#how do I keep becoming a cornerstone of communities?

[gigglebug]

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[robertreich]

How Wall Street Priced You Out of a Home

Rent is skyrocketing and home buying is out of reach for millions. One big reason why? Wall Street.

Hedge funds and private equity firms have been buying up hundreds of thousands of homes that would otherwise be purchased by people. Wall Street’s appetite for housing ramped up after the 2008 financial crisis. As you’ll recall, the Street’s excessive greed created a housing bubble that burst. Millions of people lost their homes to foreclosure.

Did the Street learn a lesson? Of course not. It got bailed out. Then it began picking off the scraps of the housing market it had just destroyed, gobbling up foreclosed homes at fire-sale prices — which it then sold or rented for big profits.

Investor purchases hit their peak in 2022, accounting for around 28% of all home sales in America.

Home buyers frequently reported being outbid by cash offers made by investors. So called “iBuyers” used algorithms to instantly buy homes before offers could even be made by actual humans.

If the present trend continues, by 2030, Wall Street investors may control 40% of U.S. single-family rental homes.

Partly as a result, homeownership — a cornerstone of generational wealth and a big part of the American dream — is increasingly out of reach for a large number of Americans, especially young people.

Now, Wall Street’s feasting has slowed recently due to rising home prices — even the wolves of Wall Street are falling victim to sticker shock. But that hasn’t stopped them from specifically targeting more modestly priced homes — buying up a record share of the country’s most affordable homes at the end of 2023.

They’ve also been most active in bigger cities, particularly in the Sun Belt, which has become an increasingly expensive place to live. And they’re pointedly going after neighborhoods that are home to communities of color.

For example, in one diverse neighborhood in Charlotte, North Carolina, Wall Street-backed investors bought half of the homes that sold in 2021 and 2022. On a single block, investors bought every house but one, and turned them into rentals.

Folks, it’s a vicious cycle: First you’re outbid by investors, then you may be stuck renting from them at excessive prices that leave you with even less money to put up for a new home. Rinse. Repeat.

Now I want to be clear: This is just one part of the problem with housing in America. The lack of supply is considered the biggest reason why home prices and rents have soared — and are outpacing recent wage gains. But Wall Street sinking its teeth into whatever is left on the market is making the supply problem even worse.

So what can we do about this? Start by getting Wall Street out of our homes.

Democrats have introduced a bill in both houses of Congress to ban hedge funds and private equity firms from buying or owning single-family homes.

If signed into law, this could increase the supply of homes available to individual buyers — thereby making housing more affordable.

President Biden has also made it a priority to tackle the housing crisis, proposing billions in funding to increase the supply of homes and tax credits to help actual people buy them.

Now I have no delusions that any of this will be easy to get done. But these plans provide a roadmap of where the country could head — under the right leadership.

So many Americans I meet these days are cynical about the country. I understand their cynicism. But cynicism can be a self-fulfilling prophecy if it means giving up the fight.

The captains of American industry and Wall Street would like nothing better than for the rest of us to give up that fight, so they can take it all.

I say we keep fighting.

[hallowpen]

The Concepts of Community & Family as it Relates to Thai Buddhism in Peaceful Property

I really really enjoyed watching this series. I am someone who grew disillusioned with Buddhism at a young age for very personal reasons, only to find my own version of a relationship with it as I grew older and learned to appreciate it from a different perspective. So the spiritual meaning behind this series really resonated with me.

I can only explain things to the best of my personal knowledge, so my apologies if anything is factually incorrect.

There are four basic tenets that one must cultivate in order to achieve true happiness. They are known as the brahmavihara (พรหมวิหาร). 1 - Metta (เมตตา): Literally translating to mean 'goodwill', it is a genuine concern for the well-being of others. 2 - Karuna (กรุณา): Literally translating to mean 'compassion', it is the recognition of another's suffering as one's own and a selfless desire for that suffering to end. 3 - Mutita (มุทิตา): Literally translating to mean 'kindliness', it is the feeling of experiencing sincere gratification from the happiness and success of others, regardless of self-contribution. 4 - Ubeka (อุเบกขา): Literally translating to mean 'equanimity', it is the ability to remain impartial combined with the understanding the we cannot mitigate the personal karma of others.

Essentially, the brahmavihara teaches us to always place others above ourselves... while realizing that they will be responsible for facing their own consequences if they fail to do the same.

How does this play into the "family" dynamics that exist in PP? Oddly enough there are certain facets of Buddhism that preach 'anti-family' values, as family can be one's primary source of attachment and suffering. There is a quote that states, "Family is the blood that burdens you." However, when a familial bloodline has lost its way (or in this case, has been "cursed"), Buddhism encourages surrounding yourself with a community that is organized on a familial basis... what we would call 'sangha' or 'found family'. Valuing the members of that found family above corrupt ideology would realign one's path toward enlightenment. Or in simpler terms, the people we choose to surround ourselves with can spiritually save us from ourselves.

Home's family has been "cursed" by the three poisons of Buddhism: greed, hatred, and ignorance. Phon's greed and value of worldly possessions over others has led her down of path of literal darkness, toward a belief in the occult. Somkid's hatred toward his father has fueled his deceptive behaviors... which he saw as a way to reclaim a father's love (that he believed he never received) from the people who didn't deserve it. Home's grandfather was ignorant as to how his actions, or lack thereof, affected the family and community that surrounded him.

Home's own version of ignorance would have led to his own karmic downfall. The series does a great job of having Home slowly discover the true meaning of home by integrating him within a 'found family' that teaches him the values of the brahmavihara... which ultimately leads to his spiritual 'awakening' (in a sense).

Metta/Karuna: Communicating with and healing the souls of the spirits the group encounter, requires compassion and understanding... a sense of community/sangha that these spirits and Chobkol (the magician) were lacking.

There were several instances of compassion born out of goodwill, the most obvious being between Home and Peach. Forgiveness is a big deal in Thai Buddhism. It is one of the cornerstones of what we refer to as "harmonious justice", as it promotes ideals of true selflessness. Peach forgiving Home because he's seen the changes in Home and how this one action does not define who Home actively wants to become was really really important. Home and Peach exist in balance of one another... keeping them on a shared karmic path where Home can no longer 'turn a blind eye' to his family's injustices (we could get into that more, but that'll make this even longer than it already is 😜😜😜). I think having Tay and New take on these roles to almost ease the minds of non-Buddhist viewers toward a more Buddhist ideology was actually quietly genius.

Sangha is also what heals the vengeance in Kan's heart, born of the teachings of Metta: "We must refrain from inflicting suffering upon one another and be free from vengeance." It could have been woven into the narrative with a bit more finesse... but I digress.

Ubeka: Home accepts the rightfully directed anger and complaints against him and his family for the harm they have caused. His partiality toward his family, simply because he is related to them, disappears. He stands against his aunt and fights against his uncle at the risk of his own life. And he does so by still allowing them to face the karmic consequences of their own terrible crimes... whether they are at peace with it or not.

Mutita: Home celebrates Peach's dreams above his own wishes... without knowing that they would eventually coincide. I could even argue that their eventual correlation could be a result of Home's 'good karma' paying forward.

Home had to reevaluate his core morals in order to be free of his family's curse (meaning within himself). All these representations of Buddhist notions, born from within his newfound family, are what define Home's idea of the true meaning of home... and happiness.

[eriochromatic]

I am in love with the wha cross guild designs. Can you say something more about them? Like the thought process behind them and stuff.

sure! What I focused on first is how Mihawk, Buggy, and Crocodile's motives and personality would translate into the WHA world (I need a loose story first to be motivated before delving into the design!)

tbh I think with one piece's characters so focused on freedom and living without constraint, all pirate characters would technically be brimhats LOL (and Coco's arc of realizing the flaws of the current insitution is quite similar to Koby and the marines).

Devil fruit powers are easy to translate into seals tattooed on the skin (hence wha!Buggy's seal on his chest letting him split his body and wha!Crocodile's on his hand giving him sand manipulation). Mihawk is more interesting since he doesn't have a devil fruit, so naturally wha!Mihawk also doesn't have tattooed seals. Another way for a witch to become a brimhat is dabbling in forbidden seals, so wha!Mihawk has cursed seals on Yoru instead (which makes him a brimhat without modifying his body)

As for cornerstone character traits in the original: Mihawk is the greatest swordsman, Buggy is… just vibing LMFAO, and Crocodile is ambitous/power hungry/looking to rule his own kingdom. Obviously the greatest swordsman title means nothing in WHA, so wha!Mihawk instead is a great artificer, with Yoru being the strongest magic imbued weapon in existence. I'd like to think Yoru's seals were initially within guidelines, but Mihawk felt those rules were suffocating Yoru's potential, which is when he started using cursed and forbidden seals instead, all for the sake of Yoru becoming stronger.

Buggy I'd imagine is kind of like how Iguin is introduced in Coco's past- as a solo traveling witch mingling amongst common folk rather than being in a community of fellow witches. I think he'd be addicted to that feeling of superiority he'd get from being a revered witch in the eyes of the common people, so he's probably the head of a traveling circus troupe (where he's the only witch) touring the countryside (keeping a relatively low profile in the realm of witches, never staying in one place too long so the Knights Moralis don't go after him). Buggy's definitely not as altruistic or eager to help those in need as witches are supposed to be in WHA society, but of course he'd put on a good show to entertain the masses.

Eolio mentioned something interesting in chpt 53 ("We can be as in the tales of yore. King and witch, side by side"). There might've been more references to this concept of a monarch/person in power with a witch as their advisor (I just can't find it at the moment a;sldkfs) but I'd imagine that's what Crocodile would be doing. Like Buggy, I think he also gets a sense of superiority by being alongside commonfolk (vs Mihawk who's goal is to genuinely just make the strongest weapon possible and not interested in mingling with others). But instead of Buggy's route of mingling with commoners, Crocodile would definitely go the more sinister route- find some easily manipulated king or high lord and get into his good graces, eventually becoming the witch operating in the shadows and whispering machinations in his liege's ears. We don't know much about the pennisula yet and how far the witches' institution reaches so I don't know the exact position of power Crocodile feels safe aiming for without the Knights Moralis coming for his ass (a ruler might be too obvious lol but then again Crocodile tried to take over Alabasta right underneath the World Government's noses so who knows).

As for the designs themselves: Mihawk's fluffy plume being reminiscient of a brushbug is what started this entire idea for me, so I knew I had to add that in somehow. For each character I picked an overarching motif/theme I wanted in the character design, as well as adding in WHA design elements. WHA characters all tend to have large cloaks to cover their body while writing seals, and even though Cross Guild is all brimhats, nobody starts out as a brimhat so I'd imagine a large cloak or something top heavy would still be familiar to them even if they don't care about covering seals anymore.

For Mihawk I leaned a bit more into the vampire theme than his usual (cloak silhouette is bat like, plus the additional crosses everwhere. His sleeves aren't exactly attached to his jacket (like OPLA) and I also added that detail in the pants haha. I think Yoru is the real star here with all the seals on it, the two big ones are actually modified seals from the Ars Goetia (since they're supposed to be cursed after all); the top one is Glasya-Labolas (manslaughter and bloodshed) and the bottom one is Ronove (taker of old souls). The flower pattern on his sleeves is also not as paisley looking since it doesn't fit with the WHA artstyle, but there's so much hatching that at the end of the day I don't think it mattered lol. His cloak is the least cloak like since he needs to be able to swing that sword HAHA also he's not interacting with normal humans much anyways, usually he only interacts with witches that try to challenge him. Personally I think wha!Mihawk is quite bad at drawing seals on the fly- his specialty is being able to carve complex ones on metal perfectly so they'd be suitable in a fight later.

Buggy I went full medieval jester mode (I always tend to lean toward that aesthetic for Buggy rather than Joker Batman anyways haha). A couple of star motifs here and there, as well as slashed sleeves to reinforce the slicing and dicing of his body. Overall there's just a lot of vertical and horizontal lines on his body for that purpose. I really wanted to let Buggy's beautiful hair down since WHA's style is lovely with that kind of flowing hair. Oh all three of them are also wearing slyph shoes!

Crocodile's coat is directly inspired from Iguin's (esp for that scale motif); overall I wanted to incorporate flowy ornaments for him since I'd be drawing a lot of flowing sand; hence all the tassels on his cloak and sleeves. Cutouts are there for him to use sand manipulation more effectively. I know in canon both for him and Buggy the clothes also are affected by devil fruit powers but I don't think that would be the case here- Buggy's clothes also probably have seals in them and no one would be able to see if he's on stage but I think for Crocodile, since he'd be working with normal humans more he does have to be more cautious about things (hence why he also has a more traditional cloak compared to the others). Sand hat for coolness also for convenience bc he can just dissipate the sand if he's trying to disguise himself (like how Ininia's ribbons can appear normal instead of brim shaped). I also gave him a smoking pipe instead of a cigar because the pipe can be used as a red herring of sorts- to outsiders it might appear the pipe being the source of power (like for Mihawk's sword) but Crocodile's sand manipulation ability has the same scope as canon.

ANYWAYS that's probably a way more detailed response than you expected but hopefully that was interesting to read my thought process behind things! even though i captioned it Cross Guild I guess it ended up being more East Blue/Alabasta saga personalities than actual post Wano Cross Guild dynamics haha

[lambsouvlaki]

The Crime Lord - 2

Characters: Jason Todd x fem!oc

Rating and warnings: T, non-explicit smut.

Word Count: 1,560

Summary: Jason never stopped his crime lord ways, but he did find someone he wanted to spend the rest of his life with. They both have to live with what the things he's done.

Masterlist

At a little past six in the evening, she looked up from the organised chaos of her desk in her run down little office building and saw Jason sitting on the corner of her desk, watching her. 

She yelped, and jumped. 

He laughed. Despite her optimism back in the early days of their relationship, it never stopped startling her, and he never stopped enjoying it. 

“Oh, you asshat,” she said, putting a hand over her heart. “How long have you been there?”

“Just arrived.” He was in civilian clothes, with the stubble of several days at his chin. “You’re working hard, I wasn’t even trying this time.” 

She closed her eyes and rubbed them. She’d sent everyone else home an hour ago. Running a non-profit was so much harder than it looked. “This project, I swear. I’m going to pull my hair out.” 

“Don’t do that, you have beautiful hair.” 

“Hmm.” She cracked an eye open. “What are you doing here?”

“Had the evening free, figured I’d save you the bus trip home.”

“You sweetheart.” She eyed her paperwork, then looked at him again. “How’s your Cantonese?”

“Worse than yours. My Filipino is pretty good.”

She perked up. “Is it? You know it’s dangerous to go telling me things like that. I’ll put you to work.” 

“Good. You’ll want to keep me around then,” said her partner of six years and the man who funded the entire organisation. 

She grinned. “You have your uses, I suppose.” 

“You ready to go?” 

“Yeah. I just need to lock up.” 

She never sat down and decided to become a cornerstone of Gotham’s charity scene, she just gently slid into it. While the Red Hood and his crew held the worst of Gotham by the throat, she looked around the supposedly regular parts of the city and was dissatisfied.

There were too many people in the poorer districts who didn’t speak much English and relied on their community, only to be left behind when disaster struck. She had always been something of a polyglot and after her literature degree wrapped up she did some work with charities in the Alley, a little here and a little there, and got to know the movers and shakers in various communities. 

She tentatively started her initiative because nobody else was doing it, and Jason encouraged her. She pushed for it much harder when emergency sirens in English warned a largely Vietnamese neighbourhood that fear gas had been seeded in their waterways and they shouldn’t use their taps for the next twelve hours. The fallout was catastrophic.

She put some people in contact with other people, who then asked her opinion on who they should speak to afterwards. She kept at it, and within a shockingly small time frame she was arranging cross community relief work across half of Gotham and was busy learning her sixth language. 

The whole thing was a money pit of course. Red Hood funded it through several shell companies, and it could be thought of as money laundering, in the style of a washing machine that always eats your socks. He went out at night and beat money out of Gotham’s organised crime, and in the morning she put it back into the city.

She was no great figurehead in the local community, but people trusted her, and that was all she needed to get on with it. Her little office wasn’t a destination but a crossroads, infrastructure that nobody stopped to look at but everyone relied on. 

Information from so many people crossed her desk, from officials in the judicial system, to the head of the Thomas and Martha Wayne Foundation, to handwritten letters from little old ladies who wanted to know just who she was to tell them not to eat produce grown in their own backyard, a little Gotham soil put meat on your bones.

When one of Red Hood’s lieutenant's planned to overthrow him, she knew about it before Jason did. 

He walked her out the back entrance, then opened the driver’s door of his car for her. 

That told her everything she needed to know.

She hopped in and didn’t even bother glancing at the backseat for the rifles that would definitely be within easy reach under a tarp. Automatically she checked the roof opposite her office, and there he was, one of Hood’s men, blending in among the air conditioning units. She had learned to be good at spotting them. She’d gotten good at all sorts of things in the last six years. 

“Where are we going?” she asked, turning the keys in the ignition.

Jason gave her an address, and she drove. 

It wasn’t their home address, or at least it hadn’t been yesterday. That was how this worked. One of the disadvantages of not being a billionaire who only dipped his toes into the Gotham crime scene: there was no retreat for them, just sidestepping.

Jason kept a hand on a gun just below the window the entire drive. He watched the roads carefully, while she planned and adjusted their route to make sure she wasn’t ever boxed in or at a standstill. 

Despite the caution, they arrived without incident. Jason tapped his ear, and said they were in the clear. 

Their home for the night was one of his old safe houses by the docks, a loft apartment she hadn’t seen in years. 

“This takes me back,” she said, as they went in. He slung an arm over her shoulder. “I had a front row seat to watch you throw Tim off of that roof over there.”

He grinned and kissed her hair. “Hopefully no such theatrics tonight. I missed you too many nights this week.”

They went up and settled in. He made her dinner and told her to put her feet up. It had been too many late nights for both of them. 

She lounged back on the couch and watched him cook for her. She smiled wistfully. 

These moments were still so precious. Jason’s relaxed side, his playful side, his sweet and needy side. They didn’t get to come out very often and she hoarded those moments greedily. They were never going to be the norm. She knew that. 

The Red Hood was not an newcomer upsetting the board anymore, and this wasn’t a holding pattern. It was the destination. 

These were not the people they were becoming, but the people they already were. 

Some days she felt the guilt of it all. He had her tacit approval, and she was complicit by every standard. 

Those among Hood's men trusted to know about her had nicknamed her Evita. She found it deeply irritating, and Jason thought it was hilarious. She would contest the comparison, she wasn’t glamorous, and they were hardly living it up. But she knew how this looked, what they were doing. 

“Al Capone was loved by his community too,” Nightwing had told her once, sourly. 

No matter how much good she did, her passion project was funded by drug money. On the days when Jason felt the weight of his chosen work too heavily, funding hers justified it to himself. Maybe it was all motivated by guilt in the end and they were kidding themselves.  

But she recalled the Gotham she grew up in. The terror, the helplessness, the filth. 

It wasn’t like that anymore. It had changed, and Jason could tally that in his soul's favour. 

Black mask had been overthrown by his own second in command a couple years ago, after getting his shit kicked in one too many times. That particular criminal empire had crumbled without strong leadership, and Red Hood swallowed and chewed up what survived. 

The Penguin had lost so much ground that in the end GCPD scooped him up and he couldn’t even blackmail his way back out. 

The Joker died in Arkham. Reports were inconclusive. Nobody was fooled.

Hell, things had changed so much that Red Hood had installed safe injection sites across the Narrows, decimating his own drug trade, and dealing the biggest blow to hospitalisation numbers in Gotham’s history, ever. 

City authorities widely condemned the move as explicit distribution, but Jason held such a grip over his own districts that there was nothing they could do to stop him. 

The two of them ate and relaxed together as evening stretched on. He pulled her onto his lap, languid and easy with years of familiarity. His body knew hers so well, as she did his.

Perhaps they were damned for what they did. 

She wasn’t a fool, Gotham’s newfound peace was bought and paid for in blood night after night. They cleaned up the city without the city’s consent. 

As she rocked in his lap, he gazed at her with such devotion. In her he saw absolution. The soothing rain after his scorching fire, the recovery only possible after the infection was burned away. 

She enabled him.

The hands of a murderer held her hips steady. They caressed her body, then cupped her jaw. The lips of a man so drenched in blood she imagined they were both slippery with it, drank from her mouth. There were no vows, no rings, but he was hers. And she was his.

His head fell forwards, and she cradled him to her chest. She wondered if he saw the blood staining their hands just as vividly as she did.

He mouthed at her neck, and whispered her name. 

She didn’t regret a damn thing. 

Next>>

[sapphos-darlings]

In a wlw relationship, does one person usually has preferences in regards to things that would often be gendered in straight couples, like lifting the other up, guiding or being guided in a dance, having your hands on her waist or hers on yours, or do most just don't really have much of a preference and enjoy doing either? Do those gestures mean something, is the one doing the 'top' and the other the 'bottom'? In straight relationships, people often atribute meaning to those things, but I don't know how that works between women. I'm figuring out my sexuality now and I want to date women from now on, but I'm trying to concile that with the heteronormative context I've been in until now, because I keep trying to understand, but I don't, and I think I have to if I'll be dating other women.

It's not quite that black and white and definitely not as rigid as it may seem! There is a culture of butch/femme in the dating scene for gay women, and a more widely spread idea of top/switch/bottom from the gay scene in general, though this one is more relevant to gay men than it is women. The reasons to why this exist are complex and historical, and our other mod (Lavender) may be better equipped to tackle that side, but contemporarily speaking, these roles are not as relevant as they were earlier in lesbian/bi history and subculture.

To establish first: there is generally a celebration of "true" equality in gay relationships, of being free of the sexist implications that have been placed on straight relationships, and the ability to move on the spectrum from feminine to masculine in terms of behaviours, activities and appearance freely. Particularly in relationships between women, the lack of a direct patriarchal influence in the relationship is generally celebrated as a positive. However, in the past, the butch party would assume the traditionally masculine role. Femmes had the appearance and behaviour of more socially acceptable women and provided "shelter" for the gender non-conforming butch lesbians, who dressed and behaved in a masculine manner, sometimes living in the male role in society altogether, regardless of the actual gender identity of the butch in question. These roles were often assumed for survival, and we're talking pre-80s culture here, from the 1900s upwards, during very "nuclear family" and "traditional values" times, the majority of which homosexuality was labeled as a mental illness or was illegal altogether. But it's our cultural heritage, which in better times has become less of a cornerstone of survival and hiding in plain sight and more of an identity, a celebration of who we are - so butch and femme survive to date, and are mostly regarded as valid and beautiful identities to take on in the community.

I'd still say that in modern dating, they're less prevalent than they were before. We still have masculine women and feminine women dating each other, surely, but we also have masculine women dating masculine women and feminine women dating feminine women and women dating women who just don't fit anywhere specific on that spectrum. It's very much up to a person's nature and preference; playing into each other's strengths, rather than holding onto a specific role. For example, I'm naturally quite strong, and love picking up my small partner and hauling them around the house for the sheer joy of it. Picking people up is delightful and my partner loves to be picked up. Meanwhile, we do house maintenance together as a team, both of us know how to wield a hammer and work with nails, and if we had a car, we'd be tinkering with that together.

When it comes to roles in dancing or such, it's up to a person's personality and their level of confidence - the one who is confident and tends to take a leadership role in general will likely feel more in their element leading the dance as well. Similarly, in sex, it's up to personal preference: what you like doing, what you don't, and what experiences feel good to you and what doesn't work out. Some people are natural tops, some are natural bottoms, most people like to switch around depending on what the specific activity is all about. Sometimes a top is a dominant personality, sometimes they're a very soft person who simply enjoys to be in "lead" of the act, similarly for bottoms, they may be masculine or feminine or anything inbetween, there isn't a set place for "the woman" or "the man" in a relationship between two women, as it is, and as it should be, a relationship between two women.

In my experience, there isn't an expectation that in any given couple, one of them will assume a masculine or a feminine role and vice versa. This tends to come from the heterosexual world, and is often summed up in the rather unintentionally homophobic, ever-repeating question of "so, who's the man?" Nobody in a relationship with two women is the man, unless one of them or both of them specifically want to be the man, or feel like "the man" is an identity for them. Same with being "the woman". Ultimately, we are all just people, and these are gender roles that patriarchy and heteronormativity enforce across the gender and sexuality spectrum. Inherently, all of us share some traits in common with these roles, but very few of us fit into the set boxes neatly with all our limbs comfortably inside. In gay relationships, one of the most freeing things is to be able to let go of all of that and focus on who you are as a person, and who your partner is, and what you two have together, how you fit each other, how your strengths work into each other's weaknesses, how you support one another as a team.

Restricting yourselves down to one party being "a man" and the other being "a woman" in all things would be unnatural and clip the wings off of the potential you two have together to be strong exactly as you are, regardless of societal expectations.

Hope this answers your question!

[tsuunytsuun]

This is EXTREMELY random and probably very controversial.. But I think simmers put the sims 3 on too high of a pedestal.

[warning, this rant is LOOOONGGG so strap in if you dare.. also, these are opinions, if that wasn't obvious, so please relax before you threaten me or sm]

The way I play the sims depends a lot on the visuals (cas cc, builds, reshade and save files) so I prefer the sims 4 for obvious reasons.

I'm just stating my opinion, and I agree that the sims 4 has a LOT LOT LOT of problems, but Istg if I see ONE more reddit post with the title "The Sims 4 is kinda boring tbh" or "The sims 3 is better than the sims 4" or some iteration of that, I'm gonna lose my actual mind and delete the internet.

WE KNOW.

PERSONALLY, I just think a lot of simmers are semi-blinded by their nostalgia. Cause ts3 has more problems than people want to admit- and anybody who tries to come at me with the old "tHE sImS tHrEe HaD aN OpeN wOrlD!" argument can honestly go stub a toe.

Yes. I am complaining about complainers, deal with it.

They say TS4 has too many rabbit holes, but BABES TS3 has them pretty much EVERYWHERE. Restaurant? Rabbit hole. Store? rabbit hole. Spa? Rabbit hole. Rabbit hole rabbit hole RABBIT HOLE.

People act like TS3 didn't/doesn't need mods to make it more playable, JUST LIKE THE SIMS 4.

Keep in mind that I'm NOT hating on the sims 3 as a game, I played it and it's fun ig- I'm ranting about the group of simmers who will DIE on the "THE SIMS 4 SUCKS RAAAHHHH" hill and will never let the argument rest. (Although trust me, I've had my share of "the sims 4 sucks" moments and wanted to throw my computer)

I feel like when TS4 was announced, people were expecting a literal CLONE of TS3 with better graphics, and since that didn't happen, hate.

Just watch, when the sims 5 comes out, people are gonna pop their rose-tinted glasses back on and reminisce about how PERFECT the sims 4 was. It will become the NEW sims 3, the GOAT.

The weirdest thing to me is when a new pack is announced and people are basically going "omg this new pack is gonna SUCK, so I'm gonna spend a bunch of money so I can TELL them how much it sucks- that oughta show em"

WHY? Just WHY.

And about some of the gameplay bugs (I'm not talking about certain expansion packs, we all know those are broken and complaints about that are perfectly valid) I've been seeing. Eighty percent of the time they can be fixed by deleting files in your game than can cause issues.

I'm literally BEGGING yall at this point, delete the localthumbcache file in your sims game folder. PLEASE. It won't harm your game. It helps a lot with lag and other bugs.

At this point some people are just complaining to complain, complaining is practically a cornerstone of the sims community at this point.

It's a part of the deal when you sign on to become a simmer, it's a tradition, a fact of life, one of the many things that brings simmers all over the world together. Complaining.

Also, lets be honest here. Even if the TS4 glitches are annoying, sometimes they can be pretty dang hilarious. Trust me, all you have to do is search "funniest sims 4 glitches" on Youtube and prepare to laugh.

Thank you for coming to my TED talk, I'll see myself out. Waiting for the inevitable discrediting of this rant in the comments.

(I posted this on reddit too, so if you see it there then yeah that's me)

[drkarenhawk]

Dr. Karen Hawk’s Tips for Improving Self-Awareness

Introduction

Self-awareness is the cornerstone of personal growth, emotional intelligence, and healthy relationships. When individuals are in tune with their thoughts, emotions, behaviors, and motivations, they are better equipped to make conscious decisions, cultivate meaningful connections, and manage life’s challenges with clarity. Dr. Karen Hawk, a renowned therapist and counselor, is passionate about helping individuals enhance their self-awareness to achieve a greater sense of fulfillment in their lives.

In this blog, we will explore Dr. Hawk’s practical tips for improving self-awareness. Whether you’re seeking personal growth, emotional balance, or better communication in your relationships, these strategies can help you gain a deeper understanding of yourself and the world around you.

Why Self-Awareness Matters

Self-awareness is the ability to reflect on and understand your own thoughts, emotions, and behaviors. It involves being mindful of how your internal state affects your actions and interactions with others. Self-awareness is essential because it:

Enhances Emotional Regulation: When you are aware of your emotions, you can manage them more effectively, preventing impulsive reactions and improving your ability to respond thoughtfully.

Improves Decision-Making: Understanding your values, desires, and fears allows you to make decisions that align with your authentic self, rather than being driven by external pressures or unconscious biases.

Strengthens Relationships: Self-awareness fosters empathy and understanding, which are key ingredients for building strong, healthy relationships with others.

Promotes Personal Growth: With self-awareness, you can identify areas for growth and take intentional steps toward self-improvement, leading to greater confidence and self-esteem.

Dr Karen Hawk Psychologist Phoenix emphasizes that self-awareness is not a destination but an ongoing journey. It requires time, patience, and consistent practice to cultivate. Below are some of Dr. Hawk’s top tips for improving self-awareness.

1. Practice Mindfulness Meditation

One of the most effective ways to improve self-awareness is through mindfulness meditation. Dr Karen Hawk Psychologist Phoenix explains that mindfulness involves paying attention to your thoughts, emotions, and physical sensations in the present moment, without judgment. By practicing mindfulness regularly, you can develop a greater understanding of your inner world and become more aware of your habitual thought patterns.

Dr. Hawk recommends starting with short meditation sessions—just five to ten minutes a day—focusing on your breath and observing any thoughts or feelings that arise. Over time, you will develop the ability to tune into your emotions and gain insight into your automatic reactions.

2. Keep a Journal

Journaling is a powerful tool for self-reflection and emotional processing. Dr Karen Hawk Psychologist encourages individuals to write down their thoughts, feelings, and experiences, especially during moments of stress or confusion. By putting pen to paper, you can gain clarity about your emotions, uncover underlying beliefs, and identify patterns in your behavior.

Writing allows you to externalize your inner world, making it easier to understand and address any concerns or questions you may have about yourself. Dr. Hawk suggests using journaling prompts such as:

“What am I feeling right now, and why?”

“What are my core values, and how do they influence my decisions?”

“What are the recurring patterns in my relationships, and what can I learn from them?”

3. Seek Constructive Feedback

Dr Karen Hawk Psychologist Phoenix recommends seeking feedback from trusted friends, family members, or colleagues to gain an external perspective on your behavior and communication style. Sometimes, we are blind to our own tendencies or blind spots, and others may notice patterns we’re unaware of. Asking for constructive feedback creates an opportunity to learn more about how others perceive us and can highlight areas for growth.

When asking for feedback, it’s important to remain open-minded and non-defensive. Dr. Hawk advises that you approach feedback with curiosity, rather than judgment, to foster a growth-oriented mindset.

4. Reflect on Your Emotional Triggers

Being aware of your emotional triggers—those situations, words, or behaviors that elicit strong emotional reactions—is key to improving self-awareness. Dr. Hawk explains that emotional triggers often point to unresolved issues, unmet needs, or hidden fears that influence our behavior.

By reflecting on your triggers, you can begin to understand the root causes of your emotional reactions and gain control over them. Dr Karen Hawk Psychologist Phoenix suggests taking note of situations that evoke strong emotions, such as frustration or anxiety, and asking yourself:

“What underlying need or belief is driving this reaction?”

“What can I learn from this trigger about my own emotions or past experiences?”

5. Set Aside Time for Self-Reflection

Carving out time for regular self-reflection allows you to pause and assess your thoughts, actions, and goals. Dr. Hawk recommends setting aside a few minutes each day or week to check in with yourself and reflect on your progress. This could involve asking yourself questions like:

“What went well today, and what could I improve?”

“Am I living in alignment with my values and goals?”

“How did my emotions influence my decisions and interactions today?”

Self-reflection helps you stay aligned with your authentic self and ensures that you are making conscious choices based on your values and aspirations.

Conclusion

Improving self-awareness is an ongoing process that requires commitment, patience, and self-compassion. Dr. Karen Hawk’s tips—such as practicing mindfulness meditation, journaling, seeking feedback, reflecting on emotional triggers, and setting aside time for self-reflection—can help individuals gain a deeper understanding of themselves and lead more intentional, fulfilling lives. By becoming more self-aware, you can enhance your emotional intelligence, build stronger relationships, and navigate life’s challenges with greater clarity and confidence.

[crazyarcadecrusade]

Grow with seo

Introduction:

In 2025, staying ahead in the digital landscape means adapting to the latest search engine optimization (SEO) trends. With Google and other search engines constantly evolving, keeping your website optimized is crucial for maintaining and improving your online visibility. In this article, we’ll dive into the best SEO strategies for 2025 that can boost your website’s performance and rankings.

1. Focus on User Experience (UX) for SEO Success

User experience (UX) is more important than ever in 2025. Search engines, especially Google, are prioritizing websites that offer exceptional UX. A great user experience means fast load times, mobile responsiveness, intuitive navigation, and engaging content.

Actionable Tip: Optimize your website’s design and structure for users by making it mobile-friendly and ensuring pages load quickly. Tools like Google’s Core Web Vitals can help you measure and improve your site’s performance.

2. Mobile-First Indexing: Optimize for Smartphones

With mobile devices dominating internet usage, mobile-first indexing is now the standard. This means that Google primarily uses the mobile version of your website to index and rank content. If your site isn’t mobile-friendly, you’re likely missing out on crucial search engine rankings.

Actionable Tip: Ensure your website is responsive on mobile devices, loads quickly, and provides the same functionality across both desktop and mobile versions.

3. Core Web Vitals and Technical SEO

Core Web Vitals (LCP, FID, and CLS) are metrics that measure the performance and user experience of your website. Google uses these as ranking factors, so optimizing your site’s technical aspects is essential.

Actionable Tip: Regularly audit your website using tools like Google PageSpeed Insights and Lighthouse to ensure that Core Web Vitals are up to par.

4. Voice Search Optimization

Voice search is on the rise, and in 2025, it’s becoming an integral part of SEO strategies. People are using voice assistants like Siri, Alexa, and Google Assistant to search for information. Optimizing for voice search involves using natural, conversational language and focusing on featured snippets.

Actionable Tip: Target long-tail keywords and phrases that match the way people speak. Focus on questions (e.g., “How do I improve my SEO in 2025?”) to increase your chances of appearing in voice search results.

5. High-Quality Content is Still King

Content remains a cornerstone of SEO, and the quality of your content has never been more important. Search engines prioritize well-researched, informative, and engaging content that provides value to users.

Actionable Tip: Focus on creating in-depth, valuable content that answers users’ questions and satisfies their search intent. Incorporate multimedia like videos, infographics, and images to enrich the user experience.

6. AI and Content Generation

Artificial intelligence (AI) is making waves in the SEO world, and it’s expected to be a major player in 2025. AI-driven tools can help generate content, conduct keyword research, and even analyze user behavior to optimize strategies.

Actionable Tip: Experiment with AI tools to automate tasks such as content creation, keyword analysis, and SEO audits. However, make sure your content still has a human touch and provides value to the reader.

7. Local SEO: Targeting Your Community

Local SEO is essential for businesses that want to attract nearby customers. By optimizing your website and content for local searches, you increase your chances of showing up in Google’s local pack and attracting more local traffic.

Actionable Tip: Claim and optimize your Google My Business listing, include local keywords in your content, and gather positive reviews from local customers.

8. E-A-T and SEO: Build Trustworthiness

Expertise, Authoritativeness, and Trustworthiness (E-A-T) are important ranking factors for Google, particularly in niches like health, finance, and legal industries. Websites that demonstrate expertise and provide reliable, accurate content are rewarded with higher rankings.

Actionable Tip: Showcase your credentials, use reputable sources, and ensure that your content is fact-checked and trustworthy. Link to authoritative sources and get backlinks from high-quality websites.

9. Link Building and Outreach

Link building is a core aspect of SEO in 2025. Backlinks from reputable websites signal trust and authority to search engines. The quality of your links is far more important than the quantity.

Actionable Tip: Focus on acquiring backlinks through guest posting, influencer outreach, and creating shareable content that others will want to link to.

Conclusion: Stay Ahead with the Latest SEO Trends in 2025

SEO in 2025 is all about providing a seamless user experience, creating valuable content, and adapting to new technologies like voice search and AI. By focusing on these strategies, you can ensure that your website remains competitive and continues to rank well in search engine results. Keep updating your knowledge and refining your strategies to stay ahead of the curve!

[dangerous-advantage]

howdy. i'm dangerous advantage, but you can just call me danger.

i. about me !! as stated in my bio, i'm neurodivergent (ADHD/autism-haver) and queer (bi/nonbinary). i use primarily they/them pronouns, but also carry a special love for neos of all kind. if you want to mix it up, feel free.

my brand is red (yes, the color). proud primary-color enjoyer or whatever. shout out to my fellows in the primary color community <3.

my style tends to lean punk/gothic.

i'm a huge writing nerd, and love talking about it and collaborating with other writers. i especially enjoy themes and symbolism. it should come as little surprise, then, that i am also a slut for critical and literary analysis.

not a tumblr veteran, but i have been here since late 2017/18 (somewhere around there).

in other news: entering my cowboy gothic era. this cannot be stopped

ii. blog/fandom interests this is primarily a fandom blog, but i try to keep a balance of regular tumblr shenanigans on here as well. i do reblog stuff about politics on occasion, especially when trying to boost awareness, so be aware of that.

i tend to jump around a lot interest-wise, but there are hyperfixations/communities i'll circle back to more than others.

such fandoms include:

- atfg || 'all for the game' by nora sakavic (kevin day my beloved <3) - - danmei titles || thousand autumns, guardian, sha po lang (stars of chaos), mxtxs' works - - dcu and adjacent || mostly batfam, lol - - tma || the magnus archives - podcast by rusty quill - - tmnt/usagi yojimbo - - tts || 'the tarot sequence' by kd edwards - (...and probably some others i am forgetting.)

in interacting with fandom, i am largely a writer. you can find my ao3 here. i also do a fair amount of critical analysis, especially when it comes to written media.

iii. warnings i have been cursed with the miserable quality of inconsistency. i can spend several months or even years being pretty consistent on here, and then just one day drop off the face of the earth. i haven't gone for good yet, though, so if i've been inactive for a while, there's a fair chance i'll find my way back.

i tend to trim my following count fairly often. i rarely unfollow mutuals, so if you've decided to become my mutual, you're probably in it for the long haul. that being said, if you're ever sick of my shit, feel free to unfollow me. promise i won't take it personally.

i try to be vigilant about bots. if i end up accidentally blocking you and you are a real person, it's probably because i mistook your account for a bot account.

this account may contain explicit or suggestive content. though i try to be discerning when tagging, please be aware of that.

iv. random trivia break no clue how other people perceive me or my work (so if you'd tell me, that would be great /lighthearted). however! i do be enjoying shit (:<

i first got into the fandom scene with aftg, but it wasn't my first experience with fandom. my favorite season is autumn, and my favorite holiday is halloween. i like cards and dice from a purely aesthetic standpoint, and collect the former! ballroom dance is my favorite type of dance, of which i actually took classes in for around three years. i am a cat person. my favorite instrument is the hurdy-gurdy, then the cello, then the bari sax. i keep a document called 'new and interesting words' full of words recently discovered and update it semi-regularly. my favorite number is '4.' i don't drink coffee and only occasionally drink tea. my favorite drinks are raspberry lemonade and (specifically) milk-made hot chocolate.

v. standards of morality a lot of people have a dni-list. i don't really rock that way (though, no shade to those who do).

the cornerstone of my beliefs lies in radical acceptance and seeking out others' perspectives. basically, do as you wish -- as long as it isn't hurting others or yourself, why should i care?

ultimately, i'm a believer in cultivating your own online experience. i block pretty liberally, and try not to interact with things i don't like. i'm also a supporter of minding your own business. for my own mental health, i avoid drama like the plague.

i do not support the use of AI in creator-friendly communities. please support your local artists!

vi. tagging system thank you, brave soldiers, for carrying on all the way to the end. you are stronger than you know /silly.

blog-related:

dangerous ramblings || personal posts; thoughts, random bs, etc confessionals || my asks tag! used when answering asks dangerous dialogues || convos between myself and others; post-form or otherwise my writing || for if i ever post any of my own writing on here

other:

classic / classic post || notable posts in tumblr's history n/sfw / n/sfw-ish || block these if you aren't interested in seeing anything suggestive divertives || tag for my fav posts, mine or otherwise <3

anyway!! xoxo, danger (:

[bethmcalester]

The Art School vs The Home

As I near the end of my degree and wondering where I will go next, I can't help but think about how the physical site of creation impacts my work.

My first years at the Slade were characterised by the honing of a visual language. My work was presented without context of history or source, without the need for one homogenising narrative, and without pressure for discursive resolution. I created in a manner that requested a simple piece of the puzzle command centre stage, my predominantly British peers left to engage with this material instinctively. Transitional justice is frequently overshadowed by a focus on the roles of elite actors and bureaucratic processes. The treatment of past events as a series of historic events or legal cases cannot begin to reveal the complex but everyday, habitual modes in which it colours the present. In the art school (or later perhaps the gallery), the principles that organise such bureaucratic procedures are rendered exterior. The painted object is lifted in both substance and theme by its rendering and display out of a biographical or republican narrative, given a proximity to other images that have been crafted from the same materials and techniques (such that the canvas, oil, graphite serve to unite - visually, sensually - as much as the ‘thematics’ of their display).

This lack on perceived context has benefited my making no doubt by revealing my own lacking communicative ability when working within the confines of a non-spoken format. As I depart from this institutional setting I will likely be given the option to provide more contextual and historical information regarding my work in the form of the press release or artist statement. However, I do not feel it as necessary now as I once did, stepping back from specificity produced a new form of universality in my work.

But how will this change if I am to return to Northern Ireland, I wonder, returning to the context. I go home often and am quickly informed if I am developing 'notions', it has been an important way of keeping two feet on the ground. Although not always comfortable, the discourse that often arises around my paintings and research has become a cornerstone of my practice, which is at its core a structure I utilise to mediate understanding with others. As I have shared my work with people from both communities many have offered their own materials for me to take and transcribe, be that photos, words or experiences. The cultural landscape i work from is predominantly a visual one, as dichotomies are actively reinforced in both Protestant and Catholic environments, shared experiences become one of the few palpable through-lines between communities and commemorations consolidate a collective perception of place. I draw on these customs and the solace of their repetition within my practice, but this has been facilitated by notable physical separation, working in England these last four years.

Will I be able to create within the context of the home? My work and the research that underpins it is informed by an unresolved situation, narratives still ongoing, and closure in the form of therapeutic or thematic resolution is not something I can currently attain. Under a cacophony of mark and opinion, my understanding is continually morphing and subsequent outcomes are frequently or perhaps cyclically, in a state of flux. Nonetheless, it is a site in which individual perceptions and dominant narratives are opened up for critical reflection, probing the notion of what constitutes peace and its conditions of possibility. Discomfort may come from working with these ideas in that place but changing the present requires taking up the materials of our past differently and ultimately, I desire to reappropriate these materials towards a new manner of reflecting on who we are.

[krunal-vyas]

How to Set Clear Expectations When You Hire Dedicated Developers in India

When you decide to hire dedicated developers in India, it’s crucial to set clear expectations right from the start. India has become a hub for outsourcing software development due to its cost-effectiveness and the availability of highly skilled developers. However, working with offshore development teams comes with unique challenges. By setting clear goals, defining roles, and ensuring regular communication, you can overcome these hurdles and enjoy the benefits of hiring developers from India.

In this guide, I’ll show you how to setting clear expectations with your remote development team, manage offshore software development companies effectively, and achieve a successful outcome for your project.

Understanding the Benefits of Hiring Dedicated Developers in India

Why Choose Dedicated Developers in India?

India offers a rich talent pool of experienced and skilled software developers. Many businesses are turning to offshore software development companies to build cost-effective, scalable solutions. By hiring developers in India, you can leverage:

Cost-Effective Solutions: Outsourcing software development to India allows businesses to access top-tier talent at a fraction of the cost compared to hiring locally.

Scalable Teams: Whether you need one developer or an entire dedicated development team, India can provide the flexibility to scale as needed.

Expertise and Innovation: Indian developers for hire bring expertise in various technologies, from mobile apps to enterprise software.

However, managing remote development teams can be complex. To ensure success, setting clear expectations with remote developers from India is vital.

How Do I Set Clear Expectations When Hiring Developers in India?

1) Defining Project Scope and Goals:

The first step to ensuring a successful collaboration with Indian developers for projects is to clearly define the project’s scope and goals. Here’s how to do it:

Be Specific About Requirements: Clearly outline the project’s objectives. Are you building a web app, a mobile app, or a complex enterprise system?

Break It Into Milestones: Divide the project into smaller milestones that will make tracking progress easier for both your in-house team and the India-based development team.

Set Achievable Deadlines: Considering time zone differences, it’s essential to be realistic when setting deadlines. Use remote team management tools to track timelines and progress.

This ensures that everyone involved understands the project’s direction and their individual roles.

2) Effective Communication with Remote Developers in India:

Clear and effective communication is a cornerstone of managing offshore development teams. To make communication easier, consider the following:

Choose the Right Tools: Use collaboration tools like Slack, Zoom, and Trello to ensure continuous communication with your Indian software developers.

Establish Communication Guidelines: Agree on meeting schedules that work for both parties, keeping in mind the time zone coordination with offshore teams.

Cultural Sensitivity: Be mindful of any cultural differences that may affect communication and workflow. India has a unique work culture, so ensure that there’s a mutual understanding of expectations.

By prioritizing communication, you’ll reduce the risk of misunderstandings and create a more collaborative environment.

3) Defining Roles and Responsibilities:

Setting clear roles and responsibilities helps to streamline workflows when hiring dedicated developers in India. Here’s how to define them:

Clarify Job Descriptions: Ensure your dedicated developers know what is expected of them in terms of tasks and deadlines.

Report Structure: Define who the developers report to and how they’ll provide progress updates. This structure is key when managing offshore software development companies.

When you set clear roles from the beginning, it helps to avoid confusion and ensures that the team stays focused on their specific tasks.

Setting Performance Metrics with Your Dedicated Developers

1) Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) to Track Progress:

Setting measurable goals and tracking progress is essential for managing remote software development teams effectively. You can use KPIs such as:

Code Quality: Ensure that the quality of work meets your standards.

Timeliness: Track how well your dedicated software development team adheres to deadlines.

Communication: Measure how quickly your developers respond to inquiries and issues.

KPIs are vital to ensuring the productivity of your dedicated developers in India, as they provide concrete metrics to monitor and adjust strategies when necessary.

2) Tools for Monitoring Progress and Performance:

There are various tools available for monitoring the progress of your Indian development agencies and ensuring smooth collaboration. Consider using:

Project Management Tools: Jira, Trello, or Asana can help you track the project’s milestones and ensure that tasks are completed on time.

Version Control: Tools like GitHub or Bitbucket are useful for tracking code quality and version control.

Time Tracking: Use time tracking software to ensure that your remote developers in India are meeting their estimated work hours.

Managing Remote Development Teams from India

1) Best Practices for Managing Offshore Teams:

Managing offshore software development teams requires clear structures, trust, and the right tools. Follow these tips to effectively manage offshore development teams in India:

Maintain Regular Communication: Hold weekly or bi-weekly check-ins to ensure that both you and your team stay on track.

Ensure Quality Assurance: Implement quality checks at each stage of the project. Regular code reviews can ensure that the development work aligns with your expectations.

Be Culturally Aware: Be mindful of time zone differences, holidays, and other cultural aspects that might affect productivity or communication.

By following these practices, you can build a more cohesive working relationship with your Indian developers for hire.

2) Handling Time Zone Coordination:

One of the most challenging aspects of working with Indian developers is coordinating across time zones. Use tools like World Time Buddy to find overlapping working hours. Also, be flexible with meeting times to accommodate both sides.

Conclusion:

To set clear expectations when you hire dedicated developers in India, define project goals, establish communication channels, and set achievable deadlines. Use performance metrics (KPIs) to track progress and ensure quality work.

Ready to hire dedicated developers in India for your next project? iQlance can help you find the right talent and guide you in setting clear expectations that lead to successful outcomes.

Contact us today and let’s make your outsourcing journey a success.

[jammysanderson]

How Do I See My Amazon Reviews and Track Changes Over Time

Introduction

Shopping on Amazon has become a cornerstone of online retail, and leaving or reading reviews is an essential part of the experience. Whether you're a frequent reviewer or someone who simply wants to track your past feedback, understanding how do I see my Amazon reviews and monitor changes over time is crucial. This comprehensive guide will walk you through everything you need to know about efficiently managing and accessing your Amazon reviews.

Why Amazon Reviews Matter

Amazon reviews are more than just feedback; they are a crucial element of the platform’s ecosystem. They influence purchasing decisions, provide insights into product quality, and help sellers improve their offerings. By managing and tracking your reviews, you contribute to a more transparent and trustworthy marketplace.

Key Points to Explore

1. Accessing Your Amazon Reviews

2. Tracking Review Changes Over Time

3. Tools and Methods for Managing Reviews

4. FAQs: Understanding Amazon Reviews

5. Unique Insights: Why Tracking Reviews Matters

Accessing Your Amazon Reviews

Navigating Amazon’s platform to find your reviews can be straightforward if you know where to look. Here’s a step-by-step guide.

How Do I See My Amazon Reviews?

Log Into Your Account: Start by logging into your Amazon account on a web browser or the mobile app.

Go to Your Profile: Hover over the "Account & Lists" menu and select "Your Account." From there, click "Your Profile."

View Your Reviews: Under your profile, you’ll see all the reviews and ratings you’ve left.

Use Filters: You can sort reviews by date or other criteria to find specific entries.

Pro Tip:

Using the Amazon app? Tap the three horizontal lines in the top left corner, select "Your Account," and navigate to "Profile" to access your reviews.

Why This Matters Locally

Many local users rely on reviews to decide where to shop online. For instance, if you’re based in New York or Los Angeles, your reviews might be shaping the choices of your community members.

Troubleshooting Common Issues

If you can’t find your reviews:

Ensure You’re Logged In: Sometimes, reviews are tied to a specific account.

Clear Cache: For mobile users, clearing app data or reinstalling can resolve issues.

Tracking Review Changes Over Time

Amazon does not notify users about changes to their reviews, but you can take proactive steps to monitor updates.

Why Would Reviews Change?

Product Updates: Sellers may update product listings, influencing your original review.

Community Feedback: Your review might be flagged for edits or removed if it violates guidelines.

Your Edits: You might decide to modify your opinion based on further product use.

How Do I See My Amazon Reviews and Monitor Changes?

Manual Tracking

Take Screenshots: After posting a review, take a screenshot to compare it later.

Keep Notes: Use a spreadsheet or note-taking app to log your reviews and their dates.

Using Third-Party Tools

Several tools help track your reviews and notify you of changes:

ReviewMeta: Analyze your reviews for authenticity and identify changes.

Fakespot: Provides insights into the reliability of reviews and sellers.

Social Mention: Tracks mentions of your reviews on social media or forums.

Local Perspective

Suppose you’re a small business owner in Chicago using Amazon to monitor customer feedback. Tracking review trends can help you identify seasonal preferences and tailor offerings.

Tools and Methods for Managing Reviews

Managing reviews effectively requires both Amazon’s built-in tools and third-party services.

Built-In Amazon Features

Review Management Dashboard: Available for sellers to monitor reviews on their products.

Customer Communication: Respond directly to reviews for better engagement.

Third-Party Solutions

Software Tools

AMZFinder: Tracks reviews and sends automatic alerts for new feedback.

FeedbackExpress: Helps streamline communication with reviewers.

Extensions and Plugins

Browser extensions like Keepa or Honey can enhance your review-tracking experience by providing detailed analytics and price history comparisons.

FAQs: Understanding Amazon Reviews

How Do I Leave a Review on Amazon?

Navigate to the product page.

Scroll to the "Write a Review" section.

Rate the product and provide written feedback.

Can I Edit My Amazon Reviews?

Yes, go to "Your Profile," locate the review, and click "Edit Review."

Why Can’t I See My Amazon Reviews?

Your reviews may be under moderation or removed for violating guidelines.

Are Amazon Reviews Reliable?

While Amazon implements measures to ensure authenticity, some reviews may be biased or fake. Tools like ReviewMeta can help verify reliability.

How Do I Track Reviews for Products I Sell?

Sellers can use Amazon’s "Review Management Dashboard" or third-party tools like Jungle Scout.

Unique Insights: Why Tracking Reviews Matters

Tracking reviews isn’t just about personal satisfaction—it’s about contributing to a more transparent marketplace. Here are some unique insights:

Building Trust in Your Community

Your reviews can influence local buying habits. For instance, if you’re in a niche market like artisanal crafts in Portland, your reviews carry weight.

Identifying Trends

By tracking your reviews, you can notice patterns—such as consistent product issues—and adjust your purchasing decisions accordingly.

Empowering Sellers and Buyers

Providing detailed feedback helps sellers improve while guiding buyers toward better choices.

Conclusion

Understanding "how do I see my Amazon reviews" and tracking changes over time empowers you as a buyer and a seller. Whether you’re leaving reviews to help others or monitoring feedback to improve your business, this knowledge ensures a more engaged and informed Amazon experience. By using the steps, tools, and insights provided in this guide, you’ll master the art of review management and contribute to a thriving online community.

[yash-ma]

Understanding the DISC Personality Test and Its Role in Effective Management

Introduction

Effective management is one of the cornerstones of organizational success, and understanding your team members' personalities is crucial to becoming an impactful leader. One of the most popular tools used to gain insights into employee behavior and improve management effectiveness is the DISC Personality Test. This test categorizes individuals into four primary behavioral styles: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness, and Conscientiousness. Understanding these styles will help managers lead better, tailor communication, and optimize performance.

In this blog, we will explore what the DISC Personality Test is, how it applies to management, and the benefits it offers in creating a harmonious and productive workplace.

What is the DISC Personality Test? The DISC Personality Test is a psychological tool that identifies four primary personality traits in individuals:

Dominance (D) – Dominant personalities are result-oriented, assertive, and often take charge of situations. They value efficiency, challenges, and control.

Influence (I) – Influencing personalities are persuasive, social, and enthusiastic. They thrive in environments where interaction and collaboration are key, and they often inspire others with their energy. Steadiness (S) – People with a Steady personality are patient, supportive, and empathetic. They value stability, consistency, and collaboration in a team.

Conscientiousness (C) – People with a Conscientious personality are detail-oriented, analytical, and systematic. They focus on accuracy, quality, and process.

Understanding the DISC personality styles can make a big difference in the way managers work with their teams, leading to a more cohesive and productive work environment.

DISC Management: Tailoring Leadership to Different Personalities DISC management is the application of insights from the DISC Personality Test to tailor management strategies to the needs of different team members. Every employee has unique preferences, work styles, and motivations that may influence how they respond to different management styles. Managers can communicate more effectively, increase employee satisfaction, and improve team performance by understanding these differences.

Managing Dominant Personalities (D) Dominant individuals thrive in producing results and in having a challenge. They value autonomy and quick decision-making. As a manager, this gives them opportunities to lead the projects, take on responsibilities, and make them strive to be greater. However, don't overdo it as too much micromanagement and doing routine tasks frustrate these individuals.

To control Dominant personalities, provide clear expectations, allow independence, and focus on outcomes rather than process. Recognize their achievements and give them the freedom to make decisions.

Managing Influential Personalities (I) Influencing individuals prefer social environments and are motivated more by recognition, interaction, and teamwork. They thrive in a lively, dynamic work environment and often become motivators for others. The manager should provide them with opportunities for collaboration, public recognition, and personal connections.

For managing Influential personalities, maintain an open, engaging atmosphere. Encourage their creativity, include them in brainstorming sessions, and recognize their contributions to keep them motivated.

Managing Steady Personalities (S) Steady people value harmony, stability, and predictability. They are reliable, loyal, and dedicated workers who prefer working in a calm, supportive environment. Steady personalities may shy away from confrontation and prefer to avoid sudden changes. As a manager, your role is to create a supportive and stable work environment where they feel valued.

Be patient, give them regular feedback, and reassure them when things change. Appreciate their loyalty and make them feel they belong to the team.

Conscientious Personalities (C) These people are analytical, accurate, and detail-oriented. They seek clear guidelines, a well-structured and organized working procedure. C personalities care much about accuracy and would easily be motivated by working on standards. As a manager, you have to make these people have the available resources, clear instructions, and enough time to produce it accurately.

Manage Conscientious personalities by communicating clear expectations, quality awareness, and independent work. Provide constructive feedback and ensure they have all the information possible to succeed.

Advantages of Using the DISC Personality Test as a Management Tool Improved Communication: Once the personality style of a team member is known, a manager can modify his or her communication method. A Dominant type may respond better to straight, to-the-point communication, whereas an Influencing type may better appreciate more energetic and engaging.

Improved Team Functioning: The recognition of personality types allows for team creation where personalities are complementary to one another. Supportive steady personalities can be very supportive of Dominant personalities, while Conscientious personalities can make sure that projects are well executed according to the highest standards.

Increased Employee Engagement: If employees feel understood and valued, their strengths can be maximized, and thus more likely to be motivated. With your management style being tailored based on personality, there is greater job satisfaction.

Conflict Resolution: As managers, understanding the behavioural styles of team members will help in conflict resolution. For example, a Dominant personality may clash with that of a Steady personality due to contrasting approaches to decision-making. The manager can help facilitate some discussion leading to a conclusion.

Conclusion In today's diverse work environments, one-size-fits-all management approaches are often ineffective. The DISC Personality Test provides a valuable framework for understanding the unique personalities within your team and adapting your management style accordingly. By recognizing and embracing these differences, managers can foster better communication, enhance team collaboration, and drive overall success.

[learningtogirl]

1

(nothing wrong with me)

2

(nothing wrong with me)

8

(huh, what?)

1. what are 3 things you’d say shaped you into who you are?

* My time working as a camp counselor at a place I no longer would feel comfortable showing my face because it was run by conservative Christians (thank god I escaped that, wish I had recognized it sooner). I certainly have mixed feelings now about the Bible portions of that (I don't think I directly peddled the hate at all? But I also was definitely not free of it at the time.)

But the rest really influenced who I am quite strongly. It pretty directly led to a big transition for me from being someone who needed structure to feel comfortable to being happy with winging it as we go (ideally within some known constraints, but still). Huge general improvement in social skills. Made me a much better guitar player. Got me a bit too comfortable with speaking in front of large groups and doing silly things that embarrass myself as long as it's making others happy. And also taught me various skills (archery, canoeing, axe throwing, how to run a ropes course, how to keep 9 year olds from panicking when they're stuck in the bathrooms for an hour straight because that was our tornado shelter).

But the biggest impact was probably the way it made me feel loved and included and truly a member of the community. I have spent the majority of my life being one of those people on the outskirts of groups, a part of it that everybody knows and loves and that's it. They don't actually get to know me or talk to me outside of the group and I never form those deep lasting connections. But the particular combination of relationship of friends/coworkers/sorta trauma bonding over the rough bits and spending literally all the time in this group of 20 people for 2 weeks of training before we started having campers and the way that I would spend a week working very closely with one person in particular, really helped me to feel loved. To a degree that I really haven't seen in many spaces since.

(Now of course that was just a feeling and didn't actually carry into reality for various reasons. Among them the fact that I am awful at staying in touch/communicating and the bonds weren't as deep as they felt and also the whole thing where a majority of the people disapproved of who I have realized myself to be.)

* Being trans. It's influenced .. everything. From the way that I always felt more drawn to the girls in my class to the way that I felt weird and gross and insufficient to actually be friends with them and have left myself in a state where I am very much a hug person and also missed all the learning process for the signs of when someone wants one/is open to it and have an incredibly deep fear of being too forward and seems as weird or creepy so I never initiate and end up completely touch starved. And it's not just hugs, that's just a symptom that's easy to point to. And then the years of drifting through life because I could tell there was something missing but couldn't figure out how to fill it. So I threw myself headfirst into academics which worked for a while (until I flunked out of my PhD program) and then various games and church and books and music and even sports and so on and nothing ever really kept me going. (The undiagnosed ADHD very much did not help this, to be fair.)

But it's definitely not all bad! The fact that I figured out that I'm a girl pretty late in life (started hrt on my 30th birthday, which was <1year since I had admitted to myself even that I was trans) has given me a lot of opportunities in figuring out who I am and what my style is and such that at a younger age I just wouldn't have had the time/resources/awareness of myself/the world to do. Granted I definitely haven't taken full advantage of them... And the way I've been forced to figure myself out has helped me embrace some new things I've been wanting to try, like dancing which has somehow become an absolute cornerstone of my life/stability in the 4 months I've been doing it! And like friends tried to drag me into it in college but I simply did not have the social confidence to enjoy it.

Uhhhh, ya, it's shaped me but I am definitely not one of those girls who embraces it and finds her life better for having been trans. I hope I get there someday.

* Theatre! Joined the tech crew on a whim in high school (tangent: I very nearly did not. I had been interested and then completely missed the message and was barely able to join. And then we had a huge class so I wasn't part of the run crew for my first show which really threw me off as a freshman and so I almost quit forever until my parents talked me into going back for the spring show because I had really enjoyed it up til that point.) It turned into a fantastic group of people to spend time with and really taught me the joys of physical work and of being a cog in a machine to make something greater happen. And the pains of when it goes wrong and someone blames you even though it wasn't your fault. Or if it was.

And then in college the bit I did gave me a great way to meet people outside of my norm. And connections I made through it led to the job I'm at now. And the community theatre I have found myself a part of has a very strange place in my life because it's a bunch of extremely talented people who love me for both who I am and my attitude and my skills, but also we once again hit the "never talk to me beyond it" problem. (Dammit me I hate myself so much for missing the chance to change that by going to the ren faire with a few of them, but such is life. There's always more chances ahead.)

2. show us a picture of your handwriting?

God no. It's awful and embarrassing. (Fine I will but in the morning because I'm sleepy and don't want to find paper.)

8. any reacquiring dreams?

Not particularly lately. There have been a few throughout my life.

When I was very young there was a specific one where I was in a campground gift shop holding my treasured baby teal (like baby blue but green tinted) baby blanket (real blanket) and then something started chasing me and I had to run through the woods and then the slow motion running thing happened and it was awful and I was never actually caught but I would usually drop my blanket and then it would be put into some kind of horrible steampunk crushing abomination that tore it to shreds. No idea if it ever had a real conclusion.

Then of course all the trans ones. Those came in a few main variants:

* primarily in high school was some sort of fantasy in which I was able to swap bodies with a classmate through some mystical mechanism or another. Dream portals that let us try it for a day, random chance, genie granting a wish, god randomly deciding to bless us, god "cursing" us for arrogance and making us prove ourselves in different lives, whatever

* also mostly in high school was the different world sort. Like a VR space where we could just go play board games with friends all night long while bodies are resting, and since the avatar could be whatever why not a girl? (and of course they magically accept me doing that and it's fine.) Or in youth group we have a contest where I lay down and become a sand sculpture and then friends mold me to be the fastest mermaid or whatever and then I unsand and have to race (conveniently of course these are always feminine forms)

* many many dreams about going back to that camp I worked at but as a girl (both counselor and camper)

* in college I had one about how cool it would be if I were a girl and were roommates with another girl (often recurring ones I may have had a crush on) and then for reasons decided to save space by sleeping in the same bed, but because they were bunked and small we better be sure we don't fall off by being in a single pair of athletic shorts together and holding each other close all night. These were surprisingly not explicit for how extremely horny

* and some more weirdly detached dreams in which I was, like, inhabiting a house or whatever and simply watching the lives of people go by. And then I could hop on board to someone and watch their life for a while and then leave and go back to watching wherever they were at the time. Somehow this always seemed like a delightful thing to hope would happen to me, whereas nowadays it sounds like the premise to horror that leaves me scarred

[michaelbobrowski]

How Mefion Can Reshape the Future of Freelance and Business Collaboration

 After diving into the beta version of Mefion and seeing its potential firsthand, I couldn’t stop thinking about the broader implications this platform could have for freelance work and business collaboration. If my first experience with Mefion was all about exploring its intuitive design and decentralized structure, this follow-up is about looking ahead to how Mefion can fundamentally change the way we work.

As someone who's been in the business game for years, from aviation to consulting, I’ve seen plenty of tools that promise to “disrupt” industries. But few platforms genuinely bridge the gap between freelancers and businesses in a way that benefits both. Mefion, however, seems to be doing just that. And I see it as more than just another freelance marketplace — it could become a cornerstone for the future of work.

Freelancing, Evolved

The freelance industry has exploded over the last few years, and while that’s great for flexibility, it’s also created some serious challenges. Platforms like Mefion are addressing the most critical issue: trust. As I mentioned in my last post, smart contracts on Mefion are a game-changer. But this goes beyond just securing payments.

Imagine an environment where freelancers don’t just complete one-off projects but become long-term collaborators with businesses. Mefion’s decentralized nature makes it easier for businesses to find skilled freelancers they can trust for ongoing partnerships. There’s no red tape, no middlemen taking a cut. It’s just you and the talent, working together in an environment built on mutual respect and transparency.

From my perspective as a CEO managing multiple ventures, this is exactly what businesses need. You no longer have to sift through endless profiles or deal with vague proposals. Mefion’s matching algorithm helps streamline the process, meaning you’re more likely to find the right person for the job — and fast.

Reimagining Business Collaboration

Beyond freelancing, one of the aspects of Mefion that I find truly innovative is how it fosters business collaboration. In my industry, partnerships and collaborations are everything. You don’t get far without aligning yourself with the right people. Mefion doesn’t just connect freelancers with businesses; it connects businesses with each other.

Think about it — a decentralized platform where companies can collaborate on projects, share resources, and even exchange talent. You can easily see which businesses are active in your industry, what projects they’re working on, and where your goals align. There’s no need for endless LinkedIn messaging or awkward networking events — the community element built into Mefion takes care of that.

Education Meets Professional Development

One of the more underrated features of Mefion that I didn’t touch on enough in my first review is the educational aspect. Sure, we’re all here to get work done, but Mefion’s long-term value could lie in how it enables professional development.

In my industry, staying ahead of the curve is everything. Mefion’s courses aren’t just filler content to keep you busy — they’re built to provide actionable insights. Whether you’re looking to expand your knowledge of blockchain (a must-have skill these days) or refine your management style, there’s something here for everyone.

Even more interesting is how Mefion integrates these educational tools into its community system. Businesses and freelancers can not only learn together but collaborate on real-world applications of what they’ve learned. It’s a perfect synergy of learning and doing.

Decentralization and the Future of Work

Decentralization has been a buzzword in tech circles for years now, but few platforms truly take advantage of it in a meaningful way. Mefion stands out because it actually uses decentralization to solve problems. For instance, by removing intermediaries and third parties, it offers a level of freedom that traditional freelance platforms can’t match.

For businesses, this means more control over who you work with and how you manage your projects. For freelancers, it means more autonomy and the ability to build stronger relationships with clients. This approach could very well be the future of work — a world where freelancers and businesses operate in a trusted, decentralized environment, free from unnecessary bureaucracy.

The Bigger Picture: Why Mefion Matters

In my years as a CEO, I’ve seen platforms come and go, and I’ve worked with countless freelancers and partners. What makes Mefion unique isn’t just its features — it’s the bigger picture. The platform is poised to become more than just a place to find work or collaborators. It’s shaping up to be a hub for decentralized professional growth.

For anyone managing a business, especially in industries like mine where collaboration is key, Mefion offers a streamlined, transparent way to find the right talent and work alongside like-minded professionals. And for freelancers, it offers the kind of security and trust that other platforms just can’t match.

My Final Thoughts

If you’re a business leader looking to connect with top-tier freelancers, or a freelancer tired of chasing clients and dodging middlemen, Mefion is worth checking out. What started as just another beta test has turned into something much more for me — a genuine interest in seeing how this platform grows.

Mefion is about more than just finding work or building a team. It’s about creating a decentralized ecosystem where everyone — from freelancers to CEOs — can thrive. And if that’s not the future of work, I don’t know what is.