#Financial Management Course Outline

[wonnieaura]

Getting your life back in 2024 (leveling up to the max)

♫₊˚.🎧✩｡

In 2024, leveling up your life involves a holistic approach to personal growth. Start by setting clear, achievable goals in various aspects of your life—career, relationships, health, and personal development. Cultivate a growth mindset, embracing challenges as opportunities to learn and improve.

1. **Define Your Goals:** Clearly outline what you want to achieve in different areas of your life. Break down larger goals into smaller, actionable steps.

2. **Continuous Learning:** Invest time in expanding your knowledge and skills. Read books, take courses, attend workshops, and stay curious about the world around you.

3. **Health and Wellness:** Prioritize your physical and mental well-being. Incorporate regular exercise, balanced nutrition, and sufficient sleep into your routine.

4. **Mindfulness and Self-Care:** Practice mindfulness to stay present and reduce stress. Incorporate self-care rituals into your routine, ensuring you take time for activities that bring you joy and relaxation.

5. **Build Strong Relationships:** Cultivate meaningful connections with friends, family, and colleagues. Invest time in building positive and supportive relationships.

6. **Financial Literacy:** Improve your financial knowledge and habits. Set a budget, save, and invest wisely to secure your financial future.

7. **Career Development:** Set professional goals, seek opportunities for growth, and stay adaptable in the ever-changing job market. Network and build a strong professional support system.

8. **Embrace Change:** Be open to change and view it as a chance for growth. Adaptability is a key skill in navigating life's uncertainties.

9. **Time Management:** Organize your time efficiently. Prioritize tasks, minimize distractions, and create a schedule that allows for both productivity and relaxation.

10. **Gratitude Practice:** Cultivate gratitude by reflecting on the positive aspects of your life. This mindset shift can enhance your overall well-being.

Remember, the journey of leveling up is ongoing. Regularly reassess your goals, celebrate your achievements, and stay committed to continuous improvement. As you evolve and grow, you'll find that your life becomes more fulfilling and aligned with your aspirations.

[artsninspo]

FORGIVELESS - I - NOT IN THE DARK ANYMORE 🌒

➨ rio's library - good girl nbc

「 ✦ full library & archive ✦ 」

I - Not in the dark anymore

Author's Note: Record scratch … I was working through some writer's block when this concept came to me. Instead of letting it pass here it is. I can promise part two because it’s already outlined.

Pairing: Rio X Reader

Word Count: 2K

Warning: Mature themes and mentions of cheating.

Summary: What is supposed to be a romantic date night with your husband quickly descends to a night of nightmares after meeting a charismatic entrepreneur named Rio with what you perceive to be an uncanny insight on your current situation.

Rio scans the floor of his newest business endeavour. He’s been successful at counterfeiting but now he needs new ways to wash his money. His bars had been doing so good he decided to move into the restaurant business. While notoriously fickle he didn't have the same financial restraints as other new owners. It only took him six months to find his foothold in the industry and now he had one of the city's most in demand establishments for special occasions. Looking around he spots a gentleman who was in the last time he’s stopped by to check on things. Looking across from the man he sees you sitting all done up. He needed strong attention to detail in his line of work. It was a safety precaution but your body language brings the situation into full view. Sitting back he looks under the table only to have his suspicions confirmed. The other woman had her foot up halfway to your dates crotch under the table.

“Table twelve seems familiar” he mutters to his general manager.

“Ahh, he was with a different girl. Excellent tip” His GM responds and Rio takes another look locating the ring set on your left hand. You were the wife.

“Decline all his reservations moving forward. I don’t care how well he tips. Only friends should be here that often.” Rio says watching closely. He had his principles in business and in life. There were simply some things men didn't do. Bringing their girlfriends to the city's best restaurants before their wives was top of mind. 

“Done” the GM says as Rio makes his way into the back to look at the accounting. Everything needed to be in perfect working order for things to work. The restaurant would be a stepping stone to more. Food had never been a passion of his but he could sell an experience to people who wanted to pretend for a few hours. Besides, it had cost him virtually nothing and turned a huge profit every week. He steps out tucking his weekly take home pay behind the bar, walking around it to be served a drink. You're in his perfect line of sight. He watches you reach for your husband as he gets up, throwing cash down onto the table and kissing you goodbye. He watches you sigh and watch as he leaves. Shaking his head he turns back to his glass. 

“Hey can you give the waiter this. I was sitting over there” Rio hears turning to you.

Fuck, shes bad.

His thoughts run the gamut as he looks you over. Thinking back to the other woman he rakes through his memory for her. She had nothing on you besides maybe being slightly younger.

“Thank you” hears cluing back into the conversation you're having with his bartender.

“I’ll have the third course brought to the bar” the bartender says with a smile. 

“Perfect” you nod, sending him a smile.

“Can I buy you a drink?” Rio asks, looking you over. Turning, you are startled by a second by the handsome stranger wildly underdressed for the establishment.

“My husband took care of it thanks” you smile, making him do the same. He’s handsome.

“My husband took care of it” He mocks, chuckling to himself more amused than anything else. “Where is he?” Rio says bringing a glass to his lips.

“Something came up at work” you respond.

She believes the lie too. Rio smiles to himself looking up at the clock, “What, does he deliver babies? Is the hospital short staffed?” 

“No, he’s a consultant with a global clientele. You know time zones” you explain.

“Time Zones couldn't keep me off my wife on a Friday night if she looked like you.” Rio comments. Your cheeks burn at the forward implications just as the third course is placed in front of you.

“Compliments of the chef,” the server smiles.

“Thanks” you smile. It looks great. 

“Is it good?” Rio asks after a few minutes.

“Mhm” you nod weary of the flirtatious stranger. 

“Which time zone clients do I have to thank for this?” Rio asks, pointing between the two of you.

“Japan” you respond.

“To Japan” Rio raises a glass. “Rio, by the way,” he says, holding out a hand.

“Y/N” you respond, shaking his hand.

“Y/N you’re too trusting” Rio says stirring the pot.

“If you want to keep this pleasant please don't disrespect my marriage” you respond and Rio raises his hands.

“Boss, can I get you anything?” the GM says as he sees Rio at the bar.

“Good thanks,” Rio nods.

Looking at him suddenly his simple attire makes sense. Simple and all black was classic and understated in spite of the black tie dress code. Clearly no one was sending him home and the restaurant's food was never on delivery menus. Owner. Not a service professional. You nod to yourself impressed with his accomplishment. 

“You own this place?” you ask and he nods reluctantly.

“A few more lowkey spots around the city as well”

You offer cordial conversation.“Congrats, the food is good and it was hell to get reservations”

“Not for Y/N, not anymore.” he smirks and you shake your head. Rio laughs a little, he can't remember the last time he had to try so hard. Clearly you’d signed up for a lifetime of attention and here he was taking up for your husband's shortcomings.

“How kind” your tone is laced with sarcasm.

“I’m not kind, when you realise your man ain't shit you should eat good and stay fine. Do it here where I can see it. If you need to hire someone to beat his ass on your behalf come see me and I got you. I know people.” he says so cavalier it's off putting. There’s no more smirk and you feel slightly queasy in your stomach.

“That’s not funny” you frown.

“I don’t think so either but there’s a very short list of things that could make me leave you at the table. Work isn't one of them, Love” he mutters. Deep down you know he’s right. Something isn't right with your husband James. Recently work has taken precedent. His promotion has been taking all of his attention leaving very little to you. To make matters worse you moved here away from your family, friends and support system to be his. He’d been reluctant to have you move and has put very little time into helping you adjust to the move along with spending quality time. Work has affected all facets of your life including his libido. It was why Rio was practically foaming at the mouth with dilated pupils at the sight of you. It was a three hour process and special creation to set the mood for the night but James hadn’t reacted how you wanted him to. Japan had been at the forefront of his mind. He’d checked his phone more times than you found necessary before getting a call. He spent five minutes in the washroom before coming back and telling you he needed to rush to the office. Reaching forward you wave for the bartender.

“I've lost my appetite. Please thank the waiter” you smile standing from the bar stool. He nods and Rio rises at the same time. His hands go into his pockets following you out as all the staff bid the ‘boss’ goodbye. You hand the valet your ticket first and yet somehow Rio’s G-Wagon appears before your car. He smirks, having made an impression. When your car rolls around Rio gets the door after the valet gets out.

“I’m at the Clique most weekends. Sevens bar during the week, in case you need a man handled. Drive safe, Love” he says once you're in the driver's seat and buckled in. You wonder why you havent told him to fuck off yet until you see an eerie honesty in his eyes.

Your drive home is in complete silence with the exception of your signals and the natural sounds of the road. You feel too unsettled to relax. Once in your house you have to stop yourself from walking a track across your living room rug. You take a bath which does not work to settle your nerves. You brew valerian root tea when all else fails and there is still no peace. You lay in your marital bed tossing and turning until you hear the garage. It’s after three in the morning. You contemplate your options and hear James coming up the stairs ten minutes later. You slow your breath and close your eyes pretending to be asleep. The door opens and he enters walking straight into the ensuite bathroom. Silent tears roll down your eyes. He gets in bed without giving you any affection allowing your mind to run wild. Your alarm wakes you at 7am and you head downstairs to prepare his breakfast for his day ahead. Saturday mornings and afternoons are for golf and client relations. You throw something together quickly and head upstairs to find him in the shower. You spot his phones on the nightstand and grab his personal device.

You try a few passcodes when his work phone starts buzzing. Forfeiting his personal device something drives you to check his work phone. You unlock the phone from memory and scroll through his messages. There are client names you recognize, all with flags attached to them. A message from Japan comes in and you open it only for your stomach to fall.

You scroll for what feels like forever screen recording quickly as you make it up to three weeks. Heartbroken you airdrop yourself the evidence before breaking into his personal phone with new conviction. You nearly drop it when you see nudes and explicit messages. Your hand is trembling as you hear the water stop. You delete your screen recordings from the work phone, locking both devices and laying them as they were. Your hearts in your ass, your eyes stinging as tears threaten to fall. You walk into your office screaming into a pillow. Unable to act like all is well you stay put in there. James shouts you a goodbye before leaving. You pull up the security footage and scroll as far back as you can see. Your only consolation is he hasnt brought the whore back to your home. Still, it doesn't erase the intimacy of the messages. It doesn't erase the deceit and callousness of his lies and actions. It doesn't erase your heartache or the fact that he’s been lying heartlessly for months. Doesn’t negate the truth of his libido being well and intact, not for you but for her.

You sit for hours in a daze ignoring your daily routine before deciding to head to the spa. Heading upstairs you take off your rings, unable to wear the gifts from such a low down asshole. A manicure, pedicure, sauna and a full body massage doesnt bring you any reprieve. You still feel terrible as clarity dawns. You get the full picture of his betrayal. The pain is too much. Eight years together, five married and this is what it's come to. The visual of his mistress pleasuring herself is etched into your mind, along with the messages between them. Worst of all was the most recent. The mistress thanking your husband for blowing you off to care for her needs. Sitting in the lot of the spa after hours you punch the steering wheel before leaning into it and honking until you’ve stopped screaming. 

Anger wins. Visualising James in the hospital brings you more peace than everything else you've tried. Looking in his eyes pretending to be shocked and concerned while being the root of his current predicament is the kind of sweet karma that allows you to exhale for the first time in hours. Hospital visits because you got him fucked up for his indiscretion. After years of being whatever he wanted whenever. Without even a heads up or him expressing any discontent. Blindly trusting him when he’s been in another relationship. Bystanders look in shock as you pull out of the lot burning rubber with one destination in mind.

Club Clique, to see a man named Rio. 

Author's Note: thanks for reading, this one will be a little fast paced and unhinged. Very toxic because from what I can see that's what you all enjoy most. Rio being messy was my favourite part! Like, Comment, Reblog and interact with the poll.

» next part

All my love,

xoxo

[realcube]

dilf december

day twenty-four ⭑ sawamura daichi ⭑ lock down!

tags: fluff, slight angst, thief! reader, crying & age gap

never would you have expected to spend your christmas eve detained in the backroom of a supermarket.

times have been rough for your family financially recently, but your little sister has been thriving and working so diligently at school in spite of the hard times you've fallen upon. both you and mother agreed that she is deserving of the world but it proved challenging to even scramble up enough funds to afford a christmas dinner, forget toys or chocolates.

but there was no way you could bare to see her disappointed face if she woke up on christmas day to no presents under the tree. so while you were at the shop, buying some final bits and pieces for dinner tomorrow, you saw lego set that you knew she would adore, so you picked it up.

... without paying for it.

naturallly when the security guard saw the boxy outline in your purse, you were swiftly taken to the back to get a mouthful from the manager. and upon reviewing the footage, they realised you frequently utilised the five-finger discount, and thus they suspected you may be guilty grand larceny. so instead of letting you off with a warning, they kept you in the back while they called the police.

you were terrifed, of course. every part of your body trembled with fear, terrified that you might be arrested and sent to jail. ironically, that would be a worse thing for your sister to wake up to than no present at all.

after around half an hour of waiting on your own, the door creaks open and the manager of the store walks in with a policeman by his side. now probably isn't the best time to say anything, and you hate youself for thinking this in such a grim situation, but the officer is quite handsome. he's toned around the arms, complemented by his fitted blue shirt which is rolled up to his elbows. his face was well-proportioned too, with a sharp jaw and thick brows that were knitted together. he had a very serious energy to him as he paced up the table you were sat at with his arms folded, glaring down at you in an intimidating manner.

"i'd like a moment alone with the suspect." he states, piercing eyes not averting from you for even a moment as he spoke. the manager who entered the room with him nods and hurriedly exits, closing the door behind.

now, it was only the two of you. he stares at you in silence for a bit longer, before he heaves and pulls out the chair at the other end of the table, and takes a seat across from you. "i'm officer sawamura. do you mind telling me your name?"

you reply under your breath without meeting his gaze, your words scrambling together in a hushed blur.

"you're going to have to speak up, sweetheart."

"(y/n) (l/n)."

"right." he hums, clicking his tongue. you watch in fear as he pulls out a notepad from his front pocket and begins scribbling things down. he picked up on your worry, and reassures you, "don't mind me. it's just procedural stuff."

your lips are pressed together in a thin line, as you faintly nod.

"so, (y/n), why were you brought back here today?" he asks plainly.

your throat runs dry. none of this feels quite real to you , and you don't know what to say. the last thing you'd want is to unknowingly admit guilt to police officer and get sent to jail immediately. however, if you continue to lie you might end up snow-balling yourself into much more bother than you were in initially. your next words were so vital, it was difficult for you to comprehend the magnitude of impact they may have on the rest of your life. so, naturally, you were wordless.

detecting your hesitancy, daichi looks at you, with a much more friendly and compassionate demeanour, "look, i know you're scared but if you're honest with me, things will be so much easier. i'm not here to convict you or get you in trouble. i don't think a girl like you has any malice in her heart, so i'm going to try and get you out if this, but i can't do that if you don't talk to me."

a part of you suspected that he gave this spiel to every thief he investigated, yet it somehow still worked on you. why did you feel like you could trust him all of a sudden? his kind words helped you gulp down the ball of anxiety lodged in your throat and croak quietly, "i stole a lego set."

he nodded along as you spoke, encouraging you to continue, "okay," he commented, while writing in his notepad, "why?"

"i wanted to get my sister a gift for christmas."

"that's kind." he replies sincerely, "could you not afford to purcahse it?"

"no." your eyes were glued to the table, brimming with fiery tears, threatening to spill over your cheeks at any moment.

"hey, look at me." he outstretches forward and taps the table were your eyes are locked to, causing your gaze to follow his arm up and towards his face, "again, i'm not going to get you in trouble, so don't cry."

"i'm sorry.." you feebly sob, covering your quivering lips with your hands.

he frowns at how dismayed you are; anyone with half a heart could see how desperate you are, so he was tempted to let you off the hook there and then. but he knew he had to stay with you for a bit longer to make it seem like a thorough investigation, "i have kids so i understand the feeling of wanting to buy them the world and not being able to. but stealing is still a crime, and imagine how disappointed your sister would be to hear you've been arrested."

you sob loudly into your hands, and daichi's eyes widen. he quickly splutters out defensively, "not that i'm saying i'm going to arrest you! i'm not. but if you keep stealing, it could happen to you one day."

with your face buried into your palms, he lets you cry it out for a while. once your wails gradually begin to decrease in volume and your sobs falter, he gently asks, "so, are you going to keep stealing, sweetie?"

you blink your big, watery eyes as him, finally meeting his gaze to snivel out your answer as definitively as possible, "no, i won't ever again. i promise."

"well, that's all i wanted to hear." he coos, shooting you a soft look beofre flipping his notebook closed and slipping it back into his pocket, along with the pen, "no other crimes either?"

"nuh-uh." you shake your head, wiping your damp cheeks with your sleeve.

"good." he chuckles, hauling himself up from his chair and slowly walking over to yours to offer you a hand, "better be on your best behaviour. pretty girls like you don't fare well in jail."

carefully, you place your trembling hand in his big one, and he helps you to your feet then leads you to the door. "i will be." you agreed with the earlier part of his statement.

he pushes the door open to allow you back into the main area of the supermarket, but not even a few seconds pass before the manager and other staff members are rushing up to the pair of you, asking for intimate details of the conversation and the verdict.

to your shock, officer sawamura aggressively grabs your arms and yanks them both behind your back to restrain you, and you weakly yelp in response, unable to even attempt to resist. he tells the small crowd of people, "clear a path. make way. dangerous criminal coming through."

that seemed to suffice as an answer for everyone, including the manager, and they quickly move aside to allow officer sawamura to drag you out of the supermarket. you trudge along with your head hung in shame, heart pounding in your chest and unable to muster up the strength to cry anymore. you just let the tears pour from your eyes silently, feeling completely defeated and decieved. you shouldn't never trusted a cop.

he walked you quite a distance away from the supermarket, to the very back of the car park. he gave a quick glance around before letting go of your arms.

you turn around to face him in shock, and he simply tilts his head, "what? did you actually think i was going to arrest you over some lego?" he laughs to him heartily, while you just stare at him dumbfounded, "fill out all that paperwork on christmas eve? no thanks." he rolls his eyes at the thought, then gently nudges your arm, "you can get lost, kid."

you blink at him. everything was happening so fast that you were struggling to process if this was just another ploy. reluctantly, you took a step back from him. then another. followed by another. next thing you knew, you had pivoted on your heels and were dashing away from him at full speed.

though you can still hear his voice call out to you, "be good, (y/n), or don't!"

[swallowedabug]

Case is plain-spoken about the financial realities of being a working musician; she said she wrote the book mainly because she needed another source of income while the pandemic kept her from touring. Later in 2025, she will also release her first new album in seven years, which she described as an explicit rebuttal to what she sees as the digital era’s dehumanization of her industry. She intentionally employed more musicians than usual; some tracks feature an entire orchestra. “I wanted everything to be played by real people,” she said, “to show how we fill space differently.”

Case’s brief forays down the music industry’s more mainstream avenues made her feel that she didn’t quite belong. In the book, she tells her side of a long-rumored story about the Grand Ole Opry. While playing an outdoor festival on its plaza in July 2001, on the brink of heat stroke, she stripped down to her bra. “It wasn’t an act of punk-rock defiance,” she writes. “I just had an animal need to cool down in any way possible.” The Opry management cut the power and after her truncated set “delivered the classic line,” Case writes, “‘You’ll NEVER play in this town again!’” “I thought about what men had to do to get banned from the Opry,” she writes. Jerry Lee Lewis dropped an expletive on the air. Hank Williams got so wasted, he failed to show up. She eventually chalked the incident up to sexism, but she thinks the situation for female artists in country music is now “worse than it’s ever been.” “Women have actually been demoted,” she said at the diner, pointing to incidents like the so-called “Tomato-gate,” a 2015 controversy in which a radio programmer recommended limiting female artists’ airplay, likening them to “the tomatoes of our salad” in a trade publication. “It’s not true at all,” Case said unequivocally. “People don’t turn off their radios because women come on the radio.” But she has seen firsthand how difficult it is to challenge the full force of the industry. “The gatekeepers are so thick, and they’re everywhere,” she added. “I always feel like people just need to start a new country music.” Over the years she’s done just that, and beyond. Case’s songs have a spaciousness and a sense of possibility that far exceed the confines of genre. Her music is deeply in touch with the expansiveness of the natural world, and that gives her narration a kind of shape-shifting power: She has written songs from the perspective of killer whales and tornadoes, wronged, aching women and gruff, swaggering men.

But does she ever wonder what would have happened if she had been on that promised fast track to success? “I don’t think I would have gone very far,” she admitted, “because I just didn’t have the confidence or the skills yet. I wouldn’t have become really famous and gotten weird or anything. I think I just would have gotten kicked out early.” Instead, over the course of nearly three decades, she’s painstakingly built something more enduring and true to herself. “She’s a person who knows so deeply who she is, and makes no bones about it,” Khouri said. “She’s not a person who is looking at herself and wondering what the world is thinking of her. She’s standing her ground, looking out at the world and saying, ‘Shouldn’t we all be trying to do better?’

[the-garbanzo-annex-jr]

by Collin Anderson

Bharmal, himself a Harvard Law Review editor, attracted the attention of the Trump administration even before it launched the investigations into the prestigious law journal.

In its April 11 letter to Harvard outlining the policy demands necessary to "maintain Harvard's financial relationship with the federal government," the Trump administration called on the Ivy League institution to permanently expel "the students involved in the October 18 assault of an Israeli Harvard Business School student," a reference to Bharmal and his fellow defendant, divinity school graduate student Elom Tettey-Tamaklo.

On that day, in 2023, Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo were shown shoving and accosting their Israeli classmate in a video first reported by the Free Beacon. Keffiyeh-clad individuals, who assembled outside of the business school as part of a "die-in" protest condemning Israel's days-old retaliatory war on Hamas, surrounded the Israeli student, as he attempted to walk through the crowd. They repeatedly shouted "SHAME!"

Bharmal and Tettey-Tamaklo were charged with misdemeanor assault months later, in May 2024, one year before their expected graduation dates. As their assault case progressed, both students remained in good standing with Harvard, which did not say whether it would award them degrees if they were convicted or if their proceedings remained active.

Both Harvard Law School and the Harvard Law Review, meanwhile, stood by Bharmal throughout his court appearances.

Last month, on April 10, Harvard Law School published a blog post in which Bharmal fondly reminisced on his time at the "Crimmigration Clinic," a law school course in which students work on federal immigration cases. Two weeks later, the Harvard Law Review published an anonymous "blog essay" titled, "The Immigrant Rights Resistance Lives." Bharmal is the author, internal messages obtained by the Free Beacon show.

Bharmal appeared in a Boston court on Monday, five days after publishing that "blog essay." There, a Suffolk County judge ordered him and Tettey-Tamaklo to perform 80 hours of community service and take an in-person anger management class as part of a pretrial diversion program that will bring an end to the case.

[alpaca-clouds]

Dungeons & Dragons - Or: Why Capitalism Sucks at Making Money

If this past year managed anything, it managed to get me really into DnD. Before I did not play DnD much, rather going with Shadowrun or (heavily homebrewed) World of Darkness. But with first Honor Among Thieves releasing - and then Baldur's Gate 3 giving me brainworms tadpoles... Yeah, hurray. New hyperfixation unlocked.

But as I started to read through all the lore, but also meta stuff happening around it. And yes, I quickly understood why basically everyone was frustrated with Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast. But I also think, that this betrays one of the big issues with capitalist logic and how it often fails to reach an audience - for the reason I outlined before: capitalists are actually super bad at realizing what works and why, because they only judge based on spread sheets.

And yes, the headline is hyperbolic. But let me explain.

A Community-Based Game

I mean, the biggest scandal of DnD this year was probably the entire thing about the community license. And this is very much something that shows quite well, how bad WotC is at recognizing why DnD works and has worked so long.

DnD centrally has been build around this idea of community. Now, mind you: This community was very, very focused on cis white guys for the longest time, but everybody else just managed to get in there and make their own little bit of community. Which also lead to a lot of homebrew stuff, that at times tackled some issues that the rules themselves did not address at all or not well. The combat wheelchair is probably the best known example of this.

But even outside of marginalized communities... DnD always thrived through the community aspect itself. People self-publishing magazines and adventures for it since the fucking 70s. As well as play sets, dice and what-have-you. DnD was always very much about all this and thrived through it. And now in came WotC saying: "Oh, yeah, actually you will now have to give us a big cut. (The big irony was, how Unity made the same move later on.) The fandom outcry was obviously big, there was a boycot, it worked. And WotC went all:

Of course they basically won the world competition in backpaddling (though again, Unity was a big contender this year as well) and quickly went back on this. But of course there is a problem: When your entire product is so much build around community and your community starts mistrusting you, you got a problem.

And this is basically what happened.

The Audience Problem

There is another problem of course. Financially the DnD movie failed - and I actually think this says a lot about how WotC kinda misunderstands the audience.

Now, there will be people trying to tell you, that given that the movie had great reviews and stuff. But the movie had a production budget of 150 million USD and only earned a bit more than 200 million on worldwide box office. Given that the marketing budget was likely around 30 million, the movie barely broke even.

Of course, part of the reason for it was that it just had a bad release date. It released parallel to the Super Mario movie, which ended up being one of the most successful movies of this year.

A friend of mine could not believe that the movie had financially flopped. They were like: "What the hell? Literally everyone I know who watched the movie went to cinema like three times to see it again." But... Yeah, that is true. But the issue is that these people are a very certain group.

Because lets make one thing clear: The people, who adored the movie so much, that they went to the cinema several times and bought the DVD/BluRay on release... were mostly queer nerds. Because this is the group of people who this movie spoke to.

And let's make this clear: I love the movie for this. I love that it so clearly went for this audience. Because I am part of this audience - and I adore this film.

But basically the movie has a general issue in terms of audience. Because on one hand the movie is too nerdy to have a wider audience appeal of people who had never played DnD, while on the other hand the movie was kinda not nerdy enough to go full force for the nerd audience.

A lot of people in the fandom have instantly sussed out one thing about the movie: "Why doesn't Edgin cast any spells? And why do we see so little of the weirder species?" And part of the reason undoubtedly was budget related. But the other reason is that... well, it is currently a well accepted wisdom in media production that you cannot sell a high-magic story. At least not outside of animated media.

Hence... There is surprisingly little magic being cast in this. And we also do have a mostly human main cast - or why Doric is the most classically pretty tiefling you have seen with her human skin tone and all of that. Because media productions do not trust the audience to accept high magic concepts.

Who is DnD actually for?

Okay, let me talk a bit about DnD 5e - and a good decision, and a bad decision. And how that affected DnD.

Everyone, who is somewhat into DnD probably knows that 5e massively changed the game. With one simple goal: Make it more accessible. Which manifested in several ways.

For one, the game was in some ways made less offensive. Because prior to 5e there was a ton of racism, sexism, queerphobia and ableism inherent to the game rules and times to the game lore. This is just a fact. Things like species that are inherently evil and stuff like that - and also some of the real-life racial coding inherent to some of the species. Removing all that stuff is a good thing. Like amazingly good.

And also, they made the rules a lot more accessible. Before the rules were bogged down with a lot of stuff, that was simplified or removed. Again, this is a good thing.

And this worked. It worked really well. Of course, this was also partly due to stuff like Critical Role and other actual plays like that happening and promoting the game. The player base probably increased ten-fold from what it was before.

Yes, it should also be noted that there is probably a good topic for a study on how formerly nerd-thingies became more and more mainstream during the last 10 years or so, but yes, DnD was one of those things.

But in this there was also a rather bad decision made, which ironically also mirrors what happened with Marvel. And this decision is: Because we want to reach a wider audience, every single thing we release for this has to reach the widest audience possible - rather than allowing that certain things might have a more specific audience.

I am sorry to talk about the MCU here, but it is just such a perfect example of this: The MCU basically made two mistakes. Overwhelming their audience with too many releases. But also not allowing the movies to be for a certain audience, but for the broadest audience possible. A good example is how they dealt with the minority-lead movies. They got directors and at times even writers from that minority - but then basically did not allow them to be too specific and be too critical of, for example, a racist system because that might not go over too well with white mainstream audiences.

Now, WotC did not really do anything like that. But they also went with this idea that everything they officially released should have the broadest possible appeal. Hence the weirdly low-magic approach to the movie, of which I assume that it definitely was an executive decision made.

The fact that the movie resonated so much with the queers more than anyone else was also not intended - at least not from the production company. Like, let's be honest. No, Xenk and Ed were not supposed to be read as romantic. And how appealing the found family trope was, probably was not intented at least on the side of Hasbro (not sure about screenwriters and director).

The Lore Problem

This perfectly connects to one of the big issues that all the franchises going for a broad appeal after being very nerd-focused for so long, run into: The Lore Problem. And this is quite ironic, because I ran into the problem earlier this year as well.

See, as I was writing fanfics for DnD:HAT I quickly ran into the problem that I knew next to nothing about the world of Faerûn. Sure, once upon a time (like between 2007 and 2011, while I was living in Austria with my then-boyfriend, who really was into those games) I played the old games of Neverwinter Nights and Baldur's Gate 1 + 2. But let's be frank: I barely remember shit from those games. And getting to understand what actually happened in the lore between and after... Well, there is just a ton of lore. I mean, people are playing around with this world for literal decades. So, yeah. This can very much be overwhelming for someone getting into it anew. Like, where can someone new even start?

The fact that - at least partly for legal reasons - most of the Actual Plays also do not work with the official lore, rather just using the rules to create their own worlds, obviously adds to this. Even the tables I played on so far always preferred original worlds, because the lore of DnD is just very intimidating.

The one thing that actuall ended up getting me into the lore was BG3, because it left open just the right questions to go into the Forgotten Realms wiki and just look for stuff, before also starting to listen to lore podcasts.

But here is the thing: WotC is also not helping with this issue. Like, they absolutel could create a proper accessible compendium on DnDBeyond that would just allow people to get an overview of the world and the timeline of things happening, maybe go into some of the major factions of the world and such. I mean, heck, they really, really want you to use DnD-Beyond rather than roll20. Yet, in DnD-Beyond I do not even have a monster compendium without paying, which roll20 offers.

Like, sure, WotC, it is okay to lock up the adventure modules behind a paywall, no problem. But if you do give me even the most basic tools to run a campaign, I am gonna use roll20, thank you very much.

But yeah, what WotC should make just more accessible was just: Timeline, important places and the maps (heck, make them interactive, you have the fucking money), maybe also a proper list of the pantheons and factions within the world. Heck, add maybe some inspiration there for what players might want to do within one of the scenarios and then, under this, go and link "hey, we made this one adventure about this, if you are interested!"

Something I did not realize originally was how much freedom the lore still leaves the people. Like, often even the important settings and events are just set-ups for adventures that the characters can have in there. There might be a few novels or comics then, that go into an example of a thing certain established characters like Drizzt or Elminster did during the time, but there is a ton of freedom to explore.

But by basically locking everything up behind a paywall, you will never get people even interested in this kinda stuff.

Because here is the thing: I like my lore. I love lore. I adore lore. But... Without BG3 explaining some stuff and giving me specific questions to ask about it, the lore would have been very inaccessible to me.

Just think of people as... people

Of course among it all there lies the central problem that comes with capitalism running something like this. See, whatever CEOs and shareholders are sitting on those chairs with WotC and Hasbro, they do not see the players as players or the community as a community, but as consumers. Just as they see their employees not as valued constributors, but very exchangable wage slaves.

They do not see the value of the community exchange with stuff like fanmade modules and things. While incorporating a bit of homebrew stuff in DnD Beyond, they are absolutely not interested in the wider market of people just creatively interacting with DnD and making a little bit of money from it. If anything they see those people as potential rivals on the market.

Heck, they have issues seeing things like Critical Role or Roll20 as the enrichment for the franchise that either are - but more like potential rivaling forces and money they have lost.

And their employees? Yeah, as we learned... Most people who from the side of WotC helped the Larian team with BG3 have been let go by now. Because WotC and Hasbro do not care for their employees, they only care about having some numbers going up.

I fully admit it. Apart from Buying BG3 and the money I have invested in anything DnD:HAT related, the only money that WotC got from me, was some of the novels I bought on Audible.

But here is the thing: WotC is doing a shite job at wanting me to invest into any of their stuff. Partly because those modules I would like to have are not available anywhere anyway - and partly because... As I said, give me a reason to get something, rather than just expecting me to randomly get something.

And mind you, this is no slight against any of the people just working for WotC. This is mostly about shareholder and executive decisions made. Stuff that basically just sees either their employers or the players just as a ressource to exploit, rather than... people.

[rom-e-o]

I'll have to use this for Bess, because her shoulder and bicep widths are closer to her man's than any of the other couples for this be reasonably feasible:

Wolf waking up early but still late for a very important work day (surprisingly NOT because of shenanigans, he's been getting over a bad cold and NyQuil is amazing but potent stuff). Still half-asleep and dazy from lingering NyQuil effects and energy reserves that haven't yet been restored, he rushes to get ready as Bess makes him coffee and a quick mug of creamy, cinnamon oatmeal with raisins.

Dressed, he dashes down the stairs and hastens to get his outerwear on. It's still dim in the flat, only the little light above the stove on as Bess makes his breakfast. Gloves on. Scarf wrapped. Coat on: Hmm, a tad snug. His working out at the gym--all that swimming--must be paying off. He'll have to make an appointment with his tailor soon. Hat on. He's ready, and here comes Bess with his breakfast. He grabs his thermos and mug, smooches her, apologizes for the rush, telling her to go back to bed, and promising her a nice lunch, and he's out the door. Down the elevator, slurping his coffee to try and wake up, to the parking garage, into his Benz, and off to work.

He parks and rushes to the office, passing by familiar faces on the way and bidding them a brisk but not unfriendly "good morning". He doesn't notice the strange looks they give him. He reaches the elevator and gulps down the last of his oatmeal on the way up. The ding signifying the floor of S&C Financials--he made it! Just in time too, as the men they're scheduled to be meeting with this morning step off the elevator next to his.

"Ah, gentlemen, good morning! Mr. Takayama, I presume? Wonderful to finally meet you! Ebenezar Scrooge at your service. For ease of clarity, you may call me simply call "Scrooge" for this meeting, or "Ben" if you feel comfortable with it. My brother is Mr. Scrooge."

The men all just stare at him in silent... bafflement? Except Mr. Takayama; he looks rather amused. He bows his head and says with almost a chuckle "Thank you."

A little anxious of the palpable awkwardness, Ebenezar clears his throat, and motions to the door of the establishment. "Ah, allow me to use you in." He notices the empty oatmeal mug still in his hand and feels heat in his face. He manages a laugh. "Ah-ha, pardon me, gentlemen. I was in a rush this morning, and my wife refuses to let me go to work on an empty stomach."

"Your wife is a good, smart woman," Mr. Takayama remarks.

That clears up some of Ebenezar's embarrassment and makes him smile. "She is."

He ushers them inside. "Constance, Mr. Takayama is here."

Instead of her usual, chipper greeting, Constance sits frozen in her chair, staring at him with an expression between hilarity and horror, her ruby lips stretched into a thin line. Ebenezar doesn't have time to inquire about her before the doors of his brother's and Bob's offices fly open and the men rush out. His brother seizes him by the arm, Bob goes to the visiting businessman and his partners.

"Ah, gentlemen, very nice to meet you!" Ebenezer chirps, the jovial quality of his tone not reflected in the grip on his twin's arm. You're a bit early for our meeting and I need to speak with my brother before we get started, why don't you have a cup of something while you wait and go over the outline of the meeting with Mr. Cratchit and Mrs. Dogoode-Scrooge. My brother and I won't be long.". Before anyone can respond to him, he's yanking Wolf into his office and nearly slamming the door before wrenching down the blinds.

A harsh half-whisper: "WHAT. ARE YOU. DOING???"

"What?"

"Has the electricity stopped working in your flat and it's pitch black as a cave in there "

"Of course not!"

"Did your cold perhaps affect your eyes so that you're now going blind?"

"What?! No!"

"So you have electricity and your eyesight is still working, good--that's established. Then tell me: Did you look at yourself before you left the flat this morning?!"

"Well, considering I had to shave and tie my blasted tie, I should think I bloody well did!"

"Did you look after all that? Before you walked out the blooming door?!"

"What are you on about?!"

"LOOK AT YOUR COAT, CHARLIE!"

Annoyed and confused, he finally looks down. He's not wearing his black woolen overcoat. He's wearing Bess' luxurious black-plum, fur-lined, suede trench--an obvious woman's coat.

Well that certainly explains the funny looks and Mr. Takayama's amusement. And why it felt/feels so snug on his shoulders and biceps.

Oh, Wolfy. Wolfy, Wolfy, Wolfy ... you smitten man. So smitten that it's dang endearing.

Mr. Takayama is no doubt endeared by this slightly flustered gentleman going on and on about his doting wife making him breakfast, all while clearly donning her coat in error. Now, this man is most definitely more inspiring to work with than some fuddy-duddy, overworked clerk who prefers spreadsheets over bedsheets.

I can imagine the aftermath...

<><><>

After Ebenezar "Wolf" Scrooge had been relieved of his furry faux pas, Constance was careful to respectfully drape the coat over her arm while holding the door to the conference room. As each man entered, she bid them a polite nod of the head.

Ebenezer Scrooge (or her "Adonis", as she loved to call him) was the last to enter. As he passed her, he gave an exasperated eyeroll at the whole situation before slipping in. She pursed her lips into a small smile and pushed the frosted glass meeting door shut behind the group of gentlemen.

As the lock clicked shut, the redhead strutted back to her desk with a slip in her heeled step. After a quick peek into the waiting room of S&C Financials to make sure no rogue agents had snuck in, she pulled out her phone and tapped a number into the glass, her manicured nails making a satisfying click with each tap.

My the time she's lofted the glass brick to her ear, her soul-sister had picked up.

"Oh, Con! Hey." The woman on the other line sounded distracted, and she heard the sound of footsteps an rustling fabric between words. "What's up? Did Wolf make it to work okay? I know he got a late start--"

"Don't worry, he's here," Constance replied. "He just stepped into the meeting, actually."

"Oh, good! I was worried he'd be late. He's been recovering from a stubborn bug for days. I would have hated for the recovery to be soured. He does so hate missing meetings."

"Oh, I'm aware. His brother shares that pet peeve."

"...So he was late?"

"A pinch, but nothing terrible," she said. "Mr. Takayama didn't mind. In fact, he looked very pleased. Wolf even talked about how you have gone out of your way to make sure he was fed and warm before leaving this morning."

Even through she couldn't see her soul-sister directly, she could envision her twirling one of her inky black curls in delight. And probably biting one of her rose red lips, as well. "He said all that?"

"That, and more. Why, Mr. Takayama was beaming the whole time. You charmed him without even being in the room. Bob and my Adonis? Well ..."

"Ah. Were they angry?"

"Well, you know Bob," Connie started, "And my Adonis dramatically rolled his eyes, but he does that at everything."

"Pffft. So he'll forget all about the little mishap by the time he sees you in a pencil skirt?"

"Well, today is your lucky day," she said, glancing down at the well-fitted skirt that tapered at just the perfect point on her legs, "And his."

Although Elizabeth "Bess" Sullivan sounded less dazed, the rustling sound persisted in the background. It sounded as if she was riffling through something. Perhaps something like a closet.

"So, if Wolf is there and all is well, why did you call?" Bess asked, her tone curious but not rude. "Not that I mind, but..."

"Oh, never mind that," Connie said, her grin broadening, "...Are you up to something? I hear noises. Scuffling."

"Hm? Oh, it's nothing. I was just about to head out for some errands before my shift, and ... I think something is missing. It's the darndest thing, Con."

"What is?"

"Well, you know that plum coat that I just thrifted?"

"With the fur collar?"

"Yes!"

"Oh, I'm very aware. It looking stunning on you."

"Well, that's no good, because I can't find it," she said with a sigh. "I know I didn't send it to the dry cleaners already, but I checked our bedroom closet and the one in the hall! Nada. Nothing. Isn't that weird?"

"Mmm. Very weird."

"You didn't borrow it, did you?" Bess asked, then corrected herself. "No. I know you always ask first, but I can't think of anywhere else it might be! Do you think Gal or Addie might have come in to borrow it?"

"Not them, I'd say."

"Well, it didn't just grow legs and walk out!"

"Well, not on it's own, it didn't."

A pregnant pause stretched over the line. Right as Bess started to voice her curious inquiry, the distinct sound of a hanger's rattle sounded over the other end. It was followed by a whoosh of heavy fabric. Something akin to wool, if she had to guess.

After a few seconds, Bess finally spoke again. "...Huh."

"Huh, what?"

"Well ... um, I was just rustling through the closet again, and I turned the light on this time," she said, "And, um ... Wolf's coat is still here."

Connie slowly leaned against the desk, careful to not let a single trace of her mirth slip through. "Really?"

"Yes. The one he usually wears. But ... he was wearing a coat when he left this morning, Con. I saw him bundling up right before he headed out the door!"

"...Where the lights off then, too?"

"Well, yes. It was early, and--"

The gasp of realization Bess let out could have sent all the pigeons in Hyde Park scattering.

"...H-He wore ..."

Connie nodded, and although she didn't say a word, Bess felt the gesture all the same.

"So," Connie said, grinning cheekily, "Two pieces of good news. Firstly, your lovely new coat is not missing."

She heard her soul-sister snicker, then chortle. The sound of her full laughter nearly drowned out the sound of her sinking into her beau's favorite armchair. The piece had a telling squeak to it when anyone sank into its embrace for comfort. "And the second?"

"Well, although Wolf is a very handsome man, it still looks much better on you."

[abboudlawfirm-omaha]

Can I File a Personal Injury Claim for Injuries at a Music Festival?

Attending a music festival is an exciting experience, filled with live performances, a lively atmosphere, and the chance to create unforgettable memories. However, accidents can sometimes interrupt the fun, leaving you with injuries and questions about your rights. If you’ve been hurt at a music festival, you might wonder whether you can file a personal injury claim. This article explores the key aspects of personal injury claims related to music festival injuries and what steps you can take to protect your rights.

Understanding Liability at Music Festivals

Music festivals can present various hazards, from overcrowding and unsafe equipment to negligence by staff or other attendees. To determine whether you have a valid personal injury claim, it's essential to understand liability and who may be responsible for your injuries.

Event Organizers: Responsible for planning and managing the festival, organizers are expected to implement safety measures like crowd control, proper signage, and emergency protocols.

Venue Owners: The property owner or operator must maintain a safe environment for attendees, addressing hazards such as uneven walkways or structural issues.

Security Personnel: Security teams are responsible for monitoring the event and responding promptly to incidents that could compromise safety.

Vendors: Food, drink, and merchandise vendors must ensure that their operations do not pose risks, such as unsafe food handling or poorly set up equipment.

In some cases, the concept of comparative negligence might apply. For example, if your actions contributed to the incident, your compensation may be reduced. However, this doesn’t necessarily disqualify you from pursuing a claim. Consulting with a personal injury attorney can clarify your options.

Assessing the Viability of Your Claim

Not every injury sustained at a music festival qualifies for compensation. Several factors affect the viability of your claim:

Circumstances of the Incident: Was the injury caused by negligence, such as poorly maintained facilities or insufficient crowd control?

Severity of Injuries: More serious injuries are more likely to result in significant claims.

Establishing Negligence: You must demonstrate that the responsible party failed to meet a duty of care, directly leading to your injury.

A personal injury attorney can help evaluate these factors and guide you on the best course of action.

Calculating Damages

When pursuing a personal injury claim, it’s essential to quantify your damages accurately. Damages may include:

Medical Expenses: Costs for emergency care, follow-up treatment, and rehabilitation.

Lost Wages: Compensation for income lost due to missed work during recovery.

Pain and Suffering: Financial compensation for physical pain and emotional distress.

Mental Anguish: Injuries can have a lasting psychological impact, which may also be compensated.

Steps in Filing a Personal Injury Claim

The claims process for festival-related injuries can be complex due to the involvement of multiple parties. Below is a general outline of the process:

Consult an Attorney: A legal professional can evaluate your case and advise you on the next steps.

Gather Evidence: Collect photographs, witness statements, medical records, and any other documentation that supports your claim.

Send a Demand Letter: A formal request for compensation is sent to the responsible party or their insurance company.

Negotiate a Settlement: Many claims are resolved through negotiation before reaching court.

File a Lawsuit: If negotiations fail, filing a lawsuit may be necessary to seek fair compensation.

The Importance of Acting Quickly

Every state has a statute of limitations, which sets a deadline for filing a personal injury claim. Missing this deadline could result in losing your right to compensation. Acting promptly after your injury ensures that evidence is preserved, witnesses are available, and deadlines are met.

If you’ve been injured at a music festival, it’s essential to take the following steps:

Seek medical attention immediately to address your injuries and document them.

Report the incident to festival staff, security, or the venue management.

Gather evidence, including photos, videos, and contact information for witnesses.

Consult a personal injury attorney to evaluate your case and discuss your options.

Navigating a personal injury claim can feel overwhelming, but understanding your rights and the process can make all the difference. By taking the right steps, you can focus on your recovery while pursuing the compensation you deserve.

[beardedmrbean]

Wall Street veteran Jamie Dimon has made his opinion clear: Grads accepting an analyst role at JPMorgan but intending to leave for private equity within a few years is “unethical.”

And a few months later, JPMorgan has told incoming graduate employees if they accept future-dated roles they will be fired.

An email sent by Filippo Gori and John Simmons, co-heads of global banking at America’s largest bank, welcomed new grads starting this summer with a stern warning: “If you accept a position with another company before joining us or within your first 18 months, you will be provided notice and your employment with the firm will end.”

The reasoning was clear, to get on at the financial giant “your full attention and participation are essential.”

Continuing its no-nonsense outline to junior talent, the memo adds that training sessions, meetings and obligations are mandatory—if they are missed then, again, the individual may be let go.

The email telling recent graduates they would be let go if they secured a further job was only sent to new employees in the U.S., Fortune understands, largely because the issue of talent accepting future roles is more of a problem stateside than in other geographies.

While the memo didn’t explicitly state where these future-dated positions may be offered, the boss of the bank with a market cap of some $730 billion has made his thoughts on such a phenomenon clear.

“I know a lot of you work at JPMorgan, you take a job at a private equity shop before you even start with us,” Dimon told a crowd of undergraduate business school students in September 2024. “I’m going to say something a little different, okay, because I didn’t talk about character. The most important thing about people’s character, I think that’s unethical. I don’t like it.”

Of course, the statement and subsequent action risk ruffling feathers with PE, which accounts for a significant chunk of JPMorgan’s business.

But Dimon maintained that the practice of junior analysts gaining a basis of experience with JPMorgan before jumping ship exposed the bank because the staffers may have confidential information or insight.

“It puts us in a bad position, and it puts us in a conflicted position,” Dimon added. “You are already working for somewhere else, and you’re dealing with highly confidential information from JPMorgan, and I just don’t like it.”

JPMorgan declined to comment further on this week’s update.

Retaining talent

Prior to this week’s update, the bank already held a robust position on talent moving elsewhere.

It told previous incoming cohorts they “had an obligation to disclose” accepted roles in the future with their managers.

The lure for graduates of not only having one role secured, but a next step after that, may be too much to turn down in the current jobs market.

Moreover, banks are bringing forward their hunt for talent to the extent that some are even recruiting before students have declared their major.

But speaking last year, Dimon countered: “You’re going to be facing ethical decisions like that. Think for yourself.

“How would you feel if you’re on the other side of that thing? Or do you want to be treated that way? Is it fair?”

But amid a war for the brightest brains in the future of finance, JPMorgan is making steps to make it more attractive for upcoming talent to stay with the bank.

For example, analysts will now have the opportunity to be promoted to associate within two and a half years of joining the training program, as opposed to the previous timeframe of three years.

How long these roles will be coveted is up for question, though, after researchers at Stanford University and Boston College designed an AI bot that could significantly boost most fund managers’ returns by de-risking their portfolios, outperforming many human stock pickers.

“I don’t think sitting around, crunching Excel spreadsheets is a job that will exist in a material sense in five years,” Ed deHaan, a professor of accounting at Stanford Graduate School of Business, told Fortune.

[edwardseymour]

Did she make an effort to successfully complete some of the traditional queen's tasks while Henry rudely interfered with Jane's queen's work?

✨ terfs/zionists fuck off ✨

so, for some context, i talked about queenship here.

assuming you mean jane seymour. if so, i think she carried out the roles of a queen to some level of success, but evidence for and dedicated research on jane is scarce. i am waiting on elizabeth norton’s new academic biography on jane to get a better sense of her queenship.

firstly, and most obviously, she achieved one thing henry’s other wives all failed to do: she gave birth to a healthy male heir. beyond that, there is a crumb trail leading us to the tentative conclusion that jane sought to fulfil her obligations as queen. additionally, i also think that impediments to her queenship were not exclusively henry’s fault — we should recognise other factors such as the outbreak of plague, for example.

if we consider retha warnicke’s summary of queenship, we can start to draw up an outline for jane’s obligations:

“queens consort in late medieval and early modern england performed significant and essential court roles. their subjects viewed them as exemplars of womanhood, providing models for their female subjects to follow […] giving birth to royal heirs remained, of course, their most important familial duty […] the consorts’ other important roles included appointing numerous officials to handle household and financial administration; collecting honorable female attendants; supervising various family matters; relying on churchmen and almoners for spiritual support; patronizing individuals; both lay and religious; participating in various royal rituals; and attending to other public duties, such as acting as intercessors or regents.”

so. we do know, for example, that she managed her household — including supervising conduct of her ladies, and stipulations around fashion. this might get used against her, as a sign of her being ‘strict’, but the reality is that this was a fundamental part of her role as queen — as a visual representation of royal magnificence and as a means of promoting herself as an exemplary figure of womanhood: “jane seymour, would, by her rigid enforcement of discipline and decorum, maintain an outwardly virtuous and incontestably high moral standard" in her household (taffe). we certainly see this deliberate self-fashioning as queen in the scale of her wardrobe, and this extended to her household as part of her responsibility to protect and promote their honour. i talked about this here.

similarly we can see that she commissioned pieces. through this, we can see jane’s efforts to consolidate an image of queenship as one half of a dual role alongside the king. consider joanna laynesmith: “queens had the potential to make their husband's kingship more whole”. jane, as queen, had the power to to legitimate henry, as king, by “confirming and representing the legitimacy of her husband’s kingship”. as such, jane seems to have visually built on that iconography — her inventory contained one “greate pomander of golde with h and i and a crone”, and the pair owned matching clothes decorated with each others’ initials. jane went further, commissioning plate bearing the king's arms ("made by commaundement of late quene jane"), where “the emphasis in the design was her husband's glory, rather than her own. a queen's status made her inseparable from the crown” (tallis). likewise, a cup exists (decorated with “this worde bounde to obeye and serve and h and j knytt togethers and in the topp of the cover the kinges armes and quene janes armes”) which may have been commissioned by jane: “though the cup was a celebration of the king's union with jane, it is unclear whether it was commissioned on her orders or her husband's” (tallis).

we also know that she sought to involve herself in the royal family; she was actively involved in mary’s affairs, advocating for her as well as being complicit in the performance and symbolic restoration of mary at court: “as a token of acknowledgement of her obedience, henry gave mary a ring bearing his and jane's image, a verse on obedience, and 1000 crowns. jane gave her a diamond ring [….] mary's supplicant language was the standard ritual language acknowledging her lower status” (mcmahon). likewise, she provided for elizabeth by buying her clothes. such actions emphasised her as maternal, and as the primary wife/mother of the realm, as well as compounding her role as intercessor, as a figurehead of royal mercy.

it appears she did try to act in this capacity as queen. in october 1536, a christopher ascue was apparently in discussions with jane’s chancellor and secretary about the nunnery of clementhorpe in yorkshire, and “it appears that jane was to receive a payment of 300 marks in relation to the house. […] jane’s officers also promised ‘to move the queen’. whilst it is unclear just what the business transacted in the queen’s chamber was, it appears to have been in favour of a threatened religious house” (norton). more concretely, she petitioned henry on the behalf of catesby nunnery, whose prioress wrote to cromwell: “the queen’s grace hath moved the king’s majesty for me, and hath offered his highness two thousand marks in recompence of that house of catesby”. similarly, she “often” attempted to vouch for the rebels during the pilgrimage of grace. even if she ultimately failed, she was evidently recognised to be acting in her capacity as intercessor.

additionally, jane seems to have been made some effort toward her role as queen in terms of patronage and spectacle. brett dolman has identified a pattern of associating jane with mary magdalene, including within pageantry. if we consider provincial records of touring activity by royal entertainers, jane patronised three. perhaps these were efforts taken to promote her legitimacy as queen to the public: “to date there only are three records of her troupe's performances - one at court in 1536, and two in shrewsbury, shropshire in 1536 and 1537” (forse).

as for her land management, apparently she was highly regarded as a land magnate: “according to john smythe (her surveyor), all her tenants in hampshire, dorset, somerset and wiltshire were ‘as glad of her grace’ as heart could wish, and deeply mourned her passing”. according to norton: “as queen, she’s one of the biggest landowners in the country and she’s an absolute rottweiler when it comes to tracking down tenants who aren’t paying the rent”. with that in mind, her granting several manorial offices in her lands to her brother accords with a feudal idea of loyalty, homage and power. i can’t really say more on this until norton’s book is out, however!

where we run into problems is in her involvement with ceremony and diplomacy. she simply did not have enough time in the role to really get to do much in that capacity — she’s barely mentioned by ambassadors, she did not have the ceremonial opportunities to be seen such as a coronation, wedding etc. and she did not get the chance to act as regent, etc.

[anonymoushouseplantfan]

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NONFICTION

Another Battle Royale in the Windsor War

In “Endgame,” Harry and Meghan’s sympathetic biographer, Omid Scobie, takes on the in-laws — and takes no prisoners.

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The Windsors gather on a red, draped balcony, looking upward. From left: Prince Charles in military regalia, Prince Andrew, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall in a white dress and hat, Queen Elizabeth II in a blue dress and hat, Meghan the Duchess of Sussex in a black dress and fascinator, Prince Harry in military uniform, Prince William in military uniform and Catherine, the Duchess of Cambridge, in a pale-blue dress and pillbox hat.

In Queen Elizabeth II’s lifetime, writes Omid Scobie, the public tolerated a hereditary monarchy. But without her steadying presence, is the Firm in free fall? Credit...Matt Dunham/Associated Press

By Eva Wolchover

Eva Wolchover is a writer and co-host of the podcast “Windsors & Losers.”

Nov. 26, 2023, 5:00 a.m. ET

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ENDGAME: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival, by Omid Scobie

Early on in “Endgame,” the journalist and royal commentator Omid Scobie makes an enticing promise.

“In the past I, like others, have held back on revealing some of the darker truths at the heart of the institution of the British monarchy,” he writes. “Part of this book will burn my bridges for good. But to tell the full story, there’s no holding back. Not anymore. We’re in the endgame.”

However, readers hoping for a final death blow of gossip will be disappointed. We’ve heard much of it before. From Fergie, from Diana, from Charles, from Harry, from Harry, from Harry again.

Image

The cover of “Endgame” has a band of three photos running across the bottom: one of the Prince and Princess of Wales; one of King Charles and Queen Camilla; and one of the Duke and Duchess of Sussex.

The London-based Scobie’s 2020 book, “Finding Freedom: Harry and Meghan and the Making of a Modern Royal Family” (written with Carolyn Durand), gave a sympathetic account of the couple’s exodus from Windsor, earning him the title of Sussex “mouthpiece.” It’s a term he vociferously rejects (although it was later confirmed that Meghan had given an aide permission to brief Scobie and Durand for their book).

Here Scobie picks up with the death of Queen Elizabeth II, questioning whether her hapless eldest son and his heirs have what it takes to run the family business. His book presents a critical view of palace machinations and the central players involved, and reflects on whether the monarchy should consider “standing back and watching the curtain slowly close” on a thousand years of British history.

The British Royal Family

The ‘King’s Speech’: King Charles III opened a session of Parliament for the first time as monarch, outlining the British government’s legislative priorities — including some policies likely to be at odds with his personal views.

Britain’s Most Famous Landlord: Rents in the United Kingdom are rising at a record pace, a trend that helped King Charles III, the owner of a vast property empire, make a big payday.

Swelling Expenses: A report on the royal family’s finances shows that the king had to dip into reserves to pay for official expenses amid rising costs and expensive events like the queen’s funeral.

“Tone-deaf, racist and financially reckless” are three charges hurled at the monarchy, “but when Queen Elizabeth II was at the helm she managed to keep much of it at bay,” he writes.

Over the course of her umpteen-year reign the queen earned a certain amount of good will for herself and “the Institution,” largely because her silence and inscrutability read as comparatively dignified.

With the dawn of the “Carolean Era” upon us (which, in the case of King Charles, may also well be its twilight), Scobie warns the Windsors must get a grip or face extinction in a Britain that’s at best apathetic and at worst offended by the notion of inherited power. Scobie cites falling approval ratings (down to 47 percent after the publication of Prince Harry’s “Spare”) and a smattering of protesters waving “Not My King” signs at Charles’s public engagements.

Sure, but cast our minds back to the time Charles was secretly recorded talking about becoming Camilla’s tampon (which Scobie somehow manages to resist bringing up for the first five pages of the book), or the aftermath of Diana’s death, and it’s hard not to find Scobie’s dire predictions a tad hyperbolic. These days, warts-and-all tell-alls seem to be as integral to the Windsor brand as weddings, jubilees and blockbuster funerals.

And Scobie’s take is not all that different from what Harry presented in “Spare,” or what Charles gave us 30-odd years ago in his own authorized, and interminable, tale of woe, “The Prince of Wales: A Biography.”

The new king comes in for a walloping here. As Scobie tells it, Charles is “often envious” of his sons’ popularity, and lets his own petty jealousies get in the way of harnessing star power when it presents itself: “His ineptitude surrounding the Harry and Meghan saga has effectively turned the couple into the disrupters they were feared to become in the first place.”

Then there’s the issue of race and “unconscious bias,” to use a careful phraseology borrowed from Harry. Here, Scobie sees an obvious opportunity for growth and cultural leadership. And yet, the royal family’s approach? “Myopic at best, willfully ignoring the issue at worst.”

Anyone with even a passing interest in the Windsor palaver will be familiar with Scobie’s descriptions of the Firm’s mutually parasitic dealings with the press. It’s a system in which courtiers big up their royal bosses by briefing, leaking and anonymously sourcing against one another in the pursuit of public favor. Father against son, brother against brother, duchess against duchess.

The book picks up pace when Scobie engages in the kind of tabloid fodder he makes us feel guilty for wanting, such as Prince William’s rumored affair with the Marchioness of Cholmondeley (a rumor he doesn’t do much to dispel).

Scobie reveals that a Kensington Palace aide tried to enlist his help in diverting The Sun newspaper away from the affair by offering up excerpts from “Finding Freedom.” “I had zero interest in collaborating with the tabloid,” Scobie writes.

Much of Scobie’s new book is devoted to setting the record straight on petty slights against the Sussexes: exactly who made whom cry at a dress fitting; the double standards applied to royal bridezillas brandishing air freshener. Let the record show that “when Kate filled Westminster Abbey with Jo Malone for her wedding, it was ‘sweet.’”

Speaking of Kate, she didn’t fare well in “Finding Freedom,” and neither does she here. Scobie obliquely accuses the princess — presented as cold and lacking in self-assurance — of copying Meghan’s effortless dress sense. And he notes that Kate’s Hold Still lockdown photo project is “reminiscent” of Meghan’s 2018 “Together” cookbook, a project she did with survivors of the Grenfell fire. The tabloids have rightfully been accused of pitching one royal bride against another, and so it jars when Scobie, whose tone throughout is one of moral high ground, employs a similar tactic.

He does, however, give Kate (who, Scobie notes, does actually like that nickname) credit for finally relaxing into her role. After all, he knows there’s a genuine Kate there because he once witnessed her descend “into a fit of muted giggles” at the sight of a rhino pooping while on a “mini-safari” in India. Hard to say if this is a feeble attempt at humanization or a skilled way of letting us know that he, Scobie, was the only reporter invited along.

Whether or not Scobie actively collaborated with Meghan and Harry for this book, he does them no favors. Their chapter reads like a press release cooked up by ChatGPT, and does little to shed light on them as humans. He says the couple — who used to focus on coverage of themselves — now remain blissfully unconcerned. Harry’s next chapter will focus, among other things, on philanthropic efforts in the “military space,” while Meghan (and here Scobie quotes an unnamed source) is “building ‘something more accessible … something rooted in her love of details, curating, hosting, life’s simple pleasures, and family.’”

Scobie defines the term “endgame” as “the final stages of a chess game after most of the pieces have been removed from the board.” Unless Charles and his heirs act quickly, Scobie underscores, they risk losing the crown, or at the very least, any remaining cultural relevance. But there’s a paradox here: As long as people are buying books like Scobie’s, they’re buying the whole lousy operation.

ENDGAME: Inside the Royal Family and the Monarchy’s Fight for Survival | By Omid Scobie | Dey Street | 403 pp. | $32

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[mariacallous]

In the latest battle between AI and the media, major Danish newspapers and TV stations are threatening to sue OpenAI unless the company compensates the country’s press for allegedly using their content to train its models.

“We want remuneration for our work [which] they have used to train their model,” says Karen Rønde, CEO of the Danish Press Publications’ Collective Management Organization (DPCMO), which represents 99 percent of Danish media outlets, including state broadcaster DR and TV 2. Rønde says the DPCMO plans to sue if a deal is not reached in the next year.

AI has created a new front in copyright law after a series of lawsuits claimed that OpenAI, which is backed by Microsoft, scraped news companies’ websites without permission in order to train its AI models. Soon after those lawsuits, OpenAI struck a series of licensing deals with major publishers, enabling the company to train its future iterations of ChatGPT on their content. Financial terms for the deals have not been disclosed.

Now, Danish media is attempting to force OpenAI to negotiate with them as a collective, an unusual tactic that could provide a model for other small countries if successful. So far, OpenAI has been striking deals with publishers individually and has announced content partnerships with the Financial Times and the Atlantic, as well as German media conglomerate Axel Springer, French newspaper Le Monde, and Spanish group Prisa.

After meeting with OpenAI online and in-person earlier this year, Rønde says she was left with the impression that Denmark was not a top priority. “It was made clear that the focus was the deal in Germany and the deal in France and the deal in Spain and of course, the American ones,” she says. “There are so many content creators in all the other territories and they are now left with nothing.”

Rønde has sent a letter to OpenAI’s lawyer at Dutch firm Brinkhof informing them of Danish copyright law, and says she is waiting for a response. She presumes OpenAI has already used content from Danish press websites because the company has not told her otherwise, she says. Neither OpenAI nor Brinkhof replied to WIRED’s request for comment.

For Rønde, time is of the essence. She wants to strike a deal with OpenAI and also Google’s Gemini in the next year, before the use of AI chatbots and search engine overviews further marginalizes publishers’ websites. “Maybe then it [will be] too late, and the value of the press publishers’ content will be—in one or two or three years—too low,” she says. “If we cannot enter into a partnership agreement within a reasonably short time frame, then we need to enforce our rights.”

DPCMO was set up in 2021 to help Danish media negotiate with Big Tech. “We needed to stand united, otherwise we feared that Denmark would be too small a country to be prioritized in the discussion with Big Tech,” says Rønde.

Last year, the group secured preliminary license agreements with Microsoft’s Bing and Google to feature Danish publishers’ content in the company’s search engines. Although the agreements outlined that publishers should be compensated by the two companies, the deals did not agree on how much.

[philips-blog-1]

Unlocking Success with International Finance Assignment Help

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[nismexam]

Preparing for the NISM Exam: A Comprehensive Guide

The National Institute of Securities Markets (NISM) certification exams are essential for anyone looking to build a career in the Indian securities market. These exams are designed to ensure that professionals in the securities market possess the necessary knowledge and skills to perform their roles effectively. Whether you are a fresh graduate or an experienced professional, understanding the nuances of the NISM exam is crucial. This article aims to provide a comprehensive guide to help you prepare effectively for the NISM certification.

Understanding the NISM Exam

NISM offers a variety of certification courses covering different aspects of the securities market. Some of the most popular exams include:

1. **NISM Series I: Currency Derivatives Certification**

2. **NISM Series V-A: Mutual Fund Distributors Certification**

3. **NISM Series VIII: Equity Derivatives Certification**

4. **NISM Series X-A: Investment Adviser (Level 1) Certification**

5. **NISM Series XV: Research Analyst Certification**

Each certification focuses on a specific area within the securities market, ensuring that professionals have specialized knowledge relevant to their roles.

Exam Structure

The structure of NISM exams generally includes:

- **Multiple Choice Questions (MCQs):** Most exams consist of multiple-choice questions.

- **Duration:** Exams typically last between 1 to 2 hours.

- **Passing Marks:** The passing score varies, usually around 60% to 70%.

- **Negative Marking:** Some exams may include negative marking for incorrect answers.

Understanding the structure of the exam you are preparing for is the first step towards effective preparation.

Study Materials and Resources

Official Study Material

NISM provides official workbooks for each certification exam. These workbooks are comprehensive and cover all the topics outlined in the exam syllabus. It is advisable to start your preparation with these official resources as they are tailored specifically for the exam.

Reference Books

Apart from the official workbooks, several reference books can help deepen your understanding of the subject. Some recommended books include:

- **“Fundamentals of Financial Instruments” by Sunil Parameswaran:** A great resource for understanding financial instruments.

- **“Mutual Funds in India: Marketing Strategies and Investment Practices” by H. Sadhak:** Essential for those taking the mutual funds certification exam.

Online Resources

There are various online platforms offering study materials, mock tests, and video tutorials. Websites like Zerodha Varsity and EduPristine provide excellent resources for NISM exam preparation.

Effective Preparation Strategies

Understand the Syllabus

The first step in your preparation should be to thoroughly understand the syllabus. Each NISM certification exam has a detailed syllabus that outlines the topics covered. Make sure you are familiar with each topic and its weightage in the exam.

Create a Study Plan

A well-structured study plan is crucial for effective preparation. Divide your study time into different topics based on their difficulty level and importance. Ensure you allocate sufficient time for revision and practice tests.

Practice with Mock Tests

Mock tests are an excellent way to prepare for the NISM exam. They help you get accustomed to the exam pattern and time management. Regular practice with mock tests can significantly improve your speed and accuracy.

Focus on Weak Areas

Identify your weak areas and allocate extra time to those topics. Understanding your weaknesses and working on them can greatly enhance your overall performance in the exam.

Join Study Groups

Joining study groups or forums can be beneficial as they provide a platform to discuss and resolve doubts. Interacting with fellow aspirants can also provide new insights and preparation strategies.

On the Day of the Exam

Time Management

Time management is crucial during the exam. Allocate time to each section based on its weightage and difficulty. Make sure you don’t spend too much time on any single question.

Stay Calm and Composed

Maintaining your composure during the exam is important. If you encounter difficult questions, stay calm and move on to the next one. You can always come back to the challenging questions later if time permits.

Review Your Answers

If time allows, review your answers before submitting the exam. Double-check for any mistakes or unanswered questions.

Post-Exam Steps

After the exam, you will receive your results within a few weeks. If you pass, you will receive your certification, which is valid for a specific period, usually three years. Ensure you stay updated with any changes in regulations and renew your certification as required.

In case you do not pass the exam, analyze your performance, identify areas of improvement, and prepare to retake the exam.

Conclusion

The NISM Exam is a stepping stone for a successful career in the securities market. With the right preparation and resources, you can clear the exam and gain the knowledge necessary to excel in your profession. Follow the strategies outlined in this guide, stay focused, and approach the exam with confidence. Good luck!

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[feedyourmind1031]

10 Best Practices and Disciplines When Trading in the Global Market

Trading in the global market can be both exciting and profitable, but it requires a solid approach and disciplined strategies. Whether you're new to trading or looking to refine your skills, these best practices can help you navigate the complexities of the market. Here are ten essential tips to help you become a successful trader.

1. Choose the Best Trading Platform

Your trading platform is your primary tool. Make sure you choose the best trading platform that offers real-time data, user-friendly interfaces, and robust analytical tools. Look for platforms that provide educational resources and responsive customer support to help you on your trading journey. The right platform can make a significant difference in your trading experience by providing reliable and fast execution of trades, which is crucial for seizing opportunities in volatile markets.

2. Master Forex Trading

Forex trading can be highly profitable if you know what you're doing. Start by learning the basics, such as understanding currency pairs, market hours, and the factors that influence currency prices. Then delve into advanced strategies like technical analysis and risk management. Stay updated with the latest trends and use reliable sources to get your information. Always aim to be the best Forex trading expert by continuously improving your skills. Practice with a demo account before committing real money to refine your strategies without financial risk.

3. Diversify Your Investments

Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. Spread your investments across different asset classes such as stocks, commodities, and Forex. Diversification helps mitigate risks and can lead to more stable returns over time. By investing in a variety of assets, you reduce the impact of a poor-performing investment on your overall portfolio. This strategy helps balance the risk and rewards, providing a more consistent growth trajectory.

4. Keep Up with Market News

Staying informed is crucial. Regularly read financial news, follow economic reports, and pay attention to global events that could impact the markets. This knowledge will help you make informed decisions and anticipate market movements. Utilize reliable news sources and economic calendars to stay ahead of market trends. Understanding the broader economic context can help you predict how markets will react to news and events, giving you an edge in your trading decisions.

5. Practice Risk Management

Effective risk management is key to long-term success. Set stop-loss orders to limit potential losses and avoid over-leveraging your trades. Determine how much of your capital you are willing to risk on each trade and stick to that limit. This practice helps you manage your trades more effectively and protects your portfolio from significant losses. Always remember that protecting your capital is more important than chasing profits.

6. Develop a Trading Plan

Having a well-defined trading plan is essential. Outline your trading goals, risk tolerance, and strategies. A solid plan keeps you focused and helps prevent emotional trading decisions that can lead to losses. Your trading plan should include criteria for entering and exiting trades, risk management techniques, and a schedule for reviewing and adjusting your strategy. Regularly updating your plan based on performance and market conditions can help you stay on track toward your trading goals.

7. Continuously Educate Yourself

The trading world is always evolving. Take advantage of online courses, webinars, and workshops to stay updated on the latest strategies and tools. Continuous learning is crucial to adapting to new market conditions and improving your trading skills. Stay curious and proactive in seeking out new knowledge. Join trading communities and forums to exchange ideas and learn from experienced traders. This ongoing education helps you stay competitive and informed.

8. Use Technical Analysis

Technical analysis involves studying price charts and using indicators to predict future market movements. Learn to use tools like moving averages, Relative Strength Index (RSI), and Bollinger Bands to identify trading opportunities and make more informed decisions. By analyzing past price movements, you can identify patterns and trends that may indicate future price directions. This analytical approach provides a data-driven basis for your trading decisions, increasing your chances of success.

9. Maintain Discipline

Discipline is one of the most important traits of a successful trader. Stick to your trading plan, avoid impulsive decisions, and manage your emotions. Consistent discipline helps you stay focused and reduces the likelihood of costly mistakes. It's essential to stay patient and avoid the temptation to deviate from your plan based on short-term market movements. Keeping a cool head and following your strategy will help you achieve long-term success.

10. Evaluate Your Performance

Regularly review your trades to understand what worked and what didn’t. Keep a trading journal to track your performance, analyze your mistakes, and refine your strategies. Continuous evaluation and adjustment are key to long-term success in trading. By systematically reviewing your trades, you can identify patterns and areas for improvement, helping you become a more effective and successful trader.

Conclusion

By following these best practices and disciplines, you can improve your chances of success in the global market. Remember, choosing the best trading platform and becoming proficient in best Forex trading are just the starting points. Stay informed, manage your risks, and continuously educate yourself to stay ahead in the trading game. Happy trading!

[barrybulakites]

Navigating the Path to Success: A Comprehensive Guide to a Career as a Financial Consultant

In the ever-evolving landscape of finance, the role of a financial consultant has emerged as pivotal. Balancing analytical prowess with an empathetic approach to client needs, financial consultants are the navigators in the complex world of personal and corporate finance. This comprehensive guide delves into the intricacies of pursuing a career as a financial consultant, outlining the steps to success, the skills required, and the impact one can make in this dynamic profession.

The Blueprint to Becoming a Financial Consultant

Educational Foundations

The journey begins with solid educational foundations. A bachelor's degree in finance, economics, business administration, or a related field is typically the minimum requirement. Courses in investments, taxes, estate planning, and risk management provide a strong base. Advanced degrees or certifications, such as a Master's in Business Administration (MBA) or becoming a Certified Financial Planner (CFP), can significantly enhance one's prospects and credibility.

Gaining the Right Experience

Hands-on experience is invaluable. Internships or entry-level positions in banking, insurance, or investment firms offer a practical understanding of financial products, market strategies, and client relations. Experience in customer service roles can also be beneficial, as they develop the interpersonal skills crucial for consulting.

Licensing and Certification

Depending on the services offered, financial consultants may need to obtain specific licenses. For example, selling insurance products requires a license in the relevant state, while offering investment advice might necessitate Series 7 and Series 66 licenses. Pursuing certifications like CFP or Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) not only legitimizes expertise but also signals commitment to professional development.

Essential Skills for a Flourishing Career

Analytical Acumen

At the core of financial consulting is the ability to analyze complex financial data. Consultants must interpret market trends, evaluate investment opportunities, and understand regulatory impacts to provide sound advice.

Communication Mastery

Translating complex financial concepts into understandable advice is an art. Practical communication skills ensure that clients are informed and comfortable with their financial decisions.

Ethical Integrity

Trust is the cornerstone of a financial consultant-client relationship. Upholding high ethical standards and transparency is essential for building and maintaining this trust.

Adaptability

The financial landscape is continuously changing. Successful consultants stay abreast of new regulations, products, and market dynamics. They adapt their strategies to serve their client's evolving needs best.

The Impact of a Financial Consultant

Financial consultants make a significant impact on their client's lives and financial health. They guide individuals through life's financial milestones—be it saving for education, planning for retirement, or managing wealth. For businesses, consultants can optimize financial performance through strategic planning and risk management.

Navigating Challenges

Like any career, financial consulting comes with its challenges. Economic downturns, market volatility, and evolving financial regulations can test a consultant's resilience and adaptability. Building a client base takes time and requires consistent effort in networking and reputation management.

The Road Ahead

The demand for financial consultants is expected to grow as individuals and businesses navigate the complexities of finance in an uncertain world. Embracing technology, staying informed about global economic trends, and prioritizing continuous learning are keys to a prosperous career in financial consulting.

A career as a financial consultant offers a blend of analytical challenge and personal satisfaction. By guiding clients towards financial security and prosperity, consultants play a crucial role in the economic landscape. The path to becoming a successful financial consultant involves a commitment to education, ethical practice, and a deep understanding of financial markets. With the right skills and dedication, the journey can be both rewarding and impactful.