#post transaction integration

[cplconsult-com]

CPL's daily case study on tumblr.... CPL examined potential synergies between two animal feed additive portfolios based on technical, scientific and commercial attributes.

[bmlventures]

https://www.sharepresentation.com/bmlventures

[nellywrisource]

A writer’s guide to the historical method: how historians work with sources

In this post, I provide a brief overview of how historians engage with different types of sources, with a focus on the mindset of a historian. This insight could be valuable for anyone crafting a character whose profession revolves around history research. It may also prove useful for authors conducting research for their book.

Concept of historical source

The concept of historical source evolves over time. 

Initially, the focus was mainly on written sources due to their obvious availability. However, as time has progressed, historians now consider a wide range of sources beyond just written records. These include material artifacts, intangible cultural elements, and even virtual data.

While "armchair historians" may rely on existing studies and secondary sources, true professional historians distinguish themselves by delving directly into primary sources. They engage in a nuanced examination of various sources, weaving together diverse perspectives. It's crucial to recognize the distinction between personal recollection or memory and the rigorous discipline of historical inquiry. A historical source provides information, but the truth must be carefully discerned through critical analysis and corroboration.

Here's a concise list of the types of sources historians utilize:

Notarial source

Epistolary source

Accountancy source

Epigraphic source

Chronicle source

Oratory and oral source

Iconographic source

Diary source

Electronic source

Example: a notarial source

These are documents drafted by a notary, a public official entrusted with providing legal certainty to facts and legal transactions. These documents can take various forms, such as deeds, lawsuits, wills, contracts, powers of attorney, inventories, and many others.

Here we are specifically discussing a lawsuit document from 1211 in Italy.

A medieval lawsuit document is highly valuable for understanding various aspects of daily life because in a dispute, one must argue a position. From lawsuits, we also understand how institutions truly operated.

Furthermore, in the Middle Ages, lawsuits mostly relied on witnesses as evidence, so we can access a direct and popular source of certain specific social situations.

Some insight into the methodology of analysis:

Formal examination: historians scrutinize the document's form, verifying its authenticity and integrity. Elements such as structure, writing style, language, signatures, and seals are analyzed. Indeed, a professional historian will rarely conduct research on a source published in a volume but will instead go directly to the archive to study its origin, to avoid transcription errors.

Content analysis: historians proceed to analyze the document's content, extracting useful information for their research. This may include data on individuals, places, events, economic activities, social relations, and much more. It's crucial to compile a list of witnesses in a case and identify them to understand why they speak or why they speak in a certain manner.

Cross-referencing with other sources: information derived from the notarial source is compared with that of other historical sources to obtain a more comprehensive and accurate view of the period under examination.

Documents of the episcopal archive of Ivrea

Let's take the example of a specific legal case, stemming from the documents of the episcopal archive of Ivrea. It's a case from 1211 in Italy involving the bishop of Ivrea in dispute with Bongiovanni d'Albiano over feudal obligations.

This case is significant because it allows us to understand how feudal society operated and how social status was determined.

The bishop's representative argues that Bongiovanni should provide a horse as a feudal service. Bongiovanni denies it, claiming to be a noble, not a serf. Both parties present witnesses and documents supporting their arguments.

Witnesses are asked whether the serf obligations had been endured for a long time. This helps us understand that in a society where "law" was based on customs, it was important to ascertain if an obligation had been endured for a long time because at that point it would no longer be contestable (it would have become customary).

The responses are confused and inconsistent, so witnesses are directly asked whether they consider Bongiovanni a serf or a noble. This is because (and it allows us to understand that) the division into "social classes" wasn't definable within concrete boundaries; it was more about the appearance of one's way of life. If a serf refused to fulfill his serf duties, he would easily be considered a noble by bystanders because he lived like one.

Ultimately, the analysis of the case leads us to determine that medieval justice wasn't conceived with the logic of our modern system, but was measured in oaths and witnesses as evidentiary means. And emerging from it with honor was much more important than fairly distributing blame and reason.

Other sources

Accounting source: it is very useful for measuring consumption and its variety in a particular historical period. To reconstruct past consumption, inventories post mortem are often used, which are lists of goods found in households, described and valued by notaries to facilitate distribution among heirs. Alternatively, the recording of daily expenses, which in modern times were often very detailed, can lead to insights into complex family histories and their internal inequalities - for example, more money might be spent on one child than another corresponding to their planned future role in society.

Oral source: in relation to the political sphere, it is useful for representing that part of politics composed of direct sources, that is, where politics speaks of itself and how it presents itself to the public, such as a politician's public speech. However, working with this type of source, a historian cannot avoid hermeneutic work, as through the speech, the politician aims to present himself to a certain audience, justify, persuade, construct his own image, and achieve results. This is the hidden agenda that also exists in the most obvious part of politics.

Iconographic source: it concerns art or other forms of "artistic" expression, such as in the case of an advertising poster. They become historical sources when it is the historian who, through analysis, confers upon them the status of a historical source. Essentially, the historian uses the source to understand aspects of the past otherwise inaccessible. The first step in this direction is to recontextualize the source, returning it to its original context. Examining the history of the source represents the fundamental first step for historical analysis.

Diary source: diaries are a "subjective" source, a representation of one's self, often influenced by the thoughts of "others," who can be close or distant readers, interested or distracted, visible or invisible, whom every diary author can imagine and hope to see, sooner or later, reflected on the pages of their writing. Furthermore, they are often subject to subsequent manipulations, and therefore should be treated by historians only in their critical edition; all other versions, whether old or new, foreign or not, are useful only as evidence of the changes and manipulations undergone over time by the original manuscripts.

Electronic source: historians use Wikipedia even if they often don't admit it out loud.

This blog is supported through tips here on Tumblr. If you’d like to support me, please consider giving a tip.

[amalgamasreal]

So I don't know how people on this app feel about the shit-house that is TikTok but in the US right now the ban they're trying to implement on it is a complete red herring and it needs to be stopped.

They are quite literally trying to implement Patriot Act 2.0 with the RESTRICT Act and using TikTok and China to scare the American public into buying into it wholesale when this shit will change the face of the internet. Here are some excerpts from what the bill would cover on the Infrastructure side:

SEC. 5. Considerations.

(a) Priority information and communications technology areas.—In carrying out sections 3 and 4, the Secretary shall prioritize evaluation of— (1) information and communications technology products or services used by a party to a covered transaction in a sector designated as critical infrastructure in Policy Directive 21 (February 12, 2013; relating to critical infrastructure security and resilience);

(2) software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to telecommunications products and services, including— (A) wireless local area networks;

(B) mobile networks;

(C) satellite payloads;

(D) satellite operations and control;

(E) cable access points;

(F) wireline access points;

(G) core networking systems;

(H) long-, short-, and back-haul networks; or

(I) edge computer platforms;

(3) any software, hardware, or any other product or service integral to data hosting or computing service that uses, processes, or retains, or is expected to use, process, or retain, sensitive personal data with respect to greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) internet hosting services;

(B) cloud-based or distributed computing and data storage;

(C) machine learning, predictive analytics, and data science products and services, including those involving the provision of services to assist a party utilize, manage, or maintain open-source software;

(D) managed services; and

(E) content delivery services;

(4) internet- or network-enabled sensors, webcams, end-point surveillance or monitoring devices, modems and home networking devices if greater than 1,000,000 units have been sold to persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction;

(5) unmanned vehicles, including drones and other aerials systems, autonomous or semi-autonomous vehicles, or any other product or service integral to the provision, maintenance, or management of such products or services;

(6) software designed or used primarily for connecting with and communicating via the internet that is in use by greater than 1,000,000 persons in the United States at any point during the year period preceding the date on which the covered transaction is referred to the Secretary for review or the Secretary initiates review of the covered transaction, including— (A) desktop applications;

(B) mobile applications;

(C) gaming applications;

(D) payment applications; or

(E) web-based applications; or

(7) information and communications technology products and services integral to— (A) artificial intelligence and machine learning;

(B) quantum key distribution;

(C) quantum communications;

(D) quantum computing;

(E) post-quantum cryptography;

(F) autonomous systems;

(G) advanced robotics;

(H) biotechnology;

(I) synthetic biology;

(J) computational biology; and

(K) e-commerce technology and services, including any electronic techniques for accomplishing business transactions, online retail, internet-enabled logistics, internet-enabled payment technology, and online marketplaces.

(b) Considerations relating to undue and unacceptable risks.—In determining whether a covered transaction poses an undue or unacceptable risk under section 3(a) or 4(a), the Secretary— (1) shall, as the Secretary determines appropriate and in consultation with appropriate agency heads, consider, where available— (A) any removal or exclusion order issued by the Secretary of Homeland Security, the Secretary of Defense, or the Director of National Intelligence pursuant to recommendations of the Federal Acquisition Security Council pursuant to section 1323 of title 41, United States Code;

(B) any order or license revocation issued by the Federal Communications Commission with respect to a transacting party, or any consent decree imposed by the Federal Trade Commission with respect to a transacting party;

(C) any relevant provision of the Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation and the Federal Acquisition Regulation, and the respective supplements to those regulations;

(D) any actual or potential threats to the execution of a national critical function identified by the Director of the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency;

(E) the nature, degree, and likelihood of consequence to the public and private sectors of the United States that would occur if vulnerabilities of the information and communications technologies services supply chain were to be exploited; and

(F) any other source of information that the Secretary determines appropriate; and

(2) may consider, where available, any relevant threat assessment or report prepared by the Director of National Intelligence completed or conducted at the request of the Secretary.

Look at that, does that look like it just covers the one app? NO! This would cover EVERYTHING that so much as LOOKS at the internet from the point this bill goes live.

It gets worse though, you wanna see what the penalties are?

(b) Civil penalties.—The Secretary may impose the following civil penalties on a person for each violation by that person of this Act or any regulation, order, direction, mitigation measure, prohibition, or other authorization issued under this Act: (1) A fine of not more than $250,000 or an amount that is twice the value of the transaction that is the basis of the violation with respect to which the penalty is imposed, whichever is greater. (2) Revocation of any mitigation measure or authorization issued under this Act to the person. (c) Criminal penalties.— (1) IN GENERAL.—A person who willfully commits, willfully attempts to commit, or willfully conspires to commit, or aids or abets in the commission of an unlawful act described in subsection (a) shall, upon conviction, be fined not more than $1,000,000, or if a natural person, may be imprisoned for not more than 20 years, or both. (2) CIVIL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.— (i) IN GENERAL.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (ii) PROCEEDS.—Any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of a violation or attempted violation described in paragraph (1) shall be subject to forfeiture to the United States. (B) PROCEDURE.—Seizures and forfeitures under this subsection shall be governed by the provisions of chapter 46 of title 18, United States Code, relating to civil forfeitures, except that such duties as are imposed on the Secretary of Treasury under the customs laws described in section 981(d) of title 18, United States Code, shall be performed by such officers, agents, and other persons as may be designated for that purpose by the Secretary of Homeland Security or the Attorney General. (3) CRIMINAL FORFEITURE.— (A) FORFEITURE.—Any person who is convicted under paragraph (1) shall, in addition to any other penalty, forfeit to the United States— (i) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, used or intended to be used, in any manner, to commit or facilitate the violation or attempted violation of paragraph (1); and (ii) any property, real or personal, tangible or intangible, constituting or traceable to the gross proceeds taken, obtained, or retained, in connection with or as a result of the violation. (B) PROCEDURE.—The criminal forfeiture of property under this paragraph, including any seizure and disposition of the property, and any related judicial proceeding, shall be governed by the provisions of section 413 of the Controlled Substances Act (21 U.S.C. 853), except subsections (a) and (d) of that section.

You read that right, you could be fined up to A MILLION FUCKING DOLLARS for knowingly violating the restrict act, so all those people telling you to "just use a VPN" to keep using TikTok? Guess what? That falls under the criminal guidelines of this bill and they're giving you some horrible fucking advice.

Also, VPN's as a whole, if this bill passes, will take a goddamn nose dive in this country because they are another thing that will be covered in this bill.

They chose the perfect name for it, RESTRICT, because that's what it's going to do to our freedoms in this so called "land of the free".

Please, if you are a United States citizen of voting age reach out to your legislature and tell them you do not want this to pass and you will vote against them in the next primary if it does. This is a make or break moment for you if you're younger. Do not allow your generation to suffer a second Patriot Act like those of us that unfortunately allowed for the first one to happen.

And if you support this, I can only assume you're delusional or a paid shill, either way I hope you rot in whatever hell you believe in.

[margareth-lv]

😳🤦🏻‍♀️ A Criterion of Embarrassment 🤦🏻‍♀️😳

As Sam strolled through Soho with an escort girl, I was on the move. I watched the Just Jared news and the posts on Tumblr, but I wasn't really paying attention. I guess that's why I didn't really care. But I felt really embarrassed for this 44-year-old man who lacked integrity and backbone. One more time, just one more time. *** *** *** Clearly, we don't know the full story behind Sam and Caitríon's soul-selling transaction. We can only speculate. We can come up with some ideas. But these are just our guesses, nothing more than that. We don't know what kind of blackmail is behind this deal. We don't know what Sam and Caitríona are risking if they (potentially) disobey. But that's not the point. The point is, IMHO, elsewhere. Is it more important to be honest and have integrity, even if it means less fame and money? Or is it not?

*** *** *** Oh, by the way, my 15-year-old son would be so embarrassed to publicly fangirl Taylor Swift like 44-year-old Sam Heughan did. I really can’t even imagine.

But that's just a little detour. I'm already back to my main thought.

*** *** *** Today’s Sam and Alex Norouzi's instastories are the same. First, Sassenach Gin, with Abba's 'Money, Money, Money' in the background, and then Sam and Caitríona, ‘the best chemistry on television’ (and you know it!).

Oh yes, I know. It's mostly about money. Or maybe it's just that.

[7 June, 2024]

[venusintheblindspots-blog]

The Sheep & the Ram: Nettles

The Sheep

Sheepstealer

The presence of sheep in media has often been used to symbolize innocence. Now, while this animal is often used to represent children, women and other creatures of chastity, in ASOIAF, the sheep are the people of the lowest caste in Westeros, the smallfolk. This comparison is both contradictory and appropriate for the treatment of the smallfolk narratively and in-universe.

- Contradictory, because the smallfolk are almost never treated as innocents worth protecting by most of the nobility in ASOIAF. They are always associated with impurity, they never get a trial for any suspected crimes, and are often killed for petty schemes.

- Appropriate, because of how they fit the characteristics of sheep,- they lack individuality, much like sheep in a herd. This is due to the fact that ASOIAF is written from the perspective of nobility, whose narratives do not usually pay much interest in the people beneath them, despite the smallfolk taking the brunt of every decision made by them.

Nettles being low born means that she has lived most of her life as a part of nameless, faceless, herd. The sheep she slaughtered at the beginning of her story is meant to represent her, and its death represents the birth of the identity she gained through becoming a dragon rider.

Sealed in Blood

Nettles’ bonding with Sheepstealer as described in Fire and Blood :

“In the end, the brown dragon was brought to heel by the cunning and persistence of a “small brown girl” of six-and-ten, who delivered him a freshly slaughtered sheep every morning, until Sheepstealer learned to accept and expect her. ”

As stated in the quote above, Nettles claims Sheepstealer by feeding him freshly slaughtered sheep everyday. Freshly slaughtered, meaning there was always blood on them, blood shed by Nettles. In my post about Nettles and her relations to the Maiden, the Mother and the Crone, I stated that her bond with Sheepstealer protected her in a way that mirrors the protection motherhood gives the noblewomen in Westeros. Blood in ASOIAF is often used as the seal for transactions,- the blood shed from a woman in the consummation of marriage validating the union, sacrifices needed for blood magic,etc.

Narratively, GRRM’s characters are given new identities after a blood sacrifice is done. When Daenerys sacrifices Mirri, Drogo, and herself to hatch her dragons, Drogon, Viserion and Rhaegal, she comes out of the pyre as the mother of dragons. When Jaime is knighted by Ser Arthur Dayne, he is cut by the sword Dawn, and stands up Ser Jaime Lannister. When Nettles sacrifices sheep to Sheepstealer, she comes out as the Unlikely Dragonrider.

Disillusionment

One of the most explored concepts in the main series of ASOIAF is disillusionment.

Regardless of how they came to be, all of GRRM’s characters have their own motives and ambitions. He never plays his tropes straight though, so the journeys that his characters go on in pursuit of fulfilling their intentions is usually plagued with trauma, loss and disillusions,-all of which Nettles would come to face while fighting in the Dance.

We are not explicitly told Nettles’ reasoning for approaching Sheepstealer, but the most compelling arguments are ambition, and the need to protect the innocent. GRRM has told the stories of people born in the lowest class of Westeros trying to make better for themselves by climbing up the social ladder and getting as integrated as possible with the noble-class of Westeros. In the Game of Thrones series, we meet Ros, a sex worker from the North who goes to Kingslanding, and began working with Petyr Baelish. Petyr was on the King’s small council as the Master of Coin and was the owner of several brothels. His position and alliance with Ros brought her more profit and better protection than she would’ve got working alone. In both the books and the show, we meet Shae, a young teenage prostitute who is hired by Tyrion Lannister. Tyrion is the son of the Lord of Casterly Rock, and later becomes the Hand of the King. Shae and Ros would’ve had clients from all social backgrounds in their time of being sex workers, but their proximity to these men grants them individuality, and puts them a mere step up from the faceless women in the brothels. (It’s important to note that both of these women met a tragic end at the hands of high-born lords and ladies, despite their proximity to powerful men.)

Nettles’ climb up the social ladder was a more ‘masculine’ approach by Westeros’ standards. She gains her personhood through violence and participating in a war, the way the low-born men in the series do; Davos would be the best example. Fire and Blood does not explicitly state what Rhaenyra planned to reward Nettles with, but we do have a conversation from Ulf the White and Hugh the Hammer:

“We are knights now, truly,” Hard Hugh declared. And Ulf laughed and said, “Fie on that. We should be lords.”

The reward for fighting in war for men is either knighthood and lordship, both of which Nettles could never attain, due to the gender expectations in Westeros. She could also be granted further legitimacy, by being legalized as a Velaryon, and maybe be married off, but I find this to be very unlikely due to how much Fire and Blood emphasizes how undesirable she is by Westeros’ standards. Regardless, there had to be something compelling enough for her to look upon a beast that had slain all the men that tried to mount it, and dare to approach it.

I’ve limited it down to to two plausible explanations:

- She wanted to protect her home. Her people. Her entire story is told by Maesters who’ve never met her and it only starts when she claims Sheepstealer. We know nothing of her life prior the dance, but Nettles is human. She likely lived in Spicetown all her life. She must’ve had friends, family, or a community she wanted to protect.

- She wanted to be in a better situation. There are many speculations on what Nettles may have had to do in order to survive. All of them tie her to theft or sex work, which are both plausible possibilities, there aren’t many viable options for low-born girls.

In the previously quoted conversation, Ulf and Hugh are celebrating a victory that was mourned by many, including Nettles.

“The girl Nettles did not share their celebrations. She had flown with the others, fought as bravely, burned and killed as they had, but her face was black with smoke and streaked with tears when she returned to Dragonstone.”

This would have been her very first battle, ever, and one of the most destructive battles in the Dance of the Dragons. If we operate under the assumption that Nettles joined this war to better her life, then immediately fought in this battle, it would lead to the question: Was it worth it?

It’s a question that GRRM has his readers ponder on after allowing his characters to get something they aspired to have at the beginning of their story. Nettles’ claiming of Sheepstealer has always been transactional,- offering of freshly killed sheep, identifying as the bastard of a noble house, becoming a dragon-rider, fighting in war,- all of these actions led to her gaining individuality, worth and safety she would’ve never had before the Dance, but, the cost was her playing a hand in the bloodshed and violence nobility would enact on her people.

After the Battle of the Gullet, thousands of people died, including Prince Jacaerys, the Velaryon fleet lost a third of its strength, and the young Prince Viserys was thought to be dead. It’s no surprise that these losses were included in the accounts of Fire and Blood, as they all affect prominent people in Westeros,- Queen Rhaenyra lost her two sons, and Lord Corlys Velaryon has lost an good amount of his wealth, assets and his fleet. But the part of the aftermath that stood out the most in its relation to Nettles:

“Spicetown was brutally sacked, the bodies of men, women, and children butchered in the streets and left as fodder for gulls and rats and carrion crows, its buildings burned. The town would never be rebuilt.”

“and two “cousins” from Driftmark, left homeless when Spicetown was destroyed.”

Her sacrifice, her bravery all meant nothing as her home was destroyed. If she had friends, neighbors, family, they would’ve likely been dead.

The Ram

The Rogue Prince and Misogyny (-noir)

The only relationship of hers that was recorded in Fire and Blood, was her relationship with Daemon :

“Maester Norren writes that “the prince and his bastard girl” supped together every night, broke their fast together every morning, slept in adjoining bedchambers, that the prince “doted upon the brown girl as a man might dote upon his daughter,” instructing her in “common courtesies” and how to dress and sit and brush her hair, that he made gifts to her of “an ivory-handled hairbrush, a silvered looking glass, a cloak of rich brown velvet bordered in satin, a pair of riding boots of leather soft as butter.” The prince taught the girl to wash, Norren says, and the maidservants who fetched their bath water said he oft shared a tub with her, “soaping her back or washing the dragon stink from her hair, both of them as naked as their namedays.”

“Each dawn Caraxes and Sheepstealer flew from Maidenpool, climbing high above the riverlands in ever-widening circles in hopes of espying Vhagar below…only to return defeated at dusk.”

“By the dwarf’s account, Daemon Targaryen had come to love the small brown bastard girl, and had taken her into his bed.”

In the quotes above, there are two accounts with different interpretations of their relationship. Maester Norren insists that their relationship is that of a father and daughter, and provides examples of Daemon’s “fatherly” affection, which oddly includes sharing baths with his daughter. On the flip side, you have Mushroom stating that their relationship was in fact a romantic one.

Now, it is explicitly stated in Fire and Blood that Daemon was not loyal to Rhaenyra, so loyalty to his wife cannot be used as a reason why he would not be romantically involved with Nettles. Nor could age, as he was known to enjoy the company of young maidens in brothels.

“Nettles was no more than ten-and-seven, Prince Daemon nine-and-forty, yet the power young maidens exert over older men is well-known. Daemon Targaryen was not a faithful consort to the queen, we know. Even our normally reticent Septon Eustace writes of his nightly visits to Lady Mysaria, whose bed he oft shared whilst at court…with the queen’s blessing, purportedly.”“Nor should it be forgotten that during his youth, every brothel keeper in King’s Landing knew that Lord Flea Bottom took an especial delight in maidens, and kept aside the youngest, prettiest, and more innocent of their new girls for him to deflower.”

This leads us to main issue with Norren and Septon Eustace’s argument and that is the fact that it is entirely dependent on how “unattractive” Nettles is. Munkun and Eustace emphasize how undesirable she is by focusing on the fact that she was a lowborn woman whose only options to survive were likely prostitution or theft. In terms of her physical appearance, she’s described as skinny, with brown skin, a scar across her nose and crooked teeth. This description does not make her relationship with Daemon any less unlikely, given the author who wrote it. Even if Nettles is in fact physically unattractive, and does not resemble any of Daemon’s previous lovers, she is still capable of being loved. George has written a similar dynamic with Brienne and Jaime in the main series. Daemon, like Jaime, fits comfortably with the expectations of men during their time- he fought in wars, he’s been married, he produced children, etc. Nettles, much like Brienne (though their situations are not exactly the same), does not fit into the ideal expectations for women in Westeros. The two of them are consistently described as unattractive. They also take on more “masculine” positions, with Brienne serving as a knight, and Nettles fighting in a war.

Identity

Nettles is theorized in text and by the fan base to be the daughter of Daemon, and other Lords with Valyrian blood. This usually is used as an explanation for her being able to ride a dragon. Narratively, Nettles and Sheepstealer are quite different from House Targaryen and their dragons. For starters, Sheepstealer is a wild dragon, who are described to be notoriously untamable. After rejecting Alyn and eating the other dragonseeds, he accepted Nettles. Nettles in Fire and Blood looks nothing like the other dragon riders who are all fair-skinned with light hair. So even though her being a dragon rider gives her proximity to the ruling class, it is made clear in Fire and Blood she does not have prominent Valyrian ancestry.

Departure

When her and Daemon part, Nettles is recorded killing and feeding the largest black ram in Maidenpool to Sheepstealer. After she disappears from Maidenpool, she is not seen again. Nettles lost everything to the Dance of the Dragons, including her connections to humanity. Her home, her loved ones, her identity, all gone. The sheep in the beginning of her story represents the birth of her identity, and when she kills it she is no longer faceless like the rest of smallfolk. The ram represents Nettles after seeing the horrors of war, of sex, of people, etc. Nettles kills her newfound identity as a bastard of House Targaryen (or House Velaryon), as Daemon’s alleged mistress, as the Unlikely Dragonrider.

[system-of-a-feather]

Hi, I was wondering (from your post about questions going from anti-endo to pro-endo),

Did your entire system become pro-endo? We've been slowly going down the pro-endo path, but we still have a handful of anti-endo parts who don't seem to be changing their views at all.

How did that go for you all?

Yeah our whole system is pro-endo at this point but a lot of us swapped sides on our own time and terms. A lot of our parts were very "I really dont care and dont want to engage" or just relatively uninterested with a lean so those guys kinda just changed opinion as the more opinionated parts changed opinion

I (Riku dominant part of the brain) was one of the last parts to genuinely change our opinions cause I honestly had some pretty bad experiences with endo-adjacent communities (and felt it might be dangerous to suggest that there was value in that community which was a trauma response that is valid but harmful and I had to work through that) and am the most research loving part so it took a lot more understanding into the depth of how research works for me to look at the theory of structural dissociation properly and with nuance. Plus I was / still probably am the part that has the most catching up to do on processing the fact we are POC and our experiences with it, so going further into Buddhist practice and integration and chatting with other parts made me get a larger fuller image and that changed my view a lot

But unironically, the main thing that really pushed a lot of the system as a whole from endo-neutral (which we were for a hot minute) to loud and proud pro-endo was the good faith the endo community gave us regarding the tulpacourse topic and the genuine sway that we saw in regards to taking criticism from POC. Cause I forget who it was, I think maybe @/artisticdysfunction (I could be entirely wrong so Im not @) that commented something along the lines of "hey if we can agree and acknowledge thst its appropriative can we agree willowgenic are actually a thing" or something and XIV went "Ya know what deal, I will fully change from neutral to pro if the endogenic community can show that it can take criticism and Ill push to humor it more"

Which I (Riku dominant brain) was SUPER hesitsnt to follow along with and so I made some boundaries of not going too ham on our system account for my own comfort and in exchange Ill humor and think about the topic more but like, it was honestly really hard and uncomfortable for me at first but honestly, XIV was right and so while it was originally somewhat a transactional alliance, its very much genuine at this point

But yeah tldr it took time and each part changed views over time. Its been like a few year thing

(And to be fair, our system used to also be relatively right wing anti-SJW Shapiro fans like AGES ago so this wasnt our first team switch over time)

[kandisheek]

FIC REC WEEK 9 – AUs

SERIES: A Furious Vexation by Annie D (scaramouche)

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 35,887 Tags: Post-Apocalyptic, Dubious Consent, Violence

Summary: A Steve/Tony post-apocalypse AU that exists pretty much just for the smut.

Reasons why I love it: The amount of world building in this is absolutely insane. I could spend hours waxing poetic about the world Annie D has crafted here, but I'll just stick to saying that it's fucking amazing. I'd read a billion more words in this universe. Plus, the Stony in this is absolutely delicious, so I highly recommend that you check it out for yourself!

This series consists of:

A Furious Vexation

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 4,676 Tags: PWP, Dub-con, Sexual Transaction

Summary: Tony gets an intruder. A post-apocalypse AU.

Reasons why I love it: This fic sets up the series so well. I love the way Tony is introduced as a genius scavenger, only for Steve to come crashing in on his entire operation. Also, the smut is incredible, and the element of transaction that underlies the whole thing just adds to the thrill. I got hooked instantly on the series when I read this one, so I hope you give it a shot!

Splenditudinous Figment of Wonder

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 13,813 Tags: Normalized Boundary Violation, Exhibitionism, Rough Sex

Summary: A post-apocalypse AU where Steve, leader of a dangerous gang, has stolen Tony to keep for himself. All Tony wants is to survive the experience.

Reasons why I love it: Tony's inner conflict is absolutely amazing in this one. The way everyone in the group reacts to Tony's presence feels very true to the characters, and I love how Steve keeps trying to integrate Tony into his gang. But of course, Tony being Tony, he ends up doing things his own way. I really love the conclusion of this fic, and how it leads into the next one. I've never clicked on "Next Work" so quickly in my life.

Bust a Deal, Face the Wheel

Pairing: Steve/Tony Rating: E Words: 17,398 Tags: Normalized Violence, Possessive Behavior, Degrading Language

Summary: For the first time in years, Tony leaves the relative safety of his hill in order to follow Steve to Carbon Town. He doesn’t know if it’d be worth it, but he’s willing to give it a shot.

Reasons why I love it: This is the one where the world is really fleshed out. I love the descriptions of the town and how the whole hierarchy works. And the appearance of the other Avengers is just the icing on the cake. Rhodey especially completely stole the show, along with Thor, the big oaf. I love this series an unhealthy amount, so I really hope you give it a shot!

[acceptccnow]

Discussing Payment Processing in Canada, After-Effects of Covid, & Building a Business the Right Way

 Article by Jonathan Bomser | CEO | Accept-Credit-Cards-Now.com

In the ever-evolving realm of commerce and business, payment processing remains an essential pillar of any enterprise. The COVID-19 pandemic acted as a catalyst for the rapid adoption of digital payments, underscoring the significance of merchant account processing and the secure, efficient acceptance of credit cards. In Canada, a nation celebrated for its strong economy and diverse business landscape, understanding the nuances of payment processing is fundamental for building a thriving business the right way.

Payment Processing in Canada: An In-Depth View Canada, renowned for its tech-savvy and innovative populace, has been quick to embrace modern payment processing solutions. With a population that values convenience and security, businesses in the land of the maple leaf have had to evolve to meet these ever-evolving expectations.

Merchant account processing, the bedrock of payment acceptance, has witnessed substantial growth in Canada. This service enables businesses to accept credit cards, ensuring a seamless and secure transaction process for customers. Whether you're a brick-and-mortar store, a digital e-commerce platform, or a service-oriented business, having a dependable merchant account is the cornerstone of success.

The Post-COVID Impact on Payment Processing The repercussions of the COVID-19 pandemic, which led to widespread economic turbulence, prompted businesses to reassess their payment processing strategies in Canada. The aftermath left several notable effects:

Surge in Contactless Payments: Concerns about hygiene sparked a surge in the popularity of contactless payments and mobile wallets. Canadians embraced tap-and-go payments, highlighting the necessity of offering these options to customers.

E-commerce Renaissance: With people staying home, e-commerce experienced a substantial resurgence. Businesses had to enhance their online payment processing capabilities to meet the surging demand.

Elevated Emphasis on Security: The surge in digital transactions amplified the importance of robust security measures. Canadians now expect their payment data to be handled with the utmost care, making secure payment processing a non-negotiable requirement.

Support for Small Businesses: Government initiatives and support programs aided small businesses, emphasizing the need for accessible and cost-effective payment processing solutions to not only survive but thrive.

Building a Business the Right Way: Payment Processing Edition In the post-COVID era, businesses looking to thrive in Canada must focus on constructing a solid foundation for payment processing. Here are some pivotal steps:

Opt for the Right Payment Processor: Select a payment processor or merchant service provider that aligns with your business needs. Look for one offering competitive rates, outstanding customer support, and a diverse array of payment options to cater to your customers.

Prioritize Security: Security is paramount. Ensure your payment processing system adheres to industry standards and invest in measures to safeguard customer data. In Canada, compliance with the Payment Card Industry Data Security Standard (PCI DSS) is a fundamental requirement.

Seamless Integration: Regardless of whether you operate online, in a physical location, or both, your payment processing system should seamlessly integrate with your existing operations. This guarantees a smooth experience for both you and your customers.

Stay Informed: Payment processing is an ever-evolving field. Stay up-to-date on industry trends and technological advancements. Being aware of emerging payment options and understanding consumer preferences can provide your business with a competitive advantage.

Customer-Centric Approach: Place the customer at the heart of your payment processing strategy. Offer multiple payment options to accommodate their preferences, whether it's credit cards, mobile wallets, or emerging payment technologies.

For those seeking to accept credit cards, it's essential to remember that a robust merchant account processing system is your gateway to success in the modern Canadian business environment. Embrace change, prioritize security, and always place your customers at the forefront of your strategy.

[nobrashfestivity]

The newer myth, derived from a post-psychological conception of consciousness, installs within the activity of art many of the paradoxes involved in attaining an absolute state of being described by the great religious mystics. As the activity of the mystic must end in a via negative, a theology of God's absence, a craving for the cloud of unknowingness beyond knowledge and for the silence beyond speech, so art must tend toward anti-art, the elimination of the "subject" (the "object," the "image"), the substitution of chance for intention, and the pursuit of silence.

In the early, linear version of art's relation to consciousness, a struggle was held to exist between the "spiritual" integrity of the creative impulses and the distracting "materiality" of ordinary life, which throws up so many obstacles in the path of authentic sublimation. But the newer version, in which art is part of a dialectical transaction with consciousness, poses a deeper, more frustrating conflict: The "spirit" seeking embodiment in art clashes with the "material" character of art itself. Art is unmasked as gratuitous, and the very concreteness of the artist's tools (and, particularly in the case of language, their historicity) appears as a trap. Practiced in a world furnished with second-hand perceptions, and specifically confounded by the treachery of words, the activity of the artist is cursed with mediacy. Art becomes the enemy of the artist, for it denies him the realization, the transcendence, he desires.

Therefore, art comes to be estimated as something to be overthrown. A new element enters the art-work and becomes constitutive of it: the appeal (tacit or overt) for its own abolition — and, ultimately, for the abolition of art itself.

- Susan Sontag

[tadbitfooled]

I wish to discuss gods and my muses' relations to them. In Toril, religion is an intricate part of the culture, as the gods are proven to be real and can directly affect life on the planet. The relationship between mortals and the gods seems to be very transactional, so we'll do a quick post about how my muses relate to the gods.

Tadpoled

Brinus - Obviously, in Menzoberranzan, he has to exonerate Lolth, but he also favors Kiaransalee, the Dark Seldarine goddess of undead, necromancy and vengeance. He feels a sort of kinship with her, at times, so makes sure to include Kiaransalee in his prayers while keeping on the appearance of a Lolth follower for social clout.

Briza - The Jaelre family was exiled for exonerating Vhaeraun and the family keeps up the expected faith, but Briza doesn't feel much connection with Vhaeraun. She has very little religious connection and does what's expected of her but not more. Perhaps, in time, she could find a god more connected with her own life.

Durante - Durante, being the grandson of Mephistopheles, has a rough relationship with anything religious. He has no main deity, but he tends to pray to Sune, Lathander, and Beshada. The former two for artistic inspiration and the latter to save himself from further misfortune.

Frits - As a wizard, obviously he worships Mystra but also the other magical gods as well, such as Azuth and Savras. He also at times will pray to Deneir, as his field research relates to the god's desire to write knowledge down.

Gwenifar - as a cleric of Ilmater, she exonerates Ilmater and Ilmater alone. It's been pointed out by various religious figures that she has a special connection with the god, perhaps from the encounter in her youth and her deal she made to save her sister. It's known she has a strong blessing from him and his favor, but perhaps not at the level of a Chosen due to Ao's decree. Gwen does view it as a transactional set up and feels Ilmater fits her personal views best, plus he was the one who helped when others wouldn't.

Talilah - Follows the Seldarine pantheon, with prayers to Corellon Larethian, Erevan Ilesere, and Melira Taralen most of the time. It's an integral part of her life, for sure, but not something that she views as something that controls her. Just something that's there and part of her, like for a lot of other high elves.

Tavinkas - He's a bhaalspawn so before this, well, it was Bhaal. He was Bhaal's chosen. But after the game, it's Jergal, although Tavinkas would love to step away from death and perhaps, maybe eventually something less bleak.

Camp Followers

Anatol - he's a cleric of Lathander. That's who he prays to, who he focuses on, and he is very much wrapped up in his duties as a cleric and wanting to be heroic (I would've made him a paladin but that's old DND. Maybe I'll multiclass him). He is definitely a little bit obnoxious about it.

Kyrirthlila - follows the Seldarine pantheon, with special attention to Erevan Ilesere and Sehanine Moonbow. She does take her worship seriously, oddly enough compared to how she normally is about authority. But she views it more as working a deal with them, and feels like they're the ones who listen when she needs aid.

Misc.

Arakhivaen - Big follower of the Seldarine pantheon. Obviously with attention to Corellon Larethian but also to Hanali Celanil. He is very devote in his worship, given the whole set up for elves and their pantheon.

Ingeleif - As one of Mystra's chosen, he has a very intimate relationship with the goddess and has for some time. His own skill eventually drew her attention as she needed to grow her power base and she gave him a years long trial to prove his worth. Having proven his worth, he now exonerates her and does her bidding as she wishes.

Klaudius - he is a truescar and high priest of Loviatar. He was raised Loviatan and happily embraced it, taking it even farther than his own parents did. He takes great pleasure in spreading pain as Loviatar requires and only wishes pain and anguish to flow through all of Toril.

Family of Canon Characters

Aella - Oghma and Milil, the deities over bards. Aella is very serious in her practice and will take any insult to either deity as a personal insult. It's an important part of her life and she respects both of these gods and their work.

Arzan - The Seldarine pantheon, with attention given to Solonor Thelandria, as he hunts vampires so he needs the favor of the god of hunting. He prays to the others, of course, but Solonor gets the most attention.

Chiela - a cleric of Sehahine Moonbow, that's who Chiela focuses her worship on. She is very studious in her work and feels Sehanine is the best suited for her and views the relationship as bit of a partnership between them.

Perun - Tymora, the goddess of good fortune. Being an adventure, he knows he needs as much good fortune as he can get. You can't pay him to pray to Mystra, even though people tried when he was a youth.

[accountsend]

Mastering Social Selling: Unveiling the Magic of Social Media for B2B Sales Triumph

The realm of B2B sales is undergoing a seismic shift, propelled by the integration of social media. Social selling, a strategic approach that transcends traditional methods, empowers businesses to cultivate authentic relationships, nurture trust, and fuel sales growth. Yet, the mastery of social selling is not attained through mere online presence; it requires a strategic blueprint that resonates deeply with potential B2B customers, forging connections on a personal level. This comprehensive guide unfurls seven pivotal strategies, each holding the key to unlocking the immense potential of social selling. Join us as we embark on a journey through the art of leveraging social media to catalyze B2B sales and foster enduring business expansion.

Download the infographic here!

Understanding Your Audience: The Keystone of Success

Embarking on the path of mastering social selling begins with a profound understanding of your audience. This goes beyond surface-level demographics; it's about delving into their aspirations, behaviors, and their preferred digital playgrounds. The reservoir of insights strewn across social media platforms arms you with the tools to craft intricate buyer personas. These personas serve as navigational stars, steering your social selling strategy towards authentic resonance with your intended audience.

Choosing the Right Platforms: Crafting a Strategic Presence

In the intricate dance of B2B sales, each social media platform offers a distinct melody. Making the right choice can be the difference between success and obscurity. Consider the allure of LinkedIn, a fertile ground for verified B2B leads owing to its professional ambiance. Alternatively, platforms like Instagram and TikTok cater to a younger, digitally-immersed audience. Choosing the right platform is tantamount to orchestrating engagement that resonates deeply and drives meaningful outcomes.

Crafting Valuable Content: The Soul of Social Selling

At the core of social selling lies content – the conduit that links you with your audience. The consistent delivery of valuable, relevant content is the heartbeat of your strategy. This content spectrum could span from dissecting industry trends to crafting insightful blog posts and sharing personal anecdotes. The ultimate goal is to position yourself as a beacon of trusted insights, priming your audience for a receptive embrace of your sales proposition.

Authentic Engagement: Beyond Likes and Shares

Social media isn't a billboard; it's a bustling marketplace of interactions. Authentic engagement trumps passive content dissemination. Engaging with comments, sparking meaningful discussions, inviting feedback, and acknowledging shares and likes cultivate an environment of reciprocity. This engagement metamorphoses your audience from passive observers to active participants, forming a connected community built on trust and loyalty.

Leveraging Social Listening: Insights as Catalysts

Enter the realm of social listening – a strategic art that extends beyond surface observation. Actively monitoring platforms for brand mentions, industry keywords, and competitor movements grants you unparalleled market intelligence. These insights become the rudder that guides your social selling ship, enabling you to anticipate customer needs, identify trends, and outpace competitors. In the realm of social selling, insight is indeed the power.

Nurturing Relationships: The Heartbeat of Social Selling

At its essence, social selling is relationship-building, not just transaction-peddling. Cultivating authentic connections with potential customers is an investment that reaps loyalty and sales growth. This may involve sharing personalized advice, valuable resources, or simply offering words of encouragement. Over time, these connections flourish into robust customer loyalty, a bedrock for enduring success.

Measuring Success: Insights from Analytics

In the digital age, measurement is the compass for growth. Social media platforms offer a trove of analytics, serving as the lighthouse guiding your way. By interpreting engagement rates, follower growth, and conversion metrics, you unearth insights that illuminate your path. This analytical approach empowers you to fine-tune your strategy, ensuring that every move is calibrated for success.

In conclusion, mastering social selling is a strategic journey guided by insight. Armed with an intimate understanding of your audience, judicious platform selection, valuable content creation, authentic engagement practices, adept social listening skills, relationship cultivation, and analytical acumen, businesses can harness the dynamic power of social media to drive B2B sales. Within this ensemble of strategies, the [Business Owners Database, Verified B2B Emails, B2B Contact Database, CEO Email Addresses, Sales Leads Database, B2B Email List, B2B Leads Database, Verified Business Leads, and B2B Leads List] become your allies, propelling connections, nurturing enduring relationships, and catalyzing growth. The era of redefining B2B sales beckons – are you prepared to seize it?

[dealsxciting]

Collaborator: Content & Influencer Marketing Marketplace, Unlocking Revenue with Content

Turn your content into Revenue!

In today's digital landscape, maximizing the reach of your content is crucial for success. Collaborator offers a comprehensive solution to turn your content into revenue through strategic partnerships with carefully selected websites and Telegram channels.

Key Features:

Wide Reach: Access to 30,887 high-quality sites and 2,890 Telegram channels in 143 countries and 50 languages.

Data-Driven Selection: Utilize factual data confirmed by Google Analytics and integrate with Ahrefs for comprehensive insights.

Low Fees: Enjoy affordable rates and receive assistance in choosing the most suitable sites for your content.

Data Privacy: Ensuring the security of your content and transactions is a top priority.

Advantages of Collaborator:

Speed: Rapid processes from site selection to deal processing, with an average turnaround time of just 2 days.

Quality Selection: Choose from a wide array of high-quality sites, filtered by traffic, domain rating (DR), and other SEO parameters.

Integration: Seamlessly integrate with Ahrefs and Serpstat to access essential metrics within the Collaborator interface.

Security: Ensure the safety of your content with secure transactions and monitoring.

Transparency: Gain clarity on where your content will be published, ensuring alignment with your objectives.

Guest Posting Made Easy:

Popular Strategy: Guest posting remains one of the most effective strategies to amplify your content's reach.

Challenges: It can be daunting to secure guest posting opportunities on reputable platforms without an established reputation.

Collaborator's Solution: With over 19,000 sites across 36 themes, Collaborator simplifies the process of finding relevant resources for guest posting.

Advantages: Enjoy swift processes, a vast selection of high-quality sites, integration with SEO tools, and enhanced security measures.

Ease of Use:

Intuitive Interface: Navigating the catalog and ordering guest post placements is simple and user-friendly.

Master Account Functionality: Ideal for managing outreach teams and optimizing collaboration efforts.

On-Page Optimization Checklist: Access a comprehensive checklist for auditing and improving your on-page SEO.

With its extensive network, data-driven approach, and user-friendly interface, Collaborator empowers content creators to thrive in the digital landscape.

Join Collaborator today and start turning your content into success!

Affiliate Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links. If you buy a product or service recommended on this blog, you won’t pay a penny more, but we may receive a small commission to help keep the blog running. Thank you so much for your support!

[xoxovalerie-c]

Blog Post Week 3: Due 9/12

How does the government strategically utilize media to shape public opinion and influence decision-making processes?

Virginia Eubanks highlighted how marginalized groups, people of color, and those with lower socioeconomic class, are being impacted by automated systems that are government-funded. These groups are often easier targets because they lack the resources needed to navigate through challenges through these systems. Many public services today rely on these systems such as health insurance. When these automated programs flag individuals, marginalized individuals are less equipped to handle this problem. Eubanks discusses how programs like EBT were manipulated to reinforce negative stereotypes. For example, republican governor Paul Lepage used data from EBT transactions to claim that people in marginalized groups were misusing government aid on items like alcohol, cigars, lottery tickets, etc. Lawmakers and the professional middle-class public eagerly embraced the misleading tale he spun from a tenuous thread of data (Eubanks, 2019). This shows how government intervention could occur with automated programs causing harm to this community. 

How has the increasing use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement contributed to wrongful arrests?

The increasing use of facial recognition technology in law enforcement has contributed to wrongful arrests, as demonstrated by the case of Nijeer Parks. Parks was wrongfully arrested, and despite his awareness of the error, he hesitated to voice his concerns due to his prior legal history (Hill, 2020). Law enforcement officers often rely on computer systems to search for warrants when pulling someone over, which heavily impacts marginalized communities. Facial recognition algorithms have a documented history of flagging individuals from these groups. For example, a case discussed by Nicole Brown highlighted how officers exploited the technology by warning individuals of surveillance while using it to their advantage. Despite its increasing integration into law enforcement practices, facial recognition technology has a significant error rate, with a reported error rate of approximately 35% (Brown, 2020).

In what ways do healthcare algorithms perpetuate disparities by prioritizing white patients?

In healthcare settings, the increasing reliance on algorithms has introduced significant inequality by prioritizing white patients. Algorithms, which are designed to predict healthcare needs and outcomes, can perpetuate racial disparities even without using race (Brown, 2020). Brown discusses how these algorithms tend to identify white patients as more likely to experience severe health issues. This occurs because the algorithms are often trained on data that reflects existing healthcare utilization patterns, where white individuals are more frequently represented due to higher rates of health insurance coverage. As a result, the algorithms prioritize these patients, leading to a misallocation of resources and failing to adequately address the needs of underrepresented and marginalized groups who may have less access to healthcare services. This systemic issue impedes efforts to provide equitable care and address the needs of all patients effectively.

Why do people continue to embrace and rely on these applications despite growing concerns on privacy, data misuse, and more? 

People continue to embrace and rely on applications like for instance the Ring app which is very popular. This application allows their users with the ability to monitor their home in real-time through their phones, enhancing security and peace of mind. It contributes to also neighborhood watching. Additionally, the benefits of these applications outweigh the potential risks as users prioritize immediate convenience and functionality over long-term privacy concerns. 

Hill, K. 2020. Another arrest, and jail time, due to a bad facial recognition match. The New York Times

Eubanks, V. (2019). In automating inequality: how high-tech tools profile, police, and punish the poor.

Brown, N. (2020). Race and technology. YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d8uiAjigKy8

[gossipgirloff1]

Hi all! 👋🏼 As an avid reader of this blog, it seems there are some issues regarding contracts, branding, and services going on. As someone who has worked last year on this area I would like to clarify some things regarding these topics, because not only they are super interesting but can help us all have a productive interaction - and even for some who might be interested in pursuing the area, who knows! I will give you my two cents on what it is working with branding, even more so being the one who is endorsing and contracting services from brand agencies and media channels. First things first I think a lot of people are not taking into consideration and that is the basis on which everything business related: there are no free dinners in this world. When it comes to business and contracting services, you might even know the person and sympathize with him/her but at the end of the day, when you make a transaction, you are 100% expecting a return, regardless of who you are. I saw some of you saying that it might be a gift from the brands to Alexandra and no, sorry, a gift is something that she buys for herself or a loved one offers her. Even Kim Kardashian who is the MVP (regardless of personal opinions) of influencing adresses brands on her posts, it is not Alexandra who is a newly influencer that will have brands gifting their products to her just because. Return: When a brand, essentially a big luxury brands are sending her things, she is also having a return to upload an instastory, publish on her feed, do a reels with it (Meshki? The brand with the dresses), do a whole movie lol there are so many opportunities to showcase on social media. And I think this is where contracts get into the conversation and how some seem divided: is she bounded? is she not? Contracts: Allegedly, she has to be bounded by a contract, that's why she is in an agency that for sure takes care of her endorsements and businesses for her and all things related, that's why they exist. More relevantly, big brands will not just toss money, their logo and designs out of the blue. We are talking about fashion houses that have built credibility and legacy not just in fashion but culture in general. Trademarking and design is extremely expensive and the wrong association/branding/marketing can be extremely costly. Remember that brands thrive on integrity in association, that's how you build a legacy. Now, contracts do not equal as a lifetime supply. You don't have to be bounded forever. I'll give you the example of when I worked for an event and it was required to have a radio announcement/commercial - giving this example as it is something short, like a post, story or Instagram reel. In the contract, aside from agreeing the materials to be publicized and, generally, to have a copy of what was publicized, the radio was specified to do so in X minutes and between X and Y hours, with a repetition of XYZ times throughout the days the event was taking place. This is an example of, regardless of the lenght and occurrence of your endorsement, you are still bound by a contract to perform a specific service - in this case, brand endorsement. In conclusion and to end this long ass essay: it is not a bad thing that she has contracts with brands, in fact it is more positive than you think. It is a form of protection for both sides, though I would say more so for a brand side than for her. Hope I clarified some things! Trademarking and branding is a whole world. - ☀️

Thank you for the explanation anon ❤️

[unpluggedfinancial]

Why Bitcoin Will Outlast Other Cryptocurrencies

In the ever-expanding universe of cryptocurrencies, Bitcoin continues to stand out as the gold standard, while many of its peers falter. With thousands of altcoins vying for attention, one might wonder why Bitcoin remains the dominant force. The answer lies in its unique characteristics, unparalleled security, and the unfortunate reality that a vast majority of other cryptocurrencies are little more than scams. In this post, we'll explore why Bitcoin’s foundational strengths ensure its longevity and why it’s poised to outlast the vast majority of other digital assets.

1. The First-Mover Advantage

Bitcoin’s early emergence gave it a significant edge over all other cryptocurrencies. Being the first to solve the double-spend problem, Bitcoin cemented its place as the pioneer of digital currency. This first-mover advantage has led to widespread recognition and adoption, something that no other cryptocurrency has managed to replicate. While many altcoins have tried to copy or improve upon Bitcoin's model, none have been able to dethrone it as the king of cryptocurrencies.

2. Decentralization and Security

At the heart of Bitcoin’s success is its decentralization. Unlike many altcoins that rely on a centralized figure or entity, Bitcoin operates on a truly decentralized network, with thousands of nodes worldwide verifying transactions and securing the network. This decentralization makes Bitcoin incredibly resistant to attacks and manipulation. In contrast, many other cryptocurrencies are more centralized, making them vulnerable to attacks or corrupt practices, which further diminishes their long-term viability.

3. Network Effects

Bitcoin’s large and growing user base strengthens its network in a way that few altcoins can match. The value of a cryptocurrency is, in part, determined by the number of people using it. Bitcoin’s network effects make it increasingly valuable as more people adopt it. Every new user, miner, and node adds to Bitcoin’s resilience and value, creating a positive feedback loop that solidifies its dominance.

4. Limited Supply and Store of Value

One of Bitcoin’s most compelling features is its fixed supply of 21 million coins. This scarcity creates a strong store of value, akin to digital gold. As inflation erodes the value of fiat currencies and the supply of altcoins continues to grow unchecked, Bitcoin’s limited supply makes it a reliable hedge against economic instability. Many other cryptocurrencies do not have the same level of scarcity, making them less attractive as a long-term store of value.

5. Institutional Adoption

The growing trend of institutional adoption is a clear indicator of Bitcoin’s staying power. Companies like MicroStrategy, Tesla, and even traditional financial institutions are increasingly integrating Bitcoin into their balance sheets and offerings. The approval of Bitcoin ETFs has further legitimized Bitcoin as a mainstream asset. In contrast, very few altcoins have achieved the same level of trust and integration into the global financial system.

6. The Harsh Reality: 90% of Cryptocurrencies Are Scams

Here’s where the harsh truth comes into play: the cryptocurrency market is flooded with projects that range from speculative ventures to outright scams. With the lack of regulation and the anonymity provided by blockchain technology, bad actors have found fertile ground to launch fraudulent projects. These so-called “pump-and-dump” schemes, where the creators artificially inflate the price of a new coin only to sell off their holdings and disappear, are all too common.

The reality is that about 90% of cryptocurrencies are either poorly conceived, have no real use case, or are designed with malicious intent. This environment creates a treacherous landscape for investors and tarnishes the reputation of the entire industry. Bitcoin, however, stands apart as a beacon of trustworthiness. Its decentralized nature, robust security, and proven track record make it a safe haven in a sea of uncertainty.

7. Bitcoin’s Community and Development

Bitcoin’s strong community and continuous development ensure its ongoing improvement and adaptation. The Bitcoin network benefits from an active global community of developers who work tirelessly to enhance its features and security. This open-source nature allows Bitcoin to evolve and stay ahead of emerging threats. Unlike many altcoins that are dependent on a small group of developers or a central authority, Bitcoin’s community-driven approach ensures that it remains robust and innovative.

8. The Future of Bitcoin in Finance

As the global economy becomes increasingly digital, Bitcoin is poised to play an even more significant role. Its potential as digital gold, a global reserve currency, or even a foundation for a new financial system is becoming more apparent. The robustness of Bitcoin makes it a reliable store of value, particularly in times of economic uncertainty.

In contrast, many other cryptocurrencies lack the necessary infrastructure, trust, and user base to survive in the long term. As regulations tighten and the market matures, we can expect many of these projects to fade away, leaving Bitcoin as the ultimate victor.

Conclusion

Bitcoin’s unique characteristics – its first-mover advantage, decentralization, network effects, limited supply, and institutional adoption – ensure its dominance in the cryptocurrency market. When we add to this the fact that a staggering 90% of cryptocurrencies are scams or speculative bubbles, the case for Bitcoin’s longevity becomes even clearer. Bitcoin is more than just a digital asset; it’s a movement, a revolution, and the future of money.

Call to Action

What do you think about the current state of the cryptocurrency market? Have you encountered scams or speculative projects? Share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below, and let’s keep the conversation going about why Bitcoin is here to stay.

Take Action Towards Financial Independence

If this article has sparked your interest in the transformative potential of Bitcoin, there's so much more to explore! Dive deeper into the world of financial independence and revolutionize your understanding of money by following my blog and subscribing to my YouTube channel.

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Donate Bitcoin: bc1qpn98s4gtlvy686jne0sr8ccvfaxz646kk2tl8lu38zz4dvyyvflqgddylk

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