerabilities for widespread malicious exploitation:

https://www.theregister.com/2024/03/28/ai_bots_hallucinate_software_packages/

We've put all our eggs in Google's basket, and Google's dropped the basket – but it doesn't matter because they can spend $20b/year bribing Apple to make sure no one ever tries a rival search engine on Ios or Safari:

https://finance.yahoo.com/news/google-payments-apple-reached-20-220947331.html

Google's response – laying off core developers, outsourcing to low-waged territories with weak labor protections and spending billions on stock buybacks – presents a picture of a company that is too big to care:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/04/teach-me-how-to-shruggie/#kagi

Google promised us a quid-pro-quo: let them be the single, authoritative portal ("organize the world’s information and make it universally accessible and useful"), and they will earn that spot by being the best search there is:

https://www.ft.com/content/b9eb3180-2a6e-41eb-91fe-2ab5942d4150

But – like the spammers at the top of its search result pages – Google didn't earn its spot at the center of our digital lives.

It cheated.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/05/03/keyword-swarming/#site-reputation-abuse

Image: freezelight (modified) https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Spam_wall_-_Flickr_-_freezelight.jpg

CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0/deed.en

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unknown-limes · 2 years

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Joy is stored in the Arkansas Game & Fish Commission Mobile Aquarium

#caffeinated hallucinations #arkansas #fish #mobile aquarium #i saw one of these driving by on my way out of work yesterday and i haven't been able to stop thinking about it #it was full of pike n bluegills too #i couldn't stop grinning the whole way home #if you've never seen one before they just hook it up to like a regular commission pickup and tour it around #usually you'll see them at like educational events for kids #i think the picture i used is from when they parked one near a free vax clinic #folk WILL come out just to look at the fish #i get so genuinely happy every time i see one

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if-you-fan-a-fire · 2 years

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“TRAIN SHOWS EQUIPMENT OF MECHANIZED ARMY,” North Bay Nugget. March 24, 1942. Page 6. ---- At the left of the flat car pictured above is an anti-aircraft searchlight that is five feet in diameter. This model can be operated by hand or by remote control. Next to it is the diesel operated generator, which supplies the power to the light. Equally essential to successful war today is the Valentine tank seen at the right. This is what is known as an infantry tank — it is manufactured in Canada. These exhibits and hundreds of other interesting pieces of army equipment form part of the Canadian army train now touring the Dominion to show what the Canadian army is and how it works. Approximately 250 centres will be visited before the exhibition train ends its 15,000 mile trip. North Bay residents will have an opportunity to view these exhibits when this train comes here on April 1.

#north bay #touring show #military train #railway journey #valentine tank #canadian army #searchlights #anti-aircraft #mobile generator #northern ontario #canada during world war 2 #home front #war propaganda

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weirdmarioenemies · 1 month

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On October 4th, 2023, Mario Kart Tour received its final content update. After this day, no more new tours would come to the game, with it instead cycling through past tours. I didn't respect the game all that much, but I do think it's a bit sad we won't get to see any new racers or alternate outfits for a while now...

Or will we?

We've received intel from an anonymous source that this spring, something BIG is coming to Mario Kart Tour. A brand new tour, with new content, to commemorate the season! I'll let the leaked description speak for itself...

"He is risen, and so is #MarioKartTour! Celebrate Easter with the all-new Vatican Tour! Race through the sacred streets of the pontiff's home turf in the new Vatican Velodrome track, and save up your Rubies to nab Kamek (Pope) in the Spotlight Shop- along with a whole host of communion-tastic goodies! This heavenly tour is set to grace your mobile device this season!"

We even got an early look at Kamek's new Pope alt! A miter really suits him, don't you think? Our sources tell us that his unique trick animations include performing the sign of the cross, and sprinkling holy water around him! Even in the heat of a race, Kamek (Pope) loves his neighbor and blesses his fellow competitors!

Kamek (Pope)'s signature kart is the Turbo Tabernacle! What, did you expect a Popemobile? Don't you know the Vatican doesn't like that nickname? I can't believe you would expect such blasphemy here. Our leaker was kind enough to provide this mockup, showing its wafer wheels as well as the new glider, the INRI Scroll! With this glider, you can feel like YOU'RE the one being crucified!

We hope you're as excited as we are for the upcoming Vatican Tour! It would be easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than it would be to resist playing Mario Kart Tour this Easter season!

#mario kart tour #kamek #kamek (pope)#vatican tour #vatican velodrome #turbo tabernacle #inri #easter #mario #april fools

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noraantilles · 8 months

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The Right Shelter

Pairing: Rafe Cameron x f!reader (y/n)

Summary: After getting in trouble, Rafe tried to hide from the police. He stumbled onto a random boat which turned out to be Y/Ns. You and Rafe got stuck on the sea and after a long time of not seeing each other, there were some things that you had never been able to tell each other, since now.

Warnings: Fluff, Angst, Smut, Friends to lovers, Kidnapping, Violent Behaviour, Fingering, pet names, Swearing, Use of Weapons (gun)

MINORS DNI, 18+ content❗️

Word count: 5.7k words

POV: Y/N and Rafe were very close friends when they were in high school. They went to school together and hung out a lot. When they graduated, they slowly started to lose contact, even though none of them intended to break it. They grew apart. Both had feelings for each other, though the other one didn’t know that. Nothing ever happened between the two of them.

Y/N is part of a wealthy family. After graduation, her parents decided to fulfill her wish. She got her own home just for herself. A little yacht, to be independent, mobile, and happy. Y/N is already living on that boat for a year. She loves her home and has everything she needs. A bedroom big enough for two people. A small kitchen, with a tiny living area and a bathroom. Her guitar gives her the most joy and she plays every day.

———————————————————————

Today she just came home from her grocery and spare parts shopping tour. The engine of her boat seems to be a little funny from time to time so she decided to fix that before she leaves the mainland again. In a good mood, she unpacks her groceries and puts them in the places where they belong, when she suddenly hears a noise on deck. She was startled, but before she could look to see where the noise was coming from, a young man rushed into her apartment.

You froze in place, when you noticed the gun, pointed directly at you. The moment your eyes met his, your heart stumbled. You haven’t seen him in a long time, and this was surely not what you expected when you thought about meeting him again. “Rafe?” you said calmly.

He was frozen too. Every boat he could have picked, and he picked yours. Yours of all things. He was uncertain of what he should do next. The fact that he was pointing a gun at you, made him feel sick. For a short moment, he tried to lower his gun before he remembered why he was there. His hands stiffened around the trunk of his pistole. “Ship us out of here.”, he demanded urgently.

You were still frozen in place because you couldn’t comprehend what was happening to you. What was happening to him. You wanted to tell him, that your boat wasn’t ready to ship out now due to your damaged engine, but you couldn’t say a word. “Now!” Rafe added loudly after your non-responsive behavior. You flinched at his sudden yell, turned around, and climbed up the ladder to your cockpit. Him right behind you. You pushed some buttons and the boat slowly started to move out of the bay. You did not dare to turn around while you maneuvered yourselves through the banks. After a couple of minutes, you entered the open ocean when you heard your engine breaking down again. “No no no,” you mumbled worried. “What is it?” Rafe’s rough words made you tense again.

“I-“ you paused.

“What?”

“I wanted to tell you from the beginning that it wasn’t a good idea to depart now because my engine has some kind of a malfunction.”

“What do you mean?”

“It breaks down from time to time. I don’t know when or if it is going to start up again.” You turned around to face him. The gun wasn’t pointed at you anymore. He had already lowered it minutes ago. His view went out of the window. He couldn’t look at you. Not after what he had done to you. After a short time of silence, you finally gained the courage to break it. “What happened?” you asked worriedly. He exhaled sharply. “That’s none of your fucking business.” And without looking at you again, he opened the door behind him and went on deck.

You took a deep breath before you climbed down the ladder to your living area. What are you supposed to do now? You are on the open sea, with an old friend that seems to be in a hell of trouble, that he goes so far as to point a gun at you. And of course, there is the damaged engine. Your look went to your still halfway-packed grocery bag. You are lucky that you bought enough food to fill your storage completely. Otherwise, it would have been super critical. Maybe you could try to fix your engine. Even though it is gonna take some time. You sighed. Well, there wasn’t anything else to do in this situation. You and him are stuck here. If you’d like it or not.

You took two glasses out of your cupboard and filled it with water. Then you stepped out on deck, into the sun. Rafe was sitting at the lower edge of your yacht his legs over the edge so that he could watch the ocean surface. It also was the only place where you had a little shadow. His gun was set right next to him on his left. You climbed up the few steps, walked over, and passed him the glass. With a questioning glance, he looked at the glass. “Come on, take it. You need to stay hydrated.” With a little hesitation, he took the glass from you and immediately took a sip. You sat yourself down next to him with your own glass.

The two of you just sat there in silence before you decided to tell him your plan. “I’m going to try to fix the engine. I’m pretty sure this is gonna take some time, but we have enough food and water for about two or three weeks. … I could also call the Coast Guard to come and get us, but I assume that doesn’t lay in your interest.” You took a break to look at him. He just stared into his glass without saying a word. “So, I am not gonna do that.” You took a short glance at your watch to check the time. It was already 7 pm and you felt your stomach asking for some food. “Wow, it is getting late. I’m gonna make us some dinner.” You said before standing up and disappearing into the kitchen.

You took a bit of time, but you returned with two plates of mac and cheese. Rafe switched his position in the meanwhile so that he was able to lean against the wall of the boat. “Here you go,” you said as you passed him the plate. A soft “thanks” escaped his lips. You sat yourself across from him. “Mac and Cheese?”, he mumbled without looking at you. You smiled. “Was your favorite back then, wasn’t it?” He nodded. “Is still my favorite.”

“I’m glad to hear that. Hope you like it.” You sat there and ate enjoying the silence, listening to the light roar of the ocean, and watching the sun slowly disappear at the horizon. While you were sitting there your thoughts wandered back to some old memories you had with Rafe.

When you were both 15, Rafe and you hung out a lot after school at your place. And your mom used to make mac and cheese for the two of you. You always did your homework together and then went out till it was dark to watch the sundown. It was literally the best time of your life. “Your mom used to make the best mac and cheese.” Rafe broke the silence while watching the sun go down. You smiled. He had the same thought as you. “Yours is pretty good too by the way. Tastes almost like your mom's.” “Thanks.” you smiled. You sighed satisfied. “It’s crazy how the time passes by, don’t you think? Feels like we were 15 yesterday.” He nodded. “True.”

You took a moment. “What do you think how many sundowns have we watched in our lives together?” “435. With this, 436,” he answered. You frowned smilingly, looking at him. “You counted them?”

“I did.”

“Wow, 436 then.” You dived back into your memories and started to giggle. "Do you remember the moment when I used to prank Topper in school and he got super mad, so you covered for me. And then when we were at my place at the landing stage later that day, eating our sandwiches, he was looking for you. When he found us, he just yelled, you stood up and tried to calm him down, saying it was a joke and then he just pushed you right off the stage into the water. I was so perplexed that I stood up and told him that it wasn’t you but me. So, he took me and threw me right after you. Then he stole our sandwiches and ran off. We were both mad, not about the fact that he threw us into the water but-"

”That he stole our sandwiches.“ Rafe finished the sentence. ”To this day I do not forgive him that. These sandwiches were so delicious.“ You both laughed. ”Are you still friends with Topper?“

“Yeah, sort of. We hang out every now and then. But this little shithead started getting on my nerves when he started dating my sister.”

“Really? How is Sarah?”

“She’s doing fine. But that was a while ago. Now she’s hanging out with those Pogues.”

“You never liked them.” “I never liked them.” He started smiling when he realized you finished his sentence. “But what about you? What did you do after graduation?”

“Well, that’s a long story. I went to the mainland and toured around for a bit. I didn’t want to go to college.”

“Yeah, me neither. But my dad wanted me to go. Didn’t go that well as you can see.” You nodded. “This boat is yours, isn’t it?”

“What makes you think that?”

“The way the living room is decorated, with those tiny LEDs and the guitar on the wall. We bought it on the market together when we were on the mainland, remember? You said you would love to have it, but you weren’t sure and then I bought it for you.”

“That’s right.” You said smiling at him. It was the first time that evening that he looked at you again. Looked at you like he did 2 years ago. You missed him. Gosh, you missed him so badly. His smile, his little laugh, and just being around him made you feel so much joy. The fact that he remembered all these things you guys did in the past. Hell, he even knows how many sundowns you have watched together. How adorable is that? And now you regret losing him as a friend even more. You could see how his face changed when he sunk back into his thoughts.

He felt absolutely terrible about how he ended up here. Guilty, of stealing your time, your water, and your supplies. He never wanted to be a burden, especially not with you. He pulled you into his trouble even though all he ever wanted was to protect you. After college and what had happened there, he decided to stay away from you on purpose. He knew that he had changed but there wasn’t anything that he could do about it. The only thing he wanted you to be is safe, even if that means to love you from afar. You, the only person that never judged him for his actions. And now, he had pointed a gun at you forcing you to follow his orders. Frightening you. But still, you didn’t judge him. Brought him water and hell, you even cooked him his favorite dish. He felt guilty.

The hours passed by and as it was getting late you decided it was time to go to bed. Rafe insisted on sleeping on deck under the stars. You have never seen him so sure about anything. So, you let him. You brought him a pillow and a blanket and went down to your bedroom.

As you were laying in bed, your mind wandered around the things that happened today. You were so happy to finally see him again, to be able to talk to him, but you were also worried. Worried about what he had done that pushed him so far to run around with a gun. If you were someone else, you’d probably be held hostage by him. Before that day, you would have never imagined HIM to point a gun at someone. Rationally, you should classify this situation as dangerous. Classify him as dangerous. But it was Rafe, your high school best friend. You knew him, right? Or didn’t you?

The next morning you woke up at 10 o’clock. It didn’t take you long to remember what had happened, so you stood up, got ready, and got on deck to check up on him. He was lying there in the sun, blanket wide open, sleeping peacefully.

Good, you thought. It was probably super hard to fall asleep, so you decided not to wake him. Meanwhile, you started to look after the engine. With those extra parts you bought, you really hoped that you could fix it. You sat there for two hours with your instruction manual staring at the engine of your boat, trying to understand where that specific part you were looking for sat. Unsuccessfully, so you decided to take a break. When you passed by the rear of the boat you noticed that Rafe was starting to wake up. “Good morning!” You greeted him. “Are you hungry? I could make us some eggs and bacon.” He groaned. “What time is it?”

“1 pm.” You stated. “Why didn’t you wake me?” He mumbled while sitting up.

“You looked like you really needed that sleep.” He didn’t respond so you went under deck to prepare breakfast. As it was getting hotter outside you decided to call him in when breakfast was ready. With a thankful look on his face, he sat down while you served breakfast. “How did you sleep out there?” You asked. “It was alright. My back hurts just a little,” he stated while enjoying his eggs and bacon. “I tried to work on the engine this morning, but it seems like I need another pair of eyes to help me look. Do you mind giving me a hand later?”

“Sure, I can help you.” he smiled.

After finishing breakfast and doing the dishes, you and Rafe went outside to take a look at the engine. A little confused you showed him the instruction paper. “Here, I think this is what we are looking for. It says that this vent is responsible for the dysfunction, but I cannot find the vent at all.” He skimmed the manual and took a look at the engine. “It has to be right here,” he said after examining the surface. “Maybe it is inside, and that’s the reason why we cannot find it. The vent was made to reduce overheating, wasn’t it?” You nodded, “That’s what it says.” “So, the reason why your engine breaks down sometimes is because it is overheating. No wonder, it is freakin hot today.”

“It is and that’s why I am gonna get us something to drink, I’ll be right back.” You jumped up, went under the deck, got two ice-cold lemonades, and went back up again. Rafe who was still supervising the engine got rid of his t-shirt. You couldn’t help but take a look before you passed him his drink. “Thanks.” he smiled. “I think we should leave the flap open so that it can cool down. The heat builds up in there and has no way to escape. Maybe this helps.” “Alright then,” you said while you toast to him. You both took a sip. “Hey, uhm do you wanna take a swim?” Rafe asked after a while. “A swim? Sure, why not.” You grinned. I’m just gonna go change into swimwear real quick, alright?”

“Sure, take your time.”

After changing up, Rafe was already observing the water from afar. He was just in his Boxers. He stood on the adjustable part of the rear, which was made to facilitate entry into the water. You approached him slowly. “How is the water?”

“It’s cold,” he answered briefly. But something was off. You knew what he sounded like when he planned something. “You are not going to push me into the water, promise me,” you said daringly. He smiled slyly. “Of course not.” You climbed down to the board on which he stood and dipped your foot into the water to test out the temperature. “Damn, it is cold. Are you sure, you wanna take a swim?” But before you could wait for a response, an arm wrapped around your waist and before you knew it, Rafe had already pulled you into the cold water.

You squealed. When you reached the surface again you immediately pushed a wave of water in his direction. “Rafe,” you complained while he was trying to avoid the water you were pushing in his direction. “You promised not to push me, what the fuck?” He smiled while he was trying to reach you to stop you from throwing more water right into his face. As soon as he reached you, he grabbed your arm with one hand and wrapped his other hand around your waist so that you didn’t sink. The warmth of his body made you shiver.

“I just said that I won’t push you, which I technically didn’t do.” You punched his shoulder, while he floated you to the board on which you stood. “Pulling me in is kinda the same thing you idiot.” “Oh, I am the idiot? Who was afraid that the water would be too cold, you little coward?” You punched him again. “Hey, punching your friends is not nice, who thought you manners?” He grinned. “The same woman who makes the best mac and cheese,” you stated slyly. “Alright, alright I forgive her.” he laughed, before letting go of you.

The two of you spent some time playing around in the water, chatting about old stories, and after that found yourselves warming up on deck in the sun.

It was getting late and after you pulled on a light summer dress, you two made dinner together. It almost felt like there was never a break between you. It was just like it was back then. After you two ate dinner, you decided to put on some music and watch the sundown. “437,” you said with a big smile on your face. Rafe nodded in agreement. You both went silent like you always did when watching the sundowns. “Hey Rafe.”, you said thoughtfully. “Hm?”

“When this is over, can we still be … friends?” He looked at you. “I don’t know.”, he stated. Your heart broke at his words. You just had him back. You were not ready to lose him again. Otherwise, you didn’t know about anything that’s been going on for the last two years. “Why not?” you said calmly because you didn’t want to pressure him. He did not respond. Rafe wanted to tell you what was going on, but he feared you’d judge him. He knew you would never judge him, but this time he wasn’t sure. When the police would get him, you could be assigned as his accomplice. He could not let that happen.

You kinda knew what he was thinking about. His face told you everything. “Rafe, whatever it is that you have done, you know that I would never judge you.” Without answering he stood up. He was an open book to you even without talking about it and he knew that now. “I’m going to take a piss.”, he said before disappearing under deck. You stood up and followed him. With your arms crossed you leaned against the kitchen counter while he stepped out of the bathroom.

“Jesus.”, he mumbled as he did not expect you to stand right there. “Please Rafe, tell me what happened, after all of this don’t you think I deserve to know?” He started walking up and down to calm himself. “You don’t understand Y/N, I cannot tell you.” He really tried his best to calm down but the more you asked the more pressure you put on him. “Yes, you can.” you tried further desperately. That was enough for him. Immediately, he made three steps in your direction, grabbed you by the throat, and pushed you roughly against the counter.

Your breath hitched and you instantly grabbed his wrist. “You don’t know nothing Y/N,” he yelled angrily. “Everything I’d tell you would put YOU in danger. Even being here with YOU puts you in danger. What I have done cannot be undone. Do you understand that?” You saw the tears building up in his eyes as you watched him. “I’m sorry!” you whispered to calm the situation down. After a short minute during which he realized that he was choking you, he let go and got on deck.

You stood there. Frozen in place. You have never seen him like this before. So much anger that he tends to violent behavior, scared you. But you kinda asked for it, putting him under pressure. For your luck, he didn’t squeeze so hard that you couldn’t breathe. It was more like a tight grip to shut you up. And it worked. You didn’t know what else to say. You stayed under the deck for an hour to give him some space and to clear your head.

After that when the sun had already disappeared, you dared to take a step outside. He was sitting in his spot staring at the surface of the water. You slowly sat yourself next to him. You were the first one to say something. “I’m sorry for pressuring you. You’re right, I don’t know anything about what has been going on in your life for the past two years and I am also sorry for that. I wished we had never broken off contact. Letting you go as a friend, was probably the hardest thing that I’ve ever done in my life. And I need to respect your decision. If you don’t want to be friends with me, that’s fine. As long as you’re okay.” you explained.

His gaze went up to meet yours. Everything you said to him, was the same way he felt about you. He just wanted you to be okay. To be safe. He took a moment before he felt ready to respond. “When I came home from college, you know what the first thing was that I did?” You shook your head. “I drove by your house because I wanted to see you. You were there, in the garden, playing chess with your dad. I wanted to say hello. Tell you that I’m back. That I dropped out of college.” he paused.

“But I didn’t. College fucked me up pretty badly. Everything I could think about when I was there was that I missed you. I was so scared that we would grow apart in such a long time. That when we will meet again, we won’t know each other anymore. So, I started drinking. Day and night, till they kicked me out. And you know what? I was happy. I was so happy to go home, to finally see you again. But when I saw you, sitting there with your dad, playing chess you looked happy. You looked like you moved on. Left every worry behind. I didn’t want to destroy that just because you could do what I couldn’t. So, I left. I tried to talk myself into believing, that as long as you are happy, I could be too.”

A tear ran down your cheek, as you listened to his side of the story. And then you started to get mad. Mad because he was wrong. Mad at yourself because you never visited him after hearing he was back. You wanted to, so many times, but you also thought he moved on because he didn’t come to visit you after his arrival. This hurts you in so many ways. “So, did it work? … Could you be happy?” you said quietly because you knew that if you said it louder, he could’ve heard that you were crying.

“No.”, he stated, looking across the shimmering ocean. The moon had risen and gave some light. “Me neither,” you confessed as you looked at him. The next thing you said wasn’t really well thought through, but you needed to get it off your chest. “I never stopped loving you, Rafe,” you said as you observed his reaction. His gaze met yours as he turned his head to face you. Certainly, he did not expect to hear something like that from anyone. Especially not from you. And to make sure, that he got everything you said right you repeated it slowly. “I love you, Rafe Cameron.”

That was everything he needed to hear before he pushed himself forward to close the gap. His hands wandered along your neck to pull you in for a kiss. He brushes his lips against yours slowly before intensifying his motion to kiss you deeply. The way his lips are moving against yours, made your stomach tumble. Every brush against your skin made you feel absolute ecstasy. His touch was so soft that it made it impossible to think about anything except how much you wanted this. How much you wanted him. After what felt like an eternity, you both needed some time to breathe again. He did not pull away though. He kept you as close as he could to remember the way you made him feel.

You smiled as your gaze went up to look at him again. He smiled back so softly that you believed your heart could melt at any time. Your hand went up to cup his face brushing gently over his cheek. “I missed you so much, you know. I can’t even describe it properly.” You stated while continuing to admire him. “I know. I feel the same way.” He answered. “We should have never broken off contact.” You nodded.

You stayed and sat there for a little while longer before you both decided that it would be best to get some sleep.

He laid back down as you were ready to go underdeck. “What are you doing?” you asked amused which caused him to startle a bit. Confused he turned around to face you. “You’re not sleeping on deck again, silly. My bedroom is big enough for two people.”

“Are you sure?”, he asked. “Yes, and I insist, so …” You made a motion that invited him to follow you. He slowly stood up and followed you into your little bedroom. Nearly the whole room was made out of bed. Just a little dresser was squeezed into the corner. You had already changed into your nightgown which was just an oversized t-shirt and panties. He got rid of his shirt and his pants which left him in his boxers before falling into the bed. A small sigh left him as he appreciated the comfiness of your bed. “Better than to sleep on the ground, isn’t it?” He nodded. His eyes kept shut.

You laid down on your side so that you could watch him for a while and just a couple of minutes later his breathing calmed down so that you knew he had fallen asleep. Rafe was exhausted. He hadn’t gotten much sleep the nights before because of the thoughts that haunted him all night. But right now, he finally had the chance to experience some peace. Here. By your side. You sighed quietly while letting yourself roll onto your back. It was quite welcome for you to not be alone here for once, so you followed Rafe's example to shut your eyes and doze off into your world of dreams.

In the middle of the night, a jolt went through your body, so you immediately startled up. Since you started to live on a boat you began to dream of heavy thunderstorms on the sea. It happened on a regular basis so that you had gotten used to getting torn from your sleep. You looked to your right where you found Rafe sleeping calmly as a cucumber.

You decided to get up to go grab a glass of water. The moon was shining through the windows and illuminated the room just so you were able to leave to light off. You grabbed a glass of water, took a big sip, and decided, before going back to bed, to take a look outside. As you stepped on deck the moon greeted you with its bright round shape. There was not one cloud so that a wonderful starry sky presented itself. You took another sip as you enjoyed the gorgeous view. In the far, you could also see the lights of the outer banks.

Sooner or later you and Rafe had to go back. And when that happened it was likely that you both wouldn’t see each other again. You hated that thought but there was nothing you could do about it. You decided to take a last sip before disappearing into the kitchen again. As you walked down the stairs you didn’t notice the dark figure leaning against the fridge. You set down your glass when you suddenly felt warm breathing on the side of your neck.

Startled, you immediately turned around. Rafe was standing right in front of you, so close that you could now feel his breathing on your face. “Rafe?”, you whispered uneasy while your hands tried to get a grip on the kitchen counter. He stayed silent, as he watched you press yourself against the counter while trying to comprehend what was happening to you. But he gave you no time as he stepped closer so that there was no space left anymore.

Your breathing accelerated as you looked up into his eyes. You couldn’t see much but you felt his gaze on you. What was happening to you? He leaned forward, grabbed your neck carefully, and tilted it slightly to the side so that he could gain access to your now-exposed skin. Your eyes went shut as you took in the gently placed kisses Rafe put alongside your neck.

A soft moan escaped your lips as your mouth opened slightly. The feeling he gave you was immaculate. Your hand went up to grab his shoulder for better hold because your legs got too wobbly to stand on your own. Luckily, he had already supported your waist with his other hand when he approached you earlier.

As another moan escaped you, Rafe became more desperate. Your sweet sounds turned him on even more than he had imagined it. A little rough, he pulled back your head to look at you again. This time you could see his face as the moonshine just seemed to flash at the right time. His eyes pierced into yours, desperate, and hungry for more. A rush of adrenaline went through your body. This feeling was something else. Seeing him hovering over you made you absolutely feral for him.

You couldn’t wait anymore. You needed him to do something. Anything. So, you dug your fingers deep into his shoulder. He groaned before a mischievous grin spread across his face. “That’s my girl!” he said quietly. Butterflies formed in your stomach as you did not expect a praise like that but before you could respond he pulled you off the counter, picked you up, and carried you straight to the bedroom.

Once there he let you fall onto the bed, immediately climbed over you, and pushed you down with a firm grip against your throat. He lowered himself to finally kiss you like you had desired it for what felt like an eternity. His other hand started to wander between your thighs. You twitched in arousal as he reached your sweet spot, so he pushed your pantie to the side for better control.

He circled around your clit in a calm motion. He knew what he was doing that was for sure. You moaned as he brought you to the edge of pleasure way sooner than you thought. Right before you hit your orgasm he stopped. “No, please don’t stop.” You whimpered, losing that delicate feeling again that had built up. “We are not finished yet, beautiful!” He leaned back and pulled you free of your left-on underwear.

“Fuck!” he stated at the sight of you. “You have no idea how fuckin hot you are!” You smiled as you lifted your foot to caress his inner thigh. He grinned as his view followed the motion of your foot. “Okay, maybe you do.” He leaned forward, freed himself from his boxer, and hovered back over you. This time he grabbed your hands to pin them down over your head before positioning himself. When he slid in, you moaned. He filled you out so perfectly.

He groaned after he slowly started moving. The grip around your wrists tightened and you could see how his muscles defined even more. This truly was an eyesight for itself. Your mouth fell open again without you even noticing. Rafes look was focused on his cock slamming inside you repeatedly with a rising pace. His other hand gripping your waist. “Fuck Rafe I am gonna cum.” His gaze went up to look at you again. This was what gave you the rest to push you over the edge. Your orgasm spread through the whole body as your head fell back onto the bed. Rafe groaned as he came right after you. With some last thrusts, he collapsed beside you. Both panting you enjoyed the inner peace that had formed.

“That was-, …”, you started “Amazing?!”

“Yeah.” You laughed. “Better than I would have ever imagined it.”

Rafe nodded in agreement before you both got quiet again.

You could feel how you got sleepy again and while thinking about how happy it made you to have him here, your worries came back. Right now, you knew that you would not be able to accept being away from him again. Whatever had happened to him, whatever he did, you had to help him. No matter what it would cost you. You always got what you wanted.

And you wanted him!

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remyfire · 2 months

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Had a houlihawk meltdown tonight and didn't wanna lose it, so here we are.

I always feel like I love houlihawk the most if they never get the suburban home with the white picket fence, but if they get to be mobile in a freedom-centric way outside of, like, Margaret's childhood of Army transfers—just them renting instead of owning so they can travel all across the country and see new things and reconnect with their friends. Ending up in New York City for a year, mischievous, making out in elevators going up through these tall tall buildings as a race to see how stirred up they can get the other before the elevator dings at their floor. Going overseas, seeing Europe, touring France, Margaret playfully singing "C'est Magnifique" as a little street band plays for her and Hawk sweeping her into a passionate kiss as the crowd that had gathered around them applauds her performance. Just playfulness, adventure, discovering who they are in these whole new ways.

I had the image of Margaret who is terrified to ever get married again and Hawkeye who is still so fearful of marriage just. Agreeing that they don't want to get married. They want to just be together until they might not want to anymore. But I got emotional about the idea of Hawkeye giving Margaret one of his mother's old necklaces as a kind of symbol of commitment all the same and Margaret finding the finest watchband for Hawkeye, and them wearing those symbols year after year after year.

Imagining them spending a year or two working in free clinics around an overcrowding city, providing international aid as medical staff, always hand in hand, never one without the other when it comes to providing care. Spending a few years in California renting a room from the Hunnicutts while Hawk, Margaret, and BJ work tirelessly through the AIDS Crisis even though for all intents and purposes they should be thinking about retiring from medicine.

One day an 80-year-old Hawkeye is reading his newspaper and just tips his head back and yells, "Hey, Margaret?" and she shouts back, "Yes, darling?" and he goes, "D'you wanna get married tomorrow?" and Margaret is silent for a moment before she yells, "Sure!"

Which is when I realized that it would be the year 2000 if they were driving down to the courthouse while in their eighties to get married and that the Backstreet Boys would come on the radio on the way and Hawkeye would be trying to sing I Want It That Way to her while she's laughing her head off about how he's ruining the lyrics. And I exploded.

#tonight i was possessed by the power of silly love #notably this is also bard's fault almost entirely for pulling me out of my funk and inspiring me and adding great color to it #but idk if she wants to be tagged but know this would not have come to me if not because of her #hawkeye pierce #margaret houlihan #houlihawk #mashposting #mashblogging #my writing #long post

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soberscientistlife · 3 months

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Leroy Robert "Satchel" Paige was a baseball player whose pitching in the Negro leagues and in MLB made him a legend in his own lifetime. He was elected to the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1971, the 1st player to be inducted based upon his play in the Negro leagues. Paige was a right-handed pitcher and was the oldest rookie to play in the MLB at the age of 42. He played with the St. Louis Browns until age 47, and represented them in the All-Star Game in 1952 and 1953. He first played for the semi-professional Mobile Tigers from 1924 to 1926. Paige began his professional career in 1926 with the Chattanooga Black Lookouts of the Negro Southern League, and played his last professional game on June 21, 1966, for the Peninsula Grays of the Carolina League. Paige was among the most famous and successful players from the Negro Leagues. While his outstanding control as a pitcher first got him noticed, it was his infectious, cocky, enthusiastic personality and his love for the game that made him a star. On town tours across America, Paige would have his infielders sit down behind him and then routinely strike out the side. As a member of the Cleveland Indians, Paige became the oldest rookie in Major league Baseball and attracted record crowds wherever he pitched. On June 8, 1982: During a power failure, Satchel Paige died of a heart attack at his home in Kansas City, a month before his 76th birthday.

Source: African Archives

#black history month

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fakeversacepurse · 3 months

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Would you make a trip to the USA and travel letting feeders enable you gluttonous desires and greedy belly with the fattest food on earth in the fattest country on earth

I’d personally pay for your trip and hotel and if other feeders wanted to join you could just let us take care of everything.

Is piggy interested?

Honestly, most UK feedees especially have imagined the gluttony tour of America. We are surrounded by American media showing insane culinary creations, treats packed with fattening ingredients and an endless list of fast food options and with a car based infrastructure that makes it impossible to do more than drive through orders!

I have always dreamed of stepping on the scales at the heart attack grill, eating my weight in sugar and fats at disneyland or seeing what creations are showcased at a real all american county fair. I want nothing more than to join the mobility scooter masses and let the country and culture rot my brain into mindless consumerism and consumption.

The fat people you see in the US are above and beyond anything you see day to day in the UK and something about it is calling to me. If it was feasible one day I would absolutely make the trip for a couple of months and see what american cuisine and feeders could do to my waistline.

If i didn’t need a seatbelt extender or an extra seat on the way there I sure as hell will need one when I head home (if i can bring myself to leave!)

💕 thank you for the ask 💕

#fvasks #fat piggy

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philbridges · 2 years

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Mobile Home You Can Always Upgrade #Shorts

The best thing about a mobile home is the amount of house you can afford. Then, as you can afford to, you can upgrade everything. 🙏 Subscribe, 👍, it helps a lot!!➤❓/ 💬: [email protected]➤ Follow https://straightarrowrepair.com/pipf ➤➤I get a little for the channel-no charge for you if you use the links:➤➤Shop Amazon https://amzn.to/3CxD1T4➤➤Tool lists & recommended products🧰…

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hometoursandotherstuff · 6 months

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This is a completely restored 1960 mid-century modern Spartan Carousel trailer in Fairview, North Carolina that is listed on Ebay & Craigslist, to name two. It sleeps 2 and has to ship to your property. $210K.

Isn't this a lovely living room? This particular model wasn't made for the American market, so it's rare.

Look at this cool kitchen. The original table, chairs and stools are included.

The appliances match the style beautifully.

How cool is this? A classic sputnik light over the kitchen. Note how it's secured so that it doesn't move when the trailer's in motion.

It's pretty big for a trailer.

The bedroom is beautiful with a built-in dresser.

This is neat, a lighted counter and mirror.

The bathroom has a great pink tub w/shower and a full-size sink w/ vanity.

Love this.

#vintage trailer #spartan carousel trailer #mcm trailer #mobile homes #houses #house tours #home tour

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bgomtori · 5 months

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☆ be careful with my heart - c.sb

synopsis- the mixed signals you were giving him were worrying him, so he decided to talk it out with you.

-> inspired by be careful with my heart from rocco!

-> idol! soobin x non idol! law student! reader

-> established relationship

-> warnings! reader is slightly dry at the start but you'll understand,, sad soob :( mentions of cheating

-> note! birthday post for sooby booby^^ i love scooby snack sm😓😓 wishing he was real rn. his toe middle finger will forever be engraved in my brain.

you two were busy people, you were constantly coped up with your studies in law while soobin had his crazy schedule as an idol. you two rarely saw one another, even if you did, it will usually be quiet, cuddling in each others arms, on the bed, scrolling on your phones. you two were too exhausted from your busy lifestyle in general.

you'd normally reply soobin as per usual whenever you had breaks, and he'd do the same, returning the same happy energy even through texts. however, recently soobin realised that your messages have been drier than usual, replying him with an, "oh.." or even an, "ok". this was driving him insane, did you find someone that could satisfy your romantic dreams while he was on tour, did you find someone better than him? soobin was worried, he didn't want to pester you about it though he hinted it multiple times, but you were too dense.

"maybe just wait till the tour's over? we're going back in a few days, maybe you can ask her to explain everything once you're back." taehyun, the only one in the team who gives decent love advice, suggested. soobin messed his hair around, clearly frustrated over this, he wants an answer now, he doesn't want to walk in on you cheating on him with someone better. he nodded his head and left towards his hotel room to spend time alone, clearing his mind by playing some mobile games on his phone.

days passed, tour was finally over, soobin could finally go home and see you, and question you. his palms were sweaty when he typed in the password to the door, a sweet melody chimed as he opened the door quietly, hanging his coat on the jacket rack, dragging his heavy luggage with him.

"i'm home!" soobin called out, signalling his return, however there was no response, were you out? he noticed faint music coming from the room, why did you not reply back? were you really fall out of love with him? his eyebrows furrowed, a huge wave of emotions crashed onto him.

"yn?" he whispered, peeking his head into your shared room, he was stunned at the state of the room, loose pieces of paper laying around the floor, post it notes pasted up against the wall infront of your desk, and study guides with notes laid out on the table. you were scribbling down your notes frantically, you have a test coming up, and you have yet to memorise the slides from the lectures. you rubbed your tired eyes, turning to the presence slowly moving towards you.

"hey soob." you utter out, pure exhaustion taking over your body. soobin's expression completely changed, he practically ran towards to carry you. you groaned in his shoulder, using most of your energy to push yourself up to look soobin in the eye.

"sorry, i didn't hear you at first.. i have a test soon, i kinda didn't listen to the lectures so like i have been like staying up to study." you tried explaining yourself, your eyes red and puffy from the previous meltdowns you had. soobin carried you to your bed, laying you down, making sure that you were comfortable. he sat on the floor, resting against the wall, watching you with concern. you turned to lay on your side, facing soobin.

"how was tour?" you asked, rubbing his soft hands, intertwining them together in the process. soobin thought for a while, it was fun, but he was mostly worried about your relationship, yet he couldn't tell you since he was practically assuming. "it was super fun, i bought you some stuff, i'll show them to you tomorrow after your classes." soobin smiled, you hummed, you were happy that he was finally back, your home, your solace, your best friend. you smiled to yourself, but can't help but realise soobin was awfully quiet.

"something on your mind soob?" you squeezed soobin's big hands, that were twice the size of yours. he was hesitant to tell you, he felt guilty that he made such an assumption without even knowing what you were going through.

"i'm sorry, i thought that our relationship was going to fall apart, because when i was away, your replies to my messages were dry.. so i thought you found another one, the 3 weeks i was gone." soobin admitted, averting his gaze. you felt your heartache, it wasn't your intention to reply so coldly to your boyfriend. you cupped soobin's soft cheek, caressing them, "i had multiple tests and internships that i needed to do, i'm sorry soob. i've been so tired since you went on tour, i didn't have much energy to reply anyone.. i should have told you." you apologised, ruffling up his hair. soobin grabbed a hold on your hand, pouting slightly.

"mm, please be careful with my heart." soobin mumbled, pressing a soft kiss on your hand, you smiled at him sweetly, "of course i will."

#txt scenarios #txt imagines #txt fanfic #txt reactions #txt #txt imagine #txt fluff #soobin imagines #txt soobin #soobin scenarios #soobin fanfic #soobin fluff #soobin

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mostlysignssomeportents · 18 days

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The tax sharks are back and they’re coming for your home

I'm touring my new, nationally bestselling novel The Bezzle! Catch me TODAY (Apr 27) in MARIN COUNTY, then Winnipeg (May 2), Calgary (May 3), Vancouver (May 4), and beyond!

One of my weirder and more rewarding hobbies is collecting definitions of "conservativism," and one of the jewels of that collection comes from Corey Robin's must-read book The Reactionary Mind:

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

Robin's definition of conservativism has enormous explanatory power and I'm always finding fresh ways in which it clarifies my understand of events in the world: a conservative is someone who believes that a minority of people were born to rule, and that everyone else was born to follow their rules, and that the world is in harmony when the born rulers are in charge.

This definition unifies the otherwise very odd grab-bag of ideologies that we identify with conservativism: a Christian Dominionist believes in the rule of Christians over others; a "men's rights advocate" thinks men should rule over women; a US imperialist thinks America should rule over the world; a white nationalist thinks white people should rule over racialized people; a libertarian believes in bosses dominating workers and a Hindu nationalist believes in Hindu domination over Muslims.

These people all disagree about who should be in charge, but they all agree that some people are ordained to rule, and that any "artificial" attempt to overturn the "natural" order throws society into chaos. This is the entire basis of the panic over DEI, and the brainless reflex to blame the Francis Scott Key bridge disaster on the possibility that someone had been unjustly promoted to ship's captain due to their membership in a disfavored racial group or gender.

This definition is also useful because it cleanly cleaves progressives from conservatives. If conservatives think there's a natural order in which the few dominate the many, progressivism is a belief in pluralism and inclusion, the idea that disparate perspectives and experiences all have something to contribute to society. Progressives see a world in which only a small number of people rise to public life, rarified professions, and cultural prominence and assume that this is terrible waste of the talents and contributions of people whose accidents of birth keep them from participating in the same way.

This is why progressives are committed to class mobility, broad access to education, and active programs to bring traditionally underrepresented groups into arenas that once excluded them. The "some are born to rule, and most to be ruled over" conservative credo rejects this as not just wrong, but dangerous, the kind of thing that leads to bridges being demolished by cargo ships.

The progressive reforms from the New Deal until the Reagan revolution were a series of efforts to broaden participation in every part of society by successively broader groups of people. A movement that started with inclusive housing and education for white men and votes for white women grew to encompass universal suffrage, racial struggles for equality, workplace protections for a widening group of people, rights for people with disabilities, truth and reconciliation with indigenous people and so on.

The conservative project of the past 40 years has been to reverse this: to return the great majority of us to the status of desperate, forelock-tugging plebs who know our places. Hence the return of child labor, the tradwife movement, and of course the attacks on labor unions and voting rights:

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

Arguably the most potent symbol of this struggle is the fight over homes. The New Deal offered (some) working people a twofold path to prosperity: subsidized home-ownership and strong labor protections. This insulated (mostly white) workers from the two most potent threats to working peoples' lives and wellbeing: the cruel boss and the greedy landlord.

But the neoliberal era dispensed with labor rights, leaving the descendants of those lucky workers with just one tool for securing their American dream: home-ownership. As wages stagnated, your home – so essential to your ability to simply live – became your most important asset first, and a home second. So long as property values rose – and property taxes didn't – your home could be the backstop for debt-fueled consumption that filled the gap left by stagnating wages. Liquidating your family home might someday provide for your retirement, your kids' college loans and your emergency medical bills.

For conservatives who want to restore Gilded Age class rule, this was a very canny move. It pitted lucky workers with homes against their unlucky brethren – the more housing supply there was, the less your house was worth. The more protections tenants had, the less your house was worth. The more equitably municipal services (like schools) were distributed, the less your house was worth:

https://pluralistic.net/2021/06/06/the-rents-too-damned-high/

And now that the long game is over, they're coming for your house. It started with the foreclosure epidemic after the 2008 financial crisis, first under GW Bush, but then in earnest under Obama, who accepted the advice of his Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner, who insisted that homeowners should be liquidated to "foam the runways" for the crashing banks:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/03/06/personnel-are-policy/#janice-eberly

Then there are scams like "We Buy Ugly Houses," a nationwide mass-fraud outfit that steals houses out from under elderly, vulnerable and desperate people:

https://pluralistic.net/2023/05/11/ugly-houses-ugly-truth/#homevestor

The more we lose our houses, the more single-family homes Wall Street gets to snap up and convert into slum properties, aslosh with a toxic stew of black mold, junk fees and eviction threats:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/02/08/wall-street-landlords/#the-new-slumlords

Now there's a new way for finance barons the steal our houses out from under us – or rather, a very old way that had lain dormant since the last time child labor was legal – "tax lien investing."

Across the country, counties and cities have programs that allow investment funds to buy up overdue tax-bills from homeowners in financial hardship. These "investors" are entitled to be paid the missing property taxes, and if the homeowner can't afford to make that payment, the "investor" gets to kick them out of their homes and take possession of them, for a tiny fraction of their value.

As Andrew Kahrl writes for The American Prospect, tax lien investing was common in the 19th century, until the fundamental ugliness of the business made it unattractive even to the robber barons of the day:

https://prospect.org/economy/2024-04-26-investing-in-distress-tax-liens/

The "tax sharks" of Chicago and New York were deemed "too merciless" by their peers. One exec who got out of the business compared it to "picking pennies off a dead man’s eyes." The very idea of outsourcing municipal tax collection to merciless debt-hounds fell aroused public ire.

Today – as the conservative project to restore the "natural" order of the ruled and the ruled-over builds momentum – tax lien investing is attracting some of America's most rapacious investors – and they're making a killing. In Chicago, Alden Capital just spent a measly $1.75m to acquire the tax liens on 600 family homes in Cook County. They now get to charge escalating fees and penalties and usurious interest to those unlucky homeowners. Any homeowner that can't pay loses their home.

The first targets for tax-lien investing are the people who were the last people to benefit from the New Deal and its successors: Black and Latino families, elderly and disabled people and others who got the smallest share of America's experiment in shared prosperity are the first to lose the small slice of the American dream that they were grudgingly given.

This is the very definition of "structural racism." Redlining meant that families of color were shut out of the federal loan guarantees that benefited white workers. Rather than building intergenerational wealth, these families were forced to rent (building some other family's intergenerational wealth), and had a harder time saving for downpayments. That meant that they went into homeownership with "nontraditional" or "nonconforming" mortgages with higher interest rates and penalties, which made them more vulnerable to economic volatility, and thus more likely to fall behind on their taxes. Now that they're delinquent on their property taxes, they're in hock to a private equity fund that's charging them even more to live in their family home, and the second they fail to pay, they'll be evicted, rendered homeless and dispossessed of all the equity they built in their (former) home.

It's very on-brand for Alden Capital to be destroying the lives of Chicagoans. Alden is most notorious for buying up and destroying America's most beloved newspapers. It was Alden who bought up the Chicago Tribune, gutted its workforce, sold off its iconic downtown tower, and moved its few remaining reporters to an outer suburban, windowless brick building "the size of a Chipotle":

https://pluralistic.net/2021/10/16/sociopathic-monsters/#all-the-news-thats-fit-to-print

Before the ghastly hotel baroness Leona Helmsley went to prison for tax evasion, she famously said, "We don't pay taxes; only the little people pay taxes." Helmsley wasn't wrong – she was just a little ahead of schedule. As Propublica's IRS Files taught us, America's 400 richest people pay less tax than you do:

https://pluralistic.net/2022/04/13/for-the-little-people/#leona-helmsley-2022

When billionaires don't pay their taxes, they get to buy sports franchises. When poor people don't pay their taxes, billionaires get to steal their houses after paying the local government an insultingly small amount of money.

It's all going according to plan. We weren't meant to have houses, or job security, or retirement funds. We weren't meant to go to university, or even high school, and our kids were always supposed to be in harness at a local meat-packer or fast food kitchen, not wasting time with their high school chess club or sports team. They don't need high school: that's for the people who were born to rule. They – we – were meant to be ruled over.

If you'd like an essay-formatted version of this post to read or share, here's a link to it on pluralistic.net, my surveillance-free, ad-free, tracker-free blog:

https://pluralistic.net/2024/04/26/taxes-are-for-the-little-people/#alden-capital

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