#copies of the relevant licenses

[tramontane-fire]

I realize this is an unusual sentiment in the Year of our Lord 2023 but my inbox had better have emails in it tomorrow.

[clonerightsagenda]

Thank you for applying for a library card!

We are a large metropolitan library with twelve branches here in the city and a consortial agreement with ninety-seven different timelines (and counting). Your card is your ticket to our physical and digital collections, where we have something for everyone.

You’ve indicated that you are licensed for time travel and regularly travel in time or between timelines for work purposes, so you are eligible for our trans-timeline borrower’s card. Please read this document carefully to ensure you’re using your new card to its fullest potential and in compliance with library policy.

Our services:

The library has a floating collection, meaning items remain at the branch where they were returned rather than being sent back to the lending branch. However, we do return inter-timeline loans to their home universe to minimize temporal strain. If you’re browsing the shelves and see a book phasing in and out of existence, alert an employee. It’s probably misshelved.  

Our new online system allows you to keep the same login information in all timelines. No more keeping track of dozens of passwords! If you previously created multiple logins tied to one card, visit the circulation desk, and we’ll merge your accounts for you. No, this will not make you responsible for alternate selves’ outstanding fines, and any version of yourself telling you that is lying to you.

You asked, and we listened. Our new online catalog displays reviews from patrons from all relevant timelines on items exceeding a 90% similarity score. We request that patrons keep debates over the superiority of their timeline’s version to venues other than our catalog.

Although our staff members are not medical professionals, they have been trained to recognize signs of temporal instability. If you are experiencing characteristic symptoms (faintness, disorientation, physical and/or mental age changes, etc.), a staff member can administer grounding agents until emergency services arrive.

The library has a robust inter-timeline loan system. If you’re looking for a book or article not published in this timeline, fill out our online form or ask at the circulation desk. The average wait time for an ITL request is five business days. That’s shortened to three if you’re requesting an item stored at the James Patterson Interdimensional Warehouse. (Note: This estimate may change as the warehouse continues to expand under its own power, or if our courier gets lost there.)

Our policies:

We do not accept returns before the publication date (month and year). Cataloging books paradoxically created through stable time loops gets too complicated. You can check a book’s month of publication in a review journal like Booklist, which we make available online and in our non-circulating magazine collection.

We’ve recently gone fine-free in this timeline, meaning we no longer charge fees for overdue books. This policy varies between consortium timelines depending on whether certain people on the board of directors have retired yet.

If a book is damaged beyond repair, lost in a Time Hole, or overwritten out of existence by timeline changes, you will be responsible for the replacement cost or a flat fee of $30, whichever is lower. We do not recommend attempting to rewrite time to avoid losing or damaging the book, as we would prefer to purchase a new copy rather than tear a hole in the fabric of reality.

Patrons may use our computers for two hours. You can extend this time if there are no other patrons waiting. Show respect to other library users and do not abuse time travel to circumvent the policy when there is high demand. We will notice if there are two of you at our computing stations. Yes, even if one of you is wearing a funny hat.

The library values your privacy. We will not disclose account information or the content of reference transactions to anyone, including alternate versions of the account holder. The library also does not keep a record of the materials you check out. However, some of our databases do track user data. If you need to conceal your presence in this timeline to avoid paradoxes, the Time Cops, or your ex, we keep a collection of electronic resource licenses at the reference desk so you can judge which products to avoid.

Holder vs. Holder found that copyright protections extend across timelines and prior to publication, and copyright is exclusive to the iteration who created the work. Patrons attempting to copy library materials and publish them under their own name will have their cards revoked, even if they created the material in another timeline. This policy was adopted after consultation with our legal team. Trans-timeline copyright enforcement is very aggressive.

The library respects the personhood and autonomy of patrons no matter their timeline of origin. However, this respect is not always universal. If you need to know what the laws are for time travelers/alternate selves/dimension-hoppers/“timeclones”/etc. in this dimension (or the terminology used to refer to them), stop by the reference desk.

Violence is against library policy. If you are about to battle your alternate self from another timeline because you ran into each other in the cookbook section, take it to the parking lot.

In conclusion:

Libraries are committed to free access to information, and with the resources of dozens of timelines available to us, our mission has only gotten bigger. In fact, we’re hiring! If you’re looking for somewhere new to apply your time travel certification, we’re looking for team members in our inter-timeline loan department. Entry-level courier positions do not require an MLIS. Familiarity with James Patterson is a plus.

We can’t wait to see you in our library. (Maybe we already have.)  

[blackmagictrait]

anyway

"When you contribute UGC [user generated content], you grant to EA, its licensors and licensees a non-exclusive, perpetual, transferable, worldwide, sublicensable license to use, host, store, reproduce, modify, create derivative works, publicly perform, publicly display or otherwise transmit and communicate the UGC, or any portion of it, in any manner or form and in any medium or forum, whether now known or later devised, without notice, payment or attribution of any kind to you or any third party. You also grant to all other users who can access and use your UGC on an EA Service the right to use, copy, modify, display, perform, create derivative works from, and otherwise communicate and distribute your UGC on or through the relevant EA Service without further notice, attribution or compensation to you." - ea terms of service "Mods must be non-commercial and distributed free-of-charge. Mods cannot be sold, licensed, or rented for a fee, nor can Mods contain features that would support monetary transactions of any type." - official sims 4 policy on mods

free cc resources:

my free cc tag

** all sfs folders

dollhouse mafia * telegram group (instant messaging app), requires phone number to sign up but you can set your # to private. 100% safe and my most used resource (read the rules!!!)

ts4rebels > direct link to vault * new site, new link

paysitesmustbedestroyed * it's back bby!!

simsgalaxy * vk page, requires account but is free (**good for sl conversions)

kemono.party (for patreon/boosty releases) * use an adblock on this one!!

losts4cc * not a pirating site, just an archive of cc that's been deleted/lost

verycursedstuff * for curseforge stuff!!

🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️🏴‍☠️

[seat-safety-switch]

"You know, ice cream flavours are entirely artificial," said the sorbet heiress who, at this time, had tied me to a stake above a pile of cartoon dynamite sticks. The fuse was lit, as those things are, which put a limit on our conversation.

When I first signed up to be a private detective, I figured it would be like on the TV. Sleeping at your desk in a dingy office. Shooting people for reasons that the audience barely understands. Confusing triple-cross plots, explained in excruciating detail for the last quarter of the book by a character who mostly acted as a stand-in for the author. And driving a pretty bad-ass classic hot rod.

Unfortunately, what this job actually ended up being about was getting tricked into being implicated in the murder of a frozen-yogurt tycoon. I have to admit that I was told by the temp agency about this particular risk in advance, but I was caught up in my zeal to pick up a shit-box 60s Mopar with a loud exhaust and kind of forgot about it.

I'll save you the details of how I got out of that particular jam, and the exploding-mini-golf-emporium, because they don't really matter. What does matter is that I eventually tracked down the heiress, and got my name cleared. This, even though I have been proven structurally incapable of remembering names, faces, patterns of speech, accents, what people actually said, the whole lot.

I got lucky. It turns out one of her goons drove a 1996 Plymouth Neon coupe. How did I know it was a '96? Because it still had colour-matched hubcaps, but without a dual-overhead-cam engine. After I explained this to the cops, and went back to get my copies of the relevant documentation, they immediately punched it into their little license plate computer for "plymouth neon" and found the only running example still registered in the country. I guess I didn't really need to know the year. Dude confessed immediately, but the fuzz wouldn't let me keep the car, since it was evidence. Professional rivalry, if you ask me.

[bunudaha]

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[prokopetz]

Hi! I was wondering what your feelings are on people using your character creation bits from Rotate Bird to kitbash together an unsightly kitbashed version of a game? I just really like Rotate Bird and I kind of only ever use the emoji lookup charts, so I made up a game I'm calling Knife Sun/Knife Fire, the Elemental Plane of Fire is dead and slowly decaying and a bunch of up and comer elemental planes are trying to muscle into Fire's old spot as one of the Big Four. Are you ok with this?

You don't need my permission to borrow the idea of a particular game-mechanical framework. Unless you're engaging in verbatim copying and pasting of Rotate Bird's text, what I think isn't terribly relevant – and if you are engaging in verbatim copying and pasting, the relevant Creative Commons license spells out what your obligations are. It's linked from the game's "Credits & Acknowledgements" page

[ultramarine-spirit]

Ultramarine's Bookwalker Guide

A (hopefully) simple guide to how to use Bookwalker! See my Ridibooks guide if you are interested in manhwas and Korean web-novels.

What is Bookwalker? Bookwalker is Kadokawa's official website/app for reading mangas and light novels! There, you can read your favorite series in Japanese, and also their official English translations. It's not region-locked, so anyone can use it!

Before continuing, here is something very important to consider: Bookwalker's website and app have two versions each, a Japanese one and a Global one. The Japanese version has, well, all the mangas and light novels in the original Japanese. Meanwhile, the Global version has official English licenses.

Global version of the app (the one that you'll be able to download, unless you have a Japanese Google account) vs the Japanese browser version. Of course, you can also access the Global version in your browser.

This is relevant because you'll only be able to find WMMAP's (or any other series') Japanese edition on Bookwalker's Japanese version. If Bookwalker doesn't have the translation rights for the series in particular, you won't be able to find it on its Global version. Such is the case for WMMAP, licensed by Seven Seas (Maybe one day this will change).

Screenshot of Bookwalker's JP website.

Alright, alright, but how do I use Bookwalker? As with any other platform, you first need to make an account (top-right corner of your screen, 👤 icon). A nice thing about Bookwalker is that you can register using your Google, Twitter, Facebook, or Apple account! If you are using Bookwalker's Japanese version, I recommend using Chrome or other browsers with a MTL function, so the page is easier for you to navigate.

Buying mangas and light novels. Once again, I'll use WMMAP as an example. As I said above, if the series you want to purchase doesn't have an English version distributed by Bookwalker (such as WMMAP's case), you won't find it on its Global version, no matter if you are using the website or the app. Searching 「ある日、お姫様になってしまった件について」 or "Who Made Me A Princess" on the Global platforms won't give you any results.

Similarly, because of these copy-right issues, you won't be able to find any English translations on the Japanese version of the website.

So, tl;dr, we need to use Bookwalker JP! Once you have your account (which will work on both Bookwalker versions, Japanese and Global), you'll be able to search for 「ある日、お姫様になってしまった件について」 (WMMAP's Japanese title), and buy any of the 9 Japanese volumes released so far. Unlike Ridibooks, here you can only buy WMMAP's full volumes (ebooks), not chapters. The prices will vary depending on the volume, but they are all around 1,000 yen (older volumes are cheaper, and there are often sales).

Using the Japanese version might also be convenient in general because of the favorable dollar-yen exchange rate.

Screenshots of Bookwalker's JP website. I'm using Chrome's MTL function so the pictures are easier to understand.

Bookwalker's Coins. As with most manga platforms, Bookwalker has its own currency that you need to buy to then purchase any manga or light novel. It works in the same way as Tapas' ink and Tappytoon's points. The coins are worth almost the same as yen, but with a 1% accumulation rate. Selecting the "buy coins" option in your user profile will allow you to recharge the currency.

There, you can choose how much you want to recharge. Another nice thing about Bookwalker is that it accepts overseas credit cards (see the picture for the ones that work) and Paypal! Also, remember to check the purchase confirmation. After that, you just write your credit card/Paypal information, and you should be ready to buy your favorite manga or light novel!

Screenshots of Bookwalker's Global app.

If you want to use Bookwalker's Global version to purchase a series in English (as I said, you won't be able to find WMMAP here, please keep this in mind, or you could waste your money), the system is very similar, you have to buy "Points" in USD. Pictures for reference.

Screenshots of Bookwalker's Global app.

Once you have already purchased WMMAP, you'll be able to find it in your library (📚 icon).

You can filter out other books writing 「ある日、お姫様になってしまった件について」 in the search bar!

Also very important information: You will be able to read WMMAP on Bookwalker's Global version too (be it the website or the app) if you have already purchased it on the Japanese site. In the pictures shown above you can see screenshots of said app. At the bottom, you have your library, where all books you have bought are organized according to their date of acquisition. Here you will be able to read anything you have bought, in English or Japanese. It's only to buy Japanese titles that you have to specifically use the Japanese site, but only for purchasing purposes. After that, you'll be able to read it on any of Bookwalker's versions.

[zytes]

Question from someone just starting with creating and then posting art to Tumblr, do you think I should be watermarking my pieces?

I’ve always disliked watermarks as they naturally tend to dissuade people from interacting with art in a natural manner; it depends very heavily on the size and placement of the mark, obviously. BUT, often times an artist will overzealously obscure their work with identification and it has a somewhat repulsive effect on the average viewer - a wall has been erected between the viewer and the art, in a sense. Watermarks, to me, exist to prevent very specific situations from unfolding with your work - almost all of those reasons seem to be financially motivated, like preventing strangers from printing your art out at home or reposting without attribution. Situations that could affect your ability to profit off of your work.

Admittedly, much of my perception about this issue was inspired by an article included in the book “Context” by Cory Doctorow, wherein he writes about how he’s benefitted from “thinking like a dandelion”, which is an idea that was inspired by conversation the author had with Neil Gaiman — I’ll try and summarize the parts of the point that are more relevant to visual arts; since portions of the allegory refer more specifically to certain qualities of written media.

He begins with, “Mammals worry about what happens to each and every one of their offspring, but dandelions only care that every crack in every sidewalk has dandelions growing out of it. The former is a good strategy for situations in which reproduction is expensive, but the latter works best when reproduction is practically free — as on the Internet.”

So how do you “think like a dandelion” then?

“Your work needs to be easily copied, to anywhere whence it might find its way into the right hands. That means that the nimble text-file, HTML file, and PDF (the preferred triumvirate of formats) should be distributed without formality — no logins, no e-mail address collections, and with a license that allows your fans to reproduce the work on their own in order to share it with more potential fans. Remember, copying is a cost-center — insisting that all copies must be downloaded from your site and only your site is insisting that you — and only you — will bear the cost of making those copies. Sure, having a single, central repository for your works makes it easier to count copies and figure out where they’re going, but remember: dandelions don’t keep track of their seeds. Once you get past the vanity of knowing exactly how many copies have been made, and find the zen of knowing that the copying will take care of itself, you’ll attain dandelionesque contentment.”

The rest of the allegory more specifically applies to written work, but I’ll link it here for the sake of posterity. Essentially: every wall or pre-requisite that you establish before allowing a fresh set of eyes to fall upon your work actually may deter people from engaging with the work and sharing it with others. Signatures, subtle watermarks that are “baked” into the work, or maybe like.. a well-placed QR code that links people back to you — all of those would be my suggestion for someone who wants to leave a lasting, linking thread between a given work and it’s artist. If the right person sees your art and connects with it, there SHOULD be a way for them to follow that thread back to you and discover more; but if you over-prioritize demonstrating ownership over your work, you’re likely to drive those coveted genuine connections away.

On the other hand, if your primary goal is to sell prints or other products, brazenly watermarking your work will protect your bottom line from the kind of low-level art-scraping that drives all those shady redbubble shops and etsy stores that sell stolen works on cheap t-shirts and hankies. For me, art is a primarily social interest in which I prioritize the sharing of culture and ideas. I don’t want financial factors to take precedence and alter how/why I created something; it feels like I’d have to take much of myself out of my art in order to make it palatable for consumer spaces.

You should determine your priorities and then strive to make art that fulfills those priorities without compromise. I think you’ll find that self-satisfaction manifests readily at different points in the midst of that process.

[queer-ragnelle]

What are your thoughts on what makes something fanfic instead of an Arthurian retelling? Would it be looked down on to try to get something originally written with the intention of it being fanfic published properly?

Hi anon! I don't understand your second question, but I can definitely answer your first one.

TL;DR it comes down to authorial intent and respecting the historical and cultural context of a work. If someone writes an Arthurian story and posts it on Ao3 to share with their friends and followers, referring to their writing in their own words as fanfiction, then it's fanfiction. But I don't consider my own writing to be fanfiction, and neither do I think it's appropriate to impose that label into the past, before the necessity of such a concept existed, calling the works of Sir Thomas Malory or Chrétien de Troyes fanfiction. We're all participating in a literary tradition, but not all of us are writing fanfiction. Only the creator themselves can decide that. So...

I would prefer my books be called a retelling or a pastiche.

We could argue point 5's greater relevance here as not all retellings strive to imitate the Medieval style to such an extreme, nor can it apply to other mediums which transcend the written word, such as Arthurian films, TV shows, games, musicals, stage plays, etc. But the other points certainly apply to all Arthurian works, and point 5 applies to me. (Another example of this would be Madeline Miller's The Song of Achilles, which adopts a poetic style emulating the epic poetry it's based on.) So I encourage others to research that concept more and appreciate how lucky we are that the subject of our interest is unhindered by licensing contracts and potential copyright strikes and the capitalistic necessity of pandering to commercial interest.

Fanfiction is, by definition, writing derivative of copyrighted material or utilization of the intellectual property belonging to someone else with ownership of the characters, setting, or other assets appearing in the fan-made work. The term exists as a means to shield amateur creators and their contributions to the fan-community under the terms of fair use from the axe of corporations who wish to monopolize and monetize the property. It likewise protects creators from having their work stolen and repurposed by others, so a small creator may have some legal recourse against a big corporate entity stealing their intellectual property. (See: Hot Topic printing indie artist's works on T shirts.) Copyright expires, unless you're Disney. So you can now write and publish works based on Lewis Carroll's Alice in Wonderland or Arthur Conan Doyle's Sherlock Holmes. That being said...

Works derivative of or inspired by mythology and literary traditions are not the same as fan-works suppressed by the weight of copyright laws weaponized by businesses in power.

Mythological and literary characters are owned by to no one, belonging only to the cultures from which they originate. It is to them a creator pays respect, not an individual or corporation or franchise, as is the case with works created within the last 100 or so years. Mythology requires no license to engage with in the same way one would require to contribute "officially" to a comic book series, or a TV show, or a video game etc.

If one intends to adapt The Odyssey, they need not copy/paste the fair use disclaimer into the description to cover their ass, because Homer has been dead for thousands of years, and even so, he did not own the character Odysseus, and merely contributed to the story-telling tradition of his era. The Netflix show Blood of Zeus can use Zagreus and Melinoë equally as much as Hades and Hades II, not because they obtained permission from some greater entity, but because authorization, or explicit mention of fair use, aren't required at all. Many of these traditions are tied to religion as well, and this should be handled with utmost care. Simurgh is a bird-dog creature of Persian mythology, derivative of an earlier bird-creature called Saēna in the Avestan-language of ancient Zoroastrian texts. She made an appearance in the recent episode of Delicious in Dungeon relating to griffons. Some translations of old Pahlavi texts I have actually refer to Simurgh as a griffon as a means of localizing the meaning of her name which would otherwise be immediately understood by an Iranian. This doesn't mean the anime or anything else referring to such mythological/literary creatures are fan-works, they pay homage to the old works. In the same vein, Paradise Lost isn't fanfiction of the Bible any more than the New Testament is fanfiction of the Old Testament. Fiction doesn't exist in a vacuum. If all inspired creation is beholden to its source, then everything ever written is fanfiction of The Epic of Gilgamesh.

Personally, I don't want to define my writing or art or any of the stories or films I enjoy with a capitalistic framework Arthurian enjoyers are so blessedly free of. There are, of course, exceptions. One can write fanfiction of BBC Merlin, as that story belongs to the BBC. But I wouldn't consider the show itself to be a fan-work. Neither would I consider Monty Python and The Holy Grail or Excalibur or the Camelot musical to be fan-works. Not unless Monty Python or John Boorman or Alan Jay Lerner say so themselves. The BBC did not invent the story of young Merlin, neither did Mary Stewart, perhaps not even the Vulgate did, as many Arthurian texts are lost to us. These are contributions to the Arthurian tradition, just as fanfiction is, all equally important and integral to keeping the legacy alive. They are derivative of Medieval literature and inspired by other retellings, adaptations, what have you, and not subject to corporate scrutiny. It's pointless to concern ourselves with it and draw lines in the sand which only exist in the fandom-space because of capitalism and the limitations borne of a franchise-conscious sanctions.

I hope this helps clear things up for you, anon. Feel free to clarify your second question in another ask so I can address that, if I haven't already. Have a wonderful day! :^)

[rainofaugustsith]

So the Open Library decision came down, and there's already a lot of hand wringing about it. Before you start waving torches about how this is all moneygrubbing Big Publishing flexing its muscle, I'd beg you to actually read the facts of the case. From the decision:

This appeal presents the following question: is it "fair use" for a nonprofit organization to scan copyright-protected print books in their entirety, and distribute digital copies online in full, for free, subject to a one-to-one-loaned ratio between its print copies and the digital copies it makes available at any given time, all without authorization from the copyright-holding publishers or authors? Applying the relevant privisions of the Copyright Act as well as binding Supreme Court and Second Circuit precedent, we conclude the answer is no. We therefore AFFIRM. (the previous decision). 1. This has never been about the Wayback Machine, Archive.org's historical collections, or out of print books. NOTHING in the court decisions prevent them from continuing that work. 2. This has never been about "libraries being able to have and lend books." 3. Yes. libraries do have ebooks and lend them out. They pay for the ebooks. There are licensing terms. 4. Open Library did not pay licenses. They rebuffed publishers when they were approached about it. They therefore want to claim they are a library without acting like a library.

Oh, and they were marketing this as a positive to other libraries: "get books for free! Don't pay! 5. The issue specifically is about new books, not the out of print stuff.

Here's the thing about that. Unless it ends up being a new timeless classic, most books make most of their money in their first year or so. If sales aren't good, it can impact future book contracts.

Here's the other thing about that. Most authors earn four figures or less annually for their writing, even if they are publishing with a major house. They almost always have to have at least one other job, and often several. I know so many writers who have several jobs just to make rent every month. Often, the money they get for a advance is the only money they ever see from the book - if they even get an advance, which is increasingly rare these days.

Thus, if that license is not purchased, it does hurt them - directly.

"But it's one license at one library!" Cool cool, can we just take a week of your salary and tell you "it's just one week, you won't miss it?" 6. Big Publishing! Money Grubbing Fiends!

Yeah, the big publishers did mount this lawsuit. Do you honestly fucking think that independent midlist writers making four figures a year had the money to hire attorneys to do it? They had the money, they did what the authors alone could not. 7. But people couldn't get the book otherwise.

Okay. Some of those books are like $2 as ebooks or used paper copies. If you can't afford that, there's this wonderful thing called the public library, where you can get a free library card and access to books online for free. Books that have been paid for. If you don't have access to a library in another country - I'm sorry. But this isn't the answer. Maybe when it comes to media you don't always get everything you want all the time. You know, like in the real world with grownups. I'd also add that you can keep using Archive.org's other services that were not questioned here which give you access to lots of other media, with older out of print books, magazines, etc. There are other websites like Issu which offer publications online for free, LEGALLY. This decision isn't the Last Chance Saloon for media access.

I know that a lot of you think authors and other creatives apparently are not entitled to get paid for their work like everyone else, or at least don't translate pirating to "the writer's not getting paid for this." Apparently they're supposed to work for free "for the love of it!" don't need to pay for food, healthcare and housing, and should smile whenever their stuff is pirated. So maybe it truly doesn't matter to you that the big issue here is authors not getting paid, I don't know. That's what it's about, though.

[romssidewaystooth]

The infuriating experience of trying to apply for health insurance and the application ONLY asks for assigned sex at birth. Which I was immediately skeptical of because I don't know what they ACTUALLY want.

Are you trying to match this with my ID? I sent a copy of my driver's license in to verify my identity. My license says I'm male. That is not the sex I was assigned at birth. There would be a mismatch.

Is this what they are going to use to determine how to categorize me for medical procedures? I am a post-op man with no uterus, ovaries, vagina, or breasts. I have a dick and balls and have been on HRT for over 10 years which means my risk factors fall on the male side of things.

This shift in language to account for trans people actually makes info collection WORSE for us when there is no recognition of the fact that our current (legally recognized!) gender/sex could differ from what we were assigned. I'm not saying there are NO possible cases where my assigned sex might be relevant, but every time I fill out a form like this I am left guessing what I need to put down in order to have my information recorded accurately and receive proper treatment.

These forms NEED to ask for what they actually want. "What is the gender currently listed on your ID?" is a perfectly valid way to ask a question if that is the information that is actually being sought. If your new doctor's office needs to record what sex you are listed as on your insurance in order to send a claim, "assigned sex at birth" is NOT an accurate way to collect that information. The form should literally say "what is the sex listed on your insurance?" Be as specific as possible!

And if you aren't willing to do that, then just go back to asking for "sex" instead of "assigned sex at birth", because at least that leaves some room for self-determination and then further specifics can be gathered as needed. (Of course many places do not WANT us to have any self-determination, so, you know.)

[365proservices]

Unlocking the UAE's Golden Visa Maze: Insider Tips for Success

Welcome, aspiring adventurers, to the exciting world of Golden Visas Services in the UAE! If you've ever dreamt of unlocking new opportunities, exploring vibrant cultures, or building a brighter future in one of the world's most dynamic hubs, then you're in the right place. In this guide, we'll be your compass, navigating the Golden Visa maze with insider tips and expert advice to ensure your journey is not just successful but also fulfilling. So, grab your map, pack your enthusiasm, and let's set sail on this exhilarating voyage towards your Golden Visa dream!

1. Understanding Golden Visa Eligibility Criteria

Before setting sail, ensure you're eligible. The UAE offers Golden Visas to investors, entrepreneurs, talented professionals, and retirees. Each category has specific criteria, like investment thresholds or retirement fund requirements. Check your eligibility based on your profile and aspirations.

2. Gathering the Required Documents

Assemble your crew of documents for the journey. Common documents include passport copies, proof of investment, bank statements, and a clean criminal record certificate. For investors, additional documents like business plans, trade licenses, and property ownership deeds may be required. Double-check the specific document checklist based on your chosen Golden Visa category.

3. Plotting Your Investment Strategy

Choosing the right investment is crucial. Opt for real estate, business ventures, or innovation projects that align with UAE regulations and contribute to the economy. Research thriving industries, consult with financial advisors, and consider long-term sustainability when crafting your investment strategy.

4. Crafting a Stellar Business Plan

A well-crafted business plan is your treasure map to Golden Visa approval. Highlight your business concept, market analysis, financial projections, and growth strategies. Emphasize how your venture will create jobs, drive innovation, or enhance the UAE's economic landscape. Tailor your business plan to showcase value, feasibility, and alignment with UAE's vision for growth and development.

5. Navigating the Golden Visa Application Process

Embark on your Golden Visa application journey through the relevant government authority, such as the Federal Authority for Identity and Citizenship (ICA), the Ministry of Economy, or local immigration departments. Follow the online application portal or engage with authorized representatives for a smooth submission process. Timing, transparency, and professional assistance are key for success.

6. Insider Tips for Smooth Sailing

Apply During Economic Stability: Submit your application during periods of economic growth and stability for higher chances of approval.

Engage Legal or Immigration Consultants: Consider hiring legal or immigration consultants for expert guidance and assistance throughout the application process.

Be Transparent and Consistent: Disclose accurate information and ensure consistency across all documents to avoid delays or rejections.

Showcase Long-Term Commitment: Highlight your commitment to long-term engagement in the UAE through investment diversification or strategic partnerships.

As we reach the shores of our Golden Visa adventure, it's time to reflect on the invaluable insights and strategies we've uncovered. From understanding eligibility criteria to crafting stellar business plans and navigating the application process, you've gained the tools and knowledge needed to steer your course towards success.

Remember, patience and preparation are your steadfast companions in this journey. Keep abreast of UAE's visa policies, adapt your strategies as needed, and stay committed to your long-term goals. Whether you're an investor, entrepreneur, or talented professional, the UAE's Golden Visa offers a gateway to new horizons and endless possibilities.

[thereviewinsight]

VocalClone AI Review — Clone & Create Human-Like Voices in Multi-Language in Just a Few Clicks!

VocalClone AI Review — Introduction

Free your voice with VocalClone AI — the innovative application that lets you copy your voice and amplify all kinds of marketing materials. It is called Voice Cloning or Voice Copying and is based on the ChatGPT-4o platform; with this tool, you can mimic and/or describe any voice and/or video in more than 100 languages. By using VocalClone AI for voicing your texts you can change the interaction with your audience drastically and increase the salability of your content. And, it is conceivable to extend your outreach to millions without opening your mouth — VocalClone AI can become a real godsend for content creators, marketers, and businesses that are eager to appeal to customers sincerely.

VocalClone AI Review — What Is VocalClone AI

Vocal Clone AI can be described as a unique concept that implements the possibility to mimic human voices with utmost precision. It features state-of-the-art AI and machine learning to generate realistic, personalized voices. Three specific features that are crucial when it comes to competition of similar projects and make VocalClone AI stand out: the quality and authenticity of the voices, and the possibility of creating voices in different languages.

VocalClone AI Review — Overview

VocalClone AI is the first of its kind in the world, ChhatGPT-4o that directly applies human voice AI to marketing. In simple terms, with one click you get natural and appealing voices that perfect your content and make it appealing to a larger society. This creative application provides one of the best ways for marketers to reinvent their brands and bond with new customers. By using the most effective AI technology, VocalClone AI facilitates interaction and helps to increase your conversions. It is an efficient and affordable online platform with a very simple interface, aimed at increasing your efficiency and decreasing costs, making it an appropriate tool to adapt to the current marketing environment.

Creator: Yogesh Agarwal

Product: Vocal Clone AI

Date Of Launch: 2024-Jun-25

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VocalClone AI Review — Features

1. Voice Cloning: Record or select a voice that is similar to your own voice or get a different voice from a large database.

2. Multilingual Support: Speak text to voice and read content out loud in more than one hundred global languages.

3. Emotion-Driven Voices: Put feelings such as excitement or pre-pressures in your voice-over.

4. Advanced AI Technology: Take or upload text and make it sound like a professional voice-over in a matter of minutes, with options.

5. Content Creation Tools: Edit audio for adding to images or videos, writing copy for videos with text on the screen, and improve audio.

6. AI Image and Video Creation: Design beautiful images, graphics & videos from your text with no prior design experience.

7. Commercial License: You market your voice-over service and you keep all the money you make out of the service.

VocalClone AI Review — How It Works

VocalClone AI Review — Who Should Use It

VocalCloneAI is perfect for:

Affiliate Marketers: They write exciting video reviews and advertisements.

E-commerce Sellers: Have the product demonstrations and social media campaigns to be made by AI voices.

YouTube Creators: Improve the content of the videos by adding a unique natural-sounding voice.

Social Media Influencers: Focus on the lifestyle and landing page with relevant stories and with the help of AI — create voiceovers for the posts.

Podcasters and Trainers: Record the best-sounding audio for any task or project in mere minutes.

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[system-of-a-feather]

McLean Hospital DID Video Controversey; Our (+ our Fiance's) Take

I'm really going to probably primarily summarize our takes in this post. If you want to see my raw chicken scratch notes (changes from scratch to REALLY scratchy due to me putting back on my finger brace for my sprained pinky) you can try to decipher them here. If there is any part you want me to translate, reblog and/or send an ask or something, but ya know

I have a saved copy of the video here.

Anyways some context to mine and my fiance's background and relevancy to this topic that reflect our opinions and biases on the topic

Me: I have been diagnosed with DID for a while. I've been on social media (briefly on twitter for 2 seconds, but arguably I think one of the larger DID blogs on tumblr maybe? *bless invisible follower accounts*) and use it with a DID focus on one of my social medias. Used to follow DID Youtube. I am also a research nerd and actually, back in university, would try to find time to come out to seminars like this at the place I used to be a research intern on. I very much enjoy these environments and seminars that summarize present concerns and ideas in the research community. I've also basically cleared "stabilization" phase of DID and according to some have achieved what might be considered "functional multiplicity" yet am still progressing with my recovery.

Fiance: He's my partner since 2016 and has been actually living with us for about a month now. He's a communications major with specialization on advertising and marketing and as a decent part of his education focused on how social media is being used and how that stuff plays into effective advertising. He also has a close relationship with his mom that - until he started dating me and I got diagnosed - did he not know that she also had DID as she is of the type that is very ashamed, confused, and embarrassed by it. Between the both of us though, when his mom, him, and I go out to dinner, he is really the only one checked in and its kinda really funny cause he looks like the weird one for not entirely spacing out.

Yes, we made this a mini date night.

Anyways, the point.

The seminar had a lot of really good points, a few alright points, and a few really EHHH points. They also did directly use videos without censoring the users or doing much to protect their identity / reduce risk of harassment which I do feel is problematic cause he did - in part of his discussion about social media and DID - acknowledge that harassment is viral in the DID community for both people who have it and people who don't. I think that in itself is the largest issue and the largest fuck up that he really should honestly put an apology out for imo cause he really did comment on how huge of an issue it is, and did little due diligence to not add to it. While I don't think that is "malpractice" it is unprofessional. Do I think we should take his license for it? No. Do I think he should be held accountable / he owes an apology for that? Yeah probably.

Beyond that huge fuck up, the overall take away I got was that his concern for malingering / maladaptive use on social media on people who DO have DID and those that don't but might think they do / might be faking is absolutely valid and I do think it is someting that needs to be talked about; however he presents it in a kinda problematic way with a clear attitude and perspective that is both very (ironically) trauma stuck and - as my fiance and I started putting it in our conversations - "Boomer Takes"

He comments on how a lot of it is very flashy, performative, and sensationalized and comments on how that can be harmful / dangerous and I do agree, but I also don't think that inherently has anything to do with validating or invalidating how their diagnosis.

I DO absolutely agree with him calling out the trend of monetizing the disorder which I have strong opinions against and I do find it extremely uncomfortable for people to be trying to monetize the disorder outside of genuine extreme situations where support is needed.

I had a lot less of a notable take on the comment on the switches being overt because I actually never seen someone switch in person (his mom is very covert and not the most talkative about hers), but my fiance had a very loud laughing fit over how dramatic and weird they were commenting that neither of the ones he showed looked anything like either of how me or his mom show things.

There was a REALLY good S tier section on the Fantasy Model VS Trauma Model as well as how DID forms and the nature of it in the middle that I think was actually VERY well done and informative and I would like to chef kiss the air at it.

Again, there were a lot of good points to it and it was informative but I do have a few complaints.

The overall issue I find with his rhetoric are

a lot of his points sound mostly anecdotal which is not really the best (he did have some studies but, a lot of "this is not what we see"

he really has a set mindset that seems to summarize to "if they are not completely shocked and traumatized when they switch and are used to it, then they are faking / malingering" which is pretty problematic

he doesn't leave room for the fact that some people with DID do heal and recover from trauma and while most might be experiencing it in a way that is horrifying, people DO heal and discounting the lack of shame and acceptance as reasons to suspect malingering / faking is kind of problematic and against healing ideas

he doesn't leave account for generational gaps in how mental health is approached and while he focuses a lot on how people are inappropriately using DID "content" he only brushes over and vaguely hand gestures at what he would suggest "healthy" usage to look like which once again doesn't serve to be the most productive of conversation

his very understanding of the disorder in short is very dependent on the idea that people with DID "are usually ashamed" and "very traumatized" which the latter is true but again, healing exists

a point my fiance brought up is that while he has a lot of good concerns and points, a lot of his points come from anecdotes and how he "doesn't see these things in his practice" but he never really talked to any of the people he is commentating on the behavior of and the thing with social media is those with the largest following tend to be the extreme ends of whatever niche they are in so it is likely that those with extreme followings likely have extreme (ie atypical) experiences of the disorder simply by the nature of how the disorder is

Anyways, theres probably a few more details worth commentating on or transcribing from my notes but my pinky is sprained and i already wrote a shit ton for this so Imma give it a break and not type it all up.

TLDR: its not the best delivered video but it does have its merrit and the overall concept / concern is valid and important, but the dudes a boomer and has an issue of "poor traumatized and broken meow wows" about people with DID that is kinda annoying and out of touch

TLDR 2: Guys he didn't do fucking malpractice. People who are saying he did malpractice honestly need to get off the internet and learn how to use those words correctly cause yall are watering it down. (insert world heritage meme on the word 'gatekeeping' and 'gaslighting')

Absolutely feel free to reblog/send asks for more elaboration and all on it, but thats just my notes and take from it.

[prokopetz]

two questions:

1) when building out a ttrpg that you want to be rules-heavy, what actually is the process for designing such a game? Do you start with a rules-light core and then build outwards, or do you start with a system you already know works and modify it until it no longer resembles the original

2) do you have a policy around people using mechanical elements from the games you designed? I remember really liking Rotate Bird's way of approaching things but wanted to do something less random

In order:

That's a question whose answer is going to depend a great deal on what you're actually trying to accomplish – no game is rules heavy simply for the sake of being rules heavy, whatever certain titles' detractors might claim – and teasing out those particulars is an involved enough process to stray into design consulting territory. Unless I'm on a first-name basis with you, that ain't free!

Refer to the "Credits & Acknowledgements" page of the game or playtest draft in question – you should find a link to the relevant usage license. Usually it will be Creative Commons 4.0 Attribution license, unless I've borrowed material myself that requires different terms. I'm afraid I can't offer legal advice regarding how to comply with any particular license, but there are many excellent primers you can find online that go over the basics.

(Note that I'm assuming we're talking about verbatim copying of rules text here. Borrowing the idea of game mechanics typically requires no permission at all – though again, this is not legal advice.)

Any questions?

[excalculus]

hey so re that abandonware post and fixing old computers so they don't fucking brick expensive microscopes: have you ever replaced a power supply in a computer tower connected to an olympus confocal microscope? olympus is trying to get us to pay 5-6k for a new computer over a power supply and frankly, i don't want to pay that but we're a bit nervous that olympus might've encrypted the motherboard such that replacing the power supply bricks it.

First off I'm not an expert and am not intending to give instructions or write a tutorial, so anything you do or don't do based on this is up to you. I've also never had this exact scenario so I have no specific advice.

That being said, I haven't heard of Olympus pairing components in their PCs, so if true it's a pretty recent development and some real bullshit. How old is this thing? If it's relatively new my experience is even less relevant since I was mostly wrangling stuff well over 10 years old. Obviously if you try to fix it, fail, and call them back without being able to hide your tracks really well, they'll likely void any kind of warranty or service contract on the PC. But if the alternative is replacing the whole damn thing anyways, well...

From what I know of things like iPhones and game consoles that do have component pairing, trying to swap things only bricks the device in the sense that it won't run with the "illegal" parts. It doesn't cook the board unless there's a separate electrical problem, and swapping the original part back in should restore it to whatever functionality it had before. Assuming you're very sure it's the power supply itself and not something like the connection between that and another component, my guess is that trying to swap in a known working PSU of the exact same model might fail but won't break things worse.

The closest incident I've been involved in was one where one of these microscope computers was dying slowly and horribly, and the rep wanted something like 3k for a fresh install of the software. IT helped clone the entire contents of the hard drive, and we were able to copy that onto a non-dying drive and pop that back into a mostly-new computer. Clearly this might also fail depending on how aggressive they were in locking all the parts together, but if there's no truly custom hardware in the PC and all you need is CellSens or whatever a DIY license transfer may be worth thinking about.

If all else fails, you can always ask your PI to loudly consider a new Leica or something where they can hear.