#cross-currency swap

[priyashareindia9]

A cross-currency swap refers to an agreement between two parties for exchanging currencies. This swap involves periodic interest payments and an exchange of equal principal amounts at the beginning and end of the swap duration. Typically used to secure exchange rates for specific periods, these swaps occur between different currencies and can be modified by the involved parties within the over-the-counter (OTC) market. Unlike for speculative purposes, a cross-currency swap primarily aims to fix an exchange rate on a set currency amount with a benchmarked interest rate. For a detailed insight into the meaning and definition of cross-currency swaps, continue reading this article.

[allaboutforexworld]

Hedging: Forex Trading Strategy Explained

Hedging is a crucial forex trading strategy that aims to minimize potential losses by taking offsetting positions in the market. This strategy provides a safety net against adverse price movements, allowing traders to protect their investments and manage risk effectively. In this article, we will explore the concept of hedging, how it works in forex trading, its various techniques, and the…

[tourettesdog]

I am having extremely specific and niche ideas I must share. Specifically headcanons for Danny Phantom characters playing World of Warcraft

I feel like Sam would have been the first of them to get into WoW. Something other to play than Doomed, with a heavier focus on questing. She'd play on a PVP server and would be something of a legend on her realm.

She'd pretty much do everything, from hardcore raiding, to achievement hunting, to a little roleplaying on the side with friends.

She'd have two characters she swaps between, a troll warlock and an undead rogue, and would have the most min-maxed gear she can possibly get at all times. A "for the Horde!" girlie all the way. The warlock has tailoring/enchanting for professions, and the rogue mining/jewelcrafting, and she's got every recipe she can get her hands on for both.

I could see Sam trying to get Tucker and Danny into WoW, only to be wildly disappointed with their character decisions as both of them cozy up Alliance-side on a roleplaying realm.

-

Tucker takes one glance at worgen and goes "I'm gonna be a fucking werewolf" and it's all over from there. His main would be a guardian/feral druid (tank and melee dps) with the corniest RP name you've ever seen, and he loves them dearly. He's always looking for new transmog to dress up with, and he takes his mining/engineering professions a little too seriously. He mostly plays with Danny, but probably has a horde alt Sam forced him to make so they could actually play together before cross-faction became a thing (I am being intentionally Vague about what expansions they'd be playing in).

Tucker's horde alt would be a tauren druid that ALSO runs engineering. Pretty much the same character, especially considering he spends 90% of his time in animal forms.

-

Danny would start off playing a night elf monk and would get more into the RP of it than he ever wants to openly admit. He loves all of the flips and shit the monks do, and he's all in on the night elf aesthetic. He swaps between mistweaver and windwalker (healer and DPS), depending on what him and Tucker need to get shit done. He doesn't really focus a lot on the professions, instead going for dual gathering with mining and herbalism so he just has a lot of rocks and plants to throw at Tucker or onto the auction house.

After the accident though, Danny takes a long, staring look at death knights and decides he needs to play one-- for the memes. He's dogshit at it after playing monk for so long, but you can pry his frost (dps) death knight from his cold, half-dead hands.

The DK is just another night elf and when he's RPing, Danny likes to say it's the same character as the monk.

(Also I specifically think that Danny would play a nelf instead of a draenei because, as a trans Danny truther, I feel like the too-buff male draeneis would be a little Much for him, and the femme ones would be too dysphoric.)

-

Val would very begrudgingly start playing WoW with them once she joins Team Phantom. She'd go Horde-side with Sam, with a tauren warrior decked head to toe in red. She quickly gets sucked into the game, and gets a little intense with farming for all of the things she wants-- mounts, cool transmog, some battle pets. She likes to do a lot of content alone, finding it fun to just go off questing, but she'll let herself be dragged into dungeons ever now and then. She just doesn't have the time or energy for raiding consistently.

Val winds up making a bunch of different alts eventually to keep collecting shit, and she gets scary good at gold farming so she can pay for her subscription with in-game currency. She's got a bunch of different professions she runs on her various alts, but the warrior's got mining/blacksmithing since the idea of making her own armor won her out.

-

Dani plays on a laptop bought with Vlad's money, on a subscription also bought with Vlad's money. She takes one look at Val and Sam playing Horde-side and decides there is no other side to play.

She mains a vulpera hunter and is a troll through and through. She lives up to the hunter stereotype of accidentally pulling everything, but makes up for it by being scary good at DPS and PVP. Her and Val do a lot of mog and mount farming together, and some of her favorite things to collect are the battle pets and toys. She's got Meerah's Jukebox (a toy that plays a song about alpacas before exploding) hotkeyed to drop at a moment's notice.

She winds up getting a little too invested in alchemy, insisting she needs to be good at making goop.

-

Wes would not play WoW, and would instead play FFXIV and would never shut up about how much better it is than WoW.

Bonus:

Lancer plays a lot of WoW during the summer when school is out. He's got a human mage who looks a bit like a buff version of him that he's been playing since the game released, and he's got all sorts of achievements and collectibles held onto from that era. He runs herbalism/inscription as a profession, and has every recipe for it under the sun. He still insists on riding his first horse mount that he ever got, and it has a Shakespearean name.

[angelbaby-fics]

🌾 Walks with Eddie 🌱

It all started when you wanted a milkshake

Eddie had just enough gas in the tank to get to his next gig and stop at the gas station on the way home after getting paid for the night

But one thing he was NOT about to do was deny you your favorite treat!!

The closest place to get a shake was just under a mile away, and Eddie would have sprinted it if it meant getting you your treat faster, but then he had a little idea

“Hey pumpkin, you wanna go for a walk?”

This was the start of one of your favorite hobbies to do together

At first, you’d only walk to the drive thru and back, trying a different milkshake flavor each time, swapping shakes back and forth to try each other’s flavor

Eventually, you start walking further, taking different routes

Eddie always made you hold his hand whenever you crossed the street, and you usually wouldn’t let go until you reached your destination

If this is modern!Eddie, the two of you would share a pair of earbuds and listen to your favorite songs together, while you and classic 80s Eddie would take turns with the tape player, or just go without headphones and play music out loud on his portable stereo

Every. Single. Time. you come across a dandelion, you HAVE to make a wish on it

Eddie always asks you what you wished for, which you tell him is a secret, until he starts wishing on dandelions too and you beg to know what he wished for

Same with hopscotch, if you found some chalk that a child had drawn that morning, both you and Eddie without fail would hop across the sidewalk

On the way home, as the trailer park first came into view, you and Eddie would both break out into a sprint, first one to the trailer gets 20 kisses!

After you’d traversed every street within a reasonable distance, Eddie would start driving the two of you around other areas of Hawkins to find new neighborhoods and trails to explore

You marveled at the different yards of some houses, different architecture, gardens full of fruits and flowers, or creative lawn decorations

It was especially fun during holidays, seeing all the spooky decorations and jack-o-lanterns during Halloween, and the beautiful twinkling lights at Christmas

You’d walk through forest hiking trails, each of you stuffing your pockets with cool rocks, sticks, and flowers you’d find

When you got home, you’d each empty your forest hordes and trade rocks like currency

Eddie would pick any flowers he’d come across and put them behind your ear, until you scolded him for picking the flowers and hurting their feelings, so he vowed to only take flowers that had already fallen to the ground from then on

Any time you’d find a long stick, you’d carry it like a magic wand for the rest of your walk, casting spells on all the squirrels and birds you saw

Eddie would be fond of collecting big branches to repurpose as wizard staffs

If it was rainy, you’d still walk, jumping in EVERY puddle along the way

Walking around everywhere also helped the two of you make a lot of friends, especially furry ones

After a while, you’d start carrying dog treats in your pockets for all the little puppies you’d meet!

[lesbx]

the standards used to be that new characters shipped with their 4 color swaps, 2 epics, and 2 legendaries with 2 colors each, so 4 legendaries technically. i think like 3 victory poses and like 4-5 emotes. slightly later on but still established early was the standard that everyone got a laughing emote and a looping sit emote. And while they were often event limited, every character eventually got a dance emote or even 2. the amount of unlocks released per update were definitely skewed in favor of fan favorites and popular characters like mercy, dva, genji, rein, tracer, etc. but everybody usually got something at least every update since sprays, voicelines and icons were part of the standard fare for content drops and everything was spread out across more of a collection process, rather than any singular big ticket items. having to unlock something with the currency (that was only obtainable through sheer random chance in loot boxes) was usually pretty painstaking and was often bc you REALLY really wanted to ensure you got something that was event exclusive before it was gone for months. anything else, you had all the time to just grind the free loot boxes and cross your fingers for them and get it eventually. and that was actually the main difference between events and battle passes, is that events Came Back. halloween, christmas, lunar new year and summer games skins would return every year at the same times, while the more special events like archives would return less frequently but were huge draws when they did. if you missed one, you just kept playing anyway, they’d come back and you’d have another chance. and in between events, the game would just be Overwatch for a while. no super intrusive theming over everything every 3 months in perpetuity.

^ow2 players. this is what they took from you. rise. rise up and blow up the blizzard offices

[tumblweeds-omegaverse]

there's gotta be some irony in being a person who dislikes bioessentialist tropes in worldbuilding, and also being a person who can enjoy omegaverse. if only because it immediately makes the omegaverse stuff I create more complex than it could otherwise be.

could I make it so my hyena inspired species has a dynamic that basically means dominant females, and then go from there? sure.

is that what I did? no. no it is not. has every attempt to change it turned into something that is harder to explain but feels more fun to write? yes. is this odd for me? nope!

(extended ramble continues)

me, a person who tends to have casual projects spiral out into massive things: how did this happen?

worldbuilding file: has morphed from "haha funny crossover silly time" to "...currency should probably used for trade, but maybe that’s a way to fill the gap of 'I dont know you personally yet'? or to ensure that merchants can swap for items made far away? with locals, a gift economy is probably even stronger than trade... thinking that instead of stamping coins, it’s common to trade useful materials in a transportable form? mana stones as currency just as much as metals? high-quality wood? ores in bar form, like small palmable sticks one can carry in a pouch?"

me: ...fine, I'll make another project for casual stuff while I keep researching climates and animal behavior and pre-industrial weaponry!

the project idea: lol what if I cross 2 other things I like with omegaverse? the fact that the other project also uses omegaverse tropes certainly won't get confusing ever! and it definitely won't get complicated, since this one actually takes place on this planet!

one month later: ...so, if a person transforms into their alternate form in order to access abilities, does that mean that their scent also changes during that time? I mean, if their appearance, clothes and items, and even physical durability can be enhanced, there's no reason why they couldn't also smell differently.

ooh, if they have some control over how they look, does that mean that they could choose their scent for the alternate form? hmm, people would probably lean into stereotypes around scent that are based on dynamic. like if light herbal scents are associated with betas, then...

wait. wait, is that a beta thing in this verse? or is that the other one? let's check...

oh hang on, what if people consider being able to do this as some kind of override to your social status? like sure, you might have been born omega, but this ability makes you too different to be seen as "a normal omega" or something.

but how would people know that without some kinda tell? is there some sort of registration...? is it like how animals can tell the difference between themselves and a familiar? would the initial shift into that battle form cause a change that people can pick up on, even after they leave it? some kind of mark that gives it away if people see it?

I definitely don't want to lock the capability to only one dynamic, that comes too close to bioessentialist stuff and stereotypes...

sure, the stereotypes might say it's not normal for betas, but that makes it more interesting when it comes to character interaction, yeah?

...geez this is getting involved again...

[leam1983]

Disney Dreamlight Valley - Thoughts

It's like staring into a portal into an alternate dimension where Disney and fucking Gameloft are actually design-conscious devs in their own right, and will somehow package the Most Corporate Shit Ever with the single strongest distillation of the Life Sim formula I've seen yet.

I'm shocked, seriously. The premium elements are strictly cosmetic, the required commitment is minimal and none of the Valley's inhabitants adhere to a schedule that hampers your progression. Goofy's downed something like sixteen Adderall and cannot stop pacing up and down the central plaza, when he isn't stuck in a stumbling loop while fishing in one of the meadow's three lakes. The last I spoke with him, his shop was open and fully available by 3 AM.

Everything's accessible. Nothing's gated, except what should be gated in the context of a Life Sim, to induce a sense of progression. You've unlocked pathing tiles for the Village? You're free to cover the entire plateau in cobblestones, if that's what you want.

What the actual fuck. Coming out of Gameloft, devs who consistently paywall parts of their offered content, this feels like a Twilight Zone episode in its most positive form.

I mean - Yes, the quest-givers don't shut up and pester you for a constant downpour of menial shit that supposedly ties into reviving the Valley, but that's only if you do decide to interact with them. If you don't, you're free to spend entire days tweaking the Village's layout.

So, how different is it from Animal Crossing, exactly? Well, first of all, the whole damn thing has a Copyrighted symbol in full-view. If you're one of the staunch anti-Disney posters on here, this is a definitive mark of avoidance for you. Past that, it's basically a name-swapping affair: Tom Nook is split up between Scrooge McDuck (for personal housing needs) and Goofy (for exterior farming resources). Isabelle is more or less handled by The Sword in the Stone's Merlin, and Mickey eventually serves as your Blathers analogue. The one outlying mechanic is an Energy system, which asks you to either keep some food on you at all times to keep topping off, or that simply suggest you return home for a few seconds. Considering how most of the game will take place within walking distance from your personal plot of land, this is an extremely generous implementation of that mechanic.

If I had to dock Dreamlight any points, I'd mention the lack of obviousness of certain quests. I've reached one of the themed Realms in my current save; Realms being tiny instances themed around characters that aren't part of the House of Mouse's main stable. Take, for instance, WALL-E, from the movie of the same name. I've ended in his tiny little pocket world, and was asked to find something to repair one of his treads. I went looking and only found scrap that the game did define as quest items, but never specified what I should do with.

I'd assume this is just a matter of taking five to go check out a walkthrough online, but I really shouldn't have to do this. Even Crossing's most annoying event, like Gulliver's visits, typically include clear cues in the character's dialogue. WALL-E only spews "Directive?" at the player and disengages. Your 'toon somehow immediately grasps what's going on and realizes the robot needs repairs, but the process involved is never made clear. There's a crafting bench nearby, but no amount of fishing around got me close to anything resembling gear or tread blueprints.

Past that, color me pleasantly surprised. The farming mechanic is even more forgiving than Crossing's, the game's client-side currency is generously doled out, and the server-side token is actually not accessible in a Cash Shop!

At this point, it's sort of hard to figure out what the game is doing online. Apart from analytics, the occasional ad served in the Store page - which you can entirely miss - and the gatekeeping of Dreamlight (the currency, not the game itself) to structure player progression and avoid abuse, it behaves entirely like your average PC offering, complete with a flawless response rate on the Steam Deck and a gaggle of easy exploits accessible with a trainer. Can't pay back Scrooge's loan fast enough for your liking? Just pick a trainer producer of your choosing or hex-edit yourself a berjillion coins, and move on right ahead! No online-only bullshit as you would've expected from Disney and Gameloft!

It's a very pleasant surprise, overall. Skip it if you're allergic to remixes of When you Wish upon a Star or if Disney's older stable feels so saccharine to you that you'd rather jam sporks in your eyeballs - but it's actually a very competent Life Sim that's surprisingly lenient and pleasant. It's the most pro-consumer flex I've seen the Mouse pull off in a long time, and a great alternative if you're looking for something to fill in that Tom Nook-shaped divot in your heart, in the absence of a Nintendo Switch or a copy of New Horizons.

[mariacallous]

As the criminal trial of FTX founder Sam Bankman-Fried unfolds in a Manhattan courtroom, some observers in the cryptocurrency world have been watching a different FTX-related crime in progress: The still-unidentified thieves who stole more than $400 million out of FTX on the same day that the exchange declared bankruptcy have, after nine months of silence, been busy moving those funds across blockchains in an apparent attempt to cash out their loot while covering their tracks. Blockchain watchers still hope that money trail might help to identify the perpetrator of the heist—and according to one crypto-tracing firm, some clues now suggest that those thieves may have ties to Russia.

Today, cryptocurrency tracing firm Elliptic released a new report on the complex path those stolen funds have taken over the 11 months since they were pulled out of FTX on November 11 of last year. Elliptic's tracing shows how that nine-figure sum, which FTX puts at between $415 million and $432 million, has since moved through a long list of crypto services as the thieves attempt to prepare it for laundering and liquidation, and even through one service owned by FTX itself. But those hundreds of millions also sat idle for all of 2023—only to begin to move again this month, in some cases as Bankman-Fried himself sat in court. 

Most tellingly, Elliptic's analysis is the first to note that whoever is laundering the stolen FTX funds appears to have ties to Russian cybercrime. One $8 million tranche of the money ended up in a pool of funds that also includes cryptocurrency from Russia-linked ransomware hackers and dark web markets. That commingling of funds suggests that, whether or not the actual thieves are Russian, the money launderers who received the stolen FTX's funds are likely Russian, or work with Russian cybercriminals. 

“It’s looking increasingly likely that the perpetrator has links to Russia,” says Elliptic's chief scientist and cofounder Tom Robison. “We can’t attribute this to a Russian actor, but it’s an indication it might be.”

From the first days of its money laundering process following the theft, Elliptic says the FTX thieves have largely taken steps typical for the perpetrators of large-scale crypto heists as the culprits sought to secure the funds, swap them for more easily laundered coins, and then funnel them through cryptocurrency "mixing" services to achieve that laundering. The majority of the stolen funds, Elliptic says, were stablecoins that, unlike other forms of cryptocurrency, can be frozen by their issuer in the case of theft. In fact, the stablecoin issuer Tether moved quickly to freeze $31 million of the stolen money in response to the FTX heist. So the thieves immediately began exchanging the rest of those stablecoins for other crypto tokens on decentralized exchanges like Uniswap and PancakeSwap—which don't have the know-your-customer requirements that centralized exchanges do, in part because they don't allow exchanges for fiat currency.

In the days that followed, Elliptic says, the thieves began a multi-step process to convert the tokens they'd traded the stablecoins for into cryptocurrencies that would be easier to launder. They used “cross-chain bridge” services that allow cryptocurrencies to be exchanged from one blockchain to another, trading their tokens on the bridges Multichain and Wormhole to convert them to Ethereum. By the third day after the theft, the thieves held a single Ethereum account worth $306 million, down about $100 million from their initial total due to the Tether seizure and the cost of their trades.

From there, the thieves appear to have focused on exchanging their Ethereum for Bitcoin, which is often easier to feed into "mixing" services that offer to blend a user's bitcoins with those of other users to prevent blockchain-based tracing. On November 20, nine days after the theft, they traded about a quarter of their Ethereum holdings for Bitcoin on a bridge service called RenBridge—a service that was, ironically, itself owned by FTX. “Yes, it is quite amazing, really, that the proceeds of a hack were basically being laundered through a service owned by the victim of the hack,” says Elliptic's Robison.

On December 12, a month after the theft, most of the bitcoins from that RenBridge trade were then fed into a mixing service called ChipMixer. Like most mixing services, the now-defunct ChipMixer offered to take in user funds and return the same amount, minus a commission, from other sources, in theory muddling the money's trail on the blockchain. But Elliptic says it was nonetheless able to trace $8 million worth of the money to a pool of funds that also included the proceeds from Russia-linked ransomware and dark web markets, which was then sent to various exchanges to be cashed out. 

 “There might have been a handoff from a thief to a launderer,” says Robison. “But even if that was the case, it would mean the thief was in contact with someone who is part of a Russian money laundering operation.” Robison adds that Elliptic has other intelligence pointing to the money launderers' Russian ties, but doesn't yet have permission from the source to make it public.

After their initial attempt to launder a portion of the funds through ChipMixer, the thieves went strangely quiet. The rest of their Ethereum would remain dormant for the next nine months.

Only on September 30, just days ahead of Bankman-Fried's trial, did the remainder of the funds begin to move again, Elliptic says. By that time, both RenBridge and ChipMixer had been shut down—RenBridge due to its parent company FTX's collapse and ChipMixer due to a law enforcement seizure. So the thieves pivoted to trading their Ethereum for Bitcoin on a service called THORSwap and then routing those bitcoins into a mixing service called Sinbad.

Sinbad has over the past year become a popular destination for criminal cryptocurrency, particularly crypto stolen by North Korean hackers. But Elliptic's Robison notes that despite this, the movement of funds appears less sophisticated than what he's seen in the typical North Korean heist. “It doesn't use some of the services that Lazarus typically use,” Robison says, referring to the broad group of North Korean state-sponsored hackers known as Lazarus. “So it doesn't look like them.” Robison notes that Sinbad is likely a rebranding of a mixing service called Blender that was hit with US sanctions last year, in part for helping to launder funds from Russian ransomware groups. Sinbad also offers customer support in English and Russian.

Does the timing of those new movements of funds ahead of—and even during—Bankman-Fried's trial suggest someone with insider knowledge is involved? Elliptic's Robison notes that, while the timing is conspicuous, he can only speculate at this point. It's possible that the timing has been purely coincidental, Robison says. Or someone might be moving the money now to make it look like an FTX insider—potentially one who fears they might be about to lose their internet access. Neither Bankman-Fried nor his fellow executives have been charged with the theft, and some of the money movements have taken place while Bankman-Fried has been in court, with only a laptop disconnected from the internet.

Eventually, no doubt, the thieves will attempt to cash out more of their stolen and laundered cryptocurrency for some sort of fiat currency. Robison is still hopeful that, despite their use of mixers, they can be further identified at that point. “I think they probably will be successful in cashing out at least some of these funds. I think whether they're going to get away with it is a separate question,” says Robison. “There's already a blockchain trail to be followed, and I think that trail will only become clearer with time.”

Two other cryptocurrency tracing firms, TRM Labs and Chainalysis, have both been hired by FTX's new regime under CEO John Ray III to aid in the investigation. TRM Labs declined to comment on the case. Chainalysis didn’t respond to WIRED’s request for comment, nor did FTX itself.

As those cryptocurrency tracers continue to follow the money, we may someday have a clearer answer to the mystery of the FTX heist. In the meantime, however, FTX's many aggrieved creditors will be left to keep one eye on Bankman-Fried's trial and the other on the Bitcoin blockchain.

[dinoracha]

February 4th, 2023 Stream [Hi-Fi Rush, Sunday Gold] Summary

Abysmal turnout of viewership aside (surprising no one), I started the stream with Hi-Fi Rush. If my social media posts have been any indication, you can probably tell that I love the absolute bones of this game. I can't remember the last time I played a game where, from start to finish, I spent most of the time grinning like a doofus from the sheer amount of fun and joy I was getting out of it. A good part of that has to due with mostly everything being synced with its music, but I've always been a sucker for rhythmic elements in games.

The game being depicted and its story told like a 'western-anime' gives it so much color, expressiveness and free reign to take itself with so little seriousness; it's legitimately funny at times and Chai is an absolute idiot goofball moron buffoon git and I couldn't love him any more for it. While the combat may not be as intricate as other character action games, there's certainly enough depth to require quick decision-making. The rhythmic nature of the gameplay means that button-mashing is a fine way to get nowhere fast, but why would you mash to begin with? Attacks being enhanced and racking up a higher score by playing well are reward enough, but when you get in the zone and start vibin' out? Reacting on time with everything being thrown your way, cleaving through enemies while avoiding and parrying their attacks? Hearing the non-existent crowd chanting and cheering when hitting S rank?

I'll elaborate more if/when I sit down to write a review on the game, but good god, Hi-Fi Rush just feels brilliant to play. It makes me feel like the coolest dude around, and in lenient enough to still let you feel cool if you whiff on inputs or take hits. I was playing on medium difficulty which got a bit spicy from time to time, so I can only imagine how much more the game demands of you on hard or above. For a game that dropped seemingly out of the blue, I can't sing the praises of Hi-Fi Rush enough. Easily a contender for game of the year and has found a snug place in my personal top ten.

After finishing Hi-Fi Rush, I swapped over to Sunday Gold for the rest of the night. Ever since its reveal last year I had my eye on it, though never got around to actually picking it up. Turns out earlier that day it had gone on sale, so I snatched it up. The concept of a point and click adventure game crossed with an RPG had my interest, though finding out it's a heist game with a cast of utter dirtbags was a pleasant surprise.

I'd need more time to better define it, but the art and style is like a comic book if it was dropped in a muddy puddle and skillfully restored - For character portraits and cutscenes, anyway. There are Some Faces (TM) that are something else to look at. The game is broken up into two playable parts: Exploration and combat. The former is the point n' click standard fare with snooping around, searching for items and making progress. Action points (AP) are an interesting currency, because taking actions or searching things require AP while exploring, and they're restored by using items or 'ending the turn' which simulates a bit of time passing. You can't just kill time forever though, as ending turns (at least when heisting) cranks up an alert status which, if the dice rolls badly, can spook the team or trigger a fight.

AP is shared between both modes, and combat has been… Not the best so far. I'm not expecting Shin Megami Tensei-levels of planning of course, but fights seem to take longer than they really should, doubly so for the first boss fight. Credit due, there's stuff to consider like breaking guard or applying buffs/debuffs, but for the damage you deal versus the amount you take? I can forsee later chapters really trying to grind you into the ground to make things tense and desperate, but I don't think it'll be done in a satisfying or challenging way.

Still, the presentation is top-notch. Even with the limited animations, the game looks slick and the vocal cast has been enjoyable. I wasn't expecting there to be this much voice acting, but I'm not going to complain; the main characters are unlikable, but they have roguish qualities as the self-proclaimed 'righteous villains' that makes it more than possible to continue hanging out with them. I'll definitely come back to the game, but I'll likely save it for the stream for the sake of story continuity.

[keevansixx]

the shock of it all wore off by the second year. to anyone who finds my messages scattered about, let me just preferace it all by saying...

"reality is not what you think it may be."

reality is harsh, and hard, and doesn't really care wether you exist or not. doesn't care if you believe a certain way, or follow a specific routine. it just goes on in endless looping circles with it's own engines forever churning, we're simply caught up in the little eddys and currents left in it's wake.

maybe i was foolish for opening the book, reading unfamiliar texts, and trying to selfishly save my own life from a certain kind of hellish torment. sometimes i wonder about the path not taken, or the short road untrod.

i'm sort of an urban myth and legend now. i've gone by many names. the gray man, the watcher in the shadows, forest child, the eel...different names from different places.

It was hard, at first.

stepping through a door only to wind up halfway round the world, thousand of miles from what i once knew as home. nothing to my name but the clothes on my back, and what few trinkets and bits i had in my pockets when i first started walking the planet. If my old friends could see me now, they'd crack a joke about D&D and planeswalking. i'd laugh at the absurdity of it all, but the truth still hurts.

surviving my new reality took a little creativity and a dash of minor larceny. something i'm not proud of by any stretch of the imagination, but hunger and the need to sleep someplace dry and relatively safe became somewhat of a priority in the early days. I couldn't sleep indoors anymore unless i got lucky enough to be deposited into an empty room for the night after crossing the threshold of a door. which can be rather dangerous in unto itself...especially if one is deposited into the confines of an active nuclear power plant, military base, garbage reclimation facility, or that thankfully only one time, so far, in a closed bank vault. i still remember the look of suprise on the managers face as i rushed past him to the open vault door and promptly removed myself to another part of the planet.

you'd be suprised at what little constitutes as a "door". I once escaped the cherynobl exclusion zone, being hunted by a military saftey patrol, by finding an old large soggy cardboard box and using a pocket knife and a bit of old charcoal to basically build a rudimentary exit. I also discovered what happens when you drive a nail into a pair of crossed tree limbs, boards, or long logs in a weak attempt to build some sort of lean-to to sleep out the night. imagine my suprise after going through all the effort and work of making a camp only to step through and find myself in new deli India. I lost a lot of good gear that night. after hard lessons learned, i started packing light at all times. It was easy to get gear, walk through a door, or several, till you hit what you needed in a prime location, appropriate the nessesary items, food, clothing, or whatever i needed in the moment, then promptly exit out the closest door. food goes in the backpack, clothes get swapped out on the fly, and learning how to properly rip out the doors on a small tent to prevent unwanted jumps became a priority. It goes without saying that i attempted to pay for goods as i acquired whatever local currency i could beg or borrow, but for the most part it was always quicker to grab and go and pray for absolution later.

of course, learning how to escape restraint also became a priority. getting detained by an enthusiastically overzealous officer, and put in hand cuffs becomes problematic when they go to throw you into the back seat of a patrol car only for you to fall butt first into the dirt someplace else...still handcuffed. a car door is still, after all, a door. and having the right tools hidden about your person in all the right places can mean all the difference between an uncomfortable night, other awkward unwanted encounters, or relative freedom.

i've only been able to make it back to what i consider home once in my travels thus far, and in my excitment i forgot and tried to reenter my house only to wind up somewhere on the outskirts of china. if i ever make it back again, i'll just break my own window and crawl through...but that's a big "IF" because traveling overland without crossing a door is rather difficult in this day and age. i got close several years ago, but before i could make the last leg, got detained for looking funny and ended up somewhere else.

so yeah, that's the journey so far. i go door hopping from time to time for resupply, but mostly i'm just out there in the wilderness wherever i may be wandering, trying to live my best life possible given the circumstances and mostly attempting to stay out of thought and memory of the rest of the planet. when the weather is nice, and i get lucky with my jumps, it's sleeping under the stars for a bit in a location. when it's bad, it's hoping for stepping into someplace more comfortable.

heh, i don't even know why i bother to write these things anymore. it's been so long. i've scattered bits of my story across the entire planet, tucked away in all the hidden nooks and crannies of civilization. maybe this keeps me sane, my last connection with humanity. maybe i just wanted to be remembered before my story truly ends. maybe i simply wanted to document small slices of my own history to be rediscovered later down the road when i'm feeling down. maybe, just maybe, this is my eternal pennance for cheating the devil his due, and the terror of maybe one day seeing the end of the universe with my own eyes.

or maybe i'm just tired...

"Roads go ever ever on, Over rock and under tree, By caves where never sun has shone, By streams that never find the sea; Over snow by winter sown, And through the merry flowers of June, Over grass and over stone, And under mountains in the moon." ~Tolkien~

Long ago, you tricked a demon into giving you immortality. Enraged, the demon placed a curse on you. Every door you walk through takes you to a different place, but never where you want to go. Several years later, you’re just trying to get back home.

[alya-smith]

Top Features to Consider When Developing Your Own Cryptocurrency Wallet

Cryptocurrency has become very popular in recent years, and as more people start using digital coins, the need for secure and easy-to-use wallets grows. If you’re thinking about creating your own cryptocurrency wallet, it's important to know which features will make your wallet stand out. Here’s a guide to the key features you should include.

1. Strong Security

Security is the most important part of any cryptocurrency wallet. People want to know that their digital money is safe. Here are some security features that your wallet should have:

Biometric Authentication: This means allowing users to log in using their fingerprint or face recognition. It’s fast and adds an extra layer of security.

Multi-Factor Authentication (MFA): With MFA, users need to provide two or more types of identification, like a password and a code sent to their phone. This makes it much harder for hackers to access the wallet.

Encrypted Private Keys: Private keys are like the password to your wallet. Make sure these keys are stored securely and encrypted so only the user can access them.

Backup and Recovery Options: Let users create a backup of their wallet with a recovery phrase. If they lose access to their wallet, this phrase helps them restore it.

2. Easy-to-Use Design

A wallet should be simple to use, even for beginners. Many people are new to cryptocurrency and might get confused by complicated features. Here’s how you can create an easy-to-use wallet:

Simple Dashboard: Make sure your wallet has a main screen that shows all the important information, like the user’s balance and recent transactions.

Easy Navigation: Users should be able to find what they need without having to click around too much.

Customizable Themes: Allow users to choose between light mode and dark mode so they can adjust the look of the wallet to their preference.

3. Support for Different Cryptocurrencies

To attract more users, your wallet should support multiple types of cryptocurrencies. This is important because people often own more than one type of digital coin. Here’s what to consider:

Multi-Currency Support: Include popular coins like Bitcoin (BTC), Ethereum (ETH), and other major tokens. The more options you support, the more people will use your wallet.

Easy Token Addition: Make it simple for users to add new tokens or coins to their wallet as they come out.

4. Fast and Simple Transactions

The main purpose of a wallet is to send and receive money. Make sure your wallet makes this process easy:

Quick Send/Receive Function: Users should be able to send and receive cryptocurrency with just a few taps. Include features like scanning QR codes to make it even easier.

Transaction History: Include a detailed history so users can track their past transactions. This helps them see where their money went and when.

5. Push Notifications

To keep the users updated, it is advisable to utilize push notifications for them. These can send on alerts such as when a user has received cash funds, when there is a drastic shift in the market, or even when a certain deal is accomplished. Notifications assist the users and thus help in keeping them engaged.

6. Cross-Platform Compatibility

Your wallet should work on multiple devices. Perhaps one individual likes using his phone, and another likes using her computers. Consider these options below;

Mobile App: Make sure that your wallet comes with an application you may download on iOS or Android devices.

Web Accessibility: Provide a web-based option for users who can easily use their wallet on their computer.

Desktop App This is useful for those who would love to have an application on their computer.

7. Exchange Integration

Users would want to be able to trade and swap their cryptocurrencies with the least requirement to hop between applications. Coin swapping is an exchange feature whereby users can swap coins in the wallet without consuming much time, which thereby presents a more seamless experience.

8. Customer Support

If a user has trouble, they need it resolved as quickly as possible. Quick access to customer service via the wallet for a user needs to be provided in a manner that they can easily communicate with this support tool. This should preferably be a chatbot or a help center with FAQs or live support.

9. Extra Features for Power Users

If you want your wallet to attract advanced users, think about adding some extra features:

Portfolio Tracking: Let users see the total value of all their coins in one place.

Price Alerts: Allow users to set alerts for when the price of a specific coin reaches a certain level.

Conclusion

Creating a digital wallet may be a fun task, but it is necessary to include the proper functionality. Concentrating on the security aspect, a simple yet effective design, support for different digital currencies, and rapid transactions, it is possible to develop a wallet which will be dependable and will be liked by many. Other features such as alerts, the possibility to use the wallet on multiple devices, and exchange services can also be added to create a more attractive design.

[nexusnoah-cc]

🚀 GameFi Innovation with RocketX: Redefining Gaming and Finance 🚀

GameFi combines gaming and decentralized finance, letting players earn rewards through NFTs and cryptocurrency in immersive gaming worlds. However, with GameFi projects spread across different blockchains, users face challenges with platform fragmentation and complex asset management.

🌉 RocketX: Solving GameFi’s Fragmentation & Complexity @rocketxexchange streamlines user experience by:

Cross-Chain Swaps: Simplifying token and asset swaps across blockchains without multiple platforms.

Easy Conversion: Aggregated liquidity for converting rewards into digital assets or fiat currency, with low fees and fast transactions.

✨ Top GameFi Projects to Watch

Ronin (RON): Enhances gaming speed with low fees.

MultiversX (EGLD): High-performance blockchain for gaming.

Pirate Nation (PIRATE): RPG with rewarding play-to-earn mechanics.

Immutable X (IMX): Layer-2 solution for seamless NFT trading.

Nakamoto Games (NAKA): Diverse gaming platform with native token rewards.

With RocketX, GameFi users can easily access, manage, and convert assets across platforms. Embrace the future of gaming and finance with RocketX! 🎮💰

Check out:

[whatbigotspost]

Other quick or easy anti-capitalist and anti-cop quick steps to toss into the mix off the top of my head:

Don't buy that silly thing you kinda want but don't need. Whatever it is, just...don't buy it. And keep not buying it.

Join your local mutual aid network and help a neighbor out.

Join your local Buy Nothing Project page and participate in a currency free economy of generosity and reuse.

Of course, support strikers and organizers. Listen to labor leaders about what each striking workforce wants from you. NEVER CROSS PICKET LINES, NEVER SCAB.

Implement a full scale "I don't talk to cops" policy and just. fully. stop. talking. to. any. of. them. ever. in your daily life. Seriously.

Identify if you "fix things" by a) spending money or b) by being creative. For me, it's been too often spending $ that I don't even have. So if you're like me, that means you gotta try to get more creative...

Reuse and repurpose: figure out a way to "solve problems" with the stuff in your house or your friends' houses already. Like, need new storage containers? Repurpose old boxes and craft them to being cuter. Need new reads or clothes? Set up a book or clothes swap w/ friends or other community. Need a gadget to trim a tree? Borrow from a neighbor.

Tell someone who would benefit why criminal defense attorney's aren't slimy by default and in fact, many are actually doing the Lord's work.

Reserve judgement about others and work on distinguishing between "this is a modern convenience that is critical for me to access" vs. "this is a modern convenience which represents me putting $ into the economy that I cannot justify." For example, someone is buying pre cut fruit because they lack the physical ability to wash and process raw foods is REAL DIFFERENT than someone who always pays a premium for Whole Foods delivered groceries because that makes them feel fancy. Buying and drinking exclusively bottled water because "it just tastes better" is way different than buying bottled water because you live in a community w/o access to potable water by tap.

Stop seeing all cops as your helpers (this is usually only a default to my fellow white people.) Lost in public and need directions? At an event and need help? Seek out your fellow average person in the crowd to ask for assistance, not the cops uniformed at the periphery.

Tell someone who would benefit to watch I am a Virgo or another piece of media that may compel them to think differently.

Decant in your kitchen and generally de-logoify your home.

Don't let someone talk shit about other's bodies around you. When they do, draw that straight line for them between beauty culture and late state capitalism.

Do something that brings you immense pleasure but has NO associated costs, at all.

If applicable, disavow yourself from thinking of "second hand" items as "trashy" or whatever other classist nonsense.

We know you want to burn down capitalism.

But for today, just don’t answer your boss’s call off the clock.

[nollarsnetwork]

Unlocking the Potential of Cross-Chain Interoperability in Blockchain

In the rapidly evolving world of blockchain technology, the ability for different networks to communicate and interact seamlessly is becoming increasingly crucial. Cross-chain interoperability refers to the capability of various blockchain networks to share information and assets with one another, breaking down the silos that have traditionally existed in this space. This article explores the significance of cross-chain interoperability, its benefits, challenges, and the future it promises for the blockchain ecosystem.

Understanding Cross-Chain Interoperability

At its core, cross-chain interoperability is about allowing distinct blockchain networks to interact with each other. Each blockchain has its own unique features, protocols, and currencies, which can make transactions cumbersome when attempting to exchange value or information across networks. Cross-chain solutions aim to create bridges that facilitate these interactions, enabling users to move assets between different blockchains effortlessly.

This interoperability can be achieved through various mechanisms, including atomic swaps, cross-chain bridges, and decentralized exchanges (DEXs). By leveraging these technologies, blockchain users can access a wider array of services, enhance liquidity, and foster innovation within the ecosystem.

Benefits of Cross-Chain Interoperability

Enhanced Liquidity: One of the primary benefits of cross-chain interoperability is the increased liquidity it brings to the blockchain space. By enabling users to transfer assets seamlessly between different networks, more users can access and trade assets, leading to a more dynamic market. This enhancement can attract more participants to the ecosystem, fostering growth and innovation.

Broader Access to Services: Different blockchains often specialize in unique services, such as DeFi (decentralized finance), NFTs (non-fungible tokens), and supply chain management. Cross-chain interoperability allows users to leverage these diverse services without being restricted to a single blockchain. For example, a user on Ethereum could interact with a DeFi protocol on Binance Smart Chain, broadening their investment opportunities.

Improved User Experience: The fragmentation of the blockchain ecosystem can create confusion for users, who may need to navigate multiple platforms and wallets. Cross-chain interoperability simplifies this experience by allowing users to manage their assets across different networks from a single interface. This streamlined approach enhances usability and encourages broader adoption of blockchain technology.

Increased Security: Interoperable solutions can enhance security by distributing risk across multiple chains. For instance, a user can store assets on a more secure blockchain while leveraging services from other networks without transferring their assets completely. This ability to retain assets in a secure environment while still accessing a variety of services adds a layer of protection for users.

Challenges of Cross-Chain Interoperability

Despite its many advantages, cross-chain interoperability also faces significant challenges:

Complexity of Integration: Each blockchain has its unique architecture and protocols, making it complex to create a universal solution for interoperability. Developers must navigate different consensus mechanisms, transaction formats, and programming languages, which can complicate the creation of effective cross-chain solutions.

Security Concerns: While cross-chain interoperability can enhance security, it can also introduce vulnerabilities. Interoperable solutions may become targets for attacks, as hackers exploit the bridges and protocols connecting different chains. Ensuring the security of these connections is crucial to maintaining user trust in cross-chain solutions.

Regulatory Issues: As cross-chain interoperability expands, it may face scrutiny from regulatory bodies. Different countries have varying regulations regarding cryptocurrencies and blockchain technologies, which can create challenges for projects seeking to facilitate cross-chain transactions on a global scale.

The Future of Cross-Chain Interoperability

The future of cross-chain interoperability looks promising, with numerous projects and platforms dedicated to solving existing challenges. Initiatives like Polkadot, Cosmos, and Chainlink are leading the charge in developing frameworks that enable seamless communication between different blockchains.

As the demand for interconnected blockchain ecosystems grows, the development of standardized protocols and frameworks will be crucial. Establishing common languages and standards for interaction will simplify the integration process and promote widespread adoption.

Additionally, the increasing interest in decentralized finance (DeFi) and NFTs is likely to accelerate the need for cross-chain solutions. As more users seek to participate in these emerging markets, cross-chain interoperability will be essential for facilitating the transfer of assets and information across platforms.

Get in Touch:

🌐 Website:  https://www.nollars.com/

🔗 https://nollars.blogspot.com/

🔗 https://sites.google.com/view/nollars/home

Conclusion

In conclusion, cross-chain interoperability is a transformative force in the blockchain landscape, offering numerous benefits such as enhanced liquidity, broader access to services, improved user experiences, and increased security. While challenges exist, ongoing advancements in technology and frameworks will pave the way for a more interconnected blockchain ecosystem. As we move forward, fostering collaboration and innovation will be vital in unlocking the full potential of cross-chain interoperability, ultimately driving mass adoption of blockchain technology and its myriad applications.

[truthblockchain]

Emerging Businesses: Consider Blockchain For Cross Border Payments

“Blockchain solutions and stablecoins, I don’t like to use the term crypto because this is more about FinTech, they’ve found product-market-fit in cross-border payments,” Shere said, adding that one of the most notable advantages of blockchain technology is disintermediation — removing the need for the multiple hops through correspondent banks, which typically slow down and increase the cost of transactions.

In contrast, blockchain-based transactions offer speed, transparency, and low cost, with blockchain platforms like Solana charging a fraction of a penny per transaction.

Stablecoins, particularly those backed by trusted issuers like Circle and PayPal, Shere said, further simplify cross-border payments by pegging their value to fiat currencies like the U.S. dollar. This not only removes the volatility often associated with cryptocurrencies but also introduces a competitive environment for foreign exchange (FX), with stablecoin swaps enabling more favorable rates than traditional banking channels.

For businesses expanding internationally, the question arises: should they rely on traditional financial rails or explore blockchain-based alternatives?

[tradewindfinance0]

Strategies for Managing Currency Risks in International Trade and Finance

Currency risk, also known as exchange rate risk, is a significant concern for businesses engaged in international trade and finance. Fluctuations in exchange rates can impact the value of cross-border transactions, affecting costs, revenues, and overall financial stability. Effective management of currency risk is crucial for safeguarding profits and ensuring smooth business operations in global markets.

Here are several strategies for managing currency risks in international trade and finance:

1. Hedging with Forward Contracts

Forward Contracts are agreements to buy or sell a currency at a predetermined rate on a future date. These contracts allow businesses to lock in exchange rates, reducing the uncertainty associated with future currency movements.

Benefits:

Fixed Exchange Rate: Provides certainty about the future exchange rate, allowing businesses to budget and forecast more accurately.

Protection Against Adverse Movements: Shields businesses from unfavorable changes in exchange rates.

Considerations:

Contract Terms: Align forward contracts with the timing of cash flows and transactions to ensure effective hedging.

Cost: Be aware of potential costs or fees associated with entering into forward contracts.

2. Utilizing Currency Options

Currency Options provide businesses with the right, but not the obligation, to buy or sell currency at a specified rate before a certain date. Options offer flexibility and protection against adverse exchange rate movements while allowing businesses to benefit from favorable rate changes.

Benefits:

Flexibility: Allows businesses to choose whether to exercise the option based on prevailing market conditions.

Risk Management: Protects against unfavorable currency movements while retaining the potential to benefit from favorable changes.

Considerations:

Premium Costs: Options require payment of a premium, which should be weighed against the potential benefits.

Complexity: Options can be more complex than forward contracts, requiring careful management and understanding.

3. Implementing Currency Swaps

Currency Swaps involve exchanging cash flows in different currencies at agreed-upon rates for a specific period. Swaps can be used to manage currency exposure and liquidity needs, especially for longer-term hedging.

Benefits:

Long-Term Hedging: Suitable for managing currency risk over extended periods.

Liquidity Management: Provides access to foreign currency and facilitates liquidity management.

Considerations:

Complexity: Currency swaps can be complex and require careful structuring and management.

Counterparty Risk: Consider the creditworthiness of the counterparty involved in the swap.

4. Diversifying Currency Exposure

Currency Diversification involves holding and transacting in multiple currencies to spread risk across different currency pairs. By diversifying, businesses can reduce their exposure to any single currency and mitigate the impact of adverse movements.

Benefits:

Risk Reduction: Reduces reliance on any single currency, spreading risk across multiple currencies.

Flexibility: Provides opportunities to capitalize on favorable movements in various currencies.

Considerations:

Complexity: Managing multiple currencies can increase complexity in financial management and reporting.

Transaction Costs: Be aware of transaction costs and currency conversion fees associated with diversification.

5. Monitoring and Analyzing Currency Trends

Currency Trend Analysis involves tracking and analyzing exchange rate movements and economic indicators that influence currency values. By staying informed about market trends, businesses can make more informed decisions and adjust their strategies accordingly.

Benefits:

Informed Decision-Making: Provides insights into potential currency movements and helps in planning and risk management.

Proactive Management: Allows businesses to anticipate and react to changes in exchange rates.

Considerations:

Market Volatility: Exchange rates can be volatile and influenced by numerous factors, making predictions challenging.

Expertise: Requires expertise in currency markets and economic analysis to interpret trends effectively.

6. Incorporating Natural Hedging

Natural Hedging involves structuring business operations to naturally offset currency exposures. This can be achieved by matching revenues and expenses in the same currency or diversifying operations across different regions.

Benefits:

Reduced Need for Financial Hedging: Natural hedging can reduce reliance on financial instruments and associated costs.

Operational Efficiency: Aligns currency exposures with business operations, providing a natural balance.

Considerations:

Operational Complexity: Requires careful planning and coordination of business operations to achieve effective natural hedging.

Geographic and Operational Constraints: May not always be feasible depending on the nature of the business and its global operations.

7. Using Invoice Currency Options

Invoice Currency Options involve negotiating the currency of invoices to match the currency of cash flows or hedging arrangements. By invoicing in the same currency as expenses or revenues, businesses can reduce currency risk.

Benefits:

Simplified Risk Management: Aligns invoicing with currency exposures, reducing the need for additional hedging.

Cost Control: Minimizes the impact of currency fluctuations on the cost of goods and services.

Considerations:

Negotiation: Requires negotiation with trading partners and may impact competitiveness or pricing.

Market Conditions: Consider the impact of invoice currency choices on market conditions and pricing strategies.

8. Implementing Currency Risk Policies

Currency Risk Policies involve establishing formal guidelines and procedures for managing currency risk. These policies define the approach to hedging, risk management, and decision-making related to currency exposures.

Benefits:

Consistency: Provides a structured approach to currency risk management, ensuring consistency and adherence to best practices.

Risk Control: Helps in setting clear limits and guidelines for managing currency exposures.

Considerations:

Policy Development: Requires careful development and implementation of policies tailored to the specific needs and risk profile of the business.

Ongoing Review: Regularly review and update policies to reflect changes in market conditions and business operations.

Conclusion

Effectively managing currency risk is essential for businesses engaged in international trade and finance. By employing strategies such as hedging with forward contracts and options, utilizing currency swaps, diversifying currency exposure, and implementing natural hedging, businesses can mitigate the impact of exchange rate fluctuations on their operations and financial stability.

Monitoring currency trends, negotiating invoice currencies, and establishing formal risk management policies further enhance the ability to navigate currency risks successfully. By adopting a comprehensive approach to currency risk management, businesses can safeguard their financial performance and thrive in the dynamic global marketplace.