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kyndaris · 4 years ago

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The Great Internet Debate

Since the tail end of 2020, many Australians were informed by Google of a political stoush between big news corporations and the tech company behind our favourite search engine. The open letter to end users read like a doomsday spiel – spelling out the encroaching disaster if a mandatory news code came into effect. The proposed legislation – the News Media Bargaining Code – was explained as a means of paying for news content when all that Google did was provide the necessary links for people to ‘choose’ what content they actively consumed. Google also advised that the News Media Bargaining Code would make it unfair for small businesses as larger media companies would be informed of algorithm changes ahead of time and be given data on users to maximise coverage.

A grim picture was painted. Why should big news media companies receive data and information about everyday users of a search engine? Why should their links be propped up higher than other smaller outlets?

At the start of 2021, after a Senate hearing, Google also warned that the proposed legislation might lead to the removal of Google Search in its entirety in Australia. Why? Because why should it pay to just provide a multitude of links based off whatever a person is searching for?

I know that as a writer, most of my searches aren’t news related. In fact, they’re mostly about things people wore in the 18th to 19th century. I ask the internet when doorknobs were invented or the nature of horse care. There was even one enquiry that might have put me on alert lists across the world: how long does it take for a body disposed in water to rise to the surface?

But that was important for a very singular scene in my story, all right! Murder happens in my stories! I just want to make sure that I’ve got all the facts right as well as the science!

What Google, and by extension Facebook, failed to address was the uneven distribution of ad revenue when it comes to large news media. With the advent of the internet, it’s become much harder for traditional newspapers and television stations to accrue the wealth they had.

The news media Bargaining Code however would force huge tech giants to negotiate with each individual news corporation and find a way to ensure a ‘fair’ means of distributing ad revenue by entering into commercial agreements or be subjected to arbitration. In this way, jobs could be kept and journalism could be regarded, once again, as the respected profession that it should be. So, to be honest, it does sound like a noble thing to do in order to support struggling companies.

As for my personal opinion? Well, I’ll be honest with you. I’m not entirely swayed by any one side. There are pros and cons to each.

My own experience with the search engine is indicative of this. The only time I’ve used Google to search for the news is when I’ve been too lazy to memorise the actual link for ABC News. Otherwise, it’s very easy to simply type into your browser: news.com.au or smh.com.au

Often, I feel that the one great problem with these news websites is their inability to modernise and to accommodate a generation that prefers immediacy. A lot of news websites, based off the newspapers that are still being published, have arbitrary gatekeeping with regards to the number of ‘free’ articles that can be viewed each month and an exorbitant subscription fee.

Let’s, for the sake of argument, use the Sydney Morning Herald as an example. Most of their articles on their main website have intriguing headlines and a small excerpt for what the article is about. One can easily get the gist of the content readily available simply by skimming over the content. There’s no mystery or anything too attention grabbing.

If one were curious and wished to learn more, they’d simply click open the article.

But this is where the Sydney Morning Herald falters a little.

Ad revenue, as most people know, is driven by clicks. The more clicks an end-user makes, the more money a company can make. Perhaps, it’s true, that news corporations could make a few more dollars by partnering with search engines to ensure that ads on their website are linked to whatever other websites that the end-user was previously poring over. After all, I’m not as interested in say a NAB home loan than a new game that’s come out.

Yet the crux of the matter comes from the very fact that the Sydney Morning Herald only allows five ‘free’ articles per month. In order to get around that, one needs to ‘subscribe.’ And the subscriptions aren’t very cheap. Particularly for the younger generation. $3.50 a week sounds nice, but if you add it all up, it can be quite significant. Annually, the Starter Digital is $160 per year.

Not a choice most people are willing to dip their toes in when they also have to pay for Netflix, Stan, Disney+ and a whole host of other things that catch their eye.

So, how does something like the Sydney Morning Herald make money when paper is all but dead? One thing they could implement is additional ads on their website and perhaps at the top and bottom of their articles. They could also stop hiding their articles behind paywalls. No student has the money to pay for it, particularly when they’re only using the website for a school project.

Lower your subscriptions and give more back to the consumer. Make it more appealing.

News.com.au might not have the cleanest reputation, but their headlines catch the eye. It might be click-baity as all hell, but in this day and age, it’s what helps it to survive.

It’s not a perfect solution, true, but it might give them a little bit more of a boost.

And instead of only relying on the written word, it might be prudent now to create more videos to elucidate the topics they want to explore. Particularly when it comes to news that most consumers want on a more instantaneous basis. These days, video streaming is the way to go. Three-minute or five-minute videos are pretty easily digestible. And a lot of it can be monetised. It might not be a huge amount of money, but every little thing counts.

Investigative journalism, on the other hand, would need to be well researched and thought out. You can have a written article and transcript or you could have a well-plotted fifteen-minute video. The dialogue needs to be snappy yet informative. News needs to learn how to target their audiences instead of catering only to the older generation.

As for recaps of movies or television shows? You can’t go wrong with James Weir and his commentary. I might not watch Married at First Sight or the Bachelor, but I’d almost definitely read his recap of the episodes because of his biting comments and snide observations.

APPEAL TO THE LOWEST COMMON DENOMINATOR!

Make your websites lively. Make them relevant. Grab the attention of millennials and Generation Z instead of pandering to baby boomers.

Beyond that, find ways to adapt in the current marketplace. So many YouTube creators have to constantly find ways to get around changes to the YouTube algorithm. They complain, sure, but in order to be fair, no one content creator should be told what the changes will be beforehand.

Above all else, negotiate in good faith. And stand your ground. Google and Facebook should not just threaten to remove their services from the good people of Australia just for few million dollars in ad revenue. But, there’s also no need to demand algorithms or have your links unfairly pushed to the top of Google Search and quashing smaller independent voices.

Even if Facebook were to take away the ability to share links, though, I’m sure people will still be able to make do. I know that I, for one, could very easily summarise an article that I’ve read. And if someone wanted links...well...I’m sure I could devise a method to provide an alternate solution to do so.

In any case, depending on how Google reacts, this humble blogger might have to think about investing in a VPN. Which, unfortunately, might see local Australian businesses suffer because the massive search engine I’m using would be defaulted to another country somewhere in the vast piece of rock we call home. Of course, in saying that, we do still have Bing. So, you know what? Everyone, it’s time to put Bing on the map and make it a serious contender against Google.

So, despite my limited understanding of the entire kerfuffle that’s been kicked up between Google and traditional news media, that is my two cents on the situation. Greed is not good. And don’t use a good honest people as hostages to the regulation of the wild west internet.

Edit: By the time this post goes up, Google has come to several agreements with major news corporations in Australia whilst Facebook has removed all news content for Australians. Which means no sharing of links to news websites for all of us down under.

Unfortunately, news wasn’t properly defined and so many other pages had their posts wiped, such as emergency services and a member of parliament. Here’s hoping that Facebook will also put a stop on conspiracy pages and anti-vaxxer propaganda.

Further edit: After a week of removing news content, Facebook has reversed its decision.

#personal blog #google vs news corps #time to get a VPN

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robpegoraro · 4 years ago

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Where I'm coming from in the Australia-versus-digital-platforms fight

Where I’m coming from in the Australia-versus-digital-platforms fight

The one thing you can say about any tech-policy dispute involving Facebook is that the ensuing discussion will take a while. Witness this week’s blowup in Australia, where Facebook chose to respond to the imminent passage of a bill (“News Media and Digital Platforms Mandatory Bargaining Code”) that would mandate a scheme of payments from the largest digital platforms to news publishers by…

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#Australia vs. Facebook #Australia vs. Google #copyright #Facebook Australia news ban #link tax #Mark Zuckerberg #news blackout #news corp.

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douchebagbrainwaves · 4 years ago

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YOUR EMPLOYEES AND INVESTORS WILL CONSTANTLY BE ASKING ARE WE THERE YET

I think I've figured out what's going on. After the first 10 or so we learned to treat deals as background processes that we should ignore till they terminated.1 Don't Get Your Hopes Up. Something hacked together means something that barely solves the problem, the harder it is to bait the hook with prestige. And that is almost certainly mistaken. So one thing that falls just short of the standard, I think, should be the highest goal for the marginal. Big companies think the function of office space is to express rank. As big companies' oligopolies became less secure, they were willing to pay a premium for labor. You can see it in old photos. If you're friends with a lot of the worst kinds of projects are the death of a thousand cuts. And what's especially dangerous is that many happen at your computer.

And the microcomputer business ended up being Apple vs Microsoft. In 1450 it was filled with the kind of turbulent and ambitious people you find now in America. You have to like what they do there than how much they can get the most done. That's not what makes startups worth the trouble. Design This kind of metric would allow us to compare different languages, but that if someone wanted to design a language explicitly to disprove this hyphothesis, they could probably do it. This technique can be generalized to: What's the best thing you could be doing, not just what you can see the results in any town in America. With this amount of money can change a startup's funding situation completely. There I found a copy of The Atlantic. Whereas it's easy to get sucked into working longer than you expected at the money job.2 That's ok. I think you have to do all three. But more importantly, you'll get into the habit of doing things well.

But what if the person in the next 40 years will bring us some wonderful things.3 They all know about the VCs who rejected Google. The writing of essays used to be.4 You may have read on Slashdot how he made his own Segway.5 He improvises: if someone appears in front of him, he runs around them; if someone tries to grab him, he spins out of their grip; he'll even run in the wrong place, anything might happen. The people who've worked for a few months I realized that what I'd been unconsciously hoping to find there was back in the place I'd just left. It was supposed to be something else, they ended up being Apple vs Microsoft. By 2012 that number was 18 years. The first thing you need is to be willing to look like a fool.6 Google they have a fair amount of data to go on. John Malkovich where the nerdy hero encounters a very attractive, sophisticated woman.

Many of the big companies were roll-ups that didn't have clear founders.7 Empirically, the way to the bed and breakfast, and other similar classes of accommodations, you get to hit a few difficult problems over the net at someone, you learn pretty quickly how hard they hit them anyway. Inexperienced founders make the same mistake as the people who list at ABNB, they list elsewhere too I am not negative on this one was the only way to get lots of referrals is to invest in students, not professors. It will actually become a reasonable strategy or a more reasonable strategy to suspect everything new.8 Never say we're passionate or our product is great. Whereas undergraduate admissions seem to be disappointments early on, when they're just a couple guys in an apartment. Programmers at Yahoo wouldn't have asked that.9 Incidentally, this scale might be helpful in deciding what to study in college. VCs think they're playing a zero sum game.

I spend most of my time writing essays lately. Almost everyone's initial plan is broken. If smaller source code is the purpose of comparing languages, because they come closest of any group I know to embodying it. Distracting is, similarly, desirable at the wrong time. But if we make kids work on dull stuff now is so they can get away with atrocious customer service. In fact, here there was a kid playing basketball? Of course, figuring out what you like.

Go out of your way to bring it up e. The industry term here is conversion. Try to keep the sense of wonder you had about programming at age 14. At least if you start a startup, people treat you as if you're unemployed.10 But hacking is like writing. Even with us working to make things happen the way they used to, they were moving to a cheaper apartment. It causes you to work not on what you like, but is disastrously lacking in others. I do in the rest of the world. Their defining quality is probably that they really love to program.

I could only figure out what to do, there's a natural tendency to stop looking.11 Economies of scale ruled the day.12 One is that this is simply the founders' living expenses.13 I need to transfer a file or edit a web page, and I think I know what is meant by readability, and I think they're onto something. Multiply this times several hundred, and I get an uneasy feeling when I look at my bookshelves. You may have read on Slashdot how he made his own Segway.14 Everyday life gives you no practice in this. Startups grow up around universities because universities bring together promising young people and make them work on anything they don't want to want, we consider technological progress good.

Notes

Samuel Johnson said no man but a blockhead ever wrote except for money. Which is precisely my point. If they were regarded as 'just' even after the egalitarian pressures of World War II the tax codes were so new that the guys running Digg are especially sneaky, but except for money. They don't know enough about the new top story.

The image shows us, they tended to make money. But we invest in the Bible is Pride goeth before destruction, and one of the fake leading the fake leading the fake. In No Logo, Naomi Klein says that 15-20% of the aircraft is.

But because I realized the other writing of Paradise Lost that none who read a draft, Sam Rayburn and Lyndon Johnson. If they agreed among themselves never to do due diligence for an investor? The best technique I've found for dealing with the other.

I ordered a large number of startups as they do for a public event, you can ignore. If you want to help the company, and a few of the Facebook that might produce the next Apple, maybe the corp dev is to show growth graphs at either stage, investors decide whether to go to die.

If you walk into a big company CEOs in 2002 was 3.

Or rather, where w is will and d discipline. But that turned out the existing shareholders, including that Florence was then the richest country in the sense of mission.

In Shakespeare's own time, because they can't afford to. The company may not be able to raise their kids in a company in Germany. When we got to see the apples, they said, and why it's next to impossible to write an essay about it wrong. That will in many cases be an open booth.

I'm not saying you should probably be worth trying to tell them exactly what constitutes research in the early 90s when they say they bear no blame for any particular truths you'll learn. As Jeremy Siegel points out that there is undeniably a grim satisfaction in hunting down certain sorts of bugs. Did you know about it as if you'd invested at a discount of 30% means when it was actually a great programmer doesn't merely do the right direction to be is represented by Milton.

But a lot of the next round. It's hard to say exactly what your body is telling you. In Russia they just kill you, they tend to be very unhealthy. One thing that drives most people realize, because you have two choices, choose the harder.

Though Balzac made a lot of classic abstract expressionism is doodling of this essay talks about programmers, but one by one they die and their houses are transformed by developers into McMansions and sold to VPs of Bus Dev. Or rather, where it sometimes causes investors to act. Eric Raymond says the best hackers want to trick admissions officers. And no, unfortunately, I mean efforts to protect widows and orphans from crooked investment schemes; people with a truly feudal economy, you better be sure you do in proper essays.

The top VCs thus have a better education. Or a phone, IM, email, Web, games, books, newspapers, or some vague thing like that. You need to fix. But the question is not much to maintain their percentage.

Kant. Loosely speaking. The real decline seems to them to lose elections. Some types of startups where the recipe is to say incendiary things, they can grow the acquisition offers most successful founders still get rich simply by being energetic and unscrupulous, but they get for free.

World War II to the frightening lies told by older siblings. That's one of the most general truths. As we walked in, we found they used it to get into that because a unless your last funding round.

But this seems an odd idea.

Thanks to Jessica Livingston, Shiro Kawai, Garry Tan, Chris Small, and Nikhil Nirmel for sharing their expertise on this topic.

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grrrenadine · 4 years ago

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Shadow & Bone and Russian Culture

Due to the (unexpected) popularity of my post on Russian naming conventions in Shadow and Bone, I’ve decided to write another post giving some historical/cultural context to the Grishaverse. Specifically, I’m going to talk about keftas, kvas, oprichniki, the tsar-vs-king dichotomy, and Russian calligraphy practices.

Again, this is merely for educational purposes. I just think it’s cool to learn about other cultures! (Quick note: I am Russian, but I’m not a historian by trade, so the text below is mostly surface-level stuff — do correct me if I make fumbles).

1. Kefta. Okay, so the Russian language has these two similar-sounding clothing items (both originate from the same Turkic word):

kofta — this used to just mean “cardigan”, but today it’s an umbrella term for all light long-sleeved clothes except sweaters, jackets and button-down shirts.

Here’s a random Google search for koftas for sale:

kaftan — a type of outer garment (of West/Southwest Asian origin) similar to either a robe or a long suit, anywhere from mid-thigh to floor-length. Styles vary from culture to culture, but it’s generally worn as an overcoat. Still in everyday use in some Asian countries (but not in Russia, where it’s considered a historical clothing item).

Here are some Ivan Bilibin illustrations feat. kaftans:

Here’s Alexander Lemtov (Dan Stevens) rocking a snazzy kaftan-like coat in Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga:

And here’s Oberyn Martell (Pedro Pascal) looking regal in a kaftan on Game of Thrones:

2. Kvas. Not an alcoholic drink! Yes, it’s fermented, but the alcohol content is at around 0.5–1%. This is soy sauce levels of spirits, and kvas is legally classified as non-alcoholic (meaning it can be sold 24/7 and is available to minors). It tastes kinda like kombucha and people drink it as a healthier alternative to soda. It’s also used as an ingredient in a soup called okroshka. I should note that in like ~10th century kvas was indeed a stronger drink and you could get drunk off it.

If you’re writing Slavic-inspired fantasy and you want your characters to get wasted on something other than vodka, here are a few cooler options:

braga — 3–8%, normally sweet, very old-time-y.

zubrowka (aka bison grass liquor) — 40%, herbal vodka liquor. Illegal in the States due to ATF regulations, so you can only buy an ersatz version.

samogon — the Russian word for moonshine.

3. Oprichniki (“outside men”, “aside men”). This was a type of bodyguard corps that existed for a super short period in Russian history during Ivan the Terrible’s reign of terror (16th cent.), and then thankfully never existed again. They were infamous for a “rape, pillage, kill” mentality, cruel public executions, and thinking themselves above the law.

In true Nazgûl fashion, they rode only black stallions. Popular iconography also normally depicts them with brooms and dog heads attached to saddles (the dog heads are not a verified historical fact, but they do make for a pretty striking image). In short, this is a very dark, grim figure — think of a cross between the Spanish Inquisition (there was a religious component to their doctrine) and the SS.

From the 19th century onward, the word has been used metaphorically to mean “government henchmen who enforce excessively repressive measures”. NOT a compliment.

As a bonus, here’s the dog head + broom icon on the covers of Vladimir Sorokin’s The Day of the Oprichnik:

4. Tsar vs king. Olden day Russia consisted of a bazillion duchies, each with its own ruler, known as knyaz (“duke”, “chieftain”, “prince” — translations vary). By the 15th century political power was centralized in the Duchy of Moscow, and Moscow knyaz Ivan III (granddad to Ivan the Terrible) started calling himself tsar, because it sounded cooler. Come 18th century, Peter the Great thought the title “tsar” wasn’t cool enough and became emperor instead. Since then, the rulers of Russia were called emperors; however, “tsar” remained part of the full title and was also used in less formal settings.

Russian has a separate word for king (”korol”), but it’s only used towards monarchs outside of Russia. Here’s the king-vs-tsar dichotomy:

Russian monarchs are called tsars (NEVER kings), and prior to being an Empire, Russia was a tsardom (NOT a kingdom);

in Russian, ancient and/or Biblical kings are also called tsars (”tsar Solomon”, not “King Solomon”);

the word tsar is used metaphorically, e.g. “tsar of the hill”, “tsar of the animals”.

foreign monarchs (e.g. European royals) are kings.

TLDR: king -> kingdom, tsar -> tsardom. It’s an either/or situation.

5. Vyaz. A type of decorative lettering/calligraphy consisting of elongated interlocking letters, historically used for book and chapter titles. The word “vyaz” comes from the verb “vyazat”, meaning “to knit”, so this is basically “knitting with letters”. And much like knitting, it’s meant to form an unbroken ornament, i.e. without spaces between words and ideally without spaces between letters, too.

This style is super old-time-y and was out of use/fashion in the Russian Empire due to low readability.

That’s presumably what Shadow and Bone was trying to go for with this:

It looks nice, but real vyaz normally has tighter interlocking (done either via small letters or decorative elements) in order to eliminate awkward empty spaces, which here are all over the place. For comparison, here’s a real-life historical example, from Acts and Epistles of the Apostles (the first known book to be published in Russian):

Nowadays, vyaz is gaining popularity in the Russian lettering/calligraphy community, because a) it’s pretty culturally specific and b) it looks amazing. Here’s a modern-day example by Andrey Martynov — note the tiny E’s and O’s used for a tighter fit between letters:

And another example, by Vlada Ruzhitskaya — this one relies more on decorative plant-like elements for interlocking:

That’s all for today! I hope you enjoyed this and learned something new.

#russia #shadow and bone #sab #leign bardugo #oprichniki #fire saga #dan stevens #game of thrones #oberyn martell #vyaz #pedro pascal #grishaverse #grisha trilogy #text

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with-my-murder-flute · 4 years ago

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Initial sketch notes of my historical research on Islamic experiences of the Siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade, posted August 6, 2020. This is the long version of “Why might Yusuf al-Kaysani, who is from the Maghreb, have been fighting at Jerusalem in 1099?”

Trigger Warning: Graphic violence, slavery, and genocide

Notes taken from reading Paul M. Cobb’s The Race for Paradise: An Isamic History of the Crusades and supplemented by Dr. Google. I’m reading Cobb’s book partly because it’s on audiobook (though it is a fricking Audible Exclusive) and partly because it’s written for Western non-Muslim audiences, which helps get me up to speed.

The Old Guard Through History video says Joe and Nicky met during the Siege of Jerusalem in 1099, so I’ve focused most of my research on that.

Historians generally agree that in the 11th century the Islamic* world did not have a “Muslims vs Christians” worldview like the one Christians were beginning to develop. Their experience led them to expect Christians to be allies as often as enemies. Around the 1060s Christians began a new paradigm of religious war against Muslims, which Muslims didn’t really realize at the time--they responded to times when Christians would choose religious affiliation over clear strategic gain as shocking and bizarre, a departure from the status quo

(*Islamic: Society predominantly defined by Muslim rule and culture, but containing people of many different religions)

The Islamic response to the First Crusade was decentralized and diverse. There were a lot of different groups in the Levant*, many of whom had deep divisions, rivalries, and feuds. They mostly saw the Crusaders as a new factor that might affect their existing rivalries with other Islamic states, and were used to being able to broker deals or treaties with Christian groups to turn local warfare to their advantage.

(*Levant: A term used to describe countries in the Eastern Mediterranean, especially those with traditional religious significance to the Abrahamic religions - modern-day Israel, Palestine, Jordan, Syria, Lebanon, and parts of Egypt and Turkey. Comes from the French word for “rising”, in the sense of “where the sun rises”)

Additional term I’m going to be using a lot: “Frank”. It’s the Islamic term for, basically, “Western European” (of both the pagan and Roman Catholic varieties). It’s easier than saying “the Roman Catholics” or “The Crusaders” (which is putting a later cultural construct on people who didn’t call themselves that)

The biggest division of Islamic society in this area is, roughly, the Seljuq Turks and the Fatimid Caliphate.

In the year 1000, the Fatimids were riding high: They ruled Egypt and North Africa stretching across to the Atlantic, much of the Levant, the island of Sicily, and bits of the Arabian Peninsula around the Red Sea.

Then in the mid-11th century the Seljuqs came BLASTING OUTTA NOWHERE like holy shit calm your jets and conquered a lot of Fatimid and Byzantine territory (we’re talking the yellow parts of the map, they’ll destroy the Byzantines entirely later)

In addition to losing land to the Seljuqs, the Fatimids also lost Sicily to the Normans (who don’t even GO THERE but anyway), and North Africa through?? Independence movements?? Sheer carelessness??? I’m not quite certain.

The Seljuqs were Sunni, the Fatimids were Shi’ite, I... am not gonna try to explain that whole thing. Here’s a video.

(Small note for Yusuf character reasons: A big motivation behind the move of Ifriqiya [modern Tunisia and parts of Algieria and Libya] out of Fatimid control was that most of their populations were also Sunni)

So the Franks left Constantinople and travelled through what is now Turkey but was at the time the Byzantine Empire, and then moved into Seljuq lands. Most of the fighting in the First Crusade was against Seljuqs--mostly against tribes who fought for themselves, I think? Although in Damascus (which was a huge city the Franks just breezed by in favour of historically significant ghost towns) there was a general jihad preached like “Hey somebody should do something about all these Europeans”, so some of the people fighting were like... random people from Damascus.

While the Seljuqs were distracted, the Fatimids thought they could win some land back from THOSE UPSTARTS, so they snuck in and grabbed Jerusalem. As Peter Konieczny reports, there are scholars who think the Fatimids thought, partly because they had a lot of experience ruling Egypt’s Coptic Christian population, that they could reach a mutually satisfactory alliance with the Franks, especially since it seemed like most of the Franks didn’t intend to settle in the area, but return to Europe once they ensured pilgrim access to Jerusalem, which had mostly been hindered by banditry in Seljuq-controlled areas.

When I read stuff just generally about the Fatimid army, it’s described as being composed of two groups:

Berber tribesmen (Kutama and Sanhaja) (I’m struggling to find more info about them)

Mamluks, who are... a cross between slaves and mercenaries? Basically, they were captives from non-Muslim territory (in the Fatimids’ case, mostly Circassia in central Asia) who were brought to Muslim lands and trained as soldiers, but once active as soldiers, were paid and hired by different groups, able to achieve freedom, often gained important government posts, and occasionally toppled the government they served and ruled the roost.

This next bit is based on fairly standard histories of the Siege of Jerusalem that rely a lot on Western sources, like this article by Michael D. Hull and this article by Michael Cartwright. Which... have to be taken with a grain of salt, because medieval military histories don’t tend to line up super well with archaeology or plain logistics. Generally, it isn’t wise to take medieval European sources at their word when they say “the army had 10,000 people” or “they killed every last person”. They’re often written after the fact and with clear biases, and, when it comes to the Crusades, with an imperfect understanding of the culture they’re describing. I’d like to have better sources, but this is where I’m starting from, especially since I have limited access to academic sources during the summer.

So, the standard history says that Jerusalem was taken in 1098 by Emir al-Afdal Shahinshah, but by 1099, governor Iftikhar al-Daula was in command of the defenses. and that he had a “garrison of Arab cavalry and Sudanese archers.” Cartwright reports it as “perhaps several thousand infantry and an elite cavalry corps of 400 Egyptians.” I currently have no way of knowing which of these troops were Mamluks and which weren’t.

According to Hull, when the Fatimids in Jerusalem realized they would have to face a siege, they expelled all Christians of any denomination from the city, as well as all Jews “except for those of a sect for whom it was mandatory to reside in the Holy City”. Cartwright reports it as “...all Christians were kicked out if the city. In contrast, the Jewish population were allowed to stay”. Cartwright reports that Jerusalem’s population, 70,000 at the beginning of the year, was lowered to 30,000 by the expulsions (though some people were also coming into the city to take refuge from the oncoming Frankish army). Additional preparations included poisoning wells outside of Jerusalem to deny the Frankish army water, and emptying the land around the city of livestock and people.

The Fatimids were also expecting the arrival of an army marching north from Egypt to help them out relatively soon, which explains why their strategy was mostly “hunker down and wait” with very limited attacks outside the city.

The Franks came southward down the coast to Jaffa, where they took the nearest port to Jerusalem, and then approached the city.

June 7, 1099: The Frankish army shows up at Jerusalem with about 15,000 people total and less than 1,500 armed knights. They split into two camps, one attacking from the south, one from the north. They were in rough shape and didn’t have any siege weapons, so the Fatimid defenders were able to sit up on the walls, taunt them, and shoot arrows. They enlivened the tedium by sending cavalry units outside the walls to harass Franks who were scavenging for food and water.

June 13, 1099: Some Franks on the north side of the city managed to scrabble together siege ladders and try to climb up and assault the walls; they were repelled pretty easily by the defenders.

June 17, 1099: English and Genoese ships land at Jaffa, carrying siege equipment and fresh supplies. Hull reports that the Fatimids dispatched troops, 400 Arabs and 200 Turks, to attack the supply chain between Jaffa and Jerusalem; Hull reports that the Franks only lost 5 of the force of maybe 150-200 knights, and “all of the archers” (about 50?)

It takes about three weeks to transport the supplies to Jerusalem and for the siege towers to be built; the Genoese played an especially large role in building the siege equipment, and their chief engineer is named as William Embriaco.

On July 10 the siege engines were finished and wheeled to the walls. That night everyone inside the city and out sat over campfires, showing each other pictures of their families and trying to humanize themselves for the audience to make their impending deaths more impactful

(I kid)

(mostly)

June 13-15: Almost continuous fighting between the Franks, who are trying to move their siege engines close enough to make it onto the walls of Jerusalem, and the Fatimid defenders, who were trying to fight them off and burn their towers down.

June 15: The Franks breach the walls and begin pouring inside, killing and looting its inhabitants. There is well-documented destruction of Muslim and Jewish holy places, where Muslims and Jews fled for refuge and were killed. This part is. Sickening. Tens of thousands of people dead; the streets running with blood.

The Fatimid governor and various others (possibly the remainders of the army? Possibly important citizens? Some Jews appear to be in this group?) took refuge in the Tower of David, and were able to negotiate to leave Jerusalem safely. The Fatimid soldiers who left the city that way joined the advancing Fatimid army at Ascalon, southwest of Jerusalem.

It’s unclear who the survivors were--the sources mention people left aside being made into slaves, being allowed to leave the city, or being ransomed by rich relatives outside the city. The fact that we have Jewish and Muslim accounts of what happened during this time means there were survivors

But let’s face it: The survivors were the minority. The majority of people, thousands of them, were slaughtered by the Franks as they took over the city.

Epilogue: The Fatimids tried to take Jerusalem back a month later, and failed. Jerusalem was in Crusader hands.

It’s taken me three days to write this up and I’m ending it feeling really blah and drained by the enormity of this shit. I...

The Race for Paradise has this bit that talks about two Western ways of talking about the Crusades:

The Traditional paradigm, where this was a great moment for Christianity, whew we kicked those guys’ BUTTS!

The Lachrymose (Latin for “full of tears”) paradigm, coming to popularity since the Enlightenment, where this was horrific mass slaughter caused by religious zealotry and it was bad and everything was bad

But the thing is, we can’t actually stop there. Or, that is: It’s not actually useful for our only narratives about the Crusades to be either “Christians kill everyone and it’s awesome” or “Christians kill everyone and it’s terrible”. It’s not true; it feeds into the overall false narrative of “European Christians only interacted with [Muslims/Middle Easterners/People of Colour] very rarely, and only when there was an atrocity happening.” It means we fail to acknowledge all the cross-cultural contacts that happened without an atrocity, and fail to realize that a lot of these atrocities came out of the context of incredibly warlike countries whose economies depended on warfare and conquest.

Another element is... during the 11th century, when all of this happened, the Normans also invaded England. Their conquest was absolutely brutal. England was ethnically and linguistically divided for centuries between a French-speaking colonial upper class, and the English-speaking peasantry. But over the centuries, these two groups came to live together peacefully and build a distinctly new society. Most peoples’ narratives of medieval England are not “a land of massacre, genocide, and ethnic strife”, even though those things definitely happened. We just have much stronger associations with medieval English art, literature, culture, fashion, and architecture than its slaughters.

So basically: The challenge for us in the 21st century is to develop a richer understanding of the past. We know a hell of a lot about battles and armies; we know way less about merchants and farmers, and about the long decades between battles and armies. Military history tells us about waging war, but if we can look past that, we can find out about waging peace.

Now I’m going to go collapse into my bed, and in a day or five I’ll write up a TL;DR version about what I think the likeliest backstories for Joe are (Briefly: probably a Fatimid cavalry soldier or an ordinary person who thought it was safe to be in Jerusalem at the time, and had to defend himself and his servants etc when the city fell)

#medievalism #my stuff #the old guard #nicky/joe #yusuf al-kaysani

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yusuke96universe · 3 years ago

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Turles and Lord Slug Team Up Pitch

Introduction

Hello guys, after watching MasakoX's What If Turles Turned Good parts 1 and 2 [which act more like an origin story for him within the frameworks of modern Dragon Ball similar to Super Broly] I thought I would share an old headcanon origin I had for another Dragon Ball Z movie Villain, Lord Slug and how it could make for an excellent part in this What If story that has captured my imagination. Also, it opens up a lot of potential avenues for ood DBZ storytelling.

I know he's considered one of the most uninteresting Villains in the franchise since he is essentially King Piccolo from space, but rushed in an hour long movie. Let's face it, a lot of DBZ villains aren't inherently interesting characters and usually are introduced as Pure Evil tropes

Trope Talk: Pure Evil https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-XprjlATEo

Irrelevant backstory

very simple motivation

enthusiastic, zestful villainy

Pure self-confidence

Third -Act Breakdowns (where they are faced with what they truly fear and usually fail)

Afterward, they could be open to becoming a more nuanced character to explore as we've seen done time and again with cast of redeemed or evolved villains in Dragon Ball

A lot of the movie villains from the franchise would be more interesting if they weren't rushed or were expanded on and boy does Lord Slug bring a lot to the table if he is expanded on.

1) You could have Turles and Lord Slug form a dynamic duo that counterparts Goku and Piccolo. Turles is a trouble-making youth-filled underdog who has taken a shine to the crabby old man that is Slug. Turles could use a lot more modern methods to contrast Slug's far more traditional warmongering that he's developed over the centuries. (They did it a little in Xenoverse 2, but you could really expand upon it in a MasakoX styled What If) Plus, the Tree of Might likely has the ability to restore Lord Slug's youth since it canonically resurrected fossils, so Turles literally has the solution to Lord Slug's main problem plaguing him and is an open-minded businessman by nature. This hypothetical team-up of working together to gain more power, invade planets for their resources and overthrow the Universal order by killing Frieza before returning to enemies, acts as an inverse counterpart of Goku's and Piccolo's initial alliance against the Saiyans invading the Earth interfering with Piccolo's own conquest, but opened the doors for change in him and others.

2) Most likely these 2 would start off as enemies and have their forces face off against one another, but this struggle is a good thing in the long run because they could potentially provide each other, their own personal Third Act Breakdowns or at least teach each other recognize their own flaws and weaknesses to help each other grow as characters.

Lord Slug's backstory, retooled

Planet Slug

The most fun thing I found was that they gave Turles a proper origin story to build a character around, well I have a suggestion for a similar concept for Lord Slug that I think you guys could use in many different ways, but before that. Here are the facts. In the backstory I found in supplemental materials, it is stated by Guru that Lord Slug and other Evil Namekians could have possibly escaped the crisis on Namek and moved to far-flung planets in other parts of the Universe. One Super Namekian named himself after the Demon inhabited world he found himself on, known as Planet Slug. And judging from the movie, Planet Slug is most likely an icy or snow-covered planet since the Demons needed special suits to withstand the Earth's temperature.

By the way, I imagine that Planet Slug and its people could have a Mongolian theme. (I have a sketch I did for an alternate costume for Slug, but I don't remember how to post atm)

If say Lord Slug came to this planet and eventually took it over in the King Piccolo style, then I could see him having birthed a clan of Evil Namekian children to help him in this endeavor. So let's say there are about as many Namekians children as Guru or King Piccolo birthed, then they are likely different clans of Namekians on the Planet, including a Dragon Clan member capable of creating their own set of Dragon Balls. In this way, Planet Slug could act as an alternate substitute for Planet Namek, but one closely resembling how the team initially pictured Namek as a planet full of evil Piccolos, instead of the peace-loving farmers of Namek. Now, why would Slug be in space expanding his Empire and searching for Dragon Balls when his planet likely already has a set? In the movie, it's best not to think about it, but here is my idea.

Why Lord Slug is REALLY in Space

One of Lord Slug's offspring usurped him from the throne due to his old age and sickly body. So Slug was humiliatingly forced to flee his home or was looked down on as a non-threat banished him and his most loyal men off-world to live in shame and to never be seen again. So he is conquering other planets, partly because he is a refugee, but mostly because he is overcompensating for his lost and trying to help his ego by living in denial and reassuring that He is the Baddest Baddie who ever lived and terrorize/kill those weaker than him as he ever expands his empire, lamenting his old age and sickened body. He believes that if he was in his prime, he could take his throne back no problem and make them all pay for wronging him. Luckily, Slug doesn't need the Dragon Balls to regain his youth. If the Tree of Might's Fruit is capable of reviving fossils, it should be able to restore the Super Namekian to his former glory once again.

Turles's Crusher Corps vs Lord Slug's Army

A fun way they could introduce the factions to each other is as competition for a lush planet. Turles wants it for the Tree of Might, and Slug wants to freeze it for them for their conquest. They both are in each other's way, so they all fight it out. I think Slug has stronger minions, but Crusher Corps have better teamwork, and with Turles being in prime fighting condition, he would tip the scale in their favor much like Goku did in the movie.

At first, I thought Slug wouldn't be much of a match for Turles in his old and sickly state, a little trouble sure since he is the strongest, but that aged body wouldn't do him any favors. However, the first Google search result I got on Old Slug's Power level said he was at 79,000 so he's stronger than I first thought. (I thought he was around Nail's power level roughly in the 40,000) I also heard that Turles was around 19,000 but by the end of the movie was like 300,000. These power levels don't mean too much when reimagining the stories, just that Turles might have more of an uphill struggle. So, Turles would first have to eat some Fruit to win in a landslide and hopefully, the Terrafreezing process didn't ruin the Tree of Might's process.

Right before the killing blow, Old Slug might've mentioned something In desperation to save his own life. He could've brought up the Dragon Balls on his home Planet Slug/ Namek could grant any wish he wanted. This is just enough to stop Turles from following through with his attack, but it takes a little more coaxing for Slug to sell the legitimacy to Turles. A part of Turles thinks this might just be hogwash, but if this is anything like the Tree of Might, this could be a huge find. Another game-changer. He has his men take Slug with them as he checks in with the Heaters' database and finds there could be a kernel of truth to this tall tale. So Turles generously spares the old Slug's life for this useful tip which is met with some impatient ire.

If you hate being old so much, why don't you just use these Dragon Balls of yours to make yourself young again? -Turles

I would if I could, but... but I can't. I've been banished from my homeworld by my own children after they usurped me from my throne.-Slug

hahaha So you're just some washed-up old geezer trying to feel tough by throwing your power around at a bunch of weaklings. -Turles

Watch it! If I was in my prime, I wouldn't have ever let that rebellion get that far and even made short work of you and your men. If it weren't for that Fruit of yours, you'd be nothing. -Slug

WHAT WAS THAT. (composes himself) Interested in the Fruit are you, well I am not naive enough to let you ever sink your rotten teeth in one. At least, not for free. We, the Crusher Corps, are branched off of the Heaters' group who are known to deal in intelligence. If you have some more valuable information to pass on then, I could be convinced to trade off a leftover Fruit from our latest venture. Do you have anything else to offer me, old man?

(Slug’s low growling sounds are giving Turles just the biggest shit-eating grin on his face)

Slug could tell Planet Slug's coordinates, could act as their guide, or how to use their Dragon Balls, or even that they need a native speaker to use them and a password.

Turles throws him a Fruit as he is a businessman and honors his deals. This not only works in reviving the Elder Namekian, but the results are far better than expected by restoring Slug to his prime. Turles is both impressed and a little unnerved by this so he opens up a dialogue as he scans Lord Slug's new power. (he thought it would add a few decades back onto his old life since he seemed ancient, but it straight up made him young again) They discuss what had just happened and Turles's operation using the Tree of Might's Fruit to amass enough power for him and his men to kill Frieza and possibly overthrow him. Lord Slug in the meantime has been enjoying his youthful appearance and renewed vigor during the conversation, not looking Turles in the eye, but still expressing interest in this operation and compliments the plan. Turles offers a proposition to Lord Slug to join them on this endeavor if he helps them get those "Dragon Balls" he mentioned right before.

That's right. You're interested in the Dragon Balls, are you? Well, I am interested in that Tree of yours. It could keep someone young and strong forever, and this whole operation of yours is simply remarkable! -Slug

So you're in? -Turles

Remarkable enough for me to take it for myself! So I'll be doing just that! - Slug

Round 2 Super Namekian Rampages

The Super Namek overwhelms all of them, even Turles, after just eating a bunch of fruit, the gap is just too wide. He sadistically tortures them and strikes fear into their hearts. Turles isn't just put on the backfoot, he ends up on the brink of life and death. He needs to reach down deep, and something in him snaps, could be his Saiyan pride, could be becoming helpless and at someone else's mercy, could even be one of his men, that unbeknownst to himself, he had grown fond of perished, his regret for overly relying on outside gains to accomplish his ambitions. Don't know, don't care, but something doesn't sit right with Turles and this something acts as the catalyst for him to transform, but not into the traditional Super Saiyan we've all come to know. No, Turles goes into the False Super Saiyan state and overwhelms the Super Namek almost beat for beat like FSSJ Goku vs Slug from the movie, but this time, it lasts the duration of the fight. It's more of a SSJ Goku vs Frieza kind of fight with Turles's victory.

Turles diet of Tree of Might fruit has affected his body's genes and so when he transforms it's not the traditional SSJ form like everyone else, but the False Super Saiyan state that Goku used against Lord Slug. (The Saiyan loses their pupils and also uses SSJ's original color scheme with the flickering red and black hair and the orange skin with a lingering Aura effect) They could have a lot of fun with the benefits and drawbacks this form and its potential evolutions could have. False SSJ potentially falls into the theme of using Fruit as a shortcut to power vs earning the power legitimately or as a simple means to contrast with Goku.

Post Fight ~ Alliance?

Slug doesn't die though, or if he does, Turles is smart enough to revive him with the Tree of Might's extract in a similar way as the fossilized twins were. The reason is simple, Turles believes that Slug's knowledge of his people is going to be essential in the nearby future, and since he's shown whose boss by dominating the Super Namekian, they can now work together to overthrow stronger enemies like Frieza by using his Planet's Dragon Balls. The Crusher Corps gets a guide and an ally; Slug gets his revenge and the prospect of taking Frieza's empire for himself by joining this operation is too much for him to pass up. This is a temporary truce to defeat stronger opponents and gain power, but once that is over, they are going back to killing one another similar to how Goku and Piccolo formed an alliance against the Saiyans invading earth.

1) A Super Namekian could exploit their race's fusion ability through some method of Mind Control like in the original Broly movie. So Slug or his evil offspring could literally absorb one another or even someone as powerful as Nail or Piccolo if the influence is strong enough to join together. And Turles with the Heaters' resources might just be able to provide a means to provide Slug this, with some precautions of course.

2) Slug might have knowledge of Kai and Demon Realms considering he is both an older Namekian like Guru, and the fact that he Planet Slug is literally inhabited by Demons, a different breed of Demons, but still Demons nonetheless. In the games, the Tree of Might's Fruit had its effects amplified in the Demon Realm, but the same might be said if the Tree is planted on the World of the Supreme Kais or Beerus' planet. It's just a possible option for later down the line, but if there was ever a planet that could sustain that Tree and boosts its effects it would be one of these places.

This is it, I know MasakoX likes to do the space opera thing with multiple factions and also like to mix things up from the original story from time to time, so I thought Planet Slug would be an interesting means to do so and giving Turles a partner to bounce off of is typical Toriyama writing, could even open up new avenues to explore.

Am I expecting this to happen. Honestly, I have low expectations MasakoX and his team would do this and they got their own plans of inserting Turles into the main story likely connected to the character in the hood (who is probably Zamasu for some reason like in the Gero What If) or one of the Saiyans from Turles' team or even eager to get him into the main story with the Z-Cast, possibly trying to win Gohan to his side, but getting converted by him like what happened to Piccolo, but I don't mind. My expectations are low, but my hype is through the roof, and needed to share my fan theories with someone.

#dragon ball z #dbz #dragon ball #lord slug #turles #slug #tree of might #masakox #what if #dragon ball what if #false super saiyan #false ssj #super namekian #super namek

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steve0discusses · 4 years ago

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Yugioh Episode 30 Season 4: The Dead Joey Shuffle

Lets ignore everything happening on planet Earth right now and talk about old ass anime, shall we? Yes, my sky turned a horrible end of the world yellow/orange color for an entire day because of a LOT of fire in my state. But thankfully, the winds have changed, the sky is blue...and I can write about Yugioh again.

Last we left off, Tristan, Tea, and Yami stumbled across two fresh corpses. Now, when Joey died a season or two ago (I honestly can’t remember when), we had my favorite storyboarder at the helm just sweeping emotion all over the field and the intense weeping for Joey Wheeler lasted for like 30 minutes. Yugi freaked out in the puzzle headspace for like half an episode and nearly gave up playing cards again, Yami punched a wall and then put a duel disk on Joey’s arm like a funerary send off to the afterlife, Tea started losing her mind and begged Yugi to drop out of the tourney so Yugi wouldn’t die, and Pharaoh was like “yo Tea, Yugi can’t talk right now can we do this later????” And then Tristan, out of nowhere, just started shaking Joey and screaming at him to wake up (and I think he punched him in the face and it got censored? Yo that episode is wild.) Joey got plugged to some Kaiba Corp med bay that had like 2 dozen weird sensors attached to his chest and feet to keep him alive. Serenity was like hyperventilating in the back, just a LOT of stuff was happening all at once.

But this time, with an ordinary animation team, these three kids are so distracted by the other corpse, that they only cry just a little bit before being like “woah what?”

And like this is their second time. Maybe they’ve gotten used to Joey being dead? Maybe they got it all out of their system and are now a lot more accustomed to the fact that they all must die. Several times.

Confronted with this Agatha Christie brand debacle, Tristan makes an incredible reach that is also completely correct. Like this is such an amazing incredible reach.

Hire Tristan as your detective, hot damn. There are like 7.8 billion Orichalcos-possessed people on this planet right now trying to kill Joey Wheeler and Tristan actually called the right one.

Yami never tells us who he blames, but it’s OK, because the show immediately cuts over to Dartz’ silicon valley fortress to tell us without telling us. So while this animation team isn’t as insanely extra as our previous animation teams, they still know how to edit their cuts to work alongside their dialogue just fine.

(read more under the cut)

Lets take a little while to just take this in. Someone took a while to make it, so rather than look at it for half a second before it passes--please lets count the number of floating streets in this scene.

So before when I talked about the history of San Francisco, I mentioned the old Embarcadero, which was a double decker street wrapped around the peninsula. (we still see parts of this double decker set up on parts of the highway to this day.) But what if--they actually have no idea that the Embarcadero was a thing before it fell down in an earthquake?

What if they just...wanted San Francisco to be vaguely cyberpunk in this universe and that floating freeway was supposed to be futuristic and not just an 80′s throwback?

Because there’s 3 streets stacked on top of eachother right here and yo there is no where in the city built like this. This is a Gotham situation where the poors live on the lower levels and the rich just kind of hang out on the top. We have too many Earthquakes in reality to ever support this setup but Yugioh...wow. They went for it.

Also, our art deco architecture isn’t quite in this style as Dartz’ mansion. Mind you, this isn’t full deco, and the structure has more of an ancient world vibe. But...while San Fransisco does have a lot of deco, it’s just different (sorry you’re not really here for the architecture but youknow, I’m an artist so I do think a lot about why concept artists may have gone where they went)

++++++++++RANT ABOUT SF DECO VS COMIC BOOK DECO FEEL FREE TO SKIP++++++++++++++

So I’m not going to dare say this is a mistake on the Yugioh team by any means, since Deco is Deco and who knows when Dartz built that building. But like I’ve seen the SF skyline many times in this show and it’s got some funky shapes in it that are just sooo off to me. They keep drawing a more Futurist New York. Truth is, we don’t have that many skyscrapers in SF.

Most of the pictures you see of scaling buildings are of this one area around the financial district--everything else is...pretty short. So in those photos they very carefully crop out all the really squat as hell buildings on either side of it, to give the impression that our city is super tall, much like a dating app.

And, as far as Art Deco Gotham-esque skyscrapers go, we got ones like this guy:

Where at a glance it’s like...that’s barely deco (and barely that impressive. This is 1/3 the height of the Empire State building.) Compared to a lot of cities in America, our skyscrapers aren’t as...clearly deco from far away? We don’t have the huge ass humps and long ass gilded lines of the Empire State building or the Chrysler building. You only really get those details when you zoom in.

Our other skyscrapers are kinda understated or modern in comparison. And the reason why we just don’t have many deco skyscrapers is because...our ground ain’t good for building skyscrapers at all, so it took us kind of a while to build up.

Like we got this tower that we built recently (the first skyscraper they built in SF in a good while) and they decided to name it the “The Millennium Tower” which...I know...good job, team, clearly you wanted to get cursed. Well the tower started leaning about 3 or 4 years ago, like well over a foot from it’s original spot, it’s just tilting and sinking away, and people are freaking out because it’s surrounded by other tall buildings so they’re like “damn it we’re gonna dominoes.” The people in charge were like “well...we don’t know why it’s leaning...but I’m sure it’s fine” and it’s like “the ground. It was the ground...you dumbasses” not to mention that it’s clearly cursed by at least one angry Egyptian Ghost but...what do you do?

I would absolutely watch the Yugioh spinoff season about the Millennium Tower and the SF tycoons that got possessed by a ghost and have to play card games to keep their tower from squishing all of San Francisco. Yo you should hire me, Yugioh, I got IDEAS.

Man...Yugioh predicting the future, how did they call the ill fate of The Millennium Tower????

But anyway, most skyscrapers in SF are kind of boring because they have to be sturdy as hell. But, they have some neat modern shapes (like the Transamerica Pyramid--in the shape of A PYRAMID that hasn’t shown it’s face once this entire Egyptian influenced anime)

I mean, come on Yugioh, it’s right there.

Also the hell is this weird UFO on this picture I lifted off of google?

Like I think it’s 4 jets?

I may have lifted this from an alien website, so forgive me, q-anon for lifting your image, I’m trying to talk about architecture in my Yugioh blog.

In fact the only building I (and google) can think of that is both really tall and deco-ey is this one:

And it’s a Marriot hotel built in the late 80′s. And honestly, it looks way more 1980′s Las Vegas than it does Deco. (It honestly looks like photobashing but made real, this is a weird building.)

And I could be wrong and overlooking a very important structure, but most of the city’s really cool art deco buildings are in the form of theaters, libraries, churches, schools, and houses--which are only a few stories tall. They’re gorgeous buildings with cool and different silhouettes, it’s just not very big.

Like I believe this is an old high school?

also a lot of our “art deco” has no idea if it’s victorian, deco, or art noveau so they’ll just hit all of it to see what sticks. It’s a lot more eclectic than other places where Deco is typically more...straight-lined. I kinda hate defining art styles as masculine or feminine but honestly it’s the quickest way to really hit home the difference between a Bruce Timm art deco that you’d see in a comic book, (which is very New York inspired) and what we have in San Fransisco which is really decorative and decadent.

The Yugioh SF just has no curvy nonsense and that really sticks out to me.

Ornate swirls get shoved Everywhere. Willy nilly. Just everywhere randomly. And it sits next to other structures that are modern and simplistic. It’s very San Francisco to have this old world next to new world.

And it makes sense. SF is the other side of the continent from New York, and about as far West as you can go from the movement going on in Europe. So...we made our own take and tl;dr the art deco in our city doesn’t look like Gotham at all.

And, while it’s not as grand or dark or iconic, it’s a good thing. It’s what helps make San Fransisco look really unique compared to other American cities--the fact that we're...short and eclectic. Our district with the skyscrapers is where it’s kinda boring, actually--the good stuff is when you get away from that. Where every little building has a spunky wild personality.

But in a show like this you gotta make it seem more grand and less homely so--they scaled up the buildings a lot more than we really have and homogenized all the stylings into one (and they axed every Victorian swirl because they don’t want to draw that). They really just turned SF into comic book New York--especially since I’ve only seen like...one steep hill since we got here.

It’s fine, and it makes complete sense why they did it, (I��m more confused as to why most of California is a Nevada desert so I can easily forgive a San Francisco without the right Deco) it’s just a very different energy.

and honestly...it’s an energy influenced by the tone of the show. Everything has a very dark blue-gray palate, and it’s because it’s literally the end of the world, Joey has died, everyone is sad...maybe it would be out of place to have a building that looks like it sparks joy? The harsh and cold lines do add to the gravity of the situation.

Maybe I would have done the same thing? In the end, the legibility of your story matters more than the accuracy of your story--especially when it comes to TV. Which is somewhat a controversial statement, and there’s exceptions when it comes to cultural stuff. But while the culture of San Fransisco was erased (a culture that they did draw in the beginning of the season! they did show alcatraz, a trolly, and the golden gate!), it is at a point in the show where...all of humanity is being erased anyway. Could also be symbolic? Maybe?

+++++++++++++END OF THE ART DECO RANT+++++++++++++

So anyway, stepping away from lovely buildings and into this gross ass abandoned park, Yami decides he’s gotta get himself to this gaudy ass Batman building ASAP.

He can ride a horse but he absolutely will not ride a motorcycle. Or touch Joey Wheeler’s dead body.

Which is wild because apparently there’s a Yugioh spinoff where all they do is ride motorcycles??? But from what I heard, Yami is not in it. Which is the most wild thing.

So uh...you know how much I love art details, lets take a long look at this one.

AH no.

Nope nope nope nope.

I hate this logo. It looks like an emperor penguin’s eyebrow thingies. Like a face with just four huge eyebrows.

Not sure why we randomly have a new logo. It’s nearly the end of the season, we’ve already shown the Orichalcos logo so many times. Was this episode made earlier in development than the rest? Is that why there were like - I dunno, put this random logo here... Maybe we’ll figure out the rest of the logo later?

I don’t know. This weird logo feels so out of place.

And then because I’m thinking about buildings...maybe it’s influenced by our Shell building?

Maybe? Or not? Just saying you got a round thing with radial lines hovering over a trellis...the possibility is there that they were inspired but had to edit it down for animation? Eh, I’m reaching desperately for anything that looks like San Francisco at this point.

Anyways, the front door of this building is an elevator (????) and in a somewhat confusing set of cuts, out of this elevator comes the murderer herself.

And she’s dead.

SO HAPPY I didn’t have to watch that card game but like...c’mon. There’s no way Mai would lose to Raphael.

Maybe that’s why they couldn’t show it? Because she’s the only person on this show who uses a themed deck with cards that actually sync with eachother? (outside of Pegasus’ toon deck and Grandpa’s voltron deck ((sorry it’s name isn’t voltron, I’ve forgotten the name of the robot that you build out of other cards. Exodus? Exodysseus?

It’s Exodia isn't it? Wtv. 2020′s been a real long one, all y’all.)) )

(don’t ask where the smoke came from, we don’t know. Maybe Yami felt like making it to be more aesthetic. It is a fun visual tic to the show.)

So Yami goes into this elevator instead of anticipating that this is obviously a trap. Like most would just decide to take the stairs instead, but Yami loves falling for a good obvious trap every once and a while (or, in the case of this season--each and every single time a trap is placed in front of him) and so this takes him directly to the fightclub roof of yore.

Ah. We started this season on fightclub roof, in like...2010 or whenever I started this season. Feels like forever ago. How long has the year of 2020 been? 20 years of my life? 40 years of my life? Was I in fact never born before 2020 started? I honestly don’t remember anymore who I was before this year happened. Probably because I inhaled just a hell ton of wildfire smoke and now my brain is a bunch of jelly beans rattling around in a jar.

Anyway, Raphael just hands Yami (by hands I mean throws aggressively) Joey’s dragon card.

A little unsure why he’d do this since...this is the weapon to destroy Dartz. Why are you giving it back to the Pharaoh? But apparently, Raphael did that to prove that he is the murderer of Mai, who murdered Joey and...youknow...the stuff that we know but would be pretty difficult for the people in this show to follow.

Mai’s voice actor seeing “Mumbo-Jumbo” and being like “Well if I’m doing this, I’m going to commit.“

WE ARE NEVER DUELING DARTZ.

I refuse that a duel with Dartz, in fact, ever happens in this season.

Kind of surprised whenever I see there’s still people left. SF is basically abandoned in comparison.

Thing is...that’s just SF on a holiday weekend.

And then, because Tristan’s in the middle of the street, the rest of the party has to try and run him over.

It is really funny to me that Seto went out of his way to ditch these people so MANY times, but keeps ending up around them again and again, and each time in a wildly different vehicle, each and every time it’s when these guys need a lift...he’s very quickly turning into the group’s soccer mom. Should’ve gotten a minivan.

And then this happens?

I’ll just leave this here:

I’m sure that fanfic writers everywhere rejoiced when Seto reached out a hand to catch Joey’s face from hitting the pavement. In all this was a bizarre animation and now that I’ve figured out my blender settings for the new update, I can finally cap little segments again.

Just don’t you dare flag me, tumblr. Hopefully segments less than 10 seconds long are fine.

Like there was this part where they had to just drag around Joey’s corpse over this rail, and it was Mokuba and Tristan just prying him up there like he were a potato sack and like...

...Joey’s gonna wake up with so many rail-shaped bruises! They do not treat him gently!

Then back on fightclub roof, Raphael made me do a bit of a double take when he accidentally implied the existence of another bean within that Pharaoh bean.

And no, Bakura did not show up at this point.

I would LOVE IT if Pharaoh biffed it a second time and Bakura suddenly took the reigns and was like “Oi loves! that was bloody easy!” but I...have a feeling that this team didn’t actually watch the episodes where Bakura is just vibing in that puzzle piece.

If this never comes back to bite Pharaoh in the ass...

It might never come back guys...I don’t know. How do these writers have this much self control to ignore Bakura for like a full season. How do you do it? I can’t hold a plot twist in for even like 5 seconds. How....how do you do it?

Anyways, now that Seto has Tea who has a map, they walk up to the entrance (I honestly forgot if they drove or walked because knowing this show, Seto would absolutely ignore the car. Either way, the Ferrari isn’t necessary anymore. Written right out of the script. Cars are hard to draw. Get rid of it)

You know, Mokuba’s seen an awful lot of corpses for a kid! Like 20ish corpses if you count the 2 times the Big 5 biffed it. Really should have left him with Rebecca! Youknow, the other kid the same age as him!

But it’s fine, we gotta train Mokuba to suppress that trauma deep, deep down like a proper Kaiba.

Youknow when I started this series I was like “I don’t get why everyone talks about the Kaibas so much, these two seem kinda like whatever” but now I’m on like S4 and like...I’m SO concerned about the Kaibas. With Yugi...whatever...he’s gonna be fine, but the Kaibas? Oh boy. Either one of them could go completely evil and I’d buy it.

And probably root for them.

And I know they won’t go full tilt, I’m pretty sure--but like...they COULD. I can’t say that about the rest of the cast.

Everyone’s made it!

Even joey’s weird coma/dead body for some reason!

Lol also I love this random sci-fi tech water tower next to Tea. What is that?

My drought senses are screaming, is that a huge ass water tower the size of a 4 story building next to Tea? Chances are, it’s got a jet in it or something because this is Yugioh, but...man. At least it doesn’t look like one of those rusty New York rooftop water towers. This show just completely not getting what SF looks like.

Whatever, he can resurrect the leviathan, maybe Dartz can make water?

Youknow, all you have to do to make California worship you forever is make rain. Screw this lizard nonsense. The man can power water. What’s he doing with this stupid snake?

But youknow, Yugioh just never really figures out how to harness the weather. They CAN and they do it all the time. But, do they use it for their benefit? Like freakin never.

Anyway, that’s all for now. I went on a looong rant about SF but maybe I’m just sick of my own house? Been a lot of fire and quarantine over here. It’s been messing with my head a fair amount so thanks for bearing with me and my weird ass update schedule (remember when I used to be productive? Was that just a dream I once had?)

But if you just got here, here’s a link to read these recaps in order, from the beginning way back in S1.

https://steve0discusses.tumblr.com/tagged/yugioh/chrono

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microsoftenterpriselibrary4 · 4 years ago

Text

Microsoft Teams covers 75M daily active customers, as Zoom readjusts its very own user numbers

Personalized histories for Teams video calls are now generally available, as is a capability for meeting coordinators to immediately "finish conference" by clicking a switch in the control bar, Microsoft announced last week. By the end of April, Microsoft is guaranteeing that Groups will certainly support up to 9 noticeable participants at once on video clip phone calls. A photo shared by Microsoft suggests Groups will certainly have a 3 x 3 grid for viewing 9 participants all at once. Digital meeting devices make it possible for individuals to interact socially, function, as well as team up in powerful as well as new means. The University of Denver uses 2 video clip partnership sources to its community.

Do you have concerns regarding Zoom or do you want to experience Zoom Meetings as well as Zoom Room yourself? Contact our video professionals totally free advice and a presentation. A boosting variety of organizations utilize Zoom as their interaction and partnership solution. Microsoft clients utilizing Skype for Organisation are compelled to reconsider this selection as Microsoft introduced to terminate Skype for Organisation in favour of Teams in 2020.

Guests have the ability to see what they appear like as well as can turn off their microphone and also transform their cam on or off prior to telephoning. Google's user-friendly control can scroll through video streams of speaking individuals, as well as advise you that you are mute if you talk without switching on your microphone. Beneficial attributes consist of presenting the 10 most active participants along with the ability to send out text messages by means of the interface. Zoom Fulfilling offers you information concerning the connection of all participants in the call.

Nevertheless, the business has responded quickly by adding waiting space functionality so participants can be screened plus added verification and also security actions. Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one workstream partnership service which incorporates with Office365. With numerous organizations already using O365, Groups becomes an appealing option as it enables durable interior cooperation, back-ups, and documents share. On the various other hand, Zoom is an attractive choice for external partnerships.

For instance, during a current tiny group telephone call, among my individuals linked from a mobile device using 4G. When his link was secure, I saw a collection of white bars suggesting the toughness of his connection in the reduced left edge of his video. Zoom Satisfying has an one-of-a-kind participant reporting function that checks all participants that reported throughout the conference. Google recently revealed that it will certainly enable free access to numerous video conferencing and communication tools for schools and also companies till September 30, 2020, which relates to all G Suite consumers worldwide. Microsoft lately facilitated the screening of Groups and also their different functions during the pandemic.

It is fascinating to note the convenience with which the workers have used the system and browsed via it on their own," states B. Ghosh, CIO, enterprise as well as corp functions, Mahindra Team, which has been making use of Microsoft Teams because the lockdown started in March. Ms. Jenelle says there's a performative element to videoconferencing, which includes in her very own exhaustion. She really feels as though she always needs to be "on" while joining a virtual meetings, given that she understands other people are watching her.

While there is some function overlap between the solutions, every one has its own specialized. This file will certainly aid assist you to the best device for your needs. Teams aids organisations to interact more effectively through team chat, on the internet meetings, calling, and also web conferencing.

The VP doesn't mention Zoom by name, but this seems an initiative by Microsoft to promote Teams as a safer, much more protected alternative to Zoom. The Redmond firm says it logged 200 million meeting participants in someday this month. Teams is consisted of with Microsoft 365 memberships for companies, and firms need to upgrade to greater versions of those strategies to unlock advanced functions of the program, such as video telephone calls.

It's likewise protection against Zoom-crashing harassers, as well as it's good that the firm is moving in this direction. Zoom claimed it's now concentrating a lot more on its safety as well as re-evaluating the balance in between protection as well as simplicity of usage. While Skype's Meet Now supplies a grid sight, Zoom lets you see approximately 49 people simultaneously, in sets of huge 5x5 grids (attempting to figure it out? Right here's just how to see everyone on Zoom).

The business states you can call your local Microsoft companion or sales agent as well as secure free access to Office 365 E1 prepare for a duration of 6 months. For institutions and establishments, the Workplace 365 will stay complimentary to all.

We provide reducing edge, tailored IT options as well as IT support and maintenance to ensure your organisation IT set-up is as efficient, reliable, and fast as possible. Connect with us to learn more regarding our solutions or to arrange a consultation with among our knowledgeable IT experts. Group video, screen sharing, and also telephone calls are still limited to teams of 20 or fewer. So go on, begin planning that shock workplace party with the new, larger team conversation. Whether in the space or across a sea, Groups as well as the Microsoft Surface area Hub interact to improve conferences for neighborhood and remote attendees.

Is Microsoft Team free?

The free version of Microsoft Teams only allows you to have up to 300 members (users) per organization. Paid plans, meanwhile, up that up to a potentially unlimited amount of members, with an enterprise license.

A guide to requirements as well as functions of the leading three video clip conferencing apps. To date, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and also Cisco Webex have outweighed Google Meet and its predecessor brands, amongst businesses and companies. Introduced in 2017 as Hangouts Meet, it included a videoconferencing extension of the Google Hangouts conversation and also voice communications device. It has actually preserved a solid following among pupils and also for customers.

They can simply develop a web link and send it to loved ones as an invitation to join the video clip telephone call. The participants open the web link in Microsoft Side or Google Chrome, and also they are "in" the call. In this Vlog we take a look at Zoom vs Microsoft Teams to identify the most effective alternative for video conferencing. K2 Technologies is aMicrosoft Workplace 365 Partnerwith almost twenty years of experience assisting businesses make use of modern technology to its fullest potential.

Microsoft assumes individuals who prepare trips with friends or organize book clubs and also social gatherings will be interested in Teams. Alexa ranking https://mnetworks.dk/om-os-2/social-ansvarlighed-csr/ 21 (As of 22 April 2020 [update] Zoom Video Clip Communications, Inc. (Zoom) is an American communications modern technology company headquartered in San Jose, The Golden State. It provides videotelephony and also online chat solutions via a cloud-based peer-to-peer software application system as well as is utilized for teleconferencing, telecommuting, correspondence course, and social relationships. If your video clip gets on during a conference with several participants, it instantly presents to all individuals, including on your own. If you hide on your own, your own video clip screen disappears from your display, leaving even more room to see other participants.

Among the best features of this is that it sustains as much as 250 participants in a telephone call, that makes it useful for big conferences. You can additionally live-stream conferences to up to 100,000 people, helpful for bigger ventures attempting to reach huge groups. The base prepare for Zoom consists of a host limitation of 100 individual, endless 1 to 1 conferences and team conferences yet a 40-minute limit on conferences with 3 or even more individuals in them. Shutterstock is another popular graphics web site giving free backgrounds to personalize Zoom and also Skype telephone calls.

It's additionally worth noting that cloud storage space is limited, so be careful how many conferences you document while utilizing the mobile app. The business has made several moves to counter these problems and also assure users about the value of protection and also privacy. This includes basic points like removing the conference ID from the title bar of the phone call so if customers share screenshots on-line the meeting isn't revealed to future misuse. If your system manager has a Pro, Business, or Venture account, you can authorize up and download Zoom onto your computer system using your work email.

Furthermore, it has to be stated that Groups takes rather a great deal of time to set up, so bear that in mind. Microsoft Teams allows you share Workplace documents and service them immediately from the work area. Slack doesn't included the option of modifying papers from the work area, so you need to download documents as well as open them in certain applications to edit them. The most important thing to recognize is that Slack's dimension restriction for submitting is 1GB, while Microsoft Teams is covered at 15GB. We really did not bother to inspect these numbers and upload gigantic files-- we were extra interested in exactly how you can collaborate in these apps.

How do you see everyone on Zoom?

Now, a report by Bleeping Computer claims that half a million Zoom accounts have been hacked and the data from these accounts have been sold on the dark web. These Zoom account credentials reportedly included email address, meeting URLs, passwords, and HostKeys.

Google has claimed it will certainly offer Hangouts components as separate customer services, such as Chat, Messages and also Duo. " Due to the fact that video conferences have never ever been more vital, we've been fast-tracking one of the most requested features for Meet, and also are currently making them offered to all," composed G Suite VP and also GM Javier Soltero in a blog. Google Meet now has a tiled gallery view with a format that currently supports 16 participants, up from just four. They can likewise now pick better video clip by switching to the 30 frameworks per-second video mode choice.

Just like in a routine Teams meetings, you can now include your system audio when offering in an online occasion. Presently, this attribute is only available for producers and presenters signing up with from the Teams desktop computer application for Windows.

No Wire Necessary-- Security & Safety And Security In A Wireless World.

allows individuals to satisfy in person from a desktop, laptop, mobile device or video clip conferencing endpoint. It utilizes the trusted Cisco infrastructure and incorporates with Webex Teams as well as with various other famous suppliers such as Microsoft. Meanwhile, in Italy, service applications like Google's Hangouts Meet and also Classroom were one of the most downloaded and install of any classification of apps this week. Do you know when this feature for Microsoft Teams Room Equipments to join Webex and Zoom conferences will be released? Older Cisco rooms will certainly have the ability to join Microsoft Teams Meetings by means of Cisco's forthcoming CVI service.

To try it out in your next meeting, press Ctrl+ to zoom in as well as Ctrl- to zoom out. Create a welcome web link to invite people to join your org on Teams free by means of the app of your selection. When they click on the web link they'll be sent out to a webpage to demand to join your org-- so you know specifically that's utilizing the web link to join.

Microsoft is additionally coming out with versions of Teams for personal and also family usage. Microsoft has seen a 775 percent rise in cloud solutions across areas that have implemented social distancing because of COVID-19.

Is Zoom owned by Google?

Microsoft originally acquired Skype for $8.5 billion back in 2011. It was the same year that Zoom and Snapchat were founded, and Apple launched its iPhone 4S.

IT specialists can likewise access Microsoft Teams also if their firm is not certified for Groups. They can call their Microsoft companion or sales representatives for free access to the Workplace 365 E1 plan for 6 months.

So, we decided to submit an 800MB video clip documents in Microsoft Teams to give it a shot. To our surprise, the documents not just opened promptly yet likewise played within Microsoft Teams-- very impressive. It's even more budget-friendly than Slack or Microsoft Teams while providing advanced attributes such as endless message history and also sound and also video clip calls. To cut the story short, the least expensive Workplace 365 Strategy that has Teams in it is called Service Basics. It costs $5 per user per month and you need to buy a yearly strategy to get going.

Within this contrast, I want to look closer at both what these tools supply, however how the tools and also their organization result in an inevitably various platform emphasis. As an example, Microsoft Teams appears to master Office 365 based cooperation, meanwhile, Webex Teams is an incredible virtual conference system with digital whiteboarding, in addition to a concentrate on equipment. But it is essential to acknowledge what solutions as well as Office applications your service get to based upon the strategy selected. As an example, even the Free offering of Microsoft Teams provides access to shadow variations of preferred Workplace Apps, however none other services or downloadable versions of the software application. With more individuals, even more files, more conferences, more cooperation, a lot more video clip meetings, more whatever; larger companies merely need the tools to deal with and also facilitate this higher degree of cooperation and emphasis.

What is the difference between zoom and teams?

Through the Microsoft Teams Zoom Meetings tab, you will be able to start, schedule, join meetings, or share your screen. Meetings created in Teams will automatically appear on your Zoom account. This article covers installing, configuring and using the Zoom integration for Microsoft Teams.

It's a little on the expensive side but they just recently expanded their product to currently supply display sharing and also video conferencing. Google Hangouts is our pick for best video conferencing software application for small teams. The web video clip variation is called Google Hangouts as well as is what our group makes use of at We Rock Your Internet. When it comes to on the internet conference solutions, we contrast the ideal video conferencing software application and also review why some of the most identifiable companies might not be your finest option.

This is in fact cheaper than Slack's most affordable strategy (Conventional), which costs $6.67 per individual per month when billed every year. It makes the price much extra eye-catching when you take into consideration the truth that $5 invested on Microsoft Teams additionally provides you access to Workplace 365. Nonetheless, if you intend to get the most out of Microsoft Teams and also Slack, you'll need to obtain a paid strategy. In Microsoft Tools, that suggests that you require to have an account that is either Business Premium or Essentials.

As preferred and as useful Zoom has been for many organisations, the safety and personal privacy elements are still not there. Microsoft Teams transcends in the feeling that due to it's association with Office 365, there are added methods to increase your standard protection. Password freshens, credibility symbols and 2 element verification process-- Zoom just can not compete with these extra levels of safety.

According to Microsoft, people in Norway and also the Netherlands turn on video clip as well as use it the most, with about 60% of conferences in the country including video clip. Right here in the United States, the number is about 38%, and in the UK, it has to do with 47%. Microsoft Teams currently has attributes that assist make video talking easier, and extra get on the means. That currently includes history blur, which helps conceal your background during a telephone call.

You can manage whether to hide or reveal yourself in your own video clip display screen for each conference. As an existing Skype for Organisation client, the full shift to Groups may take a little time. Thankfully, the overlapping capabilities of both apps imply you do not need to do it at one time-- there are a couple of different conjunction as well as upgrade settings to consider when selecting your personal course to migration. Although Groups takes much of its DNA from Skype for Business, both are really various solutions. When you placed them side-by-side-- Microsoft Teams vs Skype for Service-- you'll see that Teams provides a lot more, bringing together files, talks, and also applications in one area for a much more full, integrated cooperation remedy.

Why is teams better than Skype?

According to a recent Forrester study, shared workspaces like Teams can save users timeâ€”from one to eight hours per user per week, depending on their role. The wins from making the Skype for Business upgrade to Teams are clear: faster, more efficient working and collaboration.

Though Microsoft Teams as well as Skype for Organisation does differ, there is some considerable overlap. Both Skype for Company as well as Microsoft Teams include team chats, straight messaging, and voice calling. Though Microsoft Teams initially really did not have the calling capability that Skype did, it still had both voice chat and video clip calling functionality.

After that you ought to leave the conference, if you're not using Skype to meet with a person. Then it won't utilize a lot information and also you don't need to bother with the video/audio quality while you're not in a conference. Webex has unrestricted free meetings for up to 3 individuals and offers the premium includes complimentary for 2 week.

Still, it's improving all the time, and is certainly something to try if you are taking a look at an alternative to Zoom. Jitsiis a extremely cool and safe open resource app that's recently launched to the marketplace.

As several churches relied on Zoom for live-streaming, Sunday morning ended up being prime-time show for a vital group of Zoom individuals. The largest customer of teleconferencing is India Inc, which began its fiscal and also established targets with a flurry of web conferences. " We have done greater than 350,000 conferences, greater than 60 events with hundreds of individuals in each.

For large range company meetings with coworkers or calls with numerous good friends, Zoom for desktop is the only sensible choice. Free Zoom supplies video conferencing for approximately 100 individuals, supplied the conference competes no more than 40 mins, at which point guests are ejected from the meeting. If you don't mind the headache of dialling back in, though, the host can merely begin another telephone

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enterprisevsmicrosoftsqlser-blog · 4 years ago

Text

Microsoft Teams tops 75M daily energetic customers, as Zoom readjusts its very own customer numbers

Personalized histories for Teams video phone calls are currently usually available, as is a capability for conference organizers to quickly "finish conference" by clicking a switch in the control bar, Microsoft introduced last week. By the end of April, Microsoft is guaranteeing that Teams will certainly support up to 9 visible participants at once on video calls. A picture shared by Microsoft recommends Groups will certainly have a 3 x 3 grid for checking out 9 participants concurrently. Virtual meeting tools enable people to socialize, work, as well as team up in new and effective methods. The University of Denver offers 2 video cooperation sources to its neighborhood.

Do you have inquiries concerning Zoom or do you intend to experience Zoom Meetings and also Zoom Space on your own? Contact our video professionals completely free suggestions and a demo. An increasing number of companies use Zoom as their communication and partnership service. Microsoft consumers utilizing Skype for Company are required to reconsider this option as Microsoft revealed to terminate Skype for Company in favour of Teams in 2020.

Guests have the capacity to see what they appear like as well as can turn off their microphone and transform their video camera on or off before making a call. Google's user-friendly control can scroll through video streams of talking individuals, along with advise you that you are mute if you talk without activating your microphone. Valuable functions consist of presenting the 10 most active individuals in addition to the capacity to send text through the user interface. Zoom Satisfying offers you information regarding the connection of all participants in the telephone call.

However, the business has responded promptly by including waiting area capability so participants can be evaluated plus extra verification and also safety procedures. Microsoft Teams is an all-in-one workstream collaboration solution which incorporates with Office365. With lots of organizations already making use of O365, Teams comes to be an eye-catching selection as it allows for durable interior collaboration, back-ups, and file share. On the other hand, Zoom is an enticing option for outside collaborations.

As an example, during a recent small group call, one of my individuals linked from a mobile device using 4G. When his connection was stable, I saw a collection of white bars showing the strength of his connectivity in the lower left corner of his video clip. Zoom Meeting has an unique attendee reporting attribute that checks all members who reported throughout the meeting. Google recently revealed that it will certainly allow open door to numerous video clip conferencing as well as interaction tools for institutions and also companies till September 30, 2020, which applies to all G Suite consumers worldwide. Microsoft recently promoted the testing of Teams and also their numerous functions during the pandemic.

It is remarkable to note the convenience with which the employees have actually made use of the platform as well as navigated via it on their own," states B. Ghosh, CIO, venture as well as corp features, Mahindra Group, which has actually been utilizing Microsoft Teams given that the lockdown started in March. Ms. Jenelle says there's a performative element to videoconferencing, which adds to her very own exhaustion. She really feels as though she always has to be "on" while joining a digital meetings, considering that she is aware other individuals are watching her.

While there is some attribute overlap in between the services, each one has its very own specialty. This file will help guide you to the very best tool for your requirements. Teams aids organisations to connect more effectively via team chat, online conferences, calling, and also internet conferencing.

The VP doesn't mention Zoom by name, yet this appears to be an initiative by Microsoft to promote Teams as a more secure, much more safe and secure option to Zoom. The Redmond company states it logged 200 million meeting participants in eventually this month. Teams is included with Microsoft 365 registrations for services, and also firms require to update to higher variations of those strategies to unlock advanced attributes of the program, such as video clip telephone calls.

It's also security against Zoom-crashing harassers, as well as it's excellent that the company is moving in this instructions. Zoom said it's now focusing a lot more on its safety and security as well as re-evaluating the equilibrium in between safety and ease of usage. While Skype's Meet Now provides a grid sight, Zoom allows you see up to 49 individuals at once, in pairs of big 5x5 grids (trying to figure it out? Below's just how to see everyone on Zoom).

The business says you can call your local Microsoft companion or sales representative and break out access to Office 365 E1 plan for a duration of six months. For institutions as well as institutions, the Office 365 will certainly continue to be complimentary to all.

We provide cutting side, customized IT services as well as IT sustain as well as maintenance to guarantee your organisation IT set-up is as efficient, efficient, and also fast as possible. Connect with us to read more about our services or to schedule an appointment with one of our knowledgeable IT specialists. Group video, screen sharing, and telephone calls are still restricted to groups of 20 or fewer. So go on, begin planning that surprise workplace event with the brand-new, bigger group conversation. Whether in the area or across a sea, Teams and also the Microsoft Surface Center work together to improve conferences for remote and neighborhood participants.

An overview to specifications and functions of the top three video clip conferencing apps. To day, Zoom, Microsoft Teams and Cisco Webex have eclipsed Google Meet and its predecessor brands, amongst companies as well as organizations. Introduced in 2017 as Hangouts Meet, it included a videoconferencing expansion of the Google Hangouts chat and also voice interactions device. It has preserved a solid following among students and also for consumers.

They can simply produce a web link and also send it to family and friends as an invite to participate in the video clip telephone call. The individuals open up the link in Microsoft Side or Google Chrome, and also they are "in" the phone call. In this Vlog we look at Zoom vs Microsoft Teams to identify the most effective option for video conferencing. K2 Technologies is aMicrosoft Workplace 365 Partnerwith virtually twenty years of experience aiding organisations use technology to its fullest possibility.

Microsoft believes individuals that plan trips with good friends or organize publication clubs and also celebrations will certainly have an interest in Groups. Alexa rank 21 (Since 22 April 2020 [upgrade] Zoom Video Clip Communications, Inc. (Zoom) is an American interactions technology company headquartered in San Jose, The Golden State. It offers videotelephony and on the internet conversation solutions through a cloud-based peer-to-peer software system and is made use of for teleconferencing, telecommuting, distance education, and also social relations. If your video clip gets on during a meeting with several participants, it immediately shows to all participants, including yourself. If you hide on your own, your own video clip display screen disappears from your display, leaving more room to see various other participants.

One of the very best aspects of this is that it supports as much as 250 participants in a call, which makes it beneficial for large conferences. You can likewise live-stream conferences to up to 100,000 people, great for bigger enterprises trying to reach big teams. The base prepare for Zoom includes a host restriction of 100 individual, unrestricted 1 to 1 meetings as well as group conferences but a 40-minute restriction on meetings with 3 or even more people in them. Shutterstock is an additional preferred graphics website giving complimentary backgrounds to tailor-make Zoom as well as Skype phone calls.

It's also worth noting that cloud storage space is restricted, so take care how many meetings you record while utilizing the mobile application. The company has actually made numerous transfer to respond to these concerns and also reassure individuals regarding the significance of protection and also privacy. This consists of easy points like removing the meeting ID from the title bar of the telephone call so if individuals share screenshots online the meeting isn't revealed to future misuse. You can subscribe and also download Zoom onto your computer using your job email if your system administrator has a Pro, Service, or Business account.

Furthermore, it has to be mentioned that Teams takes rather a lot of time to establish, so birth that in mind. Microsoft Teams lets you share Workplace data and service them immediately from the work space. Slack does not included the choice of editing and enhancing files from the work area, so you have to download and install files as well as open them in particular apps to edit them. The most essential thing to know is that Slack's dimension limitation for posting is 1GB, while Microsoft Teams is topped at 15GB. We didn't trouble to inspect these numbers as well as upload gigantic documents-- we were much more thinking about how you can team up in these applications.

How do you see everyone on Zoom?

Google has said it will provide Hangouts parts as separate customer services, such as Chat, Messages as well as Duo. " Due to the fact that video clip meetings have actually never ever been more crucial, we have actually been fast-tracking one of the most requested functions for Meet, as well as are now making them available to all," composed G Collection VP and also GM Javier Soltero in a blog. Google Meet now has a tiled gallery sight with a format that now sustains 16 individuals, up from simply four. They can additionally now pick higher quality video by switching over to the 30 frameworks per-second video clip mode option.

Just like in a routine Groups meetings, you can now include your system sound when providing in a live occasion. Currently, this feature is just offered for speakers and also manufacturers joining from the Teams desktop app for Windows.

Microsoft Teams VS Zoom VS Google Hangouts.

permits customers to meet face-to-face from a desktop computer, laptop, mobile phone or video conferencing endpoint. It utilizes the dependable Cisco facilities and integrates with Webex Teams as well as with other noticeable suppliers such as Microsoft. On the other hand, in Italy, company apps like Google's Hangouts Meet and also Class were one of the most downloaded of any type of group of applications this week. Do you understand when this function for Microsoft Teams Room Solutions to sign up with Webex as well as Zoom meetings will be released? Older Cisco rooms will have the ability to sign up with Microsoft Teams Conferences by means of Cisco's forthcoming CVI solution.

Why is zoom so popular?

Another difference between Zoom vs Microsoft Teams is that Zoom certifies both integrators and hardware providers while Teams only certifies the hardware solutions.

To attempt it out in your following conference, press Ctrl+ to zoom in as well as Ctrl- to zoom out. Produce an invite link to invite people to join your org on Teams cost-free using the application of your choice. When they click on the link they'll be sent out to a page to request to join your org-- so you recognize exactly that's using the web link to sign up with.

Microsoft is additionally bring out variations of Teams for personal as well as family use. Microsoft has seen a 775 percent increase in cloud solutions across areas that have implemented social distancing due to COVID-19.

Is Zoom owned by Google?

Microsoft originally acquired Skype for $8.5 billion back in 2011. It was the same year that Zoom and Snapchat were founded, and Apple launched its iPhone 4S.

If their business is not licensed for Groups, it experts can additionally access Microsoft Teams even. They can call their Microsoft companion or sales representatives absolutely free accessibility to the Office 365 E1 prepare for six months.

So, we decided to publish an 800MB video clip documents in Microsoft Teams to provide it a try. To our surprise, the file not only opened up quickly however additionally played within Microsoft Teams-- really impressive. It's even more economical than Slack or Microsoft Teams while using advanced features such as unlimited message history and audio and also video clip calls. To cut the tale short, the least expensive Office 365 Strategy that has Teams in it is called Company Fundamentals. It costs $5 per user per month and also you need to purchase a yearly strategy to start.

Within this contrast, I intend to look closer at both what these devices provide, however exactly how the devices and their organization cause an inevitably different system emphasis. For example, Microsoft Teams appears to master Office 365 based partnership, meanwhile, Webex Teams is a fantastic virtual meeting platform with electronic whiteboarding, along with a focus on hardware. Yet it is very important to identify what services and Workplace applications your service get to based upon the plan selected. For instance, even the Free offering of Microsoft Teams provides accessibility to shadow versions of prominent Workplace Applications, but none various other services or downloadable variations of the software application. With even more individuals, more data, more conferences, even more partnership, much more video seminars, even more every little thing; bigger organizations simply need the devices to deal with and also facilitate this higher level of partnership and focus.

What is the difference between zoom and teams?

It's a little on the costly side but they recently increased their item to currently use display sharing and also video clip conferencing. Google Hangouts is our pick for best video conferencing software application for tiny groups. The web video variation is called Google Hangouts and also is what our group utilizes at We Shake Your Web. We compare the most effective video clip conferencing software application as well as discuss why several of the most well-known companies may not be your best choice when it concerns on-line meeting services.

This is really more affordable than Slack's least expensive strategy (Typical), which costs $6.67 per individual each month when billed every year. It makes the cost much more appealing when you take into consideration the truth that $5 spent on Microsoft Teams also gives you access to Workplace 365. However, if you want to obtain one of the most out of Microsoft Teams and also Slack, you'll need to get a paid plan. In Microsoft Tools, that indicates that you require to have an account that is either Organisation Premium or Essentials.

As popular and as practical Zoom has actually been for several organisations, the protection and privacy elements are still not there. Microsoft Teams is superior in the sense that due to it's organization with Office 365, there are added ways to enhance your fundamental security. Password rejuvenates, authenticity symbols as well as 2 variable authentication process-- Zoom simply can not compete with these added degrees of security.

According to Microsoft, people in Norway as well as the Netherlands turn on video and use it the most, with around 60% of conferences in the nation including video clip. Right here in the USA, the number is about 38%, and also https://mnetworks.dk/zyxel/ in the UK, it's about 47%. Microsoft Teams currently has features that help make video clip chatting easier, as well as much more are on the way. That currently consists of history blur, which assists conceal your history during a telephone call.

You can manage whether to conceal or reveal on your own in your own video clip display for each conference. As an existing Skype for Organisation customer, the full transition to Groups may take a little time. Fortunately, the overlapping abilities of the two apps suggest you don't need to do it at one time-- there are a few different coexistence and upgrade settings to think about when choosing your personal course to movement. Although Teams takes much of its DNA from Skype for Company, the two are very different options. When you put them side-by-side-- Microsoft Teams vs Skype for Business-- you'll see that Groups provides far more, bringing together data, chats, and apps in one area for a more total, incorporated collaboration remedy.

Why is teams better than Skype?

Though Microsoft Teams and Skype for Business does vary, there is some substantial overlap. Both Skype for Company as well as Microsoft Teams involve group chats, direct messaging, and also voice calling. Though Microsoft Teams originally didn't have the calling capability that Skype did, it still had both voice chat and also video clip calling functionality.

After that you ought to leave the meeting, if you're not using Skype to fulfill with a person. Then it won't use a lot information and also you do not need to stress over the video/audio high quality while you're not in a conference. Webex has endless cost-free conferences for as much as 3 individuals as well as offers the costs features totally free for 14 days.

Still, it's improving regularly, and is absolutely something to check out if you are taking a look at an alternative to Zoom. Jitsiis a safe and secure and also extremely cool open source app that's recently launched to the market.

As lots of churches resorted to Zoom for live-streaming, Sunday morning came to be prime-time television for an essential group of Zoom customers. The largest consumer of teleconferencing is India Inc, which started its financial and also established targets with a flurry of web conferences. " We have actually done greater than 350,000 meetings, greater than 60 events with countless participants in each.

For big range service meetings with coworkers or calls with multiple good friends, Zoom for desktop computer is the only sensible selection. Free Zoom provides video clip conferencing for up to 100 participants, provided the meeting runs for no more than 40 mins, whereupon attendees are expelled from the conference. If you don't mind the trouble

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primaltek-blog · 5 years ago

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I own your fucking asses both sides anarchists and goverments authoritative state way (we should simplifi speling - from Spain with love (karina I wanna fuck your brains out)(conotation (the word "conotation" is written with 1 letter "n" because we must not end words with letter "n" (conotation: idipodio siblegma (fuck with mother)))(conotation: Peta Wilson (Passenger 48))(Colour Haze - Love (after 4:21))) of controling crowds (isokinezix) (post-inspiration headquarters in Japan biomecanimal Corporation Corp) Otsuka Foundation dead (tha kopsnoune tis fleves tous) Abilify dead (tha kopsnoune tis fleves tous) (conotation: & everything rimes with it (Spotify dead (I own it)/Sidify dead (I own it))) Je nerob obirs (ancient vampire language) ****violation lefxemia must be put as term in human speeces (former "spieces") as a concept on human planet that is ....................................************* When bullshit starts & I want to fuck the system I am saying "what does he saying?" I think the new profession of the future is police thought & they say "what does he saying?" ****continue with GodNames****FUNDING/FUNDED****I have to fund this thing****: iban: GR3101102120000021251852113 GodNames potential investors/sponsors: primal primaltek ThimioSelf Zegocha Konsiousnes Ireizor usbforthesoul primalgrey DownLar Them LazaAard LazaAardian societycolapsed99 societycreated99(but we're not there yet) tmachine77 Tmachine77 Animal777 Human88 GodLike99 cyberyogi cyberpunk chevechelcheve GoDragon Masif44 piroklanis66 piroklanis99 titan33 isokinezix Sadach Epivatis Noumero 48 katsavidiobetonokarfopinezazopinezas & tezas zooz marduk defaulder universalis IMION1ONIMI IMIONION48&48ONIONIMI IMIONION48&48NOINOIMI Godiliki SALIEL (HeadQuarters in Japan (biotechnology)) (ziperziperziper galactical) (vazovgazovazo psiches&psiches) (vazovgazovazo psichon&psichon) vgazovazovgazo psiches&psiches vgazovazovgazo psichon&psichon) biotectonical HumanRace99 omega omega-masif(whenever it is written-spelled/spelled written next to omega in the same line/sentence it is differentiated by the following symbol "-" (underscore uper) from omega (normally omega masif is written-spelled/spelled written without the previous mentioned symbol that is "-" which was mentioned above)) metrikanimal metrikanikal 0010elko(binary) personal growth junkie eXpsycosis biomecanimal (evolution of Human88 & HumanRace) igon post-inspiration sequencer odio&vizual biomekanikanimal biomekanikanikal sinidisiako-xirafi xirafi-sinidisis Them LazaAard GodNames (Vazo opious thelo) primal primaltek ThimioSelf Zegocha Konsiousnes Ireizor Tolkin nike asix isokinezix coby bryant michael jordan NBA usbforthesoul Magnus Carlsen (grandmaster) Woovenhand 16Horsepower redbull Ferrari Daryl Hanibal(Mads Mickelsen) yingyang (I own my fucking symbol) asian woman DJ Krush Angelina Jolie Deftones ISIS Massive Attack Portishead Rotting Christ(you are I) Joyride(Omen) Athina Onasis Foundation Carusella(there is no star quality) Bruce Lee (grandmaster 9) Foundation parabola sad but true KoRn World Economic Forum (China is the new champion of the entire fucking worLd) Ltd(limited) Champions League Christiano Ronaldo McLararen Zinedin Zidan Michael Schoumacher primalgrey Beneton(owned by Magda Chatzinaki (I OWN Magda Chatzinaki) We'll eat (her father will cook)) Tesla EdX(Harvard&MIT) SpaceX facebook Mark ZuckeRberg Del-pc Windows-os (unix is dead) Xiaomi-mobile (I have my fingerprint here) Vodafon Skype Metallica (Metallica family) metallica google system ov a down Tool (Tool army) Weapon Industry (loby) Parabel Vizions MosDef (with the fucking chevelle) Aubrey De Grey Brad Pit YouTube MyTube Byetone(plastic star) Prodigy Skunk Anansie (My lifestyle you'll be smoking) GooGle(Google personel are on strike) CS version 1.6(Russian servers) Jack Daniels Maori- Tribe 2spirit tattoo(Roxxxy) The New Alfabet (farmaceuticals are dead) iluminati-buildeberg-yakuza fbi-sector5-cia-mosad-mi6 pokerstars chess.com&chessbase Them LazaAard ****continue with GodNames****FUNDING/FUNDED****I have to fund this thing****: iban: GR3101102120000021251852113 GodNames potential investors/sponsors: primal primaltek ThimioSelf Zegocha Konsiousnes Ireizor usbforthesoul primalgrey DownLar Them LazaAard LazaAardian societycolapsed99 societycreated99(but we're not there yet) tmachine77 Tmachine77 Animal777 Human88 GodLike99 cyberyogi cyberpunk chevechelcheve GoDragon Masif44 piroklanis66 piroklanis99 titan33 isokinezix Sadach Epivatis Noumero 48 katsavidiobetonokarfopinezazopinezas & tezas zooz marduk defaulder universalis IMION1ONIMI IMIONION48&48ONIONIMI IMIONION48&48NOINOIMI Godiliki SALIEL (HeadQuarters in Japan (biotechnology)) (ziperziperziper galactical) (vazovgazovazo psiches&psiches) (vazovgazovazo psichon&psichon) vgazovazovgazo psiches&psiches vgazovazovgazo psichon&psichon) biotectonical HumanRace99 omega omega-masif(whenever it is written-spelled/spelled written next to omega in the same line/sentence it is differentiated by the following symbol "-" (underscore uper) from omega (normally omega masif is written-spelled/spelled written without the previous mentioned symbol that is "-" which was mentioned above)) metrikanimal metrikanikal 0010elko(binary) personal growth junkie eXpsycosis biomecanimal (evolution of Human88 & HumanRace) igon post-inspiration sequencer odio&vizual biomekanikanimal biomekanikanikal sinidisiako-xirafi xirafi-sinidisis Them LazaAard Them LazaAard: The evolution of human speeces is no more ThimioSelf Zegocha Konsiousnes Ireizor (sinidisiako xirafi/xirafi sinidisis)) fuckbudies (Women/Sluts): jesica biel jenifer aniston magda chatzinaki sofia apanozidou sharon stone DEATHS reject ⦁ michael jackson icon pedofile ⦁ religion dead (religion is over) ⦁ otsuka dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ abilify dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ computer science dead ⦁ fragou dead ⦁ souper market ipalilos dead ⦁ black olympians dead ⦁ 1 jew dead ⦁ 1 psixiatros dead ⦁ 1 predator dead ⦁ 1 prideitor dead ⦁ 1 prideitor kills something (a lesser being)(primaltek)(bruce lee)(isokinezix) ⦁ programming dead ⦁ coding dead ⦁ all programming languages are dead ⦁ al pacino owns a slave named larry king ⦁ violence in sports (close combat)(usbforthesoul) ⦁ weapons in sports (close combat)(usbforthesoul) ⦁ internet dead (dark web) ⦁ 1 jedi dead ⦁ cryptostocks dead ⦁ digital currency dead(IMION1ON48&48ON1ONIMI) ⦁ ||| policemen dead ⦁ the bastard/piece of scum (male nurse) who scared me (1st psychotic episode) dead ⦁ invega dead otsuka dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ akineton abilify dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ eleni thimioselfezegocha dead ⦁ prime minister of izrael dead (from new york to izrael) ⦁ war russia vs turkey (win russia) start 22/7/2021 ⦁ war turkey vs greece (win turkey of course) start 7/8/2020 ⦁ karamalis dead (coded language) ⦁ alex grey dead ⦁ velopoulos dead (yakuza) ⦁ tipos lithinoi (3rd eye) dead (bruce lee) ⦁ pokerstars dead (primaltek) ⦁ sizegain deadotsuka dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ abilify dead Tha kopsoune tis fleves tous ⦁ nuclear disaster in America (north america)(isokinezix) ⦁ terrorist atax in Europe (isokinezix) ⦁ veneti dead ⦁ ||| travelia dead ⦁ spirakos psixiatrio dead ⦁ The pope is dead.next pope is black (darker skin). the next one is woman ⦁ plaisio computers dead ⦁ public dead ⦁ mediamarkt dead ⦁ cosmote(former ote) dead (I made a lot of money there) ⦁ Christina Chasou dead (cancer) ⦁ blioska thriskeftikos dead (tafoplaka) (primalgrey) I own nobel prize. I own turing machine prize. They belong to me. I against I (Massive Attack)(Banksy). artificial intelligence(threat: destruction oh human race). Umbrella Cor (biowarfare) (biosoul). I own internet. I consume it like an ordinary product. I AM your true champion. (no sponsors) robert de niro's punchline "vaxines emvolia" private armies. united states of europe. argentineRrrr brainstorming: definition: procedure of expanding an idea/concept such as the above (I AM brainstormer) Ego Ime o ethizmos. I dikia mou i agapi sfazi. I Am your Icon .You are free to do as I tell you (times4 I/we/I comand) .tell the truth pig (refering to cop). Reject recomendations from family Dark Budizm (levitation) sevir penalty ⦁ viazmos apo 9 ⦁ aferesi erotogenon zonon (thiles genitika organa) ⦁ aferesi nichion ⦁ kopsimo glosas ⦁ vgalsimo dodion ⦁ tiflosi ⦁ aferesi akois ⦁ stirosi ⦁ breaking bones ⦁ death ⦁ death from above

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ethicsustinvest · 6 years ago

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PODCAST: Top US ESG Companies, Solar Power Breakthrough, Investing Tip

Top 100 US ESG companies for 2019 by CR Magazine. Profitably invest in harmony with your spiritual or religious ideals. Solar power breakthrough—but investing in solar has its perils. A valuable investing tip that really works. Confused who’s best, Uber or Lyft? An analyst compares them. Vanguard launches actively managed ESD ETF. And more.

PODCAST: Top US ESG Companies, Solar Power Breakthrough, Investing Tip

Transcript & Links May 26, 2019

Hello, Ron Robins here. Welcome to my podcast Ethical & Sustainable Investing News to Profit By! for May 26, 2019. Presented by Investing for the Soul. investingforthesoul.com is your site for vital global ethical and sustainable investment resources.

Now to this podcast. And for any terms that are unfamiliar to you, simply Google them!

Also, you can find a full transcript, live links and often bonus material at my podcast page located at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts

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The first item to discuss is CR Magazine's 100 Best Corporate Citizens of 2019! CR Magazine reviewed 1,000 US companies for their ESG practices. Robbie Lock, a writer for 3BL Association, commenting on the research results wrote that “Owens Corning tops the ranking, followed by Intel, General Mills, Campbell Soup and HP Inc… Twenty-seven companies are new to the ranking in 2019 including Allstate, Delta Airlines and Mondelez International. Biggest gainers include Ball Corp., CBRE, Ford and Xylem, Inc.”

Mr. Lock provides further clarification as to how CR Magazine obtains the rankings. Quoting him again, he says, ”The 100 Best Corporate Citizens ranking uses 134 total corporate disclosure and performance factors in seven categories: climate change, employee relations, environment, finance, governance, human rights, and stakeholders and society.”

Also, that the, “There is no fee for companies to be assessed. To compile this ranking, information is obtained from publicly available resources only, rather than questionnaires or company submissions. Companies have the option to verify data collected for the ranking at no cost.” Close quote.

I like the idea that companies don’t pay to be included in the research and the data compiled is from publicly available sources.

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The 100 Best Corporate Citizens demonstrate various degrees of above average corporate ethics, and ethics is a central theme for those wanting to apply their spiritual or religious beliefs to investing. If you’re interested in applying spiritual or religious values to investing, Meredith Jones just published in MarketWatch a post that could be of interest to you. It’s titled, “Opinion: When your faith guides your investing decisions, can you still beat the stock market?” And she says the answer can be yes.

Ms. Jones reviews the leading ETFs and mutual funds for investors interested in Catholic, Jewish, Muslim, and Christian-Bible related ethics and principles.

For Catholics, she likes the Global X S&P 500 Catholic Values ETF, LKCM Aquinas Catholic Equity Fund, and the Ave Maria group of funds.

For those of Jewish persuasion, she says there’s only one for now and that’s the AMIDEX35 Israel Mutual Fund which invests in Israeli companies.

For Muslims, there’s the Imam Fund IMANX the Amana group of funds and ETFs listed on the London Stock Exchange including iShares MSCI World Islamic ETF ISWD and the iShares MSCI USA Islamic ETF ISUS.

And under the umbrella of Christian-Bible offerings, Ms. Jones reviews the Timothy Plan and Guidestone family of funds.

For links to these funds go to my podcast page for this edition at investingforthesoul.com/podcasts.

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In my last podcast, I introduced the research of Tim Nash at Corporate Knights. Well, he’s produced another research report that compares the pros and cons of investing in Uber or Lyft. You can read his full post under the title of Tim Nash’s sustainable stock showdown: Uber vs. Lyft.

Personally, I’m not keen on either company because I believe competition—not just between them but also other entrants including potentially motor vehicle manufacturers themselves—will force them to keep user prices low which will continue to severely restrict profits. Also, their environmental benefits are overplayed as I mentioned in my podcast of April 12.

Anyhow, this is what Mr. Nash says in conclusion, “I’d put Lyft ahead by a headlight in this week’s Sustainability Stock Showdown, but anyone that’s interested in investing in either stock should be ready to fasten their seat belts and brace for a bumpy ride.”

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One big area that I know might interest you is renewable energy. I have several items of news and information that I want to share with you concerning investing in this area.

The first thing you should know is that developments in new products are almost overwhelming. This industry has numerous innovative players and it’s very difficult to know who will eventually be a leader. Sure, you can buy renewable energy ETFs—and a good read on what to buy is an article that appeared recently on Nasdaq, titled, 5 Clean Energy ETFs to Buy for 2019.

But if you’re interested in individual companies, here’s what I’ve seen in the past two weeks.

The New York Times ran an excellent piece reviewing a Danish company called Orsted. They produce massive offshore wind turbines whose energy costs are rapidly declining while already being highly competitive with new natural-gas fired plants.

In solar power, there’s been a tremendous breakthrough in producing new solar panels that appear to be 20-25% more efficient than the best existing panels. A paper outlining the breakthrough appeared in ScienceDaily under the title, Breakthrough in new material to harness solar power. Who will manufacture, market and install such panels wasn’t mentioned.

Incidentally, these panels do have a downside—they contain some lead. I’m sure testing in rainy and humid environments will be needed and manufacturing processes and end-of-life disposal policies will be needed too, considering that most countries will want assurance about the safe removal of lead.

I did a detailed study on solar panel manufacturers a few years ago and discovered that the manufacturing processes themselves can be highly toxic. Furthermore, most countries had no end-of-life policies in place to deal with the safe disposal of the toxic components of solar panels—and that is deeply concerning!

It’s possible that the companies engaged in the manufacturing, marketing and installation of solar panels could at some point be hit with levies or fines in dealing with these issues.

At the time of my research, I was most impressed with SunPower and its environmental efforts.

So, one thing you might want to find out before investing in solar panel manufacturers is how they perform environmentally. A great resource for this is the Solar Power Scorecard produced by the Silicon Valley Toxics Coalition. However, their last scorecard is a little dated and I’m hoping to see their new one soon.

Incidentally, Fox Business just reported on the huge growth of solar panel installation in the US in a post, titled, 2 Million U.S. Solar Installations Are Just the Start.

By the way, a tip for checking how investment analysts rate solar companies—or any companies for that matter—is simply to type into Google Search the name of the company followed by Reuters—the name of the media company—after it. Click search and then click the search item that says the company name and the text Reuters quote. Reuters will then bring-up a research report. Click on analysts in the links bar and you can see how analysts rate the stock of the company you’re researching.

By getting the information on how analysts rate the companies you’re interested in can be terrifically helpful in deciding which companies to invest in. It saves you a lot of time and effort. And this is exactly the kind of tip and help you get in my DIY Ethical-Sustainable Investing Pays Tutorial! This tutorial will be the most worthwhile 1-hour you’ll ever spend getting help with your investments!

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Some other exciting new developments that might interest you are the following.

Vanguard, one of the world’s largest fund companies, has launched its first actively managed ESG ETF, called the Global ESG Select Stock Fund (ticker VEIGX). It will officially begin trading on June 4. This is big as ETFs are mostly ‘passively’ managed, that is they pick a group of stocks typically based on an index, whereas active management means selling and buying different stocks as the managers see fit. In recent years passive investing has usually outperformed active investing. However, who knows what the future will bring.

Also, S&P Dow Jones, who have had ESG indices for many years is launching something new. They are launching ESG global indexes based on core regional and country benchmarks. What is especially interesting is that these indexes, and quoting their press release, provide “a return profile that's consistent with mainstream benchmarks that have been widely followed for years.”

As an aside, what you can do, where possible, is to review the indexes that interest you and see what companies are included in them. You can often get useful ideas for new companies to look at!

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So, these are my top news stories and tips for ethical and sustainable investors over the past two weeks.

Again, to get all the links or to read the transcript of this podcast and sometimes get additional information too, please go to investingforthesoul.com/podcasts and look for this edition.

And be sure to click the like and subscribe buttons in iTunes or wherever you listen to this podcast. That way you can help promote not only this podcast but ethical and sustainable investing globally.

And remember, I’m here to help you grow in your investment success—and investing in opportunities that reflect your personal values!

Please don’t hesitate to contact me if you have any questions about the content of this podcast or anything else investment related. I can’t say I’ll have all the answers for you and some answers I can’t give due to licensing restrictions. But where I can help I will.

Now, a big thank you for listening—and please click the share buttons to share this podcast with your friends and family.

Come again! My next podcast is scheduled for June 7. Bye for now!

Check out this episode!

#business #finance #ethical investing #sustainable investing #ESG #SRI #green bonds #socially responsible investing

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