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[mymoneyepisodes]

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[theoldgodsaredisappointed]

Idk y'all like at this point it just feels like there's nowhere to go for long time mtg fans who are more interested in the game's original settings and stories.

Half of all sets in a release block going forward are UB, and now UB is legal across all formats? Grand, sprawling stories like the Phyrexian invasion are given a set (and a shitty half If they're lucky) to resolve, when they would've been given a whole release block to themselves in the past.

Nothing against those who enjoy UB, I'm not gonna stand here and pretend I didn't buy the fallout edh decks. If you like an IP and it comes to magic it's exciting! If it brings in new players that's great! But at a certain point what's the true priority here?

Old players generally aren't interested in most or every UB set. Players drawn in by their fave IP being in magic are a lot less likely to invest in the next sets. More casual players often can't afford the premium usually placed on UB sets. Wizards has to pay out God knows how much in licensing fees to monster companies with more money than them like marvel. Clearly this isn't sustainable.

But at this point it truly and genuinely feels like magic is not interested in telling it's own stories in its own unique settings. It doesn't care about giving it's writers the time to actually Write. It's more concerned with original settings staying "on theme" then actually feeling like fleshed out worlds with deep and complex lore.

I'll be shocked if magic Doesn't become nothing more then an IP blender game within the next 5 years. And if it does become that then it'll be an even quicker limp into the coffin.

Draft is dead. The future of EDH is uncertain at best. Standard is basically just for competitive players and tourney grinders hoping to make money. UB is going to dilute any remnants of originality and writing magic could be bothered with.

But hey the hasbro stock holders are happy right? Number go up? Number go up good? Damn it all for short term profits. Who cares what happens in the long run.

(I want to clarify that I do not bash the writing and lore of magic to bash the People writing it. Rather the Company that does not properly support them and give them the room to nurture their stories. I don't even necessarily want to heap all the blame on wizards. I have no idea how much hasbro forces their hand. What a slap in the face to see magic have some of its most successful sales ever with lotr and bloomburrow and Still face massive layoffs. This. Isn't. Sustainable.)

These are my opinions I'm venting

[sgiandubh]

Mordor itself may not buy these spirits... but those horny grannies will have a few more moments of renewed dreams and fantasies, and with great interest in becoming friends with that new ideal woman. The buzz in the name of S remains and everyone will renew their drinks stocks. In the meantime, C is discreetly giving a follow here and there while reinforcing her great and prominent personality as an Irish feminist.

Dear Buzz Anon,

I think it's time to clarify an easy, almost political fact: Mordor is not, by any stretch of the imagination, a united front. There's the Disgruntled Tumblrettes' faction, always canoodling with the Gay Crowd, the Purv's Rabid Onlies (with a very unpleasant and cheap sexual connotation to boot), S's Stans (aka 'The Mommies'), C's Stans (BIF on top) and Marple's aficionados (including a hefty helping of Fencers). And this is limited to Tumblr only - I wouldn't even dare tackle the dumpster fire that is X.

Many of his Stans will buy that booze in large quantities and kiss arse all over Instagram, just to feel a bit closer to the Sun. But then many other fans from other factions will do the same (including lurking on certain accounts, because hey - we are women and as such, dead curious). Taking advantage of a captive customer base is not the problem, here: SRH invented strictly nothing, in this respect. The problem here is getting out of the bubble and thriving in business. Make a name and a brand by and for himself - not to please others (I think this is absolutely the key to many things S). Without the Mommies, without the Onlies, without us Shippers, without the Golden Dirk Fanclub. These can and should only be springboards, at best and sorry, short term crutches for just another vanity project gone wrong, in a worst case scenario.

If he wants to remain relevant in the very competitive sprits business world, it's time to play the game. The real one, with professionals and a clever strategy. Gimmicks like Instagrammable cocktails are not enough. I wish someone would tell him, rather sooner than later.

C is not faring any better, IMHO. Whatever happened to that booze? Whatever happened to those film rights for that book I do confess I did not read? Sure, she has now a couple of very interesting opportunities, in cinema - I will wait and see it before I speak.

What really lies ahead for Both of Them is the real question at stake, Anon.

[pennaraptor]

the "Ideal Chicken" according to tumblr user pennaraptor

I have a number of things i'd like to do with regards to breeding chickens. i'm extremely excited and curious to see what i can create from simple crosses between breeds and colors - even if they arent new or exciting and i know what to expect, to see the reality of the gene interactions ive learned about play out in my own birds will delight me. before i knew anything about it at all, hatching out hybrid chicks from my very diverse flock of bantams almost a decade ago was thrilling, baffling, a mystery of colors and patterns i couldn't have predicted. i needed to know more and do more, but i didnt have any idea where to start learning it and i'd reached a point where it wasnt feasible to keep getting more chickens, and my interests changed. but now i'm back, and more than anything what i want to create is a chicken which pleases me aesthetically while not causing undue problems within the flock.

i have several favorite colors and patterns, but these come secondarily and a mix of them is more interesting, since its the genes of color that i most want to experiment with. in terms of my "ideal" birds, i have a list of traits, physical and temperamental. these will be bantams. for the build: slim to slightly more muscled (gamey), tail carriage normal/medium to low, legs medium to long, pea or rose comb (pea preferred), feathers medium to short, beardless and uncrested. in disposition (of importance above all) vigorous, intelligent, bold and outgoing, personable and sweet towards people, with minimal male on male aggression and minimal bullying of other breeds.

my idea of the best looking chickens tend toward a fairly generic, medium to slim built cleanlegged bantam; hatchery stock old english game bantam, rosecombs, and sebrights, and leghorn and hamburg bantams. slightly more exaggerated in type (more muscled and with shorter feathers) are my hatchery cubalaya bantams. they have too long legs and too high tail carriage for cubalayas (i love the long legs and the tail is fine, though i would appreciate lower). i enjoy them immensely but the hens can be aggressive amongst other hens and i have to assume the roosters would fight badly. my 1, Arthur, was unfortunately stupid and rude, both to me and hens. old english games are fantastic on almost every point, except that the roosters will fight each other to the death, which is my major problem - i LOVE game types, but the male on male aggression is awful. i want the attitude and confidence and general look of gamey bantams, without that fighting instinct. and so, that is my prime objective (alongside generally having fun with colors).

i have limited choices buying from a hatchery (i'm going with that rather than finding more specialized breeders, i have my reasons) but i'll try a few breeds and see what i get. i've spent the last few years zeroing in on what matters most to me in a chicken. it allows a fair bit of variation in form and color and so is hopefully achievable. either way, i'll have fun.

[always-is-always]

The four Elephants, in the room....

Yeah.

Namjoon has one.

Taehyung has one.

Jimin has one.

Jungkook has one.

Each Elephant represents that date that we all dread.

It's the best kept secret that HYBE harbors.

Each of these men are living 24/7 with the full knowledge that their freedom as ordinary Korean Citizens is going to end. Do not attempt to tell me that they don't know the exact date that they will enlist. That's the biggest untruth of them all.

Why else are Namjoon, Taehyung, Jimin and Jungkook pushing so hard to get their work done, right now? Why else are we seeing a HUGE overlap of releases, a push of merchandise, push to buy their music, and constant publications with their content? Under normal circumstances where time isn't limited, a group on haitus (that is what this is) exploring solo work would not all be releasing so much all at the same time, or within weeks of each other.

When Namjoon said not to ask about the upcoming Military enlistment on his recent live, it wasn't because he doesn't have any information. It is because the company mandates their silence. It's because the company doesn't want to watch their stock take a free-fall when the information about their enlistment dates is made public. It isn't because Namjoon or the others don't know when they will enlist.

Everything is planned out in great detail. I guarentee that they are already planning out the months when all of the members are in the Military. They are planning how to use the content prepared, the merchandise that is in the pipeline, and how to continue to generate interest and cash-flow from ARMYs.

So yeah, don't tell me that the guys don't know when they are enlisting. That is a crock.

In their attempts at damage control from each member's enlistment they are thinking very short-termed, and in a very narrow way. HYBE is completely overlooking what ARMYs are living with, every day that we wait for the next "Notification"... HYBE is completely ignoring the stress and concern that many ARMYs have, waiting silently, for the next one to go.

In my opinion (purely mine and I take full responsibility), this is the greatest disservice that HYBE has done.

Like most ARMYs, what I dread most are the days that we watch Jimin enlist and Jungkook enlist. And, I also wish for it to come as soon as possible, so that we can reach the other side, as soon as possible. 💜

[tradebrainsportalsblog]

The Role of Diversification in Mitigating Investment Risk

Investing is one of the most critical strategies you can use to minimize your investment risk and this is why diversity is essential. In other words, it means spreading your investments across various types of assets so that you do not suffer great losses due to poor performance in any one share or investment. This article focuses on how diversification can help reduce investment risks while giving practical tips on how to diversify portfolios effectively.

Understanding Diversification

You do not put all your baskets in one egg carton. Therefore, by investing in different assets like stocks, bonds, real estate and commodities, if one investment fails then it will save a lot from losing anything with a greater amount. The rationale behind this system is simple: different kinds of investments usually react differently to market conditions. For example when some are going down others may be growing hence ensuring an overall stable return.

Importance of Diversification

Mitigates risk: diversification helps spread the risks. Investing everything into a single share which collapses leads to losing mostly all one's money. However if he had a diversified portfolio such a situation would not have affected much on the entire portfolio since before there used to be good gains in some areas but now as compared it seems lesser than before.

Smooth Returns: A portfolio that has good diversification would experience lesser fluctuations. This implies that you will not experience vast changes in values brought about by investing in just one category of assets. By doing this, your profits are likely to be constant even as time passes.

The Possibility of Higher Returns: Even though the assumption of constant returns from different classes is not true, yet on average it leads to stability over all returns. If you have different kinds of financial tools some may perform well making other investments more profitable.

Conduct a proper market research and analysis like fundamental analysis, technical analysis etc. There are lot of websites which provides various tools to conduct analysis. One of the best websites for fundamental analysis is Trade Brains Portal. Trade Brains Portal has various tools like Portfolio analysis, Stock compare, Stock research reports and so on. Also the website provides fundamental details of all the stocks listed in Indian stock market.

How to Create Diversification

First Invest In Different Asset Classes: The initial stage of diversifying is distributing investments among diverse asset classes. You might include:

Shares: For instance invest into various sectors and industries which protects against any concentration risk.

Debts: Join corporate and state obligations that have various due terms.

Property: Purchase land or consider REITs which will go a long way in further diversity for the filling

Blacksmith’s tools: This allows one to hedge against stock price fluctuations since there are shares made from gold or liquid petroleum.

Asset Classes: Inside Each, Diversify More: Inside every asset class, further diversification should be encouraged. For instance, your stock portfolio may comprise both large, mid- and small-cap stocks pulled from various industries such as technology, health care or finance. Conversely, for fixed income investments you could consider both short- and long-term bonds from different issuers.

Geographic Diversification: Don’t confine your investments to just one country; consider allocating funds to global equities and debts so that you can ride on worldwide growth spurts at the same time lowering chances of going broke due to national downturns only.

Utilize Index Funds and ETFs: Index funds along with exchange-traded funds (ETFs) create fantastic platforms for diversification. Basically, these are investment vehicles which collect funds from numerous investors to buy a spectrum of stocks or bonds which automatically leads to diversification in the fund itself. As such; investing in index or ETF money market accounts results in an instantily diversified portfolio.

Strategic Diversification

Design Balanced Portfolios: A balanced portfolio will include stocks, bonds and other assets. The exact mix of these three categories depend on your risk appetite, investment objectives and time frame. For example; if you are young with an extended investment period ahead like 30 years or more, then perhaps you could have a greater percentage of equity shares. Conversely before retirement age it is likely that one would move towards more fixed income securities and other low-volatility options. Inorder to reduce the risk, one can invest in large cap companies or also investing in companies which has good dividends, bonus and splits can be a better choice.

1. Re Judiciously: With the passage of time, every investment’s worth may change thus creating an uneven portfolio. “Rebalance” refers to the act of bringing back into line one's desired proportions of investments as stocks, bonds or other such asset categories. This ensures that risk levels correspond with individual investment objectives.

2. Follow Up and Amending: Literacy needs one given fiscal policy to always differ and be changing as per preferences of that certain individual in the market at a particular time upon follow up from it regularly. Periodic adjustments may be required so as to keep an overall investment mix in balance hence giving opportunity for some time before buying any new ones.

Common Mistakes

Over Diversification: It is evident that although diversification matters; it can also harm your profit margins through excessive dilution. Avoid extensionalizing too thin your assets or choosing funds too far too many Aim for a balanced approach based on few investments.

Ignoring Asset Correlation: Diversification works well when these assets are not related closely. Investing in closely related assets ends up negating the effects on one’s portfolio during downturns and making this strategy less beneficial. All your assets ought to have different levels of risks as well as respond independently to different market conditions.

Minimizing Hazardous Behavior: Asset allocation must be aligned with your appetite for risk as well as your investment objectives. Don’t just diversify simply for the purpose of it. Ensure that your portfolio represents your comfort with risk and conforms to your financial aims.

Conclusion

A potent strategy for curtailing investment risks and obtaining more steady returns is diversification. When you spread out investments throughout various asset classes, industries and regions, the effect of bad performance on one specific investment will be reduced thus enhancing stability of the entire portfolio. Remember to diversify within asset classes, utilize index mutual funds along with ETFs then periodically check and adjust the mix in order to have an ideal level of diversification throughout your life cycle; this way you will be able to handle any changes in the marketplace hence working towards fulfilling all your dreams.

[the-takosader]

So, What Next?

Yeah, the title says everything: what's next in my adventures with guitar? Well, there's a few ideas on the table.

And by "a few", I mean "I've got 5 total ideas and they're all fighting for dominance." I wish that were false, but here we are.

So, let's list each one, front to back.

Fender Marauder build

Attempting to recreate John Lennon's modded Les Paul Jr. from a kit

Gretsch Country Gentleman build

Telecaster Bass VI build

Getting (and subsequently modding) an Epiphone Casino.

To fuck with logic and sensibility, let's go from the bottom and work our way up. Also, warning to everyone: this is going to be a VERY long post.

Epiphone Casino mod

You might recognise the Epiphone Casino from when I talked about my first project on here: the Fretless Stratocaster (which I'm hoping to refinish at some point).

The Casino is what I wanted to work with originally as a kit, instead of the Strat that I ended up using. However, I discovered something: you can't actually get a thinline hollow-body guitar as a kit because it's likely (not 100% on this) too niche of an interest for a first - or second-time builder.

This, as you could probably guess, was a massive disappointment to 16-year-old me, but now, 2 years later, I've kinda stopped with the whole "kitbash" thing. I know I listed the LPJr. kit build above, but that's gonna be a hell of a thing to do. More on that later.

Anyway, why would I buy instead of build in this case? To answer that, we need to talk about parallel universes the feasibility of making a fully hollow guitar, from scratch. Also capitalism.

So, what does building a hollow-body guitar actually entail? Well, I'm glad you asked, dear reader, because, as it turns out, quite a hell of a lot goes into building one. First, you have to have a veneer press. Yes, seriously. Why? Because you'll never get a solid top on a guitar that looks like this:

Now, this isn't to say that there aren't solid-top electric semi/fully hollow guitars out there. I'd venture to guess that Höfner do a bunch, just because they do both violins and guitars & basses. In fact, I know the Violin Bass (500/1 my beloved) has a solid spruce top, just because I've spent way too much time checking Thomann to see what they have in stock. But that's neither here nor there.

The Casino has a 5-ply maple body. Yes, five. That's 5 sheets of wood for the top, sides and back, which are pressed into formation to make the Casino. If I remember correctly, the top is made of a veneer sandwich of maple and poplar. I could be wrong, or I could be thinking of what Gibson have done. Either one is possible.

Anyway, where does capitalism come into this? It comes in when you ask "How much would all of this cost?" The short answer is "more than it'd be worth to do it." Not only do you have to find how to press veneers together in such a way that you can make the arched (yes, the top is pressed into its arch, it's not carved out) top, but you also have to source the equipment required to do so, and the veneers themselves. It's way too much hassle, money, and general effort for what would generally be a one-off build.

So that's why I'm not approaching the Casino from the angle of building it. Now, onto what I'd actually do to the thing.

Y'ever wonder why Gibson/Epiphone never stuck a PAF in the ES-330/Casino? I have! There's no definite answer to the question, sadly. In my personal opinion, I think it's because they were too scared to try it. It could, just as easily, be that they tried that, and came to the conclusion that it just didn't work, but I personally prefer the idea that it's the former, because Gibson haven't done shit in terms of new stuff. And before you reply with "What about the Theodore," may I remind you that that was stuffed in McCarty's desk for a reason (that being that it's fucking ugly jfc Gibson).

But yeah, this is the main plan: get a Casino, take out the old P90s, and put something like these things in there. Best part, the dogear covers are curved for such use!

Okay, Moving On.

The Telecaster Bass VI

This one is slightly more unique than the Casino build.

So, you remember the Cherry Telecaster XII build? Yeah, the one that required the use of a separate guitar body. I haven't got rid of that original body. It's still sat, waiting to be used. So, what's the plan?

I have some spare parts that I was so graciously given, including a set of tuning machines, a set of Telecaster pickups, ash-tray and saddles. These will all get used in the process of building the TB6. But you might be wondering - what about the neck?

Y'see, the interesting thing about this is that I want to gain experience in building guitars, not just cobbling together kits and calling it a day. I want to learn how to make a guitar from scratch. Part of that, in turn, means learning how to cut and shape a neck, and how to actually do frets.

This is where the kitbashing was supposed to end. However, I got kinda invested in the whole Lennon Les Paul Jr. thing, and that's my hard cutoff point in this case. I hope.

But enough about that, what does this actually entail?

The build entails constructing a neck from scratch, mainly, and modding the remaining pieces in order to smoothly fit the spare parts. That's it.

There's also the deal about finishes, personal touches and all that funk, jazz, and funky jazz, but the main thing to keep in mind is that this is kinda a one-off, and I'll most likely make shit up as I go. That's why this section is so much shorter than the previous one.

Next on the list...

Gretsch Country Gentleman build

This one is a shelved build, but still on the list.

The Gretsch Country Gentleman (numbered as the G6122 by Gretsch) is the signature model of guitar for the late Chet Atkins, one of the most famous American country guitarists of the mid-to-late 1950s.

It also costs, brand new, US$3,499. As much as I like the sound of the guitar, I don't want to even touch that price point, because JESUS CHRIST that's expensive. So what's the next best thing? Why, building it, of course?

Here, we run into the same issue as with the Casino: materials and methods being really expensive. But where the Casino costs less than a grand, this costs US$3,499. In this case, it's worth it.

The Country Gentleman has more documentation, as well as features, so let's run through those:

Bigsby B6 vibrato tailpiece

2 Filter'Trons (TV Jones Classics, in this case)

Mudswitch

Pickup selector

Standby switch

Flip-up foam mutes

Roller bridge for added tuning stability

ElectroTone body (thinline chambered hollow body)

Zero fret

Grover Imperial tuners

For a non-guitar nerd, that might sound weird. Let me break it further down.

The mudswitch has 3 options: no tone circuit factored in (bright as can be), ~9 on a tone knob, and ~5 on a tone knob; the standby switch cuts the signal from the guitar when you don't want your guitar making noise (like in between songs on a live set); the flip-up mutes allow the simulation of palm muting while not needing your hand to constantly rest on the bridge.

As for the rest of the features, they're not exactly important, and also, did I mention that this was a shelved project? The whole reason is that there's a little too much required work for right now.

Next!

Attempting to Recreate John Lennon's Les Paul Junior from a kit

This one is far easier, because most of the leg-work is already done for me.

Firstly, there was a recreation of his Junior back in 2007, done by Gibson themselves, so I can at least take from that to recreate it to my tastes. Secondly, I've a kit to bash this out of, so I can do most of the work without worrying about the rest of the guitar.

One small issue, however - this is the real thing:

Image source: https://www.mattsguitar.shop/en/vendues/gibson-custom-les-paul-junior-john-lennon

Now, you may be wondering, "Hey, um, what the fuck's that pickup in the neck?" That, my friend, is a recreation of the first electric pickup Gibson ever made: the Charlie Christian pickup.

It's technically the ES-150 pickup, designed in 1936, and gaining its common name through the wholesale adoption by famous jazz and bebop guitarist Charlie Christian. Sit back, folks, this one's a doozy.

The original pickups were built using 2 cobalt steel bar magnets, as AlNiCo magnets weren't widespread knowledge at the time, and were used to not only hold the pickup together, but also keep it attached to the top of the guitar. Remember, this was Gibson's first electric pickup, the P90 wouldn't be invented for another 10 years.

They were also wound with an incredibly thick gauge of wire: 38awg. In comparison, modern pickups are wound with either 42 or 43awg. It's not like extreme wire gauges weren't common at the time - Rickenbacker were using 53awg for their pickups for a long while. The only reason they stopped is because they hand-wound their pickups, and 53awg is such an incredibly thin wire, it's prone to breaking with incredible ease.

Anyway, because the pickup uses such large magnets and large wire coils, it's actually rather inefficient. Due to this, it only averaged out a DC resistance of 2.5-4k Ohms, with examples of 1.1-1.5k Ohms being very common.

Now, that's all fine, nor is it my issue. My issue is with the pickup that was used, because he somehow found a lefty pickup??? and he put it in the neck position upside down?????

Okay that needs explaining. How do I know it's a lefty pickup? Because it has this little notch where it'd pass under the B string. You'll find the same sorta thing on a Strat pickup, the pole under the B string is much lower than the others. But the thing about this is that the gap just... goes under the A string instead??? Either John got real lucky, or he asked Gibson to make him one. And either way, I cannot find one that could replicate that, which is why this build is an attempt at a replica.

Okay, last, but CERTAINLY not least.

Fender Marauder build

This one is much less of a doozy than the pickup and the Les Paul Junior. Let's dive in.

First, I need to explain one concept - the offset guitar body. Leo Fender, by all measures, was Fucking Insane by guitar standards. In a good way, that is. He designed the Fender company's biggest guitars just on the concept of improving through feedback. Take the Stratocaster for example: that was designed based on the feedback of wanting:

a vibrato system that could do what the Bigsby could, then return to tuning with ease.

individually adjustable saddles.

a more comfortable body than the slab of the Telecaster.

That's where the Strat came from, but where'd Leo get the idea for this thing, then?

In short, it was Leo getting further into the whole "improvements" thing. Larger pickups for a more defined response, a lead/rhythm circuit that emphasised an individual pickup in the switching, with which the volume and tone became pickup-specific, and a vibrato that was, in theory, easier to use and produce, meaning no need for back routing.

And y'know, he didn't get rid of everything from the Strat. He kept the body contours, the individually adjustible saddles, but he made one interesting change: the body wasn't aligned anymore. Notice the parts where the body curves inwards, around the waist of the guitar. That's the offset.

And, to his credit, the Jazzmaster was the first example of the offset guitar, with the biggest competitor (Gibson) not making a response until 5 years later, in 1963. Their response, being the Thunderbird bass and Firebird guitar, were the first example of a reverse offset, where the lower half of the guitar is more prominent than the upper half.

It was also designed by Ray Dietrich if you're wondering why it looks so off for a guitar. It's barely even offset!

So anyway, the Jazzmaster was the first of many offsets that Fender produced. There was also the:

Jazz Bass

Jaguar

Bass VI

Mustang

Electric XII

Marauder

Now, most of these have become mainstays of the Fender/Squier line-up over the years, except for that last one - the Marauder. Why? Because the Marauder never saw full production, and all the prototypes ended up going into the personal collection of Quilla "Porky" Freeman. A few have appeared here and there since then, but the model never got its time in the limelight.

Oh, sure there was the Modern Player Marauder back in 2010, but good golly gosh, wouldn't you believe it, that got none of the unique features!

Let's compare what it could have been to what it ended up as.

The Type II (2 different images because of the different headstocks)...

And the Modern Player.

Yeah, it's not exactly a competition between them in terms of features. It got done dirty with the reisue.

In case you're confused:

The Marauder was to have individual 3-mode pickup switching, but got shafted with this 5-way blade switch

Planned to have a Mustang vibrato, but got a 6-screw Strat-style trem. I know the Type 1 prototype had the Strat-style trem, but come on, you could stand to at least give it something more unique.

Was to have a lead/rhythm circuit and a standby/kill switch, and got neither one.

Yeah, the Modern Player Marauder holds nary a candle to the prototypes.

So what's my plans for this build? There's many things in my head related to this, from finish and colour to what I'm going to make it with to whether or not I want to make this kinda Red Special-ish with a zero fret and a floating tremolo, or just use a Mustang vibrato.

I do, however, know what I want to do with the pickups! I have a third pickup from the person who gave me the pair of Telecaster pickups, a hot-rodded Broadcaster bridge pickup, which you can probably guess where that's going. However, what about the other 2 pickups?

As the middle pickup, I was thinking a Burns Tri-Sonic (the same pickup as the Red Special), but I'm not sure on the neck pickup. Maybe a Wide-Range Humbucker? Or maybe a PAF copy? It's a series of long and hard thoughts in this case.

So yeah, that's everything! Keep in mind that this is always subject to change. You'd be surprised what goes on in my head to do stuff like this.

[muthaz-rapapa]

Hirogaru Sky Impressions (4/5)

Keeping this short since I’m still tired from my trip and have stuff to do before going back to work tomorrow.

Thankfully, the past 10 eps only consisted of Majesty’s debut and some (really great) fillers.

Starting with Majesty then. I’m honestly surprised I was correct about them keeping her a toddler despite aging her up when transforming. And as I guessed as much, this means she doesn’t really have a full-fledged character arc of her own.

Not that it’s a bad thing since Ellee-chan still gets a good amount of development cuz she’s a growing child, after all. Which is mainly shown through things like her speech improving significantly each day, learning how to better express herself and her wants. And of course, the heartwarming interactions with her friends who also have their moments in finding the best ways they can to support her (like how Ageha readily believed Ellee-chan who was frustrated when she had trouble transforming into Majesty).

These are all within range of what is expected for a child her age so a whole arc isn’t really needed and therefore, more time and focus can be dedicated to the older Cures, too. So I’m quite pleased with that.

But I also can’t lie that it’s a shame we won’t see what a preteen Ellee-chan is like outside her alter ego.

That and considering her VA is Aoi Koga (of Kaguya-sama fame), we won’t get to hear a further extent of her acting in this role either.

Don’t get me wrong, Aoi Koga absolutely nailed the part of a baby, able to bring out Ellee-chan’s cuteness without making her sound annoying but…the potential is already a loss at this point.

Additionally, for a midseason Cure, Majesty has the least going for her in other departments compared to those before her.

Up till now, they’ve barely scraped at the lore associated with her identity. So when she’s not fighting, she’s limited to being slightly better than the average mascot.

The only attack in her arsenal is simultaneously a group attack so she has to share it with the others. Not to mention half the stock footage doesn’t have her at the center but Sky instead. Despite the attack bearing her name.

With only 8 eps left in the season, it seems the writers brought Majesty out as part of Precure’s yearly formula schedule more than anything. Her purpose is mainly to renew viewers’ excitment in the show (and generate desire to buy the newest toy) since her debut brings a little something new to the table…but she is not allowed to outshine this season’s real star, the lead Cure.

Personally, I think the pros outweigh the cons so it doesn’t bother me too much but it’s also too noticeably flawed and biased for me to really accept it as okay.

Moving on, the fillers.

They were all amazing, definitely better than the previous 10 eps.

Mashiro continuing to pursue the path towards becoming a picture book author and coming to terms with the fact that not everyone will receive her work with good reviews yet still choosing to draw because she’s doing it for herself and those who do enjoy her books was something that resonated with me deeply.

Then more time was devoted to her childhood friendship with Ageha which was super wonderful. We really needed that ep of how they became friends and the writers delivered so excellent job 👍

Ageha finally encountering struggles in her job and learning that it was okay to show sadness in front of her students was something I’ve been waiting a long time to see as well. It was especially good because it corresponded splendidly with the first ep of Otona Precure within the same week (which is also great so far) as the intro of that dealt with Nozomi trying to help her own student.

Portraying adults as realistic adults instead of perfect caricatures who can do anything. Showing hardships by not sweeping them under the rug but acknowleding them with the screentime they deserve so the characters can actually process their own feelings and work out a solution. Displaying a healthy level of idealism, not based on generic platitudes but actual belief. I really appreciate that.

Yoyo cleverly getting Tsubasa a promotion to a sage in Skyland’s royal court was also 10,000 meters of screaming joy for me cuz yea, that boy is way too smart and talented to just settle for flying around. He clearly treasures his homeland and wants to make it a better place for all its inhabitants, including the Dragon Tribe that had been cut off from the rest of the country for decades. He obviously has what it takes to become a diplomat.

He acquired a new dream to devote himself and his skills to and that’s what anyone who’s as wholesome as Tsubasa should get. So it was fulfilling to see that come true for him.

Lastly, Sora. She only had one ep to herself this time but it was a good ep with a good topic (probably one of the best of the Sora eps). Honestly, I think I liked it more because it was only one ep, lol

So yea, with this, I think I’m all set for the rest of the show as far as Tsubasa and Ageha’s arcs are concerned. There will still be more fillers until ep 45 at least, plenty of time to close out the Mashiro and Sora’s as well as the lore surrounding Ellee-chan so it’s just a matter of concluding the story in a satisfying manner.

Other than that, I’m also wondering if we’ll get any super forms for HiroSky since it’s already this late in the season…

…but you never know as it can happen in the finale. Not sure if HiroSky will get its standalone movie in Mar either but if so, we might see something there, too.

Ok, that is all. The season will pass by in a flash so enjoy the rest of HiroSky with a full heart and let’s begin to look forward to next Precure in the new year. Bye for now!

[thibosworld]

MANAGING YOUR FINANCES

A Comprehensive Guide to Saving Money and Sticking to a Budget

Saving money and adhering to a budget can be challenging for many individuals. It demands significant discipline and commitment. Often, the most daunting aspect of saving is simply getting started. This guide provides a step-by-step approach to develop a straightforward and realistic strategy for saving towards both short-term and long-term goals, whether it’s purchasing a house, buying a car, or fulfilling a lifelong dream of traveling the world. By prioritizing essential expenses and cutting out non-essentials, you can achieve your financial objectives. Here are some effective tips to help you manage your finances. .... Get an affordable auto insurance cover clik here https://tmtrcks.com/238479/186

Tip 1: Track Your Expenses

The initial step in saving money is to understand your spending habits. Keep a detailed record of all expenses, including small purchases like coffee and household items, in addition to regular monthly bills. You can use methods that suit you best, such as a notebook, a spreadsheet, or an online spending tracker. After compiling your data, categorize your expenses—such as gas, groceries, and housing—and calculate thee

Tip 2: Include Savings in Your Budget

With a clear understanding of your monthly expenses, you can create a budget that reflects your income and expenditures. This budget should enable you to plan your spending and minimize overspending. Remember to include irregular expenses, such as car maintenance. Allocate a specific amount for savings, starting with an amount that feels manageable. Gradually aim to increase your savings to 15-20% of your income.

Tip 3: Cut Back on Spending

If you find it challenging to save as much as you’d like, it may be time to reassess your expenses. Identify non-essential items, such as entertainment and dining out, where you can cut back. Additionally, explore options to reduce fixed monthly costs, like car insurance or cell phone plans. Implementing small changes in your daily spending can lead to significant savings over time.

Tip 4: Set Savings Goals

Establishing clear savings goals can be a powerful motivator. Consider what you wish to save for in both the short term (one to three years) and the long term (four years or more). Estimate the amount needed and the timeframe to reach those goals. This clarity will help you stay focused and disciplined in your savings efforts.

Tip 5: Determine Your Financial Priorities

Your financial goals will significantly influence how you allocate your savings. For instance, if you anticipate needing a new car soon, it’s prudent to start saving for it now. However, don’t lose sight of long-term goals like retirement. Prioritizing your savings objectives will help you distribute your resources effectively and ensure that all important financial needs are addressed.

Tip 6: Choose the Right Tools

Various savings and investment accounts can help you achieve both short-term and long-term goals. You don’t have to limit yourself to a single option. Carefully evaluate account features such as balance minimums, fees, interest rates, and risk levels. This will enable you to select a combination of tools that best suits your savings objectives.

Short-term Goals

For immediate access to funds, consider FDIC-insured deposit accounts like:

-Savings Accounts .Easy access to your money.

- Certificates of Deposit (CDs) Typically offer higher interest rates in exchange for locking your funds for a set period.

Long-term Goals

For future needs, such as retirement or education, consider:

IRAs or 529 Plans Tax-efficient savings accounts.

Securities Stocks or mutual funds accessible through brokerage accounts.

Tip 7: Automate Your Savings

Most banks provide automated transfer options between checking and savings accounts. You can decide when and how much to transfer, or even set up your direct deposit to allocate a portion of your paycheck directly into savings. This automation reduces the temptation to spend and simplifies the saving process. Additionally, consider using credit card rewards or spare change programs that round up purchases and deposit the difference into a savings account.

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Tip 8: Monitor Your Progress

Regularly review your budget and track your savings progress. Monthly assessments not only help you stay on course with your savings plan but also allow you to identify and resolve any issues promptly. Understanding your savings trajectory may inspire you to discover even more effective ways to reach your financial goals faster.

By implementing these strategies, you can cultivate a disciplined approach to budgeting and saving, paving the way to achieve your financial aspirations

.

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[bitchesgetriches]

Hello lovely bitches!

I love all of the advice you give, it's perfect for someone like me whose money philosophy is basically, "never go into debt and keep more in your checking account than you spend." (I now have a credit card and keep my emergency fund in a HYSA)

I've decided to start saving up for my first big big expense, a down payment on a home that I would like to buy within 2-5 years. My question is: should I stick the savings specifically for that in a HYSA/CD, or should I invest it in the stock market? I know the stock market is best for long term savings, I'm just not sure where the line between "short term" and "long term" lies. Any advice?

Thank you!

Condragulations, cupcake! That's a huge step and we're so fucking proud of you.

If you're planning to use the money in 2-5 years, don't put it in the stock market. A HYSA or CD will work just fine, and it'll have a lot less short-term risk. The stock market is for longer term financial goals.

From HYSAs to CDs, Here's How to Level Up Your Financial Savings 

Season 2, Episode 2: “I'm Not Ready to Buy a House---But How Do I *Get Ready* to Get Ready?” 

Good luck! We're rooting for you!

If you found this helpful, consider tipping us!

[thessalian]

Thess vs Parental Dinner Guests

My mother and I have dinner every so often. She used to invite me out until she finally understood that a) the noise and travel and everything just leaves me tired and sore and not in a great mood, and b) I actually like cooking for people I care for. So now she comes to my place and I cook for her.

Unfortunately, she kind of changed the timings at the last minute, so I did the sensible thing and cancelled my Saturday D&D shenanigans. Not that I didn't sort of have D&D shenanigans; to entertain my mother while I was putting finishing touches on things, and for during dinner, I put on Honour Among Thieves. She loved it, so I sent her home with that on loan - very short-term loan - so she can watch it properly. Or as properly as my mother ever watches anything, because she talks through movies all the time, even if she's never seen them before. The dumbest - if funniest - part is when she asks things like, "Ooh, they're going to die, aren't they? --DON'T TELL ME!" to which I just started replying, "Then stop asking!"

She also really enjoyed dinner. I pretty well outdid myself; I think that's the best roast chicken I've produced so far. Also mashed potatoes with sour cream, garlic puree and a bit of diced onion, and broccoli. Even sent Mum home with a couple of scraps for Digby. But of course, then I had to clean everything up. Which unfortunately involved slicing into my left index finger just below the thumbnail while I was carving up the chicken breast for later leftovers. It got bleedy so now I'm wearing band-aids and it's messing with my touch-typing and also it stings. And all the plates and utensils and all of that, and now the carcass is boiling for stock. Mostly on the basis of, I was buying potatoes and sour cream for this meal anyway and all I needed was some evaporated milk (the accepted substitute for half-and-half) and some bacon and I had everything I needed for more potato soup. Now, I do also have stock cubes but I want to see how it is with fresh stock. Thus, boiling chicken carcass.

Very tired, though. And sore. I kind of left it until late to take my meds so ow on a number of levels. So cancelling Shenanigans was a wise move. There will be hot bath and maybe video gaming, but the video gaming depends on which video game and how fast my finger goes from bleedy to just "ow". Cuts near the fingertip are a bitch; decent band-aid placement tends to immobilise a joint and it has to kind of fold near the top, which enbiggens the fingertip and makes touch-typing hard.

Still. Successful dinner with Mum. It's nice when I can impress her with my cooking. Wasn't quite as good as when I served her meatloaf and she cleaned her plate for the first time in years, but close! And I have leftover mashed potato, and lots of leftover chicken, and she brought me some asparagus and tenderstem broccoli she wasn't using, so a goodly amount of the leftover chicken will become chicken and vegetable risotto. Though if I get hungry later (because of course I skipped lunch like some kind of idiot), it'll be a toasted bacon and tomato sandwich.

...wait. I bought Bugles and was going to have them as snacks for Mum and I forgot entirely.

Eh, well, she was stuffed when she left anyway. Also more for me. I worked very hard today and was very successful and I deserve a bag of Bugles all to myself.

[f0point5]

I think charles is very understimated. People like to bring the 5 wins thing, but it's not like he had the car and the team to do much more. Lewis got a dominant car for ages, while charles never had for a entire season. And even in the half season he had it was paired with an incopetent team and reliability issues.No driver can win a wdc without also having a winning car and a competent team behind.

Also the predestined thing is mostly used by fans and media. Its being a long time since charles or ferrari uses the nickname, so I don't think they use that as a marketing.

In the end of the day I find it a shame because I really think he had the potential to become wdc, but ferrari bringing lewis is a clear sign they don't intend to put their cards on charles. Seems like Lando and George are better positioned right now, because Mclaren and Mercedes are focusing on them it seems.

I’m not sure I’d say he’s underestimated. He’s held in very high esteem by most people, which I think is fair. He’s clearly a great driver. And I do think Ferrari believe in him, I think Ferrari just fundamentally don’t buy into the first driver and support driver dynamic like Red Bull do, which is fine in theory but when you are up against teams that have a clear first driver and the field spread is close, equal treatment isn’t going to give you a WDC. They seem reluctant to acknowledge on an organisational level.

But also, bringing Lewis in has innumerable value to the brand as a whole. Ferrari is thinking about more than race wins signing Lewis. They may believe Charles is the future of Ferrari F1, and Lewis is the future of Ferrari. They’re thinking about a much bigger picture here I think. I do think Charles is getting the short end of the stick but at the end of the day, Ferrari is a business, the goal of the company isn’t to give Charles a WDC.

Ferrari have sort of dropped the chosen one thing now, that is true. But I meant in terms of it being Charles’s brand amongst the Tifosi and fans generally…I find it a bit…idk odd now.

I’m waiting to see what next year brings for McLaren, but as at today I would say Lando is best placed to challenge Max. By the end of the year I wouldn’t be surprised if that was no longer the case. I don’t think Merc will ever put their full stock in George though. He failed to do what Charles and Lewis did before him - take the first driver spot from a champion - and I think he will be Ricciardo’d in due course.

[lunarsilkscreen]

A Barbenheimer Assumption (Strikes and Stocks)

The top headlines today are *still* barbenheimer. It's been four months since its release. These are the only *two* movies that will be remembered this year, obviously; With the exclusion of some hidden gems that will be rediscovered a few years from now.

This means the only drawdown on cinema stocks are the lack of new movies.

So here's my assumption; The studios don't want to negotiate because their financial departments have made some poor investments and are hoping for a certain negative sentiment to be realized.

"Keep out of the rabbit holes Melin"

So let's turn to dividend producing stocks; since the whole market is gonna see turbulence, and the automotive industry is facing strikes, a rise in repossessions, and a drop in used car prices, it's likely they'll have to tighten their own belts.

This means a drop in dividend payouts. Which means a drop in dividend producing stock prices and people start to divest from them. That means it's a good time to be watching bluechip stocks.

Remember; A blue chip stock *only means* that the company is well-known and established. [Investopedia Link]

These are your billion$ market cap companies. Your monopolies. The industry leaders. This means that while they might pivot their core business practices; there is a high chance they'll weather the storm (99.9%) barring some sort of black swan which will happen during the storm. So keep an eye out for them, unlike what Plotkin thinks a "black swan event" is, one that happens during a market downturn can and will take out a company as short interest dogpiles.

Out of 1000 companies, 99.9% means 10 of those companies are likely to fail in such an event. So you need to keep on your toes.

Blue chips with Dividends are good to own and best to buy during/after a market down turn. They're the kind of chips with a long shelf life. They're not invulnerable as we've seen with Sears, but they're the best bang for your buck and can get you the 1% returns on your yearly investment (while also appreciating in value.)

What we're looking for in media terms; people excessively blaming welfare recipients, industry workers, anybody middle class or below, teachers, migrants, refugees, immigrants, and this time: Autistic Redditors. (More so than they had earlier this year.)

They'll be doing that because they'll be facing their own belt tightening and their money machines drying up. (Being unable to pay workers AND make a profit)

Just remind them; there are no sure bets.

[deadenedmind]

The Problem with Index Funds

If you've spent time looking into the financial side of social media, you've likely heard the term "Index fund." The vast majority of financial influencers who aren't actively trying to sell you a scam will tell you that you need to buy these things, but what are they exactly?

Well, in case you don't know, an index fund is a publicly traded investment fund (be it a mutual fund or exchange-traded fund) which invests almost exclusively in securities listed on a particular market index like the S&P 500. And, in case you don't know what a market index is, it is a list of publicly securities meant to measure economic performance. One such example that you may have heard of would be the Dow Jones Industrial average, an index that's meant to benchmark how well the American heavy industrial market is doing.

Historically, stock indexes have seen steady and consistently solid growth which means that index funds typically are a safe and profitable long-term investment.

Now, if you are a savvy investor who has the balls to dedicate to a long-term position and understands dollar-cost-averaging, index funds are generally a decent investment. However, if you are not a savvy investor and are easily disturbed by short-term market movements, index funds may not be the best choice. Rather than seeing the big picture, many, more casual investors tend panic sell index funds when there is a major dip. This is where index funds are especially problematic.

Due to the nature of their structure (or lack thereof), index funds possess zero risk management. Stock market indexes are not designed to make money or gauge an investor's risk tolerance; they are benchmarks meant to measure economic performance. The stocks on indexes aren't there because they are good investments; they are there because they represent certain sections of the business world. In other words, index funds are not an actual investment strategy.

This is bad because the economy can go any which way and ultimately doesn't care if your investments do good or bad. As a result, if a specific industry or the economy as a whole does poorly -which they often do- a corresponding index fund provides zero protection from market downturn. This means that the amount of money you can lose on trading an index fund is disproportionate to other, more carefully chosen investments during market crashes.

Generally speaking, investors should diversify their assets and purchase securities in a way that factors how much risk they want to assume in their portfolio. While you might not necessarily see as big of a return by being more deliberate and thought out in selecting what you keep in your portfolio relative to going all-in on an index, you will be far better insulated from economic upheaval.

All-in-all, index funds are like the junk food of investing; they're not the worst thing in the world provided that you realize what you're buying, but you shouldn't rely on it as your key method of building wealth. If you're willing to do research, you can find plenty of mutual funds and ETFs that provide similar returns to index funds with lower risk profiles. Consequently, you can find plenty mutual funds and ETFs that have a similar risk profile that yield higher returns than index funds.

TL;DR:

Index funds are not bad investments, but people have begun over-relying on them to an unhealthy degree.

SOURCES & ADDITIONAL READING:

PROFESSIONAL DISCLAIMER:

DEADMAN (a.k.a DeadenedMind) does not offer or render personalized financial advice through social media. This tumblr post should be used strictly for informational purposes only and does not constitute financial, tax, investment, or legal advice.

Viewers are highly encouraged to seek assistance from an accredited and experienced professional before making any financial decisions.

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[filthforfriends]

Hey, regarding your post about Damiano's health, I know it comes from a good place but I'm not sure if "caring about his health very loudly" is a good idea. If he is suffering from a health crisis or is struggling with something privately such as stress, overwork or addiction, a barrage of public speculation about his private life from fans will likely cause more harm than good, and could cause him a great deal more stress. If something bad ever did happen to him, the fault would never be because the fans didn't care enough or speak up about it, it would be because those closest to him were not getting him the support he needs. Unfortunately, as fans, our relationship with Damiano is parasocial and we wouldn't be the ones who could convince him to get help if he needed it. The best way we could support him would be to continue to be kind and compassionate if the band ever did have to cancel a gig or a tour last minute. I hope what I'm saying is making sense. Also I understand it's hard to convey tone over text but I'm not saying this in an angry way or trying to tell you off, I think it's great that you care about him, just wanted to offer a different perspective.

This is the original post: "And I have to say that yes, Damiano is still gorgeous, but he is not healthy. Pretending like everything seems fine is not helping anybody. Caring about his health very loudly is what’s gonna help because public opinion matters to their management team. If enough of us are worried about Dami, then they have to worry about him instead of turning this into another rock n roll tragedy."

I should clarify that when I say "caring bout his health very loudly," I'm referencing to his health in relationship to his record contract which requires him to keep up this insane schedule. Those contracts are what allow Maneskin to perform for us. So while there will be disagreement within the fandom about this, I do feel some responsibility to make sure the band isn't being robbed of their life force. I also have a personal stake in this because bands with bad contracts break up or aren't allowed to record, release, or promote new music.

When I say "Damiano is unhealthy," I don't mean "Damiano has freely neglected his health." Health is a very broad term. It's not necessarily "Damiano has a substance abuse issue." or "Damiano is having a mental health crisis." (Although he has voluntarily shared information that could reasonably raise such suspicions.) I mean "SME has driven Damiano to exhaustion and detrimental coping mechanisms that I believe have made him unhealthy at this time." It's a criticism of their management team, not the band or individuals. With the invisible, omnipresent forces behind them, Maneskin are not operating solely of their own volition. The only way we can judge the quality of the contracts is how that scheduling manifests in the band. Right now, it's looking like Sony is abusing its power.

"So how does caring loudly change anything?"

Short answer? Cancel culture. Companies are terrified by it. It is a brand new, useful, and effective tool that can be mindfully weaponized against appropriate forces. Does Sony Music Entertainment deserve it? Absolutely.

Maneskin aren't in a place to negotiate. They don't own their masters, they don't own their likeness, they won't win a law suit, and can't afford to buy themselves out. The only way something changes for the better is if we, as a fandom, throw an epic shit fit and drag Sony to hell and back by their ear until the news starts reporting it. Get absolutely pissed at how exhausted they look! At the doing TWO WORLD TOURS IN UNDER A YEAR. Giving Maneskin a better contract is cheaper than then their stock price falling over public outrage.

[uboat53]

All right, something has come up that has sparked a thought that I need to get out of my head. Specifically I need to tell you exactly why the "take care of yourself" individualistic approach we've adopted toward Covid and toward disease in general here in the United States is a terrible idea. LONG RANT (TM) time!

WHAT AM I TALKING ABOUT?

Recently, as you may have noticed if you have kid(s), infant/child Tylenol is in very short supply. It's not a coincidence that this is happening at the same time as outbreaks of RSV, Flu, and other respiratory and inflammatory illnesses are hitting kids hard and sending many of them to the hospital.

As far as the individualism, it's the general American idea that people should take care of themselves. We don't have a universal health insurance program, you have to buy it yourself (or, if you're lucky, get it through your work). We don't have a universal health care system either, people are asked to navigate a highly decentralized system of hospitals, urgent care centers, and private providers who may or may not be covered under their insurance; even the same provider for a different procedure.

Where these come together is in terms of drug distribution. You see, in many places if there was a shortage of a drug there would be a centralized system to collect and distribute it according to need. In our decentralized system, individuals are responsible for getting their own drugs.

HOW DOES THIS CAUSE PROBLEMS?

So let's think of this in terms of market forces. If something is plentiful you're not going to worry about it; you'll just go out and get it when you need it. If the supply is restricted for some reason, or if you think it might be, you'll probably try to stock up when you have the chance to get it.

If enough people stock up on it who don't actually need it, they can actually end up causing exactly the problem that they fear. Enough people buying and stockpiling can create exactly the shortage that they were buying and stockpiling in order to protect themselves against. This is known as "panic buying".

Of course, if someone who hasn't pre-emptively stockpiled the thing needs it, they may be out of luck.

THE SITUATION RIGHT NOW

After several years where respiratory diseases weren't much of an issue due to measures taken against them (masks and social distancing worked guys!) they've suddenly come roaring back. RSV, Flu, Covid, and others are now hitting kids particularly hard for a number of reasons and have overwhelmed pediatric wards in much of the country.

Even kids who don't get sick enough to go to the hospital are still getting sick and their parents are doing what we all do, giving them cold and flu medication to help ease the illness. More importantly, parents whose kids are not sick (yet?) have heard of the shortage of kids cold and flu medication and are stocking up in case their own kid gets sick.

What this means is that there a lot of parents whose kids are sick who cannot get any medication for them while some parents whose kids are not sick have medication they are not using.

And I want to be clear, this is not the fault of any of those parents. I'm one of them, I have extra Tylenol in case my own kid gets sick. This is the fault of a system that shifts responsibility for a society-wide issue onto individuals.

MARKET FORCES

Understanding the issue is best done by understanding some of the theory behind it.

Let's say that, in normal times, X amount of a good is made. When something happens to increase the demand for that good, those factories have to increase production to X+Y amount. This takes a certain amount of time. You have to secure additional raw materials, additional labor, and, if necessary, additional equipment.

In the meantime, while production gets up to speed, you encounter a potential shortage. If more people need the good than what was initially able to be produced and especially if, in addition to that increased demand, people who don't immediately need the good are stockpiling it in fear of a shortage, you can quickly run out of that good until such time as the factory or factories can increase output to meet the new demand.

In the case of something that isn't immediately necessary, this isn't terrible. If, for example, string cheese were the product in question, I think we'd all agree that it's okay and we can survive until production gets ramped up.

In the case of medication, however, this situation can literally cost lives. Children's Tylenol isn't exactly the kind of thing that will cause you to die immediately if you don't have it, but a lack of it will cause the symptoms of some children who don't get it to escalate to the point where they will need to go to the hospital when they otherwise wouldn't. Once at the hospital they will take up other resources which are also limited and which another child may die without. In other words, the lack of children's Tylenol is causing shortages of other goods which are more critical.

I should point out that none of this section is controversial, even those who promote market and individual solutions over government or centralized solutions acknowledge that these periods of adjustment occur under their proposed systems, they just believe that the benefits outweigh the costs. I simply disagree.

CONCLUSION

By making each American responsible for their own individual outcomes rather than making even the slightest effort at providing some form of centralized assistance we have created the conditions that lead to enormous market inefficiencies whenever a scarcity exists or even if one is feared to exist.

Ordinarily these are just annoyances, but when it comes to medication these inefficiencies can cost lives. There are some goods that simply need to be available when they are needed.

In a rational system we would acknowledge that some goods cannot be simply left to market forces, but our current system leaves us vulnerable to market swings when unexpected events force changes to supply and/or demand. In this way, our dedication to hyper-individualism is quite literally killing us and it would be wise of us to think about the things that we could make better instead of leaving each person to fend for themselves in a system that we know will kill some of them.