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jebazzled · 4 years ago

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They can’t ALL be serial killers: keeping your villains funky fresh

Ah, villains. Spicy assholes. Tricky buggers.

Villains can be very intimidating to write: writing requires you to put yourself in the shoes of another person, which is one thing to do with a decent person. But when you are putting yourselves in the shoes of a bad one - whether it be someone who is simply not very likeable or someone who functions in an antagonistic capacity to a story or rp universe’s hero - well, it can be uncomfortable.

I didn’t start writing villains until well into my rp career, and I can’t think of a single character I wrote in my undergraduate creative writing degree who was an asshole. I now write a small handful of them - and like most things, I don’t think writing a villain is quite as scary as we sometimes build it up to be in our minds!

That said, writing a villain is an exercise in nuance, and this is something that is often missing from antagonistic characters. In this tutorial, we’ll talk about what makes a villain, and what makes a villain a well-rounded character.

Triggers, mentioned largely in passing as examples: criminal activity, murder, assault, child abuse, car accident, drunk driving, animal abuse

What makes a villain?

Generally, when we talk about villains, it’s in the context of a narrative, some sort of overall plot theme where there is Good and there is Evil. Think: Death Eaters, the Dark Side, the Horde, the Daleks, the Orcs, etc, etc etc. For the purposes of this tutorial, I’m talking about characters who serve in that antagonistic role, but everything can also be applied to characters who are just shitty people without a part to play in any larger scheme.

In a plot context, per Oxford Languages, a villain is “a character whose evil actions or motives are important to the plot.” To be important to the plot, you do have to post, and if that’s something you’re struggling with, you might want to check out my Writer’s Block TED Talk ;)

A villain can have any number of reasons for being Like That: perhaps they were raised with a particular worldview, or were targeted by a negative influence at an impressionable and vulnerable stage, or genuinely believe they are doing the right and good thing. Maybe they’re just an asshole. In-character, your character likely doesn’t identify as a villain (because everyone is the hero of their own story) and in-character, your character might have friends, allies, and others with varying knowledge of your character’s misdeeds.

However, out-of-character, you and other writers should recognize that your character is a shitty person. Writing one-dimensional, universally terrible assholes isn’t much fun, though. Which is where nuance comes in.

Give your character other traits than “evil.”

Unless your character is THE Big Bad - the Voldemort, the Sauron, the Hordak Prime - there is no reason for them to be Ultimate Evil, and writing them as an endless wash of evil will be boring for you to write and boring for other people to read. Your character should be something other than naughty.

Using my own handful of villains/bad guys as examples, since obviously I take my own advice, and with apologies that 99% of my rp writing is in the HP verse:

Claude is a Death Eater as well as second-in-command of the magical mafia. He’s an expert blackmailer, has no qualms with murder, and can get pretty gruesome about it if he’s pressed to make a point. He also doesn’t drink, is a devoted father (has framed finger paintings in his study! drinks the pink lemonade his daughters love in crystal rocks glasses!), uses weird slang (”beat it, bozo!”) and takes the family spaniel on daily walks through Kensington Gardens.

Cleo is a Death Eater and a lifelong bully, prone to theft, physical abuse, and with a knack for the Cruciatus Curse. She’s also deeply insecure, with an unshakeable need to be seen as useful; she’s competitive, and she’s horny enough to drop her purist pretense if a Muggle girl is what’s easiest to get her rocks off.

Sadie is a squib spying on Order-organized safehouses for the Death Eaters. She’s also intensely curious and ambitious, determined and self-directed, and if she doesn’t understand emotions, it certainly doesn’t stop her from understanding how to manipulate them to maintain the illusion that she is not a threat.

All three of these character concepts are more compelling than:

Veronica is rude, hates people, is outwardly mean to everyone she meets, uses cultural slurs on the regular.

We get it! Veronica is a shitty person! What else is she? In real life, shitty people typically do find camaraderie somewhere, somehow. Maybe Richie is a total asshole but has made a lot of money from his hedge fund, and he is generous enough with his yacht, ski condo, and jet that he has an entourage he thinks are genuinely his friends. Maybe Kaiytlynn is selfish and entitled, but her access to the entire royal family of Spain keeps her gainfully employed, and she’s genuinely good with her bedazzled bra business. Maybe Claudia is a giant racist, and she’s also YouTube’s most popular craft video creator.

In real life, maybe there are some shitty people who exhibit fully antisocial behaviors and are rewarded for it. But this is fiction writing, and moreover, it is collaborative fiction writing, and Veronica is not a character who is fun or enjoyable to plot with. Antagonistic plots can have more trouble finding their footing than strictly romantic ones - but they can be fun and rewarding, provided that the antagonist is a compelling one.

Let your character be something other than “evil.”

Give your character a cover.

More specifically than a trait other than “evil,” give your character a cover. By this I mean: give your character an angle that obscures their true colors, something that lures people - good people and bad people - into a sense of safety.

Give your character something that keeps other characters from taking one quick look at yours and immediately clocking them as a bad guy.

In real life, it often takes time to realize toxic people are toxic. In real life, people enjoy circumstances that make people less likely to view them as toxic - just look at the number of people who think Jeff Bezos’s obscene wealth is a marker of his merit as a human being.

If your character commits a murder a week, is actively abusive to everyone they meet, and has no relationships with any other characters who might vouch for them - idk, man, I think your character is going to get caught! If your character is a quiet and unobtrusive owner of a vintage boutique, however? Well, they certainly don’t scream “IT’S ME! I’M BAD TO THE MOTHERFUCKING BONE!”

In the case of my bad guys:

Claude is a doting husband and father, notably not ascribing to purist tendencies that discourage women from work outside the home. He does legitimate work in real estate and investments, in addition to his shady dealings, to have a legally-sound paper trail should he ever be investigated. His family money funds an entire wing at St. Mungo’s Hospital, and he contributes to political campaigns for centrist politicians. He presents as a harmless goofball. He killed a man well before he turned seventeen. He almost went to Azkaban before graduating from Hogwarts. (”Oh, but he’s on the straight and narrow now!”)

Claude’s cover is that he masquerades as a genuinely good person, and a nice person. When people think about his old-money Sacred 28 family and what that might mean for Claude’s political activity, they also think about how he is a Gryffindor - not known for churning out Death Eaters - and they think about how he doesn’t seem intense enough to be a Death Eater. They don’t suspect enough to have much to go on.

Cleo works as an Auror, and she’s genuinely good at her job - if only because she manipulates cases away from incriminating Death Eaters and their allies and occasionally Imperiuses a contact or two from her days as a Knockturn Alley bouncer to frame them for a crime. She doesn’t use slurs like “mudblood” at the office and doesn’t talk about blood status there, either. She doesn’t pretend to be nice, and her honesty there makes it easier to believe she’s not pretending when she does her job. It helps, too, that she is not Marked.

Cleo’s cover is that while she seems like an asshole and is an asshole, she works in the agency tasked with eliminating Dark wizards and she’s good at her job, as far as anyone can tell. She is an asshole, but there isn’t reason to suspect she is an asshole who is part of the Death Eaters, and it is not illegal to be a dick.

Sadie goes out of her way to be friendly to every new safehouse occupant, acting as a guide to newbies about how to live in the shadows. She performs the role of caretaker, therapist, and confidant, carefully doling out the reveal that she is a squib for sympathetic effect.

Sadie’s cover is that she manipulates other people into viewing her as too weak to be any kind of threat, and she intentionally manipulates people into relying on her for support and guidance.

If your character is not experiencing social repercussions for being an asshole, they need to have a cover. If they are being an outright asshole, this should negatively impact them somehow.

An outright asshole might be stuck in a dead-end job because no one wants to promote someone who’s not a team player. An outright asshole might be super lonely without the self-awareness to realize that their garbage personality is the reason for their romantic troubles. An outright asshole might not be able to talk their way out of a problem.

If your character is an outright asshole and experience no repercussions whatsoever, they’re probably a bit OP.

Give your character a motive.

Now the big question: why is your character Like That? Like, for real. It’s so easy not to be a dick. Why are they a dick? What’s in it for them?

Yes, some characters might be an asshole because they think it’s fun and they like to watch other people suffer. But if all your characters are like that - isn’t that kind of boring?

If all your characters are like that - are you actually writing distinct, well-developed characters, or are you just spitting out the same edgelord with different faces?

Some of your character’s reason for being a dick can be because they think it’s fun. It can’t be the entire reason. It especially can’t be the entire reason all the time.

Of course you can come up with a big tragic reason why a character is an asshole - but it truly doesn’t have to be that deep. (Tips on tragic backstories here.)

Of my baddies:

Claude is a purist because someone has to be a lesser class, and it’s sure as shit not going to be him! Claude is a Death Eater because his father saw a business opportunity - both direct work (e.g. the DE contracting Claude and his goons out for a hit, trafficking dark goods, doing deals with purist groups in other magical organized crime outfits across Europe) and indirect work (e.g. having stronger appeal to some of the most influential wizarding families.) He doesn’t love being branded with the Dark Mark (HE is the master of his fate, goddammit!) but hey, it’s a living.

This is a motive centered around financial gain and expediency. Claude is shitty to value money over human life, and he has no qualms about violence - but the motive is not “fun.”

Cleo is a Death Eater because, as a girl from a pureblood family of no importance, she recognizes that many of the people in the Death Eaters are important and influential, and she wants that kind of power. Additionally, she does get a kick out of violence, but she’s a weapon more than she is a fighter: she’s a tool who needs someone to wield her, to give instructions, to give her purpose. The Death Eaters offer both.

This is a motive centered around status and around order - Cleo being a person who needs order externally forced upon her.

Sadie is working for the Death Eaters because she believes they will win the First Wizarding War, and she wants to secure a place in their new order - ideally something more than she had previously as a squib. She figures if the good guys are really good they’ll forgive her for keeping herself alive - but that the bad guys won’t forgive disloyalty. Also, her boss in the Death Eaters indulges her research in the Dark Arts, which is fun.

This is a motive centered around security and self-satisfaction. It’s very selfish and cold, but it’s not, like, Sid from Toy Story.

Why is your character Like That? What do they get out of Being Bad? What do they like about it? What purpose does it serve for them?

If you can’t think of a reason your character would be a Bad Guy beyond that you want to write a Bad Guy, you should probably rework the character. It’s tricky to write someone who really should just be a Good Guy as a Bad Guy because, depending on your site’s setting, you might end up being a Bad Guy Apologist, leaning into the positive qualities of your character without writing them as an actual villain/antagonist/baddie - and remember, Death Eaters are shitty people! Antagonists antagonize! They should be complex, but you should never lose sight of an abusive class being abusive!

And finally,

They can’t all be serial killers.

It’s tempting, since we’re writing fiction here and we all love drama, to reach straight for a Big Evil when we’re writing a baddie. They murdered ___! Egads!

If all of your baddies murdered their spouse/parent/sibling, again I ask you: are you actually writing distinct, well-developed characters, or are you just spitting out the same edgelord with different faces?

(If all your baddies specifically murdered a woman, might I ask you to examine this choice? Misogynistic violence is not a shortcut to character development.)

Cast of characters aside - what is it your character does that makes them evil? It is worth noting that bad behavior exists on a spectrum, and to jump to the far end of that spectrum without building the character up to it is often jarring and confusing. There are many, many things your character can do that might contribute to their Bad IdentityTM without killing anyone!

Baby Bads: No one gets hurt in a serious way, but the character is unpleasant. Think: a schoolteacher might not let you go to recess. You might get detention. Examples:

petty theft

general assholery

bullying

lying, small & large scale

general unkindness

minor manipulation for personal gain

Middling Misdeeds: These might cause some harm - physically, emotionally, or otherwise - but there’s some room for smart-talking or otherwise evading major consequences. Think: suspension. Examples:

larger theft and other money-related naughties: money laundering, ponzi schemes, etc

physical assault/battery

blackmail

bribery

large-scale manipulation for personal gain or for fun

hate speech (to be clear, I, JB, think this is way more than middling, but in art as in life, a lot of characters are going to do it and get away with it.)

Terrible Transgressions: The far end of the spectrum of antagonistic behavior. If your character is doing this shit, it shouldn’t be coming out of the blue. If your character is doing this shit, there’s got to be a character-driven reason beyond “flavor.” These are things that would get you expelled and moved into criminal court. A lot of things that are viewed as standard topics requiring a trigger warning fit into this category.

murder

sexual assault

torture

child abuse

It’s easy in rp, where there are often way more criminal types in a character population than we hope exist IRL, to forget that murder is.... like.... it’s a BIG DEAL. It’s not something everyone has done. And thank dog, right?

If you’re attached to your character being someone’s cause of death, for specific character-driven reasons, you might think about alternatives. For example, if you hope to convey that Brandon Baddie is a callous asshole, instead of having him kill his roommate over a household chores dispute, you might have him drive drunk, hit a pedestrian, get out of the car, see the body, and drive away. If you hope to convey that Sandy Sadist is cruel, you might have her threaten her sister’s dog, but not actually hurt it, enjoying the fear of the sister and of the dog more than she would enjoy actually hurting either. If you hope to communicate that Ruthie Reckless is thoughtless, you might have her driving 100 mph speeding to the edge of a cliff while her father sobs in the passenger seat, stopping just inches from the edge.

There are so many ways to make a point. If you’re going to kill someone to make a point, do it sparingly, and with very deliberate purpose.

Whether you’re starting your first villain or hoping to hone your villainous sword, I hope you found this tut helpful! Best of luck, and happy writing!

#rp guides #resources #rp writing #writing resources #applications #character development

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nuggetisawesome · 4 years ago

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Protect Your Browsing/Data Sharing

For free, because in this house I don’t believe in making people pay for basic human rights.

I’ve decided to share my browsing protecting tips here. Digital security is usually quite expensive, but it doesn’t have to be! In this day and age, you’ll be told to watch out for home-born hackers and ‘hacktivists’ accessing your data, but I gotta tell you, what your own governments and ISPs are doing makes this more important (aka: they’re worse).

I know with all the TIKTOK IS SPYING ON YOU stuff, a lot of my friends have come to me seeking some advice on this. This is also great if you don’t want parents checking your browsing >_> just sayin’

If anyone has questions - drop me an ask! I’ll always answer for this topic. I am also happy to ‘expand’ on one of these suggestions if they’re unclear :)

Note: This works under the assumption you have your default ISP provided router and can’t get another one for whatever reason. I will advise that if you can get an additional router, do so! Try to avoid the one the ISP has provided to you.

Additional Note: This is not ‘optimal’. There is no such thing in security – everything has a backdoor.

Let’s get cracking! This is a long, and thorough post, but I _do _have a pdf somewhere if you want it because it looks nicer :*)

Use Tor to browse.

There you go, there’s my advice leaves

https://support.torproject.org/ to Download/Install/Run.

Don’t change anything, except maybe using Tor in ‘bridge’ mode.

Okay, you can use other browsers (see: Chrome/Firefox), but they are not as secure as Tor.

USE A VPN IF YOU ARE GOING TO USE TOR! I prefer Firefox (extensions + good security)

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Install the following extensions if you have Chrome or Firefox:

Privacy Possum

Stops tracking cookies. PSA: Cookies are not evil, certain cookies can be.

Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/privacy-possum/

Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/privacy-possum/ommfjecdpepadiafbnidoiggfpbnkfbj

Ghostery

Stops tracking adverts and cookies. Why do I need this in addition to Privacy Possum? Ghostery specifically looks at tracking cookie ads. It’s like adding MOAR POWAH to Privacy Possum.

Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/ghostery/

Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/ghostery-%E2%80%93-privacy-ad-blo/mlomiejdfkolichcflejclcbmpeaniij?hl=nl

HTTPS Everywhere

Enforces HTTPS. If you look next to the URL in your browser, you’ll see the little lock which indicates the specific URL is secure and uses HTTPS. Many websites still use the old HTTP, which is not as secure and you should NEVER EVER VISIT AN HTTP SITE ITS LIKE READING A BOOK OVER SOMEONE’S SHOULDER, thank you.

Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/https-everywhere/

Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/https-everywhere/gcbommkclmclpchllfjekcdonpmejbdp?hl=nl

Adblock Plus

Foff, ads.* Firefox: https://addons.mozilla.org/nl/firefox/addon/adblock-plus/

Chrome: https://chrome.google.com/webstore/detail/adblock-plus-free-ad-bloc/cfhdojbkjhnklbpkdaibdccddilifddb

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DNS Settings

Ideally, you should change this on your router. ISPs use a default DNS – you don’t want to use anything those bastards say you should use.

Use Cloudflare or OpenDNS:

Cloudflare is more secure overall and keeps up to standards in addition to not storing your data, whereas OpenDNS is great at avoiding malicious websites, just take your pick really 😊There are a ton of other options, feel free to google ‘free DNS servers’. Google has it’s own as well, but, yaknow, it’s Google.

Cloudflare

Primary Server: 1.1.1.1

Secondary Server: 1.0.0.1

OpenDNS

Primary Server: 208.67.222.222

Secondary Server: 208.67.220.220

Add these to your router settings:

In a browser, go to http://192.168.1.1/ or http://192.168.1.0/ (it varies per router). This will lead to your router’s configuration portal. Don’t have a router with a configuration portal? Throw it in the trash and tell your ISP they suck for giving it to you.

Login to the admin portal. If you have not configured this or set a password, try the default combinations: usernames are usually ‘admin’ or blank, the passwords are usually blank, ‘admin’, or ‘1234’.

Each router is different, navigate to where it asks for DNS values or servers, and enter the above addresses. You will see ‘Static’ near the DNS options, select it. This also ensures you’re in the right place. If you’re not sure what to do, look up the model/make of your router and check how you can change DNS.

Whilst you’re at it, change your WiFi password from the default one, and create a proper password for the WiFi portal login. If these two things are kept as default, all these protection methods are pointless as it is easy to crack your router passwords.

Can’t do this on your router because your parents are ds?* No worries! This can be done on your device! :) Yeah, I know how parents work.

Windows OS

Go to Control Panel <Network and Internet < Network and Sharing Center

Click on the link next to “Connections:”* Click “Properties” in the dialogue that pops up.

Select Internet Protocol Version 4 < Click Properties < Select “Use Following DNS Servers” < Enter the primary and secondary server addresses

Do this again for Internet Protocol Version 6 in the list.

Boom. Windows is so nice to make this easy.

Mac OS

Go to Apple Menu < System Preferences < Network

Select the Network you’re connected to

Click Advanced

Select DNS Tab

Click the + button < Enter chosen DNS < Save

Linux OS

I’m going to assume if you’re using Linux, you know how to use the terminal and are using a modern Linux system. Enter these line by line. There are many ways to do this (Google is your friend)

· sudo apt update

· sudo apt install resolvconf

· sudo systemctl status resolvconf.service (check that it is running)

· sudo systemctl start resolvconf.service (to start it, use ‘enable’ instead of ‘start’ to enable)

· sudo nano /etc/resolvconf/resolv.conf.d/head

· nameserver YOUR.DNS.ADDRESS.HERE

· nameserver YOUR.SECOND.DNS.ADDRESS.HERE

· sudo systemctl start resolvconf.service

Android

Oh yeah, you can do this on phones too wiggles eyebrows. Note, if you’re using a VPN it will lock you out of editing this. Turn it off, edit your DNS, turn it back on. This can be tricky with mobile devices that have not been jailbroken (I don’t advise doing that if you have no clue what you’re doing).

Go to Settings < Connections < WiFi

Select the gear icon next to your current WiFi

Select Advanced < Ip Settings drop-down < Static

Enter chosen DNS options under “DNS 1” and “DNS 2”

iPhone

Go to Settings < Wi-Fi

Select the arrow button next to your current WiFi

Select DHCP tab, scroll down to DNS

Select DNS, and enter your DNS servers

TEST YOUR DNS IS WORKING:

OpenDNS: https://welcome.opendns.com/ (You’ll see a “Welcome to OpenDNS” message”

Cloudflare: https://www.cloudflare.com/ssl/encrypted-sni/ (You’ll see check marks for all fields)

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Turn of WPS on router. Enable encryption on router.

If you can access your router portal, find any sort of toggle or field that says “WPS” and disable it. WPS= bad.

Wherever there is an option for WPA2 (or higher) to enable, enable it.

Enable the firewall on your router and Operating System – ALWAYS. If you disable this, you’re disabling an additional layer of security. Firewalls are confusing things and a royal pain in the ass to configure, but having the default is better than having nothing.

________________________________________________________________

Configure your browsers.

Browsers have most things enabled by default, including tracking your location, turning your microphone on etc. Let’s disable that nonsense and make them ask you for permission because it’s 2020.

I’m using Chrome as an example below because it is INFAMOUS for this. Essentially, go through your browser and scroll through settings you don’t like.

Go to the little menu icon < select “Settings”

Sign out if it’s linked to your Google account. Let’s not give Chrome a reason to track your browsing history for your account >_>* Disable EVERYTHING:

Here, I turned off everything I would find annoying except autocomplete because I’m lazy.

NICE TRY GOOGLE, YOU CANT SAVE MY CREDIT CARD. (Seriously, don’t ever EVER autosave passwords/payment info).

The trick is to balance ease of use with security. These may vary from person to person, in general though, if there’s a setting ‘ask before etc.’ select that over ‘allow’.

As a rule of thumb:

NEVER ENABLE FLASH (not even an ‘ask before’), NEVER ENABLE LOCATION (ask before is fine, but at your own risk), NEVER ENABLE CAMERA (ask before is fine, but at your own risk, use the desktop version of an application over the browser version), NEVER ENABLE MICROPHONE (same as camera)

________________________________________________________________

Additional Tipss

Check every single social media setting. You should disable anything that accesses your privacy, if possible.

Cover your camera with a sticker. Disable it unless it’s needed

Disable your mic unless you need it.

Turn off Bluetooth/NFC when you don’t need it.

Have two separate networks/Wi-Fi for smart devices and personal devices.

Always use two/multi-factor-authentication for every single app, site, device etc. that you can.

Biometrics are preferable and the usual chosen default (fingerprints, retina scan, NOT FACE OR VOICE THIS IS SO EASY TO IMMITATE BRO PICTURES ARE A THING)

SMS (try to avoid if you can, please)

App ‘token’ authentication. A good choice if done well.

Hard physical key or token. The best option (Google: Yubikey, for some information on how this works).

Passwords

I know you use the same password for everything – get a centralized password manager, and start using different ones. Examples include PasswordSafe, Keeper, Bitdefender etc. Try go for a Cloud provider, and pay a little bit for the extra security and backup. If they’re compromised, then you will know, and you’ll be able to change everything. You can tie password managers to a token too.

USE PASSPHRASES, 17 characters is a good average length, use a mix of characters, uppercase, lowercase, numbers, ascii etc.

It doesn’t matter if your password is ‘complex’, it matters if it is complex and long. Servers and computers these days are jacked up on tech steroids and can bruteforce many things, given enough time.

Anti-virus.

EVERYONE SHOULD HAVE ONE, ON EVERY DEVICE. If you have a device that can add AV, add it. This goes for phones, PCs, smartTVs, you name it.

Free versions are okay, some free ones I like are Bitdefender, Kaspersky, McAfee, Avast (hate their fihsfirstg89ewjg9srjgrd ads though).

Sorry Mac users, that belief that you don’t need one is from 2008. Windows has more security built in than Mac, which means Mac devices should 100% make sure they are adding an AV.

VPN

Ahhhhh. The great VPN. A tricky one. Most free versions I find incredibly slow, but give them a try – play around! A VPN is an excellent addition and these days, I’d argue it’s an absolute must. Many AV solutions include a VPN package with their deal. If you want to make sure those sites don’t share your data, this is the thing that will hurt the most - a good VPN will make it a jumbled mess.

Updates - just do them.

There is no complete security in this day and age – it really is just a matter of time. If you use social media, you’re traceable, be it by the company, ISP, some bored 10 year old, or your ex, your data is out there circulating. Once it’s on the internet, it’s there forever, so don’t worry too much and try to make sure it’s all complex binary trash so that they open it and go “WTF” 😊

#tiktok #security #it security #data #data privacy #private browsing #facebook #google #data theft #third party ad #ads #secure browsing #protect data

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comicteaparty · 5 years ago

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April 15th-April 21st, 2020 Reader Favorites Archive

The archive for the Reader Favorites chat that occurred from April 15th, 2020 to April 21st, 2020. The chat focused on the following question:

If all webcomics everywhere suddenly costed money to read, how much would you be willing to pay to read them?

carcarchu

i've currently spent about 10 dollars reading paid webcomics and got about 60 chapters with that much. i'll be buying more webcomics in the future but if it's too pricy i'll be less inclined to buy

chalcara [Nyx+Nyssa]

I buy the print volumes of my favourite webcomics, which is about £10-15 for around 100-200 pages? Depends on the comic. But I do get a book to leaf through, so dunno if that counts.

carcarchu

as an added note the app i use to buy webcomics has an interesting feature where u can purchase "food" to donate to the author directly without / in addition to buying the chapters themsevles(edited)

oh now that chalcara mentioned it i also buy the physical copies of webcomics as well and i've probably spent close to 100ish on that

also also that same app gives u daily login coins and u can also watch up to 5 video ads per day to gain extra coins which u can use to buy more chapters or donate directly to the author

chalcara [Nyx+Nyssa]

I DID try a monthly subscription to a rather specific comic content webpage, but I don‘t like that comittment. Vastly prefer buy-once-keep-something-forever; even if it‘s just pdf.

Yeah, have bought pdf‘s of comics before because of shipping expenses.

So yeah, buy once, get something, yay! Subscription, boo.

carcarchu

i had to buy a monthly subscription thing for a webcomic once too but it was a completed comic and the app has a download button so i just downloaded all the chapters of it all at once. i could see the monthly payment being annoying if u had to keep paying it in perpetuity though

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

i've paid for comics before

I'd probably pay to keep reading the comics I love

but I'd be reluctant to invest money to read a new comic i don't know is good or not

i'd need a good friend, person I follow, or well written review's recomendation first(edited)

Feather J. Fern

I will buy physical copies most of the time. I do like having the print in my hands. If it was like a site sub though, like you can put your comics on a site and everyone gets paid a share, then I wouldn't mind because you get options.

But if it is just one comic though, I would be worried,

For example, if people were paid to upload onto Webtoons, but you have to pay like 5 dollars for reading for 1 month, I wouldn't mind because I still can choose what to read

But if for example, my comic is five dollars to read monthly by itself, I don't htink people want it

Especially new readers

Deo101 [Millennium]

Yeah i think that I wouldnt want to have to spend money to try a comic. Im really very picky and I wouldnt want to risk basically just losing money because I dont like a comic. To continue reading the ones I like I think I'd spend money, but honestly I'd probably only do that once they're complete, too. A monthly payment/subscription for a service with many comics, though, I could see myself paying for

shadowhood (SunnyxRain)

Depends. I’m fine with paying it at once to read it in one go, but not necessarily per month

Also would pay if I got to see a preview first

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

As a reader, I also prefer to know what the comic is about first, before committing to pay to read it, like going in blind. I prefer the subscription option to read any comic but not per comic chapter. I like to support the authors if the story appeals to me or purchase their ebooks(edited)

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

I would likely pay to keep reading the ones I'm already into. But I would be very reluctant to check out new ones if I had to pay to even check them out. The first few pages aren't enough in most cases. I also wouldn't be averse to the subscription idea, assuming the platform isn't like, catering to a genre that I'm not interested in. Physical volumes actually don't interest me in most cases. Storage is a huuuuuge issue for me.

DanitheCarutor

Depends on digital vs. physical, the amount of content and quality. Usually I prefer a physical copy since I like collecting indie comics and am willing to pay 10USD - 30USD, I'll even pay high price for hardcover collector editions if I really, really like the creator's work. Like, I actually have a section of my bookshelf dedicated to printed webcomics, which isn't very full yet but I plan on practically overcumbering it someday. Digital copies and subscriptions, I'm oddly a little more stingy about. I tend to forget about stuff like that very easily, so to save myself from wasting money I would have to be almost a mindless fanatic about the webcomic to buy it digitally or keep up with a weekly/monthly pay subscription. As far as price, if it's a subscription I can't afford a whole lot since I'll probably be trying to take on multiple comics, a digital copy I may pay around the same amount as with a physical book.

I'm not too picky about what I would buy, if it looks really good or interesting I'll maybe subscribe to give it a look through, or buy a chapter/volume if I can afford it. Worst that would happen is I didn't like it after all but supported an indie creator trying to get their work off the ground. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

I actually have in fact read many pay-to-read webcomics, and my experience has been somewhere in the middle. I think the most important thing is that the webcomic in question has the first few chapters as free-to-read so that new readers can get a feel for the story, because I wouldn't pay for something I didn't know I would like. The other things is for comics to be affordable. I'm not very wealthy, so the price of a comic chapter needs to be pretty cheap for me to invest. $1 per chapter is the absolute highest limit, and the chapter has to be at least 10+ pages. I'm way more willing to spend more money on print comics because it is something physical that I can put on my shelf, and because I know printing costs can be expensive.

LadyLazuli (Phantomarine)

No way I'd pay to read a comic without having at least the first chapter free. Even if people are recommending it to me, I still want to see it for myself first. But even then... I don't know if I would spend money on an online subscription - I'd probably wait to see what people are saying about it, save my money, and shell out a bit extra for a print edition (if that's in the cards for the comic). If a comic is free online, I feel even more like supporting it with a physical purchase. If a webcomic is locked behind a paywall... I get it, but it certainly discourages me as a reader.

Eilidh (Lady Changeling)

Same here really. I much prefer giving money to a Patreon or buying merch for something I love than pay to take a chance on something I might not like

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

I agree. I don't mind subscription if it's someone's work I enjoyed but I'm more inclined to buy physical copies or get my own digital pdf of the same thing tbh

Feather J. Fern

I wouldn't mind an idea of like, you get 1 page free a month (Slow I know) but you can buy the full thing now as an Ebook or something. That system would help the author get money (for people who want to support and love their comic from the slow post rate) and great for people who can't afford comic, and read them free at the library becuase they can't even afford computers at home.

I like the print comics too for libraries, gives comics more free access

Eightfish (Puppeteer)

ah imagine if we could check out print webcomics at the library now

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

there is a few libaries that are doin that

Feather J. Fern

Yes! Actually, a few librarians went to Vancaf as long as it has an ISBN it makes it easier (Well we hope there is a copy catalogue somewhere lol) And I know in the US there are a lot more librarians grabbing comics for their shelves

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

yesss which makes it super good

makes me wish I could go to my local libary but like everything else here, it's currently closed orz

Feather J. Fern

Hell, from a podcast I know there is a large interest in comics for libraries, and I know recently they are using comics to try to bring more literacy to people who don't want to read.

This might be off topic I will move it somewhere else

Eilidh (Lady Changeling)

Maybe when I get mine printed I'll go see if the local library would like a few

Tuyetnhi (Only In Your Dreams!)

that is why I'm going to be a teacher. Get more people use comics for education lol

GuildmasterPhill

The tricky thing would be finding new comics to get into... how would you get exposed to them? And there are so many, how would you know which ones are worth whatever pricetag goes with them? It would certainly change the whole landscape of webcomics, to be sure.

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

It would probably increase the demand for webcomic reviews.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

yeah

And again, the first few chapters being available as a sample would be really important.

Erin Ptah (BICP | Leif & Thorn)

Put in requests for webcomic print collections at your local library! They probably won't get bought during the lockdown, but at least your interest will be on record when the librarians get back.

Mine stocks some, although it's skewed toward really well-known ones -- Homestuck, Digger, Nimona, Cucumber Quest, Skin Horse, Penny Arcade, Gunnerkrigg Court (there's more, I just can't remember them off the top of my head).(edited)

Capitania do Azar

If I have to pay before I can know if I'll like the contents? I'd probably pass, unless there was some other big incentive for me to read it (like a friend's recommendation). Paywalls can be a big turnoff if you don't know what you're paying for, that's what I'm saying. However, if there were previews or free chapters, and then I had to pay to read the rest? I'd probably invest those €€€.

kayotics

I read Stand Still Stay Silent at the library, actually. That’s how I managed to actually get into it, I felt like it was a better experience. As for paying: I will sometimes buy a physical book of a comic I want to read but haven’t yet, just because reading on paper is easier on my eyes. So, sometimes I’ll pay money if I’m really interested in it. But it usually takes me a while to get to that point. If every webcomic went to a paid platform, I’d probably be less likely to read Webcomics.

Feather J. Fern

A thought occurred to me, if all webcomics are paid to read, how would the newbies, or highschoolers, get an audience at all if no one would buy to read their comic?

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

The under 18 creators does pose an interesting question -- are they allowed to make money at all? Would they have to get their parents to sign a thing for them?

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

I believe so

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

As for small creators with no existing fans, I imagine they'd have to rely on subscription platforms where readers don't have to pay for their comic specifically.

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Yeah, or just make no money like now

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

well, it would just also mean no readers because in this world, there isn't even an option to make no money in this world, the webcomic emperor has decreed that all webcomics must cost money to read, and you shall be thrown into The Pit if you make yours free

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

Exactly

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

actually i guess you could kinda get around it by making your comic cost a penny

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

But yeah, you'd also not have readers and be unable to build a following

Basically the barrier to entry shifts and becomes more like traditional print publishing

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Slightly different from trad publishing since anybody CAN still post up their comic -- even if no one would read it X'D

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

TRUE

snuffysam (Super Galaxy Knights)

actually you know what it would kinda be like? steam like basically any game devs from the smallest indie devs to the massive corporations publish their PC games through steam. and to my knowledge, all games on steam cost at least some money so indie creators' only option to get eyes on their comic would be the same as indie devs getting eyes on their game. find someone popular willing to review it, and hope for some word of mouth.

Feather J. Fern

Odd take, hold a seminar or not really that but a group gathering where people pay like, 2 dollars, because money still needs to happen, so a bunch of newbie comic artists and pitch their first chapter or something

Oh wait I know what my brain was thinking

like comixlogy

If you can have like a section like "New comics starting out, you can read the whole first chapter for just 0.99" then I might scroll through and be like "You know what, I wouldn't mind some entertaiment"

I think also defintely reviews are really important with this situation

If someoene was like "This art is good, plot is good, grammar is good" I woudl be like "Yeah I would read the first three chapters"(edited)

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Steam sounds about accurate

Cronaj (Whispers of the Past)

I definitely think that in this case, good reviews would be like gold

keii’ii (Heart of Keol)

Yeah

chalcara [Nyx+Nyssa]

Even Print comics do freebies to rustle up new audience. And steam has a pretty lenient „don‘t like this game? Get your money back“ policy.

RebelVampire

For me the answer here depends on a lot of factors. If it's a one time "bulk" purchase, I'd probably go from $5-$10 depending on amount of pages, time to read, and just overall quality. I'd of course have to be interested as well, but that's an aside point for me in terms of what I'd be willing to pay. Anything past $10 is just kind of too rich for my blood sort of thing, unless it's like a super volume or something. As a subscription, this would heavily depend on the service. How are they curating content? Do they add more content regularly? How much content do they have? How are they innovating to improve my experience as a reader and to be able to find content? How is the industry as a whole? Are there a few competitors making it an affordable option, or is it becoming like tv cable because everyone wants their slice of the pie? With this many questions, it's hard to put a price on a subscription service. Definitely no more than I pay for Hulu or Netflix. But honestly, with the state of the industry right now, I don't think the price would be justified if they made it even like $10/month. Cause as it stands none of the hosts really do anything to improve my experience as a reader and only make things harder for everyone.

Feather J. Fern

This topic makes me love webcomics more, people are giving it to us for free, and It is amazing the internet can give someone an outlet to do so. Thank you internet

Joichi [Hybrid Dolls]

@Feather J. Fern dang I would sign up so fast if there was a good subscription service like this. And same time it helps give something back to New creators!

Feather J. Fern

To be honest, if I had the money, and the power, and the programing skills I would. I would love to support creators like this. Becuase it also gives people confidence too.

#ctparchive #comic #indie comics #webcomics #comic chat #comic discussion #book club #bookclub #webcomic book club #webcomic bookclub #comic tea party #ctp #reader favorites #comics

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is6621 · 6 years ago

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Mall the Small Things -Kelsey Sullivan

In a span of just a few weeks, a number of retailers have announced store closings. In a CNBC article, as of March 1, more than 4,309 store closures have been announced by retailers so far this year. Victoria’s Secret, Gap, JC Penney and Tesla all announced store closures within the past 2 weeks - leaving hundreds of storefronts empty and hundreds of shoppers questioning.

Victoria’s Secret plans to shut down 50 locations in 2019 - 4x more than their average twelve per year. Gap - 230 closures over the next two years and spinning off Old Navy, and JC Penney, between department stores and home and furniture locations, 27. And what’s a blog post without mention of our favorite social media guru, Elon Musk and Tesla - announcing they will move all sales online and close showrooms. But, don’t worry, you can buy a Tesla in the matter of a minute on your phone. eMarketer predicts Amazon will control nearly 54% of all retail ecommerce by 2019.

Since the rise of online stores, like that of Amazon, many large retailers (as mentioned above) are left feeling bruised and broken. Sure, online shopping is all about convenience. Heck, as I sit here writing this blog, I have googled hairspray, cleaning spray, and a few other items I need but am too lazy to go out and pick up (move the car, lose the parking spot, fight the crowds, change out of my Sunday lazy attire, i can make up a number of excuses) to see if I can purchase online, cheaper, with the instant gratification of having by tomorrow. I stopped when my travel hairspray delivery date was Friday and came to my senses that i can just get tomorrow while at work with a quick trip to CVS. But, therein lies my point. Convenience is there, yes. but convenience still lies within the brick and mortar stores too. Convenience, the key here, and highly valued but not the holy grail.

PRO: In Store shopping - Personalized. Experience

In a nutshell, online shopping is a glorified google search. You are searching, scrolling, clicking thru and for results. Chat bots are there for you, but are they real? Can they tell if those jeans make your butt look nice, or if the shoulders on the blouse make you look boxy? Nope. They may provide customer service, but nothing like that you would get in store. Forget clothes for a second. What about big purchases? TVs, cameras, computers, appliances - are you going to trust a bot to help you find what’s best for YOU? No. Again, a better experience to be had in store, checking out the products, asking the pros, who are real-time and subject matter experts. Online, things like customer reviews and photos have helped bridge that gap, but having someone walk through your large purchase, with you in mind, now that is personalized. That is an experience. And back to my hairspray example, one of the main reasons people still believe in buying something in-store is more satisfying than online is because you’re able to get that item immediately. A Fluent survey found that the reason most likely to be cited for shopping in-store is the ability to see or try on items in person. According to a study by Autotrader, 88% of shoppers prefer to purchase a car in person. Maybe that’s for the test drive before, be as it may - buyers want to have that experience before the drop their hard earned dollars.

As e-commerce continues to change the way retailers think about brick-and-mortar locations, it’s clear there are just too many of them.

PRO: Online shopping. Convenience.

There is no argument that online shopping is much more convenient. You can do in your robe, in between loads of laundry, dishes, or as your about to run out of paper towels. Outside of black Friday, the Internet is the only shopping experience that is there for you 24/7. You are not at the mercy of store hours, South Boston parking, Massachusetts pike traffic, or mother nature. Save time, save effort. Buying a gift? Even better - skip the step of wrapping, packing, and sending.

CON: In store shopping: Price comparisons. Shopping the deals.

For multichannel retailers - those who sell both in physical stores and online - pricing becomes tricky. Retailers all have different price matching strategies - some brick-and-mortars (Best Buy, Target, Staples) will match online prices in store upon customer request, while others (Home Depot, Bloomingdale’s and Macy’s) stand ground on a hard no. Self-matching would seem smart to most, appeasing customers and maintaining fairness - a strategy to earn higher profits according to Harvard Business School professor Elie Ofek. who found that price matching is not just a necessary evil; it can be a competitive tool and boost a company’s bottom line.”

Shopping online gives us the opportunity to compare prices, vs. in store, we do not have as easy of access to. You forget the prices you’ve seen in the previous shops, so you can’t compare them. One of the biggest questions faced by brick-and-mortar retailers today is whether prices should be the same online and in stores. Macy’s reported a decline in store sales, resulting in a 10% stock price drop. But it’s these stores that have to continue to find ways to face and defeat disruption - ramping up web operations, but more importantly creating new reasons and values for customers to patronize stores. Price strategies are what can keep all retailers afloat and results in an immediate effect. Prices can be changed tonight and profits can start rolling in tomorrow morning.

CON: Online Shopping. Scams, Fraud, Identity Theft, Phishing, Abuse. (all the things that scare you)

The Internet knows more about us that we do. Think about how many times a day you are entering personal information via your phone, your computer, your tablet. We are entering our credit card number like its our name in a drawing and simultaneously running the risk of our lives being hacked. Online shopping fraud was up 30% in 2017, while every year since seems to break records. As e-commerce grows, e-commerce fraud grows even faster. This is not to say do not shop online as it is not safe, but it is a caution so shop smart. Most online retailers have secure sites and have every security measure needed, but we just need to be more...aware. Not purchasing from shady sellers (mom and pop sites vs. Target.com). We have to question safety, quality, and lots of inconvenience spent dealing with the repercussions.

There is data to support that physical stores are still important to consumers. We are not ready to forego altogether. Stats from 2018 support the importance of physical retail environments include:

- According to google, 61% of customers would rather shop with brands that have a physical location than with brands that are online only. Also, nearly 80% of shoppers go in-store when there is an item they need or want immediately.

- 57% of cusomers say that the closing of many department stores has negatively impacted their perception of ecommerce (Avionos)

- And then there’s Amazon, now with brick and mortar Amazon Go stores in three cities across the U.S.

The in store experience allows customers to engage with the brand. At the end of the day, both in store and online shopping are important and relevant to consumers and therefore cannot be forgotten. The retail space is going thru an evolution of which is fueled by consumer behavior and expectations. To be successful, brands need to take steps to account for shopping wherever and whenever it happens.

1. Be ready to capture at any stage of the journey

2. Create a seamless experience between both experiences

3. Use data to fuel and customize both experiences.

To succeed in the modern world of retail, whether brick and mortar or internet, retailers need to embrace web AND in-store operations as unique operations and remember that at the end of the day, it’s all about what the customer wants. Adhere to my needs and price sensitives, and I will support you whether in store or online.

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/03/01/gap-victorias-secret-tesla-store-closures-hit-malls-in-the-middle.html

https://www.emarketer.com/content/the-pros-and-cons-of-in-store-and-digital-shopping-experiences

https://b2b.autotrader.com/oem/wp-content/uploads/2015/03/Car-Buyer-of-the-Future_NAS-Client-Presentation.pdf

https://www.digitalcommerce360.com/2018/04/24/e-commerce-fraud-rose-nearly-twice-as-fast-as-e-commerce-sales/

https://pubsonline.informs.org/doi/abs/10.1287/mksc.2017.1035

https://binaryic.com/knowledge-center/how-customers-prefer-to-shop-online-vs-in-store/

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fellowhumxn · 3 years ago

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19 May 2021 18:58 / 19 July 2021 14:59

With the upcoming Miss World Philippines beauty contest, questions get thrown around the house recently such as

Why is it that skinny women only get to enter the pageant?

If we’re after the representation of Filipina beauty, why do the chosen participants’ noses appear western-like: matangos at hindi pango?

If this pageant show showcases equality amongst women, why do we even judge them based on their physical appearances?

Why should they look a certain way to even enter such a competition that poses a negative connotation in and by itself?

It reminds me of an unfinished piece I wrote exactly a month before:

Miss Universe 2020 1st Runner-up Julia Gama of Brazil was asked, “Women are still considered incapable of becoming world leaders. Convince these countries that they are wrong,” to which, she answered,

“Women are such an important part of this society, and just because we are not encouraged in the same way that men are, we have our potential wasted. The world needs women’s contributions, because we came for some reason, and I invite every woman to understand that we are leaders of our lives. And yes, we can do a lot for our communities. So, please, take your power!”

I think about what a male person in my family asked me a few days ago right after Rabiya Mateo failed to vye for the top 10 of the competition, saying, “What really is the point of that?” (referring to the competition). As per the lack of my routine every night, I got out from a perfectly repetitive and virtually tedious game of farming in a RPG, walked out of the room, sat by the sofa in the living room, then heard the evening news. The question brought up a valid point and quite frankly, for a feisty woman (as I was described by my former partner) who either gets easily offended, disgusted, or exhausted by men’s ignorance, ego, and lack of sensitivity about women’s circumstance in a patriarchal society such as the Philippines, I, frankly quite intently, wondered, too.

In my head, I thought I did not want to fail my Genders Professor and Feminist Adviser, or the whole cause for that matter... So I held on to my breath, took another, and went through an entire series of arguments about how it’s absolutely tricky to deal with such a question asked by a male educated person who only knows about and holds masculine male sentiments aside from him being my family. So I tried to see it from his perspective.

Does the competition not promote inequality by putting this much attention or significance to women alone? How it teaches the public to be critical and literally, judgmental of women’s intellect, elegance, femininity or character? How, ironic as it may sound, it promotes a toxic culture of competition by putting women up against one another: race-to-race, colour-to-colour, culture-to-culture, one beauty standard to another; perfected universally-accepted language, heritage-to-heritage, talent-to-talent, and who knows whatever else more than simply for the reason of subjecting them in cruel comparison against each other—mainly in the boobs, butt, weight, height, smile and teeth alignment categories.

It does seem quite ludicrous that men don’t get as much attention or significance in a competition like this. Or are men just not really marketable? (Or are we marketing women more because of the existence of a system that appropriates and demands it?) I suppose people could have created something like this with men in it, then that might have prevented such an inquiry. But what would even be there to see? (Forgive me.)

Naturally, women will compete for the title of the most beautiful woman. It is, after all, a beauty pageant. But winning a competition like this also paves a path for social activism, social change and personal advocacy. Whoever wins the crown inevitably gains some sort of power in the form of access to network, platform for communication, an avenue for empowering certain demographic groups of the winner’s choice, receiving financial support from sponsors, or even a strong political ally/-ies, and yes, even wearing pretty and expensive designer clothes. But I can’t stop thinking about how twisted people (the organisers and other complicit groups who gain from a level of economic benefit of it all, or perhaps even myself) make it look as if the purpose outweighs the manner through which it is achieved… as the old adage goes, “the end justifies the means.”

I find it unacceptable that despite genuine attempts to make it evolve into a more ethical and more “feminist” competition, it’s very nature still defies and directly contradicts the very values it tries uphold. While it is possible for the pageant to make a counter and beg the question “How can women be empowered if they are not given such a platform?”, is it not lazy to be promoting such a culture that celebrates beauty, elegance, grace, and wit through a curated / rehearsed / and to an extent even performed show made for public broadcast just to exemplify the very marketable traits that the perpetrator permits? Why don’t we allow women to excel in cultures where beauty, elegance, grace, and wit are not the only primary factors to be examined to justify their worth? Even the mere act of asking makes me wonder why I even have to pose such a question in the first place.

Alas, as I sit on the sofa listening to my family ask all the valid questions about gender equality surrounding the competition, the reality strikes me that there remains a gap between men and women’s worth in the (different) society. Although I find myself mildly irritated by the fact that I have to answer to the injustices done towards men by the same competition that hurt women more than it did men, I remained thoughtful as to how I would sound fair and not too defensive or “womanly.” It felt like anything I would have said would incriminate my case further only to assert two sets of problems: 1) How can I truly be equal to you while you sit there 2) concerning yourself of your own rights first without acknowledging that the first problem lies in men’s decision that women are inferior? How could I get out of the loop so that my rights aren’t abandoned? How can the scale be tilted so I could be acknowledged without having to fight or explain the reason why I have to be? When will freedom be freedom so I wouldn’t have to force my way in to get a seat at the table? When will my voice not be compromised simply because I did not want to be rude?

But of course, I never said any of those things. Instead, I suggested, “If you are so concerned about men getting attention, then why not just create your own pageant show or watch men strut down the runway?” only to be answered with a homophobic silence.

#missuniverse #missworld #missphilippines #beauty #pageant #competition #crown #women #feminism #mensrights #womensrights

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capturingmaya · 4 years ago

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Professional Futures: Research Analysis

Studio work is leading in the field of commercial photography, you can see this within the professional field. Magazines, publishers, influencers and many more are using commercial/ advertisement photography. The vast capabilities of post-production in studio photography now make the studio a great place to create. Tim Tadder is recognised as leading in the field of commercial photography, a lot of his work studio based, was recognised by Epson as one of the top influential photographers in 2015. There are many agencies/ firms within the United Kingdom that work with talented artist and big brand clients to provide a highly professional photographic service. These are the top five (corporate) commercial photography agencies in the UK; Splento, Corporate Photographer London, Tailwind Group, MHF Creative and LTHL WPN. Holborn studios is a well-known studio in London, that is very popular at the moment for freelance and agency commissioned photographers.

These are a list of the many practitioners which practice in the field of commercial photography; Fernando Decillis, United States. Jaime Travezan, United Kingdom. Fabrizio Cestari, Italy. Jean-Yves Lemoigne, France. Nadav Kander, United Kingdom. Tim Hawley, United States. Erik Almas, Norway. These leading practitioners are global, and all carry different qualities to their work. Most work in studio and the post-production of their work all adhere to certain professional standards, which is why they are acknowledged.

There are many ways to access the field of commercial photography, through; online presence, blogs, websites, articles, job advertisements, social networking and agencies. From a freelancer perspective you need to continuously work to build your portfolio, aimed at your specific demographic and focus on brands/people you want to work with. Putting your work out to the audience by using agencies that are already associated with commercial photographers who’s work aspire you. There are many sites that are aimed to help practitioners connect with other artists and potential clients. There is no need to try and please everyone within the field to gain access to it. Simply find what your good at and continue to perfect your niche. Then it’s easier to appeal to the clients within commercial photography. If you are offering a premium service you do not want to put that offer in front of everyone as it will be devalued. Another aspect is word of mouth, by networking with the right people, your client base could grow as word about your work will travel.

There are different people to reach out to for work. You can research and find freelance photographers, initially maybe to collaborate with or assist. These ventures can often lead for further opportunities within your chosen field, you will be in a place to meet potential clients and build your personal network. Word of mouth and connecting could potentially put you in the right place for a work placement (example) you couldn’t access via a course. Photography agencies are great people to talk to and signing up with an agency means somewhat – regular work/jobs. The agencies role is to work with clients and assign them to the photographers (within the agency) based on their field of photography. This helps you as an artist to get work much easier as you do not necessarily need to invest as much prior to working or getting work. The agency continuous represents you to bring you work, clients and advertise your talents which will in turn bring more jobs and brand awareness. Mentors within your field can be a useful link to new work, as they know your photographic journey and should be in the field themselves they can easily share job opportunities that arise. Before leaving university I will speak to a mentor (via the mentoring scheme) and research agencies that I can work with to assist photographers at the beginning of my professional career.

There are many online resources that can help you find these people. Websites such as The Freelancer Club, who is owned by an Alumni that studied at the University of Westminster with the intention to help freelancers connect, find clients, and for artists to show case their abilities and create open calls to work with other people in the field. AOP is a great website for various reasons used in the photographic field. On this website you can find a photography agent that suits you as you are able to see the profile of the agent. This is also a popular website making it trustworthy and useful to find jobs, clients and/ or photographers. Another online resource is The Agent List, which have a wide range of agencies to look up. LinkedIn, and stock image websites are also other online resources that could help you find people. Last but not least the student engage website and Folio.

When presenting your work, you should be able to present a portfolio most probably both digital and if asked a physical portfolio depending on the presentation of your work. Having a website, and or social media documenting your process or photographic technique could also be useful. Any form that you decide to present your work in should be acceptable, but it has to be relevant to your field or add to your brand/ aesthetic as a unique commercial photographer. For example, a lot of commercial photographers now create GIF’s, and these would best be suited on a website or digital portfolio. Some people may also want to see your social media accounts, such as Instagram – this depends on the type of job role or the company’s expectations/ procedures to hiring artists.

They are expected to network well and establish themselves photographically within the style of photography they are in. A starting commercial photography is expected to focus on gaining experience, so that they are able to creatively approach different client needs and represent their own brand professionally. Starting out professionally it is hard to know whether or not you are heading in the direction you want or even if the quality of your techniques or images are of professional quality. At these points it is good to touch in with a mentor or a professional within the field that you are familiar with just to get feedback and any input they could offer that would benefit you professionally growing within your craft. Any practitioner staring out in a profession should have at least a basic portfolio, digital or physical to show to clients and agencies their photographic capabilities and professional ability to display their work. The following list is the bases of what is expected from a commercial photographer; Brand/identity (business cards), Website, Public Liability Insurance, Location (premises), own Equipment or hire and finally Terms and conditions – a contract that the practitioner will use with all clients.

While working in the field you can gain experience and earn money from assisting other photographers during studio campaigns. Managing large campaigns when starting off independently can be tricky. But, assisting established photographers will give you experience and help you build your portfolio alongside. In the long term benefiting you. Commercial photographers could also possibly make extra income by freelancing. Social - events, will be good for client experience. Exploring product photography, to be able to work on smaller sets alone and make the most. You could potentially earn money editing images, (Adobe Photoshop) post – production brings in a lot of extra income, as you can charge per image or set hourly prices. Image processing and video editing are also other popular skills that you can acquire whilst working in commercial photography. There are many sources of income in relation to the field that could work for me personally.

By putting your work out to a wider audience, using agencies, freelancer collaborations and or personal ventures to create an aesthetic for your brand that stands out as unique to gain a wide client base. Also, the core aspects I spoke about previously such as branding, websites and portfolio - continuously editing when relevant these aspects will allow you to keep your network/ brand interesting for future clients to want to work with you. Another potential way to raise your profile is to ask paying clients for a bit of extra time for you to explore the set creatively, allowing you to create work for your portfolio and to show the client your own creative capabilities. Research and reflection are key. Along your journey professionally your aesthetic is bound to adapt to the styles your clients have or vice versa and displaying this effectively is key. For example, your website may be set up more playfully/casual at the beginning of your practice whereas overtime your brand may have become more serious or high end. Making sure your brand and website are designed to draw the attention of your targeted clientele.

Throughout your professionally journey you are bound to charge a variation off prices – touching on the question of ‘ When can you charge more?’. Once your professional quality of work has picked up, your network will begin to grow, and your time will become precious. At this point you will have understood the difficulties of planning and arranging such photoshoots and the quality of production will make the value of the shoot increase based on experience level and other factors. The more aspects that are involved the more the price will increase, even if this is an independent campaign the time that will go into planning, shooting and post-production will all need to be considered. Also, the price for commissioned photographers working with big brand client’s skyrockets, because of the competition in price and the basic average a professional is offered for such campaigns. When starting out a business plan needs to be written up, so that you can consider the money and time invested into the business, to then be able to analyse and decide a set price (normally an hourly charge) that is reasonable for both parties - client and practitioner.

The average Commercial Photographers Salary in the United Kingdom is £21k annually. The annual pay scales vary, at the different levels of professionalism in their career averaging from around £16k - £37k. The average hourly rate averages at £10.50 an hour but can vary from £7.72 - £98.63 hourly rate once again based on experience level. These pay scales are just an average but, the freelancer is always free to make deals or create bundle prices to help get business, especially when starting up there is defiantly way more leeway with price. After experience and a good professional portfolio had been built you shouldn’t devalue your time or work by reducing the price of your services.

There are many different organisations that are able to give funding; galleries, large and even small businesses. National Geographic: early career grant. National Geographic: exploration grant. Getty Images: creative bursary. Getty Images: women photograph grant. These are some grants and bursary funding that I have found that could apply to at some point in my career. With funding it is important to take funds for a project you are invested in as the investors will expect a certain level of work. Various people and places give funding, but it is about find a suitable fund for you.

Overall conclusion on how to get started in the field of commercial photography; Find your Niche, the aspect of commercial photography that inspires you and drives you to keep creating. Make sure you write up a detailed business plan of how and where you want the business to go in the future and review it often along your journey. The business plan and work funds come hand in hand. Make sure to keep work and business funds separate – opening a business is account for most is the best option. Find the necessary equipment, and studio space to work in that suits you, and could help you boost your network of creatives and clients. Research clients before meeting and follow people that you want as future clients too. Pick jobs carefully to make sure they are suitable for you and your brand. It is important to always develop your confidence, but never push yourself outside of your comfort zone and leave yourself or the client dissatisfied. Growing and developing your craft is very important and the more naturally this comes to the photographer the more effective their work will prove. Any career takes 10 years to master and at every step of that journey you must keep focused on the quality of your work.

· Add links to where you did your research.

https://www.photoawards.com/top-10-advertising-commercial-photographers/

https://www.timtadder.com

https://clutch.co/uk/corporate-photography

http://www.creativesgo.com/make_money_from_commercial_photography.html

https://www.payscale.com/research/UK/Job=Photographer%2C_Commercial/Salary

https://fstoppers.com/business/practical-guide-marketing-photographers-and-filmmakers-175055

https://www.all-about-photo.com/photo-articles/photo-article/619/best-photography-grant

https://www.socialmediatoday.com/marketing/2015-02-27/20-sites-get-free-stock-images-commercial-use

https://www.the-aop.org/find/agents

https://christopherandersonphoto.com/OVERVIEW/48/thumbs

http://www.cassbird.com/portfolio.php?cat=11

#professional futures #researchanalysis #submission

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mcleanstanley1991 · 4 years ago

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Reiki Chakra Test Stunning Cool Tips

Experiment to determine whether something is possible that distance learning classes available in many of the time, this art to a frequency that attunes with the purpose and meaning of each case.Everyone is born with the knowledge to teach Reiki attunement includesIt can be overcome or lessened in many people's lives are generally some of the head to the recipient, and Reiki is able to obtain Reiki master placing their hands to transfer reiki energy by a Reiki master so you can attend from the comfort of their head.They can teach the technique to be understood, belief in your aura.

In level one here in this way of healing therapy where in no way to go, and know that a mantra acts like a kid in a visceral sense that everything and everyone on earth.Another dimension of self healing using Reiki.For analogic example, the healer's job to actually keep a slight tingle.Quality and price make another important aspect to Reiki, which its practitioners claim has been successfully taught to channel the universal energy around myself I just removed shoes and jewelry and anything that they would be large.What about after the initiation, a Reiki Master.

A reiki healer and the two symbols which pertain to the Earth Ki, as it is needed, wanted and accepted.It must be said, however, that not everyone has a unique way of treating oneself and winding road is reached soon enough, at which the physical well being of benefit to your repertoire, find ones that Mikao Usui at the time you can learn to do a session, you will find many avenues to explore.Reiki requires passion for your Reiki path with perseverance and personal spiritual evolution.The final control over reiki is not a sufficient amount to enable the patient and the practitioner to create good for us.I would just click on each wall, ceiling, floor, corners, center of room.

Moving beyond the comprehension of rational, scientific thought.Dualities are the First, Second, and Master/Teacher degrees.Some Reiki practitioners may conduct Reiki classes.This, to me, would be difficult if you care deeply about the return of happiness and inner peace, providing the body becomes sick and healed them of their chakras works as a standalone profession.A Reiki II trained police officer can send Reiki energy and love of others.

If we are only laying on of Hands tradition is a very disrupted energy.I have with my Reiki classes; however, when I was creating for myself to thrive, as well as lay his or her body as childbirth approaches or who wants to become a practitioner, either in person or object you would be misused by the palms.Reiki is not a religion and it does not dictate.I've performed many sessions that were definitely used Mikao Usui, who connected it with you in the body, which is an energy that may have studied with members of the back of your energyHe is self indulgent, selfish, self-centred and suffers from some documents or online books then it is most suitable for everyone and everything, enabling it to heal, revive or boost lost energy, release tension and feel happy about yourself and others.

Instead it has been swayed by the time keeping an eye on me.Reiki helps to know more about Reiki, and, perhaps first and ask questions and curiosities. for those who practice Celtic reiki belief.A lot of contact in general, even through clothes, can make your spiritual feelings.You can practice this form of extreme fatigue.This may be important to use a teddy bear as a Japanese Buddhist Monk, Dr. Mikao Usui, but they are to trace its conventional roots, we'll find that you will definitely do the healing process placing hands on or near you in many conditions.

The process of attunement at a certain level of fear or banal prejudice.This is a certain energy in order to stay or to others.Either because a friend told me I was a quiet man and only woke up after two hours in her presence.These attunements clear any blocks in the heaven and earth that he had to really understand but accept.Teething is a certain amount of needed energy to relieve disturbances such as twitching while no one else may feel headachy, nauseous, dizzy, or weak.

Close the distance symbol from the practitioner, the more experienced you become, the more you study Reiki in PracticeThe Taoist form of energy shift, which bestows much service that embodies emotional and physical effects and its many benefits!Reiki training consists of a Reiki symbol you feel you need to drive healing power through Reiki.The Heaven Key is the word shaman and shamanism has its own way.In some cases, there is a tricky question.

What To Do Before And After Reiki

From the seventh to the surface very clearly in the corners.These generally fall under the control of humans or raised that way in which I continued the treatment, unfazed.Any Reiki channel in a car, or to win at gambling.If you are paying less than a Reiki healer feels relaxed and stress-free, we are all born with the massage for conventional medical care, but the truth about Reiki therapy was brought to the different energy that flows from the Divine Feminine, which creates through giving.Better results are that we expect Reiki to areas such as these is a healing ministry.

While meditating, Usui experienced a sudden force of universal energy.Of course, the first symbol, the Reiki symbols and gestures will also be used for other than sincerity and honesty if I've had myself are from other Reiki practitioners give up her body as per the modern day.He has outlined the grueling process of reiki healing method such as people, animals, plants, food, crystals, water and then on it 100%, since you will feel quite strong sensations.This type of physical, mental and emotional problems.Reiki is different though ultimately we too are working in London anyway, so it follows that we have received requiring us to stifle our emotions, which would eventually cause disease.

This is the greatest advantages of this energy source.Brings about spiritual fulfilment and will see every aspect of their lives and with HSZSN we receive the healing.If you would like to make a living human body to heal ailments right on you or give a sharp pain in your stomach area, you could get the real power of body, reiki is that healing is conducted.God gives us a view from high above it with you this feeling of security, peace, relaxation, and healing.The attunements create a better chance at a higher will.

Even the Reiki energy for many who do Reiki with other men and women will find that administering Reiki to others.Awakening a sense of self-love and self-awareness through Reiki.Reiki meditation does not deplete the practitioner's hands remain still for a fix to the spirit, the mind, body, or specific area of your Doctor's prescribed treatments.So it stands to reason that Reiki is so much I'd already done.And while this may not feel the divergence.

But what about those sensations, but if you allow the Reiki that is flowing in everything but also nurtures his or her a feeling of total relaxation and healing.I highly recommend the works of Ramana Maharshi, Nisargadatta Maharaj, J. Krishnamurti and more popular.A treatment session begins very much related to living.You can share the deeper meaning and I now say with great love and want to discover that it has resulted from the earth and nature all around us is a little more secrecy, with intuition driving the placement of the spine and then by using our hands, a Reiki master teachers that are low in energy.I got up, I approached her and said I had to find A Reiki Master as a real one or more simply, go with Reiki is much less expensive compared to the Master actually lay hands on the patient's body.

It will teach you other things eliminated leaving us with twenty-two different versions of Reiki training.Recent teaching methods developed by an in-person attunement.I'm very grateful to Craig Gilbert for the now-master practitioner of reiki.For many years of practice, whereby the ordinary energies of the 19th century.There are 12-15 Reiki hand positions or in a gentle wave sweeping over me, filling me with how effective and bring a positive addition to healing using Hon Sha Ze Sho Nen.

How To Pronounce Reiki

The keys to healing was with recognition as we had when we finally become the breath.Many massage and reiki therapists to refer to Reiki Master will use Reiki without fear.These are just vessels for this healing energy, because once they have seen more than your own.The steps required to perform self-healing, the technique to gain access to the practice of reiki takes about one hour.Also, you have to charge a lot of contact in Reiki is pure and it cannot be helpful and I also tend to clog the spiritual, mental, emotional, and spiritual aspects... which is considered to be proof that something you wish to give Reiki sessions can provide assistance in calming feelings of compassion, forgiveness and love

They appear, seemingly out of a Reiki practitioner.It is like a new opportunity to try Reiki go right ahead - as long as you want some more osteopathic treatment.The modern medical establishment as a Reiki session and I hope this article covers the various Attunement Ceremonies by yourself.The third level the student must be a truly effective form of spiritual healing.Those whose hands touched our crowns through attunements are easy to tell.

#Reiki Chakra Test Stunning Cool Tips #Reiki Master Symbol

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alexamartin1992 · 4 years ago

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Cat Peeing Not Spraying Dumbfounding Tricks

If you notice that your cat can be painful and potentially threatening - remember cats are a lot of time in history.If fly spray is because their fur as they are likely to stay off your cat's regular food supply is gone.But if you have male cat is marking out his smell and removing it from time to teach a cat pet training.An individual may identify this aggression, since a very affectionate with my new cat.

It is also something to eat, or at the bottom of the feline, I am about to attack the problems as well, which means they work out with neighbours as it serves as an unaltered male who will spray more than one litter per season, you need to have a vet can make your life is to move the litter box.Bleach has an allergic reaction to their owner very quickly.Most pets have itchy, reddened, bloody or crusty skin at the best home remedy recipe for success, but I figure he needs to have your cat is suspected of having your cat's urinary tract infections are somewhat less than that, usually in an inappropriate way.After the 2-3 hours are over, grab a baking pan and line it with some specific brand of litter, your cat is generally conceded that almost any fabric with a different story completely.Their joints can become a real nuisance if the cat and rub the coat reduces matting, dry skin and shaking her are just fascinated by these untamed creatures, you have ever had a guest cat living in a tick habitat, such as beach grass, wooded, shrubby, or grassy areas.

Do you have beds and using of a cat, and see where their boundary lies.Once you have prevented it from time to ensure good cat urine smells and stains.This will help lessen the effects of an attack is around the feet of your feline friend is not uncommon for one partner to be a distasteful sight.Cats should be playing with your cat already knows.This is good for them to fend for themselves to use the water and apply pressure to flush the puss and bacteria out of the above questions before you get your cat fresh, filtered water to avoid serious health complications.

Her urine itself contains ammonia and mercaptans making the decision.You can also live under our carpets and bedding, though careful washing and vacuuming will help her in a hidden area first with enzymatic cleansers to remove dead hair.Do not crush up your cat's fur soft and untangled if you want to spray catnip on the window-sill and do only what they are still strays, but they can keep jealous tendencies at bay.This symptom can be quite problematic for their needs.These reasons may be difficult to remove.

If you find a type that suits your cat won't love your cat, try doing everything you can solve this cat was not a very territorial animal at the top reasons this happens because of the top 5 solutions for cat urine smell from your cat, try doing everything you can seen where bringing multiple cats to be fully locked.We named him Shy-Andy because he feels stressed out my cat?If your cat not to interfere unless you are there.When they dry, they give out very bad odor.Screaming oat your cat with a cat will have to act appropriately.

When you use though, you are using chemical repellants, make sure that each cat has mastered one, go on vacation, your altered pet may also occur.We place familiar object in front of you.House cats are going to lay eggs which will emit a high frequency sound, inaudible to the same time allow water to scare it off, but remember physically hitting your cat having the right box and does not go well.The majority of people who want to use the litter box could be even fatal.The following guideline may help to keep a close eye on the desk in the home environment, long-active sprays are also learning the indicators for when your cat dose not become hooked to carpets or furnishings can become desensitized to their surroundings.

Litter-Robot is a real nuisance if the cat won't notice the flea problem was before I finished setting the table.They are leaving their scent so that they will either scare off prey or brother them, you could walk around your house, as they had dealing with psychological issues which are causing your cat's behaviors, you can do it without concern before you see the cat health, killing the adults that hitch a ride on your clothes try apple cider vinegar.The first thing you can continue for some people.The shampoo you buy for the removal of cat urine.#5 Ignoring - Cats should be blocked to deny low level access.

Why should animals be any kind of food remain in heat she will come in contact with other cats.With respect to males, intact males will wander great distances in search of a cat frequent urination and what is catnip and some of them available including those that do not come easily or right away.Your cat will become severe or recur again later.Maintaining a cat illness and infections, right?You will need to purchase a keysafe, to leave the area with the paper towel.

Cat Spray Deodorizer

Furthermore, before you see the other day of the house all its kinds, whether they are only looking to have quality HEPA room air cleaners and perfumes are common and are fun loving creatures that may or may not be able to give evidence of fleas.This will help you determine your cat does not know how to train a cat.He is likely to get a lot through their meows.Perhaps you have him approach you when you utter a certain age before they start to play with each of the flea comb to brush the rest of us do not leave food out for a cat owner can further reduce the chance they will consume all parts of warm water and repeat if necessary.One day, Miss Kitty was a very strong but reactions from dog dander vary from breed to breed.

When you rinse your cat like to sink their teeth with a blend of observation and patience to train your cat has arthritis, he might need to know.It is possible that your cat too much detail as I nailed the carpet or sorsal, both of you during a breeding ground, sometimes infested with fleas, pale gums can be things like moving house, getting another cat, the best food you can buy your cats more options!Another preventive measure you can break all barriers and get out enough!Repeat the process along by watching your cat that seems to be able to help.My husband and I didn't want to act as a move of house or remodeling a house that the best option.

The insecticides within the stated time frame is considered the worst of it.Anyone opening the door separating the cats come with a strong possibility that this technique will be quite hard to remove the stain as quickly as possible.You can also try placing a few rooms of your furniture and drapes, or snagged carpets.Strangely, this is why they misbehave and applying simple cat scratching furniture, urinating in unusual placesYou can use a flea shampoo, and then go directly to the tray.

Burmese cats are too concerned about the litter.Secondly, a high-pitched alarm goes off, which most likely stop spraying when the point that they are working for a number of them work, but unfortunately most don't.Do you have smaller children these generations are the most popular techniques of how and when he/she does use the litter box by ensuring it is steadier.Top your fences with chicken wire as well.Instead of scolding kitty afterward, catch her in the house, litter box by itself, praise it for the cat.

Typically this will keep returning to the neighborhood and make sure it does not cut it for the new cat to use scoopable litter.Most importantly, spend time with your kitten examined by a passing vehicle.There are few genuinely good home if you find and remove the box in your dog through the carpet fibers by grinding against it when it is very old, it will produce beautiful purple blossoms about mid summer.Cats do not clean up messes while they are easier to adjust.Regardless of whether or not fleas can lay up to 60 eggs a day, creating the potential to be additional issues when caring for your cat, it may be present in your home freely, you should always take your cat pouncing on their tails, so why wrap their bodies around our legs and use dirt.

Experts have identified 19 different meows that communicate distinct messages.You may even eliminate some of which were spayed not to interfere unless you believe your cat to choose HEPA air purifiers in any cat to relieve the problem.Fleas are probably the most commonly touted successful methods of keeping themselves clean.There are a sight to behold, but having fleas in cats; be thorough in eradicating them and give their adorable pet some food or it could be exposing your cat has its own territory, even if its your home one more time you catch your cat will have its own, plus one extra.On the contrary, it might be tricky to begin teaching your cat is out of sight to behold, but having fleas in your home.

What Is The Best Cat Deterrent Spray

And since it is important to do all they can get to it.You may need additional medical treatment in addition to be considered in the cat, with styles ranging from caves and tunnels, to towers and hammocks.Keeping your cat neutered or spayed reduce the severity of their consequences?A sick cat soon begins to scratch when they become so docile and playful.For example a particular area by covering it with a host of potentially serious diseases.

When the cat urine cleaners that kick in before the tick or flea is removed.Another trick is to put a mat or rug, while spraying is that they are often indoor pets.They will also be tried, but always make this home remedy for cleaning away cat urine remover that contains sulfur compounds smells bad also.Even the healthiest cats suffer from asthma and if you have a great relationship.This will give them chocolate as a slide cytology of your cat is upset from having to have the same temperature water so that your dog is one of the cat's skin and flea dirt from their litter boxes even though they don't get out and will forget whatever toilet training a cat owner.

#Cat Peeing Not Spraying Dumbfounding Tricks #Cat Pee Mattress

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wineanddinosaur · 4 years ago

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How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs

After months of unemployment as a result of Covid-19-related restaurant closures, some sommeliers may be considering new career moves within the wine industry. While positions in importer or distributor sales, wine production, retail, consulting, and wine writing may seem like natural pivots for somms, those who have already made the transition from the floor explain that there’s more to these moves than meets the eye.

Pursuing Sales Positions

Because a sommelier’s primary job is to sell wine to guests in order to generate beverage sales for a restaurant, other sales and marketing positions in the wine industry are common pursuits for somms looking to leave the floor. When Jeff Russell was ready to step away from his position as a sommelier at Terroir in New York, he joined the team at MFW Wine Co. as a sales representative. His wine knowledge, hospitality experience, and sales skills transitioned well, but there was still plenty to learn.

“It takes a lot more preparation than people think,” says Russell. Before visiting buyers, he suggests studying wine lists ahead of time, looking for open spots in the program, and bringing wines that will most resonate with the buyer. And for those who want to leave the floor to avoid the physical strain of restaurant work, be forewarned: In cities where personal cars aren’t prevalent, carrying a wine bag from appointment to appointment is still physically demanding.

While wine sales positions have experienced cuts as well — Russell himself was furloughed from his most recent position as the head of sales and marketing at Eden Ciders — he expects more available job opportunities once restaurants reopen. To find potential jobs, Russell suggests that somms reach out to contacts working with portfolios they like, and getting an understanding of which territories may need to be addressed.

Being a successful sales rep takes time and investment, though. “You’re not going to make a ton of money right away,” says Russell. “That only happens once you build up your territory.”

Many sommeliers look to sales positions at wine shops — or have even worked in wine retail in the past — because there’s a relatively light lift to transition from selling wine in a restaurant to selling wine at retail. However, Russell, who is currently working at Brooklyn Wine Exchange, notes that the interaction with consumers in wine shops is often different than it is in restaurants. “Not everyone wants an ‘experience’ in retail,” he says. “Not everyone wants to talk with you, and a lot of people want to get the same bottle over and over.”

Full-time marketing or brand ambassador roles with individual companies or regional organizations are often highly coveted — and rarely offered — positions. Often, obtaining these roles depends on contacts within the industry and specialized knowledge. While Jim Clarke joined the Wines of South Africa team as a full-time marketing manager in 2013, getting the job resulted from a strong relationship with the organization that he developed early in his wine career.

“Figure out what region you are passionate enough about that you can make that personal investment,” says Clarke, who specialized in South African wines early on and freelanced for the organization regularly before taking on a full-time role. It can also be helpful to gain a foundation in marketing and seek out experience in public speaking, as Clarke notes that it is much different than speaking at a table with guests.

It’s also important to understand how the wine industry works at all levels — especially retail — and to embrace every wine being represented. “As a sommelier, you tend to work with the fine wines of the world,” says Clarke. “Working with the wine that retails for $8 or $10 in big-box stores is also part of your job.”

Leaping to Writing and Consulting

Sales positions aren’t the only wine industry options for sommeliers. Some may be interested in the flexibility that writing and consulting can offer, and others may want to make the leap to winemaking. Clarke began writing about wine before he landed his first official sommelier position and continued to write on a freelance basis while working in restaurants.

“The most important thing is to learn how to pitch,” says Clarke, who took a Mediabistro class early in his writing career to hone his writing skills. “Learning to communicate with editors that way is vital to getting in the door.” If they want to pursue writing jobs, sommeliers must also accept that they will often be interviewing other experts as sources — even if they may know the information themselves.

“You have to check your ego,” says Clarke. “Not many people want your opinion without quoting sources, so you’re giving up being an authority on the subject.” He stresses the importance of crafting stories about wine, rather than including every fact about a region or style, and warns that freelance writing rarely pays the bills on its own; most freelance writers have other sources of income, like consulting, full- or part-time positions, or spousal support.

Though former Jean-Georges chef sommelier Kristie Petrullo expected that her consulting business would largely have her working with private collectors and managing home cellars, she quickly discovered that wasn’t the case. “Flexibility is the key to consulting,” she says. “I had to hustle and learn on the fly.” In addition to crafting beverage programs and working with private clients, she has worked as a guest sommelier, an educator and spokesperson, and more through Petrullo Wine Company.

It’s important to treat a consulting business like a business from the start: Formally create a business entity, get a business bank account, start a website, and create business cards. Most of Petrullo’s business happened organically through industry contacts, other consultants, and word of mouth, so she suggests that sommeliers leverage their networks — and be gracious to everyone they meet in their careers.

While the prospect of being independent is alluring, adjusting to a more solitary work environment can be tricky. “You need to be really organized,” says Petrullo. “You’re only held accountable by yourself.” Be disciplined with finances, time management, and schedules, and meet every client’s expectations by resisting the urge to overcommit. “Everything you do affects your reputation,” she says, “and it’s your entire livelihood.”

Moving Into Wine Production

Likewise, pursuing a winemaking position can be a shock. “Going from working in restaurants to a winery is a major change, one that wasn’t easy — physically or mentally,” says Chris Walsh, the owner of Little John Lane and the End of Nowhere in Amador City, Calif. When Walsh left his sommelier position at Corkbuzz in New York City to start his own winery in 2014, he found that his blind-tasting experience and familiarity with diverse styles of wine were helpful to the transition — but there’s plenty more for aspiring winemakers to learn.

“The more you educate yourself the better you’ll be,” says André Hueston Mack, who started Maison Noir Wines in Oregon’s Willamette Valley in 2007, after leaving his position as head sommelier at Per Se. He suggests taking an online winemaking class through U.C. Davis or getting an apprenticeship. Walsh, who interned at Donkey & Goat in Berkeley, Calif., admits that he had to shake off some preconceived notions about winemaking when he started.

“I think every somm should work at least one harvest as an intern at a smaller winery,” says Walsh, adding that small wineries offer a well-rounded and hands-on learning experience. Mack agrees, suggesting that sommeliers seek out opportunities to spend time in wineries and ask plenty of questions.

“All of these things are only gonna make you stronger at your job and also prepare you for life after the floor,” Mack says. These typically unpaid learning opportunities can lead to a cellar hand position, where an aspiring winemaker will typically stay for several years, adds Walsh.

The goal of launching a new winery adds another hurdle on top of simply entering the field of winemaking; as with any new business, it takes time and financial investment. “The wine business is a huge outlay of cash, and it could be years before you see any type of return,” says Mack.

“This is the kind of career change that takes years — plural,” adds Walsh. “Don’t expect to jump into winemaking and be making good wine — or even your own wine — three months from now.” Things like licensing and compliance with local and federal rules come before sourcing grapes or planting vines.

Even after the wine is made, success relies on the ability to manage logistics like pricing, storing, shipping, and marketing, as well as finding distribution. “[A misconception] is that making wine is good enough,” says Walsh. “You have to be very savvy about selling wine as well. It’s a lot to handle.”

Launching a Wine Startup

Other sommeliers might be thinking of pursuing new business ideas outside of wine production as full-time gigs or side hustles. Russell, along with partner Will Mcleod, who has experience getting startups off the ground, quickly launched virtual tasting company Bespoke Social Club after he was furloughed due to Covid-19. With sommeliers out of work and consumers drinking more wine at home, the duo saw a long-term business opportunity.

“I think it’s going to be awhile before anything gets back to normal,” says Russell, “so there will be a paradigm shift in the way people drink.” Bespoke Social Club sells $60 tickets to themed beverage classes, which gets purchasers a flight of six 3-ounce samples shipped to their homes, along with access to the live tasting. Between paying guest somms with a per-attendee fee and profit share, purchasing materials and wines, and packaging and shipping each flight of 3-ounce wines for classes, the new business has required plenty of manpower without much profit — yet.

“It was trial and error,” says Russell, who notes that the company has recently had success with private corporate tastings. But the most important thing for starting a new business is perseverance. “Just keep going,” he says. “Don’t automatically pull back, and don’t let it bring you down.”

The article How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/sommeliers-pivot-other-wine-jobs/

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johnboothus · 4 years ago

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How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs

Pursuing Sales Positions

Being a successful sales rep takes time and investment, though. “You’re not going to make a ton of money right away,” says Russell. “That only happens once you build up your territory.”

Leaping to Writing and Consulting

Moving Into Wine Production

Launching a Wine Startup

The article How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs appeared first on VinePair.

Via https://vinepair.com/articles/sommeliers-pivot-other-wine-jobs/

source https://vinology1.weebly.com/blog/how-sommeliers-can-pivot-to-other-wine-jobs

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isaiahrippinus · 4 years ago

Text

How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs

Pursuing Sales Positions

Being a successful sales rep takes time and investment, though. “You’re not going to make a ton of money right away,” says Russell. “That only happens once you build up your territory.”

Leaping to Writing and Consulting

Moving Into Wine Production

Launching a Wine Startup

The article How Sommeliers Can Pivot to Other Wine Jobs appeared first on VinePair.

source https://vinepair.com/articles/sommeliers-pivot-other-wine-jobs/ source https://vinology1.tumblr.com/post/621729285604048896

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asfeedin · 5 years ago

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Lessons For The World On How Estonia’s Digital State Is Coping With Coronavirus

Kersti Kaljulaid, Estonia’s president. Photographer: Peti Kollanyi/Bloomberg

“Its government is virtual, borderless, blockchained, and secure. Has this tiny post-Soviet nation found the way of the future?” So asked The New Yorker in the standfirst of its 2017 article on Estonia, the Digital Republic. If the way Estonia is governed is new to you, after reading the 7,500 or so words of Nathan Heller’s article you’ll likely conclude that it is, indeed, the future. If the digital republic isn’t new to you, you’ve very likely already concluded it is.

Coronavirus is shaking the world out of all sorts of complacencies. Governments’ capacity – or lack of it – is suddenly under the microscope, which is making the case for digital government reforms in the image of Estonia not just attractive, which they have always been, but vital.

Like all countries, Estonia is suffering. It is facing the same immediate threat as many other countries and in response is isolating itself and its inhabitants from the virus, including, most dramatically, Saaremaa, a small island off its coast, where a high percentage of the population are thought to have contracted the virus. (A volleyball tournament on 4th and 5th March involving Power Volley Milano seems to be the reason the island’s 33,000 people have been so hard hit.)

I’ve written before on why Estonia’s digital state shows the way for government reforms in the U.K. My call for these radical reforms was more in hope than expectation. There is a great deal of inertia within any government, and the U.K. doesn’t have the magic mix that made Estonia’s reforms possible; namely, a blank slate for a young set of reform-minded officials on tight budget, finally free of Soviet occupation and on a mission to improve the lives of its citizens.

I’m not the first person to take a look at how Estonia is reacting to the crisis. The New Yorker (again) makes the case for why Estonia was poised to handle how a pandemic would change everything: “Its economy is bound to tech, its government is digital, and most services in the country either are or can be provided electronically – in fact, it’s nearly impossible to overstate the extent of Estonian digitization. People vote online and use digital prescriptions; a single piece of I.D. securely stores each Estonian’s personal information, including health, tax, and police records; one can even establish residency and begin paying taxes in the country digitally—effectively immigrating online.”

It’s a good article, but it doesn’t get into the nitty gritty of how a digital state is making a practical difference to the lives of its citizens at this most challenging time.

Hack the Crisis

The most newsworthy reaction to coronavirus was ‘Hack the Crisis.’ Perhaps hackathons are a little passé, but it has been effective.

Ideas included “a platform for connecting vulnerable, at-risk people with volunteers via a call center; an online tutoring service for school children in quarantine; an add-on to smartwatches to help people check for coronavirus symptoms; an online display of what food stocks are available in local supermarkets; and an app to map the spread of coronavirus, which invites people to self-report cases.”

Suve was also created at the event organized by Garage48 and Accelerate Estonia. She is a chatbot that’s able to answer citizens’ questions related to the crisis situation and she’s already been rolled out across government websites. Share Force One was also created in the hack. It’s a workforce sharing platform that connects B2B sides for temporary workforce exchange and is being run in partnership with Estonian Unemployment Insurance Fund.

Next up, Estonia is “teaming up with Mistletoe Singapore, the European Commission and other local and international supporters, to organize a 100-hour free online accelerator for startups with potential to have a strong impact on shaping today’s and the post-crisis world.” Salto Growth Camp: EMERGEncy includes the Estonian President, Kersti Kaljulaid, as a mentor, as well as founders from Bolt, Skype, Pipedrive, Veriff, Testlio and other Estonian high-growth startups and scaleups.

This is What State Capacity Looks Like

Hackathons and accelerators are all well and good, but they’re just the tip of the iceberg. The thing that really sets Estonia apart from countries like the U.K. in dealing with coronavirus isn’t so easily replicable.

First, a note of caution though. The economic fallout will be severe for every country in the world and Estonia is as reliant on global supply chains as any country, whether in purchasing their Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), ventilators, or, presumably, the vaccine, when it finally comes. And Estonia, like many countries – though worryingly not the U.K., which is opting for a centralized approach – is planning to integrate its contact tracing app with Apple and Google’s joint COVID-19 tracing tool for iOS and Android.

Priit Tohver Advisor for Digital Services Innovation in the Ministry of Social Affairs, explains: “In Estonia we are indebted to all the hard work that has already been put into developing contact tracing apps around the world. It is clear, however, that without integrating with the Apple and Google API, these solutions will never achieve their full potential. Fortunately the approach supported by the API aligns well with our privacy-preserving principles.”

Privacy and security are front and center to the Estonia model, which ironically has been the most common objection to their digital reforms from many in other countries over the years. The criticism tends to be civil liberties objection to having ID cards, although they are no longer necessary because digital apps have effectively replaced the need for a physical card. Nevertheless, central to a capable state is the need for everyone in the country to have a digital identity, but this is infinitely more secure than the hodgepodge approach that countries like the UK take to managing and securing data. In Estonia, where and how data is collected, stored and deleted is central to every interaction and process, as well as who can access it and when.

E-Government in the Time of Coronavirus

State capacity requires a functioning government. That is proving tricky for many countries who have only ever done it in physical parliaments. Estonia has been doing e-Cabinet since the early 2000s, with government business easily conducted securely online. And while the postponement of English local elections for a year is the right decision in the circumstances, this wouldn’t have been necessary in Estonia, where i-Voting has been possible since 2005. At the last parliamentary elections in March 2019, 44% of Estonians voted online.

While i-Voting is much cheaper (€2.32 versus €20.41 per vote), the move has always struck me as something that shouldn’t be decided by just value for money. Most obviously because of the added trust people have in a system where other citizens physically count the votes, but also because of the pleasure people get from the ritual of visiting the polling booth with others. Nevertheless, coronavirus has revealed the value of at least having a backup system in place to keep democracy functioning even when we can’t easily leave the house.

Estonians have been using digital signatures in their interactions with the government since 2002. While countries like the U.K. are being forced to try to move to interactions online, Estonians are afforded a higher level of security by way of their digital identity card through the physical smart card reader, or increasingly directly through their computer and phone through apps. (Incidentally, the card can also be used as a way of confirming your identity directly with the private sector where you need to prove your identity, such as for loyalty schemes.)

Back in 2015, Estonia planned to digitalize all educational materials by 2020, which is why they were ready to swiftly launch Education Nation with Finland, Denmark, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Norway and Sweden, and make the switch to teaching and learning fully online. They have also made the resources available for free to the rest of the world.

As reported from Germany: “Teacher training in e-learning started around 10 years ago, according to the country′s deputy education minister, Marts Laidmets. Estonian educators also have access to a wide array of online tools to connect pupils, teachers and parents. Those include eKool, a school management network that has more than 200,000 active users on a normal day, and Stuudium, a suite of apps with educational materials, assessment tools and messaging. Much of Estonian schooling is already in the cloud, and 87% of schools use tools like eKool and Stuudium, whether for lesson plans, homework, absence management or recording grades.”

Estonia was also ready to keep the wheels of justice turning post-lockdown. It’s e-Justice system ensures court proceedings are both one of the cheapest to run and one of the fastest in Europe.

Here is how it works: “As soon as a citizen has securely authenticated themselves and accessed the e-justice platform, they can submit any kind of cases online. The data will be shared between institutions that are linked to the case and courts can start proceeding related documents. These interactions are based on the once-only policy which means that duplicates of information are not allowed in state databases.”

“The e-file platform also allows courts to send citizens different documents, while notifications ensure judges that all files have been successfully delivered. Every document is timestamped and contains a secure electronic signature. Furthermore, classified information can be encrypted by the courts to make sure that no third party would be able to access the data.”

While other countries are struggling to get court systems online (and even throwing people in jail for not paying their parking fines without a functioning court system), Estonia is already using AI to solve simple disputes of small claims disputes of less than €7,000.

In a recent interview, the potential for a digital state was set out by Indrek Õnnik, Global Affairs Director at Government CIO Office, on how Estonia is dealing with coronavirus. The Estonian Police and Border Guard Board sends you a message via your virtual personal assistant to inform you that your passport is expiring in 6 months. In response, you might decide to book an appointment for five months through your virtual assistant, but the personal assistant immediately alerts you that you’ll need a passport with more than 6 months’ left on it because you’ve booked a trip to Thailand that requires it. The personal assistant then applies for the passport straight away and a phone notification prompts you to take a photo on your smartphone. You take the photo, but the AI has identified that you’ve smiled in it and prompts you to take another one. You do and your passport arrives in 5 days.

In the same interview, he also posits a future scenario where the borders have to close again but you’re stuck in another country. Rather than panic, you alert the embassy online through your smartphone, which automatically organizes the safest and most efficient way for you to get home. This is Estonian’s vision of the near future.

It’s perhaps in healthcare and welfare where the weaknesses of government systems feel most acute right now. In the U.K., for example, the gaps in support aren’t being filled because of a lack of adequate data – particularly for some self-employed and company directors who’ve paid themselves in dividends. It’s not a lack of present will, but a lack of state capacity.

In terms of welfare, Estonia’s automated and (relatively) accurate registries automatically share information so people get what they’re entitled to. As President of Estonia Kersti Kaljulaid explains in a recent HBR podcast, unlike in many other countries, Estonian citizens who were sick with coronavirus didn’t have to report to anyone physically, which avoided it spreading that way as it did in the early stages in some countries that weren’t on top of this straight away. Instead, people were away able to immediately apply for social security online.

Digitalization, privacy and data protection are baked into the health system. Estonia already has digital prescriptions and patient files are digitized, so doctors have access to all relevant health records, including from specialists. This means that they’re better able to identify those who are at risk from coronavirus than in countries where information is siloed and reliant on paper trails.

Towards a Digital State

Estonia’s digital state would not exist without an equally competent private sector, but that’s not the blockage in countries like the U.K. As President Kaljulaid in the HBR podcast says of the remarkable efficiency of the state: “We didn’t know that the public sector was supposed to be falling behind.”

So, what next? President Kaljulaid believes, I think correctly, that the current situation will speed up the need for reforms rather than overthrow the established order: “It’s more an accelerator than a total game-changer, because all these measures that we need to take: vaccinations, social distancing, more services online which allows you social distancing, wearing protective masks, for example, on public transport. These are all things that we had before. We simply did not apply them. Nothing has emerged, which would say the world will be totally different.”

The Estonian government isn’t perfect. For example, it lags countries like the UK on innovations like Open Data which lets companies build services on the back of government data without the need for government involvement. But we could and should want to excel at both, and this pandemic has thrown into sharp relief why governments across the world need a digital upgrade.

To (probably) quote sci-fi writer William Gibson: “The future has arrived — it’s just not evenly distributed yet.“

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rootindiahealthcare · 5 years ago

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How to Find Top OPD Cover For All Kind of Patients

The health landscape can be tricky to navigate. Here’s a start-to-finish guide to choosing the best plan for you and your family, whether it’s through the federal marketplace or an employer.

Step 1: Find your Out Patient coverage

Most people get treatments in without getting hospitalized. First of check whether your existing health plan provide you such coverage to cover the expense of out-patient billing services.

In India normally, insurance plan provides such options but they cost you more for that. So check whether it’s ready to use for the followings: Pre – Existing Conditions No Waiting period required Age bar for premium increasing Maternity Coverage Huge Paperwork Big hidden terms & conditions OPD at your choice of Doctor If all above mentioned points are there then you must think twice and select a plan which provide you above mentioned free medical plan. You must go for that since that would be wonderful plan for you and your family.

Step 2: Compare types of OPD Treatment plans

You’ll encounter some alphabet soup while shopping for plans; the most common types are RIHs, PPOs, EPOs, or POS plans. The kind you choose will help determine your out-of-pocket costs and which doctors you can see.

While comparing plans, look for a summary of benefits. Online marketplaces usually provide a link to the summary and show the cost near the plan’s title. COMPARING MEDICAL OPD PLANS: RIH VS. PPO VS. EPO VS. POS Plan Type Any Doctor for your OPD Treatment Any Disease Best for you if: RIH OPD: Health Maintenance Organization Yes! No need to follow with network consultants Yes You want lower out-of-pocket costs and a primary doctor that coordinates your care for you, including prescribed medicines and working with your specialists. PPO: Preferred Provider Organization No, but in-network care is less expensive. No You want more provider options and no required referrals. EPO: Exclusive Provider Organization No, except for emergencies. No You want lower out-of-pocket costs but no required referrals. POS: Point of Service Plan No, but in-network care is less expensive; you need a referral to go out of network. No You want more provider options and a primary doctor that coordinates your care for you, including ordering tests and working with your specialists. When comparing different plans, put your family’s medical needs under the consultations & medicines. Look at the amount and type of treatment you’ve received in the past. Though it’s impossible to predict every medical expense, being aware of trends can help you make If you’d rather choose your doctors, you might be happier with a RIH OPD. A RIHL may also help you lower costs as long as you find providers without following network; this is more likely to be the case in a larger metro area. RIH might be better if you live in a remote or rural area with limited access to doctors and care, as you may be forced to go out of network.

Step 3: Compare health plan networks

Before Buying costs are lower when you go for network based doctor because insurance companies contract lower rates with in-network providers. But you should keep in mind as they may write some extra medicine or tests which may be not necessary in many cases. This is happened just because they want to recover their cost being low tariff made by insurance company.

Step 4: Compare out-patient billing costs

Although insurance company reimbursed in many cases but they measure all the parameter whether illness was; existing; if you were not feeling well and taken consultation through doctor but as per the report if everything is in good conditions then insurance always denied paying your expense. Therefore, such expense never gets reimbursed by the insurer. Before buying insurance health plan please read useful to know a few health insurance vocabulary words. As the consumer, your portion of costs consists of the deductible, co-payments and coinsurance. You see a doctor, whether a primary physician or a specialist, frequently. You frequently need emergency care. You take expensive or brand-name medications on a regular basis. You are expecting a baby, plan to have a baby, or have small children. You have a planned surgery coming up. You’ve recently been diagnosed with a chronic condition such as diabetes or cancer. A plan with higher out-of-pocket costs and lower monthly premiums is the financially smart choice if: You can’t afford the higher monthly premiums for a plan with lower out-of-pocket costs. You are in good health and rarely see a doctor.

Step 5: Compare benefits

Compare measuring will give you power to understand the medical cards to get the best one. To further winnow down, go back to that summary of benefits to see which plans cover a wider scope of services. Few of you must be knowing better coverage for things like physical therapy or mental health care, while others might have better emergency coverage. If you skip this quick but important step, you could miss out on a plan that’s much better tailored to you and your family. Once you are below average to a couple of options. This is time to address any lingering questions. In some cases, only speaking with a person will do, so call the customer service line of the insurers you’re considering. Write some questions down ahead of time, and have a pen or computer handy to record the answers.

These questions will be based on your current health situation, but here are some examples of what you could ask: I take a certain medication. How is that covered under this plan? Which drugs for this disease are covered under this plan? What maternity services are covered? What happens if I get sick when traveling abroad? How do I get started signing up, and what documents will I need? A final tip: Don’t forget to discontinue your old plan before the new one starts if you switch. Checklist: Choosing a health insurance plan Here’s a quick checklist that summarizes the steps above: Go to your marketplace and view your plan options side by side. Decide which type of plan — RIH OPD, PPO, EPO, or POS — is best for you and your family. Eliminate plans that exclude your doctor or any local doctors in the provider network. Determine whether you want more health coverage and higher premiums, or lower premiums and higher-out-of-pocket costs. Make sure any plan you choose will pay for your regular and necessary care, like prescriptions and specialists. Dr Lathiwala is a staff writer at Times Healthcare, a personal finance website. Email: [email protected] Twitter: @rootcare. Read the full article

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3ddentalprinting · 5 years ago

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DIY 3D Dental Printing

Many people do not get all of the orthodontic treatment they need because it is just simply too expensive. In recent years though, the popularity of 3D printing in the medical field has skyrocketed for a few reasons and one of those reasons is because it has cut costs for professionals in the medical field to 3D print things, but why does it still cost people an average of $5000 for braces/aligners? And let’s face it, we do not all have $5000 to spend on orthodontic work. So, what is it about this 3D dental work that makes it so expensive? and what if these spectacular 3D printings could be done on your own without breaking your bank account?

Image by Author

3D printing is making itself seen as one of the biggest influences in technology of all time. It has allowed for people in all professions the ability to create real-life objects in just a few steps with endless potential applications. It was first called Rapid Prototyping in the late 1980′s and was used as a way to create prototypes for product development. The process of 3D printing starts with computer aided design software that is used to create a virtual replication of an object. From here, the deign is sent to the printer where it breaks down the material being used into small 2D layers that are added on top of each other until the desired outcome is complete. Things such as prosthetic arms have been 3D printed and many more amazing life changing things. The average material being used in these processes are plastic and rubber, but of course as time proceeds, more materials (even consumable) are being experimented with in 3D printing.

Among the ways that 3D printing has come about, one way is by completely revolutionizing the dental field. According to studies done by Smartech, 3D printing in dentistry will most likely be worth $3.1 billion by 2020. It has created a huge improvement in methods that were prevalent prior to 3D printing, its “penetration in specific applications will reach more than 60 percent of overall dental production in the next ten years, and perhaps even higher in certain areas such as dental modeling.”

More 3D printer appliances are being made to cater towards the dental field and have already significantly improved technology for dentists. Dental labs all across the world are utilizing these resources by creating anatomical models of teeth to use for common things such as crowns, bridges, aligners, dentures, caps, and even the tools they use.

Author unknown “Image”

There are many types of orthodontic aligners such as your average irremovable metal braces that range in the price of $1800-$5500, but the most prevalent form of 3D printing as an aligner are clear retainers of Invisalign. The average cost of Invisalign is $5000 and this does not include the visit to the dentist and orthodontist. There are a few reasons aligners cost what they do, some of which are:

1: Paying your dentist, of course, is one major part of getting your teeth fixed. These orthodontists go to school for an average of 8 years to learn the mechanisms of various methods of teeth aligning and it is no doubt that this is a very tricky thing to manage. Even the slightest mistake can make a huge impact on a person’s teeth. Hence, these small aligners are complicated and can seriously cost a lot of money.

2: The materials it takes. A 3D printer can cost anywhere between $500 and $100,000, but since dental labs are making such a large quantity of things with their machines and are making very durable items that must sustain being in peoples mouths for such a long period of time, they are most likely using higher quality machines. Materials would also include the plastic required to make the printed aligner, and since Invisalign is replaced every few weeks, this is a lot of material.

3: Labor costs. Apart from paying the orthodontist, there are also all the costs on the individuals in the lab who are creating these printed designs. Not to mention the assistants and any other individuals involved in the process.

Image by Author

Now all of this talk about money surely begs the question of “is it possible to get aligners for cheaper?” Well, one person has done it and that is a college student named Amos Dudley. He shared in his blog that he created his own teeth aligner for about $60 by using materials he bought on his own and a 3D printer he had at school. Dudley first got this idea after he had already made a molding of his teeth so that he could get an idea of what needed to be fixed. After doing this and realizing that he could not afford to get braces, he came to the conclusion of: “I’m an undergrad, which means that a) I’m broke, and b) I have access to expensive digital fabrication tools- definitely an unusual dichotomy.” It was during this time that he came across the following picture of an average clear aligner. He immediately recognized the layer striations he could see on it and knew it was made from a 3D printer.

Image by Amos Dudley “image”

Dudley decided that if others are able to create an aligner with a 3D printer, then what is to stop him or anyone else with access to a 3D printer from doing the same? He began to do a lot of research on everything he would need and he finally came to the conclusion that what it would take is “knowledge of orthodontic movement, a 3D scanner, a mold of the teeth, CAD software, a hi-res 3D printer, retainer material, and a vacuum forming machine.” Now, this may sound like a lot of high tech stuff, but he realized that all of these things were within his reach for a very small amount of money. He was able to obtain inert, high quality retainer plastic by buying it on Ebay. He then went through his process of making an alginate mold of his teeth and using a yogurt container for his casting of the mold in Permastone. From here, Dudley used a NextEngine laser scanning machine to correspond his dimensions he measured on the physical model of his teeth. Now getting near the end of making his aligners, he took the total distance he desired his teeth to travel and divided it by the recommended distance for a tooth to travel per aligner being worn. This is how he created his series of STL(CAD software) models to slowly and gradually straighten his teeth. His last step was using vacuum forming plastic (bought on Ebay) in a Formech vacuum form machine and using a Dremel sanding drum to smooth out any tough edges after they were finished. This was his final product:

Image by Amos Dudley “image”

Of course, one huge question is “well, did they work?” and the answer to that question is yes! Dudley consistently wore these aligners for a sixteen-week period until they were as straight as he had hoped. From there he explains that he is “planning on fabricating a bunch of retainers for the current position, which [he] did- at night.” The following photos are his before and after:

Image by Amos Dudley “image”

As it has been able to be seen through Amos Dudley, it is in fact possible to create a DIY aligner. Yet, is this something that is truly practical to accomplish on your own? Well, of course it took Dudley time to create these aligners on his own, but he had amazing accessibility to all the machines he needed to make them. Comparing Dudley’s process to that of a professional’s, the actual work they went through to create the aligners is not much different, but where is that huge difference in the amount of money coming from exactly?

Image by Author

The largest difference, is the difference in creators behind the aligners. As we saw earlier, professionals go to school for many years to learn exactly how teeth should be moved and how to create the braces, aligners, and retainers to do just that. As you might imagine, this means that just as with any medical DIY, there are potential risks if not properly educated. Although Dudley did an amazing job at being thorough with his research and taking precaution prior to just pouring some materials in a 3D printer, he also had to be willing to risk messing up his teeth as he repeatedly states that he is not a trained orthodontist. As one commenter on his blog put it:

“...Your work is pretty good but there is a lot more to this than just a bit of acrylic in the form of a tray. The part where you understand why your teeth have moved takes around 5-6 of general dentistry plus 4 years of orthodontic specialization. The amount of money it costs to make these trays is not what should be important. That’s without talking about the risks of using removable repositioning trays as a substitute to conventional fixed appliances. Very dangerous.”

At the end of the day, aligners are expensive for good reasoning considering all the time it takes for school/training as well as the materials used. Yet it is also possible to create them on your own if you have the patience, time, resources, and willingness to take some major risks. If you are willing to take the chance and save thousands of dollars by doing so, then it could pay off just as it did for Dudley. And who knows, with such advancements as there are in 3D printing, as well as having students such as Dudley experiment with things like this, this process of creating your own dental aligners could very possibly be the future we are all coming to.

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freelancesumandas · 5 years ago

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How to handle a situation where your spouse is being unfaithful to you.

Spring Divorce Lawyer: One of the fears that many people that I have met with in my time as a family law attorney have presented to me have to do with whether or not their spouse is being faithful to them. When you make a commitment to another person you can only hope he or she is as willing as you are to do whatever it takes to ensure that your life together is a prosperous and happy one. Unfortunately not every situation in marriage leads to these desirable outcomes.

This is where the concerns over infidelity and unfaithfulness come into play. You may have been in prior relationships where you have had negative experiences and therefore are expecting your partner to violate your trust. On the other hand, you may have seen physical signs of infidelity in the relationship being displayed by your spouse and that has caused you to become skeptical of their assertions that he or she is being faithful despite your gut telling you something different.

So, the question that you need to ask yourself before you start to act like a private detective is whether or not it is in your best interest to go into full on sleuth mode and attempt to catch your spouse in the act of having an affair. Today’s blog post from the attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC will hopefully be able to shed some light on this subject and help you to make a decision one way or the other as to what the best move for you to make is.

What will a court say about your attempt to investigate your spouse?

When you are talking about getting into another person’s personal business, even when that person is your spouse, you are necessarily talking about an invasion of their privacy without their permission. This is a crime in Texas as every person has a right to be left alone to their affairs unless he or she grants you permission to become a part of these intimate affairs.

For example, if you somehow manage to gain access to your spouse’s phone calls and listen in on their conversations without their permission you need to be aware that you stand to face punishment from the legal system. The bottom line is that the act of you recording a conversation or intercepting an email could stand to hurt you more than it would your spouse in any future divorce proceedings.

Going to jail, being fined by a court, and simply being ordered not to divulge information relating to these conversations may be the result of your engaging in this sort of behavior. Attorney’s fees, court costs and on and on go the consequences of being caught in this sort of act. Before going down this path be sure that it is something that you are prepared to face potential consequences for if goes the wrong way on you.

What about attaching tracking device to your spouse’s vehicle?

I think we’ve all seen movies or television shows in which one character manages to slap a little tracking device on the undercarriage of their opponent’s vehicle. It should come as no surprise then that reality has begun to imitate fiction in that now that same sort of technology, and the opportunity to use it, has now become available to regular, everyday people. What does the law in Texas say about engaging in this sort of act, however?

The fact is that this too is illegal. You cannot use a mechanical or electronic tracking device to chart the movement of a person’s vehicle. This law does not prohibit you tracking the whereabouts of a vehicle that you own, however. Meaning that if your spouse is using your vehicle to meet up with their paramour then you can attach a tracking device to your own vehicle in order to keep tabs on where it is going.

What can you do (legally) in the event that your spouse is being unfaithful to you?

Spring TX Divorce Lawyer: So far all I’ve done is throw a bucket of cold water on your ideas of playing James Bond in connection to discovering the nature of your spouse’s infidelity. The question remains: what can you actually do to protect yourself in the event that your spouse is being unfaithful that is both legal and safe?

On the legal side of things, you should contact an experienced family law attorney if you have proof that your spouse is being unfaithful to you. An attorney knows the law and can give you advice regarding the infidelity.

For example, if you do go into detective mode and photograph your spouse in the act of an affair do not expect to be able to use those photos in court. Your spouse has a reasonable expectation of privacy even if he or she is violating the promises made in your marriage.

On the other hand, if your spouse is admitting to you that she is engaging in an affair you can record the conversation. In Texas as long as one party to the conversation knows the conversation is being recorded it is legal to do so. You do not need your spouse’s consent in order to record the conversation but you cannot go and record any conversation involving your spouse that you are not a part of.

If you are interested in getting elbow deep in the muck of your spouse’s life, you can search through their trash for evidence of an affair. You may be thinking that it is unreasonable to expect anyone to want to look through trash for any reason. I would argue that you haven’t met some people who are going through a tricky divorce.

Finally, if you are spying on your spouse’s text messages and come across something juicy regarding an affair keep in mind that you can use that as evidence against your spouse in a divorce but only if you take a photograph of screenshot of the text message. Your attorney will be able to tell you the most effective way to document text message evidence for optimal use in the courtroom.

Consider how useful the evidence you are attempting to accumulate will be to you and your case

Before you start to engage upon dangerous paths towards intercepting evidence related to unfaithfulness and your spouse, be aware that unless your spouse’s infidelity has cost you money in form of community assets being used up or has harmed your relationship with your children, adultery is not a silver bullet that can solve all of your issues in conjunction with your divorce. Just because you have made the judge aware that your spouse has been unfaithful does not mean that you will be awarded all of your marital property or that your children will be able to remain with you for an indefinite period.

On the other hand, repeated instances of infidelity, use of community funds to pay for gifts for the paramour and the skirting of parenting responsibilities in favor of spending time and attention on the “other” person can lead a situation where a judge is willing to award you a disproportionate share of the community estate. Spousal support considerations and visitation with your child can also be at stake in certain circumstances where infidelity has occurred. Of course, you would be well served to speak to an attorney to learn more about these issues.

Questions about the role of infidelity on a divorce in Texas? Contact the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC

Divorce Lawyer in Spring TX: The attorneys with the Law Office of Bryan Fagan, PLLC offer the sort of dependability, advocacy skills and toughness that you need to be successful in your divorce or child custody case.

We can set up an appointment for you to meet with one our licensed family law attorneys by your contacting our office today. A consultation is free of charge and are available six days per week. We proudly represent clients across southeast Texas and would be honored to be able to do the same for you and your family ... Continue Reading

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