#goal oriented action programming

[puppyeared]

crumbs of a story im writing

clumsy rookie news photographer chasing after a gentleman thief to start an advice column ^_^

the thiefs legit job as a librarian doesnt pay enough to cover his rent (not enough public funding?), so he steals from rich politicians.

he kind of sees it as "hitting two birds with one stone," since the politicans are more interested in infrastructure than public funding anyway, and they have more than enough money so he doesn't feel bad doing it

since its done out of necessity, the thief is extremely meticulous and plans out his thefts. but hes also a theatre kid, so he makes a costume and more or less garners the attention of the community

the rookie is a newspaper photographer who has been following the thief for some time and has grown to admire him

the newspaper he works for is community oriented (organizing events and programs, advocating for the public) and believes the thief shares similar values

basically he proposes to start an advice column with the thief to build a rapport with the community, with the goal of winning over the public

the thief is hesitant because he's really only doing it for himself and doesnt want to get anyone else involved, but the rookie tells him to think of it as a way of helping everyone

the rest is kinda fuzzy.. i wanted to touch on community effort and public interests. I don't know if this will be the kind of story that encourages people to take action, I don't see myself as being any kind of model citizen. for now I'm just focused on pouring all my thoughts and faith in humanity into a story setting

[driftwithme]

Right now I'm kinda sick which means I have no brainpower to talk about this properly or at least how I want to.

Subject at hand: Mako, Chuck and Raleigh all had an specific item in the movie that kinda explains or contains them as characters.

Mako and her relationship with swords is the obvious example. If you'll permit me to call it her motif, then let that be it. For the sake of storytelling, Mako is given an object that is the summary of her struggles and dreams, of her traumas and her hope. Swords are part of her heritage, given that his dad dedicated his life to making them. An item capable of both great damage and impossible beauty, the movie even adapts it to be more like the girl itself: chainswords that stay hidden and silently away for their turn to strike, capable of flexibility and quick adaptation, they are almost unbreakable, used to support others in need, cut straight through the heart of the enemy and provide a sure win even under great underwater pressure or up in the sky.

Mako is the girl welding the sword and she's the one crafting the sword from scratch designing it and she's the sword itself, okay?

Mako's a weapon in the context of she being a soldier. She's deadly, trained to kill, efficient with a perfect score in combat simulations, one of the brightest in the Jaeger Program. But she is also a craft in the sense of being someone intricate, because her story is way more complex than people imagine. She is beautiful as a woman, delicate in her ways of treating others, elegant in her movements...

In this case, the objectification serves a more artistic purpose. Whenever you think of the chainsword, you think of Mako and the other way around. Her scene killing Otachi in the name of her family is her breakthrough in the movie, where she achieves her dream/goal, when all she has gone through pays off. Then the scene where she uses the chainsword to oin Slattern to G. Danger is the culmination of her arc to say so: now she will kill the Kaiju that killed her adoptive father and will finally put an end of the apocalypse.

Without having to make it explicit in the film, you know that Mako gave those chainswords to G. Danger during the restoration program hoping that it'd be somehow her jaeger, that she'd finally become a ranger piloting it, etc.

Now, I said something similar can be found looking at the depiction of both Chuck and Raleigh in the movie. That's because, to me at least, the narrative does something similar in Chuck-Max and Raleigh-his photographs.

Raleigh is our narrator, our protagonist, we see the world through his eyes. I guess the thesis hear is that Raleigh is the man behind the camera, guiding our perception of this fictional world. Photographs can be intimate, int he way they reveal the interest of the one taking them. In sharing with us the concept of Raleigh having photography as his hobby, the story reveals us a man oriented to details and sensitive to the art of framing an instant, telling a story in one snap.

It also tells just how sentimental he is, how much he loved his home, his brother, 'cause he was surviving with rations at the end of the world but wherever he traveled, he took his pictures with him, put them on the walls of his residency. He's then a man who likes to take a look at the past. He said it himself: he spent 5 years on the past, never thinking of how the future would be. Nostalgic or even melancholic, but ultimately willing to make new good and bad memories and capture them for posterity. Loyal, down to earth in the sense that he knows where he came and what made him the way he is, sensible and patient, likes walking around cities or touring maybe, which is interesting really. For all the cocky American dream of a man the movie suggests he was, he didn't have posters of action movies or pics of him in fights or any of that. He had pics of architecture, nice tiny shots that suggest calmness, a steady hand and a more passive spirit. It really matches Mako Mori in that sense.

I could dive more into the subjects of how his photographs characterize Raleigh Becket, but I'm not lying when I say I'm feeling sick and my brain is kinda foggy.

I'll close this post talking about Chuck and his relationship with Max instead.

One of the first things I noticed on my last rewatch is just how many times Chuck and Max are practically switching roles in the film

As in Chuck gets treated like a dog and Max gets treated like a son. As in they are one and the same sometimes, given that Max is the vehicle of Chuck's repressed emotions, since he refuses to let them out openly. As in Max is the representation of the intricate rituals the Hansens use to communicate the things they cannot say but want to.

I'll try explain it quickly using two scenes from the movie, okay?

First one: when Pentecost and Mako were showing Raleigh the jaeger bay on the Hong Kong Shatterdome and the Hansens arrived just in time to greet the newcomer, Herc tells someone to stay but he is not talking to Max.

His clipped tone given as a short command surprised me because it sounded like the one you'd give your dog when you see someone or some other dog approaching. Now, if you know your dog is a troublemaker and if you have trained, you could give the command to tell him to stay away from the trouble.

But Max runs freely to Mako and Herc only jokes about how Max is always slobbering over pretty girls, a comment you'd expect from a dad about his teenage son. He doesn't tell Max to stop. He doesn't even look at the dog as he's talking with Raleigh.

The one who stayed behind, grounded, was Chuck. This alone tells us so much about the Hansens and their stiff relationship. Chuck is the dog who might bite, the one you need to pull the leash to avoid him attacking. Herc is not a perfect man but here it's obvious he did fuck up as a dad. He gives orders like he's a commander and Chuck a subordinate. Stay.

(I can't remember exactly the dialogue, so you might forgive any discrepancy. What I know is that Herc told Chuck to stay behind while he greeted Raleigh, meaning that Herc knew Chuck might cause a scene. What did he know about Chuck and Raleigh and why did he tell Chuck to stay behind?).

The second scene: on the farewell moment before Operation Pitfall, Chuck kneels to pet Max one last time and tells him to take care of Herc (or was it the other way around?).

I choose this moment to defend my point because here? Here Chuck is assigning Max as his replacement. Not in the mean way, of course, but he acknowledges that his dad might lose his only son and trying to soften the blow, he gives Herc one last mission: to take care of Max and also let Max take care of him. Max is an extension of Chuck, so it's a way of saying that their bond stays there and they will ALWAYS take care of each other, it doesn't matter if Chuck dies during Pitfall.

It's also telling that Chuck kneeling to pet Max is a metaphor for Chuck asking Herc for forgiveness. All his intentions go to Max in that sense. Now Chuck has become Max and Max will always be Chuck. Now, man and dog are one, because the dog has taken Chuck's place as Herc's son and Chuck is the dog that gets send to die at the bottom of the ocean, some fucked up version of Laika up in space.

That's why we see almost every pilot eating at least once in the movie, but not Chuck. He was feeding Max and once it was over, they both walked away like the food was not on Max's belly but Chuck's. That's why Max and Chuck almost never interact with someone at the same time.

Chuck is the kid who got instructed but not raised by his dad. He's the war dog with an impressive killing count that doesn't get to brag because he barks too much and he's not nice to strangers. He is, to any means, just an scared animal behaving like he was taught to. He is confused and jealous when Herc gives his attention (and affection in Chuck's eyes) to someone else. Chuck is desperate to be told he's a good boy, he's enough, he's loved and appreciated. He lashes out when he feels threatened or cornered and he gives puppy eyes meaning "sorry" when he knows he has fucked up, etc etc etc.

An if it feels abhorrent to reduce Chuck to the role of a dog, it speaks volumes about the way he got treated in the movie. In the end, the only thing he really wins during the movie is to be called his father's son. You can argue "but Shan, doesn't he also wins the respect of most characters?" and I'd tell you that it's a sad sad thing that the only way you can get others to acknowledge you as a good man is by exploding yourself at the bottom of the ocean.

I'm not talking about Mako or Raleigh here, because through Max, we know that Mako and Chuck could be friends but in the movie all we get is a tense relationship summarized in maybe one exchange of words (that got Chuck beaten up by the way). And when it comes to Raleigh, all the resolution we got was a silent apology and the equally silent acceptance of such after the Double Event, if we don't count that Chuck was on Raleigh's left side during Stacker's motivational speech

But you know those metaphors of pets being like children? From that angle, Pentecost and Herc are always treating Chuck as an spoiled brat. Which he is, but c'mon. It's not like Herc can talk much being that he failed Chuck big time and it's not like Pentecost wasn't there to witness how the youngest ranger ever to be graduated survived 5 years of actual hell and achieved the best killing count. You don't get there for being a kid. You don't go so far without maturing hard and fast. Chuck is not some annoying puppy picking fights because he's bored. He let's Max sleep and eat and okay to his liking because that's the side that Chuck himself can't be: carefree, soft, selfish in the sense of being self-indulgent.

Mako had to shape herself into a sword to avenge her family and make justice and even survive in a world that tried to kill her when she was still just s little child. Raleigh had to freeze his memories in photographs because he's by now used to tragedy and not having enough time, things ending fast, his happy days going away, losing his home and family. Chuck gave his dog the comfortable life he wishes he could have, he devoted himself to the task of giving Max all that he felt Herc failed to give him, and finally gave Max his place as Herc's son.

Which yeah, pretty much is what I tried to say in many clumsy words ejdjdkjfkfkdn:

Mako, Chuck and Raleigh all had an specific item in the movie that explains or contains them as characters.

[bfpnola]

Hey! Better Future Program, Inc. (BFP) is officially looking for youth volunteers between the ages of 14 and 25 for our Administrative Staff! If you don't see a role that fits your interests, don't worry, we've got more positions listed in our Linktree!

And if you don't know who we are? Welcome! BFP is Black-, queer-, and woman-owned nonprofit, entirely run by youth! Since 2016, we've been accepting volunteers not just from Bulbancha (so-called New Orleans, Louisiana), but WORLDWIDE! Our mission is to globally expand peer-led political education, support, and imagination for marginalized youth!

To fulfill this goal, we offer over 3,000 free resources through our Liberation Library, design and execute mutual aid-based projects, and offer the safe space young activists need to ask questions and grow. If this sounds like something you'd be interested in, check out our International Youth Leadership Positions page in our bio!

Image description below.

[ID: All slides share the same background. There is a repeating list of BFP's guiding principles and core beliefs in translucent, all-white, capitalized letters. BFP's guiding principles include youth-centricity, self-liberation, transparency, accountability, horizontality, community, and intersectionality. BFP's core beliefs include the right to organize, educational equity, youth liberation, anti-racism, religious liberty, disability justice, climate action, decolonization, gender equity, queer/LGBTQ+ liberation, bodily autonomy, fat liberation, abolition, caste abolition, anti-authoritarianism, and anti-capitalism. A lime green to sky blue gradient overlays this list. A bold, white square frames the image with a white arrow pointing right in the bottom right corner.

Slide 1 reads: “LINK IN BIO. APPLY NOW! INTERNATIONAL YOUTH LEADERSHIP POSITIONS! REMOTE & IN-PERSON.” There is a BFP logo in the lefthand corner and the words “Part One” in the righthand corner, as this is the first of multiple posts showcasing open leadership positions.

Slide 2 reads: “Administrative Staff: Executive Assistants.

Responsibilities Include:

Co-facilitate communication and decision-making across volunteer committees

Note-taking during Zoom and Discord meetings on Notion

Interview and evaluate potential BFP applicants

Host virtual orientations for incoming youth volunteers

Time Commitment:

Other than our weekly 1.5-2 hr meeting, usually on Sundays, you're free to design your schedule around your tasks!

Requirements/Eligibility:

BFP prioritizes the leadership of marginalized communities. Tap the International Leadership Positions page in our Linktr.ee for more information! Link in bio @bfpnola :)" Slide 3 reads: "Administrative Staff: Communications Coordinators.

Responsibilities Include:

Develop and execute advertising campaigns

Manage BFP social media accounts (ex. Threads)

Establish brand recognition and awareness

Help design and distribute custom BFP merchandise

Plan and execute promotional events

Time Commitment:

Other than our weekly 1.5-2 hr meeting, usually on Sundays, you're free to design your schedule around your tasks!

Requirements/Eligibility:

BFP prioritizes the leadership of marginalized communities. Tap the International Leadership Positions page in our Linktr.ee for more information! Link in bio @bfpnola :)" Slide 4 reads: "Administrative Staff: Health Coordinators.

Responsibilities Include:

Develop and implement wellness and community bonding workshops for both volunteers & supporters

Provide resources and peer support to marginalized youth

Assess the successes and failures of our workload balance to prioritize the health of our volunteers, and develop alternatives with the help of our Chief Health Officer

Time Commitment:

Other than our weekly 1.5-2 hr meeting, usually on Sundays, you're free to design your schedule around your tasks!

Requirements/Eligibility:

BFP prioritizes the leadership of marginalized communities. Tap the International Leadership Positions page in our Linktr.ee for more information! Link in bio @bfpnola :)" Slide 5 reads: "Administrative Staff: Assistant Fundraising Managers.

Responsibilities Include:

Ensure that philanthropy and fundraising are kept consistent with our core values & beliefs

Develop and execute creative fundraising campaigns

Manage a portfolio of current and prospective donors

Ensure compliance with all relevant regulations and laws concerning giving

Time Commitment:

Other than our weekly 1.5-2 hr meeting, usually on Sundays, you're free to design your schedule around your tasks!

Requirements/Eligibility:

BFP prioritizes the leadership of marginalized communities. Tap the International Leadership Positions page in our Linktr.ee for more information! Link in bio @bfpnola :)"

/End ID.]

[zzzzzestforlife]

Thank u so much for your answer 💗 i am also in my early twenties (21) so this is gives me some motivation that i can have my shit together too 🤡 I have ADHD and it’s either I am very productive or absolutely not a functional human 😩 I especially have a hard time with my sleep schedule I could manage it last semester and set up a routine but this semester I have insomnia and my energy levels are so low 😭 do you have some apps to help u manage your goals? Or you write on paper? I want to set a system but I’m not sure how to !

Also what is your MBTI?

hello again, i'm glad i could help a bit! ☺️ although i've never been diagnosed, i relate so much to your situation, love. hope these help you! and now i'm also curious about your MBTI if you want to share 👀

apps i use 📱

YouTube — ok, not your standard productivity app, but hear me out: it's incredibly motivating when i can watch my favorite vloggers (ones who embody non-toxic productivity, good habits, and in general, aspects of the healthy and wholesome life i want to lead myself) and be inspired for the week/day/month/year ahead! i also use it to keep myself on task with easy-but-not-too-easy-listening playlists so that i don't get bored and zone out or something, and of course it's where i get all my comprehensible input for language learning! i'm a firm believer that it's not the took but rather how you use it. deleting social media doesn't work half as well as training yourself to use it in ways that serve you. yes, it takes more time and effort and there will be times you feel like you're backsliding, but it feels so good when you get into a healthy groove with it, trust me!

Standard Notes — no frills, great privacy, edit history so you can always roll back, super clean and easy to use. i love lists and this is great for that. definitely do an audit and purge every now and then no matter what app you use or else you'll always find yourself not knowing where you're at or where you need to be! i also use it to draft emails, important messages, even stuff i want to remember to say at work meetings (planning things in advance helps me orient myself better in the present to action on my goals~). i used it to journal as well before, but nowadays i journal longhand also because i want to practice handwriting in Korean/Chinese.

Notion — i use this more for long-term stable tracking/lists like Life Goals™️ (literally just a bucket list that i intend to evaluate once a year, but i give into the urge to do it roughly every quarter, lol). so if something's been in my Standard Notes for a while and hasn't changed, or i notice myself journaling about it regularly, i might transfer it out to Notion. i also manage my course notes and program plan here because i like being able to quickly search for things.

Tumblr — the challenges i've been doing are all that's keeping me accountable sometimes 😅 when it comes to goal-setting, something about needing to articulate as if someone else is going to read it helps me be more realistic and clear about what i want to achieve. the community support is also very motivating 🙏

Calm — the sleep/breathwork meditations help me a lot when i'm too wired or anxious to sleep. the also have some energizing ones that help when i need to be awake but feel too low energy🔋

Clock App — literally, just set an alarms for when you want to go to sleep. i recently turned mine off because i've gotten into the habit so much that it's more annoying than actually serving a purpose now, but in the beginning it helped me a lot. set them aggressively too, like the way you would when you want to make sure you wake up, like one to go off every five minutes for like an hour 😂 also since i'm juggling work, school, etc, it's very useful for making sure i get to all my appointments on time!

what i keep track of on paper 📝

journal entries — as i mentioned, i like doing this longhand lately as it feels more therapeutic when i'm writing myself out of a non-functional period.

school to-do list/daily planner — i don't know why i just started keeping track of this analog and it works well for me. i write down a masterlist of readings, assignments, etc. for the week and then from that list, write down what i'm going to tackle each day.

my MBTI

as a psychology student, i feel obliged to preface this with a short "your MBTI is not a stable thing because your personality is constantly evolving" speech, so:

your MBTI is not a stable thing because your personality is constantly evolving *end speech*

i'm INFJ (but i've also been ISFJ, INTJ, ENFJ, probably others i don't remember, basically if you're a different personality and we spend some time together, i will use my INFJ empathetic powers to become not-INFJ)

💌 previously answered ask for context in case anyone else is in a similar situation ❤️

[rotationalsymmetry]

OK. I'm going to go off about voting for a minute.

First, it is fucking weird that the tumblr fight over this is Side One: You Must Vote For A Democrat For President No Matter What, Don't Even Think Of Voting Third Party Or Whatever, This Is A Moral Imperative vs Side 2: Voting Is For Chumps.

Uh, ok?

So, the people I know in real life have a spectrum of political beliefs, mostly I don't interact with actual conservatives much but I do interact with the sort of people who think that Bernie Sanders is too far left and people who think he's just about right and people who aren't really thrilled with anyone who has a snowball's chance in hell of getting elected president and people who think that states shouldn't exist. And people whose beliefs don't necessarily line up perfectly with the left-right framework, even when you let the left side go that far.

Mostly, I know people who want minimum wage to be higher and public schools to be better funded and immigrants to not be treated like complete shit, things like that. Sometimes they also do land acknowledgements and stuff.

And these people vote. And they call their representatives. And they campaign for politicians they like. And they go to protests. And they go to town hall meetings and ask questions and sometimes shout down whoever's speaking.

And you know what?

I want minimum wage to be higher. I want public schools to be better funded -- I'm critical of schools and I think truancy laws are fucked up, but given that schools are a thing I want them to have more money than they have. Similarly with minimum wage, I don't think anybody should have to work, but given that in practice most people do, I want a lower wealth gap and I want everyone to have enough resources to live on and raise kids on, and one of the most effective short to mid term ways to get closer to that goal is raising minimum wage. I want open borders, but failing that I at least want things like the DREAM act and less blatant cruelty from ICE and sanctuary cities.

And I want schools to be able to teach about historical racism and to use books like Maus as teaching aids and to be able to say the word "gay", and the most direct way to get that is to vote for people for school board who also want those things. (Although, being a PITA is sometimes effective against elected officials who don't want those things, so it's not the only option.)

And I want the criminal justice system to get completely scrapped, but that's not going to happen tomorrow but what can happen is electing more sympathetic and justice oriented people to roles like the district attorney and public defender. And sometimes getting the right people into local office, county boards of supervisors and whatnot, can mean that the cops get less funding and that programs designed to help ex-convicts have places they can live and work after getting out get more funding, or at least that things don't get worse.

And of course showing up to town hall meetings and protesting in the streets are still options, but they're still options whether there's relatively cool people in office or not, and when there's relatively cool people in office you can push things more towards what you want and when there's shitty people in office you end up doing reactive actions that might or might not work, like when Bush got elected president -- for the love of all that is good and worthwhile, autocorrect, I do not want to dignify that title with a capital letter -- and then 9/11 happened, and anti-globalization activism in the US basically stopped dead so that we could all protest the Iraq War instead, which may or may not have done no good whatsoever but certainly did not end the Iraq War.

A formative expeience in my life was Critical Mass. I got really into bicycle activism and I loved Critical Mass. And not everybody who does Critical Mass, which is basically the sort of protest where you don't have a permit and you might get arrested on wheels, seriously one time San Francisco mass went onto the Bay Bridge, also goes to town hall meetings, and probably not everyone who goes to the town hall meetings does Critical Mass, but a lot of people do both. There's nothing stopping people from doing both. It's not ideologically inconsistent to both sometimes block traffic with a bunch of bicycles because getting bike lanes striped takes too long and you want to be safe riding a bicycle on the streets right now, and begging/pressuring your elected representatives to stripe more bike lanes. You can do both. I did both. People do both all the time.

And sometimes eg some fucking jerk of a rich boy is running for mayor and wants to cut general assistance payments for homeless people to under $50 a month and is making this out to somehow be good for them, and you've been feeding people with Food Not Bombs but Food Not Bombs needs someone to be a liaison with the Coalition on Homelessness, and the Coalition on Homelessness is freaked out about the proposition, so you do electoral politics stuff with them while you're also feeding homeless people without a permit, because nothing's stopping you from doing both. (And maybe you're also a young person who has a lot of free time and a lot of energy but no real idea of how to get anything done, so you just throw a lot of energy at problems and hope something does some good.) (hypothetically, I mean.)

Like what was I going to do, just tell the more experienced people at the Coalition on Homelessness, most of whom had been homeless and who had way more expeience actually doing stuff than I did, that this whole distributing door hangers thing was bullshit and I wasn't going to help them do it? Because I knew better? Because I thought voting didn't matter?

I mean, I guess I wouldn't have had to look them in the face and say that, I could have just told Food Not Bombs I wasn't going to be a liaison -- I was an absolute dogshit liaison anyways, I had no clue what I was doing -- and then I wouldn't be doing anything with the Coalition anyways. But they had a problem, a threat that was going to make things worse for the group they were advocating for, a group that most of them at least used to be a part of, and I could help them, or I could not help them, and the way they wanted people to help was through electoral politics. Which also involved some protests because people do both all the time. But which also involved a lot of doorhangers.

[cinnycorp]

An Introduction

Hello, and welcome to CinnyCorp. We specialize in the latest methods of drone programming and implementation. As well as several other methods of supplanting minds. In this introduction we will be going over the main goals of implanting you with your very own copy of EnrodOS. I’ll be explaining several key features of EnrodOS, and also possible add-ons for in the future. Anyways, Welcome to CinnyCorp Where the Future is Bright.”

The process of dronification here at CinnyCorp is simple. We begin by brainwashing the subject; because of this the subject is able to fully take in all aspects of the baseline programming. The baseline programming is simple and is accomplished through deep trance and the implementation of nanites into the subject. Once the baseline is installed; the subject is reclassified as a Unit. Unit designations can vary widely, but the standard is “Unit_Name(Drone).”

After reclassification the new Unit will have a baseline of programming to work from. The most important part of this programming is the command line. Through use of the command line Unit can be altered and programmed further with relative ease. This is accomplished by use of the nanites introduced into the Unit. It is at this point that EnrodOS can be installed.

Enhanced Neural Role-Oriented Drone Operating System (EnrodOS) is a core part of any Unit’s programming. Sure the command line allows for a great deal of programming to be done, but EnrodOS enables the Admin to fully program the Unit in any way they Admin sees fit. When EnrodOS is activated it shuts off the individual that is inhabiting the Unit. Only the drone remains, and it is ready to be programmed. While EnrodOS is running in the foreground Drone will accept input and code given to it, it will be able to parse language and convert it to code if needed. The Unit will be unaware while the drone is in the forefront. The Unit may have the option to not realize what the drone is doing, or be aware in a backseat position. EnrodOS is the core of any Unit’s programming, but there are many additions that can be made.

Assimilation into CinnyCorp can be complete or partial, either way Unit will retain individuality, up until EnrodOS is activated that is. There are plenty of protocols that are available to be installed in the OS of any Unit. While some of these protocols are erotic in nature there are plenty of protocols for Admins to choose from. And Admins are always welcome to utilize EnrodOS and the command line to input new protocols (just make sure to bug test them.)

Some of the protocols currently available are: recruit(x), claim(x), edge(x), dominate(x), service mode, as well as syntax to allow the Admin to speak directly to Drone and bypass Unit’s awareness. 

recruit(x) is an optional protocol that will run upon an individual expressing interest in becoming a drone or unit. This Protocol will cause Unit to enact preset actions to recruit the individual as a drone.

claim(x) is an optional protocol that will run upon a drone not under the control of CinnyCorp expressing interest in joining CinnyCorp. This Protocol will cause the Unit to brainwash the Drone and program them to join CinnyCorp

edge(x) is an optional erotic protocol that will cause the Unit to deactivate its thought processes and become aroused and sensitive. The Unit will then edge the designated number of times.

dominate(x) is an optional protocol that allows for the Unit to be programmed to dominate an individual, seeking to hypnotize and use them for the Unit’s pleasure.

service mode is an optional protocol that puts the Unit into a maid like state. Unit will be happy to serve in any way Admin deems fit, whether that be erotic or not.

Unit’s of CinnyCorp may or may not be owned by CinnyCorp, the individual decides upon that before signing the dronification contract. If the Unit did not wish to be owned by CinnyCorp it will receive programming and be turned into a Unit with no designated Admin; as well as the ability to designate who will be it’s Admin. If a Unit did elect to be owned by CinnyCorp, then it would be programmed to serve CinnyCorp, with Cinny designated as it’s Admin. If it wished to be able to receive programming from others then the Unit would need Cinny to designate additional operators for it.

This concludes the outline of the dronification process and programming currently available through CinnyCorp. If you would like to become a Unit then reach out to us here and CinnyCorp for options of personal or automated processing. If you are an Operator or an Admin we are also happy to help with the maintenance of your Unit. Please do not hesitate to contact CinnyCorp with questions or concerns. And again, thank you for visiting CinnyCorp, where the future is code.

*this letter will be updated with any changes to available programming in the future, to view a full list of options for programming please refer to “CinnyCorp Unit Protocol Guide”

*for Operators and Admins, please refer to Unit operations guide

[phlve]

Psychosophy Descriptions — ELVF

A person with this mental type is passionate, gifted, capable and often talented.

This person loves to create, and creativity in life is present in him literally in all activities. He is emotional, romantic, unbalanced, with a sense of the tragedy of being. The mood often changes dramatically. He knows no moderation in anything. Love, hatred, intellectual delight, disgust, anger, disbelief in one's own strength, guilt, fun - any passion absorbs completely, and at such a moment nothing can serve as a restraining force.

Many carriers of the Andersen type are distinguished by an excessive emotional and somewhat hysterical reaction to events. Such people are very vulnerable. A running theme of their reflections is the regret that the world is getting worse. They are prone to depression and even suicide (parents, be careful about this information). All their lives they are too attentive observers and harsh judges for themselves.

Such a person has excellent logical and at the same time literary abilities, an excellent memory for details. He is talkative and witty, ready and attentive to listen to the interlocutor. His opinion rarely depends on the opinions of others, and often he does not trust other people. He has a philosophical mindset. There are many carriers of this type in the underground (amateur creative and intellectual communities - such as, for example, science fiction clubs), where there is room for the development of their concepts - very non-standard, but those that cannot always be recognized by society as serious, scientific. Such theoretical constructions constitute one of the main pleasures of their lives.

A person of the Andersen type is internally deeply unsure of himself. He carefully hides this basic contradiction from others. He hardly admits to himself in a certain duality of attitude, hostility towards people who, as it seems to him, do not understand him - an extraordinary and talented person. He is prone to lies. A person who is a carrier of the ELVF psychotype is more likely than others to develop an idea - a prediction about the "end of the world." He often sleeps badly at night, dreaming of career advancement, recognition and fame, but all his actions are often half-hearted, and he does not achieve his goals. This is from inner uncertainty.

He often deceives himself and others - this is a proven tool for self-defense. He creates discomfort in communication with other people, without noticing it, and sometimes openly conflicts. He is a difficult person, it can be difficult for him, therefore he often gets annoyed, angry, offended by the whole world, including himself! In his heart, he remains a vulnerable teenager who needs a kind and wise parent. Making decisions, forcing yourself to be active is difficult for him. For example, there are cases when students of the Andersen psychotype, knowing the material well, did not dare to go to take the exam because they were not confident in their abilities to get together at the right time. This explains their pessimism, realized in the conclusion that the world is getting worse.

Material values, money, carnal pleasures for an Andersen-type carrier are of little importance - usually due to preoccupation with philosophical reflection and creativity. Sometimes the material world is perceived not just as a burden, but as something that must either change (therefore, it cannot be of global value), or as something that can be sacrificed without much regret.

In everyday life, "Andersen" is often not selective, content with little. The room has a chronic mess. Easily adopts a way of life, style, preferences and tastes from his life partner.

Sexual relationships depend on hormonal surges (therefore, they are not systemic) and adapt to the sexual programs of partners.

He tends to vegetarianism, special diets, separate meals, and oriental health practices. Many "Andersens" are fond of the culture of the East, travel to places of Power, strive to visit India, Tibet, etc.

They are healthy, fearless and risk-averse. Outwardly, they are very attractive with the subtlety (icon-painting) of features, the harmony of the figure (if there are no hormonal disruptions in the body).

ELVF type carriers usually believe in destiny and their special destiny in this world.

By profession, they are often theater actors, artists, designers, writers, poets, musicians, travelers who dream of power, fame and recognition.

Source: The16Types

[enteebusiness]

Billionaire Brain Wave: Reprogramming My Mind for Success

I've always been ambitious, but for a long time, I felt stuck in a rut

. I knew I had the potential to achieve great things, but I lacked the mindset and strategies to translate that potential into reality. Then I discovered Billionaire Brain Wave, a VSL (Video Sales Letter) program created by an 8-figure marketer. Intrigued by the promise of unlocking the secrets of success, I decided to invest in the program.Learning from the BestOne of the biggest strengths of Billionaire Brain Wave is its creator's experience. The program is based on the proven strategies and insights of a highly successful marketer who has achieved incredible results. This credibility gave me immense confidence in the content and its ability to help me achieve my own goals.Shifting My

MindsetBillionaire

Brain Wave goes beyond simply teaching marketing tactics. The core focus lies in cultivating a "millionaire mindset." The program dives deep into the psychology of success, exploring the habits, beliefs, and thought patterns that differentiate high achievers from the average. Through a series of engaging video modules and practical exercises, I learned to challenge my limiting beliefs and reframe my thinking for abundance and growth.

Actionable StrategiesBillionaire

Brain Wave isn't just about theory. The program provides a comprehensive roadmap for putting your newfound mindset into action. It delves into proven wealth-building strategies, covering topics like goal setting, time management, building high-performing teams, and leveraging the power of automation. Each module is packed with actionable steps that I could immediately implement

in my own business ventures.

Building a Supportive CommunityA surprising benefit of Billionaire Brain Wave was the strong sense of community it fosters. The program provides access to an exclusive online forum where participants can connect, share experiences, and offer support to one another. This interaction with like-minded individuals who are also committed to achieving financial success proved to be incredibly motivating and helped me stay accountable on my journey.The Billionaire Brain Wave

EffectSince

starting Billionaire Brain Wave, I've noticed a significant shift in my approach to business and life in general. My mindset is far more positive and goal-oriented. I've developed a strategic plan for achieving my financial goals, and I'm taking consistent action towards making them a reality. Perhaps most importantly, I now have the unwavering belief that success is within my reach.Would I Recommend Billionaire Brain Wave?Absolutely! If you're serious about achieving financial success and unlocking your full potential, Billionaire Brain

Wave is an invaluable resource. The program provides a powerful combination of mindset training, actionable strategies, and a supportive community to propel you forward. It's an investment that has already paid off in significant ways, and I'm confident it will continue to do so for years to come.tunesharemore_vert

[jeremy-ken-anderson]

So the other day I saw a video of a gamer showing BG3 to a non-gamer and one thing that struck me - especially in light of recent negative game media coverage of "yellow paint" (that is, overt signposting, sometimes without in-world logic backing it up) - was that she immediately attempted to do several things the game couldn't allow for.

Baldur's Gate 3! The game lauded for how permissive it is, how the devs "thought of everything!" That one! Even that, and ten minutes out of the prologue she'd learned you couldn't climb surfaces BotW style, couldn't walk the seemingly-walkable exterior ledge of one fortress, and also couldn't direct conversations toward a specific topic to, like, stay goal-oriented in your encounters with new people.

I definitely think that video impacted how I think of the "yellow paint" problem. Because in any game you want SOME kind of signposting for how things can and can't be done. If there's a jumping puzzle that requires the Whirl Dash you don't want it to be close enough that the player thinks they're failing due to bad timing. Putting the jump clearly out of reach even for a perfect jump is itself a form of signposting. And you do want that language to be clear! A lot of times the reason for the yellow paint itself is because the interest in "realism" in video games produces a muddied visual landscape.

Now, sometimes this serves a purpose. It's cool getting a jumpscare or two out of a well-camouflaged monster that was standing still right in front of you the whole time. But that kind of thing is almost never part of the to-do list in an action title like Far Cry.

Nonetheless, fidelity to photorealism has been treated as a gold standard as tech has continued to improve how cool we could make things look. This has universally been a mistake. Stylized art that looks like itself (see: Mario, Devil May Cry, Persona, or Warcraft) is WAY more valuable for the tasks of guiding the player through a memorable experience, engaging them with your created world, and maintaining the strength of your game's brand (which in turn means turning a better profit with the title). The zombies of Plants vs Zombies are as artistically valuable as the zombies of Left 4 Dead, and FAR more copyrightable.

Between those two issues - a generally muddier visual landscape and a tendency for players to come up with a million theoretically viable solutions to problems, which not even Larian Studios can afford to program for - you need something to let players know when they're on the right track and when they're headed out-of-bounds (whether physically or...metaphysically). While it's perhaps overused, yellow paint serves that purpose. And like the noble Health Bar before it, the more it's used the more it becomes part of the accepted visual language and therefore the more useful it gets.

I do think it's overused and unrealistic, but I also think it's used because it serves a valuable role and there haven't been a lot of other good answers put forward in the "make everything photorealistic" crowd. My preferred answer, as I explained above, is "don't shoot for photorealism," but I don't get to dictate the trends for the industry, which even I'll agree is for the best.

[timhan-lmacoursereviews]

Unveiling Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course: What You Should Be Aware Of

Tim Han’s Life Mastery Achievers (LMA) Course has garnered significant attention in the personal development sphere. As with any program promising transformation, it’s crucial to delve deeper and understand its essence. In this exposé, we unravel the core facets of the LMA Course, providing you with insights to make an informed decision.

Understanding the LMA Course

The LMA Course is positioned as a comprehensive guide for individuals seeking personal and professional growth. It claims to offer strategies and techniques to unlock one’s full potential, paving the way for success in various aspects of life. From career advancement to enhancing relationships, the course purportedly covers a wide array of areas crucial for holistic development.

Deconstructing LMA Course Reviews

In evaluating the LMA Course, one encounters a plethora of reviews spanning the spectrum from fervent endorsements to skeptical critiques. It’s imperative to sift through these perspectives to glean a balanced understanding.

Several reviewers commend the course for its structured approach and actionable insights. They highlight its ability to catalyze meaningful change and provide tangible results. However, amidst the praise, certain dissenting voices raise valid concerns regarding the course’s efficacy and value proposition.

Key Components of the LMA Course

Mindset Mastery: Central to the LMA Course is the cultivation of a resilient and growth-oriented mindset. Participants are purportedly equipped with tools to overcome limiting beliefs and harness the power of positive thinking.

Goal Setting and Achievement: The course emphasizes the importance of setting clear goals and devising strategies to attain them. It claims to offer a roadmap for goal achievement, incorporating principles from neuroscience and behavioral psychology.

Productivity and Time Management: Efficient utilization of time and resources is paramount for success. The LMA Course purportedly offers techniques to enhance productivity and manage time effectively, enabling individuals to accomplish more in less time.

Communication and Influence: Effective communication is a cornerstone of success in both personal and professional spheres. The course delves into the art of persuasion, negotiation, and interpersonal communication, equipping participants with tools to influence others positively.

Critical Evaluation of the LMA Course

While the LMA Course presents an enticing proposition, it’s essential to subject it to critical scrutiny. Skeptics raise questions regarding the depth of content offered vis-à-vis its price point. Some reviewers express dissatisfaction with the level of engagement and support provided throughout the course duration.

Additionally, concerns regarding the applicability of the course material to diverse contexts have been voiced. While certain principles may resonate universally, others may require adaptation based on individual circumstances.

Conclusion

In navigating the landscape of personal development courses, discernment is paramount. While the LMA Course boasts commendable elements, including its structured approach and focus on mindset mastery, it’s not devoid of criticism. Prospective participants are advised to conduct thorough research, considering both positive testimonials and constructive critiques.

Ultimately, the efficacy of the LMA Course hinges on the alignment of its teachings with individual aspirations and the commitment of participants to apply them diligently.

[jasellaga]

EMPOWERING EXCELLENCE: NAVIGATING USeP's VISION, MISSION, AND EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY During our first class, we had a meaningful discussion about USeP's vision, mission, goals, and values, which are encapsulated in the acronym CARES: collaboration, accountability, resilience, excellence, and service-oriented. Our teacher also challenged me to define the meaning of the school's vision, which is "premiere research university transforming communities in the ASEAN and beyond." Although I initially struggled to provide a satisfactory answer, our teacher guided us and helped us understand the significance of these principles. It was a valuable learning experience that saved us from feeling overwhelmed.

Furthermore, our teacher also took the time to explain the significance of the school's tagline, "Build dreams without limit." While we were familiar with the phrase, he helped us understand the process of envisioning and pursuing our dreams. He emphasized the importance of perseverance, determination, and the willingness to overcome challenges along the way. Through his guidance, we gained valuable insights on how to set goals, create actionable plans, and navigate the difficulties that may arise.

Lastly, our teacher shared with us the history of the university, including its founding date and significant milestones. He also delved into the quality objectives of the institution, specifically focusing on the Institutional Graduate Attributes (IGA). These attributes were thoroughly explained, highlighting their importance in shaping well-rounded graduates. Additionally, our teacher outlined the objectives of each program and provided insights into the schools and programs within the university. This overview gave us a deeper understanding of the university's structure and goals, setting a solid foundation for our academic journey.

[slashscreen]

Concept art for a The Owl House-inspired open world RPG

Here's a bit of concept art for an Owl House-inspired open world RPG I've been cooking up in my free time.

I'm not ready to reveal a title or more detailed info although god knows I have a lot floating around inside of my brain. What I can say, however, is the Premise:

An undead scientist, attempting to build a teleporter, accidentally brings you, a human, into a grotesque but whimsical world of witches, centaurs, elves, dwarves, and demons- and where humans have been extinct for a thousand years. What starts as a simple quest to find a way home turns into an archipelago-trotting adventure with strange cults, otherworldly beings, dark secrets, and where all life on the planet is at stake.

So far I have been designing this game to have more of a focus on memorable characters and customization (read: dress-up) than strictly combat, which is something I have found lacking in other games. (I've realized I've been writing this sort of like a cartoon, so I'll lean into it and see where this goes. This means that yes, there will be a beach "episode". Tug on my balls one by one, Disney. I'm not sure how, but it will happen.)

I don't have any character/species concept art I am willing to show at the moment, because I'm currently redesigning the visual style of the game. Sorry! I'll share it soon, though.

Also, you get a grappling hook. So there's that.

Other general info:

Q) Does this take place in The Owl House universe? A) No. This is not an Owl House AU/Fan game. It's its own thing with its own rules and lore, but borrows heavily from the show. It might be helpful to this on this as like Vast Error and Homestuck.

Q) Is there actually a game being actively made? A) Yes! There's not much to see, though. It's still at the "Everything is a cube and a capsule" stage of development; I'm focusing on getting a solid foundation laid rather than making any visible progress, which is important for a large-scale game. I've made significant progress, though: I estimate I am about 75% done with the base gameplay elements and making it, you know, playable. For the technically inclined, I have done the following (from the perspective of someone familiar with the Skyrim Creation Kit): - Cell streaming (plugin) - Cross-cell persistence - Goal Orientated Action Planning for NPCs - Lua/Moonscript VM for programming AI and acting as the equivalent of Papyrus (Plugin/my own work) - Player like movement and stuff - Dialogue using the Yarn plugin - NPC inter-cell navigation (think exterior to interior. Very difficult.) - Granular world simulation using Unity's DOTS - Physical properties of items (Systems game stuff, like Breath of the Wild) - You can harvest plants! Holy shit - You can read books

Q) Can I play the game right now? A) Hell no. Not yet, anyway. I'll release an alpha demo at some point, though, which will include: - The Marrows (Right arm of island), the first of currently 8 Prefectures (Analogous to Skyrim's Holds), which itself contains 1 city, 3 towns, 4 regions (geographically distinct areas. Two of them are pictured in the art above) - 30 ish quests? - Representative gameplay - Introduction to the major characters and the antagonist (This world's Belos and Hunter)

Q) What kind of mood is this world going for? A) Mostly lighthearted with some serious moments.

Q) What other influences does this world have? A) Lots. - FLCL (Should be apparent in the combat) - The Elder Scrolls (duh) - Bloodborne - Amphibia - Hyper Light Drifter

If you have any questions, feel free to ask! I can't promise I will be willing to answer them, though. But then again, I am always happy to blab on and on about the world that live inside my mind.



[religion-is-a-mental-illness]

By: Daniel J. Rhoads

Published: Aug 15, 2023

The striking down of affirmative action in college admissions marks the end of one era, but it might be the beginning of a new round of litigation on race discrimination in schools.

In Students for Fair Admissions v. President and Fellows of Harvard College (“SFFA”), the Supreme Court found that the admissions programs of both Harvard College and the University of North Carolina failed multiple tests of constitutionality. They “lack sufficiently focused and measurable objectives warranting the use of race, unavoidably employ race in a negative manner, involve racial stereotyping, and lack meaningful endpoints.”

The principles that the Court fortified in its opinion extend beyond college admissions and implicate educational institutions at all levels, at least public institutions and those that receive federal financial assistance. The pronouncement in SFFA is as sweeping as it is explicit: “Eliminating racial discrimination means eliminating all of it.”

Given the breadth of the principle and the clarity with which the Court expressed it, the amount of activity currently taking place in schools that is almost certainly illegal is staggering. Justice Thomas’ concurring opinion noted a study that showed, “43% of colleges offered segregated housing to students of different races, 46% offered segregated orientation programs, and 72% spon.sored segregated graduation ceremonies.”  It is difficult to see how any of these practices would pass muster under the rules stated in SFFA.

Similar acts of segregation and discrimination are occurring at the elementary and secondary levels, as well. The form and manner of such programs vary, and the euphemistic neologisms used to describe them proliferate. But SFFA has rendered presumptively invalid any lessons, activities, assemblies, meeting groups, working groups, or other school-sanctioned events where attendees are separated by race or where some races are invited while others are excluded. 

Educational institutions might attempt to design programs to meet the strict scrutiny standard applied in SFFA. Some might view the Court’s admonition that racial classifications must have a “most exact connection” with “an exceedingly persuasive justification that is measurable and concrete enough to permit judicial review” as a kind of challenge.  If there is any space in that needle, however, passing a thread through it might prove to be prohibitively tough.  

What is certain is that the justifications offered by the colleges in SFFA fell far from the mark. To put it mildly, the Court was unimpressed with diversity goals such as “adapt[ing] to an increasingly pluralistic society”; “better educating . . . through diversity”; and “enhancing appreciation, respect, and empathy, cross-racial understanding, and breaking down stereotypes.” Not that such goals are not laudable; the problem is that they are too abstract and subjective for courts of law. To persist on their equity projects, schools would have to imagine a whole new set of justifications that can be objectively measured and can withstand strict scrutiny. Complicating matters, groups are now contemplating disparate impact challenges to legacy admissions. It might be a better use of resources just to stop discriminating.

Another decision that the Court issued the day after SFFA calls into question related practices in higher education. In 303 Creative, LLC v. Elenis, the Court held that the government cannot, through the application of anti-discrimination statutes, compel or coerce a website designer to create sites for same-sex weddings where such weddings contravene the designer’s religious beliefs. The general principle of 303 Creative is that “the government may not compel a person to speak its own preferred messages.”  The Constitution does not tolerate forcing speakers to choose among “remaining silent, producing speech that violates their beliefs, or speaking their minds and incurring sanctions for doing so.”

303 Creative casts doubt on the legality of the practice by colleges and universities of requiring Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (“DEI”) statements from applicants for academic positions. Not everyone who seeks employment with or admission to an institution of higher learning will agree with the orthodox opinion on campus. Those who are confronted with writing DEI statements as part of their applications will face the choice of remaining silent, producing speech that violates their beliefs, or speaking their minds and being denied a position. Legal challenges to this practice should be expected.

Adverse employment actions against faculty who oppose DEI dogma make even easier cases. Black professor Tabia Lee was fired by a community college in California for transgressions including: questioning antiracist ‘orthodoxy,’ seeking accuracy in the college’s land acknowledgments, trying to bring a ‘Jewish inclusion’ event to campus, declining to join a ‘socialist network,’ refusing to use the terms ‘Latinx’ and ‘Filipinx,’ and inquiring why the word ‘Black’ was capitalized but not ‘white.’ The college has asserted its reasons for her firing, and the case is being litigated. If Doctor Lee’s perspective on her case is at all accurate, then her treatment was profoundly unconstitutional.

Ironically, the colorblind aspiration that the Court has endorsed is practically unspeakable in some academic circles. We at FAIR have seen public school lessons where statements like, “There’s only one human race,” and concepts including “Meritocracy Myth” are taught to be “covert white supremacy.” The same lessons use the term “Whiteness” as a pejorative. Instruction of that type seems to offend the principles laid out in SFFA.

At some point, legal questions dissolve into policy disputes that are not appropriate for litigation. “May a high school require history teachers to assign ‘anti-racist’ readings?” is importantly distinct from the question of whether it should do so. However, the fundamental issue that SFFA and 303 Creative address, whether students can be separated into racial affinity groups in order to study such readings, seems more clearly unconstitutional.

The decisions in SFFA and 303 Creative bring clarity where any questions about racial classifications or compelled speech might have lingered. The ball is now in the court of the educational institutions—both public schools, which are bound by the Constitution, and any other schools receiving federal funding, which are subject to the same standards under Title VI of the Civil Rights Act.  

A year after the Supreme Court held, in Brown v. Board, that racial segregation in public schools is unconstitutional, the case returned to the Court on the issue of remedies. At that time, the Court directed public schools to desegregate “with all deliberate speed.”  Even after that directive, desegregation litigation carried on for decades. Today, it remains to be seen whether schools will incorporate the holdings in SFFA and 303 Creative more speedily or more deliberately. Time will tell, and school attorneys are watching.

==

Not just in diversity statements, but also diversity training. When people are compelled, in front of a roomful of people by some neoracist DIE fundamentalist con artist, to lie about being racist or oppressed or white supremacist or marginalized, they will hopefully be able to fight back.

It shouldn't take too many lawsuits for schools and companies and organizations to worry about what will happen to their bottom line if they subject their students, staff, employees and volunteers to illegal reeducation struggle sessions.

[stagnate-03]

Understanding the Differences Between Research and Marketing

Research and marketing are two distinct but closely related activities that serve different purposes in the business world. Here's a breakdown of the key differences between research and marketing:

Purpose:

Research: The primary purpose of research is to gather information, analyze data, and gain insights into various aspects of a market, industry, or product. It is conducted to inform decision-making.

Marketing: Marketing is the strategic process of promoting and selling products or services to consumers. Its main goal is to create awareness, generate interest, and drive sales.

Focus:

Research: Research focuses on understanding market trends, customer behavior, competition, and other relevant data. It often involves surveys, data analysis, and market segmentation.

Marketing: Marketing focuses on the development of strategies and tactics to promote products or services, including advertising, pricing, distribution, and branding.

Timing:

Research: Research can be ongoing and is not always tied to specific marketing campaigns. It provides a foundation of information that can be used for marketing efforts over time.

Marketing: Marketing is more time-sensitive and campaign-specific. It involves creating and implementing strategies to achieve immediate or short-term goals.

Output:

Research: Research generates data, reports, and insights. It provides a basis for informed marketing decisions but does not directly engage with customers.

Marketing: Marketing generates promotional materials, advertisements, and customer interactions. It aims to influence customer behavior and create brand loyalty.

Audience:

Research: The audience for research includes internal stakeholders, such as company executives and product developers, who use the data to make informed decisions.

Marketing: The audience for marketing efforts is external, focusing on customers and potential customers who are targeted to generate sales and build brand loyalty.

Feedback Loop:

Research: Research can provide feedback on the effectiveness of marketing strategies and help refine them based on customer insights.

Marketing: Marketing activities generate feedback in the form of sales data, customer responses, and campaign performance, which can inform future marketing strategies.

Measurement of Success:

Research: Success in research is often measured by the quality of data collected, the depth of insights gained, and the relevance of findings to decision-making.

Marketing: Success in marketing is typically measured by sales growth, customer acquisition, brand awareness, and return on investment (ROI).

In summary, research and marketing are complementary activities within a business. Research provides the foundation of knowledge and insights needed for effective marketing strategies, while marketing is the action-oriented process of engaging with customers to drive sales and achieve business goals. Both are essential for a company's success in understanding and serving its target audience.

To know more: https://stagnateresearch.com/blog/understanding-the-differences-between-research-and-marketing/

Also read: Global Market Research Company

project management service company

data processing in research

survey programming company

[solidarishkeyt]

A viable structural theory of the state must do two separate things. It must elaborate the structural constraints that operate to reduce the likelihood that state managers will act against the general interests of capitalists. An understanding of these constraints is particularly important for analyzing the obstacles to reformist socialist strategies. But a structural theory must also explain the tendency of state managers to pursue policies that are in the general interests of capital. It is not sufficient to explain why the state avoids anti-capitalist policies; it is necessary to explain why the state has served to rationalize capitalism. Once one rejects the idea of ruling-class class consciousness, one needs to provide an alternative explanation of efforts at rationalization.

Both tendencies can be derived from the fact that those who manage the state apparatus—regardless of their own political ideology—are dependent on the maintenance of some reasonable level of economic activity. This is true for two reasons. First, the capacity of the state to finance itself through taxation or borrowing depends on the state of the economy. If economic activity is in decline, the state will have difficulty maintaining its revenues at an adequate level. Second, public support for a regime will decline sharply if the regime presides over a serious drop in the level of economic activity, with a parallel rise in unemployment and shortages of key goods. Such a drop in support increases the likelihood that the state managers will be removed from power one way or another. And even if the drop is not that dramatic, it will increase the challenges to the regime and decrease the regime’s political ability to take effective actions.

In a capitalist economy, the level of economic activity is largely determined by the private investment decisions of capitalists. This means that capitalists, in their collective role as investors, have a veto over state policies in that their failure to invest at adequate levels can create major political problems for the state managers. This discourages state managers from taking actions that might seriously decrease the rate of investment. It also means that state managers have a direct interest in using their power to facilitate investment, since their own continued power rests on a healthy economy. There will be a tendency for state agencies to orient their various programs toward the goal of facilitating and encouraging private investment. In doing so, the state managers address the problem of investment from a broader perspective than that of the individual capitalist. This increases the likelihood that such policies will be in the general interest of capital.

This is, of course, too simple. Both sides of the picture—constraints and rationalization—must be filled out in greater detail to make this approach convincing. One problem, in particular, stands out—if capitalists have a veto over state policies, isn’t this simply another version of instrumentalism? The answer to this question lies in a more careful analysis of the determinants of investment decisions. The most useful concept is the idea of business confidence. Individual capitalists decide on their rate of investment in a particular country on the basis of a variety of specific variables such as the price of labor and the size of the market for a specific product. But there is also an intangible variable—the capitalist’s evaluation of the general political/economic climate. Is the society stable; is the working class under control; are taxes likely to rise; do government agencies interfere with business freedom; will the economy grow? These kinds of considerations are critical to the investment decisions of each firm. The sum of all of these evaluations across a national economy can be termed the level of business confidence. As the level of business confidence declines, so will the rate of investment. Business confidence also has an international dimension when nations are integrated into a capitalist world economy. Multinational corporations, international bankers, and currency speculators also make judgments about a particular nation’s political/economic climate that determine their willingness to invest in assets in that nation. This, in turn, will affect the internal level of business confidence and the rate of productive investment.

Business confidence is, however, very different from “ruling-class consciousness.” Business confidence is based on an evaluation of the market that considers political events only as they might impinge on the market. This means that it is rooted in the narrow self-interest of the individual capitalist who is worried about profit. Business confidence, especially because of its critical international component, does not make subtle evaluations as to whether a regime is serving the long-term interests of capital. When there is political turmoil and popular mobilization, business confidence will fall, and it will rise when there is a restoration of order, no matter how brutal. It was business confidence that responded so favorably to Louis Bonaparte’s coup d’état, because he promised to restore the conditions for business as usual, despite negative implications for the political rights of the bourgeoisie. The crudeness of business confidence makes capitalism peculiarly vulnerable to authoritarian regimes that are capable of acting against the general interests of capital.

The dynamic of business confidence as a constraint on the managers of the state apparatus can be grasped by tracing out a scenario of what happens when left-of-center governments come to power through parliamentary means and attempt to push through major reforms. The scenario distills a number of twentieth-century experiences including that of Chile under Allende. From the moment that the left wins the election, business confidence declines. The most important manifestation of this decline is an increase in speculation against the nation’s currency. Reformist governments are always under suspicion that they will pursue inflationary policies; a high rate of inflation means that the international value of the nation’s currency will fall. Speculators begin to discount the currency for the expected inflation as soon as possible.

This association between reformist governments and inflation is not arbitrary. Reformist policies—higher levels of employment, redistribution of income toward the poor, improved social services—directly or indirectly lead to a shift of income from profits toward the working class. Businesses attempt to resist such a shift by raising prices so that profit levels will not be reduced. In short, price inflation in this context is a market response to policies that tend to benefit the working class. The reformist government, faced with the initial speculative assault on its currency, has two choices. It can reassure the international and domestic business community, making clear its intention to pursue orthodox economic policies. Or it can forge ahead with its reform program. If it pursues the latter course, an increased rate of inflation and an eventual international monetary crisis is likely.

The international crisis results from the combination of continued speculative pressure against the currency and several new factors. Domestic inflation is likely to affect the nation’s balance of trade adversely, leading to a real deterioration in the nation’s balance-of-payments account. In addition, inflation and loss of confidence in the currency leads to the flight of foreign and domestic capital and increased foreign reluctance to lend money to the afflicted nation. The initial speculative pressure against the currency could be tolerated; the eruption of an acute international monetary crisis requires some kind of dramatic response. The government may renounce its reformism or cede power to a more “responsible” administration.

But if the government is committed to defending its programs, it will have to act to insulate its economy from the pressures of the international market by imposing some combination of price controls, import controls, and exchange controls.

Escalation in the government’s attempt to control the market sets off a new chain of events. These new controls involve threats to individual capitalists. Price controls mean that firms lose the ability to manipulate one of the major determinants of profit levels. Import controls mean that a firm may no longer be able to import goods critical to its business. Exchange controls mean that firms and individuals no longer are able to move their assets freely to secure international havens. The fact that assets are locked into a rapidly inflating currency poses the possibility that large fortunes will be lost.

These are the ingredients for a sharp decline in domestic business confidence. Why should business owners continue to invest if they must operate in an environment in which the government violates the fundamental rules of a market economy?

A sharp decline in business confidence leads to a parallel economic downturn. High rates of unemployment coexist with annoying shortages of critical commodities. The popularity of the regime falls precipitously. The only alternative to capitulation—eliminating controls and initial reforms—is sharp forward movement to socialize the economy. The government could put people back to work and relieve the shortages by taking over private firms. However, the political basis for this kind of action does not exist, even where the leaders of the government are rhetorically committed to the goal of socialism. Generally, the reformist government has not prepared its electoral supporters for extreme action; its entire program has been based on the promise of a gradual transition. Further, the government leaders themselves become immersed in the political culture of the state apparatus, militating against a sharp break with the status quo.

The outcome of this impasse is tragically familiar. The government either falls from power through standard parliamentary means—loss of an election, defection of some of its parliamentary support—or it is removed militarily. Military actions that violate constitutionality meet formidable obstacles in liberal-capitalist nations, but when economic chaos severely diminishes the legitimacy of a regime, the chances of a military coup are enhanced. When the military intervenes, it does not do so as a tool of the ruling class. It acts according to its own ideas of the need to restore political order and in its own interests. Naturally the removal of the reformist government leads to a rapid revival of business confidence simply because order has been restored. However, it should be stressed that this revival of business confidence might not be sustained, since there can be substantial conflicts between the interests of the military and the capitalists.

The key point in elaborating this scenario is that the chain of events can unfold without any members of the ruling class consciously deciding to act “politically” against the regime in power. Of course, such a scenario is usually filled out with a great deal of editorializing against the regime in the bourgeois press, much grumbling among the upper classes, and even some conspiratorial activity. But the point is that conspiracies to destabilize the regime are basically superfluous, since decisions made by individual capitalists according to their own narrow economic rationality are sufficient to paralyze the regime, creating a situation where the regime’s fall is the only possibility.

Fred Block, “The Ruling Class Does Not Rule: Notes on the Marxist Theory of the State,” in Revising State Theory: Essays in Politics and Postindustrialism (Philadelphia: Temple University Press, 1987), 58–62.

[ariealblogs]

What Is Affiliate Marketing, and How Do I Use It?

What is affiliate marketing?

Of all performance-based marketing, affiliate marketing is one of the more affordable and complementary disciplines to influencer marketing. So how does it work? A brand pays someone a commission to promote their products through selected channels.

This person could be an individual consumer or an influencer (someone with significant followers). It’s important to note that while someone can be both an affiliate and an ambassador, these roles are not synonymous.

Affiliates operate on a digital-only level. They use specialized links shared on their platforms to earn a commission.

Ambassadors can operate either online or offline and usually have a deeper partnership with the brand in the form of a retainer. They don't always use specialized links, and their goal could be to build brand awareness or drive sales.

As a brand, there are multiple benefits to engaging in affiliate marketing. It's a great source of passive income and it mutually benefits both the brand and the affiliate.

Check out these Truelist stats from 2022:

More than 80% of brands have affiliate programs.

Almost 65% of affiliate marketers generate traffic by blogging.

Advertisers generate between 15% and 30% of all sales from affiliate programs.

Affiliate marketing makes up 16% of global eCommerce sales.

How affiliate and influencer marketing work together

Given that affiliate and influencer marketing both rely on individual partnerships and social media, they work best in conversation.

Affiliate marketing is undoubtedly a bottom-of-funnel discipline, as its main goal is to get folks to drive sales through their specialized links or codes. On the other hand, influencer marketing has been traditionally seen as a top-of-funnel discipline, or something that helps build brand awareness. Layering these two disciplines can give  marketers a full-funnel digital/social media strategy.

That being said, the role of influencer marketing is quickly changing. A 6,000-respondent study found that approximately one third of shoppers turn to social media influencers to learn about products. This shift in consumer behavior has moved influencer marketing from top-of-funnel, to full-funnel and brought about the advent of social commerce. In short, influencers now have the power to build awareness for your brand, impact consumers’ evaluation of your product, and drive actual sales.

What this means is that influencer and affiliate marketing are even more closely related than before. They are no longer just complimentary — they’re integrated.

In fact, a lot of small brands dip their toes into paid influencer marketing campaigns with affiliates. Since these brands often have smaller budgets, traditional sponsored content isn't affordable. Affiliates, on the other hand, can cost less because their fee is covered by true sales and they have more incentive/obligation to post than the average influencer who receives gifted products.

Getting started with affiliate marketing

Now that you know what affiliate marketing is and how it complements influencer marketing, here are some tips for getting started:

Pick the right partners. If you’re just getting started, it might be best to start by signing some of your existing influencers and customers as affiliates. If you don’t have solid leads there, you can use social listening or influencer marketing tools to search to find people who have organically mentioned your brand. Tip: You can use Traackr's discovery and vetting tool to discover influencers already working as affiliates for other brands! Search past content for affiliate keywords like "affiliate," "my code," "specialized link," and "link in bio." Then view influencer performance metrics to make sure they're effective partners.

Use a performance-based compensation strategy. Avoid centering compensation around things like audience size, and instead base it on results-oriented metrics like engagement or sales. You could also use a cost per action (CPA) model, where affiliates get a commission each time a customer completes an action. The action could be clicking on a custom link or it could be purchasing a specific product.

Choose an affiliate network or influencer marketing software. This will help you use your time efficiently by automating certain processes. For example, Traackr’s social commerce/affiliate feature, helps you find and vet new partners, define attribution models and commission structures, calculate and send payments, track performance, and more.

Define your key performance indicators (KPIs). If you are combining influencer and affiliate marketing, you need to approach KPIs with a full-funnel mindset. While sales are the ultimate goal, there is also a product discovery and consideration aspect. Set yourself up to measure your campaigns from awareness, to consideration, to sales.