#i know the estate wants to prolong his legacy

[wp100]

me waiting for the estate to remaster the Scream music video

[fresh-prince-of-denmark]

Analysis of the Devil Ending: Who Died and Left Aristotle In Charge of Ethics? (Pt 5)

Hello and welcome back to me over-analyzing everything in Cyberpunk. If you haven’t read my other posts, please read those first! (V’s Mikoshi Poem, Johnny’s Mikoshi Poem, The Sun, New Dawn Fades).

This part took me a lot longer to complete. Not because it was particularly long…it was just painful. Jesus Christ. I hated every second of this ending. That shit hurted.

There were a few shards located at Arasaka’s estate that I chose to skip, as I did not find ant that were unique to the location. The three the game seemed to want to draw your attention to were actually not scattered as shards, they were spoken-word. The only shard I was able to find was a portion of The Odyssey. The other two pieces of literature are In Kyoto, which is quoted to V by the guard to takes her to the hospital room, and (what I believe to be) a reference to Plato’s The Allegory of the Cave. This section is going to be super theoretical. Like, more theoretical than the rest. So bare with me please.

Let’s start easy. This is the poem that the guard quotes at V as he leads her out of the operating room:

In Kyoto,

hearing the cuckoo,

I long for Kyoto

(By: Basho, translated by Jane Hirshfield)

Ten words. What could ten words amount to? The saddest goddamn words you’ll ever hear, dammit.  This poem is a feeling more than a concept. Ever feel homesick when you haven’t gone anywhere? Lonely when you’re around other people? That’s V. This was supposed to be a victory, supposed to be what they wanted. But now Johnny’s gone, scorned and betrayed, and no one they calls seems to even be able to give V the time of day. This was supposed to be a victory, their way of going back to the way things were, getting their life back, going home. But we can never go back, can’t ever erase our experiences, what we learn, how we grow. As Misty says, we should not fear change in of itself, but who we might change into. This just goes to show what happens when we betray ourselves by rejecting our own growth: all that’s left is bitterness and sorrow.

The next day when V wakes, you can pick up a shard containing a section from Chapter 8 of The Odyssey. Now, I’m not too familiar with the Odyssey. In fact, I hate the Odyssey. So if anyone wants to jump in here and add something more intelligent, I’m all for it. The Odyssey is the tale of Odysseus, who has been trying for ten long years to return to his wife and son after the Trojan war. Odysseus is basically listening to a bard remind him of all his Trojan War trauma, and begins to weep, at which time time people start questioning what’s up with this guy:

Say what thy birth, and what the name you bore,

Imposed by parents in the natal hour?

(For from the natal hour distinctive names,

One common right, the great and lowly claims:)

Say from what city, from what regions toss'd,

And what inhabitants those regions boast?

So shalt thou instant reach the realm assign'd.

In wondrous ships, self-moved, instinct with mind;

No helm secures their course, no pilot guides;

Like man intelligent, they plough the tides,

Conscious of every coast and every bay,

That lies beneath the sun's all-seeing ray;

Though clouds and darkness veil the encumber'd sky,

Fearless through darkness and through clouds they fly;

Though tempests rage, though rolls the swelling main,

The seas may roll, the tempests may rage in vain,

E'en the stern god that o'er the waves presides,

Safe as they pass, and safe repass the tides,

With fury burns; while careless they convey

Promiscuous every guest to every bay,

These ears have heard my royal sire disclouse

A dreadful story, big with future woes;

How Neptune raged, and how, by his command,

Firm rooted in a surge a ship would stand

A monument of wrath; how mound on mound

Should bury these proud towers beneath the ground.

But this the gods may frustrate or fulfill,

As suits the purpose of the Eternal Will.

But say through what waste regions hast thou stray'd

What customs noted, and what coasts survey'd;

Possess'd by wild barbarians fierce in arms,

Or men whose bosom tender pity warms?

Say why the fate o Troy awaked thy cares,

Why heaved thy bosom, and why flowed thy tears?

Reading this made me feel just how tired V must be. All this fighting, all this war, and for what? Much like Odysseus, V has been through hell and back (literally, depending on how you see it). And it never seems to end. V has been fighting for so long, yet there’s always something more; the tests the doctor gives her are endless, and they’re always being asked to do more, over and over again, with no results or end in sight. Odysseus is teetering on despair; nothing he does seems to do will ever be enough, just like V. The world will just take and take and take. It’s exactly what V’s poem asserts in Mikoshi; the world cannot be fixed, and resistance is futile. You can’t change how corporations rule the world, and as a protestor states on the TV in the hospital room, the rich have no boundaries or morals, and we are powerless to stop them from taking whatever they want. They can take not only our souls, but our bodies, devour them in order to prolong their own lives. Johnny would, of course, disagree. Even a slap in the face to The Man is better than submitting to a corpo-leash, even if that is the easier path. And in fact, he may be right, since it seems taking Hanako’s offer is the conformist path, and the only one that leads to Saburo coming back.

But Johnny isn’t there anymore to walk the rebel path at their side. No more guardian angel to whisper when they it most to never stop fighting.

There’s a lot more we could go into here with the Odyssey; comparing Arasaka to the story of Polyphemus and the cave, talking about themes of passion vs. commitment, yadayadayada. I hate the Odyssey so that can be someone else’s problem tbh.

The final piece is what the doctor asks V to read as one of their tests. Now, on surface-level, this is foreshadowing if V will choose to stay in their body, or be turned into an engram. It’s laughing at them, really, both pitying and mocking the fact that they believe they have a choice, since either way they’re once again at the mercy of the rich and powerful:

“And it was a sight to behold, he said, how a soul would choose its life; sometimes pitiable, sometimes laughable at times wonderful and strange. For in most cases, the souls made their choice according to the habits of a former life.”

I couldn’t find where this was from, or if it was a quote from anything. But googling it does bring up Plato’s Allegory of The Cave, which I thinks tracks pretty well. I found a quote from this chapter of Plato’s The Republic, which is strikingly similar in meaning. For the sake of my sanity, lets assume that this quote is referencing this one from Plato:

“And he will count the one happy in his condition and state of being, and he will pity the other; or, if he have a mind to laugh at the soul which comes from below into the light, there will be more reason in this than in the laugh which greets him who returns from above out of the light into the cave.”

If you’re unfamiliar with the allegory of the cave, it’s a philosophical discussion from Plato’s The Republic. It’s about how human perception is limited, and so true knowledge comes from the self via philosophical reasoning. Much like humans imprisoned in a cave with only shadows as their entire world, we cannot imagine the true world outside the cave until we leave to see it for ourselves.  Those who are freed from this limited reasoning have a duty to go back and free others, subjecting them to the full experience of awakening; both the pain and the triumph it entails. V starts out with a limited perception of things; a surface-level world, never stopping to see the bigger picture, until Johnny comes along and encourages them to question the status quo. In all other endings, V accepts this enlightenment. They challenge Arasaka, and try to follow Johnny’s legacy and Stick It To the Man. Yet if they accept Hanako’s offer in an attempt to return to “the habits of a former life,” they are rejecting this new understanding, refusing to leave the cave and live in ignorant bliss. This, I believe, is where Johnny’s true feeling of betrayal comes from: not because he’s being shredded, and not because he thinks V doesn’t know any better. V learned and changed just as much as he did, and this growth was something they were able to gift to one another. Johnny is proud of his change, proud to be someone trusted by V, proud at a second chance not to fuck things up. When V gives him control to go with Rogue to Arasaka, he’s ecstatic to prove himself worthy of that trust, to prove that he’s changed. Yet V, the person who aided in that change, is now actively ignoring and rejecting their own growth, and thus is betraying themselves. By not using their enlightenment to actively oppose the status quo and rebel, they are choosing the side of the oppressor by default.

Some of her last words if you choose not to sign the contract are to Goro, “You have no idea how good it feels to be free.” But the truth is, V is not free, and now they will never be free. By walking the path they have, they are choosing willful ignorance, stubbornly clinging to the darkness of the cave because it is easier to convince oneself that they are not a prisoner at all than it is to leave the comfort of one’s chains. Either way, they are caged, even if the bars the rich and powerful build around her are clear instead of solid. Her so-called freedom (and knowledge) is pure illusion — shadows depicted on a cave wall.

[takoyakitenchou]

masquerade ch.6

4 and 5 are kind of irrelevant lol so have the first half of 6 instead

If Hayama Akira had known that the Autumn Elections would change the course of his life forever, he would probably have been more courteous to the concept of the program in general, and he definitely would have been more courteous to the pink-haired girl that would come to steal his heart.

It had been four and a half years since he made the biggest mistake of his life, and it was a blessing in the end.

“You sure about this?” Akira asked as he pulled at the sleeves of his blazer. He and Arato Hisako were on the front steps of the Arato estate, her hand poised over the large bell.

“Of course,” she replied.

“He’s not going to like me,” he said, half to himself.

Hisako frowned. “What makes you think so?”

Akira gave her a look. “I think you already know the answer.” He ran a hand through his hair, slightly unnerved by how exposed his neck felt. It had been a while since he’d cut his hair so short, but some part of his consciousness insisted that having it long would not make a better impression.

“Then that’s a him problem,” Hisako replied. “I chose you and that’s all there is to it. Nothing could change how I feel about you, Hayama Akira.”

He grinned. “You’re crazy.”

Hisako raised a smug eyebrow. “Crazy about you, yeah.”

Akira took a deep breath and rang the bell.

A butler ushered them to the dining hall, and as he passed the intricate portraits of the Arato patriarchs, he realized just how out of place he was in this manor, inundated with the legacies of the generations of medicinal chefs that were his girlfriend’s conservative ancestors. 

But he repressed such thoughts, because he was going to meet Arato Hiromatsu for the first time as his precious only daughter’s boyfriend and thinking of all the shit he lacked would do nothing to help him.

What the fuck was he even supposed to say? 

Please let me date your daughter. Although we’ve technically been together for like three years now.

This was probably going to be the hardest thing he’d ever done. 

As expected, the conversation did not start too well.

“So, Hayama Akira.” 

Akira cringed at how unworthy his name sounded. “Yessir,” he replied, and shocked himself with how steady his voice was. Maybe doing this wouldn’t be so hard after all. 

“What do your parents do?”

He stood corrected. Hisako stiffened next to him, and he reached under the table to give her hand a reassuring squeeze. “Shiomi Jun runs a seminar at Totsuki,” he offered.

“I asked about your parents, child.”

“She is my parent,” Akira replied. “She’s the only reason I’m alive.”

Arato Hiromatsu considered this for a moment. “Why are you interested in my daughter?”

Akira reflected on the last few years, on what he’d said back during the Autumn Elections. Yes, he could answer this question.

“I want to be a part of your daughter’s world, sir. Hisako taught me how to trust people, and she brings out good parts of me I had no idea even existed. I understand I have no family name, and I have nothing to offer save for myself, but I never want to let go of your daughter’s hand. I want to love her as much as she deserves, and then more. Her world is limitless. I want to strive for new heights with her, and exceed our maximums and then everything beyond.”

“I don’t approve of you,” Hisako’s father said after a prolonged silence. “I believe Hisako would fare much better with another man that I have deemed adequate.”

Hisako started to protest but Akira silenced her with a shake of his head.

“You are too far from ideal to be worthy of the Arato name. You have nothing save for your cooking and your nose.”

Ouch.

“But I cannot bring myself to forbid you from seeing Hisako.”

Akira blinked. “Sir?”

“I sense your virtue, Hayama Akira. You walked into my home with my daughter’s hand in yours and asked me to let you hold it. That is brave, and I respect that. I value my daughter’s intelligence enough to have faith that she is more than capable of choosing the right man to support all her endeavors. Therefore I will allow you to continue your relationship with Hisako. Be true, child. You have my blessing.”

Arato Hiromatsu extended his hand. Akira stared at it for a long moment, shook it, then turned to Hisako with a broad smile.

This was their genesis.

yeah i changed the name of the fic bc this is deadass the only time i mention the word genesis

[theatricalities]

⧼   A mask of perfect innocence hiding the machiavellian intentions forever lurking beneath the surface — the ace up your sleeve, the trick coin with one side weighing heavier than its opposite because chance is simply a game that’s far too risky for the likes of you; the claw marks left on absolutely anything and everything in your wake — it’s not desperation that makes you cling so fervently to the objects of your desire as much as it’s your own way of ensuring survival; the self-imposed solitude clouding your ocean eyes  — questions of identity and belonging are forever at the heels of your every decision, begging you to turn back before it’s too late.   ⧽ 

  ━━   hey, isn’t that ZEPHYRINE TRAVERS ? i read a daily prophet article on them, once ; the 24 year old part-Veela WITCH is a SLYTHERIN alumnus who has gone on to be an ACTRESS IN THE WIXEN WORLD. i’ve heard they can be quite AUDACIOUS & BEGUILING, but i don’t know…they came off very EXPLOITATIVE and DELUSIVE in that interview. it really is hard to know what to believe these days though, isn’t it?

(  takes a hiatus...comes back with a new character  )

Heya ghouls, gals, and nonbinary pals! It’s me, ya girl. Zephyrine is my second little child to enter the group and I’m real wild about her! She’s inspired by DE idea #17 which you can find listed here!  Obviously, Zeph is an OC, but her tie to canon is that she’s the daughter of Travers, the Death Eater who killed Marlene McKinnon and family. Also, because I just don’t know how to write contented characters, Zeph’s a bit of a wreck, too — has some daddy issues, wants more than the world can offer, doesn’t have a true sense of self...but she’s got great fashion !

Below is Zephyrine’s bio and general information. Wanted connections can be found here ( very under construction rn ) and they’ll be updated as play progresses! Please feel free to pm me here or on discord ( debaucherie#6347 ) if you’d like to plot ✿

BEFORE THE WAR — “ Everyone wants something...”

[ trigger warnings for death, murder; ]

On the night that marked Zephyrine Travers’ birth, the world in return exalted her upon arrival, singing the praises of the newborn babe as boldly as a songbird in spring.

Or — that was the tale upon which her mother raised her, and it was one the girl found fitting enough to believe, even if all the world around spoke to the contrary. After all, her father (whose only claim to the term was in the scientific sense alone) created so empty a home that such fantastical ideas were perhaps the only source of hope that the young girl could find. At the age of two, Zephyrine and her family were quietly removed from their ancestral home as her father was sentenced to Azkaban for the murder of Marlene McKinnon. She and her mother were stripped of all riches, no matter the fact that the young girl continued the bloodline of one of the Sacred Twenty-Eight. 

And so, life continued on in this way, with little yarns of fantasy spun each and every night in the dreariness of their one-room hovel, spoken in assuring whispers as they cooked by candlelight or repaired a worn and weathered dress when there was no money to replace it instead. Despite the woe-be-gone skirts and helpless shoes, she was determined that no one should know about the unexpected poverty that marked her home life, and walked into the halls of Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry with every intent on looking the part of the Travers name even if it was in name alone that she remained connected  —  going so far as to insist to the Sorting Hat that she was meant to be in Slytherin, as her family had been for centuries, even when it argued she was better suited to Ravenclaw instead. 

In many ways, her adolescence was a long, drawn-out course in the art of convincing others — she could manifest a stream of tears to reassure a fellow Slytherin that she truly felt for her father just as easily as she could feign prolonged wooziness to avoid Flying class for a week. She flashed her blessedly charming smile across the House tables in the Great Hall, befriended everyone and anyone while still keeping them at arm’s length, and convinced even the most doubtful that she was an invaluable creature — not because of her name or the weight it still carried in certain circles, but because she believed herself to be and would not rest until it was an undeniable, unequivocal truth.

At sixteen, however, the meager world she’d known her whole life shattered entirely, its fragments not pieced together with the loving touch of her mother, but instead the fearsome presence of her father, who broke out of Azkaban along with ten other Death Eaters, including Bellatrix Lestrange. Unsurprisingly, he was asked by Lord Voldemort to prove his loyalty, and continued his murderous warpath — but instead of getting caught this time, he ensured that another would take his place. Zephyrine’s mother, innocent as a dove, was framed for his crimes and swiftly locked up in Azkaban, and Zander Travers was restored all riches seized upon his arrest.

By seventeen, Zephyrine had all the hallmarks of the dreams her mother raised her on : wealth far beyond her dreams, a manor estate fit for royalty and all the accompanying fanfare upon being properly introduced into a society of Death Eaters, but lost her mother in the process to a nightmare come true — the very woman who had instilled in the girl so great a belief in the impossible, that even this seemed like something Zephyrine could undo. 

She now balanced quite a precarious act, appearing to her father as his perfect little Death Eater in training, while turning spy for the Order in exchange for their help in freeing her mother once the War was won. 

AFTER THE WAR. — “...and once you know what they want, you know how to move them.”

When the time came, however, her mother was one of the many forgotten in the shadow of the Order’s triumph, relegated to little more than a broken promise as she rotted in Azkaban along with her husband, once again sentenced for his crimes. Their daughter, however, now took up the mantle of the new head of the Travers family, left with the ruins of her father’s blood-soaked legacy. In a world rebuilding itself, there was no game to be played when each side no longer had a reason to fight — and so, she waited. Seethed, more accurately, and busied herself with cleaning up the Travers name as time passed by. After receiving a formal training with the Wixen Academy of Dramatic Arts, she cemented herself firmly as a darling in the wixen theatre scene. In truth, it was all too easy. For twenty years, she’d practiced different ways to be believed — not to lie, she’d argue to herself, for any of those perceived lapses in truth had simply been her playing a character in order to get what she needed, and the silver-tongued sweetheart she portrayed to the public was no different.  To believe was the notion her mother instilled in her, but to be believed was one she’d determined necessary for herself, even if it meant losing any sense of self in the process. And so, upon hearing word of a reformed Death Eater legion under Bellatrix Lestrange’s leadership, she appealed to their cause, vowing that she could easily become a spy within the group which once held her loyalty — in exchange, once more, for the release* of her mother. Her allegiances, of course, are unknown to the public at large. In fact, when asked by the press on such matters, she voices her support for the Ministry and their efforts at preventing another tragedy to ever mark the Wixen World’s history again. Naturally, it’s all an act, as it has always been, and she’ll keep playing the game for as long as it take to reunite* with her mother, gain the most powerful of allies, and secure her own survival. 

[ * — while i’d love to believe that zeph’s mom is still alive, i think mrs. travers is likely to have perished rather soon after being wrongfully imprisoned. however, i believe that this information was kept from zeph as a way of controlling her, first by her father, then perhaps by the order ( i’d have to actually plot this one out w/an order member for this to be true ), but certainly by bellatrix and the DE clan. ]

BASICS.

FULL NAME:  Zephyrine Travers NAME MEANING: Zephyrine is of French origin and means ‘west wind’ ; Travers is of English origin and means ‘to cross’  NICKNAME(S):  Zeph ( used by family and close friends, only ) GENDER IDENTITY: Demigirl DATE OF BIRTH: 29 October, 1995 ( i put the wrong age in my app bc maths are not my strong suit, so technically Zeph is 24 but will turn 25 soon ) BIRTHPLACE:  Travers Estate, Hampshire, England  CURRENT PLACE OF DWELLING:  London, England  SEXUAL ORIENTATION:  pansexual panromantic LANGUAGE(S): English, French, basic Latin

LIFE.

OCCUPATION: Actress  EDUCATION: Homeschooled from ages 4 to 11; attended Hogwarts School of Witchcraft & Wizardry from ages 11 to 18; attended the Wixen Academy of Dramatic Arts from ages 19 to 21. SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL ( GROWING UP ):  Born upper class, but lower middle class from ages 2 - 16, upper class ages 16 - onward. SOCIOECONOMIC LEVEL ( CURRENTLY ): Upper class. RELIGION: Atheist

MAGICAL.

BLOOD TYPE: Not quite pureblood — but, publicly pureblood  SPECIES: 1/4 Veela  WAND TYPE: Hawthorn, unicorn hair core, 13″, reasonably supple SKILL LEVEL: Reasonably proficient, but a distinct knack for transfiguration and healing magic. Is adept at DADA, but often flees from the scene of battle before needing to utilize curses, jinxes, etc. PATRONUS: Incapable of producing a corporeal Patronus, but if she could, it would take the form of a shrike. BOGGART: Herself — albeit, a different, unrecognizable version of herself. In all her lying and betraying and such, Zeph has lost sense of herself and just doesn’t know the depths she might go to in order to get what she wants — and so I think it’s very possible that her biggest fear is the worst possible version of herself, the one that resembles her father in his uncaring bloodlust, messy and indiscriminate and entirely lacking in the nuance she prides herself on. AMORTENTIA: Fresh popcorn, the collar of a well-worn leather jacket, the scent of a newspaper so fresh the ink smudges one’s fingertips MIRROR OF ERISED: TBD. HOGWARTS HOUSE: Slytherin ( the Sorting Hat debated for approximately nine minutes between Ravenclaw and Slytherin, but ultimately decided on Slytherin because Zephyrine asked it to. ) FAVORITE SUBJECT:  Transfiguration. LEAST FAVORITE SUBJECT:  Arithmancy. CLUBS / EXTRACURRICULARS: The Slug Club ( Year 7 ), Theatre Club ( Years 2 - 7 ), Keres Club ( ages 22 - present )

RELATIONS.

PARENT(S): Zander & Odette ( nee Lynd ) Travers SIBLING(S): Two older sisters, both deceased, from her father’s first marriage, and a younger sibling born one-two years after her from her father’s affair. SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S): tbd. EX SIGNIFICANT OTHER(S): tbd. CHILDREN:  none. PET(S):  Two cats, Beryl and Belinda. 

PHYSICAL.

HEIGHT: 5′7″ HAIR: silver-blonde EYES: blue BODY MODIFICATION(S): Three piercings in either ear. Despite Bellatrix’s insistence, she has staved off getting the Dark Mark under the guise that it would harm her status as an actress. In truth, she simply would hate to get something so permanent when her loyalties are rather, well, impermanent. NOTABLE SCARS / BIRTHMARKS:  No scars / noticeable birthmarks. A scattering of freckles. GLASSES / CONTACTS: Only when required for an acting role, but not usually needed. CLOTHING STYLE: Quite a soft, ‘feminine’ style — lace, ribbons, ruffles, pastels — but there’s always one or two little things hinting at something decidedly more aggressive ( platinum collar-tips pointed and sharpened, metallic makeup, earrings in the design of tiny daggers, black lace gloves hiding perfectly manicured claws ) ; zephyrine also wears her mother’s choker, which is platinum-plated and has a handshake as a clasp. DOMINANT HAND: Ambidextrous

PERSONALITY.

ZODIAC: Scorpio ( sun ) — observant, expressive, secretive, vengeful, enigmatic // Gemini ascendant, Capricorn moon PERSONALITY TYPE: ENTJ, The Commander — confident, charismatic, strategic, ruthless, stubborn, emotionally naive MORAL ALIGNMENT:  Neutral Evil TEMPERAMENT: Phlegmatic  ELEMENT:  Water VICE(S): Wrath VIRTUE(S):  Diligence CHARACTER PARALLELS: Dahlia Hawthorne ( Ace Attorney ), Amy March ( Little Women ), Margaery Tyrell ( ASOIAF ), Vesper Lynd ( James Bond ), Eva Perón ( history / ‘EVITA’ the musical & film )

[sushigirlali]

The Politics of Dancing - Part IV (Reylo Fanfic)

Art by: @afterblossom

——————​

Part I - Part II - Part III - Part IV

Summary: Ben has known Rey most of her life, but when things change between them one tumultuous night, can he convince her that they have a future? Or will secret legacies, scheming parents, and fetching suitors get in the way?

Parings: Rey + Ben Solo|Kylo Ren, Finn + Rose Tico

Continuity: Regency AU

Rating: E

A/N: With my busy schedule, it's a constant battle to find time to write, so thanks for sticking with me! As a reward, this final chapter is super long! Happy reading!

Master list –> AO3 | ff.net | Tumblr 

——————

The Politics of Dancing - Part IV

By: sushigirlali 

——————

London, December 1818

——————

With Rey's shout still reverberating in his ears, Ben could only gape at his father, too stunned to respond. "How is this happening?! I locked the door when we...when...oh, blast! I forgot to lock the damn door! I was too busy trying to get into Rey's knickers to think about anything else!" Mentally berating himself for being so stupid, Ben no longer wondered whether hell was real. "This is a nightmare!"

"Maybe you should cover up, or…?" Han continued after a pregnant pause, looking unnerved by Ben's blank-eyed stare.

"Ben!" Rey hissed when he continued to sit idle. "Ben, do something!"

Taking in his lover's flushed cheeks, Ben belatedly pulled the coverlet up from where it was crumpled at the foot of the bed. Settling back against the headboard with Rey curled into his side, he wrapped the blanket around them both, shielding their naked bodies from view.

"That's better," Han nodded. "Wouldn't want to shock your mother and uncle any more than necessary."

"Han," Leia said warningly. "Not now."

"What?" he said innocently.

"Don't you 'What?' me!" she glared. "Stop trying to distract from the seriousness of the situation! Our son and niece are-are fraternizing with each other and-!"

"Now, now, wife," Han interrupted before she could really get going, "we don't know all the facts yet. I'm sure there's a perfectly logical reason why they're in bed together." Leia sent Han a withering look. "Or maybe not. Son?"

"Yes, father?" Ben said tightly.

"Care to explain yourself?"

"No, father."

Han redirected his question. "Rey, how about you? Anything to say?"

Rey shook her head, eyeing Luke with a mixture of fear and concern. The old hermit had yet to speak, but the tense set of his jaw spoke volumes. Ben threw a protective arm around her, hoping to impart some measure of comfort.

"Then we can only conclude that the two of you are involved in some sort of illicit affair," his father said calmly. Despite the heavy implications of his words, Han seemed generally unperturbed by the notion.

"Excuse me?" Ben said incredulously. "You don't know the first thing about our relationship!"

"So, you are in a relationship then?" Han baited.

"Of course we are!" Ben shouted.

"Ben, don't-" Rey tried.

"Not that it's any of your damned business, old man, but we're in love! Does that assuage your sudden sense of honor? Or, were you hoping for a reason to throw me out on my ear and disinherit me?" he charged.

Han flashed him a toothy grin. "Are those my only options?"

"Oh, go to hell!"

"Benjamin Solo!" his mother reprimanded. "I hardly think you're the one who gets to be indignant under the circumstances!"

"I'm sorry, but did I break into your boudoir?" Ben sputtered.

Leia cleared her throat. "We did try knocking first."

"Not loudly enough," he said obstinately. "How did you expect this little intervention to go, anyway? Did you really think that we-ouch!" Ben grunted as Rey's elbow made contact with his ribs. "Rey? Are you alright?"

"I'm fine," she smiled, caressing the side of his stubborn face, "you don't need to defend me."

"I do," he whispered, capturing her small hand in his and carrying her knuckles to his lips. "I can't stand for you to be hurt."

"I know." Her cheeks were still stained with embarrassment, but she seemed to have regained her composure. "But there's no need to fight, my love."

"Isn't there?"

"No," she laughed. "Just tell them our news, Ben." Rey lowered her voice. "Then maybe they'll go away."

Realizing she was right, that he was arguing just to argue, Ben's combative posture abated. Rey was everything to him, so why prolong the inevitable? "We're engaged," he announced without preamble.

"Engaged?" Leia gasped, clapping her hands together. "How wonderful!"

"Wonderful?" Han did a double take. "But you just said-!"

"Our son is to be married at long last, husband, isn't that amazing?" Leia said sharply.

"I-ah-yes, my dear," he replied, clearly surprised by his wife's change in attitude. "Luke, you're awfully quiet. How do you feel about all this?"

Rey stiffened as Luke moved forward. "I'm glad that you're committed to each other, but this was not well done. By either of you."

"I-I won't say I'm sorry, father, but only hope that you can understand," Rey said slowly. "I love him."

"And I love her," Ben said, but he wasn't looking at Luke. Staring into Rey's bright eyes, Ben was startled when his mother sat down on the end of the bed.

"As happy as I am to hear that you're planning to settle down, there's something we need to tell you," she started.

"Is that something the fact that Uncle Luke has written me out of his will?" Ben queried. "Because if so, I'm already aware and I don't care."

"You're not angry?" Leia said anxiously. "About losing the Skywalker fortune?"

"I'm still going to inherit the Solo estate, aren't I? What the hell do I need two fortunes for?" he said dismissively.

"Oh, Ben," Leia smiled. She moved to hug him before thinking better about it. "Actually, no, I think I'll wait to hug you when you come downstairs to announce your engagement."

"Mother-!"

"I don't want to hear any objections from you," she shot at him, standing up again. "Rey deserves to be treated like a lady, not some harlot you picked up on the side of the road. You will clean yourselves up right this instant and rejoin the party."

"But-!"

"Son," Han grinned, "you may be all grown up, but never forget that your mother is always right."

"Right," Ben sighed. "Rey, is this okay with you?" he asked.

She smiled at him. "I think so. Now that everything is settled between us, I want everyone to know you're mine."

Ben's eyes flared at her possessive words, but he managed to answer, "Alright," without his voice quavering.

"I believe we should take our leave then," Luke said solemnly, moving to the door. "Please present yourselves downstairs within the hour."

"And no funny business!" Han warned them. "Or we'll send Uncle Chewy up next with his crossbow."

"See, I told you I would find a way to get our Ben hitched!" Leia added in a stage whisper as she followed her husband and brother out the door.

"I don't think you can reasonably take credit for the unanticipated direction of our son's love life, my dear," Han said dryly in the hall.

"Sure I can," Leia insisted as the door snapped shut once again, "and I'd like to see you try and stop me!"

——————

Shimming into her crinkled shift, Rey did her best to smooth out the creases. "Oh, what does it matter? It's not like anyone will see it under my dress," she thought, giving the exercise up for a bad job.

Pulling a clean washcloth from her dresser drawer, Rey scrubbed her face clean, not bothering to reapply any makeup. After making love with Ben and the embarrassing interrogation that had followed, it wouldn't surprise her if her cheeks were permanently pink.

"We don't have to go down, you know," Ben offered as he pulled his trousers back on. "We could just escape out the servant's entrance and elope in the country."

"I'm sure that would go over well," she snorted, sitting down at her dressing table to fix up her hair. Rey met Ben's eyes in the mirror as he came up behind her. "You know they'd just come after us. Leia especially."

"Yeah, you're probably right," he said, stalling her hands. "Now that mother knows we're getting married, I doubt we'll have a moment's peace until the deed is done."

"Without a doubt," she agreed. "What are you doing?" she added curiously, watching as he made quick work of the pins holding her coiffure in place.

"Your hair."

"Do you know how?"

"You can ask me that knowing who my mother is?" he tutted, reaching for her brush.

Rey inclined her head. "Touché."

"Hey, don't move, I'm working here!" Ben said with mock offense.

"So sorry, my lord," she played along. "It won't happen again."

They spent the next few minutes in companable silence, Rey sighing contentedly as Ben ran his large hands through her chestnut locks, separating it into equal sections. "He really seems to know what he's doing," she mused as he set her hair to rights.

"I think I could get used to this," she murmured out loud, leaning into his nimble fingers.

"Don't fall asleep now," he teased, "we wouldn't want to dally."

"Of course not," she returned, catching the reflection of his genuine smile. "Happy?"

"I feel like a weight has been lifted off my chest," he admitted, pausing to rub her shoulders. "It felt my whole life was up in the air yesterday, but now…"

Rey covered his hand and smiled in understanding. "Me too."

Ben's dark gaze clung to hers for a space of seconds, then, "You say the word and I'll throw you over my shoulder and make a mad dash for the nearest carriage."

"Oh, Ben." He sounded so serious she couldn't help but burst out laughing.

"It wasn't that funny," he said sullenly, picking up her discarded hair pins as tears of mirth streamed down her cheeks. "How do you want it styled? The same?"

Dabbing her eyes with the edge of her white chemise while the venerable Lord Ren played the maid, Rey knew without a doubt that being married to Ben Solo would be anything but boring. "Whatever style you'd like; I trust you."

——————

Less than an hour later, Rey and Ben meandered back downstairs, relieved when no one seemed to notice their reentry to the party.

Well, almost no one.

"Ben! Rey!" Leia hissed from her usual perch. "Get over here."

"Is escaping still an option?" Rey queried, grasping Ben's hand for support.

"You had your chance," he reminded her.

"I suddenly see the wisdom behind your suggestion," she said, pulling him forward with a forced smile. "Forgive me for laughing at you."

"Of course," he replied silkily, "I'm sure you'll find a way to make it up to me tonight."

Rey shivered at the sensual promise in his tone. "Now I'm really sorry we didn't leave earlier."

"I'm mollified, then," he chuckled.

"Took you long enough," Leia said once they reached her side. "I was beginning to think you'd run off."

"Surely not," Rey smiled, sidestepping her suspicions. "Do you like my hair?" Her dark locks were braided around her head like a crown, studded with jeweled pins and flowers.

"It looks lovely, dear." Scooting over on her red chaise, Leia indicated for them to sit with her. As big as Ben was, it was a tight fit. "Did Ben do it for you?"

"Yes," Rey affirmed. "You taught him well."

"I did, didn't I?" Leia said proudly.

"So, what's the plan, mother?" Ben cut to the chase, laying a casual arm behind Rey.

"Plan? What makes you think I have a plan?"

"Right, I'm sure you've been simply enjoying the party for the last hour instead of finding ways to run our lives," he said drolly.

"If you must know," Leia harrumphed, "I asked Threepio to organize a cake-"

Ben sat up straighter. "Chocolate cake?"

"What?" Leia said, distracted. "Yes, of course, chocolate, we're not going to celebrate your engagement with vanilla."

"I like vanilla," Rey said idly, amused by their antics.

"You can have vanilla for the first christening, then," Leia said pointedly.

"Oh!" Rey blushed. "Umm..."

"That's enough, mother," Ben cut in. "So, when is the announcement supposed to take place? Before or after cake?"

"Before, obviously." Leia looked around. "Ah, there's your father. I asked him to pick out a ring for you to give your bride."

"Mother!" Ben protested. "We don't need-"

"If you think for one minute that I'm going to allow my niece to walk around without an engagement ring on her finger while staying in the same house as her fiancé, you've got another thing coming," Leia snapped.

"Well, that's just-" Ben blustered.

"Fine," Rey supplied. "It's fine. For now. We can go shopping for rings next week, Ben."

"Are you sure?" he frowned.

"Yes," she said easily, giving him a look that said, "Is this really the hill you want to die on?"

"Alright," he relented. "Whatever you want, sweetheart."

"Good!" Leia said approvingly. "Now that's settled…"

"Here you are, wife," Han said graciously, presenting her with three golden rings.

Leia took them and patted her husband's cheek. "You always did have good taste, my dear."

"Sure I do. I married you, didn't I?" Han said smoothly.

Bemused by their interaction, Rey mouthed, "That'll be us one day," to Ben. He half smiled, half grimaced in response, making her giggle.

"Rey?" Leia asked, catching her attention. "Which one would you like?"

"Oh, um…" Turning to inspect the offerings, Rey immediately zeroed in on an amethyst and diamond ring that formed a forget-me-not shape, with five circular purple "petals" surrounding a stunning colorless stone. "Wow," she breathed, touching the leaf pattern embossed into the sides.

"Excellent choice," Leia beamed. "This was my mother's ring."

"Oh! Well, I can pick another…"

"Don't be ridiculous!"

"But, Leia…"

"But nothing!" she said firmly, handing the ring over to her son. "Ben, you know what to do."

"I do?" he said, nonplused.

Han whacked him upside the head. "Purpose properly, you scoundrel."

"Pot, kettle anyone?" Ben grumbled, shifting off the sofa and onto one knee.

"Ben, you don't have to—" Rey protested.

"Yes, he does," Luke said out of nowhere. "Nephew, proceed."

By now, several people had noticed that something important was going on with the Skywalker clan. Abandoning their drinks and stale conversation, the party guests formed a crowd around the small family.

"Rey Niima," Ben started a little nervously, his deep voice rolling over her like a wave, "I've known you for most of my life, for all of yours. I've watched you grow up from a precocious child into the accomplished young woman sitting before me today, and I couldn't be more proud or more in love."

Tears formed in her eyes as he reached for her left hand, carefully slipping Padmé's gorgeous ring onto her finger. Remarkably, it was a perfect fit.

"I promise to always be faithful and true, to give comfort when you're unwell, to be there for you when the children come, and to support you in all of your professional and educational aspirations." Ben brought the forget-me-not to his lips. "Rey," he breathed against her skin, "would you do me the great honor of becoming my wife?"

Although he'd asked the question before, Rey was overwhelmed by his second proposal. "I-" she choked. "Ben, I-" Unable to say the words, she grasped his long face between her hands and pulled him into a soul-shattering kiss.

"I think we'll take that as an affirmative," Han laughed, slipping an arm around his wife as Rey and Ben became lost in their own little world. "Now, cake!"

——————

Setting aside the remnants of the decadent dark chocolate cake the kitchen staff had miraculously whipped up, Rey wondered whether Ben's arm was getting tired from shaking so many hands. He was taking the attention relatively well, but she could tell the wellwishers were starting to grate on his nerves. "I better go and save him before-"

"So, you and Lord Ren, huh?" Finn teased, sidling up beside her with two flutes of champagne.

"Not a word," she warned, accepting the sparkling liquid. "But, um, since we're on the subject"-she took a sip-"does everyone know what we were...doing up there?"

Finn raised a brow. "What were you doing up there?"

"I think you know," she said, crossing her arms. "Or do we need to revisit the time I walked in on you and Rose-"

"Okay, okay! I think I can make an educated guess!" he exclaimed before lowering his voice to a conspiratorial whisper. "As for the rest of the party, well, let's just say that Han encouraged the orchestra to play very loudly."

"Oh goodness!" Rey worried her lip.

Finn paused for an extended moment before knocking his shoulder against hers. "Just kidding!" he teased. "These busybodies were much too focused on a certain Viscount and his mother to care."

"Poe?" she said with concern. "What happened?"

"A rather public disagreement," Finn informed her. "He returned shortly after you and Lord Ren absconded upstairs, and Lady Shara made a scene about him leaving your side during dinner. Obviously, she had her heart set on a match between you and her son."

"Oh, dear."

"Indeed."

Rey looked around. "Did he leave? I'd like to speak with him. I feel at least partly responsible for his unpleasant evening."

"No, Lady Shara left in a huff right after your engagement was announced, but Poe stayed." Finn nodded toward the refreshment table. "He's standing over there with Lady Maz and Lord Chewbacca."

"Oh! Good!" Rey raised her glass to gain Poe's attention. "Do you think he's angry with me for going off with Ben?"

"Of course not," Finn dismissed as Poe politely excused himself. "You see? He's coming over."

"That's a relief," Rey smiled as the young Viscount joined them.

"Friends," he said warmly, shaking Finn's hand and kissing Rey on the cheek. "I overheard Lord Ren's proposal, Rey. I had no idea he could be so loquacious! Congratulations, love."

"Thank you," she laughed, crinkling her nose. "To think, I was complaining about him only hours ago."

"Now that I didn't find surprising," Poe chuckled.

"Oh, haha," Rey mocked. "But enough about me, what about you? Finn told me what happened with Lady Shara."

"I'm fine," Poe said haltingly. "You know how my mother can be."

"I'm sorry if I-"

"Stop," he said kindly. "You've done nothing wrong. You're in love and I'm thrilled for you."

Rey nodded, realizing he wanted the topic dropped for now. "Thank you, Poe."

"You're welcome," he said sincerely. Then, grinning, "So, you and Lord Ren, huh?"

"Oh, you two!" Rey flushed, playfully swatting at her friends. "You're the worst kind of troublemakers!"

"I couldn't agree more," Ben joked, suddenly joining their group.

"Ben," Rey said warningly, "you promised."

"That I did," Ben sighed. "Dameron, Johnson," he said respectfully, nodding to each man in turn. Or, as respectfully as one could while looking like they had a bee in their bonnet. "Good evening."

"Solo," they acknowledged, following Ben's lead and using his much less formal surname.

An awkward silence fell as everyone waited for someone else to speak. "This is going well," Rey thought wryly. But just as she opened her mouth, Ben started giving their excuses.

"Right. Well. I appreciate you keeping my fiancé company," he said with a straight face, "but I must pull her away for a few moments. Uncle Luke has something he wishes to share we us." Ben paused, looking a little too pleased with himself. "A family matter, you understand."

"Certainly," Finn said courteously.

"If you must," Poe drawled.

"Right now?" Rey queried.

"Uh, yes," Ben confirmed, taking her half full flute and handing it to a passing waiter. "Come along, Rey. Uncle Luke musn't be kept waiting."

"Since when does Ben care about inconveniencing Luke?" Curious now, Rey looped her arm through Ben's as she bade her companions adieu, allowing him to steer her toward Luke's private study. "I wonder what father wants to talk about?"

——————

Ben was nervous. Luke hadn't specified what this-meeting? lecture?-was about when he'd tersely ordered, "You and Rey, my office, now," a few minutes ago. The old man was a curmudgeon to be sure, but his attitude since finding them together in flagrante delicto was starting to unsettle him.

Despite appearing to approve of their engagement, Ben was worried that he'd changed his mind. What if Luke forbade him from marrying his daughter? Would he be forced to challenge his own uncle over Rey's hand? The thought wasn't pleasing, but he would do anything to secure a future with the woman he loved.

"Ben?" Rey whispered once they were outside Luke's door. "Is everything okay?"

Relaxing his hold, Ben tried to calm down. "Yes, I'm just...I'm not sure what Luke is going to say."

"It won't matter," she reassured him.

"But what if-!"

"I'm nervous too," she admitted, turning to embrace him, "but nothing he says will change how I feel about you."

Ben buried his face in her hair, breathing in the flowery scent he always associated with her. "I know."

——————

Briskly knocking on the mahogany door, Rey jumped when Luke promptly opened it. "Was he pacing by the door?"

"Good, you're here. Come in, come in," Luke bade.

"Is everything alright?" she said quietly, noting the large cup of brandy sitting atop his desk as he ushered them inside.

"I'm not sure," Luke said enigmatically. He indicated the sapphire blue wingbacks stationed in front of his desk. "Please."

The chairs were close enough that Ben didn't have to release her hand as they sat, and given their brief conversation in the hall, she wasn't surprised when he didn't. "He's worried Luke will scorn our love, but that's not it. Something else is going on. I can feel it."

"The reason I've called you in here…that is to say...I just wanted to..." Luke broke off, taking a gulp of liquid courage before trying again. "Rey, I have something important to confess...well, maybe not confess so much as...umm..."

"Father, what's going on?" It was strange to see Luke so flustered.

"I'm not usually one to mince words," he said candidly, "but I fear what I have to say will turn you against me forever."

"Father, I'm sure-!"

"No, let me speak while I have the nerve," he said, stalling her interjection. "Rey, there's a piece of information about...about your parents that I've been keeping from you all these years."

Rey sat up straighter while Ben tensed beside her. "Are they alive?!" she demanded.

"No," Luke said hurriedly, "no, they're gone."

"Then what is it?" she asked, bracing herself for the truth.

"I asked my private investigator to confirm that their deaths were accidental, to ensure your safety, you see, but what he found was quite unsettling."

"Were they murdered?" she gasped.

Luke shook his head. "No, they weren't murdered," he assured her. "But although it was an accident, it was an accident of their own making."

"I don't understand."

"Simply put, Lord Niima liked to gamble and Lady Niima liked the finer things. So, by the time you were born, your parents were severely in debt to all the wrong sorts of people. They tried everything they could to get out of it, to give you the life you deserve, but...when the deal they made to sell off their holdings and repay their creditors fell through…"

"They set fire to their own facility," Rey whispered, deflating against the plush blue chair. "They left me," she thought numbly.

"There was an insurance policy they hoped to collect, I presume," Ben said woodenly. Rey felt him lift her hand to his lips, but she was too caught up in her own terrible thoughts to react.

"Yes, there was." Luke reached into a drawer and pulled out a dusty roll of parchment. "I've been keeping this for you until you were older, Rey."

"I can't believe they were so selfish. Luke would never take a chance so great knowing that he had me to look out for," Rey mused. "In fact, what do I even really know about my birth parents save for a few half-remembered dreams? They were never home, never played with me, or gave me comfort. They were nothing like Luke or the rest of the Skywalkers...they were nothing like my family…"

"What is it?" Ben inquired when Rey didn't respond.

"Lord Niima's will."

"They left her with nothing, didn't they?" Ben said angrily. "That's why you adopted her all those years ago, why you made her your heir."

"Yes," Luke acknowledged. "I couldn't let an innocent child be cast aside due to the fault of their parents or society's expectations."

"Certainly not," Ben agreed. "But what about the insurance money?" he said curiously. "Did the inspectors figure out who was responsible for starting the fire?"

"No, they ruled it a simple accident," Luke said solemnly, "and I didn't correct them."

"I'm surprised at you, uncle."

"It's true I don't bend the rules often, but I wanted to spare Rey any repercussions lest the truth become known."

Ben nodded in understanding. "So, what happened next?"

"After becoming Rey's legal guardian, I assumed control of the insurance pay out and used it to clear the Niima's debts and close their accounts." Luke frowned. "I would have helped them had they asked, but I was unaware of their dire circumstances. We were friends for a long time, so I'm sorry that I-"

"No!" Rey said firmly, coming back to herself. "No, father, you're not at fault here. There's nothing you could have done to prevent their deaths."

"But what if-!"

"No," she said again, more warmly this time. "You're the best parent a girl could ask for. I've never wanted for anything, never doubted your love for me. I'm sorry that Lord and Lady Niima died the way they did, but they're gone and we're not."

"Rey, daughter," Luke said emotionally, "you're too forgiving."

"It's in the past," she returned softly. Then, glancing at Ben, "Us Skywalkers, we're a family, and there's nothing that can't be forgiven between family."

Luke smiled for the first time in days. "I'm glad to hear it." He came around the desk and leaned down to kiss her cheek. "You've certainly grown up, my Rey, but I'll always be here for you."

Rey pulled Ben up with her before hugging her father. "I'm glad to hear it," she echoed. "And don't forget: our relationship goes both ways; I'll always be here for you too."

"Thank you, my dear girl," he said, kissing her again. "And you!" Luke called, holding his hand out to Ben when Rey stepped back. "I expect you to take great care of my daughter, nephew."

Ben accepted Luke's hand with a laugh, pulling him into a tight bear hug much to the older gentleman's chagrin. Giggling as Luke struggled in her fiancé's unbreakable grasp, Rey realized she felt completely free from the uncertainties in her past. Now, she only looked forward to her future. And what a bright future it would be.

——————

London, December 1819

——————

Despite several offers to visit the family jeweler during their short engagement, Rey had decided against asking Ben for a new ring. She'd gotten used to seeing the lovely forget-me-not on her ring finger everyday, and much preferred it to buying some banal bauble in a fancy shop.

Truth be told, the heirloom reminded her that although her own mother's ring had been lost to frivolous pursuits, it didn't mean that she would suffer the same fate. She had family, friends, and a husband who made her happier than she ever dreamed of being.

"Speaking of, I wonder when-ah, there he is." Rey smiled as Ben entered the dining room and sat down beside her. "Good morning, love."

"Morning," he said groggily, leaning over to give her a sweet kiss. "Mother," he nodded.

"Hello," Leia said without looking up from her breakfast. "Sleep well?"

"Something like that," Ben murmured, giving Rey a heated look.

"That's nice," Leia yawned, buttering a thick piece of toast.

Knowing exactly why Ben was so exhausted, Rey tried not to look too pleased with herself. They'd barely spent a day-or night-apart since marrying in the spring, just a few months after Ben's proposal last Christmas. Leia had insisted on a quick turnaround just in case Rey was increasing, but they hadn't been blessed with children as of yet.

"Finn proposed to Rose Tico last week," Rey said to the room at large. "I just received a note from him this morning. He said he's going to bring her to the Christmas party tomorrow night."

"Hmm, that's nice," Leia said idly.

"Really?" Ben said, sounding far more interested.

"Yes!" Rey replied brightly. "I'm so happy for them. It was an uphill battle, you know. Finn's family wanted an heiress for him."

"I'm glad they were able to overcome his family's objections," Ben said kindly.

"Me too," she beamed.

"Is Poe coming as well?"

"Of course, though without Lady Shara this year."

"Such a shame."

"Isn't it though?" Rey laughed. "Oh, have you seen father this morning by any chance? He wasn't in his room when I stopped by."

"I haven't," Ben said, blowing on his tea, "but he seems to be spending quite a lot of time in the gardens since moving back to the Manor. You might find him there."

"Thank you for the tip, I'll check after breakfast," Rey said. She gave him a private glance. "I think it's time we shared our news, don't you?"

"I do," Ben grinned. "Tonight's dinner will be family only, right, mother?"

"What? Oh, yes," Leia said between bites of toast. "Is there anything in particular you'd like for dessert, my darlings? Threepio said the servants are going to market this afternoon for some more ingredients. They seem to think tonight is a special affair, heaven knows why."

Rey smiled as Ben poured her more tea and added some salty bacon to her plate. "Oh, really? Well, how about a nice big vanilla cake then? I think it might be fitting for the occasion!"

-FIN-

——————

A/N: I'm so excited that I was able to get tickets for Star Wars Celebration 2019 and can't wait to hang out with my Reylo besties! It's going to be a wild time after TRoS comes out and all our Reylo dreams come true! May the Force be with you, friends!

[redwhale]

The Curious Case of Chekov’s Thomas Hamilton.

Thomas (2x03): The new world is a gift, Lieutenant. A sacred opportunity to right our wrongs and begin a new - and I do not want my family's plot in it to be the reason for its fall. ...well, about that, Thomas.... I hate to say it.... Miranda (1x07): This path you're on, it doesn't lead where you think it does. If he were here, he'd agree with me!

The following is a stupidly, stupidly long prolonged ramble about the whos/whats/potential hows on the justification for a Thomas Hamilton return, one that originally came about after I started doing a series rewatch. There are lot of questions, and not a lot of answers, but I decided typing it out was probably better than zoning out in the vegetables section of the supermarket again, trying to puzzle out the great mystery of Chekov's Thomas Hamilton... which embarrassingly did happen. Twice. Once whilst staring at pumpkins.

Wherefore art thou, Mr Hamilton?

The following relevant quote is something @flinthamilton​ cleverly picked up on some time ago, which has been my soothing madness mantra ever since -

Thomas (2x01): They say it started with a man named Henry Avery, who sailed into the port of Nassau, bribed the colonial Governor to look past his sins, and camped his crew upon the beach -  and thus began the pirate issue on New Providence Island. Where and when will it all end - I suppose that's where you and I come into the story.

Even prior to the great Thomas Hamilton Unified Meltdown of 4x04, like with a lot of viewers, there was an odd ambiguity to Thomas' death that I could never shake. Thomas' death is a story within a story, first told to us via Richard Guthrie, and only ever glossed over with no true specifics outside of the implication from Guthrie that Thomas had committed suicide. Hilariously, nearly every leading character on the show has been thought to be dead at some point, with Madi, Silver, and the Walrus joining the club as of S4. (Didn’t the Walrus die twice?) I thought the ambiguity in regards to Thomas' demise was odd, but had come to terms with it by the end of S2, outside of the actual reasoning why Lord Hamilton was travelling under an assumed name.

...then comes along S3, with Flint being haunted by Miranda and Mistress Death in his day/dreams. I'd initially assumed the lack of Thomas was due to a scheduling conflict with Rupert Penry Jones, but there is an almost bizarre lack of Thomas mention throughout the dreams, which easily could have been worked around with the odd bit of dialogue to compensate for the lack of actor availability. I know some viewers were concerned the lack of Thomas was done in response to some of the homophobic backlash from S2. Considering Thomas is very much not forgotten for the rest of S3, with Flint nearly in tears in two occasions over his memory, I don't know if that was entirely the case. Miranda's comment in Flint's dream is still surprising, and in retrospect, could have meant more than one person alongside of Silver's valuable companionship for Flint:

Miranda (3x05): You can't see it yet, can you? You are not alone.

On the assumption Thomas will show up at the end of the series, seeing Thomas interact with Flint in Flint's dreams would lessen the punch significantly. We've seen Thomas and McGraw interacting in flashbacks. We saw Miranda Barlow and Captain Flint interacting for a season, and then with S2, were introduced to the Miranda Hamilton and James McGraw that came before. Understandably, considering Thomas’ currently dead status, we have not seen the dynamic change between Thomas and McGraw of the flashbacks to Thomas with the Flint of the present. A conversation between Thomas and Flint, even in a dream, would come with a lot of baggage on Flint's behalf that would be odd not to mention - forgiveness, penance, loss, legacy. You couldn't have Flint and Thomas in a dream sequence without discussing at least some of those aspects of Flint, and it would again lessen the later emotional punch significantly if Thomas were to return, and then rehash the same issues in person. It would be a bigger emotional punch to see Thomas and James together for the first time since the flashbacks as the men they both now are after a decade, as opposed to Flashback!Thomas interacting with Flint in a dream. Just visually, there is quite a shocking difference between James McGraw and Captain ‘Walter White’ Flint of S3/4. (Walter Flint. Captain White.)

Again, it's not like the showrunners were handwaving in S3 how much Thomas had meant to Flint. Mentions of Thomas and his legacy are a big part of the Flint and Rogers meet and greet on the beach, with Flint blinking back tears over Rogers’ queries. He's in a similar state explaining Thomas' story to Silver in 3x10, with Silver wanting to know who Flint is really fighting this war for. Even as of 4x04, the loss of Thomas - even a decade later - is still a very, very raw wound for Flint.

...I will also never get over how darkly funny it is for Flint to show up on the beach, ready to grind Rogers under his heel, and Rogers mic-drops the name of Lord Thomas Hamilton. You see all of Flint's bravdo evaporate in a moment.

Silver getting very specific knowledge re: Thomas and his fate in 3x10 was interesting, too, as Silver could have gotten a glossed over version and it would have worked just as well. Silver needed to learn of Thomas' actual name for whatever reason. Regardless of whether the estate mentioned by Max plays into Silver's backstory or is linked to Thomas, that knowledge (and potentially using it against/or as a catalyst for Flint) from the previous season has already come into play in some form.

Silver (4x04): I see. But that wasn't really what I asked, was it? Assume, that his father was just as dark as you say, but was unable to murder his own son. Assume he found a way to secret Thomas away from London -

Flint: He didn't.

Silver: Would you trade this war to make it so?

When it comes to Black Sails, I feel like the devil is always in the details.

Outside the continual narrative thread of Thomas' mentions throughout the series, the unexplained oddity of Lord Hamilton travelling under an assumed name is still unexplained. In S1, we learn of the Maria Aleyne, but we don't know who/what/why. In S2, we learned it was Lord Alfred Hamilton, travelling under an assumed name. We now know the who/what/why for Flint's and Miranda's actions, but we still don't know why Alfred was travelling secretly. If he was visiting Peter, it still seems odd that he would do so under an assumed name. Lord Hamilton's power was absolute - who would he have to fear? He could have taken a big ship, and would have high enough status that he surely could have been protected by the Navy against the pirate threat, but instead, everything was done in secrecy.

It took until the final season for the extended Guthrie family to come into play, and that's been a narrative thread since back in S1. With the dangling 'north of Spanish Florida' thread, there's also the fact that Abigail was sent to Savannah by Peter, the very same place that Flint is supposed to end up pre-Treasure Island. The pieces have all been laid out, and have to come together somewhere - though I can't imagine anything coming to pass before 4x10. Not a lot of time to tie up loose ends, either! There's also another reason why I think Thomas needs to come back to resolve Flint's arc. Interestingly, in 2x08, Flint is concerned about judgement from Peter for the things he has done. ('Not of Nassau, but of me, and the man I have become.') If Flint was so devastated at the thought of Thomas disagreeing with his choices in S1 - and it took a Thomas-like rhetoric from Eleanor to drag him from his stupor - the ultimate, agonizing judgement of Flint would be from Thomas himself.

Silver (4x04): If we assume, that we are on the verge of some impossible victory here, a truly significant thing - that we assume that is real, and here for the taking , wouldn't you trade it all to have Thomas Hamilton back again?

Flint: ...I think if he knew how close we were to the victory he gave his life to achieve, he wouldn't want me to.

I'm assuming that by the end of the series, for better or worse, we'll have a true answer from Flint re: Thomas and the war. Thomas vs. Thomas' legacy. Silver has had the same question posed to him via circumstance, and chose Madi. We’ve since seen Max choose Anne. Flint doesn't have to make a decision like Silver or Max with Thomas dead, and can justify his actions all he wants to himself.

On a boring pacing note, I’ve been surprised that the big Skeleton Island/cache Silver/Flint stressful emotional climax seems to be in 4x09, and not the finale itself. 4x08 almost felt like the penultimate episode, leading into a finale. All of this is to say that it looks like there is time for a further resolution to Flint’s arc, and that it seems like finale emotional battle for Flint will be choices regarding the war itself, and not the cache.

How’s the weather north of Spanish Florida?

You don't do an absolutely ludicrously specific exposition dump and then don't come back to it in some form to resolve it, especially on Black Sails! What's more, the set up for the subplot happens in 4x02, with Max dropping the first hint of it to Silver.

Max (4x02): I am tempted to put the sword to you and your men both and bury this story for good, but what am I, if I spend my days pleading for a return to civility and then do dark things under the cover of night. So you will remain in my custody until I can find a place far from here to deposit you. You will be gone, but you will live.

...I also like the nice 'bury this story for good' metaphor. Black Sails loves a good story metaphor.

The odd little narrative thread once again comes up in 4x04, with Silver very unsubtly bringing it up again with Max. Regardless if the whole 'north of Spanish Florida' mention relates ultimately to Silver's backstory or to Thomas himself, Max's mention of sending Silver away was subtle and in passing in the first place that it need not be brought up again unless there is to be pay-off later. It really doesn't need to be talked about at all - she didn't want to kill him, so she'd send him away, the show has more important plot points to worry about. We don't need to know why as the audience, unless it is plot relevant later. It actually feels quite clunky on rewatches - Silver needs to get the information for the plot, but the conversation flow for how he gets it is pretty transparent.

Max (4x04): When Anne was recruiting spies in Port Royal, she met a man with an estate in the wilderness, north of Spanish Florida. A reform minded man, who uses convicts as laborers - convicts he solicits from prisons in England, where their treatment is far less humane. This man, we were told, found it profitable to offer his services to wealthy families, some of the most prominent in London on occasion, who needed to make troublesome family members disappear. Cared for, tended to, but never to be seen or heard from again.

There is so much information dumped here! a) A location - north of Spanish Florida, possibly near Savannah, and comparatively close to Charlestown. b) A reform minded man. c) The use of convicts as laborers, who had previously been treated badly. d) The biggest stand is the line about offering services to wealthy prominent families from London with troublesome family members that need to disappear. If Max wanted to send Silver away, there is absolutely no need to bring the ‘services to wealthy familes, some of the most prominent in London’ into it, as mentioning sending Silver away to be a laborer would have been enough. The show is intentionally - and a tad clumsly - invoking Thomas’ circumstance for the audience. Or a possible Silver backstory, just to cover my ass. e) We also have the implication that these troublesome family members would be found in good condition, to hand wave away in advance why those that lived there would most likely be in a fairly healthy state, hopefully both of mind and body.

As mentioned above, with the Guthrie family subplot finally coming into play in S4, there are very little narrative threads that get started on Black Sails that don't get finished. As of 4x08, we had Idelle bring up Charlotte! Regardless how it all relates to Thomas, the narrative thread of the man north of Spanish Florida certainly was a big one.

Troublesome Family Member Hideaway Camp for Rich Londonites.

Depending on Peter's role in all this, and what degree of guilt over his part in what Alfred Hamilton had done to Thomas, I can't see why it wouldn't be probable that Thomas wouldn't have ended up at the estate. I also can't imagine there would be many men offering this kind of service in the first place, let alone so comparatively close to where Peter Ashe resided, so it's again not very improbable Thomas could have ended up there. In the end, it might be a good enough justification to get Flint there - hey, there's an estate that takes in the troubled family members of rich Londonites, and what a coincidence, it isn't ludicrously far away from Charlestown! Lord Hamilton could have taken Thomas there without Peter's knowledge, but surely it would be more likely that Peter was the one to suggest it. Peter can alleviate his guilt somewhat in regards to the whole proceedings, as Thomas is free from Bethlem, and yet still keep Lord Hamilton placated. After Lord Hamilton drops off Thomas - or visits Thomas at a later date - Flint then boards the Maria Aleyne, and kills him. Was Thomas ever in Bethlem in the first place? Was Alfred Hamilton horrified at his treatment, that when Peter offered a potential out for Thomas, he took it? After what Thomas had been through, there would be no way to release him back into London society - it would have made the Hamiltons look even worse.

I'm quite curious about the man who runs said estate. How long he's been doing it, why he's been doing it, etc. Ha, maybe he's the connection to Silver's mysterious backstory! From a few paragraphs ago, the emphasis on 'tended to, cared for' by Max in her exposition is interesting. On the hypothetical Flint finds Thomas, it does tell the audience in advance why Thomas might be found in good and healthy condition, and also (hopefully) of a sound mind. I'm curious about the freedom of those at the estate. Are they in cells? Do they have more autonomy? Is it heavily guarded, or do the prisoners have more autonomy?

One negative is that with Lord Hamilton dead all those years, wouldn’t Peter have had Thomas released? Surely Thomas would know his father had died. It depends who is footing the bills in the Hamilton family, I suppose. With Lord Hamilton’s death, maybe Thomas now had the autonomy to leave, but chose not to do so.

Who needs enemies, when you can have a friend like Peter Ashe?

Flint (2x10): What was the truth, my lord? Why did you betray those closest to you all those years ago? Was it really so small and vile as a bribe? The promise of lording over other men in this place? Or were you simply too weak to say no, too cowardly to do the harder thing and preserve your decency. Tell me It was the latter. Tell me this is all happening because of your cowardice. I could accept that. I might forgive that. ...I s'pose there is my answer. Even in this moment, alone with a condemned man, you are unable to speak the truth.

It's interesting that in Peter's final moments, Flint is still aware he's being lied to.

I go back and forth whether Peter had any inkling that McGraw had become Flint. The news of Thomas' death would have come to Miranda whilst they were living on Nassau. I guess contact would have broken between Miranda/McGraw and Peter sometime after the fact. When Alfred Hamilton was killed by Captain Flint, who also made his home on Nassau, it surely wouldn’t have been that hard to put two and two together, even if Ashe had no concrete proof. For my part, I feel like Peter had considered it a possibility, but hadn't known for sure until Miranda and Flint arrived in Charlestown. There was also the time period of how quickly Flint had appeared after McGraw had arrived on Nassau that Peter seemed incredulous about, which was explained by Flint.

Peter gets very defensive, very quick at the implication he hadn't done right by Thomas.

Miranda (2x09): Tell me, sir, when does the truth about your sins come to light?

Peter: You know nothing of my sins!

---

Peter: Were you there when I visited Thomas at the hospital, to confess my signs and heard him offer his full and true forgiveness? He knew I had no choice in the matter!

Miranda: No choice-!

Peter: A hard choice. Made under great duress, but with the intent to make the least awful outcome. You wish to return to civilization - that's what civilization is!

It's funny, in a television series with a lot of characters that have done horrible things out of necessity or defence, Peter's character is still one I can never truly get a handle on, which is a compliment to both the writing and the actor. I think Peter's intentions were initially good, before greed and fear at the threat of Alfred Hamilton's reach overrode those good intentions. I wonder if McGraw's return from Nassau with the loss of the governor's family was the last straw. If there was some compassion there, and fondness for his friendship with Thomas, I imagine he would have eaten away at Peter - judging by his explosive dialogue, it did. Whether he did something about this guilt is the next question.

Also, the 'least awful outcome' still seems absolutely horrific when Thomas ended up in Bethlem. Somewhat less horrific if he ended up cared for at an estate, but still an ultimately cruel treatment of a man whose only crime was to help others and change the status quo.

As I rambled on above, with north of Spanish Florida comparatively being so close to Charlestown, surely Peter must have known of the estate. Did he create the place himself, and find a man to run it? Was it because he'd heard good things about the reform minded man that he could offer the knowledge to Alfred, to alleviate some of their guilt about the treatment of Thomas? Was it just an estate Thomas was staying at that ultimately became something more?

The following point likely means very little, because if someone is trying to kill me, I'd be telling them to wait, too! Regardless, it is backed into a corner with Flint loose, loss of power, hands up, that Peter pleads, "Wait, James -" before he is stabbed, before everyone's favorite Nation of Thieves cue plays. After that, Peter says no more, and is resigned. If Peter has knowledge of Thomas, it's a final 'fuck you' to Flint to let the knowledge die with him.

Peter(2x09): You and I will sail to London together, then you will stand up and tell your story.

The main negative I can see with Peter knowing Thomas was alive was, after visiting Nassau with Flint, he was going to take him to England to reveal the true story of James McGraw. Whilst Peter no longer has the threat of Alfred Hamilton hanging over his head, it's not unlikely that Thomas wouldn't hear about the Flint reveal eventually, unless the estate he is being held in is very restricted and lacking in news from the outside world. I can't imagine he wouldn't be furious at Peter when he found out about McGraw's judgement, especially if it led to McGraw/Flint being hanged.

The Reform-Minded Man of Mystery.

With the reveal of Thomas wanting to pardon the pirate of Nassau in 2x04, the reformation aspect of Thomas' character particularly apparent, especially with his interactions with McGraw, Alfred Hamilton, and the introduction of Peter Ashe.

Thomas: They're men!

McGraw: They're traitors to the crown!

Thomas: What difference does that make?

McGraw: Makes some difference to the crown-!

Thomas: Just answer me this - would it work?

Excerpts from later in 2x04 with Thomas' dialogue to Alfred:

'I want to put them to work. Tilling, harvesting, coopering, building, smithing, fishing.'

'I intend to secure them pardons. A blanket amnesty for any man that would accept it, in exchange for his allegiance, renunciation of violence, and his labor.'

'This is the solution most likely to lead to our desired result, and it also has the virtue of being the right thing to do.'

'If you do not forgive men their sins, then your father will not forgive your sins!'

Thomas, later at his salon(2x04): Absolution. A clean slate for those wanting to accept it. -- I am committed to this end, but it is a long road, and I will need your help to see it through.

Even after 2x05, when it is revealed of the horrors that occurred in Nassau with the Governor's family, Thomas still doesn't give up on the pirates of Nassau.

Thomas (2x05): The men responsible for this crime deserve to be punished, but we cannot, we must not, allow their actions to condemn the rest.

As @flinthamilton​ pointed out, specifying the 'reform minded man' in Max's exposition dump is very interesting. Going back and note taking the episodes, I was surprise how constant reform and forgiveness was thematically in all of Thomas' dialogue. I'd always knew there was that element to his character, but there was very much more of an emphasis that I'd previously considered. If the man running the estate isn't Thomas, it's ironic that he is 'cared for' by a man with similar motivations.

The comparative vicinity of the estate to Charlestown is circumspect, even if Thomas is kept there, not as the man who runs it. On the hypothetical he's the reform minded man, there are a lot of interesting what-ifs. Did Lord Hamilton buy the estate, did Peter? Was Thomas kept there for awhile, before he thought of some way to stop others suffering similar fates? Taking money from prominent families would cover the cost of running the estate, and pay for the former convicts to be treated well.

It's also fitting that while Thomas couldn't reform and pardon the pirates of Nassau, he was potentially able to help men from England in similar positions. Potentially, Thomas wasn't able to carry out what he'd originally intended, but he was still able to continue his work in another way. Flint desperately tried to carry out Thomas' dream, but it is now above just saving Nassau and going to war with civilization itself.

As a semi-negative to the point, if Thomas was the 'reform minded man', he would have had the autonomy to have met Anne at Port Royal. Considering Port Royal's proximity, one would assume at one point he would have surely gone to Nassau, unless the wound was too raw. I suppose it depends on what he thought the fates of James and Miranda were? If they were told Thomas was dead, I assume he was spun a similar tale. If Thomas didn't know where they were, he could have gone to Nassau and asked around for James McGraw and Miranda Hamilton, but never realizing who James and Miranda now were. It could be probable, as I think they were only known to Nassau as Captain Flint and Mrs Barlow. Did anyone know of their first names outside of each other? Surely someone? Gates? Eleanor? It also depends on where Miranda chose the name 'Barlow' from. If it was her maiden name, Thomas would recognize it. Of course, Thomas could have known they were there all along and chose not to see them, but I can’t really picture that, either, unless he had a lot of guilt about what had happened.

I also can't picture Thomas holding men against their will, maybe more so the troublesome family members than the former convicts. It wouldn't fit for Thomas, and if he'd spent any time in Bethlem at all, surely couldn't do the same thing to another? Maybe there is consent by those that are brought there? It's funny, there is a lot of various ways it could have all come together, but Thomas being the reform minded man Max spoke of is the most intriguing for me of all.

Mr Ashford, I presume?

Peter(4x09):  Abigail, I've made arrangements for you to be shuttled to Savannah today. You'll be taken to Mr Ashford's house.

---

Thomas(2x04): He'll be arriving n less than 2hrs.

James: I'm sorry? Who?

Thomas: The fourth Earl of Ashbourne, Lord Proprietor to the Carolina Colony including the Bahama Islands, and Peer of the Realm - Lord Alfred Hamilton, my father.

Thank you to @flintstruestlove and the ASOIAF forum for floating the idea that Thomas could be Mr Ashford in the first place, and thanks to @flintsredhair​​ for noting that Lord Hamilton was the Earl of Ashbourne, which is a connection to Thomas.

Mr Ashford is certainly an intriguing one, as he was a friend of Peter's that they bothered to give a name, and chose yet another name for a character in Black Sails involving the word 'ash'. He's also someone that Peter found reasonable to send Abigail to in a time of crisis, a Mr Ashford that lives in Savannah....

To be corny and reachy as hell, but ash is also what remains after a fire. To keep the corny/reachy motif running, said fire could have been started by steel ‘n flint. Flint himself being associated with fire is (understandably) a constant motif throughout the series. Even just as of 4x07, Rackham says the Guthries can’t be blamed for wanting Flint dead, as ‘Flint will stop at nothing until the entire West Indies are ablaze.’ It’s probably a lot of reaching, but when it’s all said and done, maybe only ‘ash’ will remain?

...if nothing else, ha, there are quite a few names with ‘ash’ in Black Sails! Like, a lot.

The abrupt disappearance of Abigail Ashe from Black Sails was understandable at the time considering Flint departed Charlestown, but also still feels very jolting considering the amount of time spent to build her as a character. Ultimately, Mr Ashford could in fact be the name of the reform minded man, and not of Thomas. Either way, Thomas and Abigail could potentially be in the vicinity of his each other, and Abigail is in our favorite ominous place ever, Savannah.

To Forgive, But Not To Forget.

I don't want to go into this topic too much, as it's a whole prolonged conversation entirely, but I've seen the odd sentiment that if Flint finds Thomas, Thomas wouldn't want anything to do with him after what Flint has done. That Thomas would want Flint dead. I’ve also seen the odd comment that Thomas would take revenge against Flint himself. Of all of the characters on the show, it has been emphasised over and over again what kind of person Thomas was - hence the whole 'reform minded man' section above. Of course, Thomas wouldn't have stayed completely stagnant as a person during that time, and that the experiences that he went through wouldn’t have affected him - but his capacity for acceptance and forgiveness seems to be a continually emphasised core element to his character. Even with the pirates killing the governor's family, Thomas didn't want the rest of the pirates of Nassau to be tarred with the same brush. (Thomas 2x05: The men responsible for this crime deserve to be punished. But we cannot, we must not allow their actions to condemn the rest.) I always think Thomas is trapped between being a realist and an idealist - he knows the reality of the situation, but wants to push forward anyway in the hope of more. Heartbreakingly, as we saw in 4x08, Flint very, very much carried on his mantle.

Thomas (2x04): If you do not forgive men their sins, than your father will not forgive your sins!

Miranda (2x06): I had a very different life before I came here, a life I shared with my husband. He was a special man, a man of ideas, about the world, about the order of things. Writers, artists, men of science - they'd fill our drawing room night after night to talk and argue. Sometimes just to listen to him. In some ways he was like you, a shepherd to his flock. He would have loved to have met you. Me? You think I can play devil's advocate! Thomas would have played that game with you from dusk until dawn. And everything you hold sacred, he'd leave in tatters. Not from malice or hate, but from love. From a desire to see the yoke of shame lifted from your shoulders.

If there is any character to give Flint some solace or a pardon (ha) at the end of it all, it is more than probable it would be Thomas. Like Miranda and McGraw to Flint, Thomas would have very much changed over the decade, but they were still the same people under it all. From what we've seen and heard of Thomas, and from what has been emphasised over and over again in dialogue, I honestly cannot imagine he'd dismiss Flint so easily as others have considered. It may not be all sunshine and roses, and I would be fascinated to hear Thomas' thoughts on his father and Peter Ashe. Again, Thomas' worst crime was that he wanted to change the status quo and help others, but I imagine he'd also have guilt about being his drive and actions being the catalyst for having Miranda and James sent away.  

A touch of Greek Tragedy.

I've seen people mention that Thomas returning would be too much of a happy ending for Flint. Even if Flint is reunited with Thomas, in some aspects it is even more cruel than if Thomas had stayed dead. For one, Flint has to confront the choices he's made in Thomas' absence upon coming face to face with the man himself. Just consider everything Flint and Miranda suffered for and fought for, thinking Thomas was dead. If it is revealed that Thomas is alive, and potentially so close and accessible the whole time? The guilt, the regret, and the frustration would be monstorous. That's not even considering everyone that suffered and was sacrificed as a proxy of Flint's agony and drive for Thomas and Nassau - the crew, Mr Gates, etc. There is an added punch by just going to Charlestown before Miranda's death, they would have sailed passed the general area on the way. Thomas being alive gives us both a satisfying ending for Flint, but also a deeply tragic one, befitting of the Greek tragedy/poem parallels Black Sails makes throughout.

As Max tries to come to grips with in 4x05: It wasn't supposed to end like this. How could we all have sacrificed so much, and none of us has anything to show for it?

Flint and Miranda fought for and sacrificed so much, and Miranda died because of it, with ultimately very little for Flint to show of it. For Flint to have to come to terms with that, whilst dealing with the fact that Thomas was alive all along? It won't be easy. What they fought for wasn’t for nothing, mind you, as it was Flint and Miranda trying desperately to survive, trying to hold onto Thomas' ideals whilst dealing with the anger and grief over what had befallen them all. But, goddam if that isn't going to hurt for Flint regardless.

[cebu-realestate]

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

AKIN to world crises prior to now, the present coronavirus illness 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic apparently has forged doubt on the Philippine real estate economic system’s prospects. And but, for all of the doom and gloom eventualities, one factor for certain, in line with Philippine real-estate specialists and gamers, is that this well-being emergency opens up alternatives for each the real-estate traders and builders.

With this in thoughts, they agreed that now’s the right time for the market to accumulate a bit of a property as builders want to satisfy their expectations simply after they take care of present conditions of their subject amid the unfold of the virulent, lethal virus.

“Highest and best use of Philippine property will become even more important for investors and developers. Flexibility is key. Covid-19 is indeed a crisis, but every crisis brings opportunities,” KMC Solutions Cofounder Amanda Carpo advised the BusinessMirror.

“While the pandemic has brought about many uncertainties and challenges across a broad spectrum of investors and customers, basic microeconomics principles still point out to clear advantages of investing in property.… I do believe that developers should be sincere in adapting to the different rigors and demands brought about by the new normal,” added Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. (GBLI) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jardin Brian Wong.

Philippine Real Estate is Crisis-proof

NO matter what the financial setting is, actual property, not like some industries, is resilient sufficient to offer good returns. In reality, it’s the third-safest funding subsequent to gold and certificates of deposit, per an examination by world public opinion and knowledge firm YouGov.

“Property has long been the gold standard for investment because of a plethora of reasons,” Wong famous.

Foremost of such causes, he stated, is that it’s extremely tangible funding that the consumers can see and really feel. Second can be the legacy side—these belongings will be handed out from era to era—arguably giving them a way of safety.

The third is its worth era. “Over time, Philippine real estate tends to increase in value exponentially while in comparison, actual money contracts due to a plethora of reasons like supply and demand, inflation and fiscal pressure,” Wong identified.

He was famous that property investments are thought of to be secure not like different potential income streams like shares, bonds, and different securities that have fluctuating tendencies and are extra inclined to market shocks.

Sharing the identical concept with him, Carpo views actual property as a great instrument for traders to diversify their funding portfolio. She stated: “Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient. More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future.”

Cautious transfer

ALTHOUGH property is effective funding generally, the prime mover of KMC Solutions cautioned consumers to be extra sensitive about their targets and timeframe.

In these troublesome occasions, a downward development in real-estate values is predicted. Nonetheless, it could be a great time for traders to come back into the market.

“If you are investing, you should know whether you are a safe, aggressive, opportunistic investor,” Carpo stated. “You should know your expected return and the volatility involved.”

Because excessive returns include excessive dangers, it’s pure for property seekers to search for belongings that aren’t so risky however have an honest return.

“Real estate is efficient in that sense,” she stated. “An investment in real estate is a long play and balances the volatility of a portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash. It builds wealth and helps grow wealth since you can also use it for leverage.”

For the good thing about property homeowners who must promote their belongings—given the risky markets paired with unpredictability on when the well-being disaster will finish—Carpo had this as a reminder: “If you need to liquidate, make sure that you will be able to re-invest the proceeds or use it for something essential. It may be time to tighten belts. It may be time to discard ‘sentimentality.’ Be flexible.”

For those that nonetheless have sufficient assets or money available, she admonished them in a different way. “If you have income-producing property or one that has good intrinsic value and can afford to hold on, it’s my personal preference to play the long game.”

Maximize your funding

STILL within the lockdown mode, traders can maximize their real-estate funding in two methods, Wong stated.

An adage that claims, “Our home is our sanctuary” works—practicality-wise—throughout this time that the Luzon-based enhanced group quarantine (ECQ) is carried out to assist comprise the speedy unfold of the virus.

“I believe that investing and having our own homes during a pandemic provides that extra safety and security mechanism that everyone should have,” he stated

Second can be the economical side. The COO of GBLI stated real-estate belongings is usually a lifeline to help dwindling earnings streams or to help cash-strapped stability sheets.

“Consumers can leverage these tangible assets to secure much-needed funding or aid during extraordinary emergencies like this,” he stated.

Looking past the well-being emergency, traders must leverage on the stretched fee phrases and lock in adjusted costs that builders now provide to them. Availing themselves of such drastically reduces the month-to-month publicity of every shopper.

“Most of these payment terms are over three or four years. So, hopefully, by then the world economy and global health system would be over the initial ‘shock’ to the market and would have adjusted fairly well. When everything goes back to normal, buyers might enjoy the same benefits they would get,” Wong careworn.

Catering to market demand

EXPECTING a heightened shopping for an impulse from the market throughout this pandemic, Golden Bay assures that it has an agency grasp of the promotion it operates in.

“We adapt to market conditions and try our best to bridge impending gaps between market trajectory and consumer appetite,” the COO bared.

At current, he stated initiatives underneath design improvement and development phases are being reviewed and, subsequently, strengthened to suit future market necessities.

“As a company, we always make it a priority to be nimble and reactive to the ever-changing demands of the market, and we are prepared to adapt well to these changes,” emphasized Wong.

In a bid to be delicate to prospects’ wants given their present state of affairs within the time of Covid-19, he stated the agency is within the strategy of implementing versatile and extra inexpensive fee schemes for his or her goal consumers.

AboitizLand, Cebu Landmasters

This effort is much like different gamers’ initiatives to in some way assist property seekers, particularly those that have misplaced their jobs or technique of livelihood due to the government-imposed ECQ, to manage.

In a current developer webinar sequence of Lamudi, AboitizLand Inc. offers incentives to consumers, reminiscent of reductions, to assist them in their monetary want. This reward scheme can also be given to sellers by adjusting their fee charges in recognition of their being “frontliners” within the enterprise.

“The challenge is not just in the new model of selling. The challenge [is more on the fact that] the people we’re selling to have [fewer] resources. In fact, that’s the bigger challenge. You’re talking now to people who have [fewer] resources, and not only [fewer] resources, but the uncertainty of that resource,” stated David Rafael, chief govt officer (CEO) of AboitizLand.

Regional participant Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), however, has prolonged fee schemes for many who acquired pre-selling items. Also, the agency reassures shoppers by telling them that the costs received change.

“In the next few months, prices of construction materials will soften because a lot of the inventory was not acquired. There are possible adjustments, a review of the pricing,” CLI CEO Jose Soberano III stated.

Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), in the meantime, has a special strategy. Considering that it caters to the high-end market, whose widespread concern is the time of supply of the items greater than versatile fee phrases, the corporate offers very important info to maintain patrons within the loop.

TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo additionally shared that they’re working for the Philippine real estate rental market. He stated: “People who can’t afford to buy are going to shift to leasing. In Torre Lorenzo, we have quite a substantial portion of our projects for lease.”

New regular

THE unprecedented well-being emergency the world is now going through is altering the best way individuals work, play, eat, and stay.

“Some of these adaptations may be permanent,” stated Carpo. “Just like 9-11 where, over time we recognized we live in a world where terrorism is possible and we are used to security checks, screening, and metal detectors, this pandemic will force workplaces, homes, shops, restaurants, factories to think of health and safety measures to prevent disease.”

Apart from the necessity for properties to have correct airflow, sanitized areas, and social-distancing measures, amongst others, she stated that one other new regular can be a change in design ideas.

“We will have to rethink high-density living. We will have to, more than ever, think of our environment and the space we live in,” she famous, including that each trader and builders must turn into data-driven of their decision-making. “We are in uncertain times and we must be willing to adapt. Adapt or die.”

Golden Bay, for one, sees plenty of expertise utilization from the best way they do enterprise will emerge from the disaster.

“From an operational point of view, some jobs would be done remotely from the confines of employees’ homes. Investment in technology for sales and marketing purposes will rise significantly since developers will try to reach customers through the web. Over-the-counter payment forms will be forgone in favor of cashless transactions. On the engineering front, developers would want to review existing and future projects in the pipeline to adapt to new demands of society,” Wong stated.

“Business Mirror by Roderick Abad (May 10, 2020)”

[house-and-lot-for-sale-in-cebu]

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

AKIN to world crises prior to now, the present coronavirus illness 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic apparently has forged doubt on the Philippine real estate economic system’s prospects. And but, for all of the doom and gloom eventualities, one factor for certain, in line with Philippine real-estate specialists and gamers, is that this well-being emergency opens up alternatives for each the real-estate traders and builders.

With this in thoughts, they agreed that now’s the right time for the market to accumulate a bit of a property as builders want to satisfy their expectations simply after they take care of present conditions of their subject amid the unfold of the virulent, lethal virus.

“Highest and best use of Philippine property will become even more important for investors and developers. Flexibility is key. Covid-19 is indeed a crisis, but every crisis brings opportunities,” KMC Solutions Cofounder Amanda Carpo advised the BusinessMirror.

“While the pandemic has brought about many uncertainties and challenges across a broad spectrum of investors and customers, basic microeconomics principles still point out to clear advantages of investing in property.… I do believe that developers should be sincere in adapting to the different rigors and demands brought about by the new normal,” added Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. (GBLI) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jardin Brian Wong.

Philippine Real Estate is Crisis-proof

NO matter what the financial setting is, actual property, not like some industries, is resilient sufficient to offer good returns. In reality, it’s the third-safest funding subsequent to gold and certificates of deposit, per an examination by world public opinion and knowledge firm YouGov.

“Property has long been the gold standard for investment because of a plethora of reasons,” Wong famous.

Foremost of such causes, he stated, is that it’s extremely tangible funding that the consumers can see and really feel. Second can be the legacy side—these belongings will be handed out from era to era—arguably giving them a way of safety.

The third is its worth era. “Over time, Philippine real estate tends to increase in value exponentially while in comparison, actual money contracts due to a plethora of reasons like supply and demand, inflation and fiscal pressure,” Wong identified.

He was famous that property investments are thought of to be secure not like different potential income streams like shares, bonds, and different securities that have fluctuating tendencies and are extra inclined to market shocks.

Sharing the identical concept with him, Carpo views actual property as a great instrument for traders to diversify their funding portfolio. She stated: “Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient. More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future.”

Cautious transfer

ALTHOUGH property is effective funding generally, the prime mover of KMC Solutions cautioned consumers to be extra sensitive about their targets and timeframe.

In these troublesome occasions, a downward development in real-estate values is predicted. Nonetheless, it could be a great time for traders to come back into the market.

“If you are investing, you should know whether you are a safe, aggressive, opportunistic investor,” Carpo stated. “You should know your expected return and the volatility involved.”

Because excessive returns include excessive dangers, it’s pure for property seekers to search for belongings that aren’t so risky however have an honest return.

“Real estate is efficient in that sense,” she stated. “An investment in real estate is a long play and balances the volatility of a portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash. It builds wealth and helps grow wealth since you can also use it for leverage.”

For the good thing about property homeowners who must promote their belongings—given the risky markets paired with unpredictability on when the well-being disaster will finish—Carpo had this as a reminder: “If you need to liquidate, make sure that you will be able to re-invest the proceeds or use it for something essential. It may be time to tighten belts. It may be time to discard ‘sentimentality.’ Be flexible.”

For those that nonetheless have sufficient assets or money available, she admonished them in a different way. “If you have income-producing property or one that has good intrinsic value and can afford to hold on, it’s my personal preference to play the long game.”

Maximize your funding

STILL within the lockdown mode, traders can maximize their real-estate funding in two methods, Wong stated.

An adage that claims, “Our home is our sanctuary” works—practicality-wise—throughout this time that the Luzon-based enhanced group quarantine (ECQ) is carried out to assist comprise the speedy unfold of the virus.

“I believe that investing and having our own homes during a pandemic provides that extra safety and security mechanism that everyone should have,” he stated

Second can be the economical side. The COO of GBLI stated real-estate belongings is usually a lifeline to help dwindling earnings streams or to help cash-strapped stability sheets.

“Consumers can leverage these tangible assets to secure much-needed funding or aid during extraordinary emergencies like this,” he stated.

Looking past the well-being emergency, traders must leverage on the stretched fee phrases and lock in adjusted costs that builders now provide to them. Availing themselves of such drastically reduces the month-to-month publicity of every shopper.

“Most of these payment terms are over three or four years. So, hopefully, by then the world economy and global health system would be over the initial ‘shock’ to the market and would have adjusted fairly well. When everything goes back to normal, buyers might enjoy the same benefits they would get,” Wong careworn.

Catering to market demand

EXPECTING a heightened shopping for an impulse from the market throughout this pandemic, Golden Bay assures that it has an agency grasp of the promotion it operates in.

“We adapt to market conditions and try our best to bridge impending gaps between market trajectory and consumer appetite,” the COO bared.

At current, he stated initiatives underneath design improvement and development phases are being reviewed and, subsequently, strengthened to suit future market necessities.

“As a company, we always make it a priority to be nimble and reactive to the ever-changing demands of the market, and we are prepared to adapt well to these changes,” emphasized Wong.

In a bid to be delicate to prospects’ wants given their present state of affairs within the time of Covid-19, he stated the agency is within the strategy of implementing versatile and extra inexpensive fee schemes for his or her goal consumers.

AboitizLand, Cebu Landmasters

This effort is much like different gamers’ initiatives to in some way assist property seekers, particularly those that have misplaced their jobs or technique of livelihood due to the government-imposed ECQ, to manage.

In a current developer webinar sequence of Lamudi, AboitizLand Inc. offers incentives to consumers, reminiscent of reductions, to assist them in their monetary want. This reward scheme can also be given to sellers by adjusting their fee charges in recognition of their being “frontliners” within the enterprise.

“The challenge is not just in the new model of selling. The challenge [is more on the fact that] the people we’re selling to have [fewer] resources. In fact, that’s the bigger challenge. You’re talking now to people who have [fewer] resources, and not only [fewer] resources, but the uncertainty of that resource,” stated David Rafael, chief govt officer (CEO) of AboitizLand.

Regional participant Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), however, has prolonged fee schemes for many who acquired pre-selling items. Also, the agency reassures shoppers by telling them that the costs received change.

“In the next few months, prices of construction materials will soften because a lot of the inventory was not acquired. There are possible adjustments, a review of the pricing,” CLI CEO Jose Soberano III stated.

Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), in the meantime, has a special strategy. Considering that it caters to the high-end market, whose widespread concern is the time of supply of the items greater than versatile fee phrases, the corporate offers very important info to maintain patrons within the loop.

TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo additionally shared that they’re working for the Philippine real estate rental market. He stated: “People who can’t afford to buy are going to shift to leasing. In Torre Lorenzo, we have quite a substantial portion of our projects for lease.”

New regular

THE unprecedented well-being emergency the world is now going through is altering the best way individuals work, play, eat, and stay.

“Some of these adaptations may be permanent,” stated Carpo. “Just like 9-11 where, over time we recognized we live in a world where terrorism is possible and we are used to security checks, screening, and metal detectors, this pandemic will force workplaces, homes, shops, restaurants, factories to think of health and safety measures to prevent disease.”

Apart from the necessity for properties to have correct airflow, sanitized areas, and social-distancing measures, amongst others, she stated that one other new regular can be a change in design ideas.

“We will have to rethink high-density living. We will have to, more than ever, think of our environment and the space we live in,” she famous, including that each trader and builders must turn into data-driven of their decision-making. “We are in uncertain times and we must be willing to adapt. Adapt or die.”

Golden Bay, for one, sees plenty of expertise utilization from the best way they do enterprise will emerge from the disaster.

“From an operational point of view, some jobs would be done remotely from the confines of employees’ homes. Investment in technology for sales and marketing purposes will rise significantly since developers will try to reach customers through the web. Over-the-counter payment forms will be forgone in favor of cashless transactions. On the engineering front, developers would want to review existing and future projects in the pipeline to adapt to new demands of society,” Wong stated.

“Business Mirror by Roderick Abad (May 10, 2020)”

[house-and-lot-cebu]

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

AKIN to world crises prior to now, the present coronavirus illness 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic apparently has forged doubt on the Philippine real estate economic system’s prospects. And but, for all of the doom and gloom eventualities, one factor for certain, in line with Philippine real-estate specialists and gamers, is that this well-being emergency opens up alternatives for each the real-estate traders and builders.

With this in thoughts, they agreed that now’s the right time for the market to accumulate a bit of a property as builders want to satisfy their expectations simply after they take care of present conditions of their subject amid the unfold of the virulent, lethal virus.

“Highest and best use of Philippine property will become even more important for investors and developers. Flexibility is key. Covid-19 is indeed a crisis, but every crisis brings opportunities,” KMC Solutions Cofounder Amanda Carpo advised the BusinessMirror.

“While the pandemic has brought about many uncertainties and challenges across a broad spectrum of investors and customers, basic microeconomics principles still point out to clear advantages of investing in property.… I do believe that developers should be sincere in adapting to the different rigors and demands brought about by the new normal,” added Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. (GBLI) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jardin Brian Wong.

Philippine Real Estate is Crisis-proof

NO matter what the financial setting is, actual property, not like some industries, is resilient sufficient to offer good returns. In reality, it’s the third-safest funding subsequent to gold and certificates of deposit, per an examination by world public opinion and knowledge firm YouGov.

“Property has long been the gold standard for investment because of a plethora of reasons,” Wong famous.

Foremost of such causes, he stated, is that it’s extremely tangible funding that the consumers can see and really feel. Second can be the legacy side—these belongings will be handed out from era to era—arguably giving them a way of safety.

The third is its worth era. “Over time, Philippine real estate tends to increase in value exponentially while in comparison, actual money contracts due to a plethora of reasons like supply and demand, inflation and fiscal pressure,” Wong identified.

He was famous that property investments are thought of to be secure not like different potential income streams like shares, bonds, and different securities that have fluctuating tendencies and are extra inclined to market shocks.

Sharing the identical concept with him, Carpo views actual property as a great instrument for traders to diversify their funding portfolio. She stated: “Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient. More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future.”

Cautious transfer

ALTHOUGH property is effective funding generally, the prime mover of KMC Solutions cautioned consumers to be extra sensitive about their targets and timeframe.

In these troublesome occasions, a downward development in real-estate values is predicted. Nonetheless, it could be a great time for traders to come back into the market.

“If you are investing, you should know whether you are a safe, aggressive, opportunistic investor,” Carpo stated. “You should know your expected return and the volatility involved.”

Because excessive returns include excessive dangers, it’s pure for property seekers to search for belongings that aren’t so risky however have an honest return.

“Real estate is efficient in that sense,” she stated. “An investment in real estate is a long play and balances the volatility of a portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash. It builds wealth and helps grow wealth since you can also use it for leverage.”

For the good thing about property homeowners who must promote their belongings—given the risky markets paired with unpredictability on when the well-being disaster will finish—Carpo had this as a reminder: “If you need to liquidate, make sure that you will be able to re-invest the proceeds or use it for something essential. It may be time to tighten belts. It may be time to discard ‘sentimentality.’ Be flexible.”

For those that nonetheless have sufficient assets or money available, she admonished them in a different way. “If you have income-producing property or one that has good intrinsic value and can afford to hold on, it’s my personal preference to play the long game.”

Maximize your funding

STILL within the lockdown mode, traders can maximize their real-estate funding in two methods, Wong stated.

An adage that claims, “Our home is our sanctuary” works—practicality-wise—throughout this time that the Luzon-based enhanced group quarantine (ECQ) is carried out to assist comprise the speedy unfold of the virus.

“I believe that investing and having our own homes during a pandemic provides that extra safety and security mechanism that everyone should have,” he stated

Second can be the economical side. The COO of GBLI stated real-estate belongings is usually a lifeline to help dwindling earnings streams or to help cash-strapped stability sheets.

“Consumers can leverage these tangible assets to secure much-needed funding or aid during extraordinary emergencies like this,” he stated.

Looking past the well-being emergency, traders must leverage on the stretched fee phrases and lock in adjusted costs that builders now provide to them. Availing themselves of such drastically reduces the month-to-month publicity of every shopper.

“Most of these payment terms are over three or four years. So, hopefully, by then the world economy and global health system would be over the initial ‘shock’ to the market and would have adjusted fairly well. When everything goes back to normal, buyers might enjoy the same benefits they would get,” Wong careworn.

Catering to market demand

EXPECTING a heightened shopping for an impulse from the market throughout this pandemic, Golden Bay assures that it has an agency grasp of the promotion it operates in.

“We adapt to market conditions and try our best to bridge impending gaps between market trajectory and consumer appetite,” the COO bared.

At current, he stated initiatives underneath design improvement and development phases are being reviewed and, subsequently, strengthened to suit future market necessities.

“As a company, we always make it a priority to be nimble and reactive to the ever-changing demands of the market, and we are prepared to adapt well to these changes,” emphasized Wong.

In a bid to be delicate to prospects’ wants given their present state of affairs within the time of Covid-19, he stated the agency is within the strategy of implementing versatile and extra inexpensive fee schemes for his or her goal consumers.

AboitizLand, Cebu Landmasters

This effort is much like different gamers’ initiatives to in some way assist property seekers, particularly those that have misplaced their jobs or technique of livelihood due to the government-imposed ECQ, to manage.

In a current developer webinar sequence of Lamudi, AboitizLand Inc. offers incentives to consumers, reminiscent of reductions, to assist them in their monetary want. This reward scheme can also be given to sellers by adjusting their fee charges in recognition of their being “frontliners” within the enterprise.

“The challenge is not just in the new model of selling. The challenge [is more on the fact that] the people we’re selling to have [fewer] resources. In fact, that’s the bigger challenge. You’re talking now to people who have [fewer] resources, and not only [fewer] resources, but the uncertainty of that resource,” stated David Rafael, chief govt officer (CEO) of AboitizLand.

Regional participant Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), however, has prolonged fee schemes for many who acquired pre-selling items. Also, the agency reassures shoppers by telling them that the costs received change.

“In the next few months, prices of construction materials will soften because a lot of the inventory was not acquired. There are possible adjustments, a review of the pricing,” CLI CEO Jose Soberano III stated.

Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), in the meantime, has a special strategy. Considering that it caters to the high-end market, whose widespread concern is the time of supply of the items greater than versatile fee phrases, the corporate offers very important info to maintain patrons within the loop.

TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo additionally shared that they’re working for the Philippine real estate rental market. He stated: “People who can’t afford to buy are going to shift to leasing. In Torre Lorenzo, we have quite a substantial portion of our projects for lease.”

New regular

THE unprecedented well-being emergency the world is now going through is altering the best way individuals work, play, eat, and stay.

“Some of these adaptations may be permanent,” stated Carpo. “Just like 9-11 where, over time we recognized we live in a world where terrorism is possible and we are used to security checks, screening, and metal detectors, this pandemic will force workplaces, homes, shops, restaurants, factories to think of health and safety measures to prevent disease.”

Apart from the necessity for properties to have correct airflow, sanitized areas, and social-distancing measures, amongst others, she stated that one other new regular can be a change in design ideas.

“We will have to rethink high-density living. We will have to, more than ever, think of our environment and the space we live in,” she famous, including that each trader and builders must turn into data-driven of their decision-making. “We are in uncertain times and we must be willing to adapt. Adapt or die.”

Golden Bay, for one, sees plenty of expertise utilization from the best way they do enterprise will emerge from the disaster.

“From an operational point of view, some jobs would be done remotely from the confines of employees’ homes. Investment in technology for sales and marketing purposes will rise significantly since developers will try to reach customers through the web. Over-the-counter payment forms will be forgone in favor of cashless transactions. On the engineering front, developers would want to review existing and future projects in the pipeline to adapt to new demands of society,” Wong stated.

“Business Mirror by Roderick Abad (May 10, 2020)”

[cebu-real-estate]

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

AKIN to world crises prior to now, the present coronavirus illness 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic apparently has forged doubt on the Philippine real estate economic system’s prospects. And but, for all of the doom and gloom eventualities, one factor for certain, in line with Philippine real-estate specialists and gamers, is that this well-being emergency opens up alternatives for each the real-estate traders and builders.

With this in thoughts, they agreed that now’s the right time for the market to accumulate a bit of a property as builders want to satisfy their expectations simply after they take care of present conditions of their subject amid the unfold of the virulent, lethal virus.

“Highest and best use of Philippine property will become even more important for investors and developers. Flexibility is key. Covid-19 is indeed a crisis, but every crisis brings opportunities,” KMC Solutions Cofounder Amanda Carpo advised the BusinessMirror.

“While the pandemic has brought about many uncertainties and challenges across a broad spectrum of investors and customers, basic microeconomics principles still point out to clear advantages of investing in property.… I do believe that developers should be sincere in adapting to the different rigors and demands brought about by the new normal,” added Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. (GBLI) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jardin Brian Wong.

Philippine Real Estate is Crisis-proof

NO matter what the financial setting is, actual property, not like some industries, is resilient sufficient to offer good returns. In reality, it’s the third-safest funding subsequent to gold and certificates of deposit, per an examination by world public opinion and knowledge firm YouGov.

“Property has long been the gold standard for investment because of a plethora of reasons,” Wong famous.

Foremost of such causes, he stated, is that it’s extremely tangible funding that the consumers can see and really feel. Second can be the legacy side—these belongings will be handed out from era to era—arguably giving them a way of safety.

The third is its worth era. “Over time, Philippine real estate tends to increase in value exponentially while in comparison, actual money contracts due to a plethora of reasons like supply and demand, inflation and fiscal pressure,” Wong identified.

He was famous that property investments are thought of to be secure not like different potential income streams like shares, bonds, and different securities that have fluctuating tendencies and are extra inclined to market shocks.

Sharing the identical concept with him, Carpo views actual property as a great instrument for traders to diversify their funding portfolio. She stated: “Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient. More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future.”

Cautious transfer

ALTHOUGH property is effective funding generally, the prime mover of KMC Solutions cautioned consumers to be extra sensitive about their targets and timeframe.

In these troublesome occasions, a downward development in real-estate values is predicted. Nonetheless, it could be a great time for traders to come back into the market.

“If you are investing, you should know whether you are a safe, aggressive, opportunistic investor,” Carpo stated. “You should know your expected return and the volatility involved.”

Because excessive returns include excessive dangers, it’s pure for property seekers to search for belongings that aren’t so risky however have an honest return.

“Real estate is efficient in that sense,” she stated. “An investment in real estate is a long play and balances the volatility of a portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash. It builds wealth and helps grow wealth since you can also use it for leverage.”

For the good thing about property homeowners who must promote their belongings—given the risky markets paired with unpredictability on when the well-being disaster will finish—Carpo had this as a reminder: “If you need to liquidate, make sure that you will be able to re-invest the proceeds or use it for something essential. It may be time to tighten belts. It may be time to discard ‘sentimentality.’ Be flexible.”

For those that nonetheless have sufficient assets or money available, she admonished them in a different way. “If you have income-producing property or one that has good intrinsic value and can afford to hold on, it’s my personal preference to play the long game.”

Maximize your funding

STILL within the lockdown mode, traders can maximize their real-estate funding in two methods, Wong stated.

An adage that claims, “Our home is our sanctuary” works—practicality-wise—throughout this time that the Luzon-based enhanced group quarantine (ECQ) is carried out to assist comprise the speedy unfold of the virus.

“I believe that investing and having our own homes during a pandemic provides that extra safety and security mechanism that everyone should have,” he stated

Second can be the economical side. The COO of GBLI stated real-estate belongings is usually a lifeline to help dwindling earnings streams or to help cash-strapped stability sheets.

“Consumers can leverage these tangible assets to secure much-needed funding or aid during extraordinary emergencies like this,” he stated.

Looking past the well-being emergency, traders must leverage on the stretched fee phrases and lock in adjusted costs that builders now provide to them. Availing themselves of such drastically reduces the month-to-month publicity of every shopper.

“Most of these payment terms are over three or four years. So, hopefully, by then the world economy and global health system would be over the initial ‘shock’ to the market and would have adjusted fairly well. When everything goes back to normal, buyers might enjoy the same benefits they would get,” Wong careworn.

Catering to market demand

EXPECTING a heightened shopping for an impulse from the market throughout this pandemic, Golden Bay assures that it has an agency grasp of the promotion it operates in.

“We adapt to market conditions and try our best to bridge impending gaps between market trajectory and consumer appetite,” the COO bared.

At current, he stated initiatives underneath design improvement and development phases are being reviewed and, subsequently, strengthened to suit future market necessities.

“As a company, we always make it a priority to be nimble and reactive to the ever-changing demands of the market, and we are prepared to adapt well to these changes,” emphasized Wong.

In a bid to be delicate to prospects’ wants given their present state of affairs within the time of Covid-19, he stated the agency is within the strategy of implementing versatile and extra inexpensive fee schemes for his or her goal consumers.

AboitizLand, Cebu Landmasters

This effort is much like different gamers’ initiatives to in some way assist property seekers, particularly those that have misplaced their jobs or technique of livelihood due to the government-imposed ECQ, to manage.

In a current developer webinar sequence of Lamudi, AboitizLand Inc. offers incentives to consumers, reminiscent of reductions, to assist them in their monetary want. This reward scheme can also be given to sellers by adjusting their fee charges in recognition of their being “frontliners” within the enterprise.

“The challenge is not just in the new model of selling. The challenge [is more on the fact that] the people we’re selling to have [fewer] resources. In fact, that’s the bigger challenge. You’re talking now to people who have [fewer] resources, and not only [fewer] resources, but the uncertainty of that resource,” stated David Rafael, chief govt officer (CEO) of AboitizLand.

Regional participant Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), however, has prolonged fee schemes for many who acquired pre-selling items. Also, the agency reassures shoppers by telling them that the costs received change.

“In the next few months, prices of construction materials will soften because a lot of the inventory was not acquired. There are possible adjustments, a review of the pricing,” CLI CEO Jose Soberano III stated.

Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), in the meantime, has a special strategy. Considering that it caters to the high-end market, whose widespread concern is the time of supply of the items greater than versatile fee phrases, the corporate offers very important info to maintain patrons within the loop.

TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo additionally shared that they’re working for the Philippine real estate rental market. He stated: “People who can’t afford to buy are going to shift to leasing. In Torre Lorenzo, we have quite a substantial portion of our projects for lease.”

New regular

THE unprecedented well-being emergency the world is now going through is altering the best way individuals work, play, eat, and stay.

“Some of these adaptations may be permanent,” stated Carpo. “Just like 9-11 where, over time we recognized we live in a world where terrorism is possible and we are used to security checks, screening, and metal detectors, this pandemic will force workplaces, homes, shops, restaurants, factories to think of health and safety measures to prevent disease.”

Apart from the necessity for properties to have correct airflow, sanitized areas, and social-distancing measures, amongst others, she stated that one other new regular can be a change in design ideas.

“We will have to rethink high-density living. We will have to, more than ever, think of our environment and the space we live in,” she famous, including that each trader and builders must turn into data-driven of their decision-making. “We are in uncertain times and we must be willing to adapt. Adapt or die.”

Golden Bay, for one, sees plenty of expertise utilization from the best way they do enterprise will emerge from the disaster.

“From an operational point of view, some jobs would be done remotely from the confines of employees’ homes. Investment in technology for sales and marketing purposes will rise significantly since developers will try to reach customers through the web. Over-the-counter payment forms will be forgone in favor of cashless transactions. On the engineering front, developers would want to review existing and future projects in the pipeline to adapt to new demands of society,” Wong stated.

“Business Mirror by Roderick Abad (May 10, 2020)”

[shoesggdb-blog]

Golden Goose Outlet Business copy Writer attract The Right One.or other!

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[legit-scam-review]

QuadrigaCX Is Filing for Creditor Protection Amid Liquidity Crisis, Community Remains Largely Skeptical

Canadian cryptocurrency exchange QuadrigaCX is in hot water: Following the sudden death of its 30-year-old founder, Gerald Cotten, the exchange has allegedly lost access to its cold wallets, where most of the funds were stored.

Now, the exchange has taken to court to avoid the collapse, but some community members suggest that QuadrigaCX’s cold wallets never existed.

Canada’s largest crypto exchange with a complex history

QuadrigaCX was launched in December 2013 and operated from Vancouver, British Columbia. The digital assets exchange was founded by Gerald Cotten and Michael Patryn. Prior to that, Cotten was a director at the Vancouver Bitcoin Co-op, a voluntary association of local cryptocurrency enthusiasts, of which Patryn was also an active member.

According to Cotten, QuadrigaCX was established against the backdrop of scarce crypto services in Canada. In February 2015, he said on a Decentral Talk Live podcast:

“It was just so hard to buy Bitcoin in Canada. You couldn’t hook up your bank account anywhere. It was just such a challenge.”

In 2015, QuadrigaCX became the country’s largest crypto exchange, with around $37.4 million traded on their platform — according to the company, it had acquired around 60 percent of the market share by November that year.

QuadrigaCX is also reportedly the first crypto platform in Canada to be granted a money services business (MSB) license from the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre (FinTRAC), the domestic financial regulator responsible for Anti-Money Laundering (AML) measures. As Cotten told Straight in a February 2014 interview, his exchange was focused on compliance:

“We’re quite proactive when it comes to regulations. We don’t want to break the law. We want to fully comply, and we actually more than comply with what the current laws are.”

In March 2015, Quadriga Fintech — the exchange’s parent company — announced its plans to go public and be listed on the Canadian Securities Exchange (CSE) via a reverse initial public offering (IPO). The firm reportedly planned to acquire a shell company called Whiteside Capital Corporation for that purpose.  

Despite going through the easier route of a reverse IPO — which includes less paperwork — Quadriga Fintech still had to be audited. Cotten claimed at the time that he was “excited to be able to provide an unparalleled level of transparency by merging legacy financial audits with innovative blockchain technology.”  

There has been no update on the IPO plans from Quadriga since then, and the firm was never listed on the CSE. In May 2015, however, Patryn revealed that his company was selling over-the-counter (OTC) shares for Bitcoin (BTC).

In March 2016, the British Columbia Securities Commision (BCSC) barred QuadrigaCX from selling securities after slapping it with a cease trade order (CTO) for not submitting annual audited financial statements for the fiscal year that ended Oct. 31, 2015.

About a week before getting hit with the CTO, Quadriga’s directors Anthony Milewski and Lovie Horner resigned. Then, soon after the order was issued, Bill Filtness, the director, and Natasha Tsai, the chief financial officer, also quit the company, leaving Patryn and Cotten as the only executives in Quadriga.

However, In March 2018, Quadriga’s official Reddit account commented that Patryn was “an early [sic] who left the company more than two years ago.” Although that checks out with his LinkedIn account showing that he left the firm in February 2016, Patryn’s resignation from Quadriga was never announced. Reddit users have several times linked Patryn to a convicted money launderer named Omar Dhanani. Quadriga has denied this accusation, calling it “nonsense”.

Cotten highlighted security as one of the main priorities of his business. According to a CNBC article published in May 2014, QuadrigaCX held the majority of its assets in cold wallets — which are secured by digital security keys in order to protect them from hacking and theft — had advanced encryption, custom operating systems and software, and a partnership with CloudFlare, a large company in the United States that provides DDoS protection.

Nonetheless, Quadriga CX had experienced at least one major security breach in the past. In June 2017, the exchange announced that it had lost 67,317.25 ETH (around $14 million, at the time) due to a “technical glitch.”

Legal fight with the CIBC and Cotten’s sudden death

In 2018, the exchange entered a prolonged legal fight with the Canadian Imperial Bank of Commerce (CIBC). The bank reportedly froze five accounts belonging to Quadriga’s payment processor, Costodian Inc., and its owner, Jose Reyes. Combined, they contained around $19.6 million, according to reports. The CIBC suspended the accounts after failing to identify the owner of those funds.

The CIBC requested the Ontario Superior Court to withhold the funds and determine whether they belong to Costodian, the exchange or the users who deposited the funds. Further, in November 2018, the court ruled in favor of the bank, agreeing that the owner of the funds was not clearly established. As a result, the CIBC was obliged to pass the funds over to the Accountant of the Superior Court in order to identify the owner of the money. Meanwhile, Quadriga users continued to actively report withdrawal issues, while massive complaints started to arise earlier in 2018.

On Jan. 14, 2019, Cotten’s wife, Jennifer Robertson, announced that her husband, CEO at Quadriga, has suddenly died. According to Robertson’s statement, Cotten, who was 30 at the time, perished “due to complications with Crohn’s disease” on Dec. 9, 2018 while travelling in India. Being Cotten’s estate executor, she also recommended to appoint Aaron Matthews, head of operations at Quadriga, as interim president and CEO.

Gerry Cotten. Image source: Facebook

The platform continued to accept funds for weeks after Cotten’s death. According to The Globe and Mail, on Jan. 25, Robertson, who says she was not involved in the business while her husband was alive, filed an application to hold an emergency meeting to appoint board directors at the exchange. On Jan. 28, the board allegedly decided to shut down QuadrigaCX’s website. The official announcement claimed that the platform went offline due to maintenance issues.   

Several days later, on Jan. 31, QuadrigaCX filed for creditor protection in compliance with the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act (CCAA) at the Supreme Court of Nova Scotia. The CCAA is a federal act that allows financially challenged companies to avoid bankruptcy by restructuring their business and getting protection from its creditors. A company must owe to creditors in excess of $5 million to be eligible to apply for the CCAA.

According to the affidavit filed by Robertson, Cotten was solely responsible for the wallets and corresponding keys to 190 million Canadian dollars ($145 million) in digital assets. Accordingly, after he died, those funds went missing, and the exchange has been unable to retrieve those keys.

As a result, the exchange claims to have only CA$375,000 ($286,000) in cash, while it owes CA$260 million ($198,435,000) to as many as 115,000 of its customers, and hence is facing a liquidity crisis.

Will the money ever be reclaimed? Some claim that there was no money in the first place

According to the affidavit, Cotten normally ran the business from his personal laptop. While Robertson still has physical access to the device, she claims that she is unable to open it. She wrote in the document:

“The laptop computer from which Gerry carried out the companies’ business is encrypted and I do not know the password or recovery key. Despite repeated and diligent searches, I have not been able to find them written down anywhere.”

Robertson also says that she hired someone to try to access the funds, but that the expert has so far not been able to do so.

Meanwhile, Robertson faces a backlash from the QuadrigaCX users on social media, who mostly took to Twitter and Reddit to question whether Cotten is actually dead. As per The Globe and Mail, the CCAA filings include a statement of death issued by J.A. Snow Funeral House in Halifax.

Moreover, Robertson’s affidavit states that there have also been threats made against her: “Slanderous comments have been made against me and sent through Facebook messenger to my entire contact list.” Robertson is reportedly funding the creditor protection motion herself, and a preliminary hearing has been set for Feb. 5.

Quadriga aims to appoint Big Four audit company Ernst & Young as an independent third party to monitor their CCAA hearings, and the court is expected to release its decision on Feb. 5 as well. So far, Ernst & Young has reportedly concluded that “Quadriga was unable to access the cold wallets and/or discovered that the cold wallets contained minimal cryptocurrency units.”

Taylor Monahan, former developer of Ethereum (ETH) wallet interface MyEtherWallet (MEW) who now runs the MyCrypto project, told Cointelegraph that she finds the situation where excessive amounts of digital assets are locked out because they were controlled by one person “beyond absurd”:

“The fact that a person controlling millions of customer assets didn’t have any sort of backup in place, gave no one else access, and didn’t leave any information regarding these accounts with anyone is beyond absurd. If this is indeed the truth, any number of outside factors could have resulted in the loss of access to those customer funds, like fire, flood, misplacing the single piece of paper, etc.”

Ideally, Monahan adds, the cold storage wallet should be a multi-signature one, where the keys that control the individual accounts are kept secure and in multiple physically separate locations:

“Just like a company has a bank account with multiple signers, the cold storage would be controlled in that fashion and perhaps by the same people. Depending on the size of the operation, it would likely be the CEO, possibly the CTO, perhaps a board member or CFO type person, or another trusted party. Even if a company were to choose not to utilize multi-signature wallets for whatever reason, there should always be multiple backups in physically distinct locations.”

Monahan has also been analyzing ETH wallet addresses attributed to QuadrigaCX. Based on preliminary results of her study, she suggests that QuadrigaCX might not have any ETH cold wallets at all:

“Based on what I’ve seen with their other main Ethereum wallets, I haven’t found any signs of a cold wallet. We can see large amounts of ETH move between their known ‘hot’ wallets. We see large amounts of ETH being moved temporarily to a variety of addresses before quickly being sent onto an exchange. But we don’t see any significant amount of funds being moved to something that resembles ‘cold’ storage.”

Other research, published on cryptocurrency portal Zerononcense Blog, also suggests that QuadrigaCX never had cold storage, per se. The report’s authors claim that they used “only 100% verified transactions with the exchange,” but admit that the findings may not be wholly accurate. The first of six summary findings in the report states:

“It appears that there are no identifiable cold wallet reserves for QuadrigaCX.”

According to the research, the exchange likely only had cryptocurrency reserves of under $100 million. The report also contains alleged evidence that shows a party had access to the company’s wallets after Cotten died, reportedly making several outgoing transactions since Dec. 9.

“It does not appear that QuadrigaCX has lost access to their Bitcoin holdings.”

Further suspicions center around QuadrigaCX using customer deposits to pay customer  obligations. Thus, the research notes that a comparison of QuadrigaCX’s withdrawal practices to those of other established crypto exchanges — such as Coinbase, Bittrex and Binance — shows that the “movement of bitcoins to satisfy customer demand is highly unorthodox and extremely inefficient for any legitimate exchange.”

The article will be updated with the results of a preliminary hearing regarding Quadriga’s CCAA, being held on Feb. 5, which are expected to be published soon. First reports from the court indicate that QuadrigaCX might be sold to refund the customers — learn more here. The police have not issued any comment regarding the incident so far.

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The post QuadrigaCX Is Filing for Creditor Protection Amid Liquidity Crisis, Community Remains Largely Skeptical appeared first on Review: Legit or Scam?.

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[ourmrmel]

Mel Feller Looks How to Become the Best at What You do by Mel Feller

Mel Feller Looks How to Become the Best at What You do by Mel Feller

My name is Mel Feller and I am an architect of change. I stand alongside the board and executive of a company and assist as they chart their way forward. It is scary heading into the unknown, into the often-unchartered waters of change. I know how that feels. As an independent advisor, I see clients challenged by complexity as they struggle to develop and execute relevant strategy effectively. My contribution to their enquiry is the union of my experience as a chartered Business Influencer and Real Estate transaction Engineer with a deep interest in leadership behavior and how it influences results.

Most leaders and executives say it is about the journey, not the destination, but what if you wanted to become the best in the world at what you do? One thing Mel would suggest is to ask “What type of habits, discipline and tactics come to mind in order to achieve that status?”

The truth is, even if you never reach the title of being the best in the world, you would sure land a lot higher than where you would have, had you not aimed for the top.

Having coached for over 3 decades and presented seminars all over the country and in Canada, Here are Mel Feller’s ideas on how to become the best at what you do in life!

Replication

Success dies with you if you cannot instill it into someone else. Replication is a necessity for growth.

Imbalance

You have to be okay with missing some dinner parties and maybe even a few of your nights out with friends. Prolonged periods of imbalance is okay, so as long as you commit to mastering your craft in order to become the best.

Disruption

Being able to recognize broken systems and seeing where things can be better is a necessity to be at the top. In addition, OWNING that disruption is what will get you there.

Obsession

Being obsessed means living, breathing, and thinking, talking about and doing the one thing that has you the most fired up. Everyone will recognize you for it. If you were to ask five people right now about your obsession, what would they say?

Legacy

One of the greatest things we can do as entrepreneurs is build a company great enough that will leave a legacy and carry on even after the internet has reinvented itself 100 times over.

System

In order to grow, adapt, and be scalable, it requires systems. Systems are what will make the love of sales and marketing work for YOU.

Repetition

In the book Outliers, author Malcolm Gladwell says that it takes roughly 10,000 hours of practice to become a master at a field. In addition, he is right! Repetition is what will help you figure out the smartest ways to run your business, which is what you will need in order to be the best.

Belief

In addition, of course, you have to believe. Believe that you have what it takes. Believe that you know how to get there. Believe that you can do it. Moreover, believe that your product or service is the solution that the world NEEDS.

Just remember, the next time you’re frustrated about things not going exactly as you’d like, the journey to becoming the best is about just that the journey, and everything that goes along with it.

Mel Feller’s dynamic presence, instinctive strategic vision, and creative thinking produce effective, sustainable bottom-line results for his clients. His “Can Do” attitude generates confidence in his executive coaching clients and strategic consulting corporate clients. Throughout Mel Feller’s career, he has increased the profitability of nearly every organization with which he has worked.

Mel Feller has a unique ability to relate to his clients because he came from The United States Senate, where Mel was the Chief of Staff for a United States Senator and was always meeting with prominent business people or politicians. His main love was dealing with constituents that were the grass root voters! Since founding Coaching For Success 360 In 1989, he has effectively translated that experience into results for his clients. He focuses on separating daily distractions from the real issues in order to put the executive and/or business on the right path to grow and prosper. Results are immediate, growth sustainable, and profitability long-term.

Dozens of Mel Feller’s clients have been on Inc.’s 500/5000 list and many have been named as a “Best Places To Work.

Using Mel Feller’s intuitive, systematic approach, and our proven strategic and tactical tools, we help you plan for profit.

Mel Feller believes that what gets measured is improved. Therefore, he is continually developing processes and systems that allow you to easily measure, manage and maintain a highly profitable business.

Mel Feller is ready to help you increase your sales, trim and manage your operating costs and see your profits soar and/or leverage your time for Business or Real Estate!

“Truth telling, honesty, and candor: I loved you Mel Feller! You have so much energy and knowledge! I truly hope I get another opportunity to be coached by you. I see myself a little clearer now, and it’s not so bad.”

Lisa Mathews

“Mel Feller you added more value than we can possibly see right now. Mel Feller, you are warm, inviting, and accommodating. Thank you for coming alongside us in this transition!”

Vanessa Cavanaugh

“Mel Feller the best education session that we have attended in many years! Thank you so much — I am very excited to put everything you have taught us into practice!”

Michael Randolph

“Mr. Mel Feller, Thank you, thank you, thank you for giving a marvelous keynote at our Symposium! While we have not yet collected the official feedback, the unofficial feedback was that You Were a Hit! I heard nothing but compliments regarding your presentations. Thank you for making such a positive impact on our attendees! ”

Lyle Cunningham VP

“Mel Feller uses his humor, compassion, and direct nature to help bring out the best in me. Mel Feller is committed to helping me live…I mean, really live, life to its fullest.”

Jose Rodriguez

Mel Feller Links

https://www.instagram.com/mel.feller

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https://challengesinlife.com

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[unlikelydazecollectorfan-blog]

Interview - Dr Daniel Spindler - Director - Siemens Healthcare Diagnostics Providers

Bosch Servisi Dr. Daniel Spindler, Director of Siemens Health care Diagnostics Services, has been accountable for the Siemens Finance and Accounting Shared Services Centre in Brussels considering that 1st May, 2009. He first joined Siemens in 1994. His regions of accountability protected various Managing features for Industry in Regensburg as nicely as for International Procurement and Logistics in Munich. Two stays abroad in China and Canada enabled intercultural expertise. In 2004 he was granted a doctorate by the University of Regensburg for his research in the discipline of Fair Value Accounting below IFRS. From 2005 to 2007 he was liable for the implementation of IFRS at the Siemens Strength Team Electricity Transmission and Distribution in Erlangen as effectively as for the Automotive Team SiemensVDO in Frankfurt. Additionally he was associated in the planning of the IPO for SiemensVDO. Prior to his appointment at Siemens Healthcare, he worked for more than two several years for Audi in Ingolstadt, exactly where he took over tasks in exterior Group Reporting. Furthermore he was in cost of the team-wide implementation of an SAP BCS consolidation technique. SSON: Siemens Healthcare Diagnostic Solutions (SHDS) has absent via a good deal of modify, especially with the put up-merger integration. Could you elaborate on the modify programme? Dr. Daniel Spindler: Siemens in standard have very high standards and thorough tips on Compliance and Corporate reporting. There are really intensive requirements which have to be adopted with regard to the month to month Corporate reporting to our HQ in Munich. Siemens also have comprehensive post-merger guidelines that enable new entities to get common with the Siemens landscape there is a list of about 16 webpages outlining what each and every entity has to implement and to fulfil. When all recommendations are carried out and followed then an entity is in shape to grow to be part of the Siemens entire world. Right after a merger, the men and women also need to have to be introduced on keep track of. To attain this we conducted several conferences, like welcome times for newcomers or City Corridor conferences for the complete staff. In addition, it was essential for the knowing of the Siemens lifestyle and its values to shift to the Siemens Regional Firm facility in Brussels. Ahead of the transfer, we were aside from Siemens and even now felt and behaved like various organizations. Now we can very easily get in touch with all our colleagues, e.g. the corporate departments of Siemens Belgium like Lawful, Tax or Actual Estate. SSON: Daniel, what are the key motorists in the change programme, and how did Capgemini Consulting help this? DS: The essential driver of the alter programme was the alter of mindset. It was a adjust in direction of the Siemens world and its IT techniques, exactly where we benefitted tremendously from the assistance by Capgemini Consulting. One huge project was for occasion the implementation of the Siemens Chart of Accounts (CoA). Ahead of we had the Dade Behring CoA, but mid Oct 2009 was the go-dwell for the Siemens CoA. We now also have in our local SAP technique the Siemens CoA and we don't have to change any more from the previous Dade Behring accounts to the Siemens accounts. This was 1 quite critical stage in satisfying the central specifications, as Siemens asks all entities globally to use the identical Company CoA. Furthermore we are operating by way of the 3D programme, which implies that all the firm acquisitions that Siemens manufactured over the final a few years, in get to develop up the Diagnostics company, are migrated into solitary entities. In every impacted nation the three former entities - DPC, Bayer Diagnostics and Dade Behring - have to be merged. In this context not only are there many authorized mergers that need to be performed, but also on the Finance aspect the entities require to be merged. We have also gained a good deal support from Capgemini Consulting on this venture. SSON: What processes were standardized by way of Capgemini Consulting when Siemens obtained Bayer's diagnostic division, Dade Behring and DPC? DS: A high diploma of standardisation was carried out on the Finance and Accounting side, like implementing the Siemens CoA and by way of the 3D programme, the place Capgemini Consulting labored with us to make this a good results. SSON: How prolonged did it just take to combine and to standardize the two existing shared provider centers, in legacy place pursuits? DS: The change of the routines from the Global Shared Service (GSS) Centre of Siemens is still ongoing. The former Bayer Diagnostics element, which is presently serviced by GSS, will be carved out by mid 2010. SSON: Can you explain the set up that was there, and how prolonged did it take to combine and standardize that? DS: As described earlier mentioned, Siemens obtained the 3 entities DPC, Bayer Diagnostics and Dade Behring up to the end of 2007. Right after the acquisition, the Bayer Diagnostics component was serviced by GSS whilst the former Dade Behring entities belong to the Shared Support Centre in Brussels. Now virtually two a long time later on, we are even now in the method of migration and integration. However, in the starting in common the most important point to do was to integrate, but this also offers the prospect to standardise and we are getting the possibility to do so now. SSON: How lengthy did it just take to integrate the shared support centre and legacy deal activities proceedings? DS: To date we have labored on this for roughly two years and it will be concluded in 2010. When the 3D programme is completed all entities will run on a single SAP system. Additionally, all Siemens compliance specifications and SOA demands are presently in area. SSON: I feel this is most likely to be totally completed by the middle of 2010 - is that correct? DS: Indeed, the 3D program is still ongoing, but there are just a couple of a lot more international locations which still want to be migrated. We program to finalise the migrations in June 2010. We migrate place by nation and this requires time, since each and every migration need to be well prepared and executed exactly. In whole it will get around two and a half several years. SSON: What were the main problems in performing so, and how did Capgemini Consulting assist? DS: The principal challenges ended up IT and Finance variations, and secondly the connected ramp up of Headcount. As presently talked about, it is crucial to fulfil all requirements which Siemens calls for, but the obtained entities did not fulfil all these demands in the earlier (e.g. quite substantial and strict Compliance rules). Siemens has a good deal of particular demands related to Compliance as properly as SOX404 and, as is typically known, Siemens was heading by way of a quite tough time of bribery and corruption. In this context Siemens has now set up really large boundaries in buy to stop bribery and corruption in long term. This implies that a good deal of processes are quite strict and demand a lot of paperwork and a lot of signature authorisations. To employ all these normally takes time and Capgemini Consulting was supporting us in undertaking so, e.g. inside of the 3D programme. SSON: Would you say that the problems have been predominantly specialized or folks-connected (when I say "men and women-related", I mean change administration)? DS: I would say that the challenges had been 1st of all extremely technically connected, but the changes experienced to be driven by the people, so the issues had been also quite much folks related. Folks need to have to understand all new technological specifications, which particularly in the SAP systems can be quite complicated and intricate. In the very first years we are making use of the so known as eConverter instrument as a manual interface among our regional SAP method and the Siemens SAP Business Consolidation System (BCS namely Esprit in Siemens). As a consequence of these technical changes, the men and women had of course to be skilled and well prepared, i.e. it was important to offer the required understanding and qualifications. It was a enormous task to practice a good deal of new folks coming from a lot of distinct countries. As a outcome the large complex alterations also experienced a higher influence on the folks included. One particular is joined to the other.

[house-and-lot-for-sale-in-cebu]

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

Philippine Real Estate During COVID-19

AKIN to world crises prior to now, the present coronavirus illness 2019 (Covid-19) pandemic apparently has forged doubt on the Philippine real estate economic system’s prospects. And but, for all of the doom and gloom eventualities, one factor for certain, in line with Philippine real-estate specialists and gamers, is that this well-being emergency opens up alternatives for each the real-estate traders and builders.

With this in thoughts, they agreed that now’s the right time for the market to accumulate a bit of a property as builders want to satisfy their expectations simply after they take care of present conditions of their subject amid the unfold of the virulent, lethal virus.

“Highest and best use of Philippine property will become even more important for investors and developers. Flexibility is key. Covid-19 is indeed a crisis, but every crisis brings opportunities,” KMC Solutions Cofounder Amanda Carpo advised the BusinessMirror.

“While the pandemic has brought about many uncertainties and challenges across a broad spectrum of investors and customers, basic microeconomics principles still point out to clear advantages of investing in property.… I do believe that developers should be sincere in adapting to the different rigors and demands brought about by the new normal,” added Golden Bay Landholdings Inc. (GBLI) Chief Operating Officer (COO) Jardin Brian Wong.

Philippine Real Estate is Crisis-proof

NO matter what the financial setting is, actual property, not like some industries, is resilient sufficient to offer good returns. In reality, it’s the third-safest funding subsequent to gold and certificates of deposit, per an examination by world public opinion and knowledge firm YouGov.

“Property has long been the gold standard for investment because of a plethora of reasons,” Wong famous.

Foremost of such causes, he stated, is that it’s extremely tangible funding that the consumers can see and really feel. Second can be the legacy side—these belongings will be handed out from era to era—arguably giving them a way of safety.

The third is its worth era. “Over time, Philippine real estate tends to increase in value exponentially while in comparison, actual money contracts due to a plethora of reasons like supply and demand, inflation and fiscal pressure,” Wong identified.

He was famous that property investments are thought of to be secure not like different potential income streams like shares, bonds, and different securities that have fluctuating tendencies and are extra inclined to market shocks.

Sharing the identical concept with him, Carpo views actual property as a great instrument for traders to diversify their funding portfolio. She stated: “Equities are much more volatile and carry more risk in general, and real estate can help manage volatility and risk and make your investments more efficient. More than ever, investors need to understand the effects of volatility. That is what we will be experiencing in the near future.”

Cautious transfer

ALTHOUGH property is effective funding generally, the prime mover of KMC Solutions cautioned consumers to be extra sensitive about their targets and timeframe.

In these troublesome occasions, a downward development in real-estate values is predicted. Nonetheless, it could be a great time for traders to come back into the market.

“If you are investing, you should know whether you are a safe, aggressive, opportunistic investor,” Carpo stated. “You should know your expected return and the volatility involved.”

Because excessive returns include excessive dangers, it’s pure for property seekers to search for belongings that aren’t so risky however have an honest return.

“Real estate is efficient in that sense,” she stated. “An investment in real estate is a long play and balances the volatility of a portfolio of equities, bonds, and cash. It builds wealth and helps grow wealth since you can also use it for leverage.”

For the good thing about property homeowners who must promote their belongings—given the risky markets paired with unpredictability on when the well-being disaster will finish—Carpo had this as a reminder: “If you need to liquidate, make sure that you will be able to re-invest the proceeds or use it for something essential. It may be time to tighten belts. It may be time to discard ‘sentimentality.’ Be flexible.”

For those that nonetheless have sufficient assets or money available, she admonished them in a different way. “If you have income-producing property or one that has good intrinsic value and can afford to hold on, it’s my personal preference to play the long game.”

Maximize your funding

STILL within the lockdown mode, traders can maximize their real-estate funding in two methods, Wong stated.

An adage that claims, “Our home is our sanctuary” works—practicality-wise—throughout this time that the Luzon-based enhanced group quarantine (ECQ) is carried out to assist comprise the speedy unfold of the virus.

“I believe that investing and having our own homes during a pandemic provides that extra safety and security mechanism that everyone should have,” he stated

Second can be the economical side. The COO of GBLI stated real-estate belongings is usually a lifeline to help dwindling earnings streams or to help cash-strapped stability sheets.

“Consumers can leverage these tangible assets to secure much-needed funding or aid during extraordinary emergencies like this,” he stated.

Looking past the well-being emergency, traders must leverage on the stretched fee phrases and lock in adjusted costs that builders now provide to them. Availing themselves of such drastically reduces the month-to-month publicity of every shopper.

“Most of these payment terms are over three or four years. So, hopefully, by then the world economy and global health system would be over the initial ‘shock’ to the market and would have adjusted fairly well. When everything goes back to normal, buyers might enjoy the same benefits they would get,” Wong careworn.

Catering to market demand

EXPECTING a heightened shopping for an impulse from the market throughout this pandemic, Golden Bay assures that it has an agency grasp of the promotion it operates in.

“We adapt to market conditions and try our best to bridge impending gaps between market trajectory and consumer appetite,” the COO bared.

At current, he stated initiatives underneath design improvement and development phases are being reviewed and, subsequently, strengthened to suit future market necessities.

“As a company, we always make it a priority to be nimble and reactive to the ever-changing demands of the market, and we are prepared to adapt well to these changes,” emphasized Wong.

In a bid to be delicate to prospects’ wants given their present state of affairs within the time of Covid-19, he stated the agency is within the strategy of implementing versatile and extra inexpensive fee schemes for his or her goal consumers.

AboitizLand, Cebu Landmasters

This effort is much like different gamers’ initiatives to in some way assist property seekers, particularly those that have misplaced their jobs or technique of livelihood due to the government-imposed ECQ, to manage.

In a current developer webinar sequence of Lamudi, AboitizLand Inc. offers incentives to consumers, reminiscent of reductions, to assist them in their monetary want. This reward scheme can also be given to sellers by adjusting their fee charges in recognition of their being “frontliners” within the enterprise.

“The challenge is not just in the new model of selling. The challenge [is more on the fact that] the people we’re selling to have [fewer] resources. In fact, that’s the bigger challenge. You’re talking now to people who have [fewer] resources, and not only [fewer] resources, but the uncertainty of that resource,” stated David Rafael, chief govt officer (CEO) of AboitizLand.

Regional participant Cebu Landmasters Inc. (CLI), however, has prolonged fee schemes for many who acquired pre-selling items. Also, the agency reassures shoppers by telling them that the costs received change.

“In the next few months, prices of construction materials will soften because a lot of the inventory was not acquired. There are possible adjustments, a review of the pricing,” CLI CEO Jose Soberano III stated.

Torre Lorenzo Development Corp. (TLDC), in the meantime, has a special strategy. Considering that it caters to the high-end market, whose widespread concern is the time of supply of the items greater than versatile fee phrases, the corporate offers very important info to maintain patrons within the loop.

TLDC CEO Tomas Lorenzo additionally shared that they’re working for the Philippine real estate rental market. He stated: “People who can’t afford to buy are going to shift to leasing. In Torre Lorenzo, we have quite a substantial portion of our projects for lease.”

New regular

THE unprecedented well-being emergency the world is now going through is altering the best way individuals work, play, eat, and stay.

“Some of these adaptations may be permanent,” stated Carpo. “Just like 9-11 where, over time we recognized we live in a world where terrorism is possible and we are used to security checks, screening, and metal detectors, this pandemic will force workplaces, homes, shops, restaurants, factories to think of health and safety measures to prevent disease.”

Apart from the necessity for properties to have correct airflow, sanitized areas, and social-distancing measures, amongst others, she stated that one other new regular can be a change in design ideas.

“We will have to rethink high-density living. We will have to, more than ever, think of our environment and the space we live in,” she famous, including that each trader and builders must turn into data-driven of their decision-making. “We are in uncertain times and we must be willing to adapt. Adapt or die.”

Golden Bay, for one, sees plenty of expertise utilization from the best way they do enterprise will emerge from the disaster.

“From an operational point of view, some jobs would be done remotely from the confines of employees’ homes. Investment in technology for sales and marketing purposes will rise significantly since developers will try to reach customers through the web. Over-the-counter payment forms will be forgone in favor of cashless transactions. On the engineering front, developers would want to review existing and future projects in the pipeline to adapt to new demands of society,” Wong stated.

“Business Mirror by Roderick Abad (May 10, 2020)”