#Marketing Strategies for Mining Companies

[gandhitechnowebsolutions]

Digital Marketing Strategies for Mining Companies

Promoting mining businesses online is a massive endeavour. The mining industry contracts agencies specialising in digital marketing.

[pharmascroll]

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[reasonsmandy]

Anytime Soon

Eddie Roundtree x Fem!Reader

✧.* requested by anon — Could you do prompt 22 “You're mine, all mine... But not in a possessive way, dammit, that sounded like an asshole, right? I was trying to be cute. Nevermind” where the reader says it to Eddie Roundtree?

✧.* summary — The band was growing, and with that, strategies on how to maintain this fame and use it to the band's advantage came. Which, unfortunately, became a hindrance to their relationship.

✧.* warnings — none

✧.* word count — 1.9k

✧.* 🎸 — Eddie's masterlist

You hear a loud noise coming from downstairs, which makes you jump in fright and as soon as you pull yourself together, you run after what had caused it. As soon as you enter the kitchen, the image of Warren standing on the chair hugging a plate, avoiding Eddie for some unapparent reason.

“Get away from me!” Rojas protests, still protecting his plate from the bassist.

“Cami said it was one for each, give me my egg now!” He jumps to try to reach it, but he can't.

“What the fuck is going on here?” You say rubbing your eyes, trying to escape sleep.

“He lost the bet and now he doesn’t want to accept it” Warren says, adjusting the sleep shorts he was still wearing.

“Today of all days do you want to collect this bet? Seriously?” He rolls his eyes so hard you swear they could go through his skull.

You are intrigued by the statement, but decide to break up the fight before asking.

“Warren, can’t you bet on something other than food?” Tired, you say between a yawn.

“But I really like Cami’s special eggs.” He protests, almost like a sulking child.

“I’ll make a point of asking her for extra tomorrow, okay?” You help Roundtree who thanks you with a look.

Rojas jumps out of his chair, and you're shocked at how he can balance his food in one hand. He hands you the plate.

“Fine.” He sits on the chair he was previously standing on, and watches you, waiting. “But you cut it, to be fair! He always takes the biggest one.”

After calming down the drummer, he leaves towards the balcony to eat, leaving you and the bassist alone with just the sound of the wind between you. He cracks a smile, clearly happy to see you, to be with you.

“How was your night?” He says getting closer, you roll your eyes playfully, knowing that he was teasing you.

“Perfect, and you know it.” You say, getting closer to him, kissing his lips tenderly.

“Glad to know that…” He says, still close to you, which tempts you to kiss him again.

You sit together at the small table, watching each other and chatting idly. One of his hands caressed yours on the table, while the other held the spoon he used to eat his eggs.

“So what happens today?” You ask curiously, drawing inanimate things on his hand with your fingers.

“What do you mean?" He returns the question, in fact, lost.

“You told Warren ‘today of all days’” You mention what you remember from the phrase, observing the window.

“Oh that.” He seems to understand now, pausing to chew and then answer you. “Today a woman from the record company came to see us here at home, I think she's going to take care of our marketing... Something like that” He says shrugging.

“Do you mind that Cami and I are here?” You ask in a velvety voice.

“Of course not, pretty girl.” He says kissing your forehead, getting up to wash the dishes.

You go to him and wrap your arms around his waist, resting your head on his back, enjoying his presence and from time to time kissing his shoulder. When he finishes, he turns to face you, kissing you and holding your hands on your face, you feel his skin cold from the water.

“I need to go get ready” he says between kisses on your lips.

“I’ll see you when I’m free?” you ask, leaning your body against the doorframe.

“For sure.” He winks at you, turning to access the balcony when he shouts: “Hey Warren! Let's go.”

…

Eddie and the rest had been gathered in the living room in advance by Billy, everyone was talking waiting for the woman sent by the record company, you and Cami took advantage of the delay to spend more time with everyone. You sat on the arm of the couch, one of Roundtree's arms wrapping around your waist as the doorbell rang in every ear in the place.

“I’m on it!” Graham jumps up, heading to the door to receive the visitor. “Hey” He greets her.

“Hello Graham.” She says asking for permission to come in, he gives her space.

As the door swung open, Valentina entered with an air of authority. A strand of raven hair fell perfectly out of place, framing a face adorned with subtle yet commanding features. Behind her glasses, her piercing gaze assessed the room, exuding a sense of unwavering control. Every step resonated confidence, and her polished heels echoed a rhythm that seemed to march to the beat of her own rules. The clash between her poised elegance and the band's laid-back atmosphere hung palpably in the air as she crossed the threshold into their world.

She feels tension when she enters, but instead of feeling uncomfortable she feels powerful. You lightly squeeze Eddie's shoulder, saying silently that you would leave so as not to disturb the meeting, then you and Camila head to the kitchen.

“So Val, what have you got ready?” Billy asks, looking not so friendly.

“Don’t call me that, uh- I have some things to pass on to you.” She takes some papers out of the briefcase she had with her, causing curiosity.

Warren leaned over, getting in front of Graham so he could see what she was showing, repeating a push from the younger Dunne to get him to quiet down.

Little by little the small fight grows, and Eddie - who also shared a sofa with the two, pushes them both with the strength he had, little by little everything becomes alarmed. Karen rolls her eyes and sighs deeply, Billy tries to ignore it but the discomfort grows in him.

Valentina clears her throat irritably, in order to get their attention, "I don't have all the time in the world, gentlemen, and miss..." She says to Karen, as if saying that she doesn't understand why she was there at all. “Now, can we continue?”

Like children who had been scolded by their teacher (which was perhaps the situation) they fell silent, Graham looked down, Eddie tensed his body in silent protest and Warren shrank back.

Valentina unfolds her plans with an air of meticulous precision. Each document presented is accompanied by a concise explanation, her tone unwaveringly professional. The boys, seated on the sofa, exchange glances, picking up on the gravity of her intentions. The weight of her scrutiny makes them subtly shift in their seats, a collective unease settling in.

As she projects charts and graphs, she casts a discerning eye over the room. Her attention, like a laser, dissects not just the details on paper but also the nuances of their reactions. A sense of judgment, though unspoken, lingers in the air.

The atmosphere becomes almost oppressive, and the band members, despite their casual exterior, feel the weight of Valentina's expectations. Then, with a pause pregnant with implication, she breaks the silence, looking deeply in each one of their eyes.

“Another important topic.” She says gathering the papers. “I already know Billy has a daughter and a wife, but what about the rest of you? Do you have a relationship?”

Silence, as she seemed to already want a negative answer to that question. Karen and Graham look at each other, but no one notices.

“Uh, no.” Graham responds, looking at everyone. “I mean, Eddie?”

Roundtree exhales cigarette smoke, coughing a little as Warren looks at him with a smirk.

“Yeah, I have a girl actually…”

She clicks her tongue in disapproval, writing something down in her notebook. The bassist didn't understand anything, so he just raised his eyebrows, however, Rojas couldn't help but say "What?”

“It’s not good for your image, especially as a band on the rise.” She clarifies, as if it were obvious and they were idiots.

“Why?” Graham asks, his voice was so quiet that the woman had to adjust her glasses to see his lips better.

“Isn't it obvious? It breaks the connection with your fans, they want to be close to you, they want to delude themselves into thinking that they can be part of the band or date you.”

“I dont care?" Eddie is direct, and she seems to bubble with disrespect.

“Well, you better start caring.” she says, in an almost threatening tone. “If you want this, to get somewhere”

The silence is broken by the voice of the band's lead singer, he looks directly at Eddie. “She has a point Eddie.”

Eddie lets out an angry look, rolling his eyes tightly. “You've gotta be kidding me.”

“You have to think about the band...” Billy reinforces, and tension gradually sets in.

“Look who's talking.” He clearly rolls his eyes, filled with anger. “You're not going to break up with Camila, are you? So why do I have to do it?”

“He has a point Billy.” Warren comes to the bassist's defense. “I don't see how it affects us that much, I mean, everyone already knows from our songs that you're married. We're not hiding anything”

Valentina disapproves of Rojas' speech with a clear denial with her head. Billy doesn't respond, he was irritated at being contradicted.

"I'll discuss this with Teddy," she declares, her departure leaving Eddie seething. "I'll reach out when there's a decision. Think about what's at stake here, gentlemen."

As the door closes behind her, Eddie's frustration hangs in the air, the clash of personal convictions and professional expectations echoing in the room.

The bassist storms out the room without sharing any other look with the others, he heads to his room to find you peacefully drawing in your notebook, you look up at him to find his face tense until your eyes meet.

He comes to you almost as if begging for support, you welcome him into your embrace without questioning too much, you knew he didn't always experience good things in this band, especially with his devaluation.

“Wanna talk about it?” You mutter after a few seconds of silence.

“He's such an asshole, I'd punch him in the face now." He blurts out, and you already knew who he was talking about.

“What did he do this time?"

“The woman at the record company is an asshole, she basically said I needed to break up with you.” The information shocks you, you don't know how to react. “Of course, I protested. But that stupid Billy agreed with her. Of course he agreed, right? He's not affected, he's not the one who's going to break up with Camila.”

“Hey, breathe." You ask him, observing carefully you noticed that his knuckles were stiff with so much anger. “But what does our relationship have to do with the band?”

“The woman said that it breaks the connection with the fans, because they want to feel close with us and bla blá blá.” He says rolling his eyes, you frown.

“She wants you to be a single to deceive your fans?" Now, you adjust yourself on his lap.

He nods, and it's your turn to roll your eyes.

“There’s no way!" You protest, kissing him affectionately. You can feel him lose all his angry face under your touch. “You're mine, all mine... But not in a possessive way, dammit, that sounded like an asshole, right? I was trying to be cute. Nevermind”

He laughs, wrapping both of his arms around your waist to get you closer, he kisses you once again. Intensifying your kiss with a touch of need. You stroke the strands of his hair, and he smiles into the kiss.

“No matter how crazy this all drives me, as long as I have you... Everything will be fine.” He whispers against your lips, kissing you tenderly once again.

“I love you" you say, watching the bassist smile. "And fuck Billy and that woman, we're not breaking up anytime soon.”

Eddie Roundtree: And she was right, we didn't. *says showing his wedding ring*

...

Hi, I hope you enjoyed it... If you wanted to ask for something my requests are open, and if you want to ask and don't have any ideas check out my prompt list :) xoxo

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[brf-rumortrackinganon]

Purely from a customer and consumer point of view, the products Meghan is teasing do not seem appealing.

I really artisan jams and jellies and cute, home grown products that look adorable are my roman empire (please don't judge me for this). But I also look for quality products, the stories of the owners, curators, as well as how and who from the products or raw materials are sourced. And I channel this interest of mine into my secret side gig as an anonymous food critic. I write about artisan cafes and food products. So looking at Meghan's 3 products from that lense -

If the only products she is offering is freshly made (perishable) jam and a dog biscuit, then it is extremely off putting for a consumer. It doesn't matter if it's beautifully packaged. There is no cohesion between the 2 products. For most people who don't have dogs or are sticklers for hygiene would be a little icked out. At the price point which she intends to sell these products it's very important to create an image in the customers mind. Wholesome, clean, fresh, cosy, tasty, happy kids happy families, warmth and lighthearted fun filled family times etc etc etc.

No all I'm thinking of is that she is making the jam on one hob of her stove top and putting together the dog biscuit ingredients in a large bowl on the same countertop (and dog food ingredients are usually raw, smelly, include things like liver, lamb, bone meal, bone broth etc). Just thinking of that has put me off of whatever was launched simultaneously with those dog biscuits.

Those products should not have been launched together. Technically she hasn't launched anything, I know. But if and when she does, a lot of people would already associate the two products together.

Of course this is just my opinion, but I do think Meghan has noone to advice her on market strategy and brand story. She is focussing too much on or and not at all on getting the basics of her brand together. A brand, as in the product itself, is always bigger than the creator.

People buy skims because it's a good product that looks good, does te work it does and it offers variety. Not just because kim wears it. People are over Kylie lipkits because the lipsticks are bad, flaky, and substandard. Kylies pillowey lips can only sell soany kits.

Using the same logic, if Meghan is not highlighting the produce, the strawberries, the raspberries, the jam making, the gardens, the fruit picking, the quality checks, the jam batches to get just the right taste it's not good. It won't sell. The company would never take off. The products will not be a success countrywide, let alone worldwide. (Which I think is what she would ideally like).

Old ask from June 17th

A perspective on ARO and why it’s failing.

[thoughtportal]

Speech in Acceptance of the National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters

To the givers of this beautiful reward, my thanks, from the heart. My family, my agents, my editors, know that my being here is their doing as well as my own, and that the beautiful reward is theirs as much as mine. And I rejoice in accepting it for, and sharing it with, all the writers who’ve been excluded from literature for so long — my fellow authors of fantasy and science fiction, writers of the imagination, who for fifty years have watched the beautiful rewards go to the so-called realists.

Hard times are coming, when we’ll be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now, can see through our fear-stricken society and its obsessive technologies to other ways of being, and even imagine real grounds for hope. We’ll need writers who can remember freedom — poets, visionaries — realists of a larger reality.

Right now, we need writers who know the difference between production of a market commodity and the practice of an art. Developing written material to suit sales strategies in order to maximise corporate profit and advertising revenue is not the same thing as responsible book publishing or authorship.

Yet I see sales departments given control over editorial. I see my own publishers, in a silly panic of ignorance and greed, charging public libraries for an e-book 6 or 7 times more than they charge customers. We just saw a profiteer try to punish a publisher for disobedience, and writers threatened by corporate fatwa. And I see a lot of us, the producers, who write the books and make the books, accepting this — letting commodity profiteers sell us like deodorant, and tell us what to publish, what to write.

Books aren’t just commodities; the profit motive is often in conflict with the aims of art. We live in capitalism, its power seems inescapable — but then, so did the divine right of kings. Any human power can be resisted and changed by human beings. Resistance and change often begin in art. Very often in our art, the art of words.

I’ve had a long career as a writer, and a good one, in good company. Here at the end of it, I don’t want to watch American literature get sold down the river. We who live by writing and publishing want and should demand our fair share of the proceeds; but the name of our beautiful reward isn’t profit. Its name is freedom.

Thank you.

Ursula K. Le Guin November 19, 2014

This text may be quoted without obtaining permission from the author, or copied in full so long as the copyright information is included:

Copyright © 2014 Ursula K. Le Guin

{source}

[indigoraysoflight]

Let's Talk About The Big F Word.

The word is "friend", and this is a rant. You've been warned.

If you genuinely love Caryl as a friendship or a ship, know that this rant is not meant to invalidate you. I'm merely trying to shed light on the marketing side of things and how some terms are being used to market the show.

I notice there is confusion festering about why AMC's official accounts continue to promote the "friends" narrative. Here's my theory from a marketing perspective.

If companies are worried about ROI (return on investment), they can either change the content to guarantee ROI or grow the audience to improve the chances of getting an ROI. The second part is easier this late in the game when a show is teetering at the end of post-production.

Every time the "friend" narrative is evoked or Carol is deliberately excluded or female characters are pitted against each other – engagement skyrockets. It festers toxicity in the fandom and encourages infighting. Hear me out.

Carylers usually defend themselves, and people who hate Caryl with a burning passion use the narrative to harass and bully Carylers.

That leads the Carylers to double down on their undying devotion to Caryl because they want the world to know why this ship and these characters are important to them (which is understandable considering how difficult the last few years have been).

The official accounts then mine posts and track engagement for market research, which probably leads to the conclusion, "See? Carylers are still engaging and on board with the friend narrative."

And the cycle continues.

"But Caryl are friends! Why is that bad?"

It's not bad; their friendship is what makes this ship unique. Every Caryler cherishes their friendship because it is the foundation of their relationship. Whether you love Caryl as friends or you ship them, the word "friend" is used to encourage people to invalidate Carylers and the ship itself. And it's done in the name of "engagement".

If you don't believe me, go to these posts and see the ratio of comments, QRTs, and responses. "All publicity is good publicity", I'm sure you've probably heard that before. That's the essence of the strategy that is being utilized.

There is a section of the fandom that loves it when Carylers are "put in their place," if you will. They flood to every post that

Invalidates Caryl as a ship

Erases Carol or encourages fans to "erase her" in some way

Pits Carol against another female character

Calls Caryl "friends"

Includes ambiguous pictures/footage to invalidate Caryl/Carol

Because every one of these posts gets a ton of engagement from all sides. Even if a lot of it is negative, it's still talked about. The end goal is word of mouth so more people flock to see what's happening. More eyes mean they can promote their show to a bigger pool of audience, which increases the chances of getting a higher ROI.

"Why would they do that when they started the #TWDCaryl tag?"

My best guess is that the people in charge of running the official accounts are either recycling an old marketing strategy or trying to position Caryl as "friends" to try and attract the audience that is so thrilled by the idea of it on SM. Because Caryl are best friends, Carylers can't refute that or be mad about it, right? Only they're either unaware of the fandom dynamics or don't care as long as the posts get engagement.

Unfortunately, because TBOC hasn't been marketed heavily through official channels yet and relies mainly on pictures, videos, and content shared by cast, crew, or fans, Carylers are eager for any form of promo that gives them information about the show. And any posts shared by official accounts get a lot of attention.

But most of these posts don't hold space for comments about Caryl as a ship. People who see the post as a way of suppressing Carylers or "confirmation" that the ship is invalid harass these commenters.

I don't think the SM managers realize that most people who cheered for excluding Carol from posts are the same ones engaging with the "Caryl are friends" posts.

And anyone who hates Carol with a burning passion – enough to encourage toxicity against her and her fans – will never pay them a dime to watch a show called "The Book of CAROL."

They're stepping on the back of a huge chunk of their audience to get engagement from people who want TBOC to fail. Let them realize on their own that "all engagement is good engagement" until they get a big surprise of declining followers and ROI.

Melissa returned to Carol, and to us, she deserves A LOT better than a few posts that validate people who hate Carol, and recycled footage from the flagship show.

If you choose to take it, my advice is to stop engaging with the official accounts, stop validating them if you're feeling invalidated and disrespected, and use your block button generously. Continue talking about why Carol and Caryl are important to you. Finally, protect your energy and please take care of your mental health.

Thank you for taking the time to read my rant.

Stay safe, and be well. ❤️❤️

[theonlythingtheyfearistruth]

WHY DYSTOPIA MUST BE BORING TO SUCCEED

The "Boring Dystopia Strategy" is a highly strategic and often subtle method employed by those in power to create an enduring, all-encompassing authoritarian government. The genius of this approach is that it doesn't look like a dystopia at first glance. Each step toward oppression is disguised as a necessary solution to a societal problem, creating a series of small, unassuming changes that collectively transform society into a high-surveillance, debt-ridden, and highly regulated landscape. The result is a quiet but relentless march towards a government structure that controls nearly every aspect of daily life, cloaked in the language of safety, responsibility, and "public good."

Key Components of the Boring Dystopia Strategy

Enhanced Surveillance as Crime Prevention Surveillance systems are marketed as tools to make communities safer. The rationale is straightforward: if there are cameras everywhere, criminals are less likely to act. At first, this seems like a good idea. However, as surveillance expands, it reaches a point where privacy no longer exists—every action and interaction is tracked and recorded. People's movements, purchases, conversations, and even thoughts (through social media and data mining) become data points in a government database. The population is conditioned to accept surveillance under the guise of crime prevention, even though the surveillance network eventually exists to deter any resistance to the growing system of control.

Financial "Disincentives" as a Form of Behavior Control Insurance companies, incentivized by government policies, implement "dynamic" pricing models that penalize risky behavior. Drivers with even minor infractions, young drivers, or anyone with imperfect credit face skyrocketing insurance costs. While it’s presented as a means to reward safe drivers and reduce accidents, it’s ultimately a method of forcing people into line. Over time, these small financial penalties accumulate, and as people find themselves unable to afford the rising costs, they are pushed further into debt or forced to depend on the very government that created the conditions of their hardship.

The Department of Bureaucracy: A Growing Web of Useless Jobs New laws and regulations are introduced to solve every conceivable social issue, resulting in bloated departments filled with superfluous workers whose roles add no real value to society. The justification is often to create jobs and stimulate the economy, but these positions end up creating layers of bureaucracy that slow down meaningful progress. This web of inefficiency puts financial strain on both the government and the people, leading to higher taxes and fees. With each new law or regulation, the cost of compliance grows, straining both businesses and individuals who can't afford to play by an ever-increasing list of rules.

Rising Cost of Living as an Inevitable "Economic Shift" As government regulations add costs to every industry, prices naturally increase. This is explained away as the cost of progress or as an unfortunate byproduct of addressing critical social issues, like "ethical sourcing" or "green initiatives" that are actually revenue-boosters for corporations. As inflation rises and wages stagnate, the lower class is squeezed financially. Each attempt to improve their situation—whether by taking a second job or reducing expenses—is offset by further price increases or surprise taxes. This creates a cycle where economic mobility is nearly impossible, locking the lower class in place.

Debt as a Tool for Control As the cost of living rises, debt becomes unavoidable for many. Loans, credit cards, and financing options are promoted as solutions, pushing people into a system of lifelong debt repayment. With growing financial obligations and little hope of ever breaking free, individuals are forced to work harder, often taking on additional jobs, which leaves them with less time and energy to question or resist the system. Debt chains the population to the very system that oppresses them, creating a sense of dependency on government stability, even as that stability is the source of their financial despair.

The Final Stage: Disempowerment Disguised as "Efficiency"

As the population is weakened by financial strain, endless surveillance, and a tangled bureaucracy, the final stage involves introducing measures to "simplify" governance. This might mean fewer elected officials, streamlined decision-making processes, and the merging of regulatory bodies for "efficiency." In reality, this final stage centralizes power even further, leaving those at the top with almost unchecked authority, a situation that the people, too exhausted and indebted to resist, accept as necessary.

The Boring Dystopia Strategy works because it does not announce itself as an authoritarian takeover. Instead, it subtly shifts the balance of power by presenting every oppressive measure as a solution to a social ill. And because each step is introduced slowly, over decades, the population becomes accustomed to the new reality, accepting surveillance, debt, and regulation as the normal costs of a safe and responsible society. By the time people realize the extent of their powerlessness, the dystopian state is fully entrenched, with every escape route closed off.

[greenaswildfire]

Alright, here be some additional thoughts of mine regarding Martin's post and HBO's answer to him

Summary:

he knew the risks from the start.

he warned us he would write a post about.

Martin posted his opinion

The post was weirdly taken down, apparently by HBO's request.

Lets see now:

Martin knows from the start that HBO needs him way more than the opposite. Even more now with Warner's huge debt, they NEED these spinoffs to succeed. And do we really think that spinoffs like Aegon's Conquest and 10K ships will be successful with Warner's restrictions for budget and number of episodes? And one more thing: with these limitations, do we really think the success tends to increase from now on? Maybe for Aegon's Conquest and tko7k, but I don't see the same level of interest for shows like 10K ships, or the animations for Yi Ti and Corlys voyages. The average viewer is Targaryen simp, they won't be that interested in a show where Valyrians/Targaryens are the villains (they can't stand Rhaenyra being villain, let alone her ancestors!), or in any other show that has no valyrian/targaryen. Maybe Martin is aware of the implications in the long run and that's why he decided to finally talk, before it's too late.

A predator doesn't warn his prey when he's going to strike. But George warned us beforehand that he planned to voice his concerns about hotd. Why would he do it, when he could have simply dropped the myopinion-bomb and left? Being impredictable is an advantage in most cases and maybe HBO would have taken longer to act if they weren't aware of the fact George would write something. But he warned us. And HBO by extension. Maybe I'm overthinking, but thinking back now, his warning sounds strategical, almost like: "here, I'm telling you that I do want to write the post, but if I don't, it's because something happened and I was silenced".

He finally posts his opinion. Dunno whether or not his post was published before or after the podcast episode, and if the podcast was posted after, not even HBO believed he would indeed write about it and was forced to come up with smokes and mirrors to dissipate the chaos. It was so unexpected that HBO even answered his post. Why would you, a huge-ass company bother to answer a mere post NOW of all times? It's not the first time Martin writes about his opinions on hotd and they kept radio silent. Why now? All this "getting defensive so easily" behavior reeks of damage control, they KNOW they messed up big time.

Now what I'm really interested to know: who was the one to actually take down the post? We've got two options:

HBO: They were caught off-guard and given they're so desperate for money they def CANNOT afford ANY kind of backlash or criticism (we all know what they're doing with some youtube videos which did not bootlicked S2 :D) they sharply questi-*cof* asked him to delete the post.

Martin: well, the author himself wrote a post warning us that he would write his opinion. You can't convince me that a man who created Tywin Lannister and Doran Martell wouldn't be able to come up with such strategy (a good one, for that matter!). Martin warned us he would write it, left the post there for a bit and then deleted it because he knew that we would blame a certain big company right away, he had alerted us that he would write a post, right? And somehow the post is gone?? Our first instinct is jest about "HBO calling him and threatening him". Regardless of the options I presented, Warner ends up as the villain anyway, losing market value, Martin strikes them exactly where it hurts the most: reputation, which makes harder to get money. A risky move that could bite George in the ass, surely, but nothing that a "sorry George, I'll stick to the source material, forgive me" doesn't fix. Doran Martell level of masterplan, ladies and gents. (if my delirious thoughts are correct, that is)

And one more thing: why would they care about Martin "spreading S3 spoilers" if Condall said somewhere (an interview, iirc) that he was still writing S3? In theory nothing is set on stone yet, right? Unless Hel's death happens in the first episodes of S3, there's nothing to be spoiled about her death because there's nothing written about this part yet, right, Condall? Loose lips sink ships. Here George, use this argument in your defense if HBO tries to sue you. If HBO did force him to delet the post, it wasn't because of spoilers, it was because they were butthurt. Simple as that.

My last two cents for now:

I guess Martin chooses Helaena to talk about first because Helaena is more or less the only thing both sides sort of agree about. It would be easier to unite the fandom through Helaena in order to help him prove his point than, yk, the other women in this so-called adaptation. And it kinda worked, I don't know if it was a coincidence, but Hel's actress shared a stories of the gameofthrones page, and the first image was Helaena's and I take it as a silent gesture of hers that she agrees. Take if with a grain of salt, ofc, I'm always overanalyzing my hyperfixations, you don't need to take me seriously.

Just watch how Condal and Hess now ruin hotd on purpose. Poor Helaena, she'll be the first to fly through the moon door.

Have a nice day \o/

[omegaphilosophia]

The Social Consequences of Marketing

Marketing, while essential for businesses and economies, has also been criticized for causing harm to society in various ways. Here are some significant ways in which marketing has negatively impacted society:

1. Promotion of Consumerism

Excessive consumption: Marketing often encourages the idea that happiness and success are linked to material goods, promoting a culture of consumerism. This has led to excessive consumption, debt, and environmental damage, as people are driven to buy more than they need.

Planned obsolescence: Companies sometimes design products with limited lifespans, encouraging consumers to buy new versions frequently. This practice contributes to waste, depletion of resources, and increased consumer spending.

2. Exploitation of Insecurities

Body image and self-esteem: Advertising in industries like fashion, beauty, and fitness often exploits people's insecurities by promoting unrealistic beauty standards. This can lead to mental health issues such as low self-esteem, anxiety, body dysmorphia, and even eating disorders.

Fear-based marketing: Some marketing strategies use fear to sell products, such as insurance, security systems, or health products, by making consumers feel unsafe or inadequate without them.

3. Targeting Vulnerable Populations

Children: Marketing often targets children, who are particularly susceptible to persuasive messages. This leads to the commercialization of childhood, with kids exposed to unhealthy food, consumerist values, and a materialistic mindset from an early age.

Low-income groups: Companies sometimes market harmful products, such as payday loans or unhealthy foods, more aggressively to low-income populations, exacerbating financial hardship or health problems.

4. Perpetuation of Stereotypes and Social Divides

Gender roles: Marketing often reinforces gender stereotypes, portraying women as caregivers or men as breadwinners, thereby perpetuating outdated norms that limit gender equality and diversity.

Cultural appropriation and tokenism: Some brands use cultural symbols or minority groups in marketing campaigns without understanding their significance, which can lead to cultural appropriation and tokenism, alienating and misrepresenting marginalized communities.

5. Environmental Damage

Overemphasis on fast fashion and disposable goods: Marketing has contributed to the rise of fast fashion and a throwaway culture, promoting short-term use of cheap, disposable products. This has serious environmental consequences, including pollution, resource depletion, and the generation of vast amounts of waste.

Greenwashing: Some companies falsely market products as "environmentally friendly" or "sustainable" in an attempt to capitalize on consumers' eco-consciousness, misleading the public and delaying genuine action on environmental issues.

6. Manipulation and Misinformation

False advertising: Companies sometimes make exaggerated or false claims about their products, misleading consumers and creating false expectations. This can be particularly harmful when it comes to health products, pharmaceuticals, or weight-loss treatments.

Addictive design: Marketing techniques are increasingly used to promote addictive behaviors, particularly in the context of social media, video games, or gambling. Companies manipulate users through behavioral nudges and psychological triggers that keep them hooked.

7. Invasion of Privacy

Data mining and surveillance: With the rise of digital marketing, companies have gained unprecedented access to consumers’ personal data. Many firms engage in data mining and targeted advertising based on individuals' online behavior, often without full transparency or consent, leading to concerns about privacy and data security.

Personalization and manipulation: Highly personalized marketing can lead to manipulation, as companies can target individuals with ads tailored to their specific vulnerabilities, making it harder for consumers to make objective decisions.

8. Promotion of Unhealthy Lifestyles

Junk food advertising: Aggressive marketing of unhealthy foods, particularly to children, has been linked to rising rates of obesity, diabetes, and other diet-related diseases.

Alcohol and tobacco marketing: Despite restrictions in some countries, marketing of alcohol, tobacco, and vaping products continues to glamorize these potentially harmful substances, leading to addiction and public health crises.

9. Contributing to Financial Instability

Credit and debt marketing: Marketing of credit cards, loans, and other financial products often promotes spending beyond one's means, contributing to personal debt and financial instability. Predatory lending practices, such as payday loans, are frequently marketed to those already in financial difficulty.

10. Reduction of Authenticity and Creativity

Commercialization of art and culture: Marketing can sometimes reduce art, culture, and creativity to mere products to be sold, stripping them of their authenticity. This can lead to the commodification of creative expression and a focus on profit over substance.

Trend exploitation: By constantly pushing new trends, marketing fosters a culture of superficiality and short-term thinking, where value is placed on what is fashionable or trending rather than what is meaningful or lasting.

While marketing plays a critical role in the economy by connecting consumers with products, it also has significant social, psychological, and environmental consequences. From promoting overconsumption and exploiting insecurities to targeting vulnerable groups and contributing to environmental degradation, marketing practices have often prioritized profit over societal well-being. Reforming marketing to be more ethical and socially responsible is essential for creating a healthier, more sustainable society.

[fjordfolk]

hmm weird ours are open abt the fact they are importing strays, even with puppies, I think they even use it as a marketing strategy, how they nobly rescue these poor emaciated street dogs that would've been killed otherwise or whatnot. Friends of mine got their dog this way, but they suspect she was an abandoned pet an didn't live as a stray for long bc she was housebroken already, knew basic commands and has basically no behavioural or health issues. castration, rabies vaccine and testing for heartworn and typical southern dog infections (like leishmaniasis) are mandatory here too, the dogs are still cheaper than local shelter dogs

Norway doesn't have a shelter system, so everything was happening through private volunteers. There was no oversight and no real control, and doing it properly would've required more resources and organization than what was there. Despite some semi-scammy fundraisers, I assume most people did everything with the best of intentions, thinking they could save more dogs more efficiently by skimping on vaccines and quarantine.

I do remember ads being honest about the dogs' origins (and for a while there were FB groups devoted to rehoming Spanish and Turkish shelter dogs in Norway) but as vets and regulators started issuing warnings about the risks involved, people became more critical. And instead of getting more organized, they became more secretive. For a while there was this live guessing game about which dogs were southern or easter euro street dogs and if you were part of the dog owning community and conversations you could spot them - but if you were a regular fella just looking for a dog to keep your mum company you probably couldn't. Which is a bad cycle to sit in, you know?

Anyway, after several messes involving lacking antibodies and falsified papers and dogs full of heartworm and echinococcus, MT cracked down and banned importing street dogs and foreign shelter dogs pretty much outright.

[salora-rainriver]

We're talking about Ads Again

Context for those followers of mine who weren't there: I made a post about tumblr ads being weird back in 2016 and it's literally still getting notes to this day. People responded GREAT to it. honestly, despite being like. ass old at this point and written by a literal high schooler, it's still pretty good! I thank my dad being in advertising helped significantly. I had an expert witness.

Tonight, I'm writing the sequel to that post. the sequel is this post.

let's just fucking dive into it or whatever.

why am I doing this?

okay for starters I made that post in goddamn 2016 and I refuse to believe my insights into the marketing world have not improved since then.

Also, the marketing world has CHANGED. Huge swaths of my old post are no longer relevant. What we saw with tumblr ads in 2016 was in some parts a passing fad, and in other parts the harbinger of a new wave of influencer marketing and corporate parasociality (I coined that term just now).

Honestly I've been thinking for a while that I should make an update post, but what with, yanno, adulthood, that's been kinda hard!

Well, I've missed a train, and it's Christmas, so I've finally found the time to do that.

What has Changed?

in my personal life... dad got fired! yeah it fucking sucks. the good news is he and his wife are working towards their retirement now, shifting away from the industry overall. Good news as far as life is concerned, but it does mean I no longer have as clean a connection to the Industry as I used to.

but more importantly, why he got fired. The fact is, dad's old! I know, shocker. More than just being old, though, his field (and my stepmom's field - they both did the same work) represents an older paradigm of advertisement. he did TV spots and posters, not ad reads for Raid Shadow Legends. He was great at his work, but we're in an era of data-driven, maximalist, google adsense, low-barrier-to-entry, super-fast and super-cheap digital advertisement.

Well, more specifically,

We're on the cusp of an extinction event poised to bring said era crashing to the ground.

Pictured: the current vibes in the ad world

Siberia is on Fire and Everything is Dying

So given that my typical source on stuff like this is currently unemployed, I decided to hit good ol google (well, google and duckduckgo. fitting given what we're talking about) to see if I could get any insights into what the current state of advertising is.

and the short of it is that everyone says the end is nigh. check this out:

Digital is dead, and so is TV. God fucking damn. BY THE WAY, I loved these two articles. Chris Gadek, a man I only learned about today, is clearly an excellent writer and his professional insights are probably gonna be way better than my amateur synthesis of the half-dozen different articles I read today, including his.

blatant shilling for random article writers aside, let's get on to my half-baked synthesis, starting with:

What Set Siberia on Fire

In small part, it's the same issues facing most major companies and industries in our late capitalist world: Hubris.

As this New York Times article points out, we've got a low barrier of entry into a gargantuan industry that's increasingly pumping out slop to follow a strategy of 'more is more'. And we've all seen the bizarre mobile game ads and shady scams that have resulted from THAT.

On top of that, we've also got the fucking digital privacy issue shaking up the entire world as consumers increasingly don't like being spied on (imagine that), and the EU starts rolling out heavy restrictions on the data harvesting that was fueling a bunch of this advertisement bubble.

There's also the ad fraud. Oh, you didn't hear about that? Well, it's nothing much, just that lots of bots are clicking ads to falsify click metrics, artificially inflating the effectiveness of said ads. look, it even has a wikipedia article

oh and Facebook did it. Facebook did ad fraud. :)

and I'm not even getting into everything that works to shake up or demolish basically every advertisement channel out there - the decline of cable tv and print newspapers, the increasing use of ad blockers, the crisis of consumer trust, etc etc.

In short we are looking at a multitude of micro-crises all working together to make the environment unlivable for most current forms of advertisement.

in other words: an extinction event!

Who's Gonna Survive

And just like in a real extinction event, whether or not you survive depends on how good you can adapt to the brave new world you've found yourself in. Old school advertising needs to drastically rethink their everything if they're gonna stay afloat, and every field of the industry needs to recreate itself. As my new favorite writer Chris Gadek says,

"These crises show that there are no safe havens. You can’t substitute one advertising medium for another. Rather than pivot, the advertising industry must adapt and learn to effectively use the channels at their disposal (TV included), factoring in the seismic societal and technological changes that have occurred over the past decade and beyond."

and what is that going to look like? what's going to be the new face of advertising?

The field seems torn, at first... but also aligned, at least when it comes to the core principles:

privacy is a big issue. Seems like a lot of advertisers are seeing an end to wanton consumer surveillance, and looking into less invasive ways to gather important and meaningful data

companies that rely on selling ad space and propping up their engagement metrics are going to be relied on less, probably, because the metrics themselves are being seen as less reliable (for good freaking reason)

regaining consumer trust is going to be a massive priority in the future.

overall, we're probably going to look at a massive downturn in ads, as people turn to a quality-over-quantity strategy in an attempt to stop flooding the attention marketplace.

that's the gist I'm getting from reading oh so many different articles of varying quality from so many different sources.

So, yanno, there may be some hope out there. If smart people start leading this industry (lol), we may get to actually enjoy ads.

Yeah. Enjoy ads.

Unironically.

I know, it's crazy.

PS: if you start seeing affiliate links on mainstream TV ads, thank our lord of excellent business analysis Chris Gadek for calling it early. God, that's such a crazy left-field idea and I really want it to actually happen.

[mariacallous]

Elon Musk is a man comfortable with risky bets. He pledged to send 1 million people to Mars (SpaceX), to fill factories with humanoid workers (Tesla Bot), and to create a network of highways deep underground (the Boring Company). All of these bets are yet to pay off. But six years ago, Musk took a leap of faith that would also affect him personally. He tied his own pay at Tesla to a series of financial targets over the next decade, including boosting the company’s market value from $59 billion to $650 billion. Such targets were decried by commentators at the time as “jaw-dropping” and “his most unlikely goal yet.” And Musk’s wage from the company if he didn’t pull them off? Nothing at all.

The board agreed to the plan in 2018. However, a heavy-metal drummer named Richard Tornetta, who owned just nine Tesla shares, did not. In June of that year, he decided to sue, claiming the pay package was unfair to investors like him. By the time the case reached court in Delaware in 2022, Musk had just one milestone left before the big payout. But the judge agreed with Tornetta in January, voiding what she called an unfathomably large pay package and describing the directors who negotiated it as beholden to Musk.

Musk succeeded in hitting those 12 jaw-dropping targets by the close of 2023, following Tesla’s brief spell as a trillion-dollar company. And now, despite what happened in Delaware, he’s demanding to be paid. At Tesla’s annual meeting on Thursday, shareholders are being asked to vote again on whether Musk should receive what has by now swollen to a nearly $50 billion pay package, the biggest in US corporate history. The $50 billion question for shareholders is: Is Musk worth it?

Posing the question of whether he deserves his pay packet at all marks a significant shift for the relationship between Musk and the electric automaker he has led since 2008. “The resistance shows that there is a ceiling to the influence that a single person has on the company,” says Mike Ramsey, an automotive analyst at the consultancy Gartner. “This is the the first time Tesla shareholders might be willing to say, ‘You can’t have unlimited power.’”

The vote comes at a difficult time for Tesla. For the first time in the company’s history, Tesla is facing intense competition in the electric car market—especially from cheaper Chinese competitors. Meanwhile, some observers have puzzled over Musk’s response and his pivot to robotaxis and artificial intelligence.

“The debate here really is about the future, not the past,” says John Colley, professor of practice in strategy and leadership at the UK’s Warwick Business School. “Tesla has become a mature business, and it’s got all the problems that mature carmakers have now.” Whether a visionary like Musk is the best man to lead a mature business is unclear, he adds.

The pay package is just one in a series of measures that shareholders have already been asked to vote on by proxy, ahead of Thursday’s meeting. Others include whether Tesla’s incorporation should move from Delaware to Texas, whether the company should soften its hardline stance on labor negotiations, and whether the company should preemptively impose a moratorium on using minerals mined from the seabed.

Yet none have been as divisive as Musk’s pay. Deep rifts among investors have been exposed in the lead-up to the vote. Tesla board chair Robyn Denholm has backed the pay package, as has billionaire investor Ron Baron. “Tesla is better with Elon,” Baron wrote in an open letter last week. “Tesla is Elon.” Yet the deal’s opponents include two influential proxy advisory groups, which guide institutional investors on votes, as well as shareholders from the Nordic countries, where Tesla has clashed with workers over labor rights.

Norway’s trillion-dollar sovereign wealth fund has said it will vote against the pay deal, as will the country’s largest pension fund, KLP. “While we acknowledge that the company has grown significantly and successfully during the performance period, we still note that the total award value remains excessive,” Kiran Aziz, KLP's head of responsible investments, told WIRED, adding the fund will vote in favor of the motion urging Tesla to engage in labor negotiations. “Recent [dispute] between Tesla and the company’s workers in Sweden as well as Tesla’s history of accusations of interference with workers’ rights is of great concern and shows that the company needs to do better work in the area.”

Behind the scenes of the vote, lobbying has been intense. Tesla has paid for ads on Google and X, which is owned by Musk, telling investors to “protect your investment” and support the proposal, according to a company filing with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In April, Tesla also launched a website urging shareholders to vote against the Delaware court decision and support the pay package. “The Court’s decision, if implemented, means that Elon would not receive any compensation for the tremendous accomplishments that have generated significant stockholder returns in less than six years,” the website reads.

“This is the most advertising I can remember from any proxy solicitation,” says Robert Anderson, a professor at the University of Arkansas School of Law. He believes the Musk effect—the CEO’s ability to attract endless publicity—has contributed to this situation. But the pay package and the proposed Texas move are both unprecedented in the business world, he adds. “Either [of] those things by themselves would be pretty significant, even if he were not a public figure.”

The vote will be decided by a mix of institutional investors as well as an unusually large cohort of retail investors, who control around 44 percent of the business. Among shareholders, there are concerns that if Musk does not win his compensation, “his attention might drift to some of his other ventures a little bit more,” says Anderson. Musk managed to juggle multiple ventures for years, but he has been more publicly distracted since acquiring the social media service Twitter and renaming it X. There, his visible turn to right-wing politics has garnered new fans and left some old ones behind.

Whatever happens this week, Tesla and Musk may emerge looking a bit less superhuman. For years, the two have insisted that Tesla is a tech company, with a Silicon Valley–style startup scrappiness. “We should be thought of as an AI or robotics company,” Musk told investors—or voters—in April. “If you value Tesla as just an auto company … fundamentally, it’s just the wrong framework.”

[colonelrajyavardhanrathore]

Eye on Making Investments a Reality: Rajasthan Government’s Strategic Move to Attract Investors

Rajasthan: A Growing Economic Powerhouse

Rajasthan, India’s largest state by area, is home to a diverse economic landscape that ranges from agriculture and mining to tourism and industrial growth. Historically, the state has seen substantial contributions from sectors such as mineral resources, textiles, and craftsmanship. However, with the changing times, the state government has recognized the need to diversify and expand the economy by inviting more modern, high-impact industries, especially in technology, manufacturing, and renewable energy.

Government Initiatives to Attract Investments

The Rajasthan government has been taking a series of proactive measures to make the state a hub for both domestic and foreign investments. These initiatives include:

Investor-Friendly Policies: The government has launched a variety of tax incentives, subsidies, and reduced bureaucratic hurdles to create a more streamlined investment environment. This helps both new startups and established multinational companies to enter the market with ease.

Infrastructure Development: The state has significantly boosted its infrastructure, building robust transportation networks, logistics hubs, and industrial zones in key regions such as Jaipur, Udaipur, and Jodhpur. This development ensures that businesses have access to world-class facilities that facilitate smooth operations.

Dedicated Investment Promotion Units: The Rajasthan government has set up specialized bodies, such as the Rajasthan State Industrial Development and Investment Corporation (RIICO), to act as a one-stop solution for investors. These units help streamline processes related to land acquisition, approvals, and permits.

Focus on Renewable Energy: Rajasthan’s commitment to sustainable energy is also notable. With vast open spaces and favorable climatic conditions, the state has become a leader in solar power generation in India. This attracts investors focused on clean energy solutions.

Col Rajyavarshan Rahtore: A Visionary Leader in the Investment Drive

One of the key figures behind Rajasthan’s investment drive is Col Rajyavarshan Rahtore, whose leadership and strategic insights have helped shape the state’s future. With a background in the Indian Army, Col Rahtore brings a unique perspective to governance and economic development, combining disciplined military strategies with innovative policy-making.

A Strong Advocate for Investor Relations

Col Rahtore is known for his strong advocacy of cultivating good relations with both domestic and international investors. He believes that fostering long-term partnerships with the private sector is crucial to ensuring the state’s economic prosperity. Under his leadership, the government has worked to build trust and create a stable investment climate that encourages both large-scale and small-scale investors.

Collaborative Approach to Investment Promotion

Col Rajyavarshan Rahtore understands that attracting investments goes beyond policy implementation. He has emphasized the need for collaboration between local entrepreneurs, large corporates, and foreign investors. By establishing public-private partnerships, he has played a pivotal role in creating a more inclusive environment for various industries, such as technology, healthcare, education, and manufacturing.

Focus on Sector-Specific Growth

While Col Rahtore’s initiatives have been broad-reaching, he has also directed special attention to specific sectors with the highest potential for growth. These include:

Tourism and Hospitality: Rajasthan has long been a popular tourist destination, known for its palaces, forts, and cultural heritage. Under Col Rahtore’s leadership, the state has focused on developing world-class infrastructure for tourism and hospitality. This includes the construction of modern hotels, resorts, and convention centers that cater to international visitors.

Renewable Energy: With a sharp focus on sustainability, Col Rahtore has played a central role in Rajasthan becoming a leading state in India for solar power generation. The government’s efforts to build large solar parks, such as the Bhadla Solar Park, have attracted significant investment from global renewable energy firms.

Industrial Growth: The government’s push to develop industrial corridors in Rajasthan has opened doors for a range of industries. Special emphasis has been given to attracting automobile manufacturing, pharmaceuticals, electronics, and defense industries to set up shop in the state.

Rajasthan’s Investment Ecosystem: Key Strengths and Opportunities

As the Rajasthan government accelerates its investment initiatives, several aspects of the state’s economic ecosystem make it an attractive proposition for investors. These factors are contributing to the state’s growing reputation as an investment hub.

Strategic Location and Connectivity

Rajasthan’s geographical location in India is one of its key advantages. The state is well-connected to other major Indian markets, as well as global trade routes. With excellent rail, road, and air connectivity, businesses can easily transport goods both within India and abroad. The government has also made substantial investments in improving infrastructure at ports, airports, and highways.

Skilled Workforce and Educational Institutions

Rajasthan is home to several leading educational institutions that produce a highly skilled workforce. These include prestigious engineering colleges, business schools, and medical universities. The state is positioning itself as a key player in producing the next generation of workers in industries like IT, biotechnology, and manufacturing.

Large Consumer Market

With a population of over 80 million people, Rajasthan offers access to a vast and growing consumer market. As incomes rise, there is increasing demand for goods and services in sectors such as consumer electronics, food processing, and healthcare. This provides significant growth potential for companies looking to expand their reach in India.

Conclusion: Rajasthan — A State to Watch for Future Investments

Rajasthan’s strategic initiatives and the leadership of Col Rajyavarshan Rahtore have set the stage for a future where the state becomes one of India’s top destinations for investment. With its investor-friendly policies, focus on infrastructure development, and an eye on key sectors such as renewable energy, tourism, and manufacturing, Rajasthan is well on its way to becoming a beacon of economic growth.

The efforts being made to streamline processes and build strong relationships with investors are already bearing fruit. With more and more companies looking to invest in the state, Rajasthan is poised to realize its potential as a significant economic powerhouse in India’s growth story. As Col Rajyavarshan Rahtore continues to guide the state forward, there is no doubt that Rajasthan will remain a key player in shaping the country’s economic future.

[elsa16744]

Empowering Businesses with Comprehensive Data Analytics Services

In today’s digital landscape, the significance of data-driven decision-making cannot be overstated. As organizations grapple with an overwhelming influx of data, the ability to harness, manage, and analyze this information effectively is key to gaining a competitive advantage. **Data analytics services** have emerged as essential tools that enable companies to transform raw data into valuable insights, driving strategic growth and operational efficiency.

The Role of Data Management in Modern Enterprises

Effective data management lies at the heart of any successful data analytics strategy. It involves systematically organizing, storing, and protecting data to ensure its quality and accessibility. A robust data management framework not only supports data compliance but also allows for the seamless integration of data from various sources, making it possible for businesses to have a unified view of their operations. This foundational layer is critical for maximizing the potential of data analytics services.

Turning Raw Data into Strategic Insights

Raw data, on its own, has little value unless it is processed and analyzed to reveal trends and patterns that can inform business strategies. Data analytics services help organizations unlock the true value of their data by converting it into actionable insights. These services leverage sophisticated techniques such as predictive analytics, data mining, and statistical modeling to deliver deeper insights into customer behavior, market trends, and operational efficiencies.

By employing data analytics, companies can optimize their decision-making processes, anticipate market changes, and enhance their products or services based on customer needs and feedback. This approach ensures that businesses stay ahead of the curve in an ever-evolving market landscape.

Driving Innovation Through Advanced Analytics

Data analytics services are not only about analyzing past performance; they are also instrumental in shaping the future. By integrating advanced analytics techniques, such as machine learning and artificial intelligence, businesses can identify emerging patterns and predict future outcomes with higher accuracy. This predictive capability enables organizations to mitigate risks, identify new revenue streams, and innovate more effectively.

The integration of real-time analytics further enhances a company’s ability to respond promptly to changing market conditions. It empowers decision-makers to take immediate actions based on the latest data insights, ensuring agility and resilience in dynamic environments.

Implementing a Data-Driven Culture

For businesses to truly benefit from data analytics services, it is crucial to foster a data-driven culture. This involves training teams to understand the value of data and encouraging data-centric decision-making across all levels of the organization. A culture that prioritizes data-driven insights helps break down silos, promotes transparency, and supports continuous improvement.

Organizations that embrace a data-driven mindset are better positioned to leverage analytics to drive strategic growth and deliver superior customer experiences.

Partnering for Success

Choosing the right partner for data management and analytics is vital. Companies like SG Analytics offer a range of tailored solutions designed to help organizations manage their data more effectively and gain valuable insights. From data warehousing and data integration to advanced analytics, these services provide end-to-end support, ensuring businesses can make the most of their data assets.

By leveraging data analytics services from experienced partners, companies can focus on their core objectives while simultaneously evolving into data-driven enterprises that thrive in the digital age.

Conclusion

In the era of big data, the ability to transform information into insights is a crucial differentiator. With comprehensive data analytics services, businesses can harness the power of their data to drive informed decisions, innovate, and maintain a competitive edge. The key lies in effective data management, advanced analytics, and fostering a culture that values data-driven insights.

[ecosmining]

What Equipment to Use for Mining Bitcoin Profitably After the Halving?

In April 2024, the next Bitcoin halving took place. The reward for mining one block was reduced by 50% and is now 3.125 BTC. Due to this, some may begin to doubt mining — will this activity continue to bring in a decent income? Based on our extensive experience, we can confidently say that mining can and should remain profitable even after the halving. In this article, we will discuss how to organize Bitcoin mining most rationally and what equipment to choose for this.

Bitcoin Price Will Definitely Rise After the Halving

Since the launch of the first cryptocurrency, its halving has occurred approximately every four years. In 2024, this happened for the fifth time. Throughout all these years, the price of BTC, its market capitalization, and audience have steadily increased. The popularity of mining is also growing, and new technologies are being developed to increase its efficiency.

The person or team behind Bitcoin came up with halving to control inflation and maintain demand for the coin. Halving benefits Bitcoin and in no way deprives miners of their well-deserved reward. The rarer the asset, the higher its value — this rule works after each halving. That’s why starting mining right now is an excellent idea.

Three Secrets to Keep Mining Profitable

To make money mining BTC after its halving in 2024, you need to:

Buy or rent the latest generation equipment

Reduce expenses

Find a reliable hosting provider

Let’s take a closer look at all these points.

Today, one of the best ASICs for mining Bitcoin is the Antminer 21 series. It stands out for its high hashing power combined with relatively modest energy consumption. The Antminer 21 significantly outperforms miners of previous generations. The manufacturer of this series, Bitmain, is one of the most well-known in the industry. This is a reliable brand with a very strong team, extremely popular among crypto professionals.

To increase revenue, you can purchase multiple devices and combine them into a mining farm. However, this may require too high initial costs. Additionally, you will need to find a place to host the equipment. It not only consumes a lot of energy but also makes a lot of noise. To reduce the noise level, you can buy ASICs with a water cooling system — but they are more expensive than regular ones.

To cut costs, you can rent a miner instead of buying it. Remote providers can afford the most modern ASICs. You will be able to choose one or several machines with suitable characteristics. The provider will take care of the installation, maintenance, and repair of the equipment. Their staff has all the necessary knowledge and skills. Your involvement in mining will be minimal, and you will be able to receive truly passive income.

Another option is to try cloud mining, a more modern and accessible alternative. You will be renting not an ASIC but hashing power. First, you will purchase a contract on the most comfortable terms for you. After that, your task will be reduced to regularly transferring the commission to the provider — and they will take care of everything else. You will start receiving income on the rise in the price of Bitcoin. If you want to increase your profits, you can buy multiple contracts.

Each halving forces mining providers to rethink their strategies and optimize their activities. Some of those who cannot cope with these tasks close down. That’s why it’s important to check the provider’s history — the longer they have been in business, the better.

The second important parameter is customer reviews. It’s not a problem if some of them are negative — the main thing is that the majority are positive. The contract terms of a good provider are detailed and transparent. The support service is polite, informed, and responds promptly to customer inquiries.

ECOS meets all the criteria of a first-class provider for remote mining. This company is located in the free economic zone of Armenia, where cryptocurrencies are legal, and miners are exempt from taxes for 25 years. The Razdan power plant provides stable access to cheap energy. The security of the territory where the equipment is located is guaranteed by armed guards. The equipment downtime is close to zero. If an ASIC breaks down, it will be promptly repaired on-site, without wasting time sending it to the manufacturer’s service center.

ECOS clients can choose a cloud mining contract from existing options or create their own, individual one. The selection of equipment rental or purchase options is also very large. Clients appreciate ECOS for its transparent terms, reasonable prices, and quality service. This is an ideal provider for beginner miners who are just taking their first steps in the industry. Experienced miners note the exceptional reliability of ECOS, honesty, and timely payment of rewards.

ECOS Client Case

To confirm the above theory, let’s consider a real case of one of the ECOS clients. Let’s denote him by the nickname anto******duate.org.

Immediately after the previous halving in 2020, he bought an Antminer T17 for $699. The hashing speed of this miner was 38 terahashes per second. Four years ago, this model was considered advanced, one of the best on the market.

From November 25, 2020, to November 1, 2021, anto******duate.org earned 0.08026213 BTC with his Antminer T17, which in fiat currency amounted to $5,327. Hosting and miner maintenance costs were only $1,080. The client received a net profit of $3,548. Mining turned out to be a more profitable activity for him than buying bitcoins. If he had bought bitcoins, his profit would have been only $2,900.

To estimate your upcoming expenses and profits, you can use the calculator on the ECOS website. We hope that with the help of this tool, you will see that mining BTC can still be profitable even after the halving!

[amberthefantasy]

Nitimur in Vetitum

chapter nineteen: seperatio (seperation)

"Julia Major was born on the 30th of October 39 BCE, only a short time later her family was torn apart."- The Life of Julia Augusta by Adelaide Lyons

2nd Day Before the Nones of October (6th October)

Lucretia rolled her head to the side when Gaius and Agrippa entered the villa. They were both draped in the white togas of the Senate, and the happy expressions on their faces as they talked told Lucretia it had been a good day. Good. "My love," she called for Agrippa, leaning up towards him. He pressed a soft kiss to her cheek as soon as he was close enough, Gaius following with one of his own a short moment later. "You seem happy," she commented.

"We are," Gaius smirked. "The Senate passed our bill for grain distribution." Lucretia smiled too. It was an old bill, one her father had actually drafted before his death, but Gaius had found use in it. It would make them more popular with the people after all, to feed them. 

"You look pleased, yourself," Agrippa pointed out as he sat next to her.

Lucretia smiled and let out a happy sigh. Her kiss with Livia had been on her mind since the night before, even more so after seeing her in the market earlier in the day. Her beautiful dark hair and eyes, the way her red dress had flowed over her skin. "Lucretia," Gaius' voice broke through her thoughts.

Lucretia blinked at him, "apologies." She paused for a moment to think about how to phrase what she needed to say, before giving up and simply stating, "Gaius is not the only one who can enjoy company."

Both of them stared at her for a moment before Agrippa forced out a " who?"

"That pretty woman we've all had our eyes on. She kissed me," Lucretia smiled wider.

"She kissed you?" Gaius gaped. "Livia kissed you?"

"She did," Lucretia leant into Agrippa's side. "She pressed her lips to mine and kissed me." Agrippa let out a stuttering breath as Lucretia's lips brushed his ear.

"She's a good kisser isn't she?" Gaius asked from Lucretia's other side, hand moving up her leg.

"She is," Lucretia agreed. "Maybe one day Agrippa can concur with us." 

"Maybe," Agrippa sighed, pressing his own lips to hers.

---

3rd day before the Kalends of November (30th October)

Lucretia bent her head. Scribonia's labours had begun an hour earlier and her screams were getting progressively louder. The two women's distance from each other meant that Lucretia was not expected to be with her brother's wife while she laboured, but that didn't make the screams any easier to endure. Gaius, Agrippa and Maecenus were trying to plan war strategy against Sextus, for after Gaius married Livia, but they too were getting distracted by the noise.

"Will Marcus Antonius sit still in the East while we take Sextus out of Sicily. Or will they take sides against us?" Gaius asked as another round of screams rang through the house.

Lucretia closed her eyes. "It depends," Agrippa said in a stilted voice. "If we can make Sextus out to be the agressor-" 'Gods, fuck this.' "-Antonius will have to allow it."

"That should be easy enough," Maecenus shrugged. 'Oh gods, oh gods.' "A few whispers here and there."

"Antonius is strategic," Lucretia finally looked up. "He won't want to look like a warmonger. The people are tired of war." Another yell split the air.

"It’d save a lot of problems if she died," Agrippa commented. Lucretia slapped his arm. "Just saying."

The screams died eventually, and tension filled the room as they waited for news. Then a figure appeared in the doorway, Antigone, with a babe wrapped in cloth in her arms. "I’m sorry, Lord. It’s a girl," Antigone said. She walked over to Gaius. "But the mother will live." She placed the little thing at Gaius' feet on his klinai. "Do you give the child life, or death?"

"Life," Gaius said softly, his eyes locked on the babe.

"Good," Antigone said, she leant down to pick the little girl up again with a small smile at her little body.

---

On the day before the Kalends of November (31st October)

SCRIBONIA.

Scribonia bounced her babe lightly in her arms, using one hand to hold her and the other to pick at the bush next to her. "-It’s like shitting… a statue," Scribonia dictated to the scribe seated a few steps away. "But the girl, thank the gods, is healthy. Gaius gave her life… and the name Julia. I hope the journey east was safe." She sighed.

Maecenas walked over to her, a scroll clutched in his hand and face set in an uncomfortable expression. " Oh, you look grim, Maecenas," Scribonia noted, sitting up slightly. "What’s the matter?" He hesitated for a moment. "Spit it out."

Maecenas gulped. "Gaius... wishes to divorce you."

Scribonia felt her heart stutter as she gaped at him. "What?" She clutched Julia closer to her. "I... I just gave him a child and he..." Memories of the dinner party at the end of Sextilis came flooding back and her jaw tightened. "He's divorcing me for that whore Livia isn't he?"

Maecenas just sighed again and held out the scroll he had been holding, "I am sorry Scribonia."

"Sorry," Scribonia repeated. "Yes. Sorry." She took the scroll from Maecenas with a snarl on her lips, not even bothering to read it before turning back to the scribe. "Start a new paragraph. Octavia, Gaius has done something horrid-"

---

3rd Day Before the Nones of November (3rd November)

LIVIA DRUSILLA.

Livia folded her shawl over and placed it gently down in her trunk. The sound of footsteps outside the room made her sigh slightly to herself but she ignored it, instead just fixing her bracelet. "I don't believe it!" Nero's angry voice made her glance towards him. 

"Yes," Livia said blankly, picking up the last of her things. "After all you've done for me."

"You whore!" Nero screamed, rushing into the room. He slammed her trunk shut, before snapping it back open and throwing its contents across the floor. "You, fuck, you whore!"

Livia stepped back to watch him. "Bit late for the principled stand," she commented as she gathered up the clothes he'd thrown around.

"Do you think he's a better bet than me?" Nero whined. "How long do you think he'll last sharing power with Marcus Antonius?"

Livia's thoughts turned to Lucretia and her smarts, Gaius and his strategy, Agrippa and his strength. "I'm sure you're right," she eventually said to Nero. "You always seem to be," she added.

"The man who killed your darling, dear father."

Livia twitched. Her father would understand. "You betrayed the Republic, my father, and then me." Nero gulped. "From that moment on, you were a ghost. I just didn't tell you." She glanced sideways, at one of Libo's slaves entering the room. "But anyway... I hope you find a quiet obedient widow," she smiled sharply. "With plenty of money. Thank you Tycho." She held out a bag of gold for him. A final thought flashed through Livia's mind. "Oh, and I found Antigone." She told Nero with a sharp glare.

Livia entered her new home slowly. She looked around, it was nice, she decided. Her eyes landed on a figure leaning against a pillar and she paused. Scribonia looked at her with teary eyes. "Yes, I'm supposed to be gone," she said. Livia walked over to her. "There's always more to pack than what you think." More water gathered in the other woman's eyes. "Did you have to take my husband?"

She spat at Livia, who dodged backwards. "Did you have to invite me to dinner?" Livia responded. After all, this would not have happened if Scribonia had not initiated that night. 

Scribonia looked away from her, blinking to control her tears. Livia finally shifted her gaze to the little bundle in Scribonia's arms, leaning forward to take the baby. Scribonia handed her over with a sniffle. "Her name's Julia," she said.

"We'll look after her," Livia promised, voice filled with her recent understanding of the pain of being torn from your children. 

Scribonia placed her hand gently on her daughter's head for a moment, before Livia stepped aside to let her pass. Scribonia stepped from the step she had been standing on and paused besides Livia. "How quickly one can rise, when one has no feeling at all." 

"They're buried at Philippi," Livia said in a monotone voice.

NiV masterlist / post masterlist / appendix