#Hosted Call Center Solution

[jasmine01]

Affordable Hosted Call Center Services - SAN Softwares 

Discover the power of affordable Hosted Call Center Services by SAN Softwares. Streamline your communication channels effortlessly with our reliable solutions. Enhance customer interactions, optimize operations, and scale your business seamlessly, all at a cost-effective price point. Elevate your call center experience with SAN Softwares today.

[crmvoipsoftwaresolutions]

Call Center Solution for Small Businesses: Benefits And More

Many people think that a call center solution can be used only by the call centers or big enterprises. However, the fact is, a call center solution can be used by any sized business, including small businesses. Similar to enterprises and call centers, small businesses can also gain many benefits by using a call center solution. If there are any budget constraints, then small businesses can also use a hosted call center solution, which offers pay as go models.

In this blog, I will share some of the major benefits of a call center solution for small businesses.

1. Increase lead generation and sales

For any small business, one of the most crucial things is continuously converting leads to increase sales. If a small business fails to generate and convert more leads or if the pace of lead generation and conversion is too slow, then they are more likely to get stuck at a stage. This happens to many small businesses. A call center solution is an advanced tool, which can be used for cold calling as well as to handle the leads received from the website or other resources. A call center solution usually offers a wide array of features that can be used to handle calls more convincingly. Therefore, small businesses can increase lead generation as well as lead conversion by using a feature rich call center solution.

2. Retain existing customers

For a small business, even a small customer is big. All businesses need to retain their customers because it helps in assuring repeat business and a continuous stream of revenues. For small businesses, retaining all customers is an even more crucial job. Losing a customer is not just losing revenues, but reducing ROI and increasing expenses. Therefore, it is necessary for small businesses to retain their customers. A call center solution offers an amazing range of features that can help all businesses retain their existing customers by offering a prompt and on-time support services. Small businesses can gain a competitive edge and match the standards of big competitors by enhancing their customer care and post sales services by using a call center solution.

3. Maximize resource utilization

For any small business, one of the most important goals is to maximize resource utilization. Assuring the best possible resource utilization means that the business can take advantage of reduced expenses. The call center solution can make sure that all executives in a small business can attend multiple calls. This is unlike a traditional system, in which executives have to take calls one by one or they have to use personal phone numbers. In both cases, measuring productivity and fair utilization of resources become impossible. A call center solution lets small businesses monitor resource utilization and productivity as well as make measuring productivity easier.

[freepbxaavaz]

Cold Call Management Software

Aavaz provide solutions for most of the call centers in India. We are one of the best and trusted cold call management software providers in India.

[teckinfosolutions]

Call Center IVR Software: Benefits, Uses, Best Practices

If you're running a call centre, you know that customer satisfaction is key. You also know that managing a call centre can be a lot of work. IVR software can help take some of the load off the agents by automating certain tasks.

But what is IVR software? And how can it benefit your call centre? In this article, we'll answer those questions and more. We'll also give you some best practices for using IVR software and tell you whether or not it's the right solution for your call centre.

What Is IVR Software?

IVR systems are computer systems that interact with callers to guide them through a series of options. IVR systems are often used by call centres as a way to automate customer service.

Some common features of IVR systems include

●     The ability to play pre-recorded messages

●     Collect input from the caller

●     Route calls to the appropriate destination

IVR systems can be used for a variety of purposes, including customer service, sales, marketing, and even human resources.

How Can IVR Benefit Your Call Centre?

IVR systems can be a great addition to any call center, providing benefits such as increased productivity, improved customer satisfaction, and cost savings.

An IVR system can help to increase productivity in a call centre by automating customer service. This means that a lot of calls can be handled more quickly and efficiently, freeing up agents to deal with other tasks.

An IVR system can help to improve customer satisfaction by giving customers the option to reach a human agent if they are not able to resolve their issue through the automated system.

An IVR system can also help to save money for a call centre. This is because an IVR system can handle large volumes of calls without the need for additional staff.

In addition, an IVR system can help to reduce the amount of time that agents spend on each call, which reduces costs.

Is IVR the right solution for your call centre?

It depends on the specific needs of your business and your customers. However, there are some factors to consider that will help you decide if IVR is the right solution for your call center-

●     Size of Your Call Centre

If you have a small call centre with only a few agents, IVR may not be necessary. However, if you have a large call centre with many agents, IVR can help to increase productivity by automating customer service.

●     Type of Calls That Your Call Centre Receives

If most of the calls are simple and can be easily handled by an automated system, then IVR may be a good solution. However, if most of the calls are complex and require human interaction, then a multi-level IVR may be the best solution

●     The Needs of Your Customers

If your customers are comfortable using an automated system and do not need to speak to a human agent, then IVR may be a good solution. However, if your customers prefer to speak to a human agent or if they have complex questions that need to be answered, then the IVR solution would need to have the smart outing capabilities.

Conclusion

When determining if an IVR system is the best solution for your call centre, there are several factors to consider. The size of your call centre and the types of calls you typically receive are two important factors. Additionally, you need to take into account the needs of your customers when making a decision. By taking all of these factors into consideration, you can determine which IVR system is right for your call centre.

[lavendermunson]

it's ruining my life - steve harrington

chapter 7 of miss americana and the heartbreak prince

summary Steve finally accepts all the mistakes he has ever made and it's in a journey to fix them.

cw mentions of insecurities, jealousy. alcohol consumption.

w.c 3.0k

a/n Steve centered chapter. there's poorly baseball descriptions, i tried! i promise!

series masterlist | previous chapter | next chapter (soon)

Steve’s ego has been buried down. Buried down seven feet deep with no sign of returning. It has been the most difficult week for him. 

No matter how much he runs, how many pounds he carries, or how many hours he trains, he can’t get out of this hell called overthinking. His new teammates have seen it, his coach knows. He isn’t well. But he is a star, he will recover. He has too. 

That happens to the best ones too. 

Avoiding the many calls of Hopper and hesitating to read the cards his mom sends. He lays on his brand new apartment’s bed, a bed so big he gets terrified of the empty space that lies between him and his phone. He has been waiting for one call, yours. But how could you call when he finished all of this? When he isn’t capable of confronting his emotions and “man up”, as his father used to say. 

He gets tormented every night, going to sleep isn’t any better because he sees you in his dreams. But you aren’t happy, you are crying. It’s like he knows what’s going on even if he’s on the other side of the country. He misses you and he hates feeling this. He hates how he pushes everyone he loves away from him because he is not okay. Steve has never felt so much love, such a pure and kind type of love. It’s not in his blood, it’s not within his family’s principles, it simply doesn’t exist. Love, he even fears the word but he knows he feels it. For you. 

You. You are so beautiful, so bright. How could he ruin you? How could he invade your personal space and shatter everything that you treasure. He feels like the villain in a story where the only solution is to disappear, far away from you, from all of this. 

When his thoughts get so loud his head is spinning, he calls in some of the local food restaurants until he finds one open. Fortunately for him, one answers and he fills his order as he sits on his bed with an empty stomach. To spend the time waiting for his food, he reaches for the remote and turns on the TV. Switching through uninteresting channels he finds one. “Gossipy” is a podcast hosted by the most selfish and rude people he has ever met. But sometimes it’s fun to know some of the celebrity dramas. 

As the voices of the hosts fill his empty room, he goes to the door for his food and comes back. Taking a bite of his donut, he sits in front of a familiar face glowing on the TV.

You. 

You are in the arms of another man. Drunk. Mascara smudged around your eyes. Your signature lipstick is wearing off. 

Did you kiss him? Did you go home with him? 

Steve’s heart starts to pound against his chest. He is jealous, but even more, he is worried and almost disappointed. This isn’t you. Where is the sweet girl he met? Where’s the girl who hugs her young fans with such delicacy? Who treats her friends like the most important thing in the world? 

Did he break you? Did he push you into this dark hole? 

He changes the channel quickly, their harsh worlds still running through his mind. Steve takes his phone and gets on social media, he doesn’t use this much because he doesn’t really know how. But he remembers one or two things Nancy taught him, and that’s enough to find the most horrible comments towards you. 

No, no. This can’t be real. Wake up. 

The media is destroying you. Calling you names and filling your comments with snakes. Most of the comments are fans of Henry, watching how you make your way around their man. Commenting on every inch of your face, every part of your body.  

The cherry on the cake? Someone posted a picture of you with Henry, no text, no explanation. Just him kissing your cheek with his arm around you.  

Steve sees everything and gets so terrified. This isn’t you, you are not acting like yourself. Where’s Robin? Where’s your family? Why are you alone? 

He spends the rest of his night thinking. You are just like him, pushing people away when it gets too difficult. It’s a shame, really. He feels so guilty for doing this to you. When Steve finishes his nightly routine, he plugs his phone to the wall and checks his alarms. He wishes he could talk to you in your dreams, telling you this is wrong. Telling you that he is sorry. Wishing you weren’t so alone, wishing you weren’t acting like he does. 

_

The next morning is Steve’s fourth game. He gets on the field with sweaty palms and an awful headache. The usual since he joined the team. 

The next few minutes start to go by quickly, the teams are tied in points and he hasn’t managed to make any home runs.

It’s his turn to bat. He starts shivering, cold sweat running down his body. As the crowd goes silent, he grips the bat strongly on his hands, focusing on the pitcher who slowly lifts his leg, throwing his body to the side. He feels how his breathing quickens, his sweaty palms betray him and when the ball hits his bat the ball goes all the way up. He starts running as if he were on autopilot, flashes of your face show as he blinks. His legs feel heavy, and his head is spinning. 

He stops feeling the rush. The adrenaline. The love. He used to love this game, he used to love being on the field. It was his first love, until you came. 

You filled his world with joy, soft kisses and glitter. For him was more than enough, being in your arms and feeling safe. Feeling loved back genuinely. 

And know that it’s all gone, he wants that back. This is why he is failing at everything, this is why he broke your heart. Because he was incapable of making sacrifices, but now he understands he has to risk everything for the hope of it all. 

He manages to score another point, running as fast as he could even if he didn’t realize it. The rest of the game went with ease and his team won. But he doesn’t feel like a winner, not until he makes everything right. 

__

“I thought I wanted this. I thought it was for me because i’ve been feeling like the king of this fucked up world but i don’t know why im doing this anymore.”

The next morning, he decided to open all of his mom’s cards. Some are happy, some aren’t. But in the last card his mom writes to him about her divorce from his dad and how much she misses Steve. He was brave enough to add her contact to his number and finally have a quick chat. 

He was anxious at first, he had to call more than three times to reach her but he did nonetheless. 

“You need a break, son. Look at you, have you been sleeping well?” She asks, her voice so sweet as when he was a kid. 

“I haven’t. I can’t do it, I don’t know what’s wrong with me”

Her mom’s brows knit in a frown, lips pushing down pouting. It hurts to hear him like this. 

“You said you’ve read all my cards but I know there is something you don’t want to see. Steve, you need to let people love you. You need to learn that they are ready to sacrifice everything for you and then you need to do so too. I’ve seen you go around with girls but i’m sure there’s one that makes you feel like you are loved and they care for you”

Steve nods. Knowing his mom is right even if she doesn’t know all the details about his life. 

“You need to accept that you are capable of loving and being loved. That you deserve it more than anyone else. You love the kids, you love your friends, and you love Hopper and they haven’t hurt you once but I know you’ve had. This is something your father used to do, and I'm not comparing you to him. A lot of people may do it too.” Her voice is soft even if she’s saying everything that Steve has been thinking for the past few days. “ But it’s not too late, allow yourself to feel it. Let them know that you love them. Let everyone know that they can be safe around you, that you are grateful for making you feel safe too.”

He nods again. A tear was running down his cheek. 

“Thank you, mom. This, I've been needing this for a long time” he smiles, looking at his mom through his phone. “I’m going to send you some tickets, so you can come and visit me? Is that okay?”

“I want nothing but to hug you, my boy.” 

“I do too mom. I love you” Steve whispers, his tears now blurring the picture of his mom on his phone. “I have to go, but i’ll pick you up from the airport and then we go to eat, then you can meet the team and have a tour of the stadium.”

“I love you more, Steve. I can’t wait to see you.”

He waves as she waves back, blowing kisses to him. When he hangs up the phone he takes his bag and goes down to the gym in his building. 

He is going to fix everything. Or at least try. 

—

“And that’s pretty much all, I've spent the last week here and I still feel like I'm new. In some way i don’t belong here”

Steve had shown his mom the stadium, the place where he spends most of his time. It was the place he dreamed to be, the place he wanted to call home.

“You had to make some changes, it’s normal to feel so distant from what you knew. But it’s amazing, everything you have done is amazing.” Steve’s mom reaches his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze. He is getting used to having her close again.

“You are amazing too. You are so brave for leaving him, i have been waiting my entire life to see that happen.”

“It isn’t easy, like you, I was comfortable back there because it was what I knew. I’m also afraid of the unknown, which doesn’t go away with age. You have to jump into the adventure to see what will happen, time passes anyway.”

Steve gives his mom a gentle hug, then he takes her hand and guides her to the parking lot. He organized a little reunion with all his friends at his new house. The kids, Nancy, Eddie, Hopper. He will be surrounded by everyone he trusts and loves. It’s time to give them what they deserve.

–

“Welcome everyone, come in!” Steve receives everyone at his house, two of his favorite private chefs handled all that has to do with food while he got the best wine and his favorite whiskey. Some soda for the kids too, since they can’t drink yet. He greets every single one of them with a hug, a smile on their faces as they see Steve look so happy. Even if they know he isn’t entirely happy.

As they make their way into the house, running to all the rooms, watching the fireplace that has yet to be used, the large backyard with a small basketball court. The kids run around while Eddie, Hopper Joyce sit at the table and Steve serves them their drink of choice.

The doorbell rings and Steve gets goosebumps. He runs towards it and sees Nancy, with Robin tugging around her. He hugs Nancy for a moment and welcomes the couple into his house. When Robin passes by him she nods, and he does the same as a silent understanding that both of them will behave even if there’s some tension between them and a subject in common.

When everyone seats at the table, Steve introduces them to his mom, and they all welcome her with the same love they have for him. He is happy to see his family reuniting again. A family that’s not entirely by blood, but they are bonded for the love they have to each other.

“Before we eat I wanted to say something to you. I know i haven’t been so present in your life lately, i know i’ve made some mistakes and it felt like we were growing apart but the truth is i was having a hard time accepting that i'm a sensitive person. I was having a hard time knowing I care about you all and I'd do everything for you to keep the smiles on your faces. Recently I got my mom back, which is a great step and now I want to tie us together as strongly as I can. I don’t want to let you down again when you've done everything to support me.” He raises his glass of wine, and everybody takes their drinks in their hands. “I want to make a toast to you, to thank you and to say… that i love you with all my heart." He looks around the table, everyone he loves is here. He looks at the kids, how much they’ve grown. He looks at Hopper, who has been his support system even if he is a little bit more strict. He looks at Eddie, his best friend who always knocks some sense into him. He looks at Nancy, his soul sister, who he loves so dearly. He looks at Robin, who he is ready to welcome to the family. There’s no empty chair at the table but it feels like there’s a giant gap, a big hole in his heart. He wishes you were here, he really does.

They all had a great night, the food was delicious, the laughs weren’t missed and the house felt so warm in the company of everyone. The kids go to pick their rooms for the night, staying there until the weekend to see Steve play again. Hopper goes home to prepare for a meeting tomorrow. Steve’s mom goes to sleep. Eddie, Nancy and Robin stay outside in the backyard to smoke and talk.

Steve passes on the joint, he needs to clear his mind.

“You know, I'm worried about her too and I miss her too. Her parents are too, but she doesn’t let them in. She doesn’t let me in. I can’t reach her and it’s messing up with my head” Robin confesses to Steve as Nancy and Eddie talk about something else.

Steve snaps out of his thoughts, he feels the same but he is the last person you want to see.

“I don’t know what to do. I feel like i’ve lost her forever.”

“That’s not true” Robin looks at him, his stare so heavy on him that he starts to feel tiny. “She has never looked at anyone the way she looks at you, she has never felt so much love like this, she is just scared. Because she always gives her hundred percent, and most of the time she doesn't even get the bare minimum. What you did was a mistake, and leaving her like that was the worst thing. But I just know that she has made these mistakes because she doesn’t want you to feel like you are the only one who can misbehave.”

“I know. I saw it. I made the worst mistakes, and i admit it, it’s fucked. I had to be there with her and not let my ego get in the way. I just—” he lets out a deep sigh. “I felt so intimidated because she is what I want to be and I never got it. I want to be loved, respected, I want people to see me as an icon, I want the fame she has, the spotlight she has. But when I met, I swear, it was like it was the two of us on this planet, and I was okay with that. And sometimes i knew i didn’t have to be okay with that because i wanted to show other people that I’m the best, i wanted to tell my dad the biggest fuck you ever. I wanted to be everyone’s favorite person, I wanted to prove wrong to everyone that has underestimated me.” Nancy and Eddie join the conversation, Steve looks at the three of them with tears in his eyes. “But none of that matters now, I love the sport, but I feel empty when I step on that field. There’s nothing like being in her arms, like being in her spotlight. I just want her, I love her.”

“Then you know what to do,” Nancy says.

“Go get her, big boy,” Eddie adds.

“Can you take care of the kids while I'm gone? I’ll make it up to them, I swear.”

“You don’t have to. They understand, they support you." Nancy hugs Steve, and Eddie joins them, a few seconds later Steve reaches for Robin and she joins the hug.

Everything will be alright.

Steve knew that somehow he caused this. Somehow it’s his fault and it’s going to fix it, so he took the next plane to L.A. without even packing his bag but with all his emotional luggage and his nerves blossoming. 

Steve was addicted to his phone at this point. Scrolling through thousands of posts about you, when out on a party, you started to yell at the paparazzi to leave you alone, and it was everywhere. All the people calling you a brat or a diva. This was so unlike you, you were the sweet and calm girl everyone wanted to follow. 

He has to fix it. He was able to reconnect with all the people he loves, and there’s still time to get you back.

tags @eddiesguitarskills @hipsternerd9 @afraidofshrimp @rexorangecouny @crowssixof @wiltedflowerz-blog @keerysfolklore @micheledawn1975 @thxtmarvelchick @kriitiihere @kitdjarin1 @peculiarwren

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[storiesbyjes2g]

3.46 Flames

I didn't bother doing a second class because I had a business matter I wanted to explore. The management team at the rec center would always have my gratitude for allowing me to host my classes, but as I said previously, it wasn't a sustainable solution. It rained too much in the autumn, and soon winter would be upon us. I needed an indoor solution, so I went downtown to Anchorpoint Wharf to see if I could find an unconventional space to rent, since I couldn't afford an entire building yet. If there was a backroom, basement, or attic I could use, or even an unfinished space, I could make it work.

I began my reconnaissance at the library. If it didn't say "library" on the sign, I wouldn't have known it was one when I walked in. The atrium was more like a mini art gallery, displaying works from local artists, I assumed. The rest of the downstairs was more like a community center with a breakroom outfitted with amenities for infants and a kids' play area. Upstairs looked more library-like, but unfortunately, it didn't have any obvious spaces I could rent.

I got hungry, so I found a street cart and had lunch. San Sequoia was definitely no sleepy town with its bold colors surging life into everything. Most of the colors didn't even match, but it worked so well, especially with the bridge towering over the city, tying it all together with its rusty hue. I loved how you could see it literally everywhere you went. San Sequoia had definitely become my favorite place I'd lived.

After lunch, I walked around the area, continuing my search for spaces. I stumbled upon an old movie theater and decided to take a break and see what they had going on. The movie was so boring, I couldn't even tell you what it was about. I was just so mad I wasted good money on that. Luckily, Yasmine called just as it was ending, so I ran out of the theater to answer.

She said she wanted to clarify our conversation from the other day. She liked me a lot and hoped her proposition didn't change how I felt about her. Then she asked me out! It was kind of thrilling to be on the other end of a date. I definitely needed some fun after that movie attempted to suck the life out of me, so I agreed to meet her at the pier in Copperdale.

I went home to shower and put an outfit together. It was only the pier, so I didn't make too much of an effort. Good thing too because it was so cold there. I had on my coat the whole time; I hated wasting good outfits.

I found Yasmine by the photo booth, and her outfit was definitely something to note. I never put much thought into my outerwear before, but the way she put her coat, hat, and jeans together had me second guessing my style choices.

"You look nice," I said.

"Thanks. Wanna take a pic with me?"

Me and Yasmine squeezed together in a tiny booth... I braced myself for whatever she planned to do to me in there because, if there was one thing I knew about her, it was she was bold and always went after what she wanted, and she definitely wanted me. She took full advantage of the lack of space and hugged up on me for our picture. We stepped out and waited for the picture to print, and just as I suspected, we looked like a very happy couple.

"Awww! We are so cute," she shouted. "I'm keeping this one."

I guess she should have a keepsake of our time together because that was the closest she was going to a relationship with me. Don't get me wrong. I enjoyed spending time with her and was totally down for some casual, unattached adult fun. But that's all it could be.

"I hope you're not scared of heights," she said.

Yasmine and Luca trapped in a slow-moving hanging basket... The story wrote itself, and I fully expected her to suck my face off, but she behaved.

"Look," she yelled. "There's my house."

I looked at whatever dark blob of trees she pointed at, but saw nothing resembling a residence. Copperdale looked like a black forest from up high at night. I bet the view was spectacular in the daytime, though.

We got off the ride, and she checked in with me.

"Are you having fun?"

"Yeah, thanks. I didn't ride anything when we were here last, so I'm glad I got the chance."

"Come on!"

She grabbed my hand and pulled me toward our next destination. Her excitement about the rides was just like a child's; it was adorable.

"This is one of my favorite ones."

It had a scary, Spooky Day theme, and I wondered what we were about to get ourselves into, not that I was scared or anything. On the other side of the door was the line. When we finally made it to the ride, it was kind of like a mine cart we sat in. It took us around this haunted house while animatronics and actors in costume jumped out at us, attempting their best scare tactics. It was cute; I guess.

The next ride was similar except it was love themed, and we rode around in a boat. Every time I looked in her direction, she was looking at me with a twinkle in her eye. It seemed they made the ride for moments like that, and with the number of teenagers who frequented it, I probably was one of many who'd experienced their first kiss in there. But I didn't want to make any assumptions, despite knowing what she wanted from me. I scooted closer, letting her know I was into whatever she had in mind. Instead, she playfully smacked me on the shoulder and laughed. I didn't like that one bit.

She was still laughing when we got off the ride, but I was not.

"Come on, I was just kidding, Luca!"

I was a very confident sim, except when it came to romance. A joke like that could sever all shreds of confidence I thought I had. There was no way she could have known that, but still.

She stepped to me within whisper distance, and my entire body felt like it was engulfed in flames. Here it comes!

"I've been wanting to do this for a long time," she said, yanking me into a deep, hungry kiss.

At first, I couldn't believe it was finally happening despite anticipating it all night. Once the shock of her lips colliding with mine wore off, I kissed her back just as hungrily. Every thought and dream that haunted me over the last few weeks fueled my hunger, and I could not get enough of her. I hoped this wasn't another cruel joke because my pants were getting too tight and I needed to go all the way.

"Come back to my place," she whispered.

I hoped she didn't live far. This was definitely not how I imagined my day ending, but I was totally down for the detour.

Need to catch up? See what you missed or start reading here!

[a-small-batch-of-dragons]

Knight in Training | A Night of Bloodshed

Read on Ao3 Part 1 Part 2

Warnings: minor character death, ptsd, panic attacks, sword fights (not the sexy ones, literal steel)

Pairings: none

Word Count: 4236

Don’t grip the pommel, this is not a situation where you are expected to fight.

Keep your head on a swivel. The Prince is the center of the room for a reason, best not let your eye be the last to see something coming for him.

Shift your weight every so often to prevent your muscles from locking up and getting stiff. You must be able to move with only a split-second notice.

“More wine, ser?”

Janus blinks, turning to look at the servant standing next to him. He smiles politely and shakes his head. The servant nods back and goes to tend to some of the senior knights seated at the long table next to the prince. Janus takes a deep breath and lets it out slowly, allowing his eyes to roam over the crowded hall once more.

The feast started about three hours ago and shows no sign of ending anytime soon. He supposes he can’t find too much amiss with that; it wasn’t every day a rival kingdom agrees to an end to the rivalry between them in favor of a thoroughly negotiated peace treaty. It had taken weeks, months, even to get everything settled so that both sides would agree with it. Many nights of Janus staying awake to the sounds of mumbled curses and the scratching of quills as the prince labored long into the small hours of the morning. Many hours sat at the prince’s side as he explained why the simplest solutions were in fact, far more complicated than Janus could have ever feared and he was certain that statecraft was never something he would dare call ‘easy’ ever again. Many afternoons of watching the prince be a little too flashy in training because he’d been staring at the same piece of parchment for three days and ‘if I look at it for another second, Janus, I’m going to end up ripping the whole thing to shreds.’

He slept well those nights out of sheer exhaustion.

But at last, it was over. The treaty had been drafted and signed by both Prince Roman and the prince of the other kingdom—Janus can never remember his name, not when everyone insists on calling him some variant of ‘Prince’ and ‘the Other Party.’—and now they were here, hosting the delegation in a celebration of peacetime.

In short, there’s not much for Janus to do except stand at the prince’s shoulder and wait for the night to end.

The prince himself looks…happy. Truly, he does. His cheeks are slightly red from the wine flowing like a river from the kitchens, but the light in his eyes is as clear as ever, and judging by the way the table keeps laughing, his sense of charm hasn’t been disrupted for a moment. Janus finds himself smiling too. After all the work he’s put into getting this moment, he deserves the chance to celebrate it as much as anybody.

A flash of movement out of the corner of his eye and he scolds himself for getting distracted. He turns and watches another servant walking along the outside of the hall, back towards one of the doors leading to the corridor beyond. He frowns.

He’s never seen this servant before.

Now, that in and of itself ought not to raise his hackles, but he takes in the way they’re walking. Smooth, fluid steps that are at odds with the slightly hunched shoulders. Their head turns almost casually but they do a full sweep of the hall in less than a second. He averts his gaze when the sweeps covers him, using the burnished shield on the wall to see when they aren’t looking anymore.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees them take one last look around and vanish through the door.

It’s probably nothing, but over the years he’s learned to trust that part of him that says that something’s not what it seems. So he glances around to make sure no one else is staring at him and makes his move.

With his heart in his throat, he inches over to the Prince’s other shoulder, positioning himself so he can glance at the burnished mirror and keep an eye on the door. He forces himself to take battle breaths again, slowing his heart rate and focusing on the room, not what could go wrong. The visiting men are still smiling and toasting with their knights, the prince is still laughing, the rest of the feast is still proceeding as planned.

The hairs on the back of his neck prickle.

Out of the corner of his eye, he sees movement in the reflection of the mirror and hears the unmistakable sound of footsteps. He takes a deep breath, counts slowly backward from three, and—

—turns just in time to smack right into the servant, spilling the jug of wine everywhere.

“Forgive me,” he demurs immediately, bowing low as wine drips off of both of them, shattered porcelain on the floor, “I didn’t see you there.”

“It is my fault, ser,” the servant says, their smile just a touch too tight, “I should have notified you that I was coming.”

Janus bends down as they do, withdrawing a handkerchief from his breastplate and mopping up some of the wine. From over his shoulder, he sees another set of servants approaching—these ones he does recognize—and the prince’s voice calls out.

“Leave it,” he says, and Janus does, tucking the sodden handkerchief away, “it’s hardly the first wine we’ve spilled tonight.”

The visiting prince has a booming laugh that makes Janus’s ears hurt. “Are you saying I can’t hold my wine?”

“I made no such observation, my friend, only that the table is clearly benefitting from your generosity, as do all your people.”

The hall rings in an uproar of laughter and Janus smiles politely. He watches the mysterious servant stand up, heading back along the wall toward the other end of the room, and just manages to catch sight of the concealed sheath he’d felt when they’d bumped into each other.

Shit.

One skill he knows he needs to work on is his ability to look around frantically while pretending he’s not frantic about anything at all. But he’s not sure how many people are looking at him right now—and he can always try to pass it off as being flustered at the spilled wine—and he needs to find the Spymaster sooner rather than later.

Luckily, he catches sight of a swirling black cloak near one of the pillars at the far door and the purple eyes beneath. He looks at the Spymaster, glances at the servant, and back. He’s too far away to make out whatever minute expressions might pass across his face, but he sees the slight nod and the way he turns to watch too.

Great. I’m not the only one looking.

It’s a good thing too, when the servant vanishes from his sight into the mass of people amidst the feast. He catches sight of someone who might be them every so often, but without craning his neck and making it very obvious he’s looking for someone, he can’t do anything but peer around the crowd.

The prince catches him looking once, silently raising an eyebrow. Janus shakes his head subtly, morphing his expression into one of bemused wonder, and the prince smiles and turns back around.

The hairs don’t go down.

The moon is high in the sky when the visiting prince raises his goblet, stumbling slightly from the head table down into the well of the court, turning to face them. The Prince stands too, smiling, holding his own goblet aloft.

“To the future,” the other prince says as the rest of the knights rise—his knights, Janus realizes, not theirs—“to the wonders of two kingdoms, and to Prince Roman!”

“You’re too kind, my friend,” the prince says as the servant comes up behind him.

Janus moves before he can think about it.

The servant lets out a muffled cry as he forces the dagger from their hand. It clatters to the floor. Prince Roman turns and Janus is already between him and the knights drawing their swords.

He sets his weight and lets his training take over.

Parry. Block. Thrust. Push. Keep them away from the Prince. Wound, don’t kill. Just hold them off long enough for the others to arrive.

A flash of silver out of the corner of his eye and his arm moves on instinct—

The dead knight falls to the floor with a thud.

He hears the roar of footsteps and the rest of their knights surround him, forming a protective wall around the prince. They have the others at sword point, forced down or against a wall. The blood pounds in Janus’s ears as the Prince slowly sets down his goblet.

Janus doesn’t hear the words that are exchanged. He only sees the people who get carted off towards the cells, the servants who quickly come to clear away the feast, and the knights who help him usher everyone away to safety. The world is a blur of candlelight and worried voices, of muffled cries and soft touches, of whispers and looks as he moves through the castle.

He does not stop moving until he is back at the prince’s side in the war council room, standing patiently as the rest of the council assembles.

People are talking. The meeting has started. Right, they have to figure out what to do in the aftermath of an assassination attempt. There was an attempt on the prince’s lift at the feast., The people behind it are sitting in the cells right now. The treaty…what about the treaty? They’re talking about the treaty. Janus can’t hear any of the words. There are words being spoken. He can’t hear any of them. Why can’t he hear any of them?

“Janus.”

He turns. The Spymaster looks at him. He nods toward the door.

”You noticed the assassin before anyone else,” he says, “how?”

“I didn’t recognize them.”

“This is a castle of hundreds of servants. How did you know that they weren’t just another one? Or that they were part of the retinue brought?”

“They didn’t move like a servant.”

The Spymaster is quiet for a moment, then a slow smile spreads across his face. “You’re going to be very good at this.”

“At what, sire?”

“Surviving.”

“And of course, we mustn’t forget to thank your knight,” one of the lords says, and they both turn back to the tables, “without his quick reflexes and skill with a blade, I dare say this council would be having a very different conversation.”

Heat comes to his face but it feels distant. He nods his head in as much of a bow as he can do right now. “Thank you, My Lord.”

On a few of the faces, though, he sees the familiar guarded suspicion. His hand trembles.

”I can’t imagine that was their first plan,” another says, clearly continuing the conversation that had been going on when Janus was unable to hear anything, “it seemed far too rushed.”

“Perhaps that has something to do with why a jug of wine was spilled earlier in the evening,” the Spymaster says wryly, glancing at Janus.

The lord breathes in sharply. “Poison?”

“It would make sense.”

“It’s probably been cleaned by now, no doubt,” yet another lord says, “we won’t know for sure.”

Janus reaches into his breastplate and pulls out the handkerchiefs. The Spymaster’s eyes widen for only a moment before he chuckles low in his throat.

”You’ve been paying attention, haven’t you?”

“I’ve been trying, sire.” He inclines his head toward the prince, who watches him with a mix of disbelief and something Janus sin’s coherent enough to name right now. “The prince is a very good teacher.”

”I have a wonderful student,” the prince replies, before his expression turns firm and he stands up taller. “Take that to the alchemist, see what she can determine.”

“As you say.”

“The rest of you are dismissed. We will see what we can determine in the morning.”

The chamber slowly empties with the last of the murmurings. The Spymaster is the last to leave, giving both of them another nod before vanishing into the shadows. The door closes with a low thud as Janus turns back to the prince, awaiting instruction.

As soon as the door closes, the prince sighs. He leans on the table, his head bowed. For long seconds, he hardly moves.

“I was a fool to believe this treaty would bring a true peace,” he says lowly, and Jnaus’s chest twists at how defeated he sounds, “wasn’t I?”

“Believing in people isn’t foolish, My Lord.”

The prince raises his head slowly with a quiet scoff. Something flickers across his face again, too obscured by shadow to be named, before he looks up at Janus.

“You saved my life tonight, Janus.”

Janus swallows and bows slightly. “Just doing my duty, My Lord.”

Another scoff, this one closer to a huff of laughter. He looks at him for another moment before straightening up and sighing. “Come, let’s retire for the night. I think we’ve had far too much excitement.”

Janus bows his head and falls automatically in step behind the prince as they walk through the halls. They both nod to the guards stationed outside the prince’s rooms and the door closes behind him. He moves automatically to help the prince with his finery but he’s stopped with a gentle hand.

“I don’t doubt whatever was put in that wine was meant to be ingested to be lethal,” the prince says, “but sodden plate is uncomfortable whether it’s poisoned or not.”

Janus nods, going to undo his armor, only for the prince to move behind him and deftly undo the straps before he can reach for them. He blinks in surprise. The pauldron almost falls from his hands before he can catch it, fumbling with his gauntlets.

“Here, give it to me. Thank you.”

“M-My Lord, I—“ the prince gives him a look— “Roman, Roman, I can—I can do this myself, you needn’t—“

Roman just takes off the other pauldron and ruffles his hair. He does not squawk, squawking is unbecoming of the Prince’s Knight, and he does not yelp. Yelping is for dogs.

“I think that’s the first time I’ve actually heard you make that noise.”

His cheeks burn in embarrassment as they take off the rest of his armor, leaving him in a wine-damp under tunic. Roman turns around from setting out the armor and winces at the splotch across his chest.

“Do you want to get out of that too?”

“It’s fine, I can help with—“

“Surprisingly enough, I’m pretty wine-free.” Roman spreads his arms to demonstrate, then gestures to the door. “It’s okay, I’m capable of undressing myself in the time it takes you to switch to something that isn’t covered in wine.”

Janus just nods and heads for the door. His own chambers are lit with only a single candle on the bedside table. The faint smell of the wine tugs at his nose as he pulls the tunic over his head. He throws it in the laundry basket and goes to pull a fresh one from the chest when he moves a little too close to the flame.

He stops.

He must have squeezed the tunic when he was taking it off. There’s a slick of liquid across his hand. It gleams in the dancing fire. It’s dark. The poison rakes itself across his nose again. It burns. His hand turns upwards to face him, drops of it rolling thickly across his palm.

He just killed a man.

It was to save the Prince’s life. It was in self-defense. It was his duty. It was on instinct. It was only after he’d wounded them and they didn’t stop. It was—it was—it was—

A quiet knock on the door and a soft call of his name. He turns toward it slightly, but the candlelight flashes across the dark streak and he freezes.

“Janus,” he hears again, much closer, and then a hand is cupping his and pulling it away, “come, here…”

Something soft brushes against his skin and he almost startles from it. It does it again—a cloth, that’s what it is, just a cloth—and Roman cleans his hand carefully until the wine is gone. That’s all it was, after all, just wine.

He was that fucking stressed over some fucking wine?

“Come,” Roman says softly, cutting through the tirade, “let’s get you into something more comfortable.”

Hands take him gently by the shoulders and walk him over to the bed. He’s sat on the edge as Roman takes one of his nightshirts and bids him to raise his arms. He does, letting out a small breath as the cool fabric settles over him.

He shouldn’t be doing this, part of him thinks faintly, shouldn’t be sitting here while the prince dresses him like a babe. But everything is behind a roar of nothingness and Roman is still speaking to him softly.

“This is going to be the hard part.”

“The hard part?”

Roman nods. “It’s time to decompress.”

He furrows his brow. “Decompress?”

“Yes. Time to get out of the state where it’s life and death and turn your battle reflexes off so you can safely process what just happened.” Roman’s hand covers his shoulder. It feels warm. “Look at me.”

Janus tilts his chin up.

“Can you tell me what happened tonight? Not as a knight giving me a report,” he says as Janus opens his mouth, “just you. Just you tell me what happened.”

Janus closes his mouth. He opens it again. He closes it again. Roman doesn’t say a word, just waits patiently until Janus can get himself together. Or, not get himself together. He’s not supposed to be giving a report. He’s just—what is he supposed to do?

“Take your time.”

“I was guarding you at the feast,” he says. “There was a servant I didn’t recognize. I…bumped into them?”

Roman nods encouragingly, the hand on his shoulder rubbing back and forth.

”They, um, they spilled wine all over me. I told—I tried to tell the Spymaster that I thought there was something wrong because they had a dagger.” He swallows. “They—they came back when the other prince was giving a toast. They tried to stab you and I stopped them, but then the other knights started to attack you so I tried to keep them away. Then I—“

Wine. Red wine in candlelight.

“Then,” Roman prompts softly, “then what?”

“I—“

The words stick in his throat. They stain it until they run down to his chest. They spread over the pale skin covering his heart. He chokes.

Roman’s hand slides up to cup the side of his head, giving him a gentle shake to regain his focus. “Say it,” he bids gently, “say it, Janus.”

“I…killed someone,” he whispers.

Roman nods. “Yes. You killed someone.”

He killed someone. He killed someone.

“Stay with me now,” comes the soft voice as the hand tightens ever so slightly, “there you are. Hey, hey, just look at me. Look at me, only me.”

Roman’s face swims as he tries desperately to listen. The wine—the wine—

“It’s over now,” Roman whispers, too gentle for someone who just killed a man, “it’s over. We’re in your chambers. It’s just you and me. You won’t hurt me and I won’t hurt you.”

“I—“

What does he say? Does he say he’s sorry? For what? He’s not sorry he saved the Prince’s life. He’s not sorry he defended him. He’s not sorry he did his duty. He’s not sorry that he did it, but should he be? Should he be sorry? He’s going to be sick. Should he be sick?

“Hey,” Roman murmurs, and when Janus blinks he’s on his knees, cupping his head in both hands, “what do you need right now?”

What does he need?

He needs to clean his armor. He needs to make sure the sample got to the alchemist. He needs to clean the blood off his sword. He needs to hang his sword up and never touch it again. He needs to pick it up right now. He needs to scrub his hand clean. He needs to wash his tunic. He needs to wash his soul. He needs his soul. He needs his father. He needs no one. He needs everyone. He needs—

��Help. H-help.” His lip wobbles like a child’s. “Help.”

“Oh, sweetheart,” he hears, and then he’s bundled against something big and warm and soft and he’s being moved, “come here…come here, Janus, come here.”

He’s crying. Is he crying? His lungs feel like they’re on fire. His face hurts. His head hurts. His face is tucked against something soft. There is something around him. There are two somethings around him. There’s a heartbeat thudding underneath his ear. That’s Roman’s. Roman’s heartbeat. Roman’s alive. Roman’s alive because he saved him. He saved him. He killed a man to save him.

Oh, god—

Roman just holds him through it. They’re cuddled up in the middle of Janus’s too-big bed, his hand carding through Janus’s hair, the other wrapped snugly around his waist. If Janus had the wherewithal to be ashamed of having the prince cuddle him like a baby, he’s sure it would kill him. But all his brain can think of is soft-warm-safe-hold-Roman-safe-safe-safe-oh-god-Roman-warm—

The night slips away to sobs and candlelight.

He has no idea what time it is. He doesn’t know how long ago he stopped crying. He’s still in Roman’s arms, drifting through a dull grey haze, the world prickling at the very edges of his awareness as the heartbeat thuds comfortingly under his cheek. He thinks he might be close to asleep.

Far away there’s a knock on the door. Equally far is Roman’s voice saying come in.

“How Is he?” Spymaster, his distant brain recognizes.

“Shaken,” Roman murmurs, “as is to be expected.”

The Spymaster hums, footsteps drawing closer. “He noticed before anyone else.”

“Of course he did. God knows his instincts were going haywire the whole night.”

“You noticed?”

“He didn’t eat or drink anything until three servants had to tell him it was alright.” The hand cards through his hair again. “And then…well.”

The Spymaster hums again. After a pause, a shadow falls over Janus’s face and the voice is far closer. “Seventeen, hm?”

“Yes.” Roman’s chest moves as he sighs. “I’m torn. I’m…relieved is not the right word. But his first kill came now, when he’s still trying to learn how to turn everything off. In some way, perhaps it’s better.”

“But he’s still a child.”

Another sigh and the distant voice grows terribly sad. “Yes. Yes, he is.”

“He’s not what I expected.” At Roman’s questioning hum, the bed dips under the Spymaster’s weight. “I was expecting the cockiness we normally get from the new ones. Or the starry-eyed idiots.”

“Don’t call my knights idiots, Virgil.”

“Well, it’s what they are.” Roman huffs but doesn’t deny it. “This one’s almost as bad at pretending to be asleep than they were.”

With great effort, Janus drags his eyes open. The Spymaster smiles at him, which is weird, tilting his head a bit so Janus doesn’t have to sit up at all.

“Hey, kiddo,” he says quietly, “you look comfortable.”

Roman chuckles, adjusting his grip when Janus shifts. “He’s teasing, Janus, you’re alright.”

Janus swallows. His tongue feels like leather. “Is…is everything…okay?”

“I should be asking you that.” When Janus doesn’t say anything, the Spymaster sighs. “Don’t be a knight for the rest of tonight, okay? Just be a boy and let Roman look after you.”

“…but…”

A soft chuckle from Roman draws his attention. “I’ve just had my diplomatic efforts over the better part of a year blow up in my face. Please, let me do something right.”

“You have to let him,” the Spymaster stage-whispers, sounding much more like a mischievous child than, you know, the Spymaster, “he’s a menace when his pride is wounded.”

Despite himself, a soft huff of laughter escapes him and he can feel the way Roman relaxes. The Spymaster smiles and stands up.

“You did very well today, Janus,” he says, bowing his head slightly, “now, rest.”

“‘M not good at that.”

“Roman can teach you, he’s an excellent sloth.”

“If I wasn’t cuddling Janus right now, I’d show you how good of a sloth I am.”

The Spymaster just grins and bids them a proper goodnight, closing the door behind him. Janus’s eyes grow heavy once more.

“You can sleep,” Roman whispers, encouraging him to roll into a more comfortable position, “I won’t mind.”

”…you’re sure?”

He’s rolled onto his stomach, head pillowed just below Roman’s chin. Roman guides him to look up, a slightly rueful smile on his face.

“You’ve saved my life,” he says gently, “the least I can do is help you get to sleep.”

”I still don’t think I’m going to be very good at it.”

“You were dozing off in my arms a moment ago, what happened?” Roman shakes his head and bids him to lie back down, get comfortable. “Follow my breathing, okay? Just try and stay with me.”

The two of them slip slowly to sleep as the night closes protectively over them.

General Taglist: @frxgprince@potereregina@gattonero17@iamhereforthegayshit@thefingergunsgirl@awkwardandanxiousfander@creative-lampd-liberties@djpurple3@winterswrandomness@sanders-sides-uncorrect-quotes@iminyourfandom@bullet-tothefeels@full-of-roman-angst-trash  @ask-elsalvador @ramdomthingsfrommymind@demoniccheese83@pattonsandershugs

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@ultrageekygirl

[pencil-peach]

GWitch Onscreen Text: Episode 7

This is part eight of my attempt to transcribe and discuss all the monitor text in g witch! Because I got worms! We're on episode 7, "Shall We Gundam?"

Now then. Shall we? (Gundam?)

Not text, but in the opening, Vim tells the Peil Witches that it's despicable of them to breach the Cathedra Agreement, only for one of them to respond that she believes he would know something about that himself. This is our first hint towards the existence of the Schwarzette.

Now to the real text, we see a mockup of the Pharact of it's systems in this opening as well.

Here, we see that the Pharact is 19.1m and 57.1t.

The Blue and Red labels are tough to make out, but they each respectively say the same thing. I'll make my best guess: Blue labels: G-O | SYS-GUND CHH Red Labels: GUND FORMAT | CORAX UNITS

The Corax Units are the name of the Pharacts GUND Bits, and we know those use the Gund Format, so that checks. We saw 'CHH' on 4's data graph, still not sure what it means though.

I think the floating red text says GA - MS//RACT, but I can't be sure. The big label in the center says GUND-ARM FP/A-77.

Not text, but I think Sarius and Delling is another relationship I wish we got to see more of. Delling actually worked directly under Sarius within Grassley before eventually becoming President of the entire Group.

During the scene in the greenhouse, we get a look at the program on Miorine's monitor. No way to read the actual text on it from this shot, but we do see Miorine verify the name of one of the brands of fertilizer before presumably typing it on the screen, so it's probably safe to assume it's tracking the general maintenance of the tomatoes.

We never get a completely clear shot of the Incubation Party Invitation (Because it just can never be easy) But I'll make my best estimate of it from the shots we DO get.

TEXT: SUBJECT: INCUBATION EVENT PARTY INVITATION & APPLICATION GUIDELINES FROM: BENERIT GROUP PROTOCOL MANAGEMENT OFFICE

INVITATION The Benerit Group has the great honor of inviting you to the 15th Incubation Event.

Off topic but this scene has one of my favorite Miorine Noises in the whole show. It's so good. Take a listen. She is Flabbergasted.

TEXT: 15th INCUBATION EVENT PARTY Hosted by BENERIT GROUP

Pretty...

The Mobile Suits on display aren't named, but the one in the back right is actually the YOASOBI Collaboration Version of the Demi Trainer.

(YOASOBI are the musical duo that composed Shukufuku)

I wont bore you with a 1 to 1 transcription of the text of this first presentation, so here's the general overview.

This is PRESENTATION No. 001 for the Incubation Party from TENGRIFF SOLUTIONS. They're asking for 100,000,000 to develop an INTEGRATED FIRE CONTROL SOFTWARE. What that means generally is that they want to develop a software that can automatically correct/redirect an MS's aim to a specific target, in both Individual and Team based MS Operations. The benefits of this system are: AUTO TRAJECTORY CORRECTION AUTO CORIOLIS CORRECTION AUTO GRAVITY CORRECTION FIRE CONTROL FORMS BATTALION HIGH SPEED TARGET DATA LINK HIGH PERFORMANCE SPOTTING SYSTEM ALL ENVIRONMENT CONTROL SYSTEM

Unfortunately this project did not meet the 75% formation requirement and DIED

Funny Shaddiq Expression. I don't think he ever makes a face like this for the rest of the series.

[Pointing] One of the two times throughout the series we see any pat of Notrette. The only other time is in the second season opening.

We see VIM JETURK on Lauda's screen when he's calling him. (The "Accept" button actually darkens when Lauda taps it)

This scene is our first look into Nika's role as a go between for Shaddiq, and also how it'll be a main point of conflict between her and Martin, as he's the one who sees the two of them talking.

(Also, Shaddiq has a habit of abruptly lowering the tone of his voice to signify a change in his demeanor. If you ever rewatch the series again, try and listen for it ! He does it all the time)

TEXT (Top to Bottom) BENERIT GROUP NETWORK CONNECTION ^ ACCESS REQUEST ACCESS POINT: STAGE SCREEN LINE CODE: 2915.455X.eX STATUS: APPROVAL PENDING LINE CODE: Yds2.4006.40 LINE CODE: 2945.Rr50.52 LINE CODE: KL40.024c.R2

Miorine's phone when she requests access to the Stage Screen

When she gets approved and begins connecting, her phone displays this loading screen called SYNCHRONIZE

And the stage screen is displaying that same loading screen for a split second before fully connecting.

Miorine explains what this all means in the show proper, so I feel it'd be redundant to explain it, but here's the presentation anyhow.

We also see the UI of the program Mio is using in the presentation. She only uses the MEMO tab, but we see that there's a TEXT and PICT tab as well.

When Miorine takes the phone back from Delling, the investment status has reached 3%, meaning he invested 7,200,000,000 in the company. Mama Mia !

Business Successfully Formed!

But it seems that they only reached the bare minimum amount, 75%. So of the 240,000,000,000, she requested, the company earned at LEAST 180,000,000,000

We also see that Miorine’s presentation is only the 5th one of the night.

And that's all! Thank you very much! Unfortunately I can't leave anymore images because I've somehow reached the image limit :(

Instead I leave you with this: Go back and watch the scene where Miorine and Suletta see Prospera and Godoy. After the scene where Suletta greets him, they keep drawing his face wrong. Okay! Goodbye....!

Click here to go to Episode 8!

Click here to go to the Masterpost!

[noaasanctuaries]

Registration for #CHOW2024 is open!

Good leaders know how to create purpose behind the work they do. This is what Capitol Hill Ocean Week (CHOW) 2024 is all about. The theme this year is ocean leadership, and the annual event hosted by the National Marine Sanctuary Foundation calls upon leaders from all walks of life to come together to drive attention and innovation to protect our ocean and center people at the core of ocean solutions.

The event will explore both the traditional and new ways that local and international communities are adapting to a changing planet, saving and protecting species, and sustaining human-environment relationships.

[mariacallous]

In November 1988, the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) met in Algiers and issued a Declaration of Independence, proclaiming the state of Palestine. The declaration grounded the new state in the 1947 U.N. Partition Resolution, which called for two states, one Arab and one Jewish. The PLO’s goal, as with Hamas today, had previously been the “liberation” of all of Palestine, from the river to the sea. In the 1988 declaration, the PLO reversed that position. Four weeks later, the PLO recognized Israel’s right to exist.

Immediately following the proclamation, Algeria, the host country, announced its recognition of the state of Palestine. And almost immediately, the United States launched a worldwide effort to persuade other countries to withhold recognition and thwart the Palestinians in their campaign to gain admission into international organizations.

Today, 139 countries recognize the state of Palestine, but this does not include the major Western democracies. The state is a member of many international organizations but not the United Nations, where the United States, through the Security Council, has blocked admission. Yet since 2012, Palestine has been recognized by the United Nations as a non-member observer state.

Now, triggered by the war in Gaza, this may change. British Foreign Secretary David Cameron, has stated that the United Kingdom is considering recognizing Palestine and supporting its membership in the United Nations. More importantly, it has been reported that this is also under consideration by the U.S. State Department.

Prior to Oct. 7, 2023, recognition by the United States and admission of the state of Palestine to the United Nations would have been a major accomplishment for Fatah (the biggest secular Palestinian political party), the PLO, and for Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, who also holds the title of President of the state of Palestine.

This would not have fundamentally changed the widespread Palestinian judgment that the entire Oslo Accords process was a disaster for the Palestinians, but it would have kindled a small spark of hope and would have counted for something in Fatah’s struggle with Hamas, which replaced the PLO as the home for Palestinians who remained committed to liberating all of Palestine and to the use of armed struggle to do so.

If it happens now, Hamas, whose popularity among Palestinians has grown and will grow further if there is a release of Palestinian prisoners in exchange for the Israeli hostages, will likely take credit. It will maintain that this recognition, which the PLO was not able to accomplish, demonstrates that only armed struggle produces results.

And within Israel, such moves will likely increase the political fortunes of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. U.S. President Biden’s advocacy of the two-state solution is already being used by Netanyahu as a central theme in his effort to win the next Israeli election, despite his dismal polling numbers. He claims that, were it not for him, Israel would be presently facing a Hamas-controlled state in the West Bank, and that only he can stand up to U.S. pressure.

Key figures in the Israeli center who might challenge Netanyahu in the next election are sufficiently concerned that they have asked Washington to stop talking, at least in public, about the two-state solution. Unilateral recognition of Palestine by the United States would be used by Netanyahu in his efforts to stoke Israeli fears.

That said, U.S. recognition of Palestine and its admission to the United Nations can be hugely important in the effort to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, but to do so, such steps must be part of a comprehensive peace plan, one that acknowledges the new reality that Oct. 7 has created for Israelis. That day, Israelis underwent a trauma whose impact will endure. Israelis lost a sense of security that had long become part of their lives. They lost trust in their government and in their military, their intelligence services, and their technology. Hamas’s slaughter awakened the historic memories of the Holocaust and of centuries of pogroms.

Post-Oct. 7, no Israeli government will ever agree to a Palestinian state in the West Bank unless ­there is substantial confidence that it will not be a threat to Israel. No set of written arrangements, including provisions that say the Palestinian state will be demilitarized, will supply Israelis with the degree of confidence that is necessary before they will risk a sovereign Palestinian state in the West Bank.

If there is an answer, it will require abandoning the defunct Oslo paradigm, which sees Palestinian statehood emerging as a result of successful end-of-conflict negotiations. The alternative is a sovereignty-in-Gaza-first approach: to test Palestinian statehood in Gaza first, and only if it is successful over an agreed period, to then move to negotiations on extending Palestinian sovereignty to the West Bank.

The Gaza-first approach to Palestinian statehood has a long history. Its strongest Israeli proponent was Shimon Peres. Back in 1995, at Peres’s request, I presented to Yasser Arafat a 20-point Gaza-first proposal I had developed. Arafat abruptly rejected it, not unreasonably, fearing that Gaza-first would become Gaza-last. But that was in the heyday of the Oslo Accords, when other paths to statehood seemed possible. Today, for Israelis, actual lived experience with a trial state in Gaza may be the only path to the two-state solution.

Here are the main components of what a “Gaza-first plan” might look like—one that integrates U.S. recognition of the state of Palestine into a path to peace:

The United States (or a group of Arab states including Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and Qatar) will put forward a plan for a trial Palestinian state in Gaza, with permanent status negotiations between Israel and the state of Palestine to be held only after a successful, three-year demonstration by the new state that it is stable, committed to peace with Israel, and has been successful in achieving de facto sovereignty over Gaza. The State of Palestine would have to attain respect for its authority from nonstate actors, especially Hamas. Hamas would have to relinquish its ability to initiate hostilities, including the possession of heavy weapons, missile production, and weapons smuggling.

If the PLO accepts this Gaza-first test of Palestinian sovereignty, then the United States would stop blocking Palestine’s admission to the U.N. and commit to recognizing the state of Palestine once it establishes de facto sovereignty over Gaza.

The PLO or Fatah, under Arab auspices, would then begin negotiations with Hamas over the group’s future. The goal will be agreement that once Israel withdraws from Gaza, Hamas will accept the authority of the Palestinian state. Further, agreement will be sought on conditions that Hamas-affiliated candidates will have to meet in order to participate in Palestinian elections, including acceptance of the Declaration of Independence’s language that Palestine “rejects the threat or use of force, violence and terrorism, against … the territorial integrity of other states.”

If the PLO-Hamas negotiations are successful, Israeli forces in Gaza will be rapidly replaced by security forces from the Palestinian Authority. If they are not successful, then Palestine will receive assistance from other Arab states, or an international force, to establish its sovereign control of Gaza, leading to Israel’s exit.

Once the state of Palestine establishes control over Gaza, it would be recognized by the United States and Israel—but with its recognized sovereignty, at this point, limited to Gaza. Upon Israeli recognition of the state of Palestine, the Palestinian Authority will cease to exist. All its administrative functions and assets and bureaucracy in the West Bank will be assumed by the state of Palestine.

The emerging state will hold its first elections in both the West Bank and Gaza. All candidates for office will be required to meet the conditions discussed above.

Upon the election of the first government of Palestine, the two states, Israel and Palestine, will exchange ambassadors and pledge peaceful coexistence. The United States will sponsor negotiations between the two states on lifting the blockade of Gaza and on how to prevent weapons smuggling into Gaza.

To demonstrate that it is serious about future negotiations over the West Bank, Israel will also agree to a complete halt to the expansion of West Bank settlements, and to control and punish violence and intimidation of Palestinians by Israeli settlers.

After the transfer of power to the state of Palestine, the settlement freeze, and the opening of negotiations on lifting the blockade of Gaza, Saudi Arabia will normalize relations with Israel.

Upon a declaration by Palestine that it has attained de facto sovereignty over Gaza, the three-year trial period will commence. If it is successful, as judged by an implementation commission composed of the United States and the Arab countries that have recognized Israel, then Washington will convene permanent status talks between the two states. Those negotiations will be based on the final status parameters articulated by then-U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry in 2016. These not only included the demilitarization of the Palestinian state and security provisions for Israel, but also a commitment that the borders of Palestine in the West Bank will be based on the 1967 lines, modified by equal land swaps, and with a Palestinian capital in East Jerusalem.

Making Palestinian statehood a reality would allow Palestinian moderates to take over Gaza from the Israelis without appearing to be Israeli subcontractors or a police force furthering the occupation. Without this fundamental change in its role, the notion of a “revitalized Palestinian Authority” taking effective control of Gaza, as Biden has proposed, is delusional.

Much will depend on the size and capabilities of Palestine’s security forces. But most of all, success or failure will depend on whether the Palestinian people themselves believe that this statehood trial really offers a path to comprehensive independence. If so, succeeding in the trial will have widespread Palestinian support, and this in turn will affect Hamas’s willingness to accept the authority of the state. Essentially, Hamas will be faced with a choice between marginalization or evolution.

Ironically, this approach may also appeal to many Israelis who currently oppose a Palestinian state. This is because, apart from fierce right-wing ideologues, most of the Israeli opposition to a Palestinian state rests on the belief that real peace with such a state is not possible. For those firmly of this view, a Gaza-first test may appeal to them, if only because they believe that Palestine will prove to be a failed state.

For the centrists seeking to lead Israel, a Gaza-first trial is a pragmatic option that serves to neutralize Netanyahu’s claim that only he can prevent the imposition of a Palestinian state with West Bank sovereignty. Further, testing sovereignty does not tie Israel’s hands if a Palestinian state is unable to gain actual sovereign power over Gaza. At the same time, a trial state in Gaza potentially offers Israel a chance that it would not otherwise have: a way to permanently withdraw from Gaza, rather than having to face an interminable insurgency.

Gaining Saudi recognition of Israel by committing only to good-faith testing of Palestinian sovereignty will significantly enhance interest in the plan for all Israelis.

For the moderate Palestinian leadership, this framework provides a major achievement towards a full end to the occupation, with actual sovereignty in some part of Palestine.  And recognition by the United States will mean a Palestinian Embassy in Washington, a U.S. ambassador to Palestine, and worldwide acceptance of symbols of Palestinian sovereignty including passports and a currency.

Palestinians will be wary, as Arafat was in 1995, that Gaza-first will become Gaza-last, but such fears will be alleviated by a permanent halt to Israeli settlement expansion.

For those on both sides who are deeply committed to resolving the conflict, a Gaza-first approach provides an opportunity to demonstrate that lasting peace is possible, as well as an opportunity to develop new approaches to final-status arrangements outside the Oslo paradigm. Most importantly, it offers a credible path to the end of the conflict, without playing into Netanyahu’s hands.

[crmvoipsoftwaresolutions]

Benefits of a Call Center Solution for Small Businesses

Many people think that a call center solution can be used only by the call centers or big enterprises. However, the fact is, a call center solution can be used by any sized business, including small businesses. Similar to enterprises and call centers, small businesses can also gain many benefits by using a call center solution. If there are any budget constraints, then small businesses can also use a hosted call center solution, which offers pay as go models.

 In this blog, I will share some of the major benefits of a call center solution for small businesses.

1. Increase lead generation and sales

For any small business, one of the most crucial things is continuously converting leads to increase sales. If a small business fails to generate and convert more leads or if the pace of lead generation and conversion is too slow, then they are more likely to get stuck at a stage. This happens to many small businesses. A call center solution is an advanced tool, which can be used for cold calling as well as to handle the leads received from the website or other resources. A call center solution usually offers a wide array of features that can be used to handle calls more convincingly. Therefore, small businesses can increase lead generation as well as lead conversion by using a feature rich call center solution.

2. Retain existing customers

For a small business, even a small customer is big. All businesses need to retain their customers because it helps in assuring repeat business and a continuous stream of revenues. For small businesses, retaining all customers is an even more crucial job. Losing a customer is not just losing revenues, but reducing ROI and increasing expenses. Therefore, it is necessary for small businesses to retain their customers. A call center solution offers an amazing range of features that can help all businesses retain their existing customers by offering a prompt and on-time support services. Small businesses can gain a competitive edge and match the standards of big competitors by enhancing their customer care and post sales services by using a call center solution. 

3. Maximize resource utilization

For any small business, one of the most important goals is to maximize resource utilization. Assuring the best possible resource utilization means that the business can take advantage of reduced expenses. The call center solution can make sure that all executives in a small business can attend multiple calls. This is unlike a traditional system, in which executives have to take calls one by one or they have to use personal phone numbers. In both cases, measuring productivity and fair utilization of resources become impossible. A call center solution lets small businesses monitor resource utilization and productivity as well as make measuring productivity easier. 

In a nutshell, a call center solution offers many benefits to a small business. Some companies like AC InfoSoft offers a call center solution with a small number of agent seats. They also offer a hosted solution. To know more about one of the renowned hosted call center solution, you can visit 

https://www.acinfosoft.com/hosted-call-center-solution/

[freepbxaavaz]

Call Center Solution Comparison

Additionally, customers can contact the call center problem and solutions with Aavaz, and their issues can be resolved immediately if the call center has been monitoring in real time.

[teckinfosolutions]

Good Cloud Call Center Software Capabilities

Cloud call center software offers essential features for efficient customer communication, including Interactive Voice Response (IVR), Automatic Call Distribution (ACD), call monitoring, live call transfer, CRM integration, and omnichannel communication. IVR acts as a virtual receptionist, ACD ensures timely routing, and CRM integration provides a 360-degree view of callers. The ability to transfer live calls seamlessly and accommodate various communication channels enhances customer experience. Cloud call center solutions streamline business communications, contributing to enhanced customer satisfaction and operational efficiency.

[rjzimmerman]

[Note: I learned from the Biden debate debacle that the New York Times is generally a bad media source. While the stories may be interesting and the reporters generally highly qualified, the Times teases its stories by hiding crucial facts that aren't suggested by the headline it uses, or by ignoring other crucial facts. Example: you have to read through several paragraphs before you learn that artifical intelligence might consumer about 0.5% of our global electricity by 2027. Does that number justify the headline? No. Basically, I guess I'm saying that the New York Times needs fact checking, just as it's so proud of its fact checking of politician's statements.)

Excerpt from this New York Times story:

A few weeks ago, I joined a small group of reporters for a wide-ranging conversation with Bill Gates about climate change, its causes and potential solutions. When the topic turned to the issue of just how much energy artificial intelligence was using, Gates was surprisingly sanguine.

“Let’s not go overboard on this,” he said during a media briefing on the sidelines of an event he was hosting in London.

A.I. data centers represent a relatively small additional load on the grid, Gates said. What’s more, he predicted that insights gleaned from A.I. would deliver gains in efficiency that would more than make up for that additional demand.

In short, Gates said, the stunning rise of A.I. will not stand in the way of combating climate change. “It’s not like, ‘Oh no, we can’t do it because we’re addicted to doing chat sessions,’” he said.

And while it’s too early to draw a definitive conclusion on the issue, a few things are already clear: A.I. is having a profound impact on energy demand around the world, it’s often leading to an uptick in planet-warming emissions, and there’s no end in sight.

A.I. data centers have a big appetite for electricity. The so-called graphic processing units, or G.P.U.s, used to train large language models and respond to ChatGPT queries, require more energy than your average microchip and give off more heat.

With more data centers coming online almost every week, projections about how much energy will be required to power the A.I. boom are soaring.

One peer-reviewed study suggested A.I. could make up 0.5 percent of worldwide electricity use by 2027, or roughly what Argentina uses in a year. Analysts at Wells Fargo suggested that U.S. electricity demand could jump 20 percent by 2030, driven in part to A.I.

[friskafriskito]

I have not made a vent post on this blog in ages and I'm very sorry to break that streak. This is very much about what's happening in Palestine so if you would rather not read, I understand.

There will be mention of war, discrimination and genocide, and the general uncertainty and hopelessness that comes with being in a nearby country.

In a sense it's not just a vent post but also wanting to let friends know how it's been like here in Egypt.

...also this is very long and rambly, so apologies there. I don't really have the usual tl;dr for this either.

I've tried to write something over and over, tried to voice my opinion on what's going on in Palestine.

I've erased it, over and over, for many different reasons, some because it got too rambly, some because I got scared, and some because it felt like it didn't sound sincere enough

the truth is I don't want to be a spokesperson for my ethnicity nor my faith when all I want to do is help where I can and mourn.

I don't want to have to find an impenetrable rebuttal for every single "what if" or "what about" that would come my way for simply saying "genocide and apartheid is wrong" or "I was thinking of donating to so and so"

yes, I know. There were terrorist attacks. People have been hurt on both sides. People are using this to justify antisemitism and hateful, even dangerous actions. That is horrible. and I know the attempts at mediating have gone nowhere.

but I would like to be able to be upset at the news of hospitals, schools, cultural centers, places of worship (and not just Muslim ones) and families being destroyed and not have someone go "well actually, they all deserved it" when I express sadness

I would like to be able to express my fear of our future and at the possibility that we're next, without being called paranoid or a coward, because we're right next door. because they have already attacked an Egyptian post in Sinai by accident, and because we're being pressured to give Sinai to Palestine, and if Hamas attacks from there, then our peace treaty with Israel essentially goes out the window. And I'll just be among another set of people waved away as "they deserved it".

but also I'm mad at myself for being scared because what if that ends up being the only 'available 'acceptable' solution?

And what right do I have to be scared, when I'm sitting at home in the comfort of my room, surrounded by my family and my hobbies?

I don't know. the background sound, all day, wherever you go is the news and the new death toll. bodies shown on TV in cafes. Angry talk show hosts yelling about the same thing over and over. Discussions on how to help are sobered by the fact that most of the aid being sent are being slowed down, or aren't arriving at all. Frustration that we aren't doing more to help, or so and so country isn't doing enough. We have been watching this happen for decades on the news. Decades worth of seeing people killed and punished in their own country that they can't even call their own. You would think we've gotten used to it by now and in a sick sense, we kind of did.

but every now and then something like this happens.

everything is so uncertain. No one is in the mood to do much. Birthday parties, events, and even weddings have been postponed because no one is in the mood to celebrate anything while our neighbors are being wiped out.

And I don't know what's worse: that it might not calm down, or that it does, and people forget about those left to pick up the pieces.

the only thing I'm grateful for is the unexpected amount of support I've been seeing. It's difficult posting as an Arab, and a Muslim to boot; because "of course you would support Palestine, you're one of them." people automatically assume you support terrorism and antisemitism. At best they assume you're naive and ignorant. You get used to the fact that no one wants to acknowledge that the people dying aren't just numbers and sad photos.

but I've seen people use their platforms here despite being neither Arab nor Muslim in far braver ways than I ever could. I've seen people speak out against their own government for Palestine's sake. So thank you for helping us raise awareness.

I can't speak for all Arabs and/or Muslims, but I know a lot of us are just tired.

We shouldn't have to produce an MLA style list of sources justifying our grief.