#low income $quad

[ithisatanytime]

(Low Income $quad)

[capybara]

[rogue-driv3r]

It's been a while since my last rant about automotive industry, but here we go again.

As a premise, i must say that this will probably be more valid for EU than for the rest of the world. Also expect a LONG post. So.

Hybrids and EVs are surely more efficient and "clean" than the average ICE car. But, as a car enthusiast, i'm very aware that technology end efficiency are expensive, definitely not for everyone. Here where i live we get bonuses for changing old cars with brand new "eco-friendly" ones, but only if they are old enough. Bonuses that, anyway, even in best cases will cover less than a quarter of the price of a new vehicle.

Most importantly, and that's something i learned the hard way, no institution will give you a single cent for the running costs - and they're high running costs. And about (stupidly heavy) EVs, electricity now is so expensive that the cost-per-km is the same of regular gasoline, so no real advantage. I remember when the seller told us that the simplicity of the powertrain meant less service costs, it was quite the opposite. Moreover, we were forced to service the car at their shop, at their prices, because they were the only ones who knew how to work on those components. Oh, and it was the only way to keep the warranty valid on expensive parts, too.

I had a (second hand) hybrid, like my parents. But i went from precarious worker to student and i'm unable to find a proper job while i'm studying due to some issues with my mental health, so my income suddenly dropped to zero. Keeping the car is expensive and in three years, when the warranty expires, the value will decrease drastically (a new battery could cost until 8k euros, nobody would buy a car with that risk). So i planned ahead and sold the hybrid car to get a cheaper one with decent quality and safety, reasonable running costs, free from the blackmail of our official dealer and easily fixable by any mechanic.

The problem: the most reliable and most fuel-saving version of that model on the second-hand car market (and well, basically the only one i found nearby) was a Diesel one. And Diesels are EU's scapegoat for the increasing air pollution, so Countries are forced to make laws to stay within certain limits - that's not bad itself. The problem is that private cars, depending on the sources, are only between 10% and 20% of the total greenhouse gas emissions.

But it's easier to wage war against citizens than corporations who are truly responsible for that 80-90%. And i'm not talking about those wealthy citizens who already got their fancy Tesla, but those who literally can't afford a new car (for any reason). This is a class problem.

There are "old" Diesel cars which still require less fuel than modern, high-end Diesels that satisfy the new requirements for mass production. A 10 years old 1.4 Diesel will always require less fuel and pollute less than a 2-tonne mild-hybrid "environmentally friendly" 3.0 Diesel BMW or Audi. Oh wait, it gets better: ironically an Euro 5 Diesel could be stopped from traffic while a brand new 1500 hp quad-turbo W16 Bugatti Chiron can roam around in the city centre on the very same day. But hey, the Chiron is not an evil Diesel. Once again, this. Is. A. Class. Problem.

Forcing people to go hybrid/electric with restrictions is repression against low-income classes. There could be so much more that can be done if private transport really is the root of all evil. Like a bonus that covers 100% the price of a new car (oh btw, an Euro 5 Diesel is old enough to get stopped on certain conditions, but not old enough to receive a bonus). Or investing in bio/synthetic fuels so people can run their older cars with carbon neutral emissions - but that'd make the poor automakers angry as they couldn't sell their new hypertechnological cars. Or provide new catalysts for free to install on older cars - but also that would make automakers quite angry. Or governments could also consider doing something about intensive farming (y'know, that thing that sends methane into atmosphere which is 84 times worse for global warming than CO2), or better public transport, or heavy industry, or invest in nuclear so we can stop burning fossil fuels for energy (i know this is gonna cause a shitstorm lmao, i believe safely stocking radioactive material under layers of rocks in sterile zones is better than keeping on produce greenhouse gases), or anything that doesn't involve the private life of people already struggling with ever-increasing prices of goods.

"B-but there are exceptions to traffic restrictions" sure, but it's hard to satisfy all of the requirements. One of them is quite easy to get anyway: it's a certificate that you're on the route from home to work or viceversa - you can pollute if you produce. Using an old car for free-time? Nope. Getting groceries? Nope. Sounds dystopic as hell, innit?

Don't get me wrong, technology and research are good, hybrids and EVs are fascinating and surely relatively more efficient. But not affordable by everyone, nor a permanent solution for environmental problems: not only for batteries, but also for the energy required to charge them, and the fossil fuels still needed for hybrids. A lot of research is still needed but, while we wait, we should stop pointing the finger at who can't afford to buy and sustain a new car.

Now, i know what you're thinking: "but you could've got another non-Diesel model and save even more money" maybe you're right, but for me the choice of the car is very personal and important, there are many criteria i have, picking any cheap shitbox is not an option for me if i have a decent budget. Laws can change, safety and reliability don't. There are good cars out there which only problem is bad laws made against them. Cars that can perfectly run and could end up in a junkyard only because of these laws, that's the opposite of sustainability, that's forced consumerism. Plus, it's not only about me, but also and most importantly about the millions of people that get screwed everyday and have no fucking choice.

[contentment-of-cats]

A pre-Thyrondi nibble

See below the line.

"I am so proud of all of you." Captain Faro looked proud, Ilyana thought. Back straight, shoulders back, chin up. "The 96th showed the rest of these pretty boy captains how it's done, but the Chimaera's crew led the way. We nailed it, boys and girls."

Ilyana had to admit that Commodore Thrawn's tactics had worked - again - and Faro ran the ball hard. Still, it was hard to swallow that Captain Faro wasn't the one in command. When Ilyana was a shiny ensign, Faro picked her, Agral, Yve, and Lomar for the bridge of the Chimaera. Faro had her loyalty first. Faro gave everyone the praise they deserved and the critique they needed. Then grinned even wider.

"Orders from the top. Shore leave rotations to Coruscant for the winners of the Ascension Day War Games." And didn't everyone go bonkers at that. Even though she'd been at Royal Imperial, she stuck to campus, traveling with her cohort, and keeping as low a profile as a future bridge nerd could manage. Ilyana resisted the urge to pull out her datapad and look for pay grade friendly places. "Now, we need to talk about Coruscant and where you can and can't, should and shouldn't go."

They got the whole Mom-Talk. Including a rather graphic presentation about using prophy and how deep the shit one could be in if they returned with an STD. 

"There's been insurgent activity even in the Central District. Now, mainwatch goes down first, check in, be back in five days. Miss the shuttle and I personally cycle you out an airlock."

Ilyana ducked out after that. She'd be taking her boards for senior lieutenant, leaving very little time to party hard. Part of them had already been completed aboard the Chimaera - practical and exam - but not her oral defense of her work on the need for a more diverse weapons profile. With the Seppies (called Alliance to Restore the Republic) moving to smaller ships, the heavy, slower firing turbolasers were not enough. They were great against capital ships, heavy freighters, or anything big, armored, and slow, The InCom Corporation ships showing up were small and zippy, needing the faster response and firing time of your basic quad turbolaser. 

The shuttle down was packed, and Ilyana ended up wedged into a jumpseat before being disgorged onto the landing platform and processed through the Shore Authority. Her rental vehicle was waiting, and… well… she got what she paid for. It had very sincere inspection stickers, but she still popped the hood and ran basic pre-starts, much to the discomfiture of the clerk. Ilyana decided that since she had someone by the balls, a degree of twisting was in order and ended up with a Stellar F-131 instead of a poky old Skipper Basic Skycar. Much more oomph, much more room, and no empty bottles of prophy spray under the seat along with underwear of unknown origin.

Fancy undies, too. Pink lacy ones.

The BOQ was packed, but offered free parking and firstmeal. After an investigation of nearby restaurants, Ilyana loaded up a tray at a buffet advertising 'real meat' and went back to her cubicle-room. If the meat was real, it tasted a lot like her boots might if she gave them a good stewing. Ilyana checked her citations and then fell easily into her focus mode, rousing only at the insistent chirp of her commlink.

"Yana? If I study any more, I am going to jump out the window." Agral, he of the ever-growling stomach and reddest hair in the galaxy. "I know you went to a rent-a-wreck. Come pick up your study buddy and we'll get something to eat. I buy if you fly."

"Deal, but it has to be real food." 

"I'm the native son, Sparky. How about some real, juicy grilled meat for my little carnivore?"

"If it's not real meat, do I get to use you for target practice?" In truth, she was already getting her boots on. 'Meet me in the lobby in three minutes."

"It'll take that long for the turbolift to get here. See you downstairs."

The junior officers' hostel had admittedly seen better days - at least two centuries ago. Jashin did beat her there, and was suitably impressed with their conveyance. He had a list of grills, and yes they were going to sit down and eat like civilized people. It was as they passed the senior officers' hostel that Ilyana spotted some familiar faces on the pickup platform - a glance at Agral confirming it. Vanto, Hammerly, Lomar, Faro, and the Blue Face of Doom. 

Okay. Fine. She respected Thrawn, Hammerly and Vanto. Faro was her captain from day one. Odo Lomar came from the same year at Royal as both her and Agral. There was no way that they were going to get a cab with an alien with them, never mind that said alien was a hero and flag officer in the Imperial Navy.

"Do it," Agral sighed.

Ilyana stopped, threw it into reverse gear, and to utterly unnecessary screaming from Jashin, maneuvered back to the platform. "Relax, there's nobody coming."

The group on the platform stared, then stared harder as Ilyana keyed off the forcefield. "Good evening, sirs." Then she grinned at Vanto's shiny new insignia. "Go Commander Vanto! Congrats, sir."

"Thank you, Lieutenant. That was… some kind of driving right there."  

"We were on the way to go eat when we saw you. Can we give you a lift somewhere, or you could join us." Jashin's elbow hit her ribs. "Ow. We're going for real meat, though."

Thrawn and Vanto both lit up. 

"That sounds like a good idea," Faro said, "But it's going to be a tight fit." 

"Everyone will be in everyone's laps," was Thrawn's protest. 

"Well, Seven Swords is the closest grill, and their last seating is at twenty-two, sirs." Jashin scrolled his datapad. "How about it, Sparky? Can you get us there?"

"The shortest distance between two points is a firing solution," Ilyana replied. 

~

Yissa held on for dear life. It was like being in a full-immersion Grand Theft: Coruscant. Pyro seemed to operate on aiming and firing herself in the direction she wished to go. Thrawn was calm as ever, Faro visibly popped a couple of grey hairs, but she, Vanto, and Lomar all seemed fairly certain of being a juicy splotch on the side of a building somewhere. They pulled up at the grill in plenty of time and then were charged an astonishing amount for parking - at least they were until Thrawn got out of the aircar and the extortionate bastards realized they had a flag-rank officer on their doorstep. 

The smell of food made Yissa's belly rumble and that got her a little smile from Pyro. 

The overt hostility had eased, but the woman still held herself, Vanto, Marinith, and Thrawn at arm's length. That smile was actually pretty. Yissa had tried dropping a few hints, as Pyro was unpartnered and really kind of cute. The hints hadn't been ignored, it was as if Pyro simply didn't pick them up. Officers came from all over the Empire, so it could be cultural, or perhaps Pyro was simply unsocialized - because when it came to nerd ranking, Pyro was a very high-grade nerd.

The grill was possibly a little above her pay grade, but nobody ever went broke serving on an ISD and Yissa had plenty of margin for an extravagant dinner. They were led through the main salon to a plusher, quieter area with more senior officer uniforms in evidence. Yeah, definitely not a pitcher-and-platter establishment. Then again, Agral was from a wealthier merchant family - in the same league as Vanto's - and likely considered this affordable. He said he was treating Pyro because Pyro had the aircar and agreed to drive. 

Seating went in order of rank, with everyone to the right of their chairs and sitting only when the commodore and captain were seated. The menu's extravagance was astounding and a carnivore's delight. Ilyana ordered modest meal, only to have Agral override and chivvy her into an inch thick red-meat ribeye plus a baked and stuffed starchroot. Yissa went for surf-and-turf as did Agral, Lomar, and Faro. Vanto went for meat, with a side of meat, plus extra meat. Thrawn ordered the equivalent of a small roast nerf. 

Then he had the brass to preemptively pay the bill - and quell a minor mutiny. One captain at the table behind them murmured that it was the first time he'd ever seen junior officers object to a free feed. 

 "This establishment is closer to my pay grade than yours." Which was true, what with Yissa's dinner being a week's worth of credits. 

Oh, and worth every last one based on the appetizers alone.

In Yissa's opinion, a good restaurant was a quiet one. The food should be enough to ensure silence. Table chatter was limited to individual plans. Art for Thrawn and presumably for Vanto. Meeting with old friends for Faro. Yissa planned to discreetly party her doors off, but Lomar was being trapped with family visits and fending off a betrothal. To everyone's surprise, both Pyrondi and Agral were defending their theses before their promotion boards.   

"What are your theses?" Thrawn was on the scent. 

"The possibility of communication within the hyperlanes, including tracking other vessels," Agral replied.

That was in Yissa's wheelhouse, as well as Lomar's. To date, the only communications in hyperspace were visual. If you could see another ship, a version of tap code would be the limit of communication. Not even sensors worked past the outer hull when in hyperspace, not even to verify that the othership you could see was actually there. Agral referred to travel within the 'probability bubble' - apparently traveling in a hyperlane meant entering a bubble that moved between one set of coordinates and another. There was also some dispute as to the nature of the hyperlanes themselves - constructed or naturally occurring? 

This was dinner chit-chat she could get behind.     

Pyro was surprisingly keen on hyperspace theory, but her thesis was naturally about weaponry - and one surprisingly critical about overreliance on heavier, slower turbolaser batteries over a more diverse weapons array. Yissa could all but see other officers bending ears at the resulting debate between the outspoken lieutenant and her commanding officers. Faro was firmly on Pyro's side, having been through the Clone Wars and all the droid armaments, Thrawn put forth his favor of better TIE fighters, but allowed that a more diverse weapons array served the offensive and  capabilities of the ship. And from there Pyro dove into a variety of weapons that could - should - be deployed before a very determined throat-clearing from the next table.    

Oh. Shit.

Admiral Motti. The smarmiest of smarmy bastards about to smarm, and three other members of the High Command that she recognized from newsholo shows. And Andres Sienar who looked far too interested in Pyro for Yissa's comfort.

"My own argument, Admiral Motti, coming out of the mouth of a baby lieutenant."

"Full disclosure, sirs. I worked at the Sienar Armaments and Fleet Systems main industrial  facility on Corulag for four years," Pyrondi stated. "I was in the Imperial Youth Corps at the time."  

And the conversation - Pyrondi could not be said to argue with her superior officers while defending her position - was off and running from there. Motti was definitely a 'bigger is better' guy, but Pyro was an active, serving weapons officer, and one who had helped to take first place in the games. It was hard to argue against the winners. If Pyro stood her ground like this for her boards, then Senior Lieutenant rank was hers.

The night did not end after caf, pastries, and arguments, and a bit of Yissa was meanly glad that the ranking wankers had to wait for transport while Pyrondi went to the valet and got her rent-a-wreck back. There was a minor dustup over driving. None of them were drinking with dinner, but Thrawn moved to preempt the driver's station. Pyro claimed it was against protocol for a flag rank officer to chauffeur his subordinates. When the dust settled, Vanto was driving as Thrawn's aide, and would give the vehicle back at the admiralty accommodation. 

Vanto grew up flying cargo donks and freighters. Yissa almost wished for Pyrondi to be back in the driver's position. He flew like a pirate. Even Thrawn took a white-knuckle grip on his seat. At least nobody yarked their dinner. Yissa and Lomar went back to their rooms while Thrawn, Vanto, and Faro went to the rarefied heights of the Admiralty Tower. 

Back in her room, she changed into sleepwear and flicked on the holonet, looking for some new series to buy. Holonet was sketchy and inconsistent, so the crews of the Seventh always brought back entertainment to while away off-duty hours. At some point she dozed off, awaking to the sound of an urgent voice-

"-the junior officers' hostel is being evacuated as we speak, with close to two thousand naval personnel from ensigns to senior lieutenants being evacuated for unknow- There's blaster fire on one- no, two of the floors facing the street. It's unknown if it's due to insurgents and-"

Yissa pulled her trousers on over her shorts as her comlink chipred. 

"I know. I saw. I'm on my way there." She told Lomar. "Tell Mom and Dad."  

~

Ilyana hated bugs. Even some of the insectoid sentient species gave her the whim-whams. Right now she was in her worst nightmare. Duct mites. Why did it have to be ducked mites? Blind, six legged, a ghastly grey-white, and carnivorous, they were from the deep lower levels of Coruscant, and now they were flooding out of ventilation ducts all over the hostel. 

Mite was not a statement on their size, either. 

She and the officers on her floor were shooting them, making their way to the emergency drop tube that would land them safely on the platform below. Dimly, from an open door with a half-eaten body jamming it open she heard-

"We are told that this is a hazmat situation, not an infestation of vermin. The sources were in error and likely suffering delusions from too many exotic intoxicants."

Oh. FUCK her. Junior officers were painted with the same sprayer as academy students. The only thing saving someone's ass was the fact that duct mites would burn to death rather than go outside. Temperature fluctuations killed them as handily as a blaster. And just before she and agral hit the drop tube, that's what Ilyana did, hooking her fingers under the headplate and jumping after her buddy. There was a keen pang of leaving her duffel behind, but her datapads were both secure in her undershirt.

~

The hologenic chaos that the networks were expecting did not materialize. These were naval officers, not a bunch of pampered civvies. Faro began to muster her officers from the moment her feet hit the platform.

"Chimaera officers, to me!"            

Other captains and commanders were arriving and bulling through the district security forces to round up their juniors, Thrawn's bellow alternated with hers, While Hammerly, Lomar, and Vanto played herders, getting everyone in one place. 

"Any sign of Agral or Pyrondi?" Karyn asked a pale ensign who's knees were shaking. 

"No, ma'am. They were up on floor 2314, I was down on 1609." 

"Drop tube coming down!"

"Is everyone out?"

"No, by headcount there's more than a thousand missing. Granted, some might still be out making bad adult decisions-"

"What was the cause of the evacuation?" Thrawn asked.

The evacked officers answer was duct mites, but the ISB supervisor's reason was hazmat, causing a mass hallucination of duct mites. One did not call 'bullshit' on an ISB supervisor and expect to have a career left afterward, or indeed, much lifetime left.  The droptube slowed, then let a cluster of junior lieutenants onto the platform. Karyn sprinted away as soon as she saw Agral's copper-bright hair. 

"Agral, is Pyrondi with- Don't get snippy, Pyrondi, you're an inch taller than Captain Piett, we could lose you under a table somewhere and what in the name of bright stars-" A duct mite, still smoking hanging by the headplate in her left hand. "Throw that away right this minute, it's disgusting!"

"It's evidence, ma'am. If this place is so lax in maintenance practices, then everyone needs to know it." Pyro argued back. The woman could take orders, but Karyn sensed a sticking point. "I'm not going to let some prissy bitch in a four-figure frock shit-talk my fellow officers. Some of them were dinner for these things."       

The ISB supervisor was speaking with the aforementioned prissy bitch, assuring her and the other press fleas that it was all some nebulous 'gas' - possibly introduced by insurgents - that caused hallucinations in the junior officers billeted there. And Karyn felt a certainty settle into her bones as she turned to Pyrondi only to see her combat face on, a firing solution already in place and her arm swinging. In slow motion, she watched the duct mite arc gracefully over the heads of the people in front of them and fly into camera range.          

Oh, as usual, shit. 

Several things happened at once. One of them was the insect splatting all over the ISB's white tunic and the reporter's expensive dress - why would you cover a potential disaster in heels and a party dress? The next one was a blue hand grabbing Pyro and yanking her backwards into the crowd. Another was Hammerly and Lomar moving at high speed to corral Agrall, who was getting ready to launch himself at the supervisor, and Vanto taking her arm and murmuring, "This way, ma'am." in that soft drawl just as all hell broke loose. 

Ilyana Pyrondi was a quiet, obedient, loyal and highly intelligent bridge nerd, but when her chaos came out, it did so on the crest of an explosive temper. 

[perestroika-hilton]

I think this how all club music should sound

[yugiohcard]

push day was intense 😳

[streamxsoniksubway]

compilations by low income $quad

[maabhagwatistatus]

boAt Airdopes Flex 454 ANC TWS in-Ear Earbuds with Smart Features, ANC, 60HRS Playback, Low Latency, Quad Mics, Multi Point Connectivity, ASAP Charge(Zinc White)

Price: (as of – Details) Smart Features: Smart Talk- Smart Talk by boAt’s Voice Control lets you manage incoming calls hands-free by saying ‘Accept’ and ‘Reject’ aloud. Speak Thru- boAt’s SpeakThru mode lowers the earbud audio volume automatically when you start conversing with your friends or teammatesNOTE: Smart Talk is available on Android 10 & above, not supporting Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco phones.…

[writer59january13]

July first 2023 will celebrate...

our sixth anniversary at Highland Manor Apartments

Subtitled: The perspective of one festive folky fellow friendliness ofttimes prompts me when crossing paths with another to say “hello,”

whose demeanor trends toward being mellow courtesy about eight medications unaffected whether weather overcast

or sunshine reigning down bright yellow.

Our present habitat digs, (per this mister and his missus), a psychic boon dock - located at geographical coordinates, (circa 1684 folks wove cocoon) 40.2562° North, 75.4638° West, out of virgin forests log cabins hewn, still a vestige of Pacific rural life lock, especially fauna and flora abounds

during month of June.

Across American landscape usurped from indigenous peoples, underming storied traditions in cold blood

eponymous namesake affixed to honor exploits of “European Outsiders”,

co-opted land sinker, liner, and hook

with each constituent treaty a dud

mortgaged to industrialization contributing to lowlands to flood comprising one of many complex edifices –

at latitude and longitude not prone to flood

this repurposed elementary school into affordable housing sans low income good lee managed by Grosse and Quade, which facility nestled far from any hood, gang or foo fighting beastie boys lacking manners with actions lewd thus within the pastoral enclave of Schwenksville, Pennsylvania,

there prevails a tranquil mood

with concomitant safety, such that an inhabitant can patter about

(in their apartment) nude

though prudish older occupants may object, and especially be prude

dish, snapping, popping and moaning

with unsolicited mutterings mostly rude

claiming to lack comprehending the habits

of younger generations 'liberal at tee tude

nonetheless, the sprawling range “Penn's Wood.'”

Eager immigrants brought native

brought seeds of white lily to transplant

preserving vestigial tidbits scantily quoted in text books

writ from a biased Western European slant

rightfully, the Elysian Fields of lush, resplendent and transcendent hue Kant argue against snatched, stolen and swindled with hollow promises –

immediately nullified treaty(ies)

relegated inhospitable land extant with absolutely zero compensation given, where prevaricated misdeeds

against slandered “red men”

intruders did chant.

Twas plain and simple genocide

whereat spirits of vanquished “noble savage – in spare copse hide

to borrow a tagline from Jean Jacques Rousseau – predating inside

edition (which if fair), would waver to admit how fore parents lied

and long entrenched perspective adopted, viz pilgrims and/or puritan pride,

parcelled of acreage courtesy

how average male didst stride

yet this passive quintessential renegade scrivener

senses ghosts of “Indians” swoosh at high tide

unseen immortal souls corporeal essence long since trampled world wide.

[jiffyhits]

Michael Zimmerman and the Story of electronicshunt.com

It certainly isn’t a stretch to say that today’s world is dominated by electronics. It seems like no matter what you do, you need some sort of gadget to do it properly. Whether it be doing work or play, everything that we do these days requires the best electronic gadgets to be at your disposal. A particular niche of note is audio equipment. Everyone is always on the lookout for the best way to listen to music, movies, and more.

I have a long history working with electronics, and audio products specifically, which prompted me to throw my hat in the ring and start electronicshunt.com.

My Background/What Motivated Me To Start A Site

Anybody who can do a cursory Google Search can easily find that there are thousands of different affiliate sites out there selling the same products that I am, so what motivated me to start electronicshunt.com? I have a genuine passion for audio products. I spent much of my life working for companies (such as Harman Consumer Group, DIRECTV and Comcast), where I both sold consumer home electronics components and trained consumers in their use.

My passion began early as I developed an intense fascination with electronics during childhood. By high school, I would buy all sorts of home audio equipment that I could afford like receivers, speakers, turntables, cassette decks, etc. to compare the sound quality and to tinker with them to produce the most stunning high fidelity sound. I was a fan of both digital readout and analog dial receivers as well. I even stumbled across several old tube quad receivers that I had to have and really enjoyed the warmth and power of the sound quality they reproduced.

In college, I refined my interests and built on my passions even further and to go into audio technology. I obtained a degree in commercial music and hoped to make it big in the music industry. I had become a manager of several local jazz performing artists in the Atlanta, GA music scene, even procuring one a recording contract with an Independent music label in 1991. While that venture didn’t quite pan out to the level I was hoping for. I gained some valuable experience that has helped me in every endeavor since these crucial learning years.

My online career started off when I began reviewing a few products that I myself happened to enjoy using (a pair of Sennheiser headphones for anyone wondering) and before long I was writing a ton of different reviews. There was no shortage of audio products to review and different niches to explore.

However, I didn’t immediately go straight towards being an Amazon only business. Over the years I did try to experiment with the various passive income business models.

Anyone who is familiar with online businesses will no doubt know what I am talking about. I tried a lot of things ranging from creating YouTube videos to email marketing, and many other things in-between.

I found that none of them offered the fantastic opportunities that building an Amazon affiliate website does. Amazon affiliate marketing combines a low cost of entry with the unique ability to use Amazon’s already multi-million-dollar brand to your advantage. This is how I ultimately settled on creating sites like electronicshunt.com as the best method for generating a passive income.

The Concept and Ideas Behind electronicshunt.com

The concept behind electronicshunt.com is very simple, I use my expertise gained from many, many years of working in the industry to help people find the absolute best electronics on the market. I do this through a combination of informative product reviews and informational content.

I like to think that my expertise gives me a good insight into what the average consumer is looking for when it comes to audio products like headphones.

I try not to make my reviews cold and impersonal. Instead, I aim to make my product reviews as passionate and as informative as possible. I have stated before that I am not necessarily some recognized expert on this subject, however, I am someone who does have a deep passion for the products that I sell.

The way that I do my reviews isn’t how one would typically expect product reviews to be done. Rather than just writing one long, plodding review of a single product, I instead do multiple product reviews and compile them into a single article that is usually based around a theme (such as the best x under $xxx).

I also don’t just aim to review the absolute best products, I also look at ones that offer good value or that may be good for newcomers.

Challenges In The Market Today

I think when you are dealing with anything electronics based, but especially dealing with niche topics within the field, the biggest issue that you encounter is so many consumers who are interested in that sort of stuff already have pretty good ideas about what they want, and they aren’t particularly interested in reading any sort of generic reviews.

So, reaching these types of readers is always difficult, you can’t just phone it in. These types of readers really want quality content, and you have to work overtime to deliver the sort of content that gets them reading and that genuinely speaks to them. I definitely think that my time spent working directly in the audio industry is what sets me apart here.

Of course, I am also not immune to the struggles everyone else faces when it comes to building an affiliate site. I have to compete with the many competitors out there and I have to work to get eyes on my site. When it comes to overcoming this problem, all I can say is that the old adage of work smarter not harder is the best option. Posting tons and tons of content may work for some, but I find that the best way to build your successful affiliate site is to post the right kind of content.

You also can’t talk about the challenges of doing online business without talking about the one challenge that everyone has to face in the online world, which is SEO. At the end of the day, a large portion of your success is going to come down to whether your site gets ranked on Google. Mastering SEO is an essential step for anyone seeking to build a successful affiliate business.

Finally, there is also just the persistent reality that most affiliate sites don’t work out. They have a low cost of entry and each individual site doesn’t require a ton of work in the grand scheme of things, so individual sites failing isn’t too big of an issue overall, but it can be a disheartening challenge that needs to be overcome.

The Opportunities In The Market

I don’t want to be all doom and gloom, I think a lot of people overly focus on the downsides of trying to start an affiliate site, especially one that is centered around selling products.

While there are plenty of pitfalls, I also think there are a lot of good opportunities for affiliate sites like mine that sell specific products.

First off, one of the biggest opportunities is found in the complete decline of brick and mortar stores, especially for anything related to technology or electronics. Someone starting an affiliate site like electronicshunt.com in say 2010, would have had to compete with stores like The Source, Best Buy, Radio Shack, and Circuit City. Nowadays, the vast majority of people looking to buy things like stereos, speakers, and headphones are going to go online, with most ending up on Amazon.

Because a lot of the products that I sell tend to be on the pricier side, a lot of consumers want to check reviews first. No one wants to spend $200 on a pair of headphones, only to find out that they absolutely hate them.

So, I have found that if you can write genuine, informative reviews, you can attract a surprisingly wide audience who are actively in the market to buy the products feature on your affiliate site.

Also, as my own site demonstrates, with the right niche, there are almost an endless array of products to feature, so you should never have to worry about not being able to have content.

My Recommendations For Others Looking To Break In

Much like there are tens of thousands of affiliate sites out there, there are also tens of thousands of sites offering you easy strategies and quick guides to break into the world of passive income. They often promise you quick returns. I find those guides, while not necessarily wrong, often give people unrealistic expectations and they often don’t have any useful tips, so let me remedy that by giving you some tips that I wish I had known when I started.

An SEO Course Is Always Worth It. Without a doubt one of the best tips that I can give is to invest in a good SEO course or program. SEO is probably the fastest changing part of the affiliate business. Google is always changing how it ranks sites and a savvy website builder has to keep up with the latest trends. So, getting some professional guidance is well worth the price of entry.

Plan For Success. Another really key piece of advice that I would offer is to plan for success. I don’t mean be cocky and assume that you are going to succeed, but rather, be prepared for how you will react when one of your sites eventually hits it big. Just because a site is successful doesn’t mean that you can rest on your laurels (not yet anyway), you have to put the site in a position to continue succeeding and you have to plan for your next successful website.

Remember That You Are Playing The (Extremely) Long Game. It is a bit of a cliché but it is worth repeating that Amazon affiliate websites, while a great way to build a passive income, aren’t a fast road to success. It is going to take a while before you have the number of successful sites needed to have a true passive income, and that’s okay as long as you are prepared for that.

It Should Be A One Man Show. While running an affiliate site business with a partner can seem like a tempting prospect since it splits the workload up, I would recommend against it. Early on there won’t be enough profits to really make it worthwhile to work with someone on creating the sites. Also, I find it can lead to a case of there being too many cooks in the kitchen. It is much better for there to be one single vision for the business and having someone else in the picture can make achieving that harder.

Try To Be A Jack Of All Trades. Building affiliate sites and working through Amazon requires a lot of different skills. You have to be able to build attractive sites, write good content, and know how to get eyes onto your content. If you don’t think that you have these skills, don’t worry as there are a ton of different places that can help you out. Places like Warrior Forum are filled with helpful content that lets you learn and improve your skill set.

Finally, Just Be Prepared To Work Hard. My final piece of advice may seem like an obvious one, but it is also something that needs to be stated repeatedly, which is that you have to be prepared to work extremely hard. Passive income businesses and activities like affiliate review sites are often sold as an easy way to generate money, but that is only true in the later stages. The early stages involve a lot of work and a lot of learning, so if you want to reap the rewards, you have to be prepared to put in the hours at the beginning.

[anantradingpvtltd]

Price: [price_with_discount] (as of [price_update_date] - Details) [ad_1] Product Description Xtreme Acoustics New XAMXGA4- 4 Channel mixer New XAMXGA4- live 4 Channel mixer is a revolutionary audio mixer with 16 DSP effects for live streaming and performances. The mixer engaged with input gain, high and low sound adjustment. The mixer is small and lightweight can be directly connected to the PC's USB to power supply directly. Can be operated by USB connection to a computer, which eliminates the hassle of using an external adapter, you can use mobile power, USB or AC/DC adapter to power supply too. Note:- the mixer is mainly used for the live streaming, it can not record the multiple tracks at once. For that, an audio interface is the only way to go. Mixer takes multiple incoming signals and mixes them together thus resulting in one stereo track. The mixer is mainly used for the live streaming, it can not record the multiple tracks at once. For that, an audio interface is the only way to go. Mixer takes multiple incoming signals and mixes them together thus resulting in one stereo track. Mixer is compatible with Condenser microphones and Mics with 6.35 and 3.55mm cables. It is not compatible with USB microphones. Condenser mics with XLR to XLR cable (Phantom Power is only on Channel 1) are recommended as they are intended for pro audio systems. They have much louder signal input, and remove the background noise. They offer multiple layers of shielding, impurity-free copper, better contacts and quad conductors that help to reject noise and interference. Troubleshooting:- If you observe hum/ noise in your monitors, check these scenarios:- (i) Grounding issue- if there is no proper ground/ reference connection; it may pick up the electrical interference from the atmosphere. (ii) Avoid placing audio cables next to high-powered equipment and cables that can introduce the noise (iii) Uncoil long audio cables and try to use shorter audio cables. (iv) Test a diff. cable and try to connect your computer, interface and speakers to the same power outlet. XAMXGA4- a cutting edge technology 4 channel mixer for Karaoke on Starmaker/ Smule apps Product Features Loaded with tons of features like:- 4 Channel Live mixing console, ideal for Karaoke 16 DSP effects 24Bit/ 96 khz sampling rate +48 V Phantom power on Channel 1 3.5mm microphone interface on Channel 1 Bluetooth function/ AUX-IN/MP3 player/ PEN DRIVE for background music Live broadcast function on smartphones/ laptop High definition headphone output port PC/ laptop audio recording You can also do the audio recording on to your PC/ laptop by selecting 'MIX USB' and the same can also be monitored from your mixer by pressing on-to the ST/USB button. The volume/ PAN setting of the output can be adjusted by the knobs present on the Channel 3/4. Monitor out through speakers/ AUX-OUT Everything that you can do LIVE! It serves many purposes like home music production, live streaming, karaoke song cover and live performances. HOW TO GIVE BACKGROUND MUSIC? Click on the MODE/BT so that bLUE is reflecting on to the display. To give background music, you can connect your phone to the mixer by enabling the bluetooth on your phone. Select 'MIX MP3-BT' and press the ST/USB button present on the 3/4 Channel of the mixer. The song setting can be done by forward/ rewind button or can even be paused.

You can control the volume and the PAN settings by rotating the knobs on Channel 3/4. You can also give BGM through the USB/ Pen drive/ Aux In- port as given on the front portion of the mixer. Features that set it apart! XLR to 3.5mm jack/ Background music 3.5mm 5V microphone interface Connect your mobile phone to the mixer through bluetooth to give background music or through USB drive. Multieffects 16 DSP digital multi-effects Go live from your mobile The signal can be transmitted between the mixer and the mobile phone, and live broadcast in real-time. Channels 4 4 4 Sampling Rate 24Bit/96Khz 24Bit/96Khz 24Bit/192Khz Effects 16 DSP Delay/Repeat 16 DSP 3.5mm Live Out Yes Yes Yes 3.5mm Mic In Yes Yes No 3.5mm AUX In ✓ Power Supply Micro USB to USB Micro USB to USB USB Type-C to USB Bus Powered ✓ ✓ Phantom Power Channel 1 Channel 1 Channel 1 / Channel 2 AUX Out ✓ 4 channel live streaming mixing console with direct mobile out, 3.5mm condenser mic in and 3.5mm headphone out for monitoring your sound. Super amplifier system provides high precision studio quality sound output. Live stream your content with direct 3.5mm mobile out. Connect your mobile phone to the digital mixer through Bluetooth or through USB drive/MP3 player/AUX IN for background music. Direct AUX out along with stereo output provided. Built in phantom power/ 48v with frequency range 20Hz to 20KHz for recording on condenser microphones with XLR connection. 3.5mm 5v microphone interface provided as well. 16 DSP effects (24 BIT) and USB power supply interface enables users to power the system via 5V power supply or through computer/PC.

What's in the box:- Mixer, 5V Power Adapter, USB Power Cable . Ideal for Live streaming, Live performances, Home recording, Karaoke, DJ mixing, Singing, Audio mastering and Webcast. [ad_2]

[erasamuel]

All Terrain Vehicle Market is set for a Potential Growth Worldwide: Excellent Technology Trends with Business Analysis

A Latest intelligence report published by AMA Research with title "Global All Terrain Vehicle Market Outlook to 2027. This detailed report on All Terrain Vehicle Market provides a detailed overview of key factors in the Global All Terrain Vehicle Market and factors such as driver, restraint, past and current trends, regulatory scenarios and technology development.

The predecessor of the modern all-terrain vehicle (ATV) originated from three-wheeled locomotives using low-pressure pneumatic tires. At the beginning, it was only a car designed for cross-country racing. Later, it gradually became a racing car, a utility vehicle, and a family leisure vehicle. With the popularity of the market in the United States, the locomotive changed from three rounds to four rounds. As four-wheeled vehicles become the main form of ATVs, four-wheel drive ATVs have also developed. Due to the improvement of people living standard and scientific development, many kinds of Terrain vehicles have been created to enrich people's life. The terrain vehicle can provide functions such as global positioning system (GPS) tracking, mobile tracking, and bluetooth, integrated smartphones, audio entertainment, and Go-Pro cameras, which can bring convenience to customers. Major Players in this Report Include are:

Polaris Industries (United States)

Yamaha Motor Company (Japan)

Arctic Cat (United States)

Bombardier Recreational Products Inc. (BRP) (Canada)

Suzuki Global (Japan)

Kawasaki Heavy Industries Ltd (Japan)

Kwang Yang Motor Co.Ltd. (Taiwan)

Feishen Group (China)

Cectek (Taiwan) Market Drivers: Growing Demand for Adventure Sports Activities

Increasing Lifestyle and Disposable Income in the Emerging economies

Market Trend: Improvement in Efficiency and Versatility of All-Terrain Vehicles

Focusing on Producing Low Budget ATVs will Boost the Market

Adoption of Automated All-Terrain Vehicle

Opportunities: Continuous Research and Development in All-Terrain Vehicle for better Performance

Growing Investment and Production of All-Terrain Vehicle

The Global All Terrain Vehicle Market segments and Market Data Break Down by Type (Sports ATV, Utility ATV), Application (Adventure Activities, Border Patrol, Construction, Land Management, Others), Vehicle (Youth Models, Entry-Level Four Wheelers, Utility Quads, Sport/Utility ATVs, Sport Quads, High-Performance ATVs), End User (Sports, Entertainment, Agriculture, Military and Defense, Forestry), Engine (2-Stroke, 4-Stroke) Geographically World All Terrain Vehicle markets can be classified as North America, Europe, Asia Pacific (APAC), Middle East and Africa and Latin America. North America has gained a leading position in the global market and is expected to remain in place for years to come. The growing demand for Global All Terrain Vehicle markets will drive growth in the North American market over the next few years.

Presented By

AMA Research & Media LLP

[coastessential]

Heating, Cooling and Ventilation in High-Performance Homes

When designing a performance home, the designers and builders have considerable latitude in choosing the approach for reaching desired energy targets. There's also some cross-over between the solutions used in the two primary approaches: Passive House and Net Zero.

Passive House approach

The passive house building standard the only internationally recognized, science-based, proven energy standard used in the construction industry. The passive house standards focus on energy efficiency.

The international Passive House (Passivhaus) standard requires:

space heat demand maximum of 15 kWh/m2a OR heating load max. 10 W/m2,

pressurization test result at 50 Pa max. 0.6 ACH (both over-pressure and under-pressure), and

Total Primary Energy Demand maximum of 120 kWh/m2a

Passive house building envelopes are always airtight. An airtight building envelope not only delivers significant energy savings, but it also improves the comfort and noise levels, while making the house a lot more durable. Thermal bridging is minimized in the walls, and vapour barriers make sure vapour can escape, while warm air does not. Walls and roofs are super-insulated, windows are triple- or quad-glazed, and doors use a 'thermally broken' design.

Most passive houses are orientated on a north-south axis, with most of the windows facing the south for maximum passive solar heat gain. Windows on the south side will usually be detailed with overhangs. The overhangs allow as much sun as possible to enter the home during the winter months when the sun is at a low angle, while providing shading in the summer.

A heat recovery ventilation (HRV) system removes stale air and continually replaces it with fresh air, while recovering up to 85% of the heat from the outgoing stream of air. The home may be airtight, but it is comfortable, dry and always filled with fresh, filtered air. During the summer, the incoming air is cooled, and during the winter it is heated.

Net Zero approach

Net Zero homes are designed to produce as much renewable energy as they use on an annual basis. In colder climates, like those found in Canada, most net zero homes will produce a surplus of energy in the summer, but then need more energy than they can produce during the winter months. The solar “credits” produced in the warmer months are fed to the power grid, and then drawn from it during the cold winter months.

Like passive houses, net zero homes utilize a superior airtight building envelope. High-performance continuous insulation is used in the exterior walls, floors, ceilings and foundation, and they use high-efficiency windows and doors.

An air-source heat pump (ASHP) typically provides year-round comfort, with heat during the cooler months and cooling during the warm summers. ASHPs take heat from the outside air and move it indoors. In the summers, heat pumps typically use 50% less energy than air conditioning.

The takeaway

There isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to designing your high-performance dream home. Heating, cooling and ventilation solutions are often combined to arrive at a particular efficiency target. Passive house and net zero approaches have differences, but a passive house can also be net zero, with the addition of solar panels.

Read more about heating, cooling and ventilation in high-performance homes.

[if-you-fan-a-fire]

Isabella, Post-Tonal Bouquet. low income $quad, 2019.