#extract number from string excel
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futuretechhub-in · 2 years ago
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Excel Hacks : How to Extract Numbers from string Excel? 2 Best Ways
Learn how to extract numbers from text in Excel. Step-by-step guide to extract, remove, or delete numbers from strings or cells. #ExcelTips #DataAnalysis 📊🔢
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Succeed Hacks : How to Concentrate Numbers from string Succeed? 2 Most effective Ways
Step by step instructions to Concentrate Numbers from string Succeed (Succeed Enchantment: How to Concentrate Numbers from Strings and Supercharge Your Information Examination)
Gone are the times of physically filtering through blended information. Figure out how to use strong Succeed works and deceives to easily detach and remove numbers from text. Whether you're managing complex information arrangements or straightforward text strings, our bit by bit directs and illustrative models will enable you to deal with different situations easily. extract number from string excel
In this article, you'll investigate:
Viable equation methods like Concat, Textsplit and Succession for exact number extraction.
Genuine use cases exhibiting every method's viable application.
Demonstrated systems to deal with different numeric arrangements and exceptional characters.
Efficient mechanization tips to keep your information extraction process modern.
Chapter by chapter list
Step by step instructions to Concentrate Numbers from string Succeed (Succeed Enchantment: How to Concentrate Numbers from Strings and Supercharge Your Information Examination)
In this blog will show 2 different ways by which, we can Eliminate Numbers from String in Succeed.
1. By Mix of Concat, Textsplit and Arrangement recipe
2. Here is one more technique by which we can Eliminate Number from String in Succeed.
FAQ's
How would I separate a number from a string in Succeed?
Might I at any point separate different numbers from a solitary string in Succeed?
How might I extricate just the decimal piece of a number from a string?
Are there any Succeed add-ins or modules accessible for number extraction from strings?
Could I at any point extricate numbers from strings that contain unique characters or units?
Is there an approach to consequently refresh the separated numbers in the event that the first string changes?
Consider the possibility that my information holds conflicting organizations for numbers inside strings.
separate number from string succeed
Not any more battling with tangled information! Saddle the maximum capacity of Succeed and recover command over your data. With our thorough aide, you'll become the best at extricating numbers from message cells, changing your Succeed insight into a smooth and effective excursion. Express goodbye to information mess and embrace the lucidity and precision of efficient data. How about we leave on this engaging excursion together to succeed in Succeed more than ever! extract number from string excel
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dustedmagazine · 1 year ago
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Nomi Epstein — shades (Another Timbre)
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Making her first appearance on the Another Timbre label, composer Nomi Epstein’s CD shades shares her experimental, Wandelweiser-adjacent music in a program recorded by Apartment House, and by a group assembled for the 2019 Vibrant Matter festival in Berlin. They play three pieces, the title work, which is a string quartet, Sextet, and the bespoke sounds (for Berlin).
Epstein frequently employs synchronized or staggered glissandos to create a fluid, microtonal pitch space. This is particularly evident in shades, where the blurring of sliding duets, for the most part played slowly and relatively softly, creates an intriguing surface with considerable harmonic variation.
Sounds (for Berlin) is made for a heterodox ensemble composed of Christian Kesten (v0ice and whistle), Michiko Ogawa (clarinet), Mieko Klein (violin), and Joseph Houston (piano and whistle). There is a Cagean cast to the proceedings, not dissimilar to the elegiac, late number pieces. Once again, the use of glissandos and microtones, provided by whistles, clarinet bends, and Kesten’s voice, is a layer of the texture. Piano preparations share a clacking, percussive motive. In the second half of Sounds, a slow, soft, harmonic ostinato is prescient of the influence of Morton Feldman that populates the next piece, Sextet.
Sextet also employs glissandos, but not as prevalently as shades or Sounds. A repeated note on the piano and the overtones of a harmonic series played by strings and winds, with microtonal inflections and gradual changes of pitch, is performed in an achingly slow ostinato for twenty-six minutes. It is the most Feldman-like of Epstein’s pieces, but it departs significantly from the chromatic scale, making Sextet a distinct experiment in its own right.
Epstein’s music is unfailingly attractive and elegantly paced. Shades is an excellent introduction to her work.
Christian Carey
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jinxypoodle · 1 month ago
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Okay, turning that stream of consciousness into a crossword puzzle is quite a creative challenge! Given the randomness, it won't be a traditional crossword with straightforward clues. Instead, it will be more of an abstract word association puzzle.
Here's a concept for how it could work:
Title: Stream of Consciousness Scramble
Instructions: This crossword grid contains a jumble of words and phrases extracted from a stream of consciousness. Use the numbered clues below to identify the words and fit them into the grid. Some clues might be direct, while others require more abstract thinking and association based on the original list.
Grid: (I can't actually draw a grid here, but imagine a standard crossword grid with varying lengths of boxes.)
Clues:
Across:
A large area measurement linked with heroic organizations.
The desire for complete acquisition.
A fictional genre involving legal settings.
A phrase indicating the speaker imparted sacred knowledge.
A type of religious enthusiast.
A location for communal outdoor gatherings.
A repetition suggesting familiarity or a known place.
An idiom about a rapid and short existence.
A question about the present moment.
The past tense of knowing one's identity.
Becoming outdated.
Being alone.
Secret pressure for personal gain.
Without end.
A sound effect indicating sinister amusement.
Instructions on writing a specific sound.
The first meal of the day paired with a proper noun.
Decorative plant elements often used during a specific holiday.
An exclamation of disbelief or shock.
A request for clarification on spelling.
A filler phrase indicating hesitation.
A conditional statement of restraint.
A repeated phrase from a song.
A self-deprecating statement about sounding foolish.
Exploring possibilities related to spelling or scent.
A concern or preoccupation.
Abbreviation for the global information network.
A newly formed musical group of a specific genre.
A famous band.
A member of that band.
A song title by a different band referencing a scent.
An artificial aquatic environment.
A software development kit for a specific mobile platform.
A gaming console company.
Another gaming console.
A stringed musical instrument.
Similar-sounding word to the previous, possibly a misspelling.
Specialized vocabulary.
A collection of digital information.
Plural of "tet" in a specific context.
A location with tracks and miniature vehicles.
Devices for changing the direction of model trains.
Lack of knowledge.
A visual organizing tool.
Patterns of words with similar sounds.
The language used for classifying living organisms.
Moving outward.
A vast and expansive area.
A historical figure with a bell tower connection (potentially).
A performer.
Obtaining assets.
A person's name followed by a game.
A swirling vortex.
Untruths.
Rests or settles comfortably.
A garment worn around the neck.
Small, miscellaneous items.
A file-sharing service (historical).
A rebellious or non-conformist individual.
A creator of independent publications.
A secret combination of characters.
A shade of denim.
A loyal or steadfast person (with a twist).
A term of endearment with a potential misspelling.
A sudden, rapid movement.
A brand of cookies (with a similar-sounding word).
A sleeveless garment.
A female name followed by a directive.
A negative contraction followed by a verb.
A male name followed by a possessive and a noun of reverence.
An adverb indicating perpetuity.
A concluding expression of agreement.
A possessive pronoun followed by a noun for a settlement.
A cartoon character known for messy hair.
An adjective describing something extremely cold and pure.
A place associated with "Home".
A cooking vessel.
A derogatory term that rhymes with "skillet".
Another term associated with "Home".
An adjective meaning good or excellent.
A sharp projection on a plant.
The hard outer layer of a reptile.
A peaceful bird.
Plural of "bim" (nonsense word).
A large feline of the tropics.
A type of tropical tree.
Down: (Similar style of clues would be created for down words, referencing other parts of your original list.)
Note: This is just a conceptual framework. Actually constructing a solvable crossword grid with all these words and clues would be a very complex task and might require significant compromises and creative interpretations. Some of the "clues" are more like direct identifications due to the abstract nature of the source material.
Would you like me to try and flesh out a small section of the grid and clues as an example?
square footage superhero corps licensable movie rights "i want it all off" lethal fiction Legal Fiction in the event that any and all i taught you that's holy roller ecumenicist camp ground loops i taught you that sounds like i dont know another place as as i told you one what ta live fast die young if i said another one how about now i knew who i are obsoletion isolation osolation black mail forever evil laughter how to spell the beep beep beep birth sleep alarm clock when im up and adam bows of holly christmas tree are you out of your mind i mean it was dictionary spelling ----------------------> "oh im unuh" oh i wouldn't do that if i would not do that if i were one more time hit me baby oh baby baby now i sound like a freaking idiot what if i spell it what if i smell it what if thats the worry one about w w w what what worry world wide web new groupy rock band beatles rock band now i got ya ringo star smells like teen spirit fish tank died in a fish tank sdk apk android microsoft playstation xbox sitar semetar sermonis jargon file tet sets on a train set like car switches didnt know mind map rhyme schemes latin for plants and animals out into it the great wide alexander ax ak bell tower dancer acquisitions brian nyquist twister nest lies nestles neck tie knick knacks napster gangster scenester zinester password navy blue jeanster true blue weanster wansker sk blur quick keebler feebler tube top donna do dont don wan demarko kneel before your god goddess forever and ever amen this is our town dagwood hair out of place dag gad glacier fresh Home Gee skillet scunk Home Boy Good thorn turtle shell dove bims jungle cat mangrove gee how'd that get out i dont know if it's on the list california kali ma durga ma shiv shiva ganesha ganapati hanuman Lakshmana lakshmi arm bands to anklets right now? on her anklet's design there was a the tiddle in particular. syrian serious password or religious he if i wanna interupt cross talk three headed ostreg what if i spell it in australian wikapedia farm records of family names all the way back and all the way up why we ever do it faelynx if i saw a cat under a ladder bad luck pretty wells if it belonged to it i know a buck a buck if it goes again give it a whirl the difference bettween love attention and enchantment take the last part off rip it appart im a "has been" "a hack" change the deffinition whats a yourself tiger shark can flirt but also careful he'd try to warn you im hunters are meat eaters if this is like that well i known know yep i drew one but i drew that he drew one now he's talking about me or what ive got a metaphore well i dont know if he's now i do it anymore fight fight fight skunk she turned to look back at me at the same time but what? greek trajety or rome wasnt built in a day frog yop dont latin language before the bible ive got too many more now i say he said constelations chandra moon goddess how did you do that on your own? found inserts
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devangriai · 7 months ago
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How Does Website Translation Memory Boost Accuracy and Cut Cost?
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Translation software is based on memories becoming an amazing tool for professional and organizational purposes. Translational memory is very useful for Website Translation and localization for better outcomes.
Translation memory software helps you with website translation in different ways:
Accelerates the translation process
Ensure high-quality translation and consistency for multiple projects
One can easily determine the number of words, translation cost, output time, and much more.
Website translators can easily perform English to Hindi Translation.
However English is the most spoken language in the world. English to Hindi Transliteration is important to make it easier for people to learn English dialects and pronunciation. Organizations are saving costs and boosting efficiency on a higher scale with translation in real-time from any language to multiple languages with correct accents backed by high-end technologies.
In this article, you’ll explore what exactly translation memory is, how it works, and how it is different from other tools. You will get to know the best solutions present in the market, and how to choose the right option for Website Translation.
Additionally, you’ll get a chance to see an up-close look at English To Hindi Translation and how easy it is to personalize and manage a translation memory database.   
What is a translation memory?
Ever growing translation industry is globally expanding with the power of translation memory. It is a translation technology called a translation memory software database in full form. The instance goes against the different forms of tactical advantages here the data is stored in multiple pairings. These text segments are called translation units, these have multitudinous lengths and can be as long as a phrase, sentence, or paragraph sometimes simply a string of words.
Translation memory vs termbase: What’s the difference?
A termbase memory is a kind of glossary that is a searchable database. It works at a different level whereas translation memory is based on retrens small units into a larger database. Termbase memory is compared to a dictionary for specific terms. It can translate given words and definitions according to some usage rules.
A termbase is advantageous for:
Technical terms
Acronyms
Product names
Traditional Translation Memory Management Versus Devnagri Ai
Devnagri AI provides brands and companies with control over the vast database of translation memory helps with very smooth English To Hindi Translation or any other language.
Users can modify their part of translation memory for example if one of performing website translation. Existing translation entries pair with the coming context and tone and remove data that is not required. Specifically, the memory creates and uses generative AI to build the best responses in terms of translation as well as English to Hindi Transliteration.
The traditional editing process for translation memories is error-prone and manual. Here is how it works:
A user will export the translation memory on an Excel spreadsheet.
An editor will make the required changes on the same
After editing is completed, it will be imported back again into the translation memory database.
This process has the chance of errors and results in a corrupted file.
Users can edit, remove, or update the entries using Devnagri AI in a translation memory for website translation. The smart tech-based machine learning tool uses the translation memory built over time and then it updates the data without the risk of corruption.
Users can easily move data from existing translation memories to new ones or export them to others. Easily locate and extract data that is required, whereas the AI-based platform does this itself.
Several Unique Features that You Should Look out for while selecting a tool for Website translation:
Supports multiple languages
Translation supporting the local dialects of any region
Custom entry accessibility for any content type
Customizable features according to requirements
Generate and establish a stronger database
Tools to easily implement over the source code for website translation
Faster translation with the highest accuracy with usable tool design
Translation Memory in Devnagri AI
Devnagri on the Air (DOTA) Web is empowering users with a super smart combination of machine and human translators. In both categories, the DOTA web is a tool proven to be an amazing website translator. AI’s integration speeds up and scales up the translation process focusing on accuracy and fresh content.
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about-windows-server · 9 months ago
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Office 2024 LTSC is now available
In Office 2024 and Office LTSC 2024, you'll find several new features including several new functions in Excel, improved accessibility, better session recovery in Word, new capabilities in Access, and a new and more modern design that brings Office 2024 together.
The Microsoft Office 2024 retail final edition is expected to be released in Oct 2024. It will be available as a standalone one-time purchase and its expected cost is anticipated to be the same as all previous versions of Office, respectively of different editions.
You can use the Office Deployment Tool to download office 2024 LTSC now at www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=49117
You can get the office 2024 , office 2021 and Microsoft 365 at Keyingo.com
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What's new in Office 2024 LTSC
New default Office theme
Office 2024 has a more natural and consistent experience within and between your Office apps. This new look applies Fluent Design principles to deliver an intuitive, familiar experience across all your applications. It shines on Windows 11, while still enhancing the user experience on Windows 10.
Insert a picture from a mobile device
It used to take several steps to transfer images from your phone to computer, but now you can use your Android device to insert pictures directly into your content in Office LTSC 2024​​​​​​​.
​​​​​​​Support for OpenDocument Format (ODF) 1.4
We now include support for the OpenDocument format (ODF) 1.4. The ODF 1.4 specification adds support for many new features.
Give a Like reaction to a comment
Quickly identify new comments or new replies with the blue dot and show your support to a comment with a Like reaction.
Dynamic charts with dynamic arrays
In Excel 2024​​​, you can now reference Dynamic Arrays in charts to help visualize datasets of variable length. Charts automatically update to capture all data when the array recalculates, rather than being fixed to a specific number of data points.
Text and array functions
There are now 14 new text and array functions in Excel 2024 that are designed to help you manipulate text and arrays in your worksheets. These functions make it easier to extract and split text strings and enable you to combine, reshape, resize, and select arrays with ease.
New IMAGE function
Now in Excel 2024​​, you can add pictures to your workbooks using copy and paste or you can use the IMAGE function to pull pictures from the web. You can also easily move, resize, sort, and filter within an Excel​​​​​​​ table without the image moving around.
Faster workbooks
The speed and stability of Excel 2024 workbooks has been improved, reducing the delays and hang-ups that arise when multiple workbooks with independent calculations are open at the same time.
Present with cameo
With cameo, you can insert your live camera feed directly on a PowerPoint​​​​​​​ slide. You can then apply the same effects to your camera feed as you can to a picture or other object, including formatting, transitions, and styles.
Create a video in Recording Studio
Record your PowerPoint​​​​​​​ presentation—or just a single slide—and capture voice, ink gestures, and your video presence. Export your recorded presentation as a video file and play it for your audience.
Embed Microsoft Stream (on SharePoint) videos
Add Microsoft Stream (on SharePoint) videos to the presentation to enhance and enrich your storytelling.
Add closed captions for video and audio
You can now add closed captions or subtitles to videos and audio files in your presentations. Adding closed captions makes your presentation accessible to a larger audience, including people with hearing disabilities and those who speak languages other than the one in your video.
Improved search for email, calendars, and contacts
New improvements have been added to search in Outlook 2024 to boost messages, attachments, contacts, and calendar entries so when you type your search it surfaces the most relevant suggestions.
More options for meeting creation
Outlook 2024 gives users more options while creating or managing meetings helping you carve out breaks between calls by automatically shortening meetings depending on their length.
​​​​​​Recover your Word session
When Word 2024 ​​​​closes unexpectedly before you save your most recent changes, Word automatically opens all the documents you had open when the process closed, allowing you to continue where you left off.
Improved Draw tab and ink features
OneNote LTSC 2024 has many new features and updates to existing tools to make your inking and Draw tab experience more robust and customizable. Now your ink will render instantly when drawn with your Surface pen and look just as good as traditional ink on paper. OneNote LTSC 2024 also now has more color and size options for your drawing tools, as well as better organization of the tools for easier access.
Access Dataverse Connector with Power Platform
Unlock new capabilities organizations need and want like mobile solutions and Microsoft Teams integration. Keep the value and ease of use of Access together with the value of cloud-based storage.
Even more shapes, stencils, and templates
Visio 2024 has even more shapes, stencils, and templates to help you create diagrams. Visio Standard 2024 now brings many new icons, sticky notes to brainstorm, and a plethora of infographics like pictograms and To-Do-Lists to name a few. Visio Professional 2024 includes all the added content from Standard and includes 10+ new Azure stencils, and more network and software content like Kubernetes Shapes and Yourdon-Coad Notations.
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johnjjames · 1 year ago
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You’ll Never Look at Documents the Same Way Again After Using This Mind-Blowing Tool
Dealing with documents can be a massive headache. Between extracting data, collaborating on changes, and generating finalized versions, the process is often convoluted and time-consuming. But what if there was a way to streamline everything into one seamless workflow? Enter Artificio, the revolutionary document processing platform that’s about to change the game.
At its core, Artificio harnesses cutting-edge artificial intelligence to intelligently parse through your documents, accurately extracting key data points with stunning precision. Need to convert PDF documents into editable Excel sheets? Artificio’s powerful PDF to Excel converter does it with ease, letting you seamlessly move data between formats.
But that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Where Artificio truly shines is in its ability to seamlessly integrate design elements and online functionality.
Imagine uploading a contract and having Artificio not only extract all the pertinent details like parties involved, dates, terms, and clauses, but also automatically generate a sleek email template populated with that data. With a few clicks, you can customize the look and feel using Artificio’s email design tools, tweak the content, and fire it off to all relevant parties in bulk. No more clunky copy-pasting or wrestling with formatting.
But emails are just the start of what Artificio can do. This powerful platform empowers you to create gorgeous, interactive PDF documents and online forms tailored to your specific needs using its intuitive PDF design interface. Want to embed videos explaining key points? No problem. Need to insert e-signature fields for easy signing? Done. How about including calculation formulas that automatically crunch the numbers? Artificio’s design capabilities make it all possible with ease.
And PDF generation is just one aspect. Artificio allows you to build any kind of document you need, from reports to newsletters to manuals, all with the same powerful design tools at your fingertips.
Here’s the real kicker: every element you create, whether it’s an email, PDF, online form, or anything else, is intrinsically linked to the original data extracted from your source documents. Make an update to pricing figures, and that change automatically populates across all your deliverables. It’s a degree of continuity and consistency that leaves outdated document processing solutions in the dust.
But the benefits don’t stop there. Artificio’s design capabilities extend far beyond just aesthetic appeal. The platform allows you to build in advanced logic and conditional formatting that can adapt content based on specific rules or user inputs. For example, you could set up an online form that dynamically shows or hides certain fields depending on how earlier questions are answered. It’s a level of intelligence that transforms documents from static vessels into interactive, situationally-aware experiences.
The best part? Collaborating on documents has never been easier. Whether you need to loop in colleagues for review cycles or get final sign-off from clients, Artificio’s platform enables real-time co-editing and commenting. No more endless email strings with conflicting versions attached. All stakeholders can work together seamlessly, leaving a comprehensive audit trail that keeps everyone on the same page.
Speaking of collaboration, Artificio takes things a step further by offering integration with popular cloud storage and communication tools. Easily sync your documents across Google Drive, Dropbox, Slack, and more. You can even set up automated workflows to streamline routine processes, like kicking off review rounds or generating periodic reports.
In today’s fast-paced world, inefficiency is the enemy. Every minute spent wrestling with bloated software, duplicating efforts, or untangling versioning mishaps is a minute lost. With Artificio, you have an all-in-one document processing powerhouse that blends artificial intelligence, beautiful design, and rich online functionality. It’s a combination that will forever change how you look at documents.
No more settling for clunky processes held together by overcomplicated workflows. No more accepting that lost productivity is just the cost of doing business. Artificio frees you from those constraints, providing a unified platform where data smoothly flows from source documents into living, breathing deliverables.
Whether you’re drafting contracts, designing newsletters, collecting research surveys, or anything in between, Artificio empowers you to do it all with unparalleled efficiency and polish. The future of intelligent document processing is here, and it’s never looked better.
So why keep viewing documents as lifeless, static relics of the past? It’s time to embrace the next evolution, where AI meets design meets online smarts. Ditch the archaic processes weighing you down, and experience how Artificio can propel your team’s productivity into a whole new stratosphere.
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allenbalif · 1 year ago
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Formulas and Functions 
In spreadsheet software like Microsoft Excel or Google Sheets, formulas and functions are essential tools for performing calculations and manipulating data. They serve various purposes, and different types of formulas and functions cater to specific needs. Here's a breakdown of some common types:
Basic Arithmetic Formulas:
- Addition: `=A1 + B1`
- Subtraction: `=A1 - B1`
- Multiplication: `=A1 * B1`
- Division: `=A1 / B1`
2. Statistical Functions:
- Purpose: Analyze and summarize data statistically.
- Examples:
- `AVERAGE(range)`: Calculates the average of a range of numbers.
- `SUM(range)`: Adds up all the numbers in a range.
- `COUNT(range)`: Counts the number of cells in a range that contains numbers.
3. Logical Functions:
- Purpose: Make decisions based on logical conditions.
- Examples:
- `IF(logical_test, value_if_true, value_if_false)`: Performs a specified action based on a given condition.
- `AND(logical1, logical2, ...)`: Returns TRUE if all arguments are TRUE.
- `OR(logical1, logical2, ...)`: Returns TRUE if any argument is TRUE.
4. Text Functions:
- Purpose: Manipulate and analyze text data.
- Examples:
- `CONCATENATE(text1, text2, ...)`: Combines multiple text strings into one.
- `LEFT(text, num_chars)`: Extracts a specified number of characters from the beginning of a text string.
- `LEN(text)`: Returns the number of characters in a text string.
5. Date and Time Functions:
- Purpose: Perform operations on date and time data.
- Examples:
- `TODAY()`: Returns the current date.
- `NOW()`: Returns the current date and time.
- `DATEDIF(start_date, end_date, "unit")`: Calculates the difference between two dates in years, months, or days.
6. Lookup and Reference Functions:
- Purpose: Retrieve information from a table or range.
- Examples:
- `VLOOKUP(lookup_value, table_array, col_index_num, [range_lookup])`: Searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value in the same row from another column.
- `INDEX(array, row_num, col_num)`: Returns the value of a cell in a specified row and column of a range.
7. Mathematical Functions:
- Purpose: Perform various mathematical calculations.
- Examples:
- `SQRT(number)`: Returns the square root of a number.
- `POWER(number, exponent)`: Raises a number to a specified power.
- `ROUND(number, num_digits)`: Rounds a number to a specified number of digits.
These are just a few examples, and there are many more functions and formulas available in spreadsheet software, each serving a specific purpose in data analysis and manipulation.
Watch Now:- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M6r15VKffK8
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bpaeducators · 2 years ago
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📊 Did you know that Excel 2019 has an incredible formula called "Take" that can help you manipulate data efficiently? With this function, you can extract a specific number of characters from a text string, making data analysis a breeze! 💼💻 #Excel2019 #DataManipulation
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anthonypaulh · 2 years ago
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GETTING my TEETH into ITP and DENTAL TREATMENT
Before my purple journey started in 2006 a routine dental appointment would usually be completely straightforward, until then I had never really given much thought to what ITP sufferers should do in respect of such matters. 
Would ITP make any difference to my dental treatment ? What should I tell my dentist about my illness, my medication, my current and future treatment ? Did he need to know ? Why did he need to know ? Could he treat me as a normal patient ? Could he treat me at all ? 
For most people the merest hint of a dental appointment usually sets the collies wobbling. For some it's the buzzing of the drill, for others it's the smell of antiseptic or the taste of the mouth wash. Whatever turns us off, dental appointments are not much fun. 
Luckily I have always had excellent treatment from my dentist. I can't say that a visit to my dentist has ever held any concerns at all. I guess I'm lucky in this respect. So a visit to my dentist as an ITP patient wouldn’t  be any different, would it ?
Well, er, yes actually, it's very different. Just to make me slightly anxious I had heard that a number of ITP patients indicated that they had great difficulty in finding a dentist who had any idea what ITP actually was. Surely things were not this bad ? It was not Victorian England where some people had wooden false teeth and some did DIY dentistry with pliers and string tied to door handles. Hard times indeed. 
The importance of getting regular dental checks is so important whether or not you have ITP but once under the purple influence it becomes even more vital. The phrase prevention rather than cure always comes to the fore when thinking about dental checks but with ITP it is absolutely imperative.
The last thing any of us with ITP needs is to have intrusive dental treatment, which is obviously going to be more difficult if we have a low or fluctuating platelet count. So by getting checked regularly and making sure we keep to good daily routines for oral hygiene, hopefully we can avoid treatment for things like fillings, gum disease and even extractions.
I knew that I had to tell my dentist that I had ITP.  I had to advise him what treatment I had received, what drugs I had been taking , what my latest platelet count was and what treatment regime I was gong to continue with. I knew all this because I had obtained a really useful leaflet from the ITP Support Association. It was very soberly entitled... Protocol for dentists treating patients with Thrombocytopenia. A protocol sounded like something the UN would have drawn up.  But nevertheless it was extremely helpful and I gave a copy to my dentist at my appointment.  
At the dental appointment, as ever, my dentist made things as easy as proverbial pie. He  is just very good at what he does. He's so professional, well informed, up to date with all the latest technology and information (He didn't even pay me to say any of that ! )  I told him that since we'd last met I'd been diagnosed with something called ITP.  Just like everyone else I’d told about my ITP, I thought he'd say something along the lines of ...... Well you don't look ill, I've never heard of it but I'm sure you'll be fine. 
What he actually said was that although he didn't have any other patients with ITP, he'd heard of it. He would treat me in a similar way to a haemophiliac, although he realised that there were many, many differences. He switched on his laptop and we looked up ITP. I'd given him my stodgily named Protocol for dentists leaflet already but he also looked up the ITP Support Association website there and then.
He took notes as I told him my purple history to date. He recorded details of my drugs...Prednisolone, Omeprazole, Alendronic Acid, Rituximab, Mycophenolate Mofetil, platelet count history, current treatment regime, name and contact details of my specialist and any other medical history of relevance.
I didn't have any other medical history apart from ITP so , that was pretty much that. Drama over, we just needed to do the dental bit. Just open wide, say cheese and hope for the best !
It may seem obvious that our dentist needs to know our platelet count. If any treatment is needed, especially an extraction, a platelet count under 50 may preclude that treatment from being carried out. 
If you are going to have any treatment it is sometimes necessary to get a blood test to check your platelet count before undergoing that treatment and with some people it may also be necessary to consult with your ITP specialist/haematologist. 
Advising our dentists of what medication we are currently taking and have taken for the last 12 months is also vital. Any drugs the dentist uses to anaesthetise us for example, may clash with any medications we have taken for our ITP or any other medical condition for that matter. 
Another problem is that should we encounter any pain following any dental interventions the only painkillers we can take are Paracetamol. ITP sufferers must avoid Aspirin or Ibuprofen. Having purple in your life gives you so many things to think about. 
For further information on all things ITP the following links are to the most reliable and up to date sources - 
The ITP Support Association - www.itpsupport.org.uk 
The Platelet Disorder Support Association - https://www.pdsa.org 
ITP Australia - https://itpaustralia.org.au/ 
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futureailist · 2 years ago
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Unveiling the Power of LALAL.AI: Your Ultimate Solution for Audio Separation In the realm of audio manipulation, precision and efficiency are paramount. LALAL.AI, the cutting-edge vocal remover and instrumental AI splitter, emerges as the ultimate solution for artists, creators, and enthusiasts seeking to extract, refine, and enhance audio tracks. With a commitment to delivering high-quality results in a matter of seconds, LALAL.AI introduces a game-changing approach to audio separation. Unparalleled Features Stem Splitter: Elevating Your Tracks LALAL.AI's Stem Splitter feature is a revelation for musicians and sound engineers. It seamlessly separates vocals, instrumental elements, drums, bass, guitar, synth, and even string and wind instruments, providing unparalleled control over audio tracks. Voice Cleaner: Sonic Excellence Redefined Bid farewell to unwanted noise and disturbances with LALAL.AI's Voice Cleaner. This tool effectively eliminates background music, vocal plosives, mic rumble, and other undesirable noises, ensuring your audio reaches its true potential. The LALAL.AI Experience With LALAL.AI, you're embarking on a journey powered by the world's leading AI technology. Precise stem extraction, devoid of quality loss, is now at your fingertips. Whether you're a musician aiming for pristine tracks or a content creator seeking impeccable audio quality, LALAL.AI delivers excellence. Exploring Packages and Usage Tailored to Your Needs LALAL.AI offers a range of packages, from the Lite pack, which caters to individual users, to the comprehensive Enterprise package designed for both individual and business use. Experience the service for free or upgrade to access more features and faster results. Efficient Minutes Management The "number of minutes in a pack" defines the audio length you can process. For example, the Starter pack offers a 10-minute limit, accommodating tracks of various lengths. The innovative deduction formula ensures efficient usage of your package. Seamless Integration and Support LALAL.AI's tools and API enable convenient integration into your projects. Experience the convenience of AI-driven audio manipulation on your devices, site, widget, or service. Conclusion LALAL.AI reshapes audio processing with its powerful Stem Splitter, Voice Cleaner, and user-friendly packages. Elevate your audio creations, unlock new possibilities, and experience the future of audio manipulation with LALAL.AI.
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dataanlystcoursetip · 2 years ago
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Essential Excel Skills Every Data Analyst Should Master
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Excel is a cornerstone tool in the world of data analysis. Its versatility, combined with powerful features, makes it invaluable for professionals working with data every day. If you want to thrive as a data analyst, developing strong Excel skills is not just beneficial — it’s essential.
Whether you’re just starting or looking to level up your expertise, focusing on the right Excel capabilities can make your work faster, more accurate, and insightful.
In this article, we’ll explore the key Excel skills data analysts classes should master, along with practical tips on how to apply them effectively.
Data Import and Cleaning: Preparing Your Data for Analysis
Before you can analyze data, you need to get it into Excel and ensure it’s clean and reliable. Data import involves bringing information from various sources — CSV files, databases, web pages, or other software — into your workbook.
Once imported, cleaning the data is crucial. This means handling missing values by deciding whether to fill, ignore, or remove them. Removing duplicates keeps your dataset accurate, while correcting errors like inconsistent formatting or typos prevents misleading results.
Using Excel’s built-in features such as Text to Columns, Find & Replace, and Data Validation can speed up this process and improve data quality.
Data Transformation: Shaping Your Data to Tell a Story
Raw data often isn’t ready for analysis. You’ll need to transform it by manipulating and reshaping to answer your questions better. Excel functions like CONCATENATE help you combine text fields, while LEFT and RIGHT extract specific parts of strings, such as area codes from phone numbers.
VLOOKUP is a classic function for merging data from different tables, but learning INDEX-MATCH can give you more flexibility and reliability.
PivotTables allow you to pivot your data, meaning you can rearrange rows and columns quickly to summarize and explore your data from multiple angles.
Data Analysis Functions: Extracting Meaning from Numbers
A solid understanding of Excel’s data analysis functions is a must. Functions like SUMIFS and COUNTIFS let you sum or count data conditionally — for example, calculating total sales for a particular region or counting customers by segment.
AVERAGEIFS works similarly, enabling you to find average values based on multiple criteria. MAX and MIN help identify extremes, while SUMPRODUCT allows for weighted calculations that can combine multiple arrays logically.
Logical functions such as IF, AND, and OR help create dynamic formulas that change results based on conditions, essential for scenario analysis and decision-making.
Data Visualization: Making Your Insights Visible
Numbers tell a story, but visualizing those numbers makes the story easier to understand. Creating charts like bar charts, line charts, or scatter plots helps reveal trends, comparisons, and outliers.
Excel’s chart customization options allow you to adjust colors, add labels, titles, and legends, and format axes for clarity and appeal. Well-designed charts make reports more engaging and accessible to stakeholders.
Statistical Analysis: Unlocking Deeper Insights
For more advanced data work, Excel offers statistical functions to calculate measures like mean, median, and standard deviation quickly. These descriptive statistics give you a snapshot of your data’s distribution and variability.
Excel’s Data Analysis ToolPak adds capabilities for hypothesis testing, regression, and ANOVA, allowing you to perform basic statistical analysis without needing separate software.
Advanced Formulas: Taking Your Analysis Further
Once you’re comfortable with basics, exploring advanced formulas can dramatically enhance your efficiency. Array formulas, for example, perform calculations on multiple values at once, reducing the need for repetitive tasks.
The combination of INDEX and MATCH is a powerful alternative to VLOOKUP, especially for large datasets where performance and flexibility matter.
Data Validation and Error Handling: Keeping Your Data Reliable
To ensure the integrity of your data, learn to implement data validation rules. These rules restrict inputs to expected formats or ranges, preventing incorrect or inconsistent data from entering your sheets.
Equally important is setting up error handling within formulas using IFERROR or ISERROR functions, which help manage and display meaningful messages instead of cryptic error codes. This practice makes spreadsheets more user-friendly and trustworthy.
Time Series Analysis: Working with Dates and Trends
If your data involves dates, mastering Excel’s date and time functions will help you analyze trends over time effectively. Calculating moving averages smooths out fluctuations, highlighting underlying trends.
You can also explore seasonality by comparing data across different time periods, helping businesses plan better and forecast accurately.
Quick Recap: Key Excel Skills for Data Analysts
Import and clean data from diverse sources to ensure quality
Transform and manipulate data using functions like CONCATENATE and VLOOKUP
Use conditional functions such as SUMIFS and IF to analyze data effectively
Visualize data with charts for clear, impactful storytelling
Apply statistical tools for deeper data understanding
Build advanced formulas including array functions and INDEX-MATCH
Maintain data integrity with validation and error handling
Analyze time-based data for trend and seasonality insights
Conclusion
Excel remains a fundamental skill for any data analyst aiming to deliver actionable insights. From importing raw data to creating advanced visualizations and statistical analysis, mastering these core Excel skills will boost your confidence and effectiveness.
Start by practicing with your own datasets, experiment with the features highlighted here, and seek out tutorials or courses to deepen your knowledge. With steady practice, Excel will become your trusted partner in turning data into decisions.
If you want recommendations for beginner-friendly Excel courses or project ideas to get hands-on experience, feel free to ask.
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esytes-encyclopedia · 2 years ago
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The Excel Formulas You Need to Know to Save Time
There are numerous Excel formulas that can be useful in various situations, but here are some essential Excel formulas that most users should know: SUM: Adds up all the numbers in a range of cells. Example: =SUM(A1:A5). AVERAGE: Calculates the average of a range of numbers. Example: =AVERAGE(B1:B10). MAX: Returns the largest number in a range. Example: =MAX(C1:C20). MIN: Returns the smallest number in a range. Example: =MIN(D1:D15). COUNT: Counts the number of cells that contain numbers in a range. Example: =COUNT(E1:E30). IF: Performs a conditional operation. It returns one value if a condition is true and another if it's false. Example: =IF(A1>10, "Yes", "No"). VLOOKUP: Searches for a value in the first column of a table and returns a value in the same row from a specified column. Example: =VLOOKUP(G1, A1:B10, 2, FALSE). HLOOKUP: Similar to VLOOKUP, but searches horizontally in a table. Example: =HLOOKUP(G1, A1:G10, 3, FALSE). INDEX and MATCH: Used together, these functions can perform powerful lookups. INDEX returns a value from a specific row and column in a range, and MATCH searches for a value in a range and returns its relative position. Example: =INDEX(A1:B10, MATCH(G1, A1:A10, 0), 2). CONCATENATE (or CONCAT): Combines text from multiple cells into one cell. Example: =CONCATENATE(A1, " ", B1). LEFT and RIGHT: Extracts a specified number of characters from the left or right of a cell's content. Example: =LEFT(A1, 3). LEN: Returns the length (number of characters) of a text string. Example: =LEN(A1). TRIM: Removes extra spaces from text. Example: =TRIM(A1). DATE: Creates a date value. Example: =DATE(2023, 9, 7). TODAY: Returns the current date. Example: =TODAY(). NOW: Returns the current date and time. Example: =NOW(). SUMIF: Adds up all numbers in a range that meet a specified condition. Example: =SUMIF(B1:B10, ">50"). COUNTIF: Counts the number of cells in a range that meet a specified condition. Example: =COUNTIF(C1:C20, "=75"). IFERROR: Returns a custom value if a formula generates an error. Example: =IFERROR(A1/B1, "N/A"). SUMIFS: Adds up numbers in a range that meet multiple conditions. Example: =SUMIFS(B1:B10, A1:A10, "Apples", C1:C10, ">10"). COUNTIFS: Counts the number of cells that meet multiple criteria. Example: =COUNTIFS(A1:A10, "Bananas", B1:B10, ">5"). AVERAGEIFS: Calculates the average of a range based on multiple criteria. Example: =AVERAGEIFS(D1:D15, E1:E15, "Red", F1:F15, ">50"). IF, AND, OR: Combining these functions can create more complex conditional statements. Example: =IF(AND(A1>10, B1="Yes"), "Pass", "Fail"). SUMPRODUCT: Multiplies corresponding components in arrays and returns the sum of those products. Example: =SUMPRODUCT(A1:A5, B1:B5). TEXT: Converts a number into text with a specified format. Example: =TEXT(NOW(), "dd-mmm-yyyy hh:mm:ss"). PROPER: Capitalizes the first letter of each word in a text string. Example: =PROPER("john doe"). UPPER and LOWER: Converts text to all uppercase or all lowercase. Example: =UPPER("hello") and =LOWER("WORLD"). SUBTOTAL: Performs various aggregate functions (e.g., SUM, AVERAGE) on filtered data sets. Example: =SUBTOTAL(109, B1:B100). RANK: Returns the rank of a number within a list. Example: =RANK(A1, A1:A10, 1). ROUND: Rounds a number to a specified number of decimal places. Example: =ROUND(A1, 2). ROUNDUP and ROUNDDOWN: Round a number up or down to the nearest specified decimal place. Example: =ROUNDUP(A1, 0) and =ROUNDDOWN(B1, 1). PI: Returns the mathematical constant Pi (π). Example: =PI(). RAND and RANDBETWEEN: Generates random numbers. RAND() returns a decimal between 0 and 1, while RANDBETWEEN(min, max) generates a random integer within a specified range. DAYS: Calculates the number of days between two dates. Example: =DAYS(B1, C1). NETWORKDAYS: Calculates the number of working days between two dates, excluding weekends and specified holidays. Example: =NETWORKDAYS(B1, C1, holidays). DGET: Retrieves a single value from a database based on specified criteria. PMT: Calculates the monthly payment for a loan based on interest rate, principal, and term. Example: =PMT(0.05/12, 5*12, 10000). NPV: Calculates the net present value of a series of cash flows based on a discount rate. Example: =NPV(0.1, C1:C5). IRR: Calculates the internal rate of return for a series of cash flows. Example: =IRR(D1:D5). Conclusion: In conclusion, Excel offers a rich arsenal of formulas and functions that cater to a wide range of data manipulation and analysis needs. The formulas and functions listed in the previous responses cover the fundamentals, from basic arithmetic calculations to conditional statements, text manipulation, and advanced financial and statistical analysis. Familiarity with these Excel formulas empowers users to efficiently manage data, perform calculations, and derive valuable insights. Read the full article
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makecareersolution · 2 years ago
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15 Advanced Excel Formulas You Must Know
Introduction
Microsoft Excel is a powerful tool for data analysis and management. It is used by businesses and individuals worldwide to organize and analyze data, create charts and graphs, and automate tasks. Excel offers a wide range of built-in functions, but advanced Excel formulas take your skills to the next level.
VLOOKUP
VLOOKUP is one of the most commonly used Excel formulas. It is used to find and retrieve data from a specific column in a table. It works by matching a lookup value to a corresponding value in the first column of a table and returning a value in the same row from a specified column.
INDEX-MATCH
INDEX-MATCH is an alternative to VLOOKUP. It is used to find and retrieve data from a specific row or column in a table. It works by matching a lookup value to a corresponding value in a specified column or row and returning a value from a specified row or column.
SUMIFS
SUMIFS is used to sum values in a range that meet multiple criteria. It works by specifying the range to sum, as well as the criteria to be met for each corresponding cell in a separate range.
COUNTIFS
COUNTIFS is used to count the number of cells in a range that meet multiple criteria. It works by specifying the range to count, as well as the criteria to be met for each corresponding cell in a separate range.
IFERROR
IFERROR is used to replace an error value with a specific value or message. It works by testing a formula for an error value and returning a specified value if an error is detected.
CONCATENATE
CONCATENATE
 is used to join two or more text strings into a single string. It works by specifying the text strings to be joined and the separator to be used between them.
LEFT, RIGHT, and MID
LEFT, RIGHT, and MID are used to extract a specific number of characters from a text string. LEFT is used to extract characters from the beginning of a string, RIGHT is used to extract characters from the end of a string, and MID is used to extract characters from the middle of a string.
LEN
LEN is used to determine the length of a text string. It works by counting the number of characters in a string.
TRIM
TRIM is used to remove extra spaces from a text string. It works by removing all leading and trailing spaces, as well as any extra spaces between words.
SUBSTITUTE
SUBSTITUTE is used to replace a specific text string within a larger text string with a different text string. It works by specifying the text string to be replaced, the text string to replace it with, and the text string in which the replacement is to occur.
NETWORKDAYS
NETWORKDAYS is used to calculate the number of working days between two dates. It works by excluding weekends and specified holidays from the calculation.
EOMONTH
EOMONTH is used to calculate the last day of the month based on a specified date. It works by adding a specified
If you are looking to enhance your Excel skills, then learning advanced Excel formulas is the next step for you. Knowing advanced Excel formulas will help you automate complex calculations, save time, and improve your overall productivity. In this Blog, we have discussed 15 advanced Excel formulas that you must know.
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dustedmagazine · 2 years ago
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Dust Volume 9, Number 3
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Emergency Group
As AI takes over the creative professions, it may seem pointless for actual, struggling human beings to sit down to listen to music made by other human beings, to think about what they hear and to string together sentences about how they felt about that music and what it means. But, in a sense, Dusted has always been a bit pointless, as have many of the under-heard, under-loved musics we follow. Still, since there’s no money in it, we can’t be starved out. We may not win an us-against-the-machines battle, but there’s no reason to surrender. And so, this month, we gather our low-tech resources to consider another batch of excellent, under-the-radar releases from folk artists and metal thrashers, jazz improvisers and pop craftspeople. Contributors include Bill Meyer, Ian Mathers, Jennifer Kelly, Justin Cober-Lake, Jonathan Shaw, Tim Clarke, Bryon Hayes, Margaret Welsh and Andrew Forell—not a robot in the bunch.
Joseph Allred — What Strange Flowers In The Shade (Feeding Tube)
What Strange Flowers In The Shade by Joseph Allred
We’ll be dealing with the pandemic’s fallout for years to come, but some consequences are lined with silver. Locked up in a grad school apartment, Joseph Allred spent a lot of time getting acquainted with the less-handled items in their sizable collection of instruments. Best known as a mystical acoustic guitarist of the Takoma school and a spiritually astute singer, they also have a lengthy, if less documented, history of appreciating and performing plugged-in music. What Strange Flowers Grown In The Shade arose from Allred’s deep dive into the delights of effects pedals and a Fender Jaguar guitar. Bolstered by remote contributions by the Rolin-Powers Duo, Magic Tuber Stringband, and others, Allred set the sound-mixer for slow stir and the spotlight for the center of the resulting thick swirl. The outcome sounds a bit like Mike Cooper might if you packed him off to a cold, damp clime with nothing to play but choral recordings, and he embraced the circumstances (don’t try this at home, folks; Cooper would be more likely to embrace your neck with an asphyxiating grip if you did him such a disservice).
Bill Meyer  
 John Atkinson — Energy Fields (AKP Recordings)
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It may have taken John Atkinson just two weeks on a residency in Wyoming (surrounded by the sounds of coal mines, wind farms, oil refineries, and hydropower plants) to get all of the field recordings he microedited into the four tracks that make up Energy Fields, but it took him another two years to figure out how to stitch them together. In that time, his longstanding interest in both the manipulation of found/sourced sound and in climate issues haven’t exactly dated. On the industrial rumble of “Black Thunder” and the galvanizing drones of “Spiritual Electricity” you can practically see the extractive machinery Atkinson was surrounded with, whereas the record’s second half moves to a calmer, more meditative and even hopeful place. The results are evocative and sometimes troubling soundscapes deeply rooted in our current ecological moment.
Ian Mathers
 Emergency Group — Inspection of Cruelty (Island House)
Inspection Of Cruelty by Emergency Group
Two side-long slabs of fusion-y free improvisation are led by long-time Dusted favorite Jonathan Byerley (Plates of Cake and Anti-Westerns), with seasoned jazz players Robert Boston and Andreas Brade in tow. WFMU DJ, writer and bassist Dave Mandl rounds out the foursome. A 1970s futuristic cool hangs over the whole enterprise, in its chugging rhythms, its radiant runs of electric keyboards, its motorific jams. You are meant to sniff out hash-scented whiffs of Silent Way into Jack Johnson-era Miles Davis (despite the lack of brass) in all this, but Return to Forever is a closer match, and maybe CAN, too. There’s an underpinning of jazz, but it wigs way the fuck out from there. I’d give the edge to urgent, driving “Part 1,” nearly half an hour long but constantly evolving, ever fascinating. “Part 2” is shorter, but not by much, but also less visceral, more of a head piece. It dozes deep into a psychedelic dream, where fairy dust keyboard notes drift down from pastel skies, sparkling all the way, and deep pulses of bass power the machinery that makes the illusion work. I’ve never loved keyboard-heavy fusion but I like this, go figure.
Jennifer Kelly 
 Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double — March On (self-released)
March On by Tomas Fujiwara's Triple Double
When percussionist Tomas Fujiwara convened his odd sextet a few years ago for their second album (2020's March), he had them record some extra material intended as segues between tracks. He decided the session warranted its own album, and new digital-only release March On centers on the 30-minute titular improv. The freedom of the set should suit fans of the artists involved (including Gerald Cleaver, Mary Halvorson, Brandon Seabrook, Taylor Ho Bynum and Ralph Alessi). Each of those musicians write and perform surprising, free-sounding music, but with careful composition structuring the adventures more carefully than might be expected. “March On” puts them in full improv mode, a task that succeeds largely because they've learned to interact so well with each other in a variety of ensembles over the past decade or so.
The Triple Double structure still holds, offering surprises in one level simply by changing configurations. The band's name suggests basketball, and the group plays a never-stagnating motion offense. We move from a horn duet to a guitar battle to a drum-guitar-trumpet trio with ease. Given the crowded space, each musician stays out of the others' way while still finding moments to become a focal point. The album closes with Halvorson and Seabrook briefly partnering for “Silhouettes,” 45 seconds of weird tone an unsettling conversation. It closes the album well, hinting at more mysteries within an ongoing conversation.
Justin Cober-Lake
 Full of Hell and Primitive Man — Suffocating Hallucination (Closed Casket Activities)
Suffocating Hallucination by Full of Hell & Primitive Man
A glib assessment of this collaboration between noisy grind band Full of Hell and the doomy monster that is Primitive Man might note: it’s 26 seconds of Full of Hell and 34 minutes of Primitive Man. For sure Suffocating Hallucination is dominated by the agonizing assaults of volume associated with Primitive Man’s excoriating, magma-paced music. But folks should recall just how adventurous the last few Full of Hell records have been, replete with excursions into hair-raising harsh noise and muscular hardcore. Open your ears to the textures of the record’s first two tracks (the sublimely titled “Trepanation for Future Joys” and the aptly titled “Rubble Home”) and you’ll hear both bands at work, responding to each other’s force and fury. Is that good? Depends on your appetite for unhappiness. This reviewer is compelled by the record’s final 18 minutes, in which the haunted factory sounds of “Dwindling Will” leach into the perversely magisterial “Tunnels to God.” As novelist Stephen Wright once observed, “If you can’t ascend, you might as well descend.” This music will get you there.
Jonathan Shaw
 Drew Gardner — The Return (Astral Spirits)
The Return by Drew Gardner
Folks following American “don’t call it primitive” guitar music have likely noted Drew Gardner’s redoubtably picking in Elkhorn, where he handles the usually-electric, six-string side of their bases-covered attack. Most folks don’t get to sound so sure in a minute, and it turns out that Gardner is a man with a past. He has been multi-instrumentalist since the 1980s, and during the mid-1990s he was an active participant in San Francisco’s free jazz scene. Around the same time, saxophonist John Tchicai had a teaching gig in Davis CA; he retained Gardner as a drummer, and when Gardner had a chance to record at Guerilla Euphonics in 1995, he returned the favor. Also on board were Church of John Coltrane alto saxophonist Roberto de Haven and, on one track, Marco Eneidi, also on alto. Gardner and bassist Vytas Nagisetty stoke the furnace, alternating a full head of steam with more judiciously applied rumblings, and the twinned reeds give Gardner’s themes a distinctly pre-electric Ornette feel. No doubt there’s a good reason why this music didn’t come out at the time, but it wasn’t on account of the music’s quality.
Bill Meyer
 Hourlope — Three Nights in the Wawayanda (self-released / Tymbal Tapes)
Three Nights in the Wawayanda by Hourloupe
Hourlope is a collaboration between Anar Badalov and Frank Menchaca, and Three Nights in the Wawayanda is the third part of an ambitious trilogy that began with Future Deserts, continued on Sleepwalker, and reaches its fantastical culmination here. Hourlope pair elusive electronic backing with Mechaca’s measured spoken word delivery, and the results are frequently beguiling. It feels like music from another time, both harking back to the origins of ambient electronica in the 1990s and reaching forward to imagine fresh new musical forms. The album’s finest moments are the more abstract, beatless pieces, such as the Fennesz-esque “Thumper,” and centerpiece “Green Navy/Rain,” a stunningly evocative two minutes in which Menchaca’s words perfectly complement the eerie atmosphere of the music.
Tim Clarke
Brett Naucke — Cast a Double Shadow (Ceremony of Seasons)
Cast A Double Shadow by Brett Naucke
Wine, beer and spirit clubs are not new, but the Asheville-based VISUALS winery is taking the concept beyond liquids with its Ritual of Senses club. It’s pairing rare, locally fermented products with components meant to delight the other senses. Packages are meant to arrive at the solstices and equinoxes and include a seasonally appropriate auditory component. Brett Naucke’s Cast a Double Shadow is included in the club’s winter solstice edition. Having spent most of his life near Chicago, the sound artist is now based in Asheville, hence his participation. Naucke blends a sonically diverse array of genetic material into a recombinant organism well-suited to survive the longest and coldest wintery night. Icy synths and brittle samples are bolstered by a lushness that carries a kernel of warmth inside of it. Bubbling arpeggios create the illusion of motion, and since a moving liquid cannot freeze, Naucke’s compositions remain lively amid the pervasive frostiness of the hibernal season. Those lucky enough to pair these ice-melting sounds with VISUALS�� liquid accompaniment will surely enjoy a synaesthetic intoxication. Imbibe responsibly, folks.
Bryon Hayes    
 The Natural Lines — S-T (Bella Union)
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Matt Pond may not be Matt Pond PA anymore, but he’s making the kind of clever, earnest indie rock as always, with some of the same people, notably Chris Hansen, his longtime guitarist and co-producer. This self-titled full length follows on the 2022 EP First Five, revisiting pensive, string-soothed “Spontaneous Skylights” and adding ten new warbly gems. “Monotony” feels like a COVID song, specifically a song about a musician’s experience of COVID, its clamped guitar stuttering as Pond sketches adapting to a smaller world. “When you start to think about the way you breathe, it doesn’t mean you believe in monotony,” he observes in a wavering voice that struggles to remain upbeat. But the music swells and with it, Pond finds his footing. “Climb the drums to feel the fall, stab the strings to feel anything,” he sings. Later, “A Scene That Will Never Die” turns moody introspection into bell-clear, chiming triumph. Pond’s voice is always bruised, rueful, real, but the music surges in waves of joy. If you’re still climbing out of the last couple of years, take heart. Matt Pond is, too, and he’s got a new band and an album to help.
Jennifer Kelly
 No Cosmos — you iii everything else (Lighter Than Air)
You iii everything else by No Cosmos
Montrealean jazz trumpet player Scott Bevins inhabits a fluid convergence of jazz, electronics and R&B in this eight-song debut, drawing out languid, lucid melodies in brass and roughing them up with a battery of percussion from drummer Kyle Hutchins. Bright, reiterative bell-tones frame “kindergentlepatient” in Reichian pointillism, but the trumpet rings out a long-noted, clarion melody, a little echo clinging to it like a shadow, flickering underneath. “Almost Lost You,” an early single, slaps a slinky downtempo beat onto musing post-Miles cool, and floats traceries of soul vocals over its slouching groove. Less overtly accessible, but ultimately more rewarding, “0 to me to me to me,” ruptures its Rhodes-chilled serenity with continual explosions of drumming. I like it best when Bevins lets the chaos slips into his stylized precision.
Jennifer Kelly
Party of the Sun — Capsule III EP (Trailing Twelve)
Capsule III by Party of the Sun
Backwoods psychedelia springs up like mushrooms in the wilder parts of northern New England. Party of the Sun, an acid folk trio from the Monadnock Region (where yrs truly also resides), made these gently expansive tunes on a working sheep farm, following in the muck crusted footsteps of MV+EE, Sunburned and Akron/Family. Akron/Family, admittedly, hailed from New York, but the resonance is strong anyway, especially to that first slow-burning album, where the creak of rocking chairs, the rumble of thunder, seeped into translucent, transcendent melody. Here, “See Space” is all murmur-y, sunlit radiance, guitar and keyboards picking out glittering patterns under Ethan McBrien’s soft, considering tenor. “Forget Me Knot” coalesces out of a cloud of buzzing sonics, warm, widely spaced guitar chords emerging like the emerging light of morning. Harmonies swell, in a natural way, and drums thump up a climax, as the song balloons from quiet contemplation to something epic. “Smoke Bush,” with its subtle thread of female harmonies, eddies and swirls and lilts like a lost 1960s folk off-take. These tunes grow naturally out of reverie and solitude, but they don’t stay that way. They invite you in.
Jennifer Kelly
 Anastassis Philippakopoulos — piano1 piano2 piano3 (Edition Wandelweiser Records)
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2020 was a rotten time for too many things to count, but it was a great time to stop and settle into some new music. That opportunity could not have been on anyone’s mind when Elsewhere Music released Anastassis Philippakopoulos: piano works mere weeks before the lockdowns began, but it was a perfect response to the moment. The Greek composer’s compositions, as performed by Melaine Dalibert, were distillations of reflection and deliberate action. This album, which contains earlier works performed by a different pianist, exchanges pith for elongation, but in other respects it’s a continuation of Philippakopoulos’s poetic dialogue between profound silence and unassumingly beautiful sound. Each note bears the weight of consideration, as though the composer carried out a moral inventory before committing to its placement in moderate proximity to another one, and the restrained touch of Serbian pianist Teodora Stepančić honors the music’s austerity.
Bill Meyer 
 Sif — Darkstalker (Self-released)
Darkstalker by Sif
Nuthin’ fancy here, folks, just 25 minutes of satisfying blackened doom. Richard Murphy has been making records as Sif for a few years, and the project has gotten progressively heavier, shifting from bummer drone meditations to this current thumping and crunching incarnation. The tape’s opening track “Kingseeker” slowly morphs from a repetitive churn to a sludgy groove, which situates the sounds in Louisiana’s long metal tradition (just what goes on down there?). It’s beautifully paced and just recalcitrant enough to insist on returning to the opening riff, rather than seeking any sort of catharsis. The title track spends some time foregrounding Murphy’s chops on bass, with the sort of heaviosity-worship one associates with Conan. Tremolos and more varied textures eventually cut into the song, with some heroic intent. But mostly Murphy wants to wield tone like a mace to your forehead. Hit me again, man. It’s good.
Jonathan Shaw
 Ultrabonus — El Gimnasio en Casa (Kitchen Leg)
EL GIMNASIO EN LA CASA VOL.1 by ¡ULTRABONUS!
Recorded a lifetime ago (well, in 2020, same difference) and released this past December, the unprocessed immediacy of El Gimnasio en Casa bears no left-in-the-can staleness. Berlin-based, multi-national four-piece Ultrabonus offers brief, melodic garage-punk tunes delivered with crisp, swaggery style by Argentina native Ignatz B. The title charmingly translates to “the home gym,” and the sunny lo-fi psychedelia is appropriately threaded through with calisthenic noodling. Nothing groundbreaking here, but Ultrabonus does what it does very well. Fun, cool stuff.
Margaret Welsh
  99Letters — Makafushigi (Disciples)
Makafushigi by 99LETTERS
Japanese producer Takahiro Kinoshita’s companion piece to his 2022 Kaibou Zukan (Anatomy Picture Book) takes his concept of gagaku techno into a seamy, industrial and far darker direction. Makafushigi (Mystery Tape) is, like its predecessor, built on samples of traditional instruments and vocal styles used in Japanese Imperial Court music. Introduced from Chinese and Korean sources, Gagaku music has continued under Imperial patronage since the 10th century. As 99Letters, Kinoshita fuses these ancient sounds with modern electronic music in ways that are as malevolent as the demons of mythology and as sinister as the underbelly of organized crime and ultranationalism in contemporary Japan. The tracks on Makafushigi are washed in a seamy mix of grit and clamor, a grim, grimy world of back alleys, dingy bars and low-tech manufacturing. It’s a haunted netherworld as alienating as it’s compelling. Fans of Haxan Cloak & Demdike Stare will find much to like here.
Andrew Forell
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sweetdevil-sims · 4 years ago
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Tutorial: nuking spammy party wishes [TS3]
I was not planning on doing this, but the truth is that these damn wishes have been getting on my nerves for literally years, and only today have I figured out how to nuke them completely. For context, even merely visiting a lot a party happened to be on (as I unluckily happened to do) would trigger these wishes to appear, and the sim was plagued by them literally until their death — even rolling wishes to tell their own spouse to kiss someone else, instead of wishing to kiss them themselves! Absolutely absurd.
I don’t claim to be an excellent modder; rather than trying to find an elegant solution for this problem, I preferred to take an axe to its root 🙃 Does it work? Yes, and it’s good enough for me.
🛠 Update!
Download mod here: SFS | Mega Patches 1.63 - 1.67 verified, should work for 1.69 too.
What this tutorial does: prevents 3 wishes from appearing — “Tell $Sim to Dance/Joke With/Kiss Someone”, which were apparently introduced in Late Night (EP3).
This tutorial is also available on Wix: READ HERE (easier to follow). (If there are questions, I’ll also add them there.)
(I was leaning against shortening this, but you know how rambly I get — and ain’t nobody got time to scroll so much.)
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What hasn’t worked for me: resetsim $Name, resetsim *; Master Controller’s Reset Everything, Reset Sim, End Party (on household and City Hall), Reset Lot (on home lot); DebugEnabler’s Object \ Reset; furthermore, DE didn’t show the sim involved in any active situation (e.g. attending party, playing instrument); moving out and back in; traveling to another world and coming back.
What has worked: deleting the references to these 3 wishes in 2 resource files, an XML and a DMTR.
What you’ll need: S3PE, a text editor.
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HOW TO GET RID OF THE CURSE!
1. Navigate to your install folder and locate the GameplayData.package file. For me, it’s under D:\Electronic Arts\The Sims 3\Game\Bin\Gameplay.
2. Open this file in S3PE and search for these two resources:
NAME: DreamsAndPromisesNodes TYPE: _XML 0x0333406C INSTANCE: 0x9A976C90ECC75C81
NAME: Parties EP3 TYPE: DMTR 0x0604ABDA INSTANCE: 0xA503DDE4C671ACE1
You can find them by sorting either by name or instance number. If you don’t know how to search like this, refer to step 5 of this tutorial (replacing the terms with what you need). After you found them, extract them without changing their filenames! After this, you can close the GameplayData file.
3. Create a new S3PE project and import the two extracted resources into it, save it (you can give it whatever name you want), then open the DreamsAndPromisesNodes in your text editor. Ctrl-F for the “Tell $Sim” string and you will find three nodes that look like this:
<Primitives>  <Name>Tell $Sim to Joke with someone</Name>  <Category>Party Updates (EP3) - Misc (EP3)</Category>  <Id>171540818</Id>  <TriggerEvent>kPartyYouShouldJoke</TriggerEvent>  <IsEverVisible>True</IsEverVisible>  <SubjectType>Sim</SubjectType>  <RequiredProductVersions>EP3</RequiredProductVersions>  <FeedbackFunction>SimDescriptionMatchesSubjectFeedbackFunction</FeedbackFunction>  <SecondaryIcon>w_tellsimtojokewithsomeone_s</SecondaryIcon> </Primitives>
Before deleting them (yes, you heard that right), take note of the part in bold, between the ID tags. Copy/paste the values into another document or write them down, whichever’s more convenient. The three values are:
Tell $Sim to Joke with someone: 171540818 Tell $Sim to Dance with someone: 171540819 Tell $Sim to Kiss someone: 171540820
You could probably use these values, but better safe than sorry!
4. You got all that? Good. Now exact revenge by deleting the three nodes that contain those 3 wishes (luckily, they’re all in a row), save your modifications, and open the Parties EP3 DMTR in a text editor like you did with the previous XML.
5. This time, Ctrl-F for each of the ID values you copied in step 3. The nodes they appear in will look like this, with the ID values now between the PrototypeID tags:
<InstanceNode d2p1:type="DreamNodeInstance" xmlns:d2p1="http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema-instance">    <Id>2780330926</Id>    <ParentId>1326419369</ParentId>    <PrototypeId>171540818</PrototypeId>    <Center>      <X>-147</X>      <Y>-1054</Y>    </Center>    <FulfillmentScore>20</FulfillmentScore>    <AgeGroups />    <MoodFlavors />    <Careers />    <Skills />    <Traits />    <Relationships />    <InheritSubject>true</InheritSubject>    <LocalizationKeyDescriptionOverride>      <StringKey />    </LocalizationKeyDescriptionOverride>    <LocalizationKeyGenericOverride>      <StringKey />    </LocalizationKeyGenericOverride>    <LocalizationKeyMaleOverride>      <StringKey />    </LocalizationKeyMaleOverride>    <LocalizationKeyFemaleOverride>      <StringKey />    </LocalizationKeyFemaleOverride>  </InstanceNode>
Unlike the previous nodes, these aren’t in a row, so be careful! Once again, delete the entire thing and save your modifications.
6. And finally, chuck that package into your Mods \ Packages folder. Of course, be mindful of any other mods that use these two resources (a quick way I check is to merge all mods and see which resources get crossed out). I haven’t encountered any issues, after several in-game weeks in the homeworld and traveling between worlds 👍
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Now please excuse me while I blast Blow Your Trumpets Gabriel a few times to forget about this. If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to ask! 💚
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mostlysignssomeportents · 5 years ago
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Ant, Uber, and the true nature of money
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The US election news has largely overshadowed a seismic moment in global finance: Ant, a fintech company that spun out of Alibaba/Alipay, was scheduled to have the world's largest IPO, topping even Aramco, the Saudi sovereign wealth fund.
Then Chinese regulators canceled it.
As Yves Smith writes in her excellent Naked Capitalism breakdown, the consensus narrative on this is capricious Chinese regulators changed their minds and jerked the rug out from under Ali's billionaire owner Jack Ma.
The reality is a lot chewier.
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2020/11/china-takes-step-against-securitization-consumer-borrowing-with-suspension-of-ant-ipo.html
To understand it, you need to understand the difference between the Chinese and American "money story." In the US, there is widespread, unquestioning faith in the fairytale that money predates the state and is separate from it.
In this story, people come together to trade but are plagued by disparate goods: if I want to pay for your chickens with a cow, how do you make change? They spontaneously decide that something (gold?) is money and price their cows and chicks in it.
Then, governments come along tax our gold away, and then to add insult to injury, governments abandon gold and insist that paper is as good as gold, print too much of it and crash the economy!
This probably sounds familiar to you, but it's just not true.
The actual historical reality, supported by history, archaeology and anthropology, is that governments created money by creating tax. The first "money" was the Babylonian ledgers that recorded how much of their crops farmers owed to the state and their creditors.
Money took a leap forward with imperial conquest: emperors solved the logistical problem of feeding and billeting their occupying soldiers by charging the occupied a tax that had to be paid for in coins stamped with the emperor's head.
They paid the soldiers in these coins, and demanded that their conquered populations somehow get the coins in order to pay their tax, with violent consequences if the tax wasn't paid. So the people sold food and other necessities to soldiers to get the coins.
Money, in other words, is how states provision themselves, and it derives its value from the fact that you have to pay your taxes in it. Governments spend money into existence by buying labor and goods from the public, and then tax it out of existence once a year.
The money the government spends, but does not tax, is the public's money - the money left over for us to transact. All the money in circulation is the sum total of all the money the government spent but didn't tax - that is, the government's deficit is the public's asset.
When governments run "balanced budgets" (or budget surpluses), they remove money from the economy, leaving the public with less to spend. That can be a good thing - a way to fight inflation, which is when too much money chases too few assets.
Low government spending slows growth by taking away the private sector's ability to spend. When the private sector is at full employment, when it is buying all the stuff that's for sale, you need to do something to keep inflation at bay.
During WWII, the USG competed with the private sector for stuff and labor. Uncle Sam spent lots of new money into existence, paying people to build munitions - but then convinced people to buy war bonds, burying that new money for years to come.
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2019/07/taxes-for-revenue-are-obsolete.html
But when governments run so lean that there isn't enough money in the economy for the private sector to buy the stuff it needs, it seeks out other forms of money, like bank loans (which generate interest income for shareholders - one reason the market likes austerity).
In theory, bank lending is tightly regulated. Banks are the government's fiscal agents, creatures of the state, only able to trade because of a government charter. But when there isn't enough money in the system, unregulated banks spring into existence.
Another word for "unregulated bank" is "fintech" (h/t Riley Quinn).
And now we're back to China and the money story. Chinese finance regulators have always treated money as a public utility, to be spent or withdrawn to accomplish public purposes.
During the country's rapid industrialization, regulators loosened the flow of money to allow for rapid capacity-building, directing the country's productive capacity to building factories that would multiply that capacity.
But when they shut off the spigot and told factory owners that their future growth would come from making and selling things, the wealthy rebelled and sought out money from unlicensed banks or banks that were willing to break the rules.
This led to a string of subprime debt crises over the past five years, as regulators crushed these wildcat money-creators as fast as they popped up.
https://www.bloomberg.com/opinion/articles/2016-02-17/china-s-600-billion-subprime-crisis-is-already-here
China's 1% fought back. They emigrated:
https://www.macrobusiness.com.au/2012/08/rich-chinese-flee/
They used cryptocurrency (aka fintech) to evade capital controls, inflating the Bitcoin price-bubble and the Vancouver/Sydney/etc real-estate price bubble as they laundered their money and stashed it in safe-deposit boxes in the sky:
https://www.ft.com/content/bad16a88-d6fd-11e6-944b-e7eb37a6aa8e
As China's shadow economy ballooned it also grew in criminality. There was the wave of Chinese debt-kidnappings, which became so widespread that hostage-taking was described as "China's small claims court."
https://foreignpolicy.com/2017/08/08/chinas-police-think-hostages-arent-their-problem/
No wonder regulators fought back.
China's regulators didn't win a decisive victory, but they retained enormous control over their money-supply, and that REALLY paid off when the pandemic hit and they suspended all debts, rents, and taxes and mothballed the entire productive economy.
https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/01/cant-pay-wont-pay/#jubilee-now
Contrast with the US where the finance sector is an industry, not a public utility. Finance flexed its political muscle and diverted nearly the whole stimulus to itself, then crushed the productive economy by demanding debt service and rents.
https://www.nakedcapitalism.com/2020/09/michael-hudson-how-an-act-of-god-pandemic-is-destroying-the-west-the-u-s-is-saving-the-financial-sector-not-the-economy.html
The ability to use finance as a utility is one of China's crucial assets, and it defends that asset ferociously. And THAT'S why the Ant IPO got killed. Ant's major source of income is short-term, high-interest lending, what Chinese regulators call "pawnbrokering."
China's pawnbrokers are a $43B shadow banking sector, and the country's regulators have been cracking down on them for the past year.
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2019-03-12/china-is-said-to-scrutinize-43-billion-pawn-shop-lending-boom
$43B is a drop in the bucket of China's shadow economy (valued at $9T!), but it has real metastatic potential.
Ant's innovation is to fintechify the pawnbroker industry, by tying it to apps (on the front end) and to a US-style debt-brokerage (on the back end).
IOW: Ant's business model is that desperate people use an app to request and quickly receive high-risk, high-interest loans.
Then Ant sells the loans to "investors" (AKA "securitization"). Converting debts into income streams for third parties is the true basis of the finance industry. It's the means by which socially useless intermediaries extract ever-mounting rents from the productive economy.
And as Smith writes in her breakdown, the fact that Chinese finance regulators weren't going to let Ant explode his mass-scale, app-based payday-lending pawnbrokerage is not a surprise. They've been telling Jack Ma this for MONTHS, publicly and privately.
Ma thought he could simply bull his way past the Chinese regulators - that because he runs Alibaba and its subsidiaries, that they would defer to him. But the whole point of a finance regulator is NOT to let the finance sector write its own rules.
That's because bankers will cheerfully set the whole economy on fire to turn a buck (see, e.g., America).
Ant was on track for the largest IPO in world history due to investors' appetite for converting Chinese money from a public utility to a private enrichment vehicle.
So yeah, you're goddamned right the Chinese regulator wasn't going to let him do it. Their whole JOB is to not let him do it.
If you read this far, you may be asking yourself why, if governments don't need taxes to fund programs, they bother to tax at all?
There are two important reasons. The first is to fight inflation, by removing existing money from circulation so that when the government spends new money into existence to pay for the things it needs, that money isn't bidding against the existing supply.
But the other reason is to deprive the wealthy of the power that money brings, lest they use that power to pervert policy. Jack Ma's billions are what got him to the brink of a disastrous IPO for his unregulated bank.
And the US election demonstrates just how badly public policy fares when concentrated money is brought to bear on it for parochial purposes. Take Prop 22, the California ballot initiative to allow Uber and Lyft to misclassify their employees as independent contractors.
No on Prop 22 is a no-brainer. Vast numbers of gig workers are full-time employees, not contractors, and Lyft and Uber and other gig economy companies have pioneered labor misclassification as a tactic for paying literal starvation wages.
https://pluralistic.net/2020/10/14/final_ver2/#prop-22
And yet, Prop 22 passed, thanks to the largest-ever spending on any ballot initiative in California history: $205 million ($628,854/day!), spent pn 19 PR firms (including Big Tobacco's cancer-denial specialists).
https://jacobinmag.com/2020/11/proposition-22-california-uber-lyft-gig-employee/
The spend included a bribe to the NAACP Chair's consultancy that made sub-minimum wage jobs with no benefits for people of color (the majority of gig workers) seem like a blow for racial justice.
All told, Uber/Lyft's campaign outspent 49 out of 53 CA House races COMBINED.
And it was a bargain. Lyft and Uber have stolen $413m from California's employment insurance fund since 2014 - and that's just one cost they ducked through this victory. Far more important are the savings they'll realize on worker safety and job-related death claims.
The gig economy companies are the epitome of the financial economy destroying the productive economy. None of these companies turn a profit, after all - all they do is destroy actual, profitable businesses.
Currently the entire restaurant sector is being laid to waste by Postmates and Uber Eats (even as both lose vast sums):
https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/19/we-are-beautiful/#man-in-the-middle
And the workers who lost out with Prop 22 are being "chickenized" - having all the risk of operating a business shifted onto their side of the ledger:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/07/14/poesy-the-monster-slayer/#stay-on-target
(No surprise, one of Prop 22's signature achievements was denying workers the right to unionize).
The desperation of chickenized workers is downright dystopian:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/02/free-steven-donziger/#phone-trees
and chickenization (not automation) is the major cause of falling wages:
https://pluralistic.net/2020/06/17/on-face-interaction/#zombie-robots
Lyft, Uber, Postmates, and the whole gamut of gig economy companies are all haemorrhaging money. Uber alone lost $4.7B in the first half of 2020. That's how you can tell they aren't tech companies: tech companies profited during the pandemic.
Gig-economy companies aren't part of the productive economy - they're part of the finance economy. They rely on investors, not profits from delighted customers, to stay afloat. They make nothing. They destroy everything: workers' lives, productive businesses.
They will never be profitable. Ever.
Take Uber. The company only exists because the Saudi royals amassed so much money that they could bend reality. The "Saudi Vision 2030" plan calls for the creation of new sources of post-oil wealth.
To that end, the Saudis have poured money into the Softbank VC fund, which then supported global-scale, money-losing, predatory businesses in the hopes of securing a monopoly (or, failing that, unloading the company onto dazzled suckers).
When the company IPOed last year, it had already lost $10b. It loses $0.41 on every dollar you spend on your fare. And yet, the Saudis got away clean, off the backs of investors who assumed that a pile of shit this big must have a pony under it somewhere.
Some believed the company's lies about the imminence of self-driving cars. Uber is not going to make a self-driving car.
https://pluralistic.net/2020/09/30/death-to-all-monopoly/#pogo-stick-problem
Some believed the company's lies about profitability via growth. It can't grow to profitability. By its own disclosures, profitability depends on every public transit system in the world shutting down and being replaced by Ubers. #Nagahappen.
https://48hills.org/2019/05/ubers-plans-include-attacking-public-transit/
The Saudi strategy - and its punishing, economy-destroying reality-distortions - are exemplary of what happens when government let too much money accumulate in unaccountable, private hands. Prop 22 will kill and starve workers, and the public will pick up the pieces.
The businesses that profit from these deaths and immiseration will fail anyway, but not before their major backers and top execs make hundreds of millions or billions.
Recall: the Ant IPO was set to smash the existing record: Saudi Aramco (AKA the money behind Uber).
Meanwhile, all the blood and treasure squandered on Prop 22 - the $205m spent on the Yes side, the $20 spent by unions on the No side - won't save Uber or other gig economy companies.
Not only are they bleeding money, but as Edward Ongweso Jr explains, "Uber is losing legal challenges in France, Britain, Canada, Italy," turning drivers into employees or allowing "lawsuits reclassifying them as such."
https://www.vice.com/en/article/3annmb/proposition-22-passes-in-california-but-uber-and-lyft-are-only-delaying-the-inevitable
And other US states - NY, MA, NJ - are working to end the misclassification of Uber drivers and other gig workers.
Permitting Uber and other gig economy companies to flout the law did not make the economy better. All it did was transfer more money to the wealthy.
And the money they wealthy amass is converted to political power, usurping money's role as a public utility and converting it to a means to seek private gains at public expense.
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