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justinspoliticalcorner · 2 months ago

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Robert Reich:

Friends, If you are experiencing rage and despair about what is happening in America and the world right now because of the Trump-Vance-Musk regime, you are hardly alone. A groundswell of opposition is growing — not as loud and boisterous as the resistance to Trump 1.0, but just as, if not more, committed to ending the scourge. Here’s a partial summary — 10 reasons for modest optimism.

1. Boycotts are taking hold.

Americans are changing shopping habits in a backlash against corporations that have shifted their public policies to align with Trump. Millions are pledging to halt discretionary spending for 24 hours on February 28 in protest against major retailers — chiefly Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy — for scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in response to Trump. Four out of 10 Americans have already shifted their spending over the last few months to be more consistent with their moral views, according to the Harris poll. (Far more Democrats — 50 percent — are changing their spending habits compared with Republicans — 41 percent.) Calls to boycott Tesla apparently are having an effect. After a disappointing 2024, Tesla sales declined further in January. In California, a key market for Tesla, nearly 12 percent fewer Teslas were registered in January 2025 than in January 2024. An analysis by Electrek points to even more trouble for Tesla in Europe, where Tesla sales have dropped in every market. X users are shifting over to Bluesky at a rapid rate, even as Musk adds more advertisers to his ongoing lawsuit against those that have justifiably boycotted X after he turned it into a cesspool of lies and hate (this week, he added Lego, Nestle, Tyson Foods, and Shell).

2. International resistance is rising.

Canada has helped lead the way: A grassroots boycott of American products and tourism is underway there. Prime Minister Trudeau has in effect become a “wartime prime minister” as he stands up to Trump’s bullying. Jean Chrétien, who served as prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003, is urging Canada to join with leaders in Denmark, Panama, and Mexico, as well as with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to fight back against Trump’s threats. Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is standing up to Trump. She has defended not just Mexico but also the sovereignty of Latin American countries Trump has threatened and insulted. In the wake of JD Vance’s offensive speech at the Munich security conference last week, European democracies are standing together — condemning his speech and making it clear they will support Ukraine and never capitulate to Putin, as Trump has done.

3. Independent and alternative media are growing.

Trump and Musk’s “shock and awe” strategy was premised on their control of all major information outlets — not just Fox News and its right-wing imitators but the mainstream corporate media as well. It hasn’t worked. The New York Times has done sharp and accurate reporting on what’s happening. Even the non-editorial side of The Wall Street Journal has shown some gumption. The biggest news, though, is the increasing role now being played by independent and alternative media. Subscriptions have surged at Democracy Now, The American Prospect, Americans for Tax Fairness, Economic Policy Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, The Guardian, ProPublica, Labor Notes, The Lever, Popular Information, Heather Cox Richardson, and, of course, this and other Substacks. As a result, although Trump and Musk continue to flood the zone with lies, Americans aren’t as readily falling for their scams.

4. Musk’s popularity is plunging.

Elon Musk is underwater in public opinion, according to polls published Wednesday. Surveys by Quinnipiac University and Pew Research Center — coming just after Trump and Musk were interviewed together by Fox News’ Sean Hannity, with Trump calling Musk a “great guy” who “really cares for the country” — show a growing majority of Americans holding an unfavorable view of Musk. In Pew’s findings, 54 percent report disliking Musk compared to 42 percent with a positive view; 36 percent report a very unfavorable view of Musk. Quinnipiac’s results show 55 percent believe Musk has too big a role in the government.

5. Musk’s Doge is losing credibility.

On Monday, DOGE listed government contracts it has canceled, claiming that they amount to some $16 billion in savings — itemized on a new “wall of receipts” on its website. Almost half were attributed to a single $8 billion contract for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency — but that contract was for $8 million, not $8 billion. A larger total savings number published on the site, $55 billion, lacked specific documentation. In addition, Musk and Trump say tens of millions of “dead people” may be receiving fraudulent Social Security payments from the government. The table Musk shared on social media over the weekend showed about 20 million people in the Social Security Administration’s database over the age of 100 and with no known death. But as the agency’s inspector general found in 2023, “almost none” of them were receiving payments; most had died before the advent of electronic records. These kinds of rudimentary errors are destroying DOGE’s credibility and causing even more to question allowing Musk’s muskrats unfettered access to personal data on Americans.

6. The federal courts are hitting back.

So far, at least 74 lawsuits have been filed by state attorneys general, nonprofits, and unions against the Trump regime. And at least 17 judges — including several appointed by Republicans — already have issued orders blocking or temporarily halting actions by the Trump regime. The blocking orders include Trump initiatives to restrict birthright citizenship, suspend or cut off domestic and foreign U.S. spending, shrink the federal workforce, oust independent agency heads, and roll back legal protections and medical care for transgender adults and youths. In other cases, the Trump regime has agreed to a pause to give judges time to rule, another way that legal fights are forcing a slowdown.

[...] 9. Trump is overreaching — pretending to be “king” and abandoning Ukraine for Putin. Trump’s threats of annexation, conquest, and “unleashing hell” have been exposed as farcical bluffs — and his displays this week of being “king” and siding with Putin have unleashed a new level of public ridicule. [...] 10. The Trump-Vance-Musk “shock and awe” plan is faltering. In all these ways and for all of these reasons, the regime’s efforts to overwhelm us are failing. Make no mistake: Trump, Vance, and Musk continue to be an indiscriminate wrecking ball that has already caused major destruction and will continue to weaken and isolate America. But their takeover has been slowed. Their plan was based on doing so much, so fast that the rest of us would give in to negativity and despair. They want a dictatorship built on hopelessness and fear.

Robert Reich wrote a solid Substack piece on the 10 reasons anti-Trump Americans should feel some optimism in.

#Donald Trump #Elon Musk #Trump Administration II #Trump Regime #Protests #Musk Coup

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floridakilo · 2 years ago

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im excited to announce something thats been cooking up in my brain for awhile… i am starting a writing collective/independent publishing operation for thee fellow neo beats called JUNKIE SCHOLAR PRESS (JSP)…basically i will be collecting submissions in either digital or print form and then posting and publishing them through the platform (tumblr, ig, substack, big cartel for print, and my website)

this isnt a for profit thing it is basically just an opportunity for new creators to market yr work and so that you can say youve published…thats self explanatory for digital posts and for physical copies, you are still the sole owner of everything and any profit made through sales are 100% paid to you…

anyway message me if you want to submit yr work…content im looking for includes zines, poetry collections, chapbooks, essay anthologies, long form essays, novellas and short novels, art and photography, and more…the topic can be anything (doesnt need to be abt drugs) however anything that could be categorized as under the “beat” genre is a plus

tumblr is the best way to reach me but also

[email protected]

ig at theworstgirlintheworld

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strangebiology · 11 months ago

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My substack for is going well and I've even got some paid subscribers now! Even though all the content is free at the moment. Feel free to sign up and/or look through the old posts if you're writing a nonfiction, non-memoir book!

Of all the social platforms I've been on, Substack might be the most profitable. It might not be Substack, though, it might be because this group is focused on a professional endeavor rather than "isn't that interesting" type of content. Maybe people feel like it's worth investing money in something that should hopefully give them a return on investment? I make it clear that I love to talk about money and this group in particular approaches writing as a paid profession. It's ok if that's not for you.

I'm thinking of making some kind of guide called "How To Get Paid to Write a Nonfiction Non-Memoir Book Before You Even Write It" and maybe charge $5 or $10 for the guide. My book, Carcass: On the Afterlives of Animal Bodies isn't out yet so I can't talk about marketing books from any actual experience of success. Also I believe 99% of information on How-To-Market-Your-Book is BS because no one ever includes their ROI, profit, or sales. But I can tell you that if you are a serious writer who has tended your craft through lots of practice and self-improvement, you can make money before the book is even out.

I'll share my profit before the book is published: I got $106,000, or, after travel, fact-checking, and the agent taking a percent of the advance, around $75,000. There are things I wish I would have tried that, if successful, would have got me another $80k + $40k with no extra work except the application. (Who knows what my chances were of getting those opportunities, though, but I'd include them in the guide.) AND I want to point out that someone in the group got a $50,000 grant (the same one I did) and told me she never would have if it weren't for the group!

#Writing #Book Writing #Not Biology

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mitigatedchaos · 1 year ago

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"Writing? In 2024?"

Monday, April 29, 2024

(~2,400 words, 12 minutes)

@northshorewave Re: this publishing post:

I've read through the post that was linked, and an earlier related post by the same author that preceded it.

Her position is that the traditional publishing industry is essentially buying books as lottery tickets, paying for most of them using the few big winners they can't predict.

NorthShoreWave - The personal qualities of NSW specifically.

LLMs - Is AI a threat right now? Mostly as spam.

How Many Readers? - One famous book had 3,000 readers on an email list before its Amazon e-book debut, and went on to traditional publishing.

Funding Options - Many authors and artists are currently using subscription services. Some reasoning and numbers are provided.

Illustrations - Should you use illustrations? This lengthy section does a bit of fundamentals analysis of posting to suggest that maybe, you should.

Interaction - Reader replies are one method by which a post will spread.

Search - The people who want to read your story can't read it if they don't know about it. Writing a good book is essential, but only half the battle.

Some thoughts for you:

1 - NorthShoreWave

You implicitly asked if we had discussed your story in detail before, but the answer is that we hadn't. I have a sense of what you're trying to accomplish based on what I've observed of your character. While you think of yourself as seething, I think you're actually wise, compassionate, self-aware, and able to view things from multiple perspectives. A significant number of people are much worse at practicing at least one of these virtues. On its own, that's not enough to write a best-seller, but I think it does provide you with an advantage.

2 - LLMs

Based on my experiments (see @mitigatedai for some logs), I wouldn't worry about competition from AI. For you, the chief issue caused by AI will be spam. AI moves sideways (different text) and downwards (less meaning). I may tell LLMs to "combine Inspector Gadget and Death Note," but...

Do I actually use the information provided? No.

3 - How many readers do you need?

From one of those publishing posts, to get a sense of the number of readers you need...

Andy Weir first published The Martian as a serial for his own blog, then as a self-published novel on Amazon, then as a traditionally published novel with Random House. “I had an email list with about 3,000 people on it, so, initially, the audience was roughly that much,” he tells me. “When I first posted it to Amazon, I didn’t do anything to market or publicize it. All I did was tell my readers it was available there.” The book was on Amazon for five months, at a price point of 99 cents, and he sold 35,000 copies before Random House bought the rights in February of 2014.

Note that being a provocative firebrand doesn't necessarily mean you'll sell copies. Some politicians with tremendous name recognition failed to move copies of their books.

4 - Funding Options

I don't recommend using a Kickstarter to publish your book at this time or in the near future. You just don't have the name recognition, but also, Slashdotter Caimlas (who I don't know, so I don't know how trustworthy he is) wrote:

I'm personal friends with a number of authors who publish books in one of several subgenres. Mostly, they rely on Amazon's Kindle Unlimited: some of them are prolific enough that their book sales account for most of their income, simply based on peoples' reading of their works. Mostly, unless people want a piece of history or something they can reference, folks seem to hate having clutter. Fiction that sells isn't usually, primarily sold as a hardcopy book anymore, I don't believe - short of the kinds of books that end up at the end of the grocery store isle or in an airport novelty store.

A lot of publishing is done online these days, often through subscription services such as Substack (for essays) or Patreon. (Kindle Unlimited is also a subscription service, costing $12/mo.) As an example, the webcomic Spinnerette has a Patreon (bringing down $3.3k/mo), and then runs Kickstarter campaigns for print runs (volume 8 raised $27k).

To give you an estimate, Spinnerette's Patreon has only 536 subscribers, and pulls down $3.3k/mo, but you probably haven't heard of it. El Goonish Shive, which I'm confident you have heard of, brings in $3.6k/mo on 2.4k subscribers. The famous Kill Six Billion Demons has ~5.4k subscribers, bringing down ~$8.4k.

In Patreon terms, a good foothold to try for might be 100 subscribers at $3/mo each, with an initial focus on getting to 50.

5 - Illustrations

You've posted some drawings. They have some character, showing that you have the basic aptitude to develop the skill if you applied yourself to regular practice. However, the proportions are too far off to attract much attention (except as a stylistic choice, which, I can tell, it is not).

This blog tends to break things down into their abstract fundamentals for analysis. I promised myself I wasn't going to do that here, but eh, we'll do just a bit.

To quote one of the publishing articles...

“People tend to buy the books that are already really popular,” Deahl says. “They look at the bestseller list to see what they want to buy and that reinforces this tiny amount of books at the top. It’s a very top-heavy system. The tricky thing in publishing is success begets success. But it’s really hard to create that spark.”

Let's stop to think about this.

a. Banter - Fame

There is one layer to this that you can't do much of anything about, which is that people will watch the same shows their friends watch in order to have something to talk about with their friends.

b. Investment - Background

However, there is another layer over which you have more influence. It's very easy to make a quick judgment of a movie based on its visuals, or a short trailer. It's also relatively easy to judge short songs, since they're only a few minutes long (but I don't find myself doing this often).

In order to judge a book, you have to read the text and process it. You can't make a snap judgment off a single picture, because you have to read the text first to produce the mental picture.

This website does have viral text posts, but they're like...

You seem to have fundamentally misunderstood me, Anon. Go read all 5,640 posts again.

Some of these posts can get a bit long, but it's usually a back-and-forth where each individual post is short. Often, they'll mix in images, or memes.

People supposedly read at 200 words per minute. Based on that estimate, this blog's most viral post of all time can be read in 5 seconds. That's about the same amount of time someone would spend looking at a jpeg.

That doesn't mean people don't enjoy effortposts. They will follow a blog upon encountering a good effortpost! They just don't like or reblog them.

I think you already know this part, but for "acceptable" length for reblogging, it's usually best to keep it under one "Tumblr page," meaning around one screen length on desktop, or around 200-300 words. I've talked about this part before, but if the reader can see the end of the post, it feels like less of an investment to read the post, and reblogging it won't fill up a friend's Tumblr dash.

Obviously that's tough for long-form fiction, because it has to load more context about the characters in order to establish the stakes. (Unless it's fan fiction, where the audience already knows the characters.)

c. Investment - Strategy

As you know, this blog will sometimes post political cartoons and other illustrations as part of its general stream of content.

The obvious strategy is just to have some nice-looking character images or images of scenes from the story. It can be "read" faster, so it's more shareable.

I think that strategy suffers from a weakness in that it's easy to just look at the image and disregard the text. This would reduce your fiction blog to an art blog - and it is not an art blog.

Therefore, I would like to gently suggest - and keep in mind, I do not have any published novels - a different potential approach. This proposal is speculative, and this technique is not widely used.

Do you know that famous Rockwell painting, Breaking Home Ties? Rockwell is a master of telling a story with just a single still-frame painting.

Rockwell has to tell the whole story in one picture, because that's the medium he's got to work with. This limits how much story he can tell. As an author, you don't have to limit yourself to what can be told in just one image, because you have the text.

This strategy would involve a two-step maneuver.

First, the image at the top of the post communicates the essentials that the reader needs to know about the characters through the composition of the scene (so that they don't need to read background material), as well as various subtle details, while raising questions, also through the use of details/etc, to increase the viewer's curiosity.

Fortunately for the viewer, second, the questions raised by the image are answered in the text right below it.

The post would form an entry point into a network of related posts; tags for particular characters could be linked at the bottom, or links to other posts in the sequence.

Secondary characters would be ideal for this, because you can manipulate their scenarios/context/character to fit the short format, while your overall project will focus on the main characters and thus have a greater, long-term narrative investment for appropriately larger payoff.

As I wrote in my post on 'text wall memes,' people will read text in an image, and they'll even reblog it, but it's contextual. So again, this is speculative, but it should be feasible. It's a matter of creating the appropriate context.

d. Investment - AI Art

I don't think you should use AI-generated art. Yes, people will be able to tell, but the even bigger problem...

Compare this AI knockoff to Norman Rockwell's original Girl with Black Eye.

The expression is wrong. The pose is different. This is a completely different story from the one Rockwell was telling! The prompteur 'borrows' the right 25% of the image from Norman's original because he can't reproduce it. And what is that random white cloth on the left side of the image?

There is a significant reduction in the amount of intention in the image. Putting it back in involves working over the image, repeatedly, usually with inpainting, and often working against what's in the AI's training data, forcing it to pull from more and more improbable parts of the distribution (until eventually, there's no matching data in the training at all; you have to get out and draw it yourself).

I'm going to borrow a post of my own here from 2019.

This isn't oriented towards the strategy I've described, and it only got 21 notes, but note the teacup with steam and tea bag tag, the obscured flag in the background, and the Youtube-style video tracker on the bottom. The combination of the special effect, text that looks like a subtitle, and video tracker imply that the image is a screenshot from a streaming anime.

The character is casually (as indicated by the cup of tea) sitting at a computer desk (as indicated by the faintly sketched keyboard and hand position for a mouse). What's that flag in the background? It certainly doesn't belong to any extant country. (In fact, as the artist, I'll tell you - it's based on an O'Neill Cylinder.)

Obviously this art is very much just a sketch in quality terms. An AI rendering usually looks much fancier. However, an AI would not put that detail in.

e. Investment - Technical Skills

However, I will suggest the use of software if you go this route. (Or the hiring of an artist, but that could get expensive.)

Your issue is with proportions. Lots of people have trouble with proportions. (You also have trouble with hands. Lots of people have trouble with hands.)

One way to deal with this is to just train. You'd be surprised at how fast you improve if you draw from realistic sources such as photographs an hour a day for a year, even if it's just a quick sketch. You probably aren't willing to do so. You have other things to worry about, including writing.

However, you could use posing software. You could save the proportions of several characters and position them throughout the scene, as well as having a grid for the ground and potentially other props to help with positioning of items like lamp posts or the edges of buildings. (I've experimented with posing software a bit myself.)

Dan Shive (of El Goonish Shive) does not use posing software as far as I know, but he has used 3D software. Although his style is cartoonish, one thing people like about him is that he does put effort in at improvement, and the quality of his work has improved substantially. (That was actually the inspiration for the second part of the "in 2028, Hollywood runs out of ideas and adapts El Goonish Shive" post.)

6 - Interaction

Though shorter posts tend to go more viral, I find that posts which someone can reblog and share their opinion tend to show up a lot in my top posts (as long as they're only about one tumblr page long). The MOON PRISON poll is a good example of something that's approachable and neutral, but fits heavily with the themes of my blog, but other posts may take a political position that invites disagreement, resulting in discourse, and get reblogged that way. (You may also remember the silly Swift Pill poll.)

I don't recommend courting disagreement on purpose. Not only is this bad for the social environment, but it tends to make people go crazy.

7 - Search

I think you've probably noticed some of this already and are working with it (posting short excerpts, initial art). Most of this is, again, speculative. This is all just information for your consideration.

Writing a good book is the first problem. Getting the readers who would enjoy the book to find it in such a noisy environment is the second problem. I think you can do it, but if your trajectory isn't currently looking as good as you want (e.g. # followers on your story's sideblog), I would recommend expanding your strategy so that you're in a good position when the book itself is ready to launch.

#northshorewave #writing_tag #media_tag #weekly post

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oliveroctavius · 2 years ago

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"the loss of the long form serialized storytelling in comics in favor of writing for the trade has done so much damage to character relationships"

Yeah, but also:

Almost all Marvel/DC writers are still paid by output on a project by project basis. At ~$100 a page, that's $25,200 a year for a 21 page monthly book, no benefits, very rarely royalties for book sales. The incentive is to work on multiple titles as fast as possible. Any back research for character detail is a labor of fan love: that's unpaid work, and dealing with maybe 2-3x as many back issues as a writer in the 80s would have.

The (few) salaried writers are "exclusive": they can only write for that publisher's books. If their bright idea doesn't fit into an existing character's arc, they can either pretend it does, or pitch it as something new which (if accepted) will be company owned intellectual property. The "best" industry jobs are the ones with the least creative control. Forgive me if I don't believe the best creative minds end up there.

For the last couple of decades, there’s been a particular model to sustainable careers in comic book writing. First you do work at some of the smaller independent publishers to get the attention of the Big Two (DC and Marvel), then you transition into writing for the Big Two and work your way up the ladder to the highest profile book you can muster, and then you use your larger platform from your superhero work to draw folks back in to your independent work, often using the money from those big superhero books to subsidize your own books before they turn a profit. (James Tynion IV on Substack in 2021)

Miniseries/TPBs have serious upsides to those who can't afford to be continuity geeks. It's a graphic-novel sized contract guaranteed to get your name in front of a lot of eyes. It's a low risk gig that can still offer a rare level of arbitrary creative control.

"the main universe is meant to be a collaborative front"

Well...

The first and foremost thing the Marvel or DC universe is "meant" to be is a marketing tool. Creators who care have done beautiful and interesting things with the concept, but the fundamental unit of story in the MarvelDC model is the (copyrighted) character.

It's really the IP that sells. I'm the ultimate example. I came to Marvel with little experience as a writer in the early '70s and replaced Stan Lee on Spider-Man. It didn't hurt the sales. (Gerry Conway to Business Insider in 2021)

Henry Ford couldn't be happier: creative workers swapped out like cogs without disturbing the story-producing machine. A comic is more like a novel than a movie or TV show: a creator can do it solo, if given the space and time. The unique and fun "collaborative" element of superhero comics are a well-executed coping mechanism for decades of exploitative labor practices.

In the above case, Gerry Conway had a single decade to catch up on and was coached by the previous writer(s) directly. The weight of publishing history on individual writers is always growing heavier, TPBs or no.

If TPBs really are are giving creatives the control to screw over the IP for their own short term interests... that's sad from a fannish perspective but from an industry perspective, uh, yeah, screw 'em. If "playing super nice with continuity" was meant to be standard, then deadlines and compensation should represent the work that goes into that.

#this isn't really a comics theory post it's a ''dregs of the fury I felt at the advice I was given when I briefly wanted to work in comics''#type post #industry meta

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cthulhucultrevivalunit · 9 months ago

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Eco illusions in the Free Market

Eco illusions in the Free Market by Batzrov

Green capitalism… oxymoron or salvation? Profit from planetary rescue… commodifying survival…

Carbon credits… paying to pollute… algebra of destruction… but does Earth's ledger balance? Nature's debt collector… coming due…

Sustainable products… green-washed consumerism… buy your way to eco-heaven. Heaven for sale…

Renewable energy… solar panels and wind farms… clean power or new scars? Lithium mines… cobalt children…

Capitalism… eating its own tail…

Eco-friendly brands… conscience for sale… but can morality have a price tag? “Ethical consumption” in an unethical system?

Green bonds… financing the future… but whose future? Nature as collateral… but who forecloses on extinction?

Invisible hand turning green? Or just painting itself that way?

Biodegradable packaging… dissolving guilt… but where does it all go? Out of sight… out of mind…

Carbon capture… technological fix… but can we bottle catastrophe?

Eden with a barcode…

Electric vehicles… zero emissions… but batteries built on exploitation… clean streets, dirty mines…

Sustainable fashion… clothing ourselves in righteousness?

Eco-tourism… experience nature before its gone… loving it to death… Footprints in fragile places…

Market forces vs. forces of nature…

if you like my work and would want to see me continue in my own direction, consider supporting me.

///

My Substack

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My Telegram Channel

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Medium

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awesome-casuallyfamouscollector · 5 days ago

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Tesla’s big hope to get back to sales growth, or to at least stop the immense bleeding, was that the new Tesla Model Y would be a huge hit and make up for the drop in sales in the past year. Perhaps the idea of 50% growth a year is dead now (for Tesla, not for BYD), but could Tesla at least return to some form of sales growth on the back of the refreshed Model Y?

I figured it would take a couple of quarters to get a good sense of this when it comes to steady-state demand. I’d been hearing word that the refreshed Model Y was already running out of steam in China, though! Is that true?(..)

P.S. I recently took a test drive of a Chinese-made electric car in Riga, Latvia, on April 8, 2025: Just one test drive is enough, and it explains everything - the Chinese car market no longer needs Tesla...!

Elon Musk go home and make your home work better...!!! If it weren't for the stupid tariffs introduced by the EU against Chinese-made electric cars, the electrification of the European car market and independence from fossil fuel imports would happen at the speed of light...

#tesla killer #elon musk #Tesla Model Y #ev sales #american decline #trumpism #electric car #electric vehicle

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codingnectars · 1 month ago

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Why Digital Marketing is EVERYTHING Right Now (Spoiler: CodingNectar.com Agrees)

🌐 Let’s talk about why digital marketing isn’t just a “nice-to-have” anymore—it’s the oxygen for businesses in 2025. At CodingNectar.com (your future fave tech hub for AI, web dev, and software magic), we’re living proof. Here’s the tea on why you can’t skip it:

🚀 Digital Marketing = Your Global Passport

Remember when “local biz” meant your neighborhood? LOL, nope. Now, a startup in Mumbai can vibe with developers in Berlin or CEOs in São Paulo—all thanks to Instagram ads, Google SEO, and LinkedIn posts. CodingNectar’s AI tools? They’re just a click away from going viral in Tokyo. 🌍

💰 Budget-Friendly? Uh, YES.

TV ads? Billboards? Side-eyes wallet. Digital marketing lets you start small and scale smart. Think: TikTok promos for the price of a coffee, or Pinterest pins that convert better than a billboard. More $$$ left for actual innovation (like our code-optimizing hacks).

📊 Data Nerds, Rejoice!

Real-time analytics = no more guessing games. Google Analytics tells us exactly who’s obsessing over our Python tutorials. If a campaign flops? We pivot faster than a TikTok trend.

✨ Personalization = BFF Status

Generic ads? Delete. Today, it’s all about “Hey you, wanna see this AI tool we made just for you?” CodingNectar segments audiences like a pro—devs get code snippets, CEOs get ROI stats. Everyone feels seen. 👀

⚡️ Speed Wins. Period.

Tech moves at ludicrous speed. If you’re not posting TikTok tutorials on ChatGPT-5 or Substack essays on blockchain, you’re invisible. We stay ahead with blogs, YouTube demos, and Twitter threads that scream “WE KNOW OUR STUFF.”

📚 Content = King, Queen, and Court

Our secret? Teach first, sell later. Blogs like “Fix Your Python Code in 5 Mins” or “AI Trends That’ll Blow Your Mind” aren’t just helpful—they’re trust-builders. Plus, Google LOVES us for it.

🦠 Crisis-Proof Your Biz

When COVID hit, CodingNectar went full digital ninja—webinars, cloud tool promos, LinkedIn Live Q&As. Digital marketing = agility. No panic, just pixels.

🔍 SEO: The Silent Hustler

It’s not just keywords—it’s answering what people secretly Google. “Best web dev practices”? “AI for dummies”? We’re there. And it’s free traffic, baby.

💬 Social Proof = Trust on Steroids

Client testimonials > boring sales pitches. Our Reddit AMAs and Twitter success stories make CodingNectar feel human, not corporate. Real talk = real fans.

🔮 Future-Proof or Bust

Metaverse ads? Voice search? AI chatbots? We’re already there. Digital marketing isn’t a phase—it’s the forever-game.

🔥 TL;DR:

Ignoring digital marketing = business suicide. For CodingNectar, it’s how we turn tech dreams into reality. The real question? “Can you afford to be invisible?”

P.S. CodingNectar.com isn’t just adapting to the digital age—we’re throwing the party. Slide into our DMs or binge our blogs. Let’s build the future. 🚀

codingnectar.com | Innovate. Digitize. Dominate.

#digital marketing #seo #website development #business

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visionaryvogues03 · 1 month ago

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How Brands Are Partnering with the Creator Economy to Drive Revenue?

The creator economy has been a cathartic innovation for many online creators. On the other hand, it has gained commercial business value for brands. Collaborations with online creators have caused a shift from conventional celebrity endorsements to online influencer endorsements. The digital advertising industry has taken the internet by storm & is the sole reason for brands mulling over the idea of engagement rates, expecting higher revenue figures, resulting in adapting creative ways to attract the target audiences.

The Rise of the Creator Economy in Brand Partnerships

The digital content economy consists of content creators, influencers, and digital entrepreneurs who use platforms like YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, and Substack to monetize their expertise and audience. With billions of users engaging daily, brands have recognized the immense potential of partnering with these creators to tap into highly engaged niche communities.

Unlike traditional marketing, where businesses push one-size-fits-all messaging, creator collaborations allow for a more personalized approach. Creators build trust and credibility within their communities, making their endorsements more authentic and impactful than conventional advertising.

How Brands Are Leveraging the Creator Economy?

To drive revenue, brands are adopting several key strategies to integrate with the creator economy:

1. Co-creation of Branded Content

Brands are moving beyond sponsorships and actively co-creating content with creators. This strategy ensures the brand’s message is seamlessly integrated into the creator’s authentic storytelling. Examples include:

Fashion brands collaborating with influencers to launch limited-edition collections.

Tech companies work with YouTube reviewers to showcase product features.

Financial brands partnering with creators to simplify complex topics like investing and cryptocurrency.

2. Performance-Based Influencer Marketing

Instead of flat-fee sponsorships, businesses are shifting toward performance-based partnerships where creators earn commissions through affiliate marketing, referral programs, or revenue-sharing agreements. This approach aligns incentives, ensuring that creators drive actual business results, such as sales or sign-ups, rather than just engagement metrics.

3. Creator-Led Product Innovation

Some of the most successful brands in the creator economy are those that involve influencers in product development. Companies like Nike, Glossier, and Logitech have launched products in collaboration with creators, leveraging their insights and audience feedback to fine-tune offerings. This not only boosts sales but also strengthens brand loyalty.

4. Exclusive Membership and Subscription Models

Brands are increasingly utilizing the subscription-based model of the creator economy by offering premium content, courses, and behind-the-scenes access through platforms like Patreon and OnlyFans (for non-adult content). By providing value-driven exclusive content, brands can create recurring revenue streams while fostering community engagement.

Expanding Revenue Streams Through Creator Collaborations

Beyond direct sponsorships and content partnerships, brands are discovering innovative ways to integrate creators into their business models:

5. Creator-Driven E-commerce Strategies

E-commerce brands are embedding creators into their sales funnels by:

Hosting live shopping events on social platforms like TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube.

Partnering with creators to launch limited-time product drops.

Utilizing creator-led reviews to drive conversions on e-commerce sites.

6. Leveraging AI and Data Analytics for Creator Partnerships

AI-powered tools now enable brands to:

Identify the best-matched creators for their target audiences.

Measure ROI through advanced sentiment analysis and performance tracking.

Optimize influencer campaigns in real-time, ensuring maximum impact.

Case Studies: Brands Winning with the Creator Economy

Nike’s Partnership with Digital Athletes

Nike has successfully integrated itself into the online creator business by collaborating with fitness influencers and digital athletes. Through personalized sponsorships and co-branded training programs, Nike has expanded its reach and enhanced customer loyalty without relying on traditional advertising.

Chipotle’s TikTok Strategy

Chipotle has leveraged TikTok creators to drive viral marketing campaigns, resulting in significant spikes in sales. By engaging influencers to create fun, challenge-based content, Chipotle taps into the organic appeal of the creator economy to make its brand a trending topic.

Adobe’s Collaboration with Digital Creators

Adobe’s approach to the creator economy focuses on providing tools and resources to digital artists and content creators. Through partnerships with leading creatives, Adobe ensures its software remains a staple for professionals and aspiring creators alike.

L’Oréal’s Beauty Creator Program

L’Oréal has taken a strategic approach to the creator economy by building long-term relationships with beauty influencers. Through exclusive training programs and product collaborations, L’Oréal empowers creators to become brand ambassadors, driving sales while reinforcing brand credibility.

Challenges and Considerations for Brands

While the social media entrepreneurship presents enormous opportunities, brands must navigate certain challenges:

Finding the Right Creators: Aligning with influencers who genuinely represent a brand’s values is crucial for authenticity.

Regulatory Compliance: Brands must ensure transparency in partnerships, including proper disclosure of sponsored content.

Measuring ROI: Unlike traditional marketing, tracking direct revenue impact from creator partnerships requires a mix of analytics tools and performance-based metrics.

Brand Safety: Ensuring that brand messages remain consistent across creator collaborations is crucial to avoid misalignment or controversy.

The Future of Brand-Driven Creator Partnerships

As the creator economy continues to evolve, brands that embrace innovation will lead the way. Emerging technologies like AI-driven influencer analytics, blockchain-based creator payments, and decentralized content ownership will further shape how businesses interact with digital entrepreneurs.

Forward-thinking brands will not only collaborate with creators but also empower them—whether through co-branded ventures, equity partnerships, or shared revenue models. By deeply embedding into the creator economy, businesses can cultivate loyal customer communities, drive sustainable revenue growth, and future-proof their marketing strategies.

Brands that integrate creators into product development, customer engagement, and marketing strategies will set themselves apart in the increasingly competitive digital landscape. As Web3 technologies, decentralized content creation, and virtual influencers gain traction, the next wave of the digital content economy will bring even greater opportunities for brands willing to adapt.

Conclusion

The shift toward the creator economy is not just a passing trend—it represents a fundamental transformation in how brands engage with consumers. By leveraging creator partnerships, businesses can drive revenue, enhance brand trust, and create marketing that feels organic and impactful. As more companies embrace this model, those that strategically integrate with the digital content economy will find themselves at the forefront of the next wave of digital commerce and brand storytelling.

With continued innovation, collaboration, and data-driven strategies, brands can fully unlock the potential of the influencer economy and create long-term, sustainable business success.

Uncover the latest trends and insights with our articles on Visionary Vogues

#Creator economy #Digital content #Content

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mehmetyildizmelbourne-blog · 27 days ago

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Why Print Books Are Not Dead and How to Be a Successful Author

For Book Authors, Substack Is Vital, & Medium Can Accelerate Your Growth I explain why print books are not dead and they are livelier than before. You can also read this story in my Substack newsletter for free or if you an account you read it on Medium to engage with your writing and reading community there. Inspiration for Book Authors As a seasoned book author who tried both traditional…

#For Book Authors #How Medium can be a sales engine for you books #How to be a bestselling book authors #How to be a bestselling Substack writer #How to Be a Successful Book Author #How to be a verified book author on Medium #How to be successful freelance writer #How to be successful on Amazon KDP #How to use Medium to market your books #How to use Substack for book marketing #How to Use Substack for book sales #Substack Is Vital #Success strategies for book book authors #Why Print Books Are Not Dead

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how-to-make-money-in-2025 · 2 months ago

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How to Make Money in 2025: Smart Strategies for Financial Growth

Making money in 2025 is all about adapting to the latest trends, leveraging technology, and building multiple streams of income. Whether you're looking for a side hustle, a full-time business, or passive income, there are endless opportunities to capitalize on. Here are some of the smartest ways to make money in 2025.

1. Build a Personal Brand and Monetize It

In today’s digital world, personal branding is a powerful tool for making money. Whether you’re an expert in a field, a content creator, or a niche influencer, you can turn your reputation into income.

Ways to Monetize a Personal Brand:

Sell digital products like courses, e-books, or templates.

Offer coaching or consulting services.

Launch a membership community or subscription service.

Partner with brands for sponsorships and collaborations.

2. Master AI-Powered Side Hustles

AI is changing the way we work, and those who use it wisely can create new revenue streams. Many businesses are searching for AI-powered solutions to streamline their processes, and you can provide them.

Profitable AI Side Hustles:

AI-powered content creation (writing, graphics, and video editing).

AI automation services for businesses.

Selling AI-generated assets (logos, stock images, voiceovers).

Creating and selling chatbots for customer service.

3. High-Ticket Service-Based Business

Instead of chasing small sales, focus on offering high-value services that generate large payouts. In 2025, many professionals are turning to service-based businesses that cater to high-paying clients.

Examples of High-Ticket Services:

Business consulting and coaching.

Premium web design and branding services.

AI integration consulting.

Luxury travel planning or concierge services.

If you have expertise in a field, positioning yourself as a premium service provider can lead to big earnings.

4. Monetize Your Knowledge with Online Courses

E-learning is bigger than ever, and people are willing to pay for high-quality educational content. If you have expertise in any subject, you can create and sell an online course.

How to Get Started:

Identify a topic people want to learn about.

Create a course using platforms like Teachable, Udemy, or Kajabi.

Use social media marketing to attract students.

Offer upsells like coaching or exclusive group memberships.

5. Become a Paid Community Builder

More people are moving away from traditional social media and looking for niche communities. If you can create a valuable online space, people will pay to be part of it.

How to Monetize a Community:

Start a paid Discord or Telegram group.

Launch a Patreon or Substack with premium content.

Build a private membership site with exclusive benefits.

Organize mastermind groups or virtual events.

6. Invest in Digital Real Estate

While traditional real estate remains lucrative, digital real estate is becoming a major player in wealth-building. This includes domains, websites, and virtual assets.

Best Digital Real Estate Investments:

Buy and flip domain names.

Invest in revenue-generating websites.

Purchase virtual real estate in the metaverse.

Build and sell authority blogs or niche websites.

7. Create a Subscription-Based Business

Subscription models create predictable income by charging customers on a recurring basis. This can be applied to both digital and physical products.

Subscription Business Ideas:

Exclusive content memberships (newsletters, premium blogs).

Subscription boxes (beauty, fitness, lifestyle).

Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) solutions.

Private community memberships.

8. Leverage the Power of Micro-SaaS

Micro-SaaS is a small, highly specialized software solution that caters to niche audiences. Unlike massive software companies, Micro-SaaS businesses can be launched by a single person or a small team.

How to Start a Micro-SaaS Business:

Identify a niche problem that software can solve.

Use AI tools or hire developers to create a simple software solution.

Offer a monthly subscription for access.

Scale by adding features based on customer feedback.

9. Invest in Alternative Assets

Wealth-building in 2025 isn’t just about stocks and crypto. Alternative assets offer new ways to diversify and grow your money.

Top Alternative Investments:

Fractional real estate investing.

High-value collectibles (watches, rare sneakers, digital art).

Peer-to-peer lending.

Farmland investing.

#earn money online #how to earn money #make money online #money #strategies

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marcoluther · 2 months ago

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How to Launch a Successful Cryptocurrency in 2025

The cryptocurrency landscape is constantly evolving, and launching a successful cryptocurrency in 2025 requires a well-thought-out strategy. With increasing regulations, technological advancements, and shifting market dynamics, entrepreneurs must adapt to the latest trends to build a thriving digital asset. In this guide, we’ll walk through the essential steps to successfully launch a cryptocurrency in 2025.

1. Define Your Cryptocurrency’s Purpose

Before launching a cryptocurrency, you need to establish a clear purpose and unique value proposition. Ask yourself the following questions:

What problem does your cryptocurrency solve?

How does it differ from existing cryptocurrencies?

Who is your target audience?

Your cryptocurrency development could be a payment token, utility token, security token, governance token, or an AI-powered digital asset. Ensure your project addresses a real-world need and stands out in a saturated market.

2. Choose the Right Blockchain Technology

Selecting the right blockchain for your cryptocurrency is crucial. You can either build a new blockchain or launch a token on an existing blockchain like Ethereum, Binance Smart Chain, Solana, or Avalanche. Consider the following factors:

Scalability – Can the blockchain handle high transaction volumes?

Security – Is the blockchain resistant to attacks?

Interoperability – Can it communicate with other blockchains?

Smart Contracts – Does it support decentralized applications (dApps)?

If you want more control, launching your own Layer 1 blockchain is an option, but it requires significant development resources.

3. Tokenomics Design and Supply Mechanism

A well-structured tokenomics model determines the success of your cryptocurrency. Key factors to consider include:

a. Total Supply

Decide whether your cryptocurrency will have a fixed supply (like Bitcoin) or an inflationary model.

b. Distribution

Plan how your tokens will be allocated:

Founders & Team (15-20%)

Development & Ecosystem Growth (30-40%)

Community & Airdrops (10-15%)

Private & Public Sale (ICO/IDO/IEO) (20-30%)

c. Utility & Incentives

Tokens should have real utility to drive demand. Use cases may include:

Governance (voting rights in a DAO)

Staking rewards

Gas fees for transactions

Access to exclusive features in an ecosystem

Defining an effective vesting schedule ensures that the founding team and investors don’t dump tokens, preventing price crashes.

4. Smart Contract Development and Security Audits

Developing secure and efficient smart contracts is essential. Use reliable blockchain programming languages such as:

Solidity (for Ethereum and EVM-compatible chains)

Rust (for Solana and Near)

Move (for Aptos and Sui)

Security is a major concern, so conducting smart contract audits from firms like CertiK, Hacken, or OpenZeppelin will help detect vulnerabilities and protect investors from exploits.

5. Compliance and Regulatory Requirements

Cryptocurrency regulations are tightening worldwide. Ensure your project complies with local and global regulations, including:

KYC (Know Your Customer) & AML (Anti-Money Laundering) requirements

Securities Laws Compliance (especially for security tokens)

Taxation and Reporting (as per regional laws)

Registering your cryptocurrency company in a crypto-friendly jurisdiction such as Switzerland, Singapore, or the UAE can provide regulatory advantages.

6. Build a Strong Community and Marketing Strategy

A cryptocurrency’s success heavily relies on community adoption and engagement. Implement a multi-channel marketing strategy to drive awareness:

a. Social Media & Content Marketing

Leverage platforms like:

X (Twitter) – Regular updates, AMAs, and engagement

Discord & Telegram – Community discussions and support

YouTube & TikTok – Crypto influencer collaborations

Medium & Substack – Long-form educational content

b. PR & Influencer Marketing

Get your project featured on:

Crypto news sites (CoinTelegraph, CoinDesk, Bitcoin.com)

Influencer reviews (YouTubers, Twitter influencers, and bloggers)

Podcast appearances (Crypto-focused shows)

c. Airdrops & Bounty Programs

Running airdrop campaigns and bounty programs on platforms like Galxe and Zealy can drive initial adoption.

d. Strategic Partnerships

Collaborating with crypto exchanges, DeFi projects, and Layer 1 blockchains can boost credibility and adoption.

7. Fundraising Strategy: ICO, IDO, IEO, or VC Funding

Funding is essential for development and marketing. Here are the most common ways to raise capital:

a. Initial Coin Offering (ICO)

A direct token sale to the public

Requires a strong whitepaper and marketing campaign

Popular for early-stage community funding

b. Initial DEX Offering (IDO)

Token launch on decentralized launchpads like DAO Maker, Polkastarter, or Binance Launchpad

Liquidity pools are used for trading

More decentralized than ICOs

c. Initial Exchange Offering (IEO)

Conducted on a centralized exchange (CEX) like Binance, KuCoin, or OKX

Higher trust level due to exchange involvement

d. Venture Capital (VC) Funding

Involves private equity firms and blockchain-focused VCs

Typically requires equity or token allocation

Boosts credibility but may reduce decentralization

A combination of community-driven funding and VC support can provide a balanced financial strategy.

8. Listing on Crypto Exchanges

To ensure liquidity and accessibility, list your token on:

Centralized Exchanges (CEXs): Binance, Coinbase, Kraken, OKX

Decentralized Exchanges (DEXs): Uniswap, PancakeSwap, Curve

For major exchange listings, liquidity, regulatory compliance, and a strong community are key factors.

9. Developing a Robust Ecosystem

A successful cryptocurrency should go beyond just a token and build a full ecosystem. Consider:

dApp development (DeFi, NFT, GameFi, AI Agents)

Staking & Yield Farming to incentivize users

Layer 2 Scaling Solutions for faster transactions

Cross-chain integrations for interoperability

Having an ecosystem boosts long-term utility and adoption.

10. Continuous Development & Adaptation

Crypto is a fast-evolving space, and projects need to continuously innovate. Keep improving by:

Upgrading smart contracts for efficiency

Implementing governance proposals (if decentralized)

Expanding partnerships and ecosystem development

Engaging with the community for feedback

Conclusion

Launching a successful cryptocurrency in 2025 requires a combination of technical expertise, regulatory compliance, community engagement, and strategic marketing. By following these steps defining a strong purpose, choosing the right blockchain, developing secure smart contracts, ensuring legal compliance, and building a thriving ecosystem you can create a sustainable and impactful cryptocurrency project.

#crypto #cryptocurrency development #ai #artificial intelligence

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misfitwashere · 2 months ago

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If you are experiencing rage and despair about what is happening in America and the world right now because of the Trump-Vance-Musk regime, you are hardly alone. A groundswell of opposition is growing — not as loud and boisterous as the resistance to Tump 1.0, but just as, if not more, committed to ending the scourge.

Here’s a partial summary — 10 reasons for modest optimism.

1. Boycotts are taking hold.

Americans are changing shopping habits in a backlash against corporations that have shifted their public policies to align with Trump.

Millions are pledging to halt discretionary spending for 24 hours on February 28 in protest against major retailers — chiefly Amazon, Walmart, and Best Buy — for scaling back diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives in response to Trump.

Four out of 10 Americans have already shifted their spending over the last few months to be more consistent with their moral views, according to the Harris poll. (Far more Democrats — 50 percent — are changing their spending habits compared with Republicans — 41 percent.)

Calls to boycott Tesla apparently are having an effect. After a disappointing 2024, Tesla sales declined further in January. In California, a key market for Tesla, nearly 12 percent fewer Teslas were registered in January 2025 than in January 2024. An analysis by Electrek points to even more trouble for Tesla in Europe, where Tesla sales have dropped in every market.

X users are shifting over to Bluesky at a rapid rate, even as Musk adds more advertisers to his ongoing lawsuit against those that have justifiably boycotted X after he turned it into a cesspool of lies and hate (this week, he added Lego, Nestle, Tyson Foods, and Shell).

2. International resistance is rising.

Jean Chrétien, who served as prime minister of Canada from 1993 to 2003, is urging Canada to join with leaders in Denmark, Panama, and Mexico, as well as with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, to fight back against Trump’s threats.

Mexico’s President Claudia Sheinbaum is standing up to Trump. She has defended not just Mexico but also the sovereignty of Latin American countries Trump has threatened and insulted.

In the wake of JD Vance’s offensive speech at the Munich security conference last week, European democracies are standing together — condemning his speech and making it clear they will support Ukraine and never capitulate to Putin, as Trump has done.

3. Independent and alternative media are growing.

It hasn’t worked. The New York Times has done sharp and accurate reporting on what’s happening. Even the non-editorial side of The Wall Street Journal has shown some gumption.

The biggest news, though, is the increasing role now being played by independent and alternative media. Subscriptions have surged at Democracy Now, The American Prospect, Americans for Tax Fairness, Economic Policy Institute, Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, The Guardian, ProPublica, Labor Notes, The Lever, Popular Information, Heather Cox Richardson, and, of course, this and other Substacks.

As a result, although Trump and Musk continue to flood the zone with lies, Americans aren’t as readily falling for their scams.

4. Musk’s popularity is plunging.

Elon Musk is underwater in public opinion, according to polls published Wednesday.

Surveys by Quinnipiac University and Pew Research Center — coming just after Trump and Musk were interviewed together by Fox News’ Sean Hannity, with Trump calling Musk a “great guy” who “really cares for the country” — show a growing majority of Americans holding an unfavorable view of Musk.

In Pew’s findings, 54 percent report disliking Musk compared to 42 percent with a positive view; 36 percent report a very unfavorable view of Musk. Quinnipiac’s results show 55 percent believe Musk has too big a role in the government.

5. Musk’s Doge is losing credibility.

On Monday, DOGE listed government contracts it has canceled, claiming that they amount to some $16 billion in savings — itemized on a new “wall of receipts” on its website.

Almost half were attributed to a single $8 billion contract for the Immigration and Customs Enforcement agency — but that contract was for $8 million, not $8 billion. A larger total savings number published on the site, $55 billion, lacked specific documentation.

In addition, Musk and Trump say tens of millions of “dead people” may be receiving fraudulent Social Security payments from the government. The table Musk shared on social media over the weekend showed about 20 million people in the Social Security Administration’s database over the age of 100 and with no known death.

But as the agency’s inspector general found in 2023, “almost none” of them were receiving payments; most had died before the advent of electronic records.

These kinds of rudimentary errors are destroying DOGE’s credibility and causing even more to question allowing Musk’s muskrats unfettered access to personal data on Americans.

6. The federal courts are hitting back.

The blocking orders include Trump initiatives to restrict birthright citizenship, suspend or cut off domestic and foreign U.S. spending, shrink the federal workforce, oust independent agency heads, and roll back legal protections and medical care for transgender adults and youths.

In other cases, the Trump regime has agreed to a pause to give judges time to rule, another way that legal fights are forcing a slowdown.

7. Demonstrations are on the rise.

We haven’t seen anything like the January 2017 Women’s March, the day after Trump 1.0 began, but over the past weeks, demonstrations have been increasing across the country. Last Monday, on Presidents Day, demonstrators descended upon state capitol buildings.

In Washington, D.C., thousands gathered at the Capitol Reflecting Pool, chanting “Where is Congress?” and urging members of Congress to “Do your job!” despite nearly 40-degree temperatures and 20-mile-per-hour wind gusts.

The nationwide protests are part of the 50501 Movement, which stands for “50 protests. 50 states. 1 movement.” One of its leaders, Potus Black, urged the crowd of protesters in Washington to stand united in order to “uphold the Constitution.”

“To oppose tyranny is to stand behind democracy and remind our elected officials that we, the people, are who they’re elected to serve, not themselves. The events over the past month have been built to exhaust us, to break our wills. But we are the American people. We will not break.”

I expect that in the coming weeks and months protests will grow larger and louder — and by summer perhaps a “Summer of Democracy” will sweep the nation.

Acts of civil disobedience are also on the rise, as are resignations in protest against the regime. This week, former NFL punter Chris Kluwe was hauled out of a Huntington Beach City Council meeting after speaking out against Trump during public comments against plans to include a MAGA reference in the design of a library plaque.

As cheers erupted from the audience, Kluwe told the council, in words that should be repeated across the land:

“MAGA stands for trying to erase trans people from existence. MAGA stands for resegregation and racism. MAGA stands for censorship and book bans. MAGA stands for firing air traffic controllers while planes are crashing. MAGA stands for firing the people overseeing our nuclear arsenal. MAGA stands for firing military veterans and those serving them at the VA, including canceling research on veteran suicide. MAGA stands for cutting funds to education, including for disabled children. MAGA is profoundly corrupt, unmistakably anti-democracy and most importantly, MAGA is explicitly a Nazi movement. You may have replaced a swastika with a red hat, but that is what it is.”

When he was done speaking, Kluwe said he would “engage in the time-honored American tradition of peaceful civil disobedience.”

8. Stock and bond markets are trembling.

Trump has not lowered prices; in fact, inflation is rising under his control.

Trump’s wild talk of 25 percent tariffs is spooking the market. Yesterday, the Dow Jones Industrial Average, which measures the performance of 30 large-cap U.S. stocks, dropped by more than 1.40 percent.

Treasury bonds also dropped after a report showed more U.S. workers applied for unemployment benefits last week than economists expected — an indication the pace of layoffs could be worsening.

Transcripts of the last Fed meeting showed that officials discussed how Trump's proposed tariffs and mass deportations of migrants, as well as strong consumer spending, could push inflation higher this year.

Economic storm clouds like these should be troubling for everyone but especially for a regime that measures its success by stock and bond markets.

9. Trump is overreaching — pretending to be “king” and abandoning Ukraine for Putin.

Trump’s threats of annexation, conquest, and “unleashing hell” have been exposed as farcical bluffs — and his displays this week of being “king” and siding with Putin have unleashed a new level of public ridicule.

On Wednesday, following his attempt to kill a new congestion pricing program for Manhattan, Trump wrote on Truth Social: “CONGESTION PRICING IS DEAD. Manhattan, and all of New York, is SAVED. LONG LIVE THE KING!” The White House shared the quote accompanied by a computer-generated image of Trump grinning on a fake Time magazine cover while donning a golden crown.

Negative reaction was swift and overwhelming. Social media has exploded with derision. New York Governor Kathy Hochul said, “We are a nation of laws, not ruled by a king.” Illinois’s Democratic governor, JB Pritzker, said, “My oath is to the Constitution of our state and our nation. We don’t have kings in America, and I won’t bend the knee to one.”

The reaction to Trump’s abandoning Ukraine and siding with Putin has been more devastating, putting congressional Republicans on the defensive. Prominent Republican senators Roger Wicker of Mississippi and John Kennedy of Louisiana criticized Putin. Bill Kristol, a former official in the Reagan and George H.W. Bush administrations, noted that “Nato and the US commitment to Europe has kept the European peace for 80 years. It’s foolish and reckless to put that at risk. And for what? To get along with Putin?”

10. The Trump-Vance-Musk “shock and awe” plan is faltering.

In all these ways and for all of these reasons, the regime’s efforts to overwhelm us are failing.

Make no mistake: Trump, Vance, and Musk continue to be an indiscriminate wrecking ball that has already caused major destruction and will continue to weaken and isolate America. But their takeover has been slowed.

Their plan was based on doing so much, so fast that the rest of us would give in to negativity and despair. They want a dictatorship built on hopelessness and fear.

That may have been the case initially, but we can take courage from the green shoots of rebellion now appearing across America and the world.

As several of you have pointed out, successful resistance movements maintain hope and a positive vision of the future, no matter how dark the present.

More than 55 years ago, I participated in the resistance to the Vietnam War — a resistance that ultimately ended the war and caused a once powerful president to resign. That resistance gave us courage we didn’t even know we had. It changed American culture, inspiring songs such as “The Times They Are A Changing,” and “Blowin’ In The Wind.”

No one person led that anti-war movement. It was an amalgam of groups and leaders spanning more than six years of mobilization and organization, at all levels of society.

The Civil Rights Movement that culminated in the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965 required over 18 years of organizing, demonstrating, and mobilizing.

The current coup is less than five weeks old, and resistance has only begun. The Trump-Vance-Musk regime will fail. Even so, the Democracy Movement now emerging will require at least a decade, if not a generation, to rebuild and strengthen what has been destroyed, and to fix the raging inequalities, injustices, and corruption that led so many to vote for Trump for a second time.

Those of you who want the leaders of the Democratic Party to step up and be heard are right, of course. But political parties do not lead. The anti-war movement and the Civil Rights Movement didn’t depend on the Democratic Party for their successes. They depended on a mass mobilization of all of us who accepted the responsibilities of being American.

We will prevail because we are relearning the basic truth — that we are the leaders we’ve been waiting for.

#robert reich

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