#sme grants

[newvista857]

Unlocking Business Potential with Government Grants and Advanced POS Systems

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), navigating growth and operational efficiency can be challenging. Leveraging government grants and advanced technology solutions can be a game-changer. This article explores how government grants for SMEs and integrated POS retail systems can transform business operations and enhance efficiency.

Harnessing Government Grants for SMEs

Government grants for SMEs provide financial support to enhance business capabilities and foster growth. These grants can be used to fund various initiatives, including technology upgrades, process improvements, and employee training.

One of the significant advantages of government grants is their ability to reduce financial burdens associated with business development. These grants can help cover costs related to implementing new technologies, which might otherwise be prohibitive for small businesses. For more information on available grants, explore Naviworld’s Government Grant SME.

How to Apply for Government Grants

Identify Eligible Grants Different grants are available for various purposes. Research and identify grants that align with your business goals and needs. Understanding the eligibility criteria and application process is crucial for a successful application.

Prepare Required Documentation Applications typically require detailed information about your business, including financial statements, business plans, and project proposals. Ensure that you have all necessary documents prepared and up-to-date.

Submit Your Application Follow the guidelines provided by the grant-giving body. Ensure that your application is complete and submitted before the deadline. Consider seeking professional assistance if needed.

Integrating Advanced POS Retail Systems

An integrated POS retail system is essential for modern retail operations. It offers a comprehensive solution for managing sales, inventory, and customer interactions in a unified platform. This integration streamlines processes and provides valuable insights into business performance.

Benefits of an Integrated POS Retail System

Real-Time Inventory Management An integrated POS system allows for real-time tracking of inventory levels. This feature helps retailers manage stock more effectively, reducing overstock and stockouts. For more details, check out Naviworld’s Integrated POS Retail System.

Enhanced Customer Experience The system improves the checkout process by speeding up transactions and providing detailed sales data. It also enables personalized customer interactions by tracking purchase history and preferences.

Streamlined Operations Integration with other business systems, such as accounting and CRM, ensures seamless operations. This integration reduces manual data entry, minimizes errors, and improves overall efficiency.

Optimizing Inventory Management with Advanced Systems

Effective inventory management is crucial for retail success. Implementing a sophisticated inventory management system can significantly enhance operational efficiency and accuracy.

Features of an Advanced Inventory Management System

Comprehensive Tracking An advanced inventory management system provides detailed tracking of inventory across multiple locations. This feature ensures that businesses have accurate data on stock levels and locations, facilitating better decision-making.

Automated Reordering Automated reordering capabilities help maintain optimal inventory levels by generating purchase orders based on predefined thresholds. This automation reduces the risk of stockouts and overstocking.

Data-Driven Insights Advanced systems offer analytical tools to evaluate inventory performance. Retailers can use these insights to identify trends, forecast demand, and optimize inventory levels. For information on inventory management systems in Singapore, visit Naviworld’s Inventory Management System Singapore.

Combining Grants and Technology for Business Growth

Leveraging government grants alongside advanced technology solutions can significantly enhance business operations. Grants can provide the necessary funding to invest in systems that improve efficiency and performance. Integrating an advanced POS system and inventory management solution ensures that businesses can manage their operations more effectively and respond to market changes promptly.

Implementing Technology Solutions

Assess Your Needs Determine the specific needs of your business to select the most appropriate technology solutions. Consider factors such as current operational challenges and future growth plans.

Evaluate Vendors Research and compare different vendors to find solutions that best fit your business requirements. Look for vendors with a strong track record and positive customer feedback.

Plan for Implementation Develop a detailed implementation plan, including timelines, training, and support. Ensure that all stakeholders are prepared for the transition to new systems.

Conclusion

Government grants for SMEs and advanced technology solutions like integrated POS retail systems and sophisticated inventory management systems are powerful tools for business growth. By taking advantage of these resources, businesses can enhance efficiency, improve customer experiences, and achieve long-term success. For more information on leveraging these tools, explore the resources available through Naviworld.

Implementing these strategies and utilizing available grants can set your business on a path to greater efficiency and profitability.

[peterchase633]

government grant sme

Empower your SME with government grants. Obtain financial support to enhance capabilities, innovate, and grow your business.

[socialmediamarketingsingapore]

Driving Growth with the Singapore Digital Marketing Grant for SME Eligibility: Bluehive Consulting's Strategic Impact on SMEs in Singapore

Bluehive Consulting stands as a cornerstone in Singapore's digital marketing landscape, renowned for its unwavering dedication to empowering SMEs nationwide with unparalleled digital marketing strategies. Our core mission is to serve as your strategic partner, navigating the intricacies of the digital realm to drive tangible business outcomes through innovative and customized solutions. With an acute understanding of local market intricacies and consumer behaviors, we specialize in crafting bespoke digital strategies that resonate deeply with Singaporean audiences, ensuring maximum impact and return on investment (ROI).

At Bluehive Consulting, we pride ourselves on our commitment to excellence, underscored by our recognition under the esteemed Singapore Digital Marketing Grant For SME Eligibility. This accreditation allows us to offer SMEs a pivotal opportunity to optimize their digital marketing initiatives with crucial government support. Partnering with us empowers businesses to leverage this grant for strategic SEO campaigns, ROI-driven advertising strategies, compelling social media management, and meticulously crafted conversion-optimized website designs. These initiatives are meticulously tailored not only to enhance online visibility and drive traffic but also to foster meaningful engagement with target audiences, thereby bolstering brand loyalty and profitability.

What truly sets Bluehive Consulting apart is our team of seasoned professionals who bring a wealth of experience and expertise to the table. Each strategy and campaign is meticulously crafted to align with specific business objectives and industry requirements, ensuring that every client achieves their digital marketing goals effectively. Whether you're a burgeoning startup seeking to establish a robust online presence or an established SME aiming to scale your digital footprint, we are committed to guiding you every step of the way with personalized attention and proactive insights.

Choosing Bluehive Consulting as your digital marketing partner grants you access to a comprehensive suite of services designed to propel your business forward amidst the competitive digital landscape. Beyond technical proficiency, we prioritize forging strong client relationships built on trust, transparency, and collaborative synergy. Our proactive approach ensures we remain ahead of industry trends and algorithmic shifts, continuously optimizing our strategies to deliver sustainable growth and enduring success for your business.

In conclusion, Bluehive Consulting offers more than mere digital marketing services; we offer a transformative partnership that fuels growth and innovation. By harnessing the potential of the Singapore Digital Marketing Grant through our expertise, SMEs can unlock new avenues for expansion and profitability in the digital era. Join us in elevating your digital marketing endeavors into a potent catalyst for business success. Contact Bluehive Consulting today to embark on a journey towards achieving your goals with clarity and confidence. Together, we will navigate the complexities of digital marketing and position your brand for sustained success not only in Singapore but also on a global scale. Find out more at Bluehive Consulting.

Contact Us: Bluehive Asia Website: - https://www.bluehiveasia.com/ Email: - projects@bluehiveasia.com Call: - (+65) 6100 4148

[vsservicesllc19]

Unlocking Business Potential with Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants

In today's competitive business landscape, securing financial support is crucial for growth and innovation. This article explores the benefits of Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants, highlighting how they can help businesses thrive.

Understanding Singapore Business Grants

Singapore Business Grants are designed to support companies in various sectors. These grants provide financial assistance for adopting new technologies, enhancing capabilities, and driving growth. They are particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to scale up their operations.

The Singapore government offers several types of business grants. These include the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), and the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant. Each grant targets specific areas of business development, ensuring that companies receive the support they need.

Key Benefits of Singapore Business Grants

Business grants in Singapore offer numerous benefits. First, they provide financial relief, reducing the burden of costs associated with business expansion. Second, they encourage innovation by funding technology adoption and process improvements. Third, they enhance competitiveness by enabling businesses to invest in new capabilities and market expansion.

How to Apply for Singapore Business Grants

Applying for Singapore Business Grants is straightforward. Businesses must first identify the grants that suit their needs. Next, they should prepare a detailed proposal outlining their plans and expected outcomes. Finally, they submit their application through the relevant government portals. Once approved, they can start implementing their projects with financial support.

Exploring SME Grants

SME Grants are specifically tailored to support small and medium-sized enterprises. These grants help SMEs overcome challenges such as limited resources and market competition. By providing financial aid, SME Grants enable businesses to invest in growth and innovation.

SME Grants cover various aspects of business development. These include technology adoption, capability development, and market expansion. By leveraging these grants, SMEs can enhance their operations, improve productivity, and achieve sustainable growth.

Advantages of SME Grants

SME Grants offer several key advantages. First, they provide essential funding for growth initiatives, reducing financial constraints. Second, they promote innovation by supporting technology upgrades and process improvements. Third, they help businesses expand their market presence, both locally and internationally.

How to Apply for SME Grants

Applying for SME Grants involves a few simple steps. First, businesses must identify the specific grants that align with their goals. Next, they need to prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing their project plans and expected benefits. Finally, they submit their application for review. Upon approval, they can begin their projects with the necessary financial backing.

Combining Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants for Maximum Impact

Businesses can maximize their growth potential by combining Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants. This approach allows companies to access a broader range of financial support, covering various aspects of their operations.

For instance, a company might use the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to adopt new technology. Simultaneously, they can leverage the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) for capability development. This combination ensures comprehensive support for their growth initiatives.

Success Stories: Leveraging Business and SME Grants

Many businesses have successfully leveraged Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants to achieve remarkable growth. For example, a local manufacturing company used the PSG to implement automation technology. This upgrade improved their productivity and reduced operational costs. Additionally, they secured the EDG to enhance their export capabilities, expanding their market reach.

Another success story involves a retail business that utilized the MRA Grant to explore overseas markets. This grant covered market research and overseas promotion costs, enabling the business to establish a presence in new regions. These examples highlight the transformative impact of business and SME grants on companies' growth trajectories.

Conclusion

Leveraging Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants is essential for businesses aiming to grow and innovate. These grants provide financial support, encourage technology adoption, and enhance competitiveness. By understanding the benefits and application processes, businesses can unlock their full potential and achieve sustainable growth. Explore the opportunities offered by these grants today and take the first step towards a brighter future for your business.

[onlineproxychecker]

Unlocking Business Potential with Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants

In today's competitive business landscape, securing financial support is crucial for growth and innovation. This article explores the benefits of Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants, highlighting how they can help businesses thrive.

Understanding Singapore Business Grants

Singapore Business Grants are designed to support companies in various sectors. These grants provide financial assistance for adopting new technologies, enhancing capabilities, and driving growth. They are particularly beneficial for small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) looking to scale up their operations.

The Singapore government offers several types of business grants. These include the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG), the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG), and the Market Readiness Assistance (MRA) Grant. Each grant targets specific areas of business development, ensuring that companies receive the support they need.

Key Benefits of Singapore Business Grants

Business grants in Singapore offer numerous benefits. First, they provide financial relief, reducing the burden of costs associated with business expansion. Second, they encourage innovation by funding technology adoption and process improvements. Third, they enhance competitiveness by enabling businesses to invest in new capabilities and market expansion.

How to Apply for Singapore Business Grants

Applying for Singapore Business Grants is straightforward. Businesses must first identify the grants that suit their needs. Next, they should prepare a detailed proposal outlining their plans and expected outcomes. Finally, they submit their application through the relevant government portals. Once approved, they can start implementing their projects with financial support.

Exploring SME Grants

SME Grants are specifically tailored to support small and medium-sized enterprises. These grants help SMEs overcome challenges such as limited resources and market competition. By providing financial aid, SME Grants enable businesses to invest in growth and innovation.

SME Grants cover various aspects of business development. These include technology adoption, capability development, and market expansion. By leveraging these grants, SMEs can enhance their operations, improve productivity, and achieve sustainable growth.

Advantages of SME Grants

SME Grants offer several key advantages. First, they provide essential funding for growth initiatives, reducing financial constraints. Second, they promote innovation by supporting technology upgrades and process improvements. Third, they help businesses expand their market presence, both locally and internationally.

How to Apply for SME Grants

Applying for SME Grants involves a few simple steps. First, businesses must identify the specific grants that align with their goals. Next, they need to prepare a comprehensive proposal detailing their project plans and expected benefits. Finally, they submit their application for review. Upon approval, they can begin their projects with the necessary financial backing.

Combining Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants for Maximum Impact

Businesses can maximize their growth potential by combining Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants. This approach allows companies to access a broader range of financial support, covering various aspects of their operations.

For instance, a company might use the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) to adopt new technology. Simultaneously, they can leverage the Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) for capability development. This combination ensures comprehensive support for their growth initiatives.

Success Stories: Leveraging Business and SME Grants

Many businesses have successfully leveraged Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants to achieve remarkable growth. For example, a local manufacturing company used the PSG to implement automation technology. This upgrade improved their productivity and reduced operational costs. Additionally, they secured the EDG to enhance their export capabilities, expanding their market reach.

Another success story involves a retail business that utilized the MRA Grant to explore overseas markets. This grant covered market research and overseas promotion costs, enabling the business to establish a presence in new regions. These examples highlight the transformative impact of business and SME grants on companies' growth trajectories.

Conclusion

Leveraging Singapore Business Grants and SME Grants is essential for businesses aiming to grow and innovate. These grants provide financial support, encourage technology adoption, and enhance competitiveness. By understanding the benefits and application processes, businesses can unlock their full potential and achieve sustainable growth. Explore the opportunities offered by these grants today and take the first step towards a brighter future for your business.

[incorpglobalsstuff]

Understanding The Singapore One Pass Visa Application Process

Navigating the intricacies of the Singapore One Pass Visa application demands meticulous attention to detail and adherence to stringent requirements. Applicants must meet specific qualifications and furnish comprehensive documents while understanding the procedure, sponsorship nuances, and potential appeals. This guide illuminates the process, ensuring a smoother visa journey.

[barriecdapassistance]

Barrie CDAP Assistance

Transform your Barrie business with Barrie CDAP Assistance's CDAP digital strategies.

Contact us:

Barrie, Ontario

(705)413-3751

info@barrie-cdap.ca

[reasonsforhope]

It’s an open secret in fashion. Unsold inventory goes to the incinerator; excess handbags are slashed so they can’t be resold; perfectly usable products are sent to the landfill to avoid discounts and flash sales. The European Union wants to put an end to these unsustainable practices. On Monday, [December 4, 2023], it banned the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear.

“It is time to end the model of ‘take, make, dispose’ that is so harmful to our planet, our health and our economy,” MEP Alessandra Moretti said in a statement. “Banning the destruction of unsold textiles and footwear will contribute to a shift in the way fast fashion manufacturers produce their goods.”

This comes as part of a broader push to tighten sustainable fashion legislation, with new policies around ecodesign, greenwashing and textile waste phasing in over the next few years. The ban on destroying unsold goods will be among the longer lead times: large businesses have two years to comply, and SMEs have been granted up to six years. It’s not yet clear on whether the ban applies to companies headquartered in the EU, or any that operate there, as well as how this ban might impact regions outside of Europe.

For many, this is a welcome decision that indirectly tackles the controversial topics of overproduction and degrowth. Policymakers may not be directly telling brands to produce less, or placing limits on how many units they can make each year, but they are penalising those overproducing, which is a step in the right direction, says Eco-Age sustainability consultant Philippa Grogan. “This has been a dirty secret of the fashion industry for so long. The ban won’t end overproduction on its own, but hopefully it will compel brands to be better organised, more responsible and less greedy.”

Clarifications to come

There are some kinks to iron out, says Scott Lipinski, CEO of Fashion Council Germany and the European Fashion Alliance (EFA). The EFA is calling on the EU to clarify what it means by both “unsold goods” and “destruction”. Unsold goods, to the EFA, mean they are fit for consumption or sale (excluding counterfeits, samples or prototypes)...

The question of what happens to these unsold goods if they are not destroyed is yet to be answered. “Will they be shipped around the world? Will they be reused as deadstock or shredded and downcycled? Will outlet stores have an abundance of stock to sell?” asks Grogan.

Large companies will also have to disclose how many unsold consumer products they discard each year and why, a rule the EU is hoping will curb overproduction and destruction...

Could this shift supply chains?

For Dio Kurazawa, founder of sustainable fashion consultancy The Bear Scouts, this is an opportunity for brands to increase supply chain agility and wean themselves off the wholesale model so many rely on. “This is the time to get behind innovations like pre-order and on-demand manufacturing,” he says. “It’s a chance for brands to play with AI to understand the future of forecasting. Technology can help brands be more intentional with what they make, so they have less unsold goods in the first place.”

Grogan is equally optimistic about what this could mean for sustainable fashion in general. “It’s great to see that this is more ambitious than the EU’s original proposal and that it specifically calls out textiles. It demonstrates a willingness from policymakers to create a more robust system,” she says. “Banning the destruction of unsold goods might make brands rethink their production models and possibly better forecast their collections.”

One of the outstanding questions is over enforcement. Time and again, brands have used the lack of supply chain transparency in fashion as an excuse for bad behaviour. Part of the challenge with the EU’s new ban will be proving that brands are destroying unsold goods, not to mention how they’re doing it and to what extent, says Kurazawa. “Someone obviously knows what is happening and where, but will the EU?”"

-via British Vogue, December 7, 2023

[easternmind]

The weird and wonderful history of Kowloon as a digital interactive space - Part II

This article is the continuation of a previous post.

Any comprehensive history of 20th century Hong Kong is not complete without a chapter entirely dedicated to the architectural and urban planning puzzle that was Kowloon Walled City. Quite unlike any other slum in Asia or elsewhere in the world, the extreme conditions under which its inhabitants lived captured the attention of various international journalists and photographers whose reports of this accidental labyrinth, in turn, inspired some of the most remarkable artistic explorations of our time. In this regard, video games did not remain impervious to the powerfully stimulative imagery, as much a reference today as it was when its hardened concrete walls still stood tall.

Kowloon's Gate Suzaku VR - Jetman - 2017

Kowloon's Gate made a most unexpected comeback twenty years after the original episode via the crowdfunded VR project Suzaku developed by Jetman, a studio founded by and composed almost exclusively of ex-SME/Zeque staff. While it is not the remaster many had hoped for, essentially consisting of a walking simulation through some redesigned locations from the original, it does a commendable job in faithfully replicating its instantly recognizable, light-starved alleyways in competent high-definition. It is also the only VR-compatible entry from this list, granting it a degree of uniqueness over its counterparts.

Stranglehold - Midway/Tiger Hill Productions - 2007

Stranglehold is the result of a collaboration with Hong Kong movie director John Woo, developed as a direct sequel to his heroic bloodshed classic Hard Boiled, featuring Chow Yun-fat in the role of detective 'Tequilla' Yuen in his unending confrontations with organized crime. One of the game's most unforgettable levels, Slums of Kowloon, takes place during a particularly rainy day, seemingly in those last days when the zone had been emptied of residents and demolition work was well underway. The visual representation of the quarter is suitably evocative, its buildings in complete state of disrepair, the remnants of local businesses or places of prayer still discernible from under the piles of steel and cement rubble.

Resident Evil 6 - Capcom - 2012

For all its shortcomings, Resident Evil 6 partly succeeds in taking the first two episodes' concept of parallel storylines and realizing it to a much fuller extent. Its choice of different characters translates into entirely different campaigns, locations and playing styles. The very first scene in Chris/Piers' campaign occurs in the fictional Chinese city of Lanshiang, modelled after real-life Hong Kong. The mayhem in the main streets forces the player to take a detour into a location named Poisawan, which bears a striking resemblance to the Kowloon district. Though an unofficial representation, it is among the most skilled replications of the scenery we find in the vast photographic repository of the area. The degree of minutiae with which the district's haphazard electric installation is replicated, alone, suffices to demonstrate a true commitment to authenticity.

Paranormal HK - Ghostpie Studio - 2020

Few would dispute that Kowloon is, itself, naturally conducive to sentiments of dread and anxiety. Paranormal HK is a 2020 made in China production reviving the defunct neighbourhood in a gripping, blood-curdling contemporary ghost story. The player is the cameraman of a paranormal-themed TV show exploring the zone during the evening of the Zhongyuan festival, a scheme suspiciously akin to that of Akira Ueda's 2004 game, Michigan: Report From Hell. As a result of the thorough research work performed by its creators, as well as the impeccable usage of contemporary 3D graphics techniques to achieve accurate lighting conditions, players may momentarily experience the feeling of walking into a photo of the actual city as it existed in the mid eighties.

Sifu - Sloclap - 2022

Notwithstanding of its renaissance during the 128-Bit era, the beat 'em up genre is commonly associated with the arcade games of the late 80s and 90s, the period of time when it flourished and, arguably, reached its zenith. The simplicity of controls and ease of access sufficed to attract players to the arcade cabinet, while the frequently extreme levels of difficulty of advanced levels ensured a steady flow of cash for arcade room owners and game development companies alike. Nevertheless, the genre has but perished and, in many aspects, recent years have indeed elevated it to unforeseeable degrees of complexity. Sifu, by Sloclap, synthesizes the elation of digital hand to hand combat simulation with the real-life complexity of mastering a martial art.

As is the case of previous entries in this list, Sifu makes no admitted reference to Kowloon or Hong Kong. However, the designers left little to the imagination in what pertains to their inspirations when taking on the task of constructing the game's environments. Another notable coincidence stems from the fact that this production was made possibly with the support from a celebrated independent game funding group going by the name Kowloon Nights.

Stray - BlueTwelve Studio - 2022

Stray is one of the most revered independent video games in recent memory, and justifiably so. The long development process yielded many benefits, judging from the consistency and attention to detail that engrossed many an avid player. That the main character is singularly charming feline may have played an equally crucial role. The creators have made no effort to conceal the fact that the notorious Hong Kong district was a pivotal influence to the design of its nameless city. The first indication can be spotted in the game's earliest footage, in which a black cat traverses a street where a particularly conspicuous sign boasted the initials HK. Stray is less concerned with presenting a precise replica of Kowloon than it is about summoning the very essence of its atmosphere. Moreover, in an exquisitely poignant way, its ending lends an entirely new meaning to the term walled city. In the future, robots may well take the place of humans. Invariably, the Walled City is no more. Slitterhead - Bokeh Game Studio - Work in Progress

An sequence of unconscionable mistakes from the part of Sony Computer Entertainment's management galvanized Keiichiro Toyama to part ways with Japan Studio, as it once was, and establish his own game production label. Their debut title, Slitterhead, is described as a grotesque survival horror experience, a genre within which the author moves with matchless ease. Among the few certainties regarding this project is the fact that it will take place prominently - if not exclusively - within the Kowloon City province. A wide variety of aspects included in the preview footage leave the viewer optimistic as to this being one of the most accomplished portrayals of the district ever seen in a video game. Subtle yet telling signs already demonstrate the creator's in-depth knowledge of the quarter's architecture and history. Take, for instance, the suggestive image of the airplane flying mere meters above the top of the buildings. Although the growth of Kowloon was for the most part ungoverned, buildings did not rise above a certain height, even as inhabitants claimed for increased availability of space. This is due to the fact that airplanes landing at the nearby airport would be required to make their descent at relatively low altitude, performing a tight curve as they soared just above the enclave, thus preventing construction from expanding upwards. Another scene shows a child playing on the rooftops of the buildings, which once again is consistent with the documented habits of residents who, starved for sunlight and open space elsewhere within the city limits, had little alternative than to take the stairs all the way to the top.

Warehouse Kawasaki Arcade

I would be remiss not to make some form of allusion to Warehouse Kawasaki, an arcade built to replicate the Walled City with unthinkable detail. Though its ultimate purpose was for visitors to engage in digital entertainment, the venue was scrupulously put together. Point in fact, many of the objects used in the construction of the five floor amusement centre were imported directly from Hong Kong. Like so many other Japanese arcades, it closed its doors in 2019.

In recent years, a rather similar initiative was taken by the Chinese in their attempts to build unique mall spaces. The 文和友 malls in mainland China, found in Changsha, Guangzhou and Shenzhen, attempt to reproduce the walled city aesthetic. Local residents inform me that these are increasingly lacking in foot traffic, for which reason the majority of their stores are closed. Other digital replicas of Kowloon

A number of other videogames set in or deriving inspiration from Kowloon could not be featured in this article. A frequently cited reference in this context is the action/adventure game Fear Effect, one which I emphatically dispute. No doubt remains as to it being located in a futuristic version of Hong Kong, yet I could discern no parallels with the walled city, save for those scattered second-hand visual motifs that were no doubt imported from sci-fi classics such as Blade Runner or Ghost in the Shell.

The Utelek Complex stage of Deus Ex: Makind Divided presents a similar situation, where the overall atmosphere of the futuristic favela bears some resemblance to Kowloon, without meeting the specificity quota that would warrant a more comprehensive exploration.

The 2004 Shout! original Kowloon High-School Chronicle for the PS2 is a unique case, in that it borrows the city's name despite taking place in a massive, Tokyo underground dungeon that is later revealed to be a maze-like Egyptian pyramid. The odd choice of title remains unclear. Shadowrun: Hong Kong game (screenshot above) contains a very direct mention of Kowloon as the place in which an entire episode comes to pass. Another project still in development, Kowloon's Curse (screenshot below), is following the lead of many popular independent horror games in recent memory by using a visual design and structure that elicits memories of the late Playstation/early Dreamcast era. A short prequel episode was made available earlier this year, for free.

Additionally, I refrained from mentioning the Kowloon maps in Call of Duty: Black Ops or Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, as I perceive both games to be insufficiently relevant to merit study or contemplation.

A space that refuses to be forgotten

(China rooftop stage from The King of Fighters 2003)

It would be a gross overstatement to claim that Kowloon is a recurring location or level design motif in videogames. The relationship between digital games and the real life ghetto has been one of sporadic references. What makes the subject so engrossing pertains to the quality of the relationship, particularly that of a small cadre from among the titles featured in this article. Kowloon's Gate was one of the most relevant game creations of the 32-Bit era, a game deserving of reverence and cult following inside and outside Japan. Likewise, Shenmue II is the second instalment of a truly ground-breaking and highly advertised series whose production costs alone were unmatched until quite recently.

Moreover, this is an affair that is far from concluded. The unexpectedly high number of allusions to Kowloon in videogames released or revealed just last yet demonstrates that its aesthetic is still very much present in the minds and hearts of artists and designers working in the field. The walled city lives on as a digital demarcation that is certain to resurface time and again in years to come.

[ccasey0]

Okay, i have the first five stars. this took way longer than expected lol.

@allyheart707 is the one on Casey's tail. she is the star of sleep, and her bow carries dream arrows that grant those she shoots with it the dreams they will love the most.

@onlyhereforturtles is the fox looking at the black that Casey always leaves behind when he walks. They are a kitsune with markings that were surprisingly hard to get right. i was unable to add in all the stuff they mentioned, but i hope this is still acceptable.

@kitmay05 is the one waving at Casey. She is a small farmer who harvests shinedust and gifts it in little pouches to people in need. different kinds of shinedust has different qualities. she has a hoe that can be used for farming or whacking.

@cosmocafe is the goat floating at the top left. the only thing they mentioned was for the goat to have a scarf, so i made up a few little things while i was drawing. they can float and wherever they step they leave swirls of various different temperatures depending on the season. they help make the winter cold and the summer hot.

@icequeenabby is the little owl on Casey's head. she flies around the night sky while the other farmer stars are working to harvest the shinedust. she likes to fly underneath them and catch some of the stray dust on her wings. she will then happily fly around the newer shines that are just blooming and shower then with the dust to make them glow even brighter. she also has a stick. there isn't anything special about this stick. but she will kill you if you try to take it from her.

Whew, okay. that took forever. i still have two more stars to add to this, and then i wanna make individual drawings for each star. also, im calling the characters "stars" and the actual glowing dots in the sky "shines" so as not to get them confused with each other. I also want to add that i'm sorry if the stars don't look exactly how you guys described them. i did my best, and for some of the harder ones i just gave up and simplified them. at this point i'm too tired to change anything about it. oh. the explanation for why the stars are following Casey. sometimes, Casey will be walking through the Night sky to do something. sme of the stars see him and decide "oh! it's the Night Spirit! i bet i could help him with some stuff!" and they just start following him. they usually follow him around for as long as possible until he tells them to leave or to go do something. they will even follow him outside of the nighttime. Casey acts like he despises these little guys and their persistence. but he actually adores each one of them and will take a bullet to protect his tiny star bebes. the edgelord will never admit it though.

also, fun fact: the night sky is a little world of its own! it may just look like the sky from the earth, but it is more of a vast expanse of white where all the night spirits live. and yes, i know what you are thinking. "white? shouldn't it be black?" well, It is a mix of both. Wherever the upper spirits walk, the leave black footprints that spread like markers bleeding into paper. the blackness will eventually all drip away and land on the border between the celestial realm and the mortal one. then it just stays there, making the sky look black to everyone below. the Shines are bright enough to be able to shine through the backness though, giving the look of a night sky. also, only spirits can go through the borders alone. any mortal has to have celestial help to get to the celestial realm.

it might be a bit until i work on this again since i have a ton of work to do, family staying at our house for the eclipse, a bunch of other drawings i wanna get done, and way too little sleep to function properly. so yeah, imma sleep for a bit. catch up on some stuff. and then i will likely start up on this again. ALSO!! feel free to make this digital and add your own stars to this! i'd love to see what other people can come up with for this!

info on the au can be found Here! oke, bye now. hope you like it!

[newvista857]

Unlocking Business Growth with PSG, SME, and EDG Grants

For small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), government grants can be a game-changer, providing the financial support needed to enhance productivity and competitiveness. Three of the most impactful grants available to SMEs are the PSG grant, SME grant, and EDG grant. These grants are designed to help businesses in Singapore adopt digital solutions, automate processes, and improve overall efficiency. Leveraging these grants can significantly accelerate growth and streamline operations.

What is the PSG Grant?

The PSG grant (Productivity Solutions Grant) is specifically designed to help businesses adopt technology solutions that can improve productivity and efficiency. Eligible companies can receive up to 70% funding support for adopting pre-approved IT solutions. One popular solution under this scheme is Microsoft Power Automate, which helps businesses automate workflows and reduce manual processes. By leveraging the PSG grant, businesses can significantly reduce costs while improving operational efficiency.

The PSG grant targets a wide range of sectors, including retail, construction, logistics, and food services, making it versatile for many industries. Whether it's streamlining inventory management or automating customer service, the grant supports solutions that can reduce time spent on repetitive tasks and allow businesses to focus on growth strategies.

The Importance of SME Grant for Business Growth

The SME grant (Small and Medium Enterprise grant) is another crucial funding scheme that supports local businesses. It focuses on helping companies adopt technology solutions that enhance productivity and efficiency. By utilizing the SME grant, companies can implement enterprise resource planning (ERP) systems, which integrate various business processes into one unified system. ERP systems help streamline inventory management, financial tracking, and customer relations.

ERP solutions are vital for small businesses looking to scale. Without an ERP system, businesses often rely on disparate tools, which can lead to inefficiencies, errors, and wasted resources. The SME grant offers an opportunity for companies to improve their systems at a fraction of the cost, boosting productivity while keeping operational costs low.

How the EDG Grant Can Boost Competitiveness

The EDG grant (Enterprise Development Grant) is designed to support businesses that are seeking to innovate and grow internationally. The grant funds projects that help improve business capabilities in three main areas: core capabilities, innovation and productivity, and market access. Eligible companies can receive up to 80% of project costs covered by the EDG grant, making it a critical resource for businesses looking to expand and innovate.

Innovation is the backbone of growth for any business. Whether it's adopting a new ERP system, improving supply chain processes, or entering new markets, the EDG grant helps businesses innovate while reducing the financial burden. Companies can use this grant to cover costs related to consultancy services, software implementation, and even overseas expansion. With government support, businesses are better equipped to compete on a global scale.

Why Government Grants Are Crucial for SMEs

Government grants like the PSG grant, SME grant, and EDG grant play a vital role in helping small businesses overcome financial barriers to growth. With limited budgets, many SMEs struggle to adopt the latest technologies or improve their business processes. These grants provide much-needed financial support, enabling businesses to modernize their operations without bearing the full cost.

For instance, adopting solutions such as Microsoft Power Automate through the PSG grant or implementing an ERP system using the SME grant allows businesses to scale without overextending their resources. Meanwhile, the EDG grant can help companies pursue international markets, further boosting their growth potential.

Maximizing the Benefits of Government Grants

To fully benefit from grants like the PSG, SME, and EDG, businesses should conduct a thorough assessment of their needs. Identifying areas where digital solutions can have the most impact is essential. For example, businesses looking to improve operational efficiency should consider solutions like Microsoft Power Automate, which streamlines workflows and reduces manual intervention. On the other hand, companies seeking to scale up and manage multiple operations more effectively can benefit from implementing an ERP system, using the SME grant.

Moreover, businesses should plan for long-term growth by leveraging the EDG grant for international expansion and innovation. By staying ahead of the competition through continuous innovation and improvement, companies can ensure sustained success in a fast-changing market.

Conclusion

In conclusion, the PSG grant, SME grant, and EDG grant offer invaluable support for businesses looking to improve productivity, adopt digital solutions, and expand internationally. By utilizing these grants, businesses can reduce operational costs, streamline processes, and increase their competitiveness in both local and global markets. Leveraging these resources effectively can help companies achieve long-term growth and success, ensuring they remain competitive in today’s rapidly evolving business landscape.

[filthforfriends]

Chapter 1: Checking In

The Sun is the Center of Everything

See Author's Note (CW: addiction)

Word count: 3.5k

Damiano David x Y/n

His family and his friends, mutual and otherwise, made tepid comments about Damiano’s wellbeing. They knew they didn’t have the right to ask anything of you, not anymore.

“Just checking in! I know the breakup was tough.” Tough. The word choice made you outright laugh. It was something you’d say to a child who just lost a football game. I know that was tough, buddy. 

“Hey, checking in, hope you’re doing well.” 

“I wanted to check in and see how you’re doing, y/n.”

“I know I checked in on you earlier, but I just wanted to make sure you’re okay.” I was forced to choose between my sanity and my relationship, but God granted me neither.

“I’m doing fine, all things considered.” “Checking in” was their excuse to call, it was a transition to statements like, “We all miss you alot. Hope we’ll see you soon, sweetheart.” “Well, I’m glad you’re doing well, since I know Damia has been struggling.” “Have you heard from Dami? I was gonna call and ask how he’s doing as well. I heard he’s not coping well.” “You were such a force for good in his life. I think he really needs that.” “I wish I knew how to get Damiano closer to being fine, too.” That last one earned a real life eye roll. At least his friends had the etiquette to feel guilty for dragging you back into it. 

You were certain that your heart couldn’t bear to love someone hellbent on self-destructing. You were certain that Damiano wasn’t going to get sober of his own volition. He’d lose his temper when you’d bring up those two years of not drinking. Articles, books, podcasts, speeches, YouTube videos, TV, movies, therapy, support groups, doctors, even a sobriety coach. You spent more time on resources for his addiction disorder than you did self-care, or hobbies, or some days, even work. Your life revolved around stopping this behavior before he became a tragic stereotype and left a black hole in your life. Damiano’s life revolved around Maneskin’s unrelenting schedule. 

He’d do anything to reclaim his autonomy, but the options were slim. The documents from Sony US hadn’t been translated with nuance and you wondered if that might void some of it. Hoped, really. He’d signed his life away to realize his dream. Now all he could do is show his handlers that they’d bought a faulty machine. In fact, he was self-destructive enough that he’d do it just to spite them. 

The first time Damiano was hospitalized with alcohol poisoning, you found about a dozen ways to reassure yourself that everything wasn’t falling apart. He’d been sober for two years so his tolerance was low. Damiano was probably drinking the same amount. Then you found out it’d been hard alcohol, no mixers. Now the excuses were he didn’t remember when to stop. He had to relearn how to self regulate when drinking. 

Ethan had been the one to call the first time, when they’d managed to contain it. The second it was his head of security, Ronnie. In a totally normal and healthy way, you combed through Twitter for an hour. The knot in your stomach said the news would break and it did. Splashed across tabloids was a haggard looking picture of Dami that you tried to date based on his outfit. Your therapist called your behavior “obsessive,” but followed it up with a surprising amount of empathy.

“Tough love can be equally painful on both sides.” You’d never told her you still loved him. It was obvious. For the first time, carrying around all Damiano’s secrets felt like a burden. You’d never betray his confidence, despite how poisonous he’d been towards the end. SME had you sign a non-disclosure agreement in early 2021. You’d insisted it wasn’t necessary, that there wasn’t enough money in the world to pay you to talk to the press. Sony had simply said, “for now,” prompting Dami’s stereotypically Italian temper to flare.

Ronnie was more concerned with you telling Damiano that he’d relayed this information, clearly against your ex-boyfriend’s wishes. 

“Be honest with me, are you breaching contract by calling me?” There’s a very long sign on the other end of the line.

“Technically, no. He hasn’t taken you off his emergency contacts. I’m more concerned about the disruption it would cause.”

“Disruption?”

“Explosion. Whatever he’s ingesting has made him volatile, constantly on edge. The edge of rage, that is. We’ve stopped hoping for good days and started hoping for some good hours every few days, ideally around showtime or interviews.” 

“Wow, okay. I know he has a temper –”

“He’s never not angry. It's always simmering under the surface.” Through the silence, you can hear the sounds of the hospital. Layers of anxious voices and the constant beeping of some machine.

“You didn’t do this.”

“I know,” you respond automatically.

“Y/n, you didn’t do this. He did this to himself.” Dami had violated boundary after boundary as you set them. He became less recognisable, until he wasn’t the person you fell in love with. Full of creativity, light, good humor, who loved art and comradery more than he did any substance.

“I mean, I don’t think the breakup is why he’s so angry. The depression is probably from the alcohol. That’s actually why I’m calling.” Ronnie has the same tone of voice as those who are “checking in.” “The decision has been made, that he’s going to rehab.”

“Good.” With your back braced against the wall, you slide down onto the floor with relief.

“That decision has been made without Damiano’s consent.”

“Can’t you consult him?”

“No,” Ronnie says firmly. “Addicts aren’t rational.” It was the first time you’d heard someone call Dami an addict. Before now, that word had only existed in your own head.

“I can’t believe it got to this point so quickly.” Your cat, Princess, senses your anxiety and rubs against you. Dami had picked her out as a tiny kitten. When would she start wondering where her dad was? Maybe not yet, he was gone for long stretches of time on tour. Princess doesn’t know he isn’t coming home, and that thought both makes you jealous and sob hysterically. 

“Y/n? Y/n? You still there?”

“Yeah, sorry,” you sniff, eyes burning.

“SME is using the full weight of its influence to force Dami into rehab. He might call you and say anything he can think of to get out of it. Don’t believe him. You can’t trust him right now.” The thought of Dami calling and begging you to fly him home, only to go on a bender makes you sick.

“Should I block his number and Whatsapp?”

“That's up to you.”

“You called to tell me it's up to me?”

“I called you to warn you. So you could steal yourself. So you’d know about it before the tabloids.”

“I suppose now that Dami’s hospitalization is public, someone is also gonna leak that he’s going to rehab. Cover their own asses?” Ronnie falls silent. “You know, going to rehab in privacy would be a fuck load more effective. Let them wonder.”

“I wish they would.” Here was the impasse you always reached. Damiano treated as a doll to be flung around for profit, as if he didn’t have a soul. 

“Fine. Thanks for calling me.” Each time, you tried to tell them not to update you in the future, and each time your tongue refused to form the words.

“Y/n, I have a feeling that something is really not right with him. That it could get much worse before it gets better.” Now, he’s managed to tick you off.

“Ronnie, I tried everything in my goddamn power to keep him from crashing and burning. More than anyone else! I devoted hours to –”

“Y/n, I know.”

“I couldn’t stop him from self-destructing. I tried!” The sound of tears creeps into your voice. “I couldn’t stand to watch it anymore. I don’t know if he was refusing to get better or was unable to, but either way I…tried.”

“No one questions that. I mean that Damiano might need for things to get worse for them to eventually get better. He’s stubborn and short-sighted. I want you to be ready.”

“How much worse?” you whisper.

“He might need to bruise his ass on rock bottom to stop idealizing self-destruction.”

“‘Live fast, die young’ sounds a lot like I’d rather stick it to the man than grow old with you. My ego is bigger than my love for you”

“I don’t know that that’s true, y/n. For some people it's a matter of time before they become addicts when they’re put into this pressure cooker. I’ve seen it before.

“And?”

“Only Damiano can pull himself out of it.”

“So I just wasted my time,” you respond bitterly.

“Showing Damiano how deeply and unequivocally you loved him might save him still.”

“I thought he had to save himself.”

“You’re telling me that after five years he’s not a part of you and vice versa?”

“No.” No, I’m not telling you that, because I know the opposite to be true so viscerally that it has almost destroyed me. The part of Damiano that lay in your heart should be withering in his absence, but it remained very much alive. How do you move on from someone you hadn’t broken up with? The version of Dami that caused you to end it wasn’t truly representative of his character. He was still in there, progressively buried under the rubble of this revolt. The man you loved was unreachable which also made it impossible to move on. Every day he held you in his hellish limbo. 

Damiano did his 30 days. Then 30 hours after discharge, he overdosed in Milan. You started buying a train ticket as soon as you saw Ronnie’s contact on the screen. 

“Is he alive?” 

“Yes, but he’s on a ventilator.”

“God damn it Dami,” you whimper, doubled over and on the verge of screaming into your hand. “What's happening?”

“That's literally all I know. Someone found him in the bathroom of a bougie nightclub and gave him Narcan, thank god. His lips were purple, so…” For a moment Ronnie’s voice is drowned out by a sob. “It’s gonna be messy. The ambulance was photographed.”

“Christ.” This would make international celebrity news. Every asshole who’d typecast Dam after Eurovision would be competing for the most public validation. 

“We don’t think it was intentional.”

“But how bad was it? Like would he think he was gonna die in the moment? Was he alone? How long was he conscious? What – what about organ failure. What if –”

“Y/n, I don’t know,” Ronnie says slowly. “I will call when I have more information.” You’d been on the train for 20 minutes before your phone rang. He was going to be okay. You balled up your coat and screamed, using it as a gag.

“Turns out, to compensate for the hangovers, he’s been doing cocaine.” Never has irony been more painful. “He wasn’t testing his drugs. The coke was laced with fentanyl. Another line might have killed him.” Only then does the possibility that Damiano could end his own life become apparent. It swallows up every other aspect of your reality, until you’re standing in the doorway of his hospital room. 

Thomas’ girlfriend Mia sees you first and runs in for a hug. Ethan and Vic were sleeping in their hotel rooms. Ronnie’s jacket is crumpled in a chair, forgotten after drifting off to sleep probably.

“Hey! Ronnie said you might come, but…” But I’m not Damia’s girlfriend. Perhaps he’d found someone new, and you were encroaching on their territory.

“Shit, I just thought that, um…is he dating –”

“No.” The amount of relief that provided was just evidence of how damaged you were. “He’s been in a coma for almost three hours, lots of good brain activity. He should wake up soon.”

“Coma?” you squeaked. In Tom’s eyes you saw how taxing this new Damiano had been. You weren’t the only one that loved him unconditionally. 

“Yeah.” Thomas rubs his face and sighs. “Fuck. We have so much shit tomorrow.” SME had scheduled a press tour as soon as Damiano was discharged, to make up for lost time. Everything was pushed back because the band couldn’t release something they hadn’t done publicity for.

“I’ll sit with him for a while,” you reassure. Mia helps Tom up out of the chair. After exchanging appropriate greetings, they exit the room, whose door remains open. Now you had to look at him. The ventilator emits rhythmic rushes of air, so your eyes find the source of the sound first. Then you follow the tubing until it enters Damiano. He’s gray, sickly looking like he had COVID again. Surely they already tested for that. 

The concern had been damaging his voice, like the tobacco and weed hadn’t already put his vocal chords on the edge of irreversible harm. How damaging is a plastic tube shoved down your throat? Alcohol caused esophageal cancer and coke eviscerated your sinuses. What would those do to his singing voice? 

You’d refrained from watching his gigs, but now you have the compulsion to find a video of this morning’s interview. It was just the talking portion, no performance. That was Sony’s idea of easing back into the public’s eye. In the thumbnail, he doesn’t look like an addict. Damiano’s skin had aged backwards while in rehab. He was beautiful, pale from so much time in doors, but healthy. The fact that he’d managed so much damage in a matter of hours made you nauseous. 

You sat in the bathroom while the feeling passed. The pale green tiles were cold. Should you leave? You couldn’t even work up the bravery to touch him. But if you left, Dami could wake up alone with a tube down his throat, confused that he wasn’t dead. Meanwhile, the fluorescent lights illuminate details in the reflection of the mirror that you’d prefer not to be made aware of. After pondering some adult acne, you decide that you aren’t the type of person to abandon someone, just because they abandoned you.

Upon exiting the bathroom, you startle the nurse at Damiano’s bedside.

“Geez, I didn’t know you were in there!” She brings a hand to her ample bosom while taking a deep breath.

“Shit, sorry. I was just…having an existential crisis.”

“Ah, so you must be the girlfriend, then.”

“Yep,” you answer automatically. After five years, that response was ingrained into your frontal lobe. This would have been the first time you answered no.

“I’m Maria and I’m gonna be your nurse this morning.”

“Morning?”

“It is…” she checks her smart watch, “5:04. So early morning.” Her chipper tone gives you cognitive dissonance. “I’m just gonna take some blood, just to monitor how his organs are functioning. Unfortunately a tiny amount of fentanyl can wreak havoc.” 

“His organs are failing?”

“No,” she answers firmly, going so far as to round the bed and pat you on the shoulder before putting on latex gloves. “He’s young and it's his first OD. He could bounce back quickly, but a coma is the body's last ditch effort at keeping itself alive. He’s lucky.” She gives you a knowing look. “I can recommend some great treatment programs, now that he officially has his Substance Use Disorder diagnosis.”

“Um.”

“Maybe we’ll tackle that around breakfast time. Now why don’t you hold onto his hand.” She ties a purple tourniquet around his bicep on his left arm while you gingerly take a seat. “Mhm, go ahead,” she permits, completely oblivious to the war raging inside you.

“Does – does it help?” Your left hand quivers, half an inch above his, close enough to feel the heat.  For some reason, you expect Dami’s skin to be cold too, like a corpse. 

“It can be difficult to find a good vein after an overdose.”

“Are his veins damaged?”

“We didn’t find any evidence that he was using intravenously. Unfortunately hypoxia, A.K.A. oxygen deprivation, is a result of –”

“Will he have brain damage?”

“You’ll have to ask the doctor that question.” 

“Does Narcan hurt?”

“No, but he’ll probably have a headache.”

“Does overdosing on fentanyl hurt?”

“It’s heavily sedating.”

“Would he know that he was overdosing?”

“Depends on how experienced of a drug user he is.”

“I’m pretty positive that this is his first overdose.”

“Then probably not.”

“Would he be scared then?”

“You’d have to ask him.”

“Would he be afraid of dying?”

“Honey, hold his hand.” Maria pats you on the shoulder as you finally set your palm against Damiano’s. His skin is warm, as always, and he feels sturdy. The sensation of his hand in yours brings back so many memories that you’re fighting not to drown in them. It's strange, him not responding as you squeeze down. Dam loved to talk about marriage, how the ceremony would go, the reception. You’d debated matching rings. Now you watched the blue line of his heart rate on the beeping monitor.

“Okay, all done,” Maria announced, smoothing adhesive labels over vials of blood. “The doctor will be in shortly and – oh.” She freezes, then presses the call button.

“Is he okay?” Your heart falls from your chest to stomach, out your ass, and lands on the linoleum floor. 

“Yep, looks like he’s coming out of it, actually. Stand up,” Maria requests, pulling on your arm. “Make sure you’re in his line of sight. Waking up on life support can be quite disorienting.” Damiano’s face looks the same, but then his pupils move under his eyelids. You’re the first thing he’ll see and that pressure is impossible to bear. 

“I can’t! I’m so sorry.” You rub your eyes then stand up, grabbing your purse and overnight bag. Maria doesn’t protest. She lets you leave in a flurry of movement and tears, throwing the door open so forcefully that it hits the wall. Once outside of the hospital room, you immediately feel compelled to go back. Dami had never done anything to warrant being left alone at such a pivotal, terrifying moment. You knew with absolute certainty that if the roles were reversed, he’d have never left your side.

“Okay.” You take a deep breath upon re-entering the hospital room, holding Dami’s right hand in both of your own. “Okay, I’m here. What now?” 

“We wait,” Maria answers, as a doctor enters the room. There's the medication given, vitals taken, brain activity analyzed. The waves on the monitor become closer together, then more drastic. Medical personnel may be accustomed to it, but the rapid beeping elevates your anxiety.

“We’re bringing him up out of it gradually, so he doesn’t hurt himself,” narrates a young doctor. “Mr. David will have regained a level of consciousness by now. Probably thinks he’s dreaming.” How would a person not startle while waking up with a tube in their throat? It’d been almost three months since you’d last seen him, but if you thought about it that way, you’d just run. Instead, you imagine that you’re waking Damiano up from a bad dream, even though it was typically the other way around.

“Will he recognize your voice?”

“Of course.” The response comes out defensive when you didn’t intend it to be.

“Talk to him.”

“I…okay.” You lean down, getting closer to his ear. “Dami, it’s y/n. It’s y/n, I’m really here. It's me, baby.” That last word gets stuck in your throat. It’d be so long. How many messages had you missed? He must have tried to contact you.

“I’m sorry, I haven’t answered. I don’t know the right things to say. I don’t know if saying something is the right thing.” Maria and the other nurse in the room are looking at you with a bit of judgment, but the doctor is focused on the monitors.

“Great. That’s great.” You raise a shaky hand to Damiano’s cheek and brush your thumb back and forth.

“As soon as I heard, I got on a train. I still think about you everyday, even more than when we were together. Hopefully you won’t remember any of this, me babbling on. I’d call it pathetic, but you wouldn’t like that.”

“Page whatever respiratory therapist is on call this morning, please. Thank you.” For another couple minutes you wait for improvement, signs that your boyfriend still existed in this body. The doctor is enthralled in what appears to be unchanging information to you, and administers another dose of something. 

“I always thought it was kind of sudden,” you confess. “Damia, if you can hear me, come towards the surface.”

“He can definitely hear you. I’m Dr. Williams, by the way, or just Paul.” The young physician never breaks focus. “Common misconception. If waking up from sleep isn’t instant, why would waking up from a coma be,” he chuckles. Damiano’s hand twitches at the wrist, like a muscle spasm.

“He just moved!”

“Mm-hm.”

“Is everything okay?” Ethan exclaims, having walked in while all your focus was elsewhere. Someone herds him into the hall and closes the door. Then Dami squeezes down on your hand, properly, like he intends to. His eyes flutter and you feel his presence enter the room.

Notes: Chapter 2 posted on Sunday. Let me know if you find this fic interesting/compelling so far. I'll be posting two short chapters a week, word count ranging from 2.9 - 7.3k. Hello to the new members of my taglist!

-XOXO Eden

Read the rest on my Masterlist

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[jowrites]

Lil vent here

With the whole MHJ vs. HYBE thing, NewJeans fans should NOT be celebrating. Do you know how bad this is for those girls? This is terrible. And to those who didn't actually understand or read the full articles, I'll break it down for you:

-This ruling was for Min Hee Jins temporary injunction to be granted, keyword temporary. She did not win. She bought herself time. And with this time, I expect her to even go harder in the media. Things are going to get even crazier.

-The court sided with HYBE and found their evidence real and true. They said HYBEs accusations were correct, but because of MHJs contract they cannot fire her yet until more investigations are done.

-The court told HYBE they have a criminal case and to wait until the 2 criminal cases against her are done, and to file another lawsuit. All they have to do is wait, but HYBE will most likely appeal in the next couple days.

-HYBE expected this.

-HYBE can STILL fire her board members, which on May 31 the meeting is still being held and her minions will be getting fired. HYBE will be appointing new board members of their choosing and a Co-CEO for ADOR.

-MHJ has no power. She is stripped of all her power and will never be able to make an executive decision ever again. She has created her own personal hell. She is going to be surrounded by people who do not like her, do not trust her, and will never let her do anything.

-MHJ still has 2 criminal cases against her that the police are still investigating, she also has a couple lawsuits and most likely will be getting more. She's won nothing here.

Now that that's over, let me just talk about NewJeans because this is the most important part. Min Hee Jin is NewJeans #1 hater. From the very beginning this woman has brought everyone she can name into this and has done nothing but drag NewJeans down. In court she literally blamed NewJeans, yet again, saying it was the NewJeans girls who asked her to go after Illit for "copying them". Now, I don't actually believe those girls said that. MHJ has done nothing but spout BS and hide behind NewJeans to make everyone hate them. And it's working.

MHJ has ruined their reputations. She has ruined their careers because these girls will never have another comeback. She has ruined their mental health. She has isolated them from the entire industry, nobody wants anything to do with them. These are ALL tactics of a predator. Those girls do not deserve this and with what I'm seeing from the response of what she said, I hope HYBE keeps them out of the spotlight for a while until this is over with because this is not good for those girls and their mental health.

So to the NewJeans fans, please do proper reading before riding that womans ass. I don't like HYBE either and they're messing up these girls too, their first mistake was trusting someone from SME! But MHJ is the biggest bully here.

[groupfazza]

سمو الشيخ حمدان بن محمد : برؤية محمد بن راشد، رسخت دبي مكانتها مركزاً للأفكار المبتكرة وعاصمةً للاقتصاد الرقمي وحاضنة للمواهب... اليوم، وتماشياً مع ��جندة دبي الاقتصادية D33، أعلنت "امازون" عزمها استضافة 100 ألف شركة أبرزها شركات إماراتية ضمن متجرها في الإمارات بحلول 2026 لطرح منتجاتها على نطاق عالمي واسع.

H.H Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed : Driven by @HHShkMohd's vision, Dubai has positioned itself as a thriving center for the digital economy. I welcome Amazon’s plans to showcase 100,000 businesses, including local SMEs, on Amazon.ae by 2026. This initiative will grant Emirati companies a global platform, aligning with D33's aspirations, and enabling further progress towards our shared goals.

Tuesday, 14 March 2023 الثلاثاء

[onlineproxychecker]

Maximizing Efficiency for SMEs in Singapore: Government Grants, Inventory Management, and E-Invoicing Solutions

Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) are the backbone of Singapore's economy. To stay competitive, SMEs must adopt efficient business solutions. This article explores how government grants for SMEs, effective inventory management systems in Singapore, and the InvoiceNow e-invoicing solution can help SMEs achieve operational excellence.

Leveraging Government Grants for SMEs

Understanding Government Grants

The Singapore government offers various grants to support SMEs in adopting technology and improving operations. These grants aim to reduce financial burdens and encourage innovation. For SMEs, understanding the available grants is crucial to fully leverage these opportunities.

Types of Government Grants

Severalgovernment grants for SMEs are available. For example, the Productivity Solutions Grant (PSG) supports the adoption of IT solutions and equipment. The Enterprise Development Grant (EDG) helps businesses grow and transform by funding projects in areas like innovation and productivity.

Benefits of Government Grants

Government grants provide financial assistance, allowing SMEs to invest in essential technology and systems. These grants can cover up to 80% of the project costs, making it easier for SMEs to implement necessary upgrades without straining their budgets. By taking advantage of these grants, SMEs can enhance their competitiveness and sustainability.

Implementing an Inventory Management System in Singapore

Importance of Inventory Management

Effective inventory management is crucial for any business, particularly for SMEs. An efficient inventory management system in Singapore ensures that businesses maintain optimal stock levels, avoid stockouts, and reduce excess inventory. This leads to better cash flow management and improved customer satisfaction.

Features of an Effective Inventory Management System

A good inventory management system offers real-time tracking, automated reordering, and detailed reporting. Real-time tracking provides accurate inventory levels, helping businesses make informed decisions. Automated reordering ensures that stock levels are always adequate, reducing the risk of stockouts. Detailed reporting helps businesses analyze inventory trends and optimize their inventory strategies.

Benefits for SMEs

Implementing an inventory management system helps SMEs streamline operations and reduce manual errors. It also improves order fulfillment and enhances customer satisfaction. With an effective inventory management system, SMEs can reduce carrying costs and increase profitability.

Embracing the InvoiceNow E-Invoicing Solution

What is InvoiceNow?

InvoiceNow is an e-invoicing solution that simplifies the invoicing process. It allows businesses to send and receive invoices electronically through a secure network. This eliminates the need for paper-based invoices and reduces processing time.

How InvoiceNow Works

The InvoiceNow e-invoicing solution operates on the Peppol network, a global e-invoicing standard. Businesses can send invoices directly from their accounting system to their customers' systems. This ensures that invoices are received promptly and accurately, reducing the risk of errors.

Benefits of InvoiceNow

Using InvoiceNow streamlines the invoicing process and improves cash flow. It reduces administrative costs associated with paper invoices and speeds up payment cycles. Additionally, InvoiceNow enhances data accuracy and reduces the risk of invoice disputes. For SMEs, adopting InvoiceNow can lead to significant time and cost savings.

Combining Solutions for Maximum Impact

Integrating Grants, Inventory Management, and E-Invoicing

By leveraging government grants for SMEs, businesses can fund the implementation of advanced inventory management systems in Singapore and InvoiceNow e-invoicing solutions. This integrated approach ensures that SMEs can optimize their operations comprehensively.

Real-World Example

Consider an SME in the retail sector. By using a government grant, the business can implement a robust inventory management system to keep track of stock levels in real-time. At the same time, adopting InvoiceNow can streamline the invoicing process, ensuring faster payments and reducing administrative overheads. This combination enhances operational efficiency, leading to increased profitability and growth.

Conclusion

In today's competitive business environment, SMEs in Singapore must adopt innovative solutions to stay ahead. Utilizing government grants for SMEs, implementing an effective inventory management system in Singapore, and embracing the InvoiceNow e-invoicing solution are crucial steps toward achieving this goal.

By integrating these solutions, SMEs can enhance efficiency, reduce costs, and improve customer satisfaction. This not only boosts their competitive edge but also ensures sustainable growth in the long term. Leveraging these tools and resources is essential for SMEs aiming to thrive in Singapore’s dynamic market.

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United Kingdom, Japan and Italy sign treaty for the Global Air Combat Program (GCAP)

Fernando Valduga By Fernando Valduga 12/14/2023 - 08:39am Military

The United Kingdom, Italy and Japan have signed an international treaty for a Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) that aims to develop an innovative stealth fighter with supersonic capability and equipped with state-of-the-art technology.

The treaty marks a key stage of the historic Global Air Combat Program (GCAP) and the headquarters of the program will be based in Great Britain.

This combat aircraft, which is expected to fly to the skies by 2035, aims to take advantage of next-generation technologies and become one of the most advanced, interoperable, adaptable and connected fighters in the world in service worldwide. The program is expected to create highly qualified jobs in the United Kingdom and partner countries over the next decade and beyond.

The supersonic stealth jet will feature a powerful radar that can provide 10,000 times more data than current systems, providing an advantage in victory in battles.

In the United Kingdom, the effort is being led by BAE Systems, in close partnership with Rolls-Royce, Leonardo UK and MBDA UK – as well as hundreds of supply chain companies across the country. Together, they are working closely with leading companies in Japan (Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Mitsubishi Electric Corp, IHI Corp, Avio Aero) and Italy (Leonardo) to progress in the design and development of this aircraft.

Despite the current limitation to the three countries, there is speculation about Saudi Arabia's accession in the future, although the Japanese government allegedly opposes the candidacy of the Gulf monarchy. GCAP is among several sixth-generation fighter programs in the West. In Europe, the Future Combat Aircraft System (FCAS) effort, involving France, Germany, Spain and potential newcomers such as Sweden, aims to select a fighter project by 2025. The GCAP partnership seems to be ahead of the FCAS, with the United States planning to grant a project for its Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) fighter by next year.

The treaty confirmed that the United Kingdom will host the joint headquarters of the GCAP government, supporting hundreds of jobs in the United Kingdom and working with Japanese and Italian colleagues. The first CEO will come from Japan. The HQ will be responsible for providing vital military capacity, strengthening the industrial air combat capacity of each country and obtaining a good cost-benefit ratio.

Supporting the Prime Minister's priority of growing the economy, there are already about 3,000 people in the main combat air centers throughout the United Kingdom, including the southwest and northwest of England and Edinburgh, with almost 600 contracted organizations across the country, including SMEs and academic institutions.

In air combat, the UK Ministry of Defense has spent £2 billion in the UK over the past 5 years on technology, creating skills and capabilities - with an additional £600 million from the industry - to ensure that the UK is ready to boost this program.

A crucial program for the future of stability in the Euro-Atlantic, the Indo-Pacific and broader global security, GCAP is a strong example of the UK's global leadership in developing the next-generation military capacity to deter and defeat threats to the UK and our allies.

It is another demonstration of our commitment to Indo-Pacific security, after the deployment of the Royal Navy's Carrier Strike Group in 2021, with a new deployment coming in 2025, as well as the Navy maintaining a persistent presence in the region through HMS Spey and HMSTamar.

Separately, a new joint business construction will be based in the United Kingdom, with a significant global presence. This industrial counterpart of the government organization will oversee the support and timely delivery of the program, including the date of entry into service of the combat aircraft in 2035 - known as Tempest in the United Kingdom. The first leader of joint business construction will be from Italy.

This collaborative approach is indicative of the innovative international program.

GCAP will attract investments in research and development in digital design and advanced manufacturing processes, providing opportunities for our next generation of highly qualified engineers and technicians.

Tags: Military AviationGCAP - Global Combat Air Program

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Fernando Valduga

Fernando Valduga

Aviation photographer and pilot since 1992, has participated in several events and air operations, such as Cruzex, AirVenture, Dayton Airshow and FIDAE. He has work published in specialized aviation magazines in Brazil and abroad. Uses Canon equipment during his photographic work in the world of aviation.

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