#but in this instance both of them are capable of putting themselves in risky situations and both of them are smart enough and capable

[ryuuaka713]

Bungou Stray Dogs Dead Apple: “You used corruption, believing in me? How Beautiful.” A “DISSECTION” OF THE SCENE

I mentioned before in one of the posts by @nataliaphantomhivesblog​, where we were discussing about the corruption scenes in BSD, that the scene in Dead Apple is my favorite. So, I decided (like any SKK trash) to make an “analysis” of that scene, just to make a point why I like it the most compared to the other corruption scenes (as if this post is the definition of being productive like I’ll just wasting my time rambling here LOL)

I divided this post into two parts. Part 1 is the more difficult one where I am attempting to write some “character analysis”. While Part 2 is more about how the scene is composed (it’s pretty boring. I’m sorry)

I will NOT include the infamous Lap scene (I know. I know. We all love that moment. But I would rather focus on the scenes before that).

Side note: I do not specialize in film or literary critique, so really this whole post is just for fun. Thus, why I put quotes on the analysis. Take this is as my personal opinion where I’m attempting to make sense by making it sound “fancy”.

But anyway. Here it goes:

In every Corruption scene, the thematic notion is always Trust—as in Chuuya trusts Dazai well enough to use his ability so long as he is present to nullify it. It is a very life-threatening process, especially for Chuuya since Corruption, despite being one of the most powerful abilities, can cause self-destruction the longer he uses it. So, Dazai should keep a close watch on him at all times, and then even giving him a sense of comfort to compensate to Chuuya’s worn-out body and for his efforts. This is the same trajectory in all 5 episodes of Corruption, but out of all of them, what stood out the most (for me) is the scene from Dead Apple. 

This scene has amazed me ever since I first watched the movie. And while it just shows their infinite trust, the whole execution of this scene evokes more than just that thematic concept. What I see in this scene is something that all of us have already witnessed, but there is something unique in the way Dazai nullifies Chuuya’s corruption, and their dialogue may be just them bantering and yet, their tonality is different. It is as if, we just touched a moment that is reserved only for these two and we just happened to have the privilege to witness it. In other words, there is a sort of familiarity (or intimacy) and gentleness going on at this very moment—it is cathartic. This is what I want to look into—like how did we come to this?

PART 1: His Proper Partner.

In the Japanese version, ever since the episode where Chuuya made his first debut, they call themselves “aibou” (相棒), referring to a one-on-one partnership. While “nakama” (仲間)can also refer to a partner, it has a different connotation in which the closest English equivalent of that term would be “comrade” or “acquaintance”. The closest English equivalent of “aibou” is, to no one’s surprise, “partner” (or “pal”). And it makes sense, considering that the first kanji (相) can mean “mutual”, “together”, or “each other”. So, to have Dazai and Chuuya referring to themselves as that, it just manifests their familiarity on each other.

And in their case, their “familiarity” is both their advantage and disadvantage. It is a “disadvantage” because they use it to get on each other’s nerves (both in comedic and serious situations).

However, it also serves to their advantage, especially when they have to cooperate in the battlefield. This comes into light in the Lovecraft Episode where they executed Operation Shame and Toad—Chuuya acknowledges Dazai’s tactical mentality, whereas Dazai (as he referenced Chuuya’s mastery in martial arts) let’s his partner do the grunt work. Interesting enough, this is the same episode we first see Chuuya’s Corruption (but not the first time he uses it).

Using Corruption stipulates that “familiarity”, especially in Dazai’s part who has to be present to monitor Chuuya’s physical state, therefore he is aware, not just the consequence in using Corruption, but also of Chuuya’s limit. This explains why Dazai declares that he is aware of Chuuya’s moves and “breathing pattern”, otherwise, as what he himself says, he “won’t be a proper partner”.

What is witnessed in the Lovecraft Episode is the standard protocol that Soukoku uses when they are at their last resort. So, it is not a surprise that we get to witness Chuuya using Corruption, again, when he saves Dazai in Dead Apple, except it is done differently.

Even though Dazai is ten steps ahead of the enemy, the situation is still risky and even more complicated in Chuuya’s part since he is using his ability WITHOUT Dazai present. And that he has to save Dazai first before he can get it nullified. With that being said, it requires a careful approach, one in which they know the other’s moves—Dazai knows too well how Chuuya would react. For instance, the manga version of Dead Apple demonstrates how Soukoku communicates in their operation using “codes”. As such when Dazai got himself kidnapped, no one knew about his whereabouts until Hirotsu mentions about Dazai buying a microscope (to which it leads them to a dead end). However, Chuuya—upon remembering that Dazai teases that he needs a microscope in order to see him—demands to see that microscope, breaks it, and finds the transmitter. It is a well-planned strategy in Dazai’s part where all it takes is to leave helpful clues for Chuuya to pick up and catalyze the operation. In the Dead Apple movie, he does it again:

Indeed, for the audience, it is not new to see Dazai planning ahead and having ulterior motives behind his actions. It is not new to see Chuuya executing his plans and understands his motives either. But seeing these two working together despite those four years of absence, and without physically communicating is beyond human comprehension. Almost like the microscope scene, Dazai is not there to directly tell him about his plan. Chuuya doesn’t know about the antidote until that punch as his only “clue” is that Dazai is working alone, so he sees that something is amiss.

Seeing the critical state of Yokohama, Chuuya knows that he will use Corruption, but seeing Dazai’s corpse, it gives this uncertainty on whether they can make it out alive or not. And yet, what did Chuuya do? He jumped off the plane and activates his ability, knowing that there is “no time to chicken out” or else Dazai’s plan won’t work, and they’ll end up dead. Even if it means doing the job to protect the city, it still takes guts for Chuuya to work and place his life on someone he “hates”. Despite those 4 years of absence, the scene in Dead Apple just manifests that they never doubt each other’s capabilities. And to further validate this, let’s check out their dialogue:

           Dazai: You used Corruption, believing in me? How beautiful.

           Chuuya: Yeah I did. I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness.

           Dazai: That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White.

           Chuuya: Tch. You’re the one who hid an antidote your mouth knowing I would punch you.          

Not only does this scene perfectly parallels to the Lovecraft episode where we see Soukoku bantering while still in a critical situation, it also emphasizes the degree of their trust and how that trust has taken root from their familiarity.

Dazai: You used Corruption, believing in me? How beautiful.

Chuuya: Yeah I did. I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness.

Dazai’s first line is the main idea of their partnership, echoing Chuuya’s quote from the Lovecraft episode: “I used Corruption because I trust you”. This is a vital aspect in their relationship since it has been stated before in Fifteen and Stormbringer that “no one has trusted Dazai”… until Chuuya comes into the picture. Ever since their first teamwork against Rimbaud, Dazai finally has someone he can rely on both in strength and assurance, even smiling at the fact that Chuuya doesn’t even deny his proposal but merely asks for his reason.

With that being said, then it is appropriate for Dazai to say that line, touched by the idea that Chuuya still constantly trusts him. It just reminisced so much from what they have as children that it seems to this day, they never forgotten about it.

On the other hand, in Chuuya’s end, he confirms that trust and provides a reason, which is appropriate since Chuuya is Dazai’s “reason-living” like in Fifteen:

Chuuya’s line—“I believe in your disgusting vitality and craftiness”—is very similar in the excerpt from Fifteen, and this just shows how that line from the movie indicates his familiarity to Dazai. By “familiarity”, I mean that he knows his partner’s mental process and motives (as I have mentioned above). In this case, it seems like Chuuya has seen something that he and Dazai have in common: the desire to live. Of course, the latter always craves for death, but with his new viewpoint on Death, his mission in fulfilling Oda’s wish, and the fact that he is tethered to someone who wished to live, Dazai just couldn’t die. And Chuuya, being his constant companion, knows this. This is why Chuuya “believes” that whatever plan Dazai has on mind, it will always work, and in the scenario in Dead Apple it starts by taking a leap into Corruption—which is ironically, the very thing that could kill Chuuya, and by extent, would cause Dazai’s death if the plan is not well-thought or if they don’t work together. By referring to his “vitality and craftiness”, Chuuya is acknowledging his familiarity on Dazai, admitting their “rotten relationship”, and justifying his trust on him.

Dazai: That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White.

Chuuya: Tch. You’re the one who hid an antidote your mouth knowing I would punch you.

Another interesting thing I find in the dialogue is Dazai’s line: “That was a somewhat violent way to wake up Snow White”. Fans think that this is Dazai flirting, where he is implying that he wants to be kissed by Chuuya the same way the prince does to Snow White. For me, I think this little dialogue is more than just fanservice since it makes sense, not only in the context of the movie containing motifs of a “poisoned” apple. I think the reference of the fairytale in this dialogue not only foreshadows his “death”, but it also highlights their dynamic whenever they work together with Dazai acting childish and Chuuya knowing that he is actually being serious (or the fact that he cracks some jokes in most Post-Corruption scenes). This is still related to the whole “familiarity” theme that I have been rambling about; as mentioned before, Dazai and Chuuya would use whatever they know about each other just to rile each other up. These moments are generally meant for comedic effect, but these teasing and bickering can serve as their advantage.

Similar to the microscope scene I have mentioned, Dazai makes that microscope comment seem like a childish joke on the surface, however, Chuuya picks this up as a clue and sees his real motive. This kind of synergy is seen again in the prologue of the movie where Dazai jokes about Chuuya getting hit by bullets when he is in close range of the enemy, and yet, the latter takes it as a warning that an ability-user is nearby. We really don’t know if Dazai leaves a Snow White-related clue for Chuuya before the events in Dead Apple (it would have been pretty cool tho), but that dynamic in the microscope incident and prologue is very similar to that dialogue we see in the movie: Dazai is being playful, but Chuuya sees and calls out his ulterior motives. This is how Soukoku works!

PART 2: The Art of Catharsis

The relationship of Soukoku in the battlefield is one of the best teamwork we have seen in the anime. Both parties are synchronized in the way that Dazai’s brains and No Longer Human, and Chuuya’s fighting skills and Corruption perfectly compliment each other. Moreover, we also see the basis of that partnership, and this is something that the creators want to highlight in this scene (in other words, how did the animators deliver this dynamic?)

In my opinion, I think the words “gentleness” and “cathartic” fit in this scene. To start off, before this moment takes place, we have witnessed Chuuya fighting the Dragon.

That scene was intense! Chuuya activates Corruption, generates into pure destruction with him yelling Dazai’s name (despite the fact that he is not supposed to be in a proper mindset). The way this scene plays out is interesting; in the shot, we see the two main figures (the Dragon and Chuuya) mostly in red—which is a very vibrant color—in contrast to the blue and green background. By using the color that pops out, the attention is on them, and it is topped with the amount of action in that moment. Not to mention, the background music, containing a rock music and a rap, elevates that energy. It is a scene that heightens the adrenaline, so the audience can empathize with Chuuya—understanding him as a character that is full of life, and also his hastiness to kill it before he runs out of time.

When that fight is over, we notice that the music alters into a string orchestra. This is a very good change because the tempo is slower—a direct contrast to the rap music—as if it is slowly bringing the audience down from the hype in the fighting scene the same way Chuuya slowly goes down and hovers Dazai’s body. The music immediately stops right on cue when the punch happens, then the audience is left in silence. Usually in films, silence is used for the purpose of anticipation. In this case, the anticipation is placed on whether Chuuya’s punch and/or the pill worked and saved Dazai.

The transition from the white background into a blue background should indicate that Dazai is alive. And yet, the animators did this subtly rather than showing Dazai’s face (like in Season 1 episode 1), just so the audience is still in the state of anticipation (add that with the white noise in the background). Furthermore, there is a fairytale quality in that shot, like this is similar to when Sleeping Beauty (in this case “Snow White”) wakes up, that’s when the colors in the castle come back.

Getting close to that iconic shot, I love how the animators keep the “camera” in the same place (Chuuya’s face), that way we can further empathize with Chuuya by seeing a close shot of his state: he was at his limit! But as soon as the blood starts moving away from the screen, we can see a bandaged hand moving to his face. And then, finally!

Words cannot describe how much I appreciate the details of that scene, especially on Dazai’s gesture. He moves his hand slowly but quick enough to nullify him right on time. Not to mention, he does not just touch his cheek but rather cups it (look at the shape of his hand!). One can say that the gentleness in Dazai’s gesture is the exact opposite to Chuuya’s punch, and this sort of contrast further highlights the catharsis in this scene. In other words, after all of that intensity with the fight and seeing Chuuya’s bloody state, it is relieving to see that familiar hand touching him, indicating that Chuuya can rest. And seeing that we witnessed and empathize with him, we know what it feels like.

With that being said, that’s why the third shot above where the hand is fully placed on his cheek and he made a short gasp is my personal favorite. It is the contrast in Chuuya’s face where we can still see “Corruption”, and Dazai’s hand to which he activates “No Longer Human”. I have seen some people complaining about how they want to see Dazai’s face in this scene; personally, I think this scene is animated brilliantly as it is. It is only fair to see a close up of Dazai’s hand to indicate that he is nullifying “Corruption”, after all, “No Longer Human” is works through touch. To top it off, the beauty in “not seeing the face” is more powerful because it leaves more to the imagination—we don’t know specifically what kind of face Dazai is making, but the way that hand moves alone is enough to tell us what he is thinking at that moment. And finally, upon contact, we see Chuuya making a slight twitch—this is when Corruption recognizes No Longer Human and deactivates. This is when Chuuya recognizes that familiar touch and knows that his partner is finally awake, so he can finally rest.

Then we have that iconic shot! Like the one I mentioned above, the camera stays in one place, only this time, it is a long shot, so the focus is on them (thus they are on the middle). Interesting enough, there is no background music in this scene, and we can’t see their expressions. Usually, in this anime, when a character is seen faceless, in order to determine what they are thinking are feeling, the animators would usually make them do a gesture or a dialogue.

In this scene, where everything is silent and their faces “unseen”, our focus goes to their exchanges. Both Mamoru and Taniyama use their “bedroom voices”, and I think it is appropriate considering that their dialogue contains a deeper meaning in regards of their relationship. In other words, as mentioned before, it may seem like another day of bantering, but with their tone, there is something sincere and intimate in what they are saying. Also, the playfulness in Dazai’s comment and Chuuya’s response hits different compared to their other moments of constant yelling. You really don’t need the close up of their faces in order to see that they are at peace in each other’s company.

In addition, the color scheme of the scene is predominantly blue, which makes sense, not just because of Dazai’s ability, but also because it highlights the serenity in the scene. The blue color, the orb, and the bandages that glide silently are animated in a way that they buffer out the red that we have seen back with Corruption, and also indicates a sense of “protection” (which is later seen in the lap scene when Dazai has to protect Chuuya from the fog). In short, the ambiance perfectly fits with how Dazai is there to give Chuuya a sense of comfort in Post-Corruption, letting him rest so that he can compensate for all that he did.

**********

The scene in Dead Apple is something that lies in between of the familiar and the new—we have seen Dazai and Chuuya in this situation before, we know how they function as a team, and we know the level of risk they are taking. But this is something that we have never seen before; like subtleness in his gestures, the softness in their tones, and the fact that these two are in a position where they are saving each other, which becomes part of their instincts. They show how much they trust each other by knowing how much they knew of each other. They acknowledge the fact that their fates are tethered regardless of the years of absence. And finally, it is not just the Prince saving Snow White, but rather: the Prince saves Snow White and Snow White saving him in return.

OK, I just literally fried my brain. If you’ve read this far, I thank you so much for your time! I am so sorry if this is too long. I welcome for any critiques or discussions. So yeah, that’s my ted-talk

[whimsicallyreading]

“I just realized I’m desperately in love with you-“

Prompt Day One for Rowaelin Month

~

"Rowan, take a picture of that one. It's so cute." Aelin fawns quietly.

Rowan gives a long-suffering sigh. "There are a thousand of them here. Do you have to pester me into taking a picture of every seal pup we come across?"

"Her name is Fleetfoot, and yes. Isn't that the whole reason we are here?" Aelin looks at him equally annoyed, a strand of gold spun hair freeing itself from beneath her parka.

"I'm here to study the behavioral patterns of tiger seals and orcas in a rapidly shifting environment. You are here to keep our equipment functioning. If you keep talking, neither of us will finish our jobs and escape from this wasteland." Rowan switches the lens of his camera to focus on two male seals who were squaring up with each other in the distance.

Rowan nearly threw his camera over the boat and jumped off into the coastal waters of Argentina when he realized who had been assigned to assist him on this expedition.

He'd insisted that only he and one other make the trek across the Antarctic. Insisting a large group could impede the quality of his research. When they agreed, Rowan thought they would send him with Lorcan or Brullo. Both were accomplished survivalists and scholars—valuable additions to any team.

Instead, it was Aelin Ashryvver who waited for him at the dock. The most annoying newbie on his floor. Dorian insisted that her knowledge of mechanical engineering would make her invaluable.

So far, she was just a verifiable pain in his ass.

She sat around bored as Rowan spent the day writing notes and snapping photos. Occasionally she helped him set up microphones. On one instance, she fixed their ATV. It was the first and only time he'd found her truly useful.

Rowan couldn't wait to go home.

"Alright, we have the cameras positioned. We should head back to the base. The temps are dropping. We need to warm up and eat."

Aelin nods quietly, she would never admit it, but the severe temperatures are taking a toll on her. It was amazing how important something like fat is in a frigid environment. Rowan is naturally covered in layers of dense muscle. While Aelin is fit herself, she's still small and the first to feel the effects of persistent cold.

Watching the seals, she occasionally found herself jealous of their thick layers of blubber that kept them comfortable. She should have carb-loaded before they set sail.

They hop on the snow ski and traverse quickly over the powderlike substance.

~~~

When they reach the Terresen South Pole station and ditch their coats, they fall to the floor in a cascade of flurries. Rowan's spine straightens for the first time that day. Their coats were dense. With the additional weight of all of the equipment he carried, there was a perpetual bend in his spine.

It was a huge relief to be inside a climate-controlled building—light layers, freedom movement, and feeling in all of his extremities. Tossing that coat off was the pinnacle of his daily routine on this mission.

That is until he realized it was freezing.

Walking over to a light switch with urgency, he flicks it a few times. Nothing happens. Anxiety wells in his gut, and he hits the wall a couple of times before flipping the switch again.

"Shit," Rowan hisses.

"The power is out," Aelin's eyes widen with the realization. "That's not good."

"I thought I was the scientist, but look at you stating the obvious," Rowan growls as he shrugs his jacket back on. It wasn't nearly as frigid inside the insulated building as it was outside, but it was still bitterly cold. Keeping warm would be their first step in survival. Without heat, shit could hit the fan for them very quickly. Thankfully their satellite phones should still be functioning; he'd charged the battery the day before. There should be enough juice in the phones to send out a mayday call even without power.

Aelin doesn't put on her jacket. Instead, she heads in the direction of the lockers with a look of determination plastered on her face. It was a look he'd slowly begun to grow familiar with, mainly when Rowan was holding a ration packet she wanted. It made him uneasy.

"Where are you going?" Rowan calls after her, picking up her jacket. He wouldn't be held responsible for his younger, female partner freezing to death. HR at the University would have his head on a stick if she died on his watch.

He follows Aelin to her locker, where she's already sliding a grey jumpsuit over her clothes.

"I can fix the engines," Aelin pulls her zipper up. The jumpsuit covered head-to-toe, but they weren't nearly as warm as their snow gear. He could already see a slight blue-ish tint to her lips. "They probably just stalled. All I need to do is go down, diagnose the problem, and fix it. Easy as pie."

Ignoring the massive oversimplification of their situation, knowing it was a lost cause, he focuses on the immediate problem. "You need to keep your jacket on," Rowan thrusts the article of clothing at her. Her color was concerning him, and the longer she went without the thermal garment, the higher his stress became.

Aelin gives him a long-suffering look, all too similar to the one he gives her. "And get my hood or a sleeve caught in one of those beasts? Those machines are massive. Getting snagged could rip my arm off or kill me. It's like you don't even have a master's in engineering and a spotless safety record," she smiles at Rowan's scowling face. "Oh wait, that's me. Let me do my job, Dr. Whitethorn."

Before Rowan could argue, Aelin was gone down the stairwell towards the engines.

Dragging a frustrated hand through his hair, he tosses her jacket on the floor. His time is probably better spent getting through to their mission handlers on the satellite phones anyway.

~~~

Two hours later, Rowan has long finished his call with Dorian.

Their expedition leader had asked if they wanted a recovery team sent out to them, but Rowan hesitated. He was on the mission of a lifetime. He'd spent years waiting for approval to research at the southernmost tip of the world. It would be a devastating blow to his career and his pride for it to be cut short. The selfish part of him wanted to stay. The rationale, reasonable part of him was aching to stay the full duration of the expedition.

"You know, Dr. Whitethorn," Dorian spoke carefully. "There is a reason we chose Aelin to accompany you. She may be green and lacking a doctorate, but she's a miracle worker at what she does."

"Are you asking me to put my life in the newbie's hands?" Rowan asked without his standard vitriol. The situation and the cold had left him with no energy to be spiteful. He'd heard talk of her capabilities amongst the guys, and he'd seen a fraction of it when their snowmobile broke down. Rowan thinks back to the look on her face when she'd gone down the stairs. The steely determination of a warrior marching off to do battle.

Dorian laughs as if there was something funny about two of his most stubborn colleagues getting stranded in the south pole by themselves. "I'm not asking you to do anything. It's your call."

Rowan closes his eyes and contemplates their options. His head told him they should call the extraction team before they were nothing but frozen corpses. Yet, his heart didn't want to leave so soon. There was still so much work left to do.

Could he rely on Aelin?

"We will stay for now. Expect a call in twenty-four hours with a progress update." Rowan disconnected the transmission without any of the standard formalities.

After the fruitless call, he checks their food supply. Rowan scans the shelves, comfortable they wouldn't go hungry any time soon. Their only concern would be keeping all their shit from freezing, including their water. Rowan triple checks that everything is insulated, sealed, and stored away before moving on to other essentials, like batteries.

Another hour passes as he takes inventory, and Rowan is starting to feel the cold more than before. His nailbeds slowly shift from blue to white beneath his thick gloves, and he can't control the slight quaking spreading up his limbs.

When Rowan hears the doorway to the stairwell creak, he goes to check in with Aelin on her progress.

What he finds when he opens the locker room door sends his heart to his throat.

Aelin's hands loosely grip the zipper of her jumpsuit as she weakly attempts to free herself. Her face is a ghostly white, and her movements sluggish.

If she weren't moving, he'd have thought she was already frozen.

"Aelin, are you good? Talk to me." Rowan rushes to her and helps Aelin step out from the jumpsuit.

"I fixed the engine," Aelin coughs into the crook of her arm, her voice scratchy from the cool air. "It will be a couple of hours before they can catch up and heat the building."

Rowan rips off a glove and holds a bare hand to her cheek. Aelin's skin is freezing to the touch, even to his own icy hands. He notes that she isn't trembling the same way he is. It's not a good sign, the biologist in him notes. He knows it's her body growing too weak to keep itself warm.

"Sit down. You're freezing," Rowan helps her slide to the floor and looks at the discarded jacket that's still lying there. It won't warm her quick enough.

"Rowan?" Aelin speaks from her slightly slumped position.

Rowan is pacing, trying to think. They don't have a means of warming water for a bath. Laying next to the generators is too risky.

"Rowan," Aelin murmurs, her eyes drooping. "I can't feel my feet."

Rowan looks at her, and for a moment, she looks like an ice princess. Her blond hair is slipping from its braid and coiling across her colorless face. The cerulean blue of her eyes was the brightest color he now saw regularly beside the southern lights. They stood out even more starkly now.

It was all wrong.

"It's going to be alright, Aelin. You said the power is back on?" Rowan lifts her into his arms, her freezing nose burrowing into the crook of his neck.

"Yeah," she rasps against his shoulder. "But it will take a while for the building to heat."

"We don't need the whole building to heat. Do you trust me?" Rowan trots down the hall, careful not to bump her against the narrow doorframes.

She mumbles something incoherent into his shirt. "I trust you."

Rowan is thankful that the cold keeps the flush from his face. He reaches the desired room and fiddles with the control panel on the wall. A wave of relief hits him as the room behind the heavy door audibly hums to life.

"Okay, here we go." He says more to himself than Aelin. Rowan ditches the jacket and pulls his long-sleeved tee over his head. The buttons of his pants are next, leaving him in only his boxers.

Turning around, Aelin looks weary but not surprised. "Nice abs."

"Thanks," He says and kneels next to her, eyes searching her face for permission.

Aelin dips her head, "I'm not shy, Whitethorn. Don't fret."

Rowan helps Aelin maneuver her stiff limbs out of her garments until she is left in nothing but her bra and panties. Her face is pained as even more of her is exposed to the cold.

"Hurts," Aelin grits through her teeth, and Rowan gathers her up again. The icy room is like barbs against his exposed skin, but he's not in a position to complain.

The minute he carries her into the balmy air of the sauna, Aelin flinches. "Oh, that smarts."

"I know. It's going to suck for a bit while your blood recirculates." Rowan consoles softly, knowing he would also feel the cramping as they got their blood moving.

Drastic temperatures changes weren't the ideal way to warm up, but they'd spent far too long in the cold. He needed to get Aelin shivering again. It was the body's natural defense against the cold, and when a person could no longer shiver, it meant they were dipping into the realm of hypothermia.

The sauna was an added addition for the comfort of the researchers who visited the Southern base. It was a great tool to warm people after spending hours in the harsh climate. He'd heard tales of it from colleagues who'd visited the base before but hadn't yet saught to use it himself. Rowan was too focused on the mission. It hadn't carried any appeal for him until this moment, and now he was beyond grateful for its existence.

Rowan sits on the floor instead of the bench so that Aelin can curl up comfortably in his lap. Skin-to-skin contact was one of the best ways to help a person regulate their body temperature. He soothes a calloused hand over the length of her arm, trying to spread what remained of his warmth to her skin.

Aelin's cheek rests against his chest, and Rowan uses one hand to free her hair from its braid. The curtain of gold fans across her back, and he has to resist the urge to run his fingers through its waves.

He'd noticed how beautiful she was the day they first met at the university. Out of respect, he'd immediately repressed those thoughts. They were professionals, and Rowan wasn't about to ruin his reputation fawning over the new, young blonde on their floor.

But with her laying half-naked in his lap, it was hard to disregard how pretty she was. It wasn't even just her appearance. The girl was magnetic in every way. People paid attention when she walked in, and she claimed the lion's share of air in the room.

Fenrys and Conall flirted with her remorselessly. It secretly irked him. Rowan had long since memorized the way she laughed and how she'd smile as she shoed them away. It was all good-natured fun for them, but it always made Rowan irrationally angry. The time she'd showed up at the annual Christmas party in a green velvet dress with an open back nearly left his brain on the floor. His eyes had raked the smooth plains of skin, only turning away when she'd tried to catch his eye.

If he'd been paying attention, he would have seen her look of disappointment.

Rowan had written it off as an infatuation—a natural response to seeing an attractive woman. The scientist in him wanted to boil it down to chemistry and hormones. Cold facts that could diagnose the way he felt every time he laid eyes on her. Yet, as Rowan laid there with a hurting Aelin in his arms, he began to wonder if there was something more.

Her pain was making his chest physically ache.

A pair of arms snaked around his waist, and his body jerked. Aelin looks up at him sheepishly. "Sorry, I'm just really comfortable."

Rowan relaxes, "It's fine."

The steam in the room is slowly building. Rowan can feel the cramping beginning in his legs. Aelin's weight on his thighs was not helping the slightest, but there was no way in hell he'd move her.  

"My body is aching," Aelin says lightly, but he can hear the strain in her voice and feel a slight tremble running through her.

"That's good. Can you feel your feet?" Rowan can no longer resist, and her hair parts between his fingers like strands of gold silk.

Aelin tightens her arms around him, "Yeah. A bit. I didn't realize how numb they got until I took off my boots."

There's a slight tickle at his back, Aelin's finger tracing a pattern against his skin. A flush of warmth rushes through him, not from the sauna.

He's in unending deep shit.

"Aelin," his voice wavers uncharacteristically. "Do you have a boyfriend?"

The fingers on his back continue making their delicate patterns. "No."

"Aelin?" He asks again, but she cuts him off with a groan.

"Stop asking me questions and just kiss me," Aelin grips the back of his head and pulls his lips down to her's.

An inferno blooms inside his soul.

Aelin could never be a winter queen. She was the raging embodiment of summer. A burning ember he'd carried from the north into this land of ice. As his lips move against hers, he swears his body is lit ablaze, and when Rowan opens his eyes, he's delighted at the flush he finds unfurling across her cheeks.

"It's suddenly a lot warmer." Aelin laughs, looking more lively even as her body starts to quake from the warmth finally reaching her.

He kisses her cheek and tilts her ear towards his lips, "Aelin?"

"Another question?" Aelin's smile curls into something feline. "Is this that scientific curiosity the university is always going on about?"

"I just realized I'm desperately in love with you,"

Rowan lets the truth fall from his lips. It was just the two of them. They were the only human souls in this far corner of the earth. There was no one to stop him as he finally lets the emotions he'd been repressing until the moment Aelin was in danger wash over him.

"That's not a question," Aelin responds after a moment, her tone light and jovial.

Rowan smiles. "It's not."

Aelin curls back up against Rowan, enjoying the feel of his skin against hers. An embarrassing sound of contentment escapes her, which worsens her blush.

Not forgetting their original purpose in the sauna, Rowan grips her hands and massages them between his. "You have no response?"

"Not one that HR is going to like." Aelin winces as her hand spasms, and Rowan methodically works to ease the ache.

"Say it anyway," Rowan implores. Screw the university. He was tired of living for his work alone. Nothing outshined this moment, holding this woman in his arms. He could find a new job, but if Aelin reciprocated his feelings, he couldn't find another one of her.

"Well, I thought it was pretty obvious when I wore that dress to the Christmas party and then found a reason to walk past your office every day." Aelin huffs and looks up at him, "Don't tell me you didn't know?"

Rowan was speechless.

Aelin's eyes twinkle with amusement. "Rowan, Dorian, and I are friends. Did you know that?"

"What?" Rowan blinks confusedly. That was common knowledge, but he didn't understand why she was bringing that up now.

"Dorian and I go way back. He knew I had a thing for you, and I told him sending me on this trip was unethical when I'm such a new hire-" Aelin trails off, waiting for him to grasp her point.

"Wait," Rowan looks down at her, bemused. "Dorian was trying to set us up?"

"Human recourses won't like that very much either," Aelin grins. "But Dorian would keep our secret. He owes me a lot of favors."

The sauna's temperature had slowly been rising, and Rowan could see that his skin was returning to its usual color. Aelin still looked a bit pale, but it was probably residuals from being so close to freezing.

She'd risked herself to save the expedition and successfully fixed the engines. Rowan didn't believe for one second that Dorian only sent her in an elaborate attempt to set her up. She was bright and cunning. He was lucky to have her along with him.

"You got here on your merit," Rowan presses a soft peck to her lips as he soothes her unvoiced concern. He refused to let her doubt her level of skill. "But if the feelings are mutual, I would love to take you on a date when we get back home?"

"I would love that," Aelin crawls off his lap and holds a hand out. "Come on, now. We need to eat and sleep. We have seals to observe."

Rowan accepted her hand. Forget the seals. He would have a difficult time keeping his attention on them. His eyes were glued to her bare legs as they moved and the way her hair swung free of its constraints.

She smirked over his shoulder. Aelin knew precisely what she was doing to him.

Rowan had traversed to the end of the world to understand the natural universe a little better. While he hadn't unlocked any great mysteries, he couldn't help but think what he did find was better.

[ardent-apprentice]

Sol, The Ardent Apprentice

A short story by:  Ominous_The_Unknown

I

In the magical world of Runeterra, mountains move, forests come alive, the dead assault the living, and reality sometimes fractures to give a brief glimpse to the horrible Void beyond. But even though the arcane energies course through all the nations, there is no other place quite as whimsical like Bandle City, the central hub of Yordle life. Across the lands, these short creatures are seen in a multitude of different perspectives. Forest fae-folk, mischievous imps, urban legends, valiant warriors, and heinous villains, Yordles always seem to be synonymous with some kind of outstanding trait that makes them outstanding in their own right. 

During their early, formative years, young Yordles quickly come to find what makes them unique from one another and once they do, they soon set themselves down the path to honing their skills to try and become the best in their craft. Of course, not every Yordle specialized in entirely different things. It was common for some to be gifted a knack for tinkering and invention much like the great minds of Heimerdinger, Rumble or Ziggs. Others were given more physical, combative skills like Tristana or Teemo. And of course, there was the occasional magic user like Lulu. But what happens when your talent doesn’t manifest when it should? What happens when the people around you develop some kind of magnificent skill when you are left with nothing?

Sol was forced to ask himself this question many times over when he realized that the other young Yordles around him were attaining their unique abilities whereas he had none. In the beginning, he was assured that he would find his niche soon enough, but time passed and he still found himself left in the dust. He would watch as others were able to conjure small balls of energy, create phantasmal elemental displays, briefly summon ethereal aurora-like creatures, or even infuse machines to give them extra vigor. It wasn’t long before the older Yordles decided to properly study him. A few of the more astute researchers of the city came together and performed a few tests on him, hoping to find the answer.

Then, to Sol’s horror, he was finally given the bad news.

Unlike the others, the charcoal gray yordle was magically inept and lacked a mana pool to draw the necessary arcane energies do anything noteworthy. At that very moment, it was as if the weight of Mount Targon was set upon the Yordle’s heart. The information was a curse that forced Sol to watch helplessly as his close friends became apprentices to some of Bandle City’s champions while he was subjected to a mundane and unfulfilling life. Even at a young age, Sol felt that his dreams of becoming some well known Yordle had been destroyed. He grappled with the idea for a while and in the end, he outright refused to accept it. 

Bitterness and envy slowly slithered into the young Yordle’s heart, poisoning him ever so slightly, but instead of letting it destroy him, Sol used it to push onwards. Soon it became apparent that what Sol lacked in magical prowess, he made up for in tenacity, boldness, and creativity. Bullies would, of course, try to take advantage of him or tease him as they flaunted their skills in front of him. The name-calling, the minor physical altercations, the laughter, it stung, but Sol relied on the fact that they underestimated him so that he could beat them at their own games. 

If anything, his newfound strength despite his lack of mana actually made him stand out more because he would do everything in his power to ensure that no one looked down on him. He refused to sulk, he refused pity, and above all else, he sought to break the fate that had been cruelly handed to him. Within the Yordle, a sort of bullheaded attitude emerged as he sought to absorb as much information as possible to see if anything triggered some latent talent hidden within. Archery, crafting, smithing, politics, Sol would attempt to learn everything. Even when he didn’t become a master at it, he at least came away with some experience. Ultimately, this meant that Sol became known as a jack-of-all-trades. 

But once Sol became an adolescent, he realized that his accumulated skills still weren’t enough. Instead of continuing to study within the small confines of Bandle City. the abnormal Yordle made the decision to explore the world. Many people within the city knew that it was possible and that even some of the more famous Yordles had survived to become rather huge stars in other cities, but it was still a risky decision. The elders of the city said he was a fool and that without forging his own unique talent that he would quickly die without any ability to protect himself, but Sol’s close friends knew that because of his myriad of skills that he would forge his own path. 

The young Yordle quickly assembled enough equipment and other necessities and bid a fond farewell to Bandle City and its inhabitants before he journeyed outwards. He would find new mentors, make new friends and discover what was truly hidden deep within him. 

---------------------------------------------

II

There were many limitations to being a Yordle. In some places they were seen as normal living beings with rights, others they were a myth and in a select few they were abhorred and either cast out like plague bearers or maybe even attacked on sight. With that in mind, there were unwritten rules for traveling abroad as a Yordle.

The first and probably most important rule is to never reveal oneself as a Yordle. Information travels slowly through Runeterra, and even though some progressive regions accepted all races that was not the case for the majority of the world. To socialize, most traveling Yordles were often given a magical glamour that would simply disguise them as short humans. There were some fringe cases of course, like the valiant Poppy, deranged Kled and estranged Lulu, but that was mostly because they were more than capable of defending themselves if they were ever threatened with violence. For other Yordles, physical altercations were best avoided.

Even with a rather large list of practical skills, without magical energy Sol’s friends and family knew that it would be best if he traveled prepared. Before departing, Sol was gifted an enchanted pendant that could accomplish such a task, but he soon discovered that his mana deficiency would cause issues. The glamour itself very slowly used up the wearer’s mana when being used, and in most cases, a regular Yordle could wear it for as long as they wanted since they would regenerate the energy just as fast as it was being depleted. So in Sol’s case, he could only activate the pendant for a few days before his body ran out of mana to power it, then he would have to travel as his regular fuzzy, self to recharge. There were many instances where that proved to be a huge disadvantage, but during his adventure, he just learned ways to work around it. 

Along with the stigma against his species, Sol also began to interact with various living creatures in the world. Some were warm and kind, others brave warriors filled with courage and honor, while a select few had bitterness and anger brewing within them. The growing Yordle had to observe and catalog every interaction as he started to develop his own set of rules to operate by when he revisited certain locations. His tome of rules slowly grew over time and he would openly share them with fellow Yordles that he happened to come across during his travels, for example:

 Never challenge a Noxian. Their hardy nature makes them competitive and their bloodthirsty traits mean it won’t take much until they lose their temper and draw a weapon.

If a Bilgewater pirate questions if you’re a Yordle, tell them you’re just small hairy and that they’re too drunk to tell. Also, always keep a few golden krakens with you whether you believe in their superstition or not, it may just save your life.

No matter how furry you are, always wear warm layers when traveling in Freljord and try to stay dry. Wet fur can turn into solid chunks of ice if you’re not careful.

STAY AWAY FROM THE SHADOW ISLES AT ALL COSTS

When in Piltover or Zaun, try to wear a magical glamour or at the very least wear a disguise. Both places demonize Yordles and have even imprisoned them. 

Piltover is nice, but there are many flashy hypocrites there who don’t know what they’re doing. However, you can always go to Heimerdinger at his laboratory for a safe haven since he’s a well-known researcher there. 

Zaun is dangerous for a litany of reasons, like roving madmen, and a bloodthirsty chimera wolf-thing and just rampant lawlessness. Also, be careful of friendly fire when traveling in Zaun, Ziggs is known to go crazy there from time to time. 

Sol’s notebook was starting to become an epic in its own right as it documented his travels day by day, carried numerous errata and inserted trinkets and drawings. His accumulated skills also made him a rather valuable asset in most situations as he was able to make himself useful in dire situations. Despite his short stature, Sol was able to repair a ship’s sail during a storm, cook meals for the less fortunate, and even help build makeshift shelters. Even though he wasn’t exactly perfect at the job, the mere fact that he would always volunteer to help and put himself out on the field made him very likable.  

He found himself partaking in many different adventures as he followed his heart and traveled all around the world. Sol had spent some time helping on a fishing boat, infiltrating bandit camps to save captured Yordles or even cavorting in ancient ruins to find treasure or long lost secrets. If anything, the exploration of it all appealed to him the most and he loved to dig deep into the history of long dead people and inspect the artifacts that they left behind. When he sometimes came into contact with ancient relics, they would flicker or light up as the energies bound within them were somehow stirred to life, but strangely enough, when he handed those very same items to his compatriots, the object would go silent. Sol would also discover old scrolls or books written in dead languages, but just after studying the strange iconography and hieroglyphs, he seemed to understand what they meant and in some cases could even pronounce them. Sol just attributed this to his litany of skills that he had built up though and didn’t think much of it. He never bothered to inspect the magical items further, since he knew that his minuscule amount of mana would never unlock the secrets within them.   

During one period, Sol had discovered a faded map of some ancient civilization in a nearby forest. He spent a week studying the language printed on it by reviewing what information he had and he deduced that there must be some kind of treasure hidden within. Sol gathered his belongings and started to move headstrong into the brush before he finally came upon his destination in a matter of two days. Using his uncanny ability to read the hieroglyphs and understand the ornate designs of the art on the walls, the charcoal black Yordle was able to avoid or even disarm most of the traps laid within the ruins before he finally discovered a hidden room with old leather-bound tome displayed on a plinth.  

Even though Sol was unsure of the book’s origin, he could at least surmise that it was important and the instant he set his hands on it, multicolored energy cascaded out of it in an aurora-like tornado. The book opened as light poured out of its pages and wisps of power trailed out into the world beyond. As the pages rapidly flipped in front of him, the Yordle looked on with confused awe as he realized that he was somehow barely reading the words as they flew past him. His lips began to move on their own as the energy within the pages abated and appeared to listen. But even then it was still too much. 

Sol had no idea how it was possible, but he could feel the energy pulsing through his veins before it started to become a searing hot pain that radiated through his arms and into his chest. The dark gray Yordle found himself unable to let go of the book, which brought a fresh wave of panic over him. He could feel his very life essence getting immolated from within as the foreign energies burnt to brightly inside of him. 

As he was about to pass out from the pain born of the immense power another aura entered the room. For a brief moment, a dark purple and green energy appeared before a bolt of arcane power shot out of the darkness and collided with the book in his hands. The force of the blast was enough to blast the book out of Sol’s hands before it spiraled away as a burning heap. Sol crumpled to the ground, chest heaving and his vision blurring as he barely registered a figure approaching him.

Clad in dark purple garb with a large wizard’s cap atop his midnight black fur, the infamous Yordle Veigar came forward and looked down at the fallen adventurer. Before Sol could speak though, the world around him faded to black as he slipped into unconsciousness. 

----------------------

III

By the time Sol woke up, he found himself in a candle-lit abode somewhere within some kind of intricate cave system. His body ached but he was at least thankful he could still move. He lay atop a creaky old bed, with some decrepit bookcases and drawers to act as furniture. Everything seemed to be secondhand, scavenged and mismatched, and yet whoever assembled everything at least took the time to clean the dust away somewhat. He could remember an infinite well of power being poured into his body. So much power that it was actually agonizing. 

Without any introduction, Veigar began to berate Sol for how foolish he was being. The dark master of evil wasted no time in explaining how the tome was cleverly hidden trap meant to entice any curious magic user into coming into contact with it all for the sake of burning them from the inside out. He then expounded that if it wasn’t for him, Sol would’ve been turned into a pile of ashes on the ruin floor. 

The only reason why Veigar had decided to intervene was that he noticed something strange about the trap that Sol had sprung. He explained that the book worked by manipulating a person’s innate mana pool to disrupt the inner balance within it. What he found interesting was that Sol didn’t explode as he thought he would and instead somehow started to read the text even though it was a long-dead language. Veigar then immediately began to question Sol’s identity and how he was able to not only read but speak the dead tongue but to his surprise, the dark gray Yordle could offer no solid answer.

“I just have a knack for it I guess.” Was Sol’s answer as he gave a nervous chuckle.

His answer only made Veigar raise an eyebrow skeptically before he let out an irritated sigh and reached into his coat. He then withdrew what looked like an old bone with odd letters scryed into it before he tossed it carelessly at Sol. The injured Yordle yelped as he just barely managed to catch it but the instant he saw the letters the gears began to turn in his head. It was another dialect vastly different from the ones he had seen in the book previously and yet there was some odd feeling of familiarity to them. Before Sol could ask what it was, Veigar also took out his short staff and began to focus malicious power into it. The Tiny Master of Evil then pointed the empowered end of the staff at Sol’s face before he demanded that he read the letters. 

Panic immediately consumed Sol as his eyes widened and he assured Veigar that he just had a faint clue as to what the letters meant, but he could already see that the pitch black Yordle did not believe him. Sol could feel his heart beating rapidly in his chest as the heat from Veigar’s magic staff brushed against his fur. He knew that reasoning wouldn’t work, so Sol looked down at the ancient bone and did his best to try and divine the meaning behind the letters. 

To his surprise, everything began to click for the charcoal gray Yordle as it seemed like the ancient inscriptions somehow morphed into the words and letters that he was familiar with. Unsure as to how it was possible, Sol didn’t care and simply began to recite the words on the bone, hoping that it would appease his captive. The more Sol spoke, the candles in the room began to burn brighter before they shifted into a lavender hue. He continued to read the words before Veigar finally snatched it out of his hands and snickered. 

Scared and confused, Sol asked the mage what just happened as Veigar just smirked at him. He was able to somehow divine the meaning behind dead languages before, but what he had done was on an entirely different level. Veigar then explained that somehow, someway, Sol’s innate trait was the ability to read and tap into the magic trapped within ancient artifacts. His lack of a large mana pool actually made him the perfect conduit for oddities and enchanted items to flow and mesh with him. 

To further prove his point, the pitch black Yordle went over to one of the nearby shelves and carelessly pulled out of the book before he threw it at Sol. He explained that many of the books that he had procured over the years were magical in nature and most were inscribed in foreign languages both living and dead. Sol gingerly opened the book up to a random page and to his surprise, he could understand the words in there as well. Next, Veigar took what looked like an orb of polished onyx and handed it to Sol. From what the mage knew, information within the book could unlock the true potential of the artifact and he asked that Sol read a passage to see if anything happened. 

Nervous, but now somehow energized at realizing his dormant talent, Sol carefully read the text before he slowly began to say the words. As he did, the orb began to vibrate and emit a low hum until it started to float. 

Giddy smiles spread across both Sol and Veigar’s face at the sight of the activated artifact before the black furred Yordle crossed his arms. He then gave Sol the opportunity of a lifetime by asking if he wanted to become his apprentice and help unlock and master the magic-infused within all of the items that he discovered. Feeling that he already owed the mage a debt for saving his life, Sol gladly accepted the offer and soon his real work began.

Once he was fully healed, Sol would spend hours pouring over books, scrolls, and engraved tablets while at the same time handling and coaxing the magic out of ancient artifacts and weapons. To both his and Veigar’s surprise, he was able to unlock their true potential fairly easily as the dead languages flowed from his mouth and further accelerated his learning. Sol’s arsenal of artifacts soon grew over the years as he and Veigar traveled around, collecting items and deciphering old script as the charcoal gray Yordle was perfectly content with being a lexicon of antiquated knowledge. 

[linkspooky]

I Don’t Understand You

So this chapter ends with the starts of two more fights. As I said to begin with, considering the clowns are only playing a game to buy time they’re at an inherent advantage because they’re more self aware than the flimsy CCG vs Ghoul alliance who are all repressing their issues in order to work together, and really have no figured out any solid motivation besides “stop the bad guys.”

For a quick example the confrontation with Kaiko brought up a lot of relevant questions. Is it fair that half humans have to live half lifespans with no chance of extending it, or should something risky like ghoulifying Yusa be done to help extend his own lifespan? How exactly is the harsh way Kaiko trained Arima any different from the way Arima trained the likes of Kaneki, Take and Yusa? What exactly did Arima sacrifice himself for if he could have extended his life a few months later, and what is his legacy now? Is Yusa only defined by Arima’s legacy?

And Yusa received the answer to a whole none of those questions. He’s just urged to keep fighting and keep surviving, because that is literally all the main characters are capable of envisioning at this point. 

So, that being said there’s no way the two current fights can turn out in anything better than a draw, because the two characters choosing to confront the clowns are those that understand them the least. 

Despite the fact that Amon was ghoulified literally so he could understand that 1) not all ghouls are Donato and 2) that a ghoul as wretched who ate as much as Donato could eat human meat but somehow love him at the same time because ghouls have human minds and emotions, Amon has not mentioned Donato once or even the comparison to Donato for 168 chapters of :Re. 

If you look back to the rooftop conversation with Amon and Donato, while neither of them changed their views, the conversation did a good job of illuminating the fact that both of them held self-righteous and flimsy beliefs. Kaneki said he didn’t care about the vast majority of people and only did this for his friends, and Amon said he did not care about ghouls and does not think the beliefs he held at the time of being an investigator was wrong. 

The point is that Kaneki was called out by the plot for holding such a false and self righteous belief. He was picked apart line by line in order to point out that yes, he actually does have to care about things besides the people who are directly around him because his actions have greater reaching consequences than that.

In Kaneki’s case the beliefs he held on his rooftop conversation with Amon turned out to be a bad thing. So it should stand to reason that Amon should face a similar consequence for his willful ignorance. 

Amon and Kaneki are continually put on pedestals and held up as heroes, when in reality both of them are just traumatized children trying to survive. The problem is in their coping they’ve killed a lot of people, Amon killed many in his time as a human, and then once he became a ghoul he turned into some kind of cannibal according to Urie’s observation. 

Both of them see ghoul life as expendable, and for Amon the root issue with this cause has always been Donato, which will be the perfect instance to challenge his hypocrisy on this part. 

Amon has to lose to Donato, I don’t think there’s a single Amon fan who actally wants him to win. Donato represents the ghoul part of Amon, and his demonization of ghouls which he has not at all come to terms with. Amon in this chapter even acts the same as ever.

He comes dramatically blazing in swinging his quinque (he’s still using a quinque even though he’s a half ghoul). He even attacks almost the same way he did on his reintroduction in Rueshima, with the exception of this time Donato sees him coming ahead of time and blocks him easily. 

Amon’s hero act should fail him at this point. 

Pretty much everything Amon has said in the build up to this fight is that he doesn’t actually want to understand ghouls. He doesn’t want to understand his existence of a ghoul. All he wants is to return to the time where he could easily fight at the CCG without questioning himself. 

Him and Akira are both offered illusory returns to the CCG when they were finally beginning to break away and form their own identities, the same way Kaneki was offered an illusory return to his home of Anteiku. Except Kaneki’s illusion was only enertained for so long, it burned apart right in front of his eyes and logically the same should follow for the two of them. 

There’s two things that Donato could say that could easily tear apart Amon’s resolve right here. 

1)  The Person Amon is fighting for right now, Kaneki the symbol of their alliance is somebody who ate children just as Donato did. Not only that the first child he ate was Hajime Hazuki, the child Amon was inspired to save all those years ago.

2) The person Amon holds so close to his heart, Mado Kureo is really just a parallel of Donato that the CCG told Amon it was acceptable for him to like. Kureo was a sadist, who among other things targeted and enjoyed the pain of a child and Amon stood by his side and watched, feeling himself justified because the child he was targeting was a ghoul child rather than an innocent human. 

Most importantly that Donato and Amon do love each other. As this is fundamentally unresolved about Amon there’s really no way he’s going to come to grips with it in the middle of a fight.

Finally, Renji and Yomo. This is going to be short but basically, Yomo’s words right here are the epitome of everything wrong with the Goat/Human alliance right now. 

“I’ve never really understood you, and I still don’t, but I’m still going to stop you.”

How exactly Renji, are you going to beat an enemy you don’t understand? That is the question, and Renji has delayed this confrontation with Uta as long as Donato has himself with Amon. 

The thing is Yomo has known about Uta’s relation with the clowns since the beginning. He just deliberately chose never to confront him about it. Renji doesn’t understand Uta, because Renji himself never really tried to understand Uta. 

Uta even tells him to his face, that really the only thing he defines his life by is his own loss. As long as he continues to do that, he’ll only lose others or himself, and Yomo doesn’t come up with a satisfactory answer besides. 

“Watch me Uta, I’m going to sacrifice my life for Touka even harder now.”

Yomo and Uta are really the embodiment of the tattoo around Uta’s neck. It’s even embodied in their old rivalry. 

Every single time they got close, they would both pull back because they were too afraid of dying. Their relationship is the same, they could be friends but both of them are too afraid of pulling close. To this day Yomo only barely admits that Uta is a friend, and keeps him as distant as possible. Uta at the same time makes no attempts to get closer because he prefers staying on the edges. 

Yet neither of them can be entirely divorced from one another either. The two of them both continue to associate with one another, Uta even went so far as to save his life even though they’re now on opposite sides of a conflict. 

I can live neither with you, nor without you. Neither of them can bring themselves to kill the other, but they also don’t want to get close enough to understand each other, because Yomo defines himself entirely by his loss, and the few small family members he has left and Uta defines himself entirely as a reprobate sitting on the outside of things. 

In order to actually get close the both of them would have to broaden their horizons, which both are too cowardly to do. 

Which is why Yomo really can’t win in this situation either. In a manga about understanding and empathy and unerstanding, you can’t defeat an enemy you don’t understand at all, and also have refused to even try to understand up until that point. 

[vixenscratch]

Red Flags and Dealbreakers in Relationships

Disclaimer: While I’ve tried to cover/stick to things that are pretty universal red flags/dealbreakers (and the two are not synonymous, far from!), that doesn’t mean a relationship that does not display these signs is by necessity healthy, nor that I’ve covered all possible variations and eventualities that may to some degree or other affect the severity of certain behaviors. This is also my opinion, based on how I see relationships, and not all these will mean that there’s anything wrong with either of you. Sometimes two perfectly good people are just not suited for a relationship together. Far as I am concerned, an amicable breakup is always preferable to a messy one, if possible.

It’s also going to be kinda long. Kinda a lot long. Lots of stuff under the read-more! Expect some less than savory things related to relationships to come up, considering the topic.

(If you want to reblog for the art alone, feel free to wait until it’s been posted to @shutupvixen - I won’t take offense!)

Dealbreaker: You and your partner have different relationship ideals or relationship goals.

What this means: While trying to work on things and compromise works in many situations, there are some cases where I’d say it’s somewhere between risky and an outright bad idea, if you want to remain friends in case of a breakup. This is one of them. If your partner actively wants kids (a relationship goal) and you actively do not, there isn’t a compromise that isn’t going to make one of you unhappy, and at that point saying “I love you, but this is not something either of us should expect to give up our own wants and needs on” is okay and healthy. If one of you is poly and the other monoamorous (and wants monogamy for your relationship as a whole, not just themselves - there are people who don’t want more than one partner but don’t mind their significant other having multiple, and if you keep communication open and make sure everyone is and remains okay with the arrangement, that’s fine!), that’s also something unlikely to have a healthy resolution that does not dissolve the relationship (relationship ideal).

What this does not mean: Having different religions, ethnicities, political views, or opinion on whether the toilet seat should be up or down is not, in this context, a relationship ideal, unless it actually affects how the two of you want your relationship to be structured (e.g. if a partner insists that the other partner follow all or some of their customs). You may find that such things make it difficult to maintain a healthy relationship, but they in themselves are neither dealbreakers nor red flags the way I’m using the words here.

It also does not mean that either or both parties need to have formed an opinion regarding things like reproduction in order to get into a relationship. Things like having kids are only a dealbreaker if you have goals that don’t, and can’t, match. 

Dealbreaker: You and your partner have irreconcilable sexualities.

What this means: This kind of ties into the prior point, but is different enough I wanted to cover it separately. While I don’t particularly believe that a relationship should be based solely on sex, it will be a component of most relationships. In this context, sexuality encompasses both sexual acts with other human beings (whether or not they are your formal partner(s) - open relationships are a thing and can be perfectly healthy!) as well as masturbation, consumption of pornography, and other activities that result in sexual gratification (including crossdressing-as-gratification and ageplay, to name a couple of examples). Most people in a relationship will have enough overlap here that it gets “close enough” for all parties to be relatively happy. Sometimes, either due to the natural shift of sexuality over time or because one partner or the other went out of their comfort zone in order to secure the relationship early on (not a practice I’d recommend!), things can get to a head, however. 

I would also put any sort of moratorium on a partner’s masturbation (unless part of a consensual arrangement where that partner has willingly ceded control) under this heading. While it’s alright to ask to be left (note “left”, not “kept”) in the dark about it, it’s not acceptable to force your partner to choose between lying to you and denying their own sexual needs.

Working it out: Despite the fact that I’ve labeled this a dealbreaker, there is some room for compromise here if both partners are willing to put in the work, but an individual with a high libido and someone with absolutely no interest in sex are unlikely to be able to maintain a healthy relationship unless the party with the higher sex drive has some kind of acceptable alternate outlet. The same goes if one party’s sexual gratification is dependent on particular acts/fetishes/kinks that the other is unwilling or unable to indulge. 

Possible compromises could include giving one partner space to indulge their desires alone without blame or reproach (if this will provide sufficient gratification for them), making allowances for certain extrarelational activities to take place (keep in mind that e.g. bondage and ageplay do not always have to include anything that most people would consider “sexual” in order to be satisfying for the participants), or, if the problem is simply a lack of interest rather than active disinterest/distaste, trying to meet halfway. If no compromise can be found, however, maintaining a relationship where one or multiple parties are consistently sexually unsatisfied is not healthy nor likely to work in the long run. This is why I’m calling it a dealbreaker - if an understanding can’t be reached, it’s better to break it off before it gets to the point of resentment.

What this does not mean: This does not make you justified in cheating on your spouse(s), nor in trying to impose your needs on them. Nor does it mean that you need to share all sexual interests in order to be a sexually compatible couple. It doesn’t make you obligated to put out if you’re not in the mood, and it doesn’t give you the right to use your libido as a bargaining chip (more on that later).

If you find the topic of human sexuality and what it means for, among other things, relationships, I can recommend giving Sex at Dawn by  Christopher Ryan and Cacilda Jethá a read.

Dealbreaker: Systematic or recurring abuse/violence

What this means: There is nothing that justifies deliberately abusing your partner. While I don’t doubt that many abusers need help and support, it’s not their partner’s job to provide those things at the cost of their own well-being. This goes for both physical violence, which is probably what most people think of first when they think of spousal abuse, and mental/emotional abuse, which can be just as damaging, if incredibly hard to nail down. A partner who regularly tells you that you are worthless, that you should be lucky to have them, that nothing you do is good enough, is not so much a partner as they are a bully, and that’s about as far from a healthy relationship as you can get.

What this does not mean: I would argue that a single instance of relatively mild violence (a single blow, shove or slap, the kind of thing that could reasonably be attributed to impulse and does not cause significant injury), particularly if provoked or under the influence of alcohol, drugs, mental unhealth, etc., is not automatically an indicator of an abusive individual, provided they own their behavior and take steps to keep it from happening again. This might mean seeking help to throw an addiction, going to anger management classes, talking to their treating physician about the incident and possibly discussing changes in medications if applicable, or something else entirely, depending on the situation. Keep in mind that most domestic violence is mutual, and that deliberately winding your partner up until they lose their temper is also a form of abuse.

Obviously in cases of eg. egregious violence waiting to see if it happens again is not necessary, and probably unwise - your first duty should be to protect yourself, and you are under no obligation to try to mend a relationship that is broken to this point. I can’t say exactly where to draw the line for “cut your losses and don’t look back”, and I don’t think trying to draw up some kind of rule for it would do much good, so I don’t particularly care to try.

Dealbreaker: Your partner supports or indulges in a self-destructive habit

What this means: A partner who helps you to start or continue self-destructive behavior such as drug use/addiction, eating disorders, or self-injury, without attempting to redirect or intervene with the behavior, is not someone it’s going to be healthy for you to stay with in the long run. This goes doubly for a partner who initiates the self-destructive habit - even if they themselves are addicted, someone who offers you e.g. hard drugs is doing you more harm than good, in the long run. On the other hand, you should also, for your own health, not remain indefinitely in a relationship with someone who refuses to get help to shake habits or addictions that are a serious risk to themselves or their surroundings. 

What this does not mean: A partner willing to go out and buy you a pack of smokes if you ask may be contributing to your future lung cancer in some small way, but that’s a much milder degree of self-destructive habits than I’m referring to here. Neither does your partner have to take responsibility for your habits and choices onto themselves. A supportive partner will encourage you to seek help, but is not obligated to give up their life in order to watch you and make sure you do not harm yourself. Likewise, finding out that your partner has an addiction or other self-destructive habit does not have to be a sign to walk away right that minute - you’ll have to have a long, hard think about it and decide how much energy you are capable and willing to put towards trying to help them without it negatively impacting you. 

Dealbreaker: Your partner has failed to disclose information about themselves that is likely to seriously impact your life or health

What this means: While it is understandable for someone to be reluctant to reveal secrets associated with social stigma, such as STD status or past criminal convictions, if these could impact you, your partner owes it to you to be honest. Being with them should be your informed decisions, and taking that decision away from you, particularly if it’s liable to have long-reaching consequences, is a violation of your trust and agency that you should not be expected to take lying down.

What this does not mean: Having a past conviction does not mean a person will never be a suitable partner, and if those days are truly behind them, they may not need to bring it up unless there are long-reaching consequences that could result in you being dragged into an ugly situation in the present. Neither is your partner obligated to share every little detail about their life with you - some people are less comfortable opening up about their past than others, especially if some of those memories are painful. Neither does it mean that having an STD should automatically be considered to make someone undateable, or that not knowing about one’s STD status when initiating a relationship should be held against a person. 

Dealbreaker: Your partner mistreats your or their own pets

What this means: Someone once said something like “if you want to know a man’s nature, look at how he treats his dog” and there’s something to it. Not only are you responsible for looking out for the best interests of any pets you own, but there is a very real risk that someone who mistreats animals will move on to mistreating the people around them, and if that happens, chances are that you’ll be close at hand. You’ll also not want to get implicated if their mistreatment of the animals reaches levels that get animal welfare or law enforcement involved.

What this does not mean: Not everyone has the same knowledge, even about animals they themselves own. Sometimes seemingly abusive or neglectful behavior is the result of ignorance, or differences in training ideologies. If your partner’s behavior is due to not knowing better, that is not automatically even a red flag - talk to them about how you want your animals treated, help them educate themselves about the care of their own animals, and you’ll have improved the situation for the lot of you.

Red Flag: Your friends are concerned about your relationship

What this means: If multiple friends or relatives, from at least two separate social circles, express concerns about your relationship or its effect to you, they are probably seeing something you don’t. While relationships do change us over time to some degree, if friends tell you you’ve changed since you started seeing your partner (and it’s not in the sense of “you seem much happier now” or similar sentiments), you should take them seriously and at least listen to what they have to say. Manipulation in relationships can often be subtle, and isn’t always even done consciously, but it’s generally easier for an outsider to pick up on or notice that something is feeling “off” about your relationship. After hearing your friends out, it’s up to you to decide whether you want to take action now, file the information away to be reviewed at a future point, or dismiss what they have told you - it is after all perfectly possible that your friends and your partner just have bad chemistry.

What this does not mean: Your friends do not all have to like each other, or your partner. It’s natural for people to sometimes just rub each other the wrong way, and that should not be an automatic reason for ending a relationship. Neither are you obligated to uncritically heed your friends’ or family’s advice regarding who you should be dating.

Red Flag: Your partner uses sex or their libido as a bargaining chip

What this means: The trope of one partner telling the other “no sex for a month” after a disagreement is widespread, and thoroughly unhealthy. Sex should be something that is shared for mutual enjoyment, not something that is withheld to punish one’s partner or pressure them into giving in to a demand in order to get some. A partner who habitually does this is likely to develop other abusive or controlling behaviors, or may be using their lower libido to score a perceived advantage, in which case you may just not be sexually compatible without renegotiating your relationship terms. Similarly, it’s not acceptable for an individual with a high libido to attempt to use their high sex drive to push their partner into having sex when they don’t want to, or as leverage to force through changes in relationship terms that their partner is not comfortable with.

What this does not mean: It’s perfectly reasonable to have a little bit of bargaining between partners, either due to time constraints (”we can have sex if you help me clean up after dinner first”) or as part of the give-and-take that is part of every relationship. As long as neither partner feels disadvantaged by these deals, and they don’t form a pattern of unequal exchanges, this is fine. It is also not a problem, but in fact healthy, to express that one is unhappy with the amount of sex in the relationship. 

Of course there will be situations where one partner is not in the mood, or wants to put limitations on sexual relations due to outside circumstances. The important part, then, is that the measures are reasonable given those circumstances. There’s a big difference between withholding sex from a partner who cheated in order to punish them, and wishing to use additional protection for a time in order to ensure that the infidelity does not have additional unwanted consequences, such as STD transmission. 

Red flag: Your partner wants to know where you are and who you are with at every hour of the day

What this means: Keeping stalker-level tabs on one’s partner is a textbook precursor to more overtly abusive behavior. While it’s reasonable to want to spend time with you, your partner does not need to know your schedule in detail. This is especially concerning if they also call to check up on you when you’re not together, or otherwise attempting to double-check what you’ve told them. 

What this does not mean: Taking an interest in what you’re doing is not a bad thing - it only becomes a problem when it goes overboard. Asking you where you’re going is not in itself abusive, unless and until it reaches a level where your partner is mapping out your entire life.

Red flag: Your partner will not believe that your friends are only friends

What this means: It’s common in modern western society for individuals in a relationship to grow jealous and suspicious of their partner’s friends, particularly friends of the same sex as themselves. This is something that media and social expectations to varying degrees encourage, but it is toxic to relationships. If your partner is not willing to believe you when you tell them you have no sexual or romantic interest in a friend they are jealous of, that is a sign of possible future trouble, and something you need to work out sooner rather than later. Your partner has no right to expect to be able to dictate who you spend time with, and this sort of situation is liable to result in them attempting to do so.

What this does not mean: If you do have an interest in a friend, you should absolutely not lie about it. Lies are not a good foundation for trust. Rather, be honest and upfront, and offer what reassurances you can without straining the truth. Telling lies will only serve to reinforce future suspicions.

Red flag: Your partner says one thing but their actions say another

What this means: Perhaps the most common example of this is in the aftermath of infidelity. While taking your partner’s word for it that you’re okay may be reasonable in the short run, if they continue to keep you in the figurative dog house, it’s likely you at the very best are facing an uphill battle to reach a point where you actually are okay. It is not fair to either of you to try to salvage a relationship where you are fumbling in the dark for a solution and they are still hanging onto the offense that they claim to have let go of. This goes beyond dishonesty, which is already relationship poison, and into being a fertile breeding ground for resentment. 

What this does not mean: Sometimes, in the very short term, people know that all that’s left until they can truly let go is a little bit of time. Saying “I’m fine” and going to get some air to collect one’s thoughts and recompose oneself is a lot easier than explaining the intricacies of this, and is an acceptable simplification. In those cases, asking “do you need space?” and giving them space if they say yes is about the best you can do, and a normal part of interacting with other people. The red flags only start coming up if the disrepancy between word and action persists for an extended time, indicating that your partner is chewing their figurative cud instead of letting it pass through their system and be flushed out.

[andang1010-blog]

Financial Management: What You Should Know About Stock Market Investments

Financial Management: What You Should Know About Stock Market Investments

Many people have the dream of investing in the stock market. They constantly think about buying and selling stock, while watching the fluctuations of the market. Does this sound appealing to you? If so, then you're in luck. If you would like to start investing, then read on for some useful tips that will help you begin.

Understand the risk involved in the stock market. If you are used to investing in mutual funds, understand that individual stock investing is a greater risk. If you aren't the type of person who is prepared to take a risk, stick with companies that have a good financial standing, and that have shown excellent stock performance in the past.

Know the risks of different types of investments. Stocks are generally riskier than bonds, for instance. Riskier investments, generally, have higher payoff potentials, while less risky vehicles tend to provide lower, more consistent returns. Understanding the differences between different vehicles can allow you to make the best decisions about what to do with your money, in both the short and long terms.

When picking stocks, find a strategy you enjoy and stick with it. For instance, you may choose to ignore the market's behavior for the most part and focus only on a company's earnings potential. Once you settle on a personal set of rules, you can seek out prominent investors or financial gurus who share your philosophy, and you can learn from them.

Try to choose stocks capable of bringing in profits above those generally achieved by the market as a whole, because an index fund would be able to give you at least that much of a return. Estimating your stock's likely return is as simple as locating the growth rate's projected earnings and then adding that to the dividend yield. For example, if the stock yields an 11% return and 1% dividends yearly it yields a total return of 12%.

Before delving into the stock market, you should have a basic knowledge about stocks. Stocks, which are also called shares, are segments of a company which people may purchase. So when you own a company's stock, you actually own a piece of the company. When it comes to shares, there are two different types: common shares and preferred shares. In terms of investments, common shares are the riskiest.

If you want to pick the least risky stock market corners, there are several options to look for. Highly diversified mutual funds in stable and mature industries are your safest bet. Safe individual stocks would include companies that offer dividends from mature business and large market caps. Utilities are non-cyclical businesses that are very safe. The dividends are almost as reliable as clockwork, but the growth potential is negligible.

Diversify your holdings. By investing your money in various sectors and investment vehicles, you limit the risk of losing money. It is wise to invest in a combination of stocks, bonds and cash vehicles, with the allocations varying depending on your age and your comfort level with regard to risk.

Check your portfolio regularly for winners and losers. Water the winners with reinvestment and weed out the losers by pulling them. If you cash out your earnings from the winners and ignore the weeds, the weeds will grow and eventually be the only thing you have left in your portfolio. Any money not needed for five years should be in your portfolio.

You can use the stock prices to track earnings. Short-term market behavior is generally based on fear, enthusiasm, news, and rumors. Long-term market behavior is mainly comprised of company earnings. These earnings can be used to determine whether or not a stock's price will rise, drop or go completely sideways.

You may want to think about investing in blue-chip stocks, which are known for their safety, good growth, and strong balance sheet. Because of its established reputation as a reliable stock, people tend to invest in them, and they usually see positive outcomes. Furthermore, they are easy to invest in.

Learn investment jargon. You must learn about various types of stocks, bonds and funds, in order to avoid making costly mistakes. You can visit many investment websites, read books or watch videos, in order to learn the proper terminology. This world is very "lingo-based," so take the time to learn it. If you need further clarification, ask a broker.

Whenever you lose money in the stock market try to think of it as a learning experience. You should try to reevaluate the situation and try to pinpoint where you went wrong. This will help you because you can do everything you cannot to make the same mistakes in the future.

Do not put off investing, because the biggest factor in any wealth equation is time. Any dollar you invest today is worth a lot more than a dollar you will invest tomorrow. Figure out what you can afford to start investing now, even if it is only a single percent of your budget. Then start putting it away immediately. Automate it if you are able.

The greatest piece of advice that any stock trader can use, is to leave your emotions at the door. When trading stocks, it is important that you trade with your head, instead of your heart. Often times, beginner traders find themselves attached to a particular stock for whatever reason. It is important that you realize that your emotions cannot get involved.

Now that you have the tips from this article, you can make your dream of investing a reality. You can join in on all the stock market action that others have experienced for years. Just remember these tips when you begin your stock market journey and you will be in investment heaven.

[musings-of-a-lesbian-storyt-blog]

The survival of The Manila Times in this digital age--revealed!

King and Name of the Game

Technological advancements have changed the way people communicate with each other. With rapidly evolving technology, the struggle to keep up has put some models of communication in danger. What was once considered a huge breakthrough in mass communication, now finds itself desperate to close the gap that technology has inevitably created. Such is the case of the 20th century #1 newspaper industry in the Philippines, The Manila Times. Dante “Klink” Ang II, President and CEO, and Executive Editor of The Manila Times, shares with a group of communication majors the newspaper corporation’s plans, prospects and struggles in a world ruled by digital technology last July 9, 2017. Despite the struggle of print to survive and produce income to continue operations nowadays, Klink says, “Content is king now.” He dubs content as “the name of the game today”, believing that the survival of communication mediums such as print, television, radio and online media is heavily dependent on good or newsworthy content.

Background and Changes

The Manila Times started on October 11, 1898. It was the first daily newspaper in the Philippines and was founded by an Englishman, Thomas Gowan. This newspaper publication was made in order to conform for the demand of the Americans during the time they occupied the Philippines. The United States Army wanted to establish their so called own American paper wherein they would be updated and have control with what’s going on. Moving in these days forward, the publisher and chair of the Manila Times is Dante “Klink” Ang II. Their family came in 2001 and they have the complete control in this newspaper publication. Despite the heavy competition between other newspaper publication, Klink  was glad that Manila Times is growing its circulation on print and online given the fact that many newspaper have closed.

In terms of the changes in today’s digital world, Klink discussed the importance of knowing that the business is not changing because it still aims to deliver newsworthy content. However, with the easy accessibility of internet connections and social networks what is changing is the way the news is delivered. In the past, they only relied on the circulation of printed copies but with the advance technology, they were able to reach more people through their print and online publication. It is now accessible to reach major cities all around the Philippines mainly due to technological advancement. Klink even goes by telling that Manila Times is being read by 2 millions people not just in the Philippines but all around the world.

Audience and Voice

The Manila Times Newspaper has been in the service for both Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad. Filipinos have been the primary target audience of Manila Times. Klink says that aside from the Filipinos that resides in the Philippines, Filipinos abroad living in the United States are also one of their primary audiences and readers. The main purpose of Manila Times is to deliver quality news to the people. By delivering accurate, fair and comprehensive news, it would allow the people to become independent citizens and be free of self-governance. People would have a mind of their own allowing them to decide things for themselves. As Klink formally became the publisher and chair for Manila Times in 2001, his main goal is to make the newspaper “handsomely profitable”.

According to Ang, the current situation of Manila Times is growing wherein majority of their income comes from the printed newspapers. However, Klink does not deny the fact that their situation could change in the future otherwise. Alongside the printed newspapers, the newspaper company also has their own online publication that is accessible. The newspaper company practically earns money from advertising. The difference between advertising in an online publication and a printed publication was discussed by Ang. People who read the newspaper would have considered the advertising part of the content but otherwise in an online publication. Klink said that he frequently receives complaints among the online readers about advertising products popping out their screen while they are reading their online news.

In addition, Klink also discussed the business models that they are eyeing on. One of which is The New York Times’ and The Guardian’s business model wherein the availability of free content and premium content (paid and subscribed to) for the online readers would boost their income. Klink finds this business model rather interesting but risky because it is a big investment. Klink wants to make sure that this business model could work for them. Klink admits that when it comes to the business side of the newspaper, he would opt for subscription-driven rather than advertising-driven.

Role in the Internet World

The Manila Times has expanded their business into different online platforms. With the change in technology and social media, Klink was inclined to create these online platforms in order to keep with the said changes in the business. Klink said that the website was created to reach people not only in the Philippines but all over the globe. Even with their target audience of Filipinos, most of their readers are from other countries, specifically the US. With their online following of over two million, they have expanded their platform in Viber, an online messaging application, as well.

Establishing their website has made their presence in the digital world stronger. Klink said that people would notice if they shut their website down for a day. This was proven through an instance during the height of the discourse over the West Philippine Sea. The Manila Times’ website crashed, and people were complaining about the disappearance of their website shortly after.

In publishing news stories online, Klink has said that good stories would be the key to gathering audiences. Klink believes that young people read news stories as long as the story is relevant and interesting, removing the stigma that young people only read short stories. Using tools such as videos, audios, and graphics are also useful in gathering audiences online. 

Although the content is key, the style of writing is also important because stories should be written in such a way that any type of audience would be able to understand the story. This would also determine how well the whole organization would be received by the audience, in order to garner constant readers.

Klink considers all news websites and bloggers as competitors in the digital world because they could all be substitutes. Klink competes with these other news websites by “playing the game better than the single player”. The Manila Times has the capability to make investments to cover news that bloggers would not be able to make. With this, he was able to say that bloggers and independent news websites do not gather more attention and traffic than traditional news organizations.

News organizations all have Facebook pages and are major players in the social media industry. Klink mentioned that 90% of the traffic in their website is from Facebook alone. What still remains a question for all news organizations is how they would be able to translate their popularity in social media into money. News organizations are still experimenting on how to monetize their digital platforms, using tools such as subscriptions and paywalls.

Although these new platforms have changed the organization’s means of delivery, Klink has made it clear that the business itself is not changing. Their aim to deliver news will remain through all the changes in their delivery.

The heart of the discussion

Klink used the discussion to speak and highlight about the value of content and how it fundamentally drives The Manila Times’ publications, no matter what decade or technological advances may the world be in.

Klink could not stress enough the loyalty of The Manila Times to quality content and the principles of news. And when he said content, he means purely news; “not fiction, not anything else. It has to be news”. He expresses that regardless of how it appears or how it’s delivered, it’s still news, and that is what is going to be enduring in their business.

He goes on about how he doesn’t buy the fact that young people only reach short stories because of their problematic attention span. “People will read stories that are good stories or newsworthy stories. If it’s a short story and people don’t see it as a good story, then they will set it aside.”, he says. A good story is expensive. This is why the Manila Times tries to hold themselves to a higher standard.

When asked about his and the company’s take on the topic of fake news, he explains that “fake news has been a long time problem of journalism”, followed by a brief historical background of fake news during the American colonization. And because fake news has been long time coming, the company is inspired to elevate their level of journalism. This is how they compete; by playing the game better than the single player (in reference to independent blogs who spread fake news).

If there is one thing that Klink proves to be passionate about is how good content will determine who survives and who entertains. That’s the key. As giver of truth and information, Klink wishes that people will become mature to think and not just to accept content. One of the things that he said that truly stood out was this: “It’s important for you not just to know what’s going on but to understand what’s going on. You’re not just an empty vessel where you pour in news and that’s it. As a citizen, you have to think.” Perhaps, though good content is valuable, even more so should be critical consumers of information.

The Manila Times on Restoring Their Glory

Despite the shift in how content is produced and presented to the public, what remains the same for The Manila Times is that their content will still be news following the same principles, the most important of which is that it must be newsworthy. Klink notes that, “regardless of how it appears or how it’s delivered to you, it’s still news. That’s what’s gonna be enduring in this business.” This is true seeing as the public demand for how content is produced and presented changes from time to time. Some news publication even take uniqueness to the next level by veering from conventional writing styles and formats. However, unconventional news writing primarily applies in an online setting and rarely does it ever get to be applied in printed publications.

Klink’s plans and prospects for The Manila Times in terms of online content distribution is a reflection of his obvious fondness for the New York Times. He says that what he wishes to focus on is the publication’s “...core competence which is getting the facts, composing stories and delivering it to a mass audience.” Additionally, Klink does not fail to recognize Facebook’s role in news delivery. He notes that all newspapers in the Philippines have Facebook pages, with Inquirer having about a million followers and The Manila Times with about 400,000 followers. According to Klink, the “million dollar question” is how to monetize their popularity in social media such as Facebook. Klink also believes that the key to catering to the publication’s consumers is through segmentation. He adds that there are different segments of the market which can be categorized in such a way that people who read on print have a different profile from people who read online and that they have to serve to these different profiles.

Though the publication has been growing in terms of advertising and circulation, Klink actively recognizes the shortcomings of a printed publication in this day and age. His ideals for The Manila Times are refreshing, especially in terms of their plans with their online content. Klink does not show a hint of surrender in continuing the business but rather, he hopes that soon, perhaps in his lifetime, they would be able to restore the glory of Manila Times that was once present during the 20th century.

[itsmejaymetan-blog]

The survival of The Manila Times in this digital age--revealed!

King and Name of the Game

Technological advancements have changed the way people communicate with each other. With rapidly evolving technology, the struggle to keep up has put some models of communication in danger. What was once considered a huge breakthrough in mass communication, now finds itself desperate to close the gap that technology has inevitably created. Such is the case of the 20th century #1 newspaper industry in the Philippines, The Manila Times. Dante “Klink” Ang II, President and CEO, and Executive Editor of The Manila Times, shares with a group of communication majors the newspaper corporation’s plans, prospects and struggles in a world ruled by digital technology last July 9, 2017. Despite the struggle of print to survive and produce income to continue operations nowadays, Klink says, “Content is king now.” He dubs content as “the name of the game today”, believing that the survival of communication mediums such as print, television, radio and online media is heavily dependent on good or newsworthy content.

Background and Changes

The Manila Times started on October 11, 1898. It was the first daily newspaper in the Philippines and was founded by an Englishman, Thomas Gowan. This newspaper publication was made in order to conform for the demand of the Americans during the time they occupied the Philippines. The United States Army wanted to establish their so called own American paper wherein they would be updated and have control with what’s going on. Moving in these days forward, the publisher and chair of the Manila Times is Dante “Klink” Ang II. Their family came in 2001 and they have the complete control in this newspaper publication. Despite the heavy competition between other newspaper publication, Klink  was glad that Manila Times is growing its circulation on print and online given the fact that many newspaper have closed.

In terms of the changes in today’s digital world, Klink discussed the importance of knowing that the business is not changing because it still aims to deliver newsworthy content. However, with the easy accessibility of internet connections and social networks what is changing is the way the news is delivered. In the past, they only relied on the circulation of printed copies but with the advance technology, they were able to reach more people through their print and online publication. It is now accessible to reach major cities all around the Philippines mainly due to technological advancement. Klink even goes by telling that Manila Times is being read by 2 millions people not just in the Philippines but all around the world.

Audience and Voice

The Manila Times Newspaper has been in the service for both Filipinos in the Philippines and abroad. Filipinos have been the primary target audience of Manila Times. Klink says that aside from the Filipinos that resides in the Philippines, Filipinos abroad living in the United States are also one of their primary audiences and readers. The main purpose of Manila Times is to deliver quality news to the people. By delivering accurate, fair and comprehensive news, it would allow the people to become independent citizens and be free of self-governance. People would have a mind of their own allowing them to decide things for themselves. As Klink formally became the publisher and chair for Manila Times in 2001, his main goal is to make the newspaper “handsomely profitable”.

According to Ang, the current situation of Manila Times is growing wherein majority of their income comes from the printed newspapers. However, Klink does not deny the fact that their situation could change in the future otherwise. Alongside the printed newspapers, the newspaper company also has their own online publication that is accessible. The newspaper company practically earns money from advertising. The difference between advertising in an online publication and a printed publication was discussed by Ang. People who read the newspaper would have considered the advertising part of the content but otherwise in an online publication. Klink said that he frequently receives complaints among the online readers about advertising products popping out their screen while they are reading their online news.

In addition, Klink also discussed the business models that they are eyeing on. One of which is The New York Times’ and The Guardian’s business model wherein the availability of free content and premium content (paid and subscribed to) for the online readers would boost their income. Klink finds this business model rather interesting but risky because it is a big investment. Klink wants to make sure that this business model could work for them. Klink admits that when it comes to the business side of the newspaper, he would opt for subscription-driven rather than advertising-driven.

Role in an Internet World

The Manila Times has expanded their business into different online platforms. With the change in technology and social media, Klink was inclined to create these online platforms in order to keep with the said changes in the business. Klink said that the website was created to reach people not only in the Philippines but all over the globe. Even with their target audience of Filipinos, most of their readers are from other countries, specifically the US. With their online following of over two million, they have expanded their platform in Viber, an online messaging application, as well.

Establishing their website has made their presence in the digital world stronger. Klink said that people would notice if they shut their website down for a day. This was proven through an instance during the height of the discourse over the West Philippine Sea. The Manila Times’ website crashed, and people were complaining about the disappearance of their website shortly after.

In publishing news stories online, Klink has said that good stories would be the key to gathering audiences. Klink believes that young people read news stories as long as the story is relevant and interesting, removing the stigma that young people only read short stories. Using tools such as videos, audios, and graphics are also useful in gathering audiences online.

 Although the content is key, the style of writing is also important because stories should be written in such a way that any type of audience would be able to understand the story. This would also determine how well the whole organization would be received by the audience, in order to garner constant readers. 

Klink considers all news websites and bloggers as competitors in the digital world because they could all be substitutes. Klink competes with these other news websites by “playing the game better than the single player”. The Manila Times has the capability to make investments to cover news that bloggers would not be able to make. With this, he was able to say that bloggers and independent news websites do not gather more attention and traffic than traditional news organizations.

News organizations all have Facebook pages and are major players in the social media industry. Klink mentioned that 90% of the traffic in their website is from Facebook alone. What still remains a question for all news organizations is how they would be able to translate their popularity in social media into money. News organizations are still experimenting on how to monetize their digital platforms, using tools such as subscriptions and paywalls.

Although these new platforms have changed the organization’s means of delivery, Klink has made it clear that the business itself is not changing. Their aim to deliver news will remain through all the changes in their delivery.

The Heart of the Discussion

Klink used the discussion to speak and highlight about the value of content and how it fundamentally drives The Manila Times’ publications, no matter what decade or technological advances may the world be in.

Klink could not stress enough the loyalty of The Manila Times to quality content and the principles of news. And when he said content, he means purely news; “not fiction, not anything else. It has to be news”. He expresses that regardless of how it appears or how it’s delivered, it’s still news, and that is what is going to be enduring in their business.

He goes on about how he doesn’t buy the fact that young people only reach short stories because of their problematic attention span. “People will read stories that are good stories or newsworthy stories. If it’s a short story and people don’t see it as a good story, then they will set it aside.”, he says. A good story is expensive. This is why the Manila Times tries to hold themselves to a higher standard.

When asked about his and the company’s take on the topic of fake news, he explains that “fake news has been a long time problem of journalism”, followed by a brief historical background of fake news during the American colonization. And because fake news has been long time coming, the company is inspired to elevate their level of journalism. This is how they compete; by playing the game better than the single player (in reference to independent blogs who spread fake news).

If there is one thing that Klink proves to be passionate about is how good content will determine who survives and who entertains. That’s the key. As giver of truth and information, Klink wishes that people will become mature to think and not just to accept content. One of the things that he said that truly stood out was this: “It’s important for you not just to know what’s going on but to understand what’s going on. You’re not just an empty vessel where you pour in news and that’s it. As a citizen, you have to think.” Perhaps, though good content is valuable, even more so should be critical consumers of information.

The Manila Times on Restoring Their Glory

Despite the shift in how content is produced and presented to the public, what remains the same for The Manila Times is that their content will still be news following the same principles, the most important of which is that it must be newsworthy. Klink notes that, “regardless of how it appears or how it’s delivered to you, it’s still news. That’s what’s gonna be enduring in this business.” This is true seeing as the public demand for how content is produced and presented changes from time to time. Some news publication even take uniqueness to the next level by veering from conventional writing styles and formats. However, unconventional news writing primarily applies in an online setting and rarely does it ever get to be applied in printed publications.

Klink’s plans and prospects for The Manila Times in terms of online content distribution is a reflection of his obvious fondness for the New York Times. He says that what he wishes to focus on is the publication’s “...core competence which is getting the facts, composing stories and delivering it to a mass audience.” Additionally, Klink does not fail to recognize Facebook’s role in news delivery. He notes that all newspapers in the Philippines have Facebook pages, with Inquirer having about a million followers and The Manila Times with about 400,000 followers. According to Klink, the “million dollar question” is how to monetize their popularity in social media such as Facebook. Klink also believes that the key to catering to the publication’s consumers is through segmentation. He adds that there are different segments of the market which can be categorized in such a way that people who read on print have a different profile from people who read online and that they have to serve to these different profiles.

Though the publication has been growing in terms of advertising and circulation, Klink actively recognizes the shortcomings of a printed publication in this day and age. His ideals for The Manila Times are refreshing, especially in terms of their plans with their online content. Klink does not show a hint of surrender in continuing the business but rather, he hopes that soon, perhaps in his lifetime, they would be able to restore the glory of Manila Times that was once present during the 20th century.

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HHS Settles With Mobile Fitness Organisation Over Records

New Post has been published on https://worldupdatereviews.com/hhs-settles-with-mobile-fitness-organisation-over-records/

HHS Settles With Mobile Fitness Organisation Over Records

A Cell Health Employer has reached a $2.five million agreement with the Department of Fitness and Human Offerings, inside the first case of its type involving the safety of Fitness Information.

Mobile Fitness

CardioNet, a Malvern, Pa.-primarily based subsidiary of BioTelemetry that operates a Cell tracking device for sufferers identified with cardiac arrhythmia, will pay the settlement for now not properly securing touchy affected person facts and for probable violating federal privacy laws.

The settlement, which was announced on Monday, coincides with an increase in Cell Health era and an uptick in cyber assaults towards Health care providers. In 2015, for example, hackers stole the Health Statistics of millions of humans blanketed via the Health insurer Anthem.

Fitness care Information is certainly one of the hackers’ favorite objectives because they can be used to fraudulently invoice insurers and achieve scientific gadget for resale, among different unlawful activities, federal prosecutor Kathryn Haun and Eric J. Topol, a professor at the Scripps Research Institute, wrote in a Big apple Instances opinion piece.

The Government Accountability Office observed in August that hacks into digital Health Facts affecting as a minimum 500 human beings skyrocketed from 0 instances in 2009 to 56 instances in 2015.

“Mobile gadgets within the Fitness care area remain in particular prone to robbery and loss,” Roger Severino, director of the HHS’s Office for Civil Rights, which led the probe, stated in a declaration. “Failure to put into effect Cellular device security by means of blanketed entities and enterprise pals places people’ touchy Fitness facts at threat.”

The case stems from January 2012, after the theft of a CardioNet Corporation laptop containing the personal statistics of 1,391 patients. The Organisation failed “to conduct an correct and thorough hazard analysis to evaluate the capability risks and vulnerabilities to the confidentiality, integrity, and availability” of the Fitness Statistics, the decision with HHS states. It also did not enforce regulations safeguarding electronic Fitness Records from being disclosed by means of its personnel.

Below the agreement, CardioNet has to check cybersecurity risks, form a plan to counter cyberthreats and revise its Organisation safety guidelines and education application. It must additionally display compliance with the plan for 2 years. The agreement isn’t always an admission of wrongdoing.

Top Failures That Mobile Health Related Apps Make The demand of clever and linked gadgets are growing in everyday existence extra than ever. Like any industries, sizable version of Mobile gadgets and packages in healthcare is a growing scenario. Nonetheless, as the market tries to traverse the Cell Health app area, it’s far observed to be complete of bewilderment and ambiguity. As an end result, app builders should maintain Underneath attention numerous problems as they are attempting to launch apps inside the Health domain.

There are several challenging regions that get up for might-be Health apps builders. The most commonplace of them are:

1. protection and Safety of patients: numerous Health apps contain non-public records of patients or the customers that are taken into consideration to be personal like Health readings, essential records, tracking facts, medicinal drugs, and situations. As in line with regulatory hints on the privacy of endurance, there’s a want for cautious consideration of maintaining patients’ protection. Strict checking out is a compulsion to make apps protect patient info.

2. Inner App safety – security of the app is of equal importance. The need for consumer give up safety and social media interplay all are needed to be considered developing Fitness related to apps thru codes, passwords, security regulations and different protection mechanisms.

3. Lack of information – A health practitioner or skilled experts is important to make sure that the app is needful, unique, working and in Call for the marketplace. Taking steerage from those specialists can ensure that the app in query affords the cost to the user and the marketplace.

4. troubles of the use of- Apps can provide unexpected consequences to both builders and quit customers. Making plans for troubles of the use of with each the ones you may anticipate and people you can not are similarly crucial. Analyzing the solutions for each kind of troubles can store every body a number of problems down the road.

5. Loss of testing and Regulatory Know-how – In a fairly regulated subject like healthcare, a minute lack of know-how regarding policies and testing regulations may be risky as well as unethical. Classifying apps as in line with FDA review requirement and acquiring the vital testing and regulatory can help you avoid terrible FDA attention, losses or undesirable reaction from end users.

Growing Health Associated Cellular app is largely unexplored territory for builders and the vicinity of healthcare. Predicting common troubles and solving them on early could suggest deciding factor among a failed product and a success app.

Call for of smart and connected devices are increasing in each day life greater than ever. Like all industries, a full-size model of Cellular devices and packages in healthcare is a growing state of affairs. Still, as the market tries to traverse the Cellular Fitness app domain, it’s far determined to be full of misunderstanding and ambiguity. As an end result, app builders must keep Under attention several troubles as they try to release apps in the Health domain.

Cellular Fitness Screening – five Belongings you Should Know The country of your Fitness may be a deceptive affair. A few of the most serious Health problems for which you will be at highest threat – such as stroke, coronary heart ailment, stomach aortic aneurysm, peripheral artery disease and osteoporosis – regularly display no symptoms until it’s far too past due. Going through a painful, pricey Fitness incident because of any one of these situations can potentially mean becoming a burden to your circle of relatives in terms of time and money.

Many serious Health conditions are preventable if detected early. A failure to get screened can result in life-lengthy Fitness-Associated and economic issues, which include the possibility of being mattress-ridden or performing at ways less than 100% in phrases of mental and bodily capacity. serious incidents, inclusive of stroke, can also result in an entire life burden on family individuals who could have to take care of the victim, in the event that they do survive the stroke.

Cell Health screening is a Health carrier added most effective in recent years. It entails a professional crew of Health technicians and board-certified clinical docs operating collectively to run a chain of screening assessments to test for the presence of such asymptomatic and critical sicknesses. As an emerging subject, but, many people are Nonetheless ignorant of how Mobile Health screening works or what it is.

Here are five Stuff you Must Know about Cellular Fitness screening:

1. “Mobile” approach that screening places are usually converting

Cell Fitness screenings are “Mobile” for 2 reasons. First, the actual team of technicians travels to the website online of a screening occasion in a specially-ready vehicle that carries all the essential screening device. 2d, the places of the occasions themselves are always changing. That said, screening groups consistently perform out of the equal neighborhood geographic community from each day and week to week. Therefore, network participants can attend repeated screenings over the years without having to journey some distance.

2. Screenings are held in handy locations inside the network

Cell Fitness screening events are held in a variety of locations. Church buildings, community facilities, public buildings, gyms and even libraries can serve as a forum for a particular occasion. activities are planned weeks or months earlier to allow individuals to select an occasion that most without problems fits their time and area. Many individuals recognize that the screening events are placed in centers they are acquainted with, as opposed to a health practitioner’s Office or clinic.

3. Screenings cowl a couple of styles of sicknesses

A number of critical and probably lifestyles-threatening illnesses can be screened for. Examples encompass stroke, heart ailment, abdominal aortic aneurysm, peripheral artery sickness and osteoporosis. If you want to come across stroke risk, for example, the recipient’s carotid arteries are screened for blockages. Meanwhile, screening for coronary heart-Associated situations may involve an examination of arterial stiffness or a recipient’s peripheral arteries the use of special detection equipment.

4. Mobile Health screenings are non-invasive and painless

The tactics are absolutely non-invasive and painless. No needles are used, and recipients aren’t required to spend time in tight or confined spaces. One of the gear used is ultrasound. This system employs comparable techniques to those used by medical doctors to test the pre-natal condition of infants in the womb. The advantage of the usage of ultrasound for screening, over x-ray or CT test, is that ultrasound does not emit radiation. it’s far properly documented that one CT experiment can be equivalent to three hundred-500 regular x-rays.

5. Screening results may be evaluated through docs

Screening activities take about an hour. As soon as completed, the recipient absolutely returns to work, goes home, or in any other case maintains about their day. Meanwhile, the outcomes are analyzed with the aid of board-licensed scientific docs. The docs provide relevant feedback that may be truly understood by means of a layperson. When choosing a Cellular screening Company, it’s miles vital to pick an Organization that provides all of your photos and distinct results lower back to you directly so that you can provide them on your very own health practitioner upon your next visit.

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New Post has been published on Attendantdesign

New Post has been published on http://attendantdesign.com/consumer-complaints-on-bad-internet-service-will-be-heard/

Consumer complaints on bad internet service will be heard

Slow and unreliable internet service inside the united states of America has often been the issue of ridicule or even a few memes. However, Department of Information and Communications Generation Secretary Rodolfo Salalima is seeking to change the scenario for the better.

In a press briefing for the imminent Philippine Telecoms Summit 2017, Salalima expressed that the upcoming summit will be a “no holds barred” convention. He hopes that, what he believes to be the three predominant worries of purchasers (internet space, affordability, coverage), will all be brazenly discussed. Salinas expresses that during the summit, even clients will be capable of enhancing critiques to the modern-day device. They will additionally be heard need to they be presenting feasible solutions.

“I need the problems and challenges all out in the course of the Summit, due to the fact if now not, we will no longer recognize a way to discover an answer,” Salalima stated. The Philippine Telecoms Summit 2017 could be hung on March nine and 10 on the Philippines International Conference Middle Forum. Updates on the occasion may be observed on the DICT Fb webpage, Twitter account and legit website online. In spite of current reviews of cell net having progressed, the majority of clients nonetheless locate it hard to find satisfaction within the service that telcos are imparting. The summit is anticipated to help boost the overall internet satisfactory in the united states of America

Realize And Use Your Client Rights

A Client is a quintessential part of the market in nowadays’s time. In truth, without consumers, the market is not anything. But still, clients are served with the aid of a large variety complaints of low great goods and services internet through suspicious manufacturers or corporations for making an increasing number of black money.

In different words, purchasers are being exploited by using unreliable producers just due to their illiteracy. some customers don’t even recognize the Purchaser rights. So one can guard the right of Customer, authorities enacted a law known as Customer Protection Act in the 12 months of 1986 that gives 6 basic rights to the consumers. Most of these rights are created For you to provide worthy services and products to the consumers.

There are following Client rights:

1. proper to Protection:

As in step with this proper, the clients get the proper to be protected against the buying of products and facilities which are risky to live as well as belongings. This right plays a vital function With a purpose to safe and secures the lifestyles of consumers. This right involves situation for the Purchaser’s lengthy-time period interest and their modern-day desires.

Maximum of the instances, the manufacturing defects of awesome products, as an instance, stress cookers, gas cylinders, iron, geyser, grinder-mixer, toaster, and other electrical home equipment may also reason damage to the life, fitness, and assets of the harmless clients. This proper to Safety protects the customers from the sale of such unhappy and occasional satisfactory products as well as services.

2. right to Data:

As consistent with the proper to Records, the clients have the proper to get Records regarding the purity, charge, fine, amount and preferred of goods or services If you want to shield themselves in opposition to the abusive and unfair practices of cheating owners. In keeping with this right, manufacturer or proprietor must deliver proper and relevant Records to the purchasers concerning the products.

3. proper to Select:

As per right to Select, each and every customer has the proper to Select the products or services In line with their desire and requirement. The proper to Choose is absolutely a warranty of capability, availability and get right of entry to a diffusion of services and products at the reasonable rate or honest fee. The producer or proprietor or provider or store can not pressure the Purchaser to purchase a specific emblem only. The Purchaser can freely Choose the highest pleasant and Most appropriate product as consistent with their interest and budget.

4. proper to be Heard or proper to Representation:

the right to be heard or proper to Illustration permits a Patron to symbolize them in front of absolutely everyone. In different words, clients can complain in opposition to a cheating producer, owner, corporation, brand, and so forth. And a Patron grievance redressal Forum has to don’t forget their hassle under this proper.

5. right to Are looking for Redressal:

below proper to Are trying to find Redressal, the Client has the right to Are seeking for redressal or get repayment in opposition to unfair exchange practices of a suspicious producer. This right assures justice to Purchaser against unwell-remedy. The proper to Redressal consists of reimbursement in the form of cash or alternative of products as consistent with the pride and requirement of the Client.

6. proper to Consumer Training:

As according to the proper to Client Education, Customer acquires the knowledge about Patron rights. An informed consumer is aware of the significance and right use in their rights. In reality, they are able to take motion in opposition to any person because of which they’re being cheated.

Eventually, I want to say that a huge variety of purchasers are educated, However, there may be no scarcity of illiterate customers, who don’t have expertise approximately the rights of purchasers. Illiteracy is the primary purpose of their exploitation through many dishonest stores. Now, they want now not to be involved approximately it anymore as there are heaps of actual online Purchaser Forum to be had for 24×7 To be able to lead them to aware about Consumer rights.

Purchasers can effortlessly entire the manner of Patron Forum online grievance registration by means of following smooth steps and get the fine and most excellent resolution corresponding to their troubles within the least time.

The author of this newsletter is Seema Rawat. She is a huge fan of reading and writing for the reason that formative year. She is a content creator and has written myriad articles, blogs, and pages on wonderful subjects. Top five Cleansing Lawsuits and how to Clear up Them

Do you ever pick out up the smartphone most effective to locate an irritated patron on the other cease? Possibly a trash can did not get emptied the night time earlier than, or the dusting is not up to par. patron Proceedings are inevitable for a Cleaning enterprise, However, there is a range off of things that you could do to minimize the frequency. Here are a number of the not unusual Proceedings obtained by industrial Cleansing corporations and recommendations on the way to Solve the problem.

1. Elements Empty. If roll towels are being used, you could update smaller rolls of 350′ with rolls of 800′ with stub roll get right of entry to. Maximum 350′ roll dispensers will deal with 800′ rolls without changing the modern dispenser. The identical may be true for Middle-pull towels. If the usage of a smaller roll, replace with a larger roll. When you have to update dispensers, achieve this. It is a small price to pay With a view to holding the client glad.

If changing dispensers isn’t an alternative, make certain your employees are properly skilled on how to inventory dispensers. Whilst stocking hand towel dispensers (multi-fold, unmarried-fold, c-fold towels), teach employees to fill the dispensers -thirds full. Filling dispensers to the brim put quite a few weight on the bottom towels, inflicting them to rip apart While pulling them out. If the dispenser tends to expire you can both put in a 2d dispenser or go away a stack on the counter.

In case you run out of toilet paper you can leave an extra roll at the returned of the toilet or exchange the dispenser to a twin roll or jumbo roll dispensers.

2. Grimy Restrooms. Restroom schooling packages that lay out every step for Cleaning a restroom is vital. With such a lot of steps, it could be easy for a new employee to overlook an important procedure this is probably to motive a grievance. One way to make it less complicated for employees is to give them shade-coded microfiber cloths. as an instance, blue clothes for Cleaning mirrors and polished chrome steel, pink clothes for bathrooms and urinals, and yellow clothes for countertops, sinks, dispensers, walls, and partitions.

One not unusual restroom complaint has not anything to do Cleaning processes, However, should be sorted via the janitorial group of workers. Many times odors come from the floor drain as it has dried out. In reality pouring water down the drain on a weekly basis can do away with the odors.

3. Insufficient dusting is a totally common criticism. If employees rush through their work to get the job done, dusting has a tendency to be the undertaking that receives neglected first as it’s a good deal much less considerable than no longer emptying a trash can, for example.

The most effective tool to use for dusting is a microfiber fabric. Microfiber cloths choose up the dust in place of transferring it round or making it airborne, like feather dusters, which means that the dirt might not re-settle onto surfaces. Use a green microfiber fabric for dusting. Make certain to factor out usually neglected regions to personnel – build-up around calculators, stacking baskets, photos, sides of desks, and chair legs. Ensure supervisors pay special attention to those areas Whilst on foot through the building.

4. Trash no longer Emptied. Whilst training new employees, point out hidden trash cans. There must continually be a selected direction to observe so a trash can isn’t always inadvertently ignored. Commonly employees have to move counter-clockwise around the room, zig-zagging backward and forward down aisles and thru the hallways. An awesome way to double test the work is to check the cans at the same time as vacuuming to make certain they’ve been emptied.

5. Loss of Vacuuming. teach employees to transport through the workplace counter-clockwise to ensure all areas are vacuumed. Mats should be vacuumed, and then rolled up so the place underneath may be vacuumed.

Cleansing personnel ought to be the use of the ideal vacuum for the job. for instance, if a wide music vacuum cleaner is being used to hoover tight regions like under desks, then It is likely that bits of paper and paper clips are going to be neglected. The right vacuum should be used for the gap it truly is being vacuumed. For huge, open regions use huge track vacuums. lower back percent vacuums are notable for ordinary workplace vacuuming and element work.

Constant schooling of all employees the usage of particular education applications is of key importance On the way to avoid customer Proceedings. When employees use the same approaches each day, they’re a good deal much less probable to make mistakes. It is also critical to do observe-up education. This could make sure that all personnel are the use of the right Cleansing system for the vicinity and are reminded of the proper step-by-step procedures to apply.