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youwontlikethisblog · 3 years

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The After Math Of Their First Time.

Now in the after math we have an even more confused Armando. While Betty has had yet another dream of hers become a reality.

As I mentioned in my previous post regarding this night(Forgive Me Post) when Armando goes to drop off Betty he brings up the fact that it wasn't Betty's first time(he wasn't her first) he asks her: Beatriz , who were you with before[me]? when she stays silent and worries her mouth Armando's demeanor changes.

"There was another man in your life, right?" She stopped making eye contact with him before he asked this question and nods while swallowing hard, briefly makes eye contact and tells him:

"Yes Sir. There was someone. I had a relationship before[you]."

"Nicolas Mora?" Armando says not missing a beat nor a second. His lips sit in a tight line while he examines Betty.

"No." She says in a low voice, swallows hard and shakes her head. Since her behavior and mannerisms all go in hand with what she's saying; Armando who is a man who is good at manipulating people based on body language(not as good as Mario though) believes her. He stops staring at her, turns to look in front of him and looks to take a breath of relief. "It was somebody else but I don't like talking about that." He turns to stare at her.

"No, I don't want to make you uncomfortable either." He seems more relaxed here than he did seconds ago "Let's not talk about it anymore."

I briefly touched on the subject in the last post that Armando was jealous in this scene, however, what type of jealousy? I would like to expand on this here.

(If you haven't yet; read post Nicolas Mora Is Better Than You before you continue reading this post.)

Jealousy is a bunch of feelings summed into one: Insecurity, inadequacy, resentment, hopelessness, and/or disgust.

While Armando does feel possessive of Betty as an object, harbors feelings of animosity against Nicolas he also is jealous of not only Betty(and her "relationship" w Nic) but Nicolas. He is extremely jealous of him and not only because he is a threat in an economic level or even a romantic level but because he is a threat in all aspects.

To really understand this lets ignore what I said in the previous post about how Armando isn't the one that is actively in Betty's personal life and how he only gets glimpse of it or how Don Hermes approves of Nicolas.

Lets completely ignore that Nicolas is in Terra Moda, Betty is the owner of Eco Moda and working for Armando.

Let's pretend that Betty and Armando met one day and they established a friendship of sorts. Maybe they shopped at the same grocery store, maybe Armando and her interacted when she worked at the banks(bc she never got fired) and from there formed a friendship of sorts.

Though things were always impersonal, Betty had a small crush on Armando who went to the bank on a regular biases where they talked about money blah blah blah and Armando slowly started to wonder about Betty and her personal life and one day Armando finds out Betty has a boyfriend.

He finds out when he goes to the bank by overhearing Betty talking with a work friend about it(in this scenario we'll also be forgetting that he is extremely obsessed with perfection) and he asks her about it once their meeting is over and she tells him she doesn't have one but he ponders about this on his own and becomes paranoid about his feelings and investigates who Nicolas is by asking said work friend of Betty's about Nicolas.

He finds out Nicolas is a man desired my many women, who is relatively economically comfortable, is extremely smart and that Betty's dad, who hates everyone, approves of him and that they see each other mostly every single day and that he's always around and that she's stupidly in love with him and that Nicolas, even though he's a good looking man and who has women fawning and crazy about him is also interested in Betty so he isn't a superficial man and cares about the substance of people which means Betty is really exquisite, but that they aren't actually dating because he hasn't made a move on Betty(I combined what Mario, Bertha, and Mariana said).

What Armando knows of his feelings is that he looks forward to seeing Betty when he goes to the bank because she's always so kind and accommodating to him and communicative as well and that she's always personally helping him so they are constantly communicating and he looks forward to it. He knows that Betty is a smart woman and that she also has really wonderful qualities that he likes and because she's also so unconditional with him he thought maybe Betty liked him, that it made sense she'd be like that towards him and that it made him feel special but now he finds out that somebody else has Betty's heart.

So he decides to ask her out and they embark into this affair of sorts(We're also ignoring the sinister plan). However while he is still curious and wondering about how Betty's personal life is and how her inner world is, Betty hasn't welcomed him into it yet. Better yet Betty keeps him at arms length and though he has been somewhat honest and invited her into his personal life he still stands on the outside meanwhile Nicolas remains on the inside and he isn't leaving any time soon.

Armando begins to resent that Betty isn't letting him in while he has let her in, he begins to resent Nicolas for taking Betty away from him one way or another. He feels that he isn't as important or as special as he thought he was and this makes him insecure as a person. He begins to feel inadequate, for the first time in his life, in the romantic front.

So this night after Betty and him have finally taken their relationship to the next step he angrily asks her if Nicolas was her first.

Why do I bring this make believe up?

We're so clouded by the past actions and who Armando is in the core of it all and his complexities that I'm neglecting this important fact. Armando doesn't just view Nicolas as competition, he feels inadequate next to Nicolas and as he told Betty, he imagined and thought he'd be her first(it most likely is also that he thought no man would have slept with Betty up until he did).

It's why he repeatedly told Mario that he couldn't do that to her. He wasn't talking about not being able to physically make himself have sex with her because she's "ugly". He was talking about the morality of it. That he couldn't take something so valuable from Betty with deception, that he couldn't be the man that she gave her first experience to when he didn't love her because he knew how it would impact her, how it would hurt her when he ended the relationship and he couldn't bring himself to do that to her(however like I already pointed out, while Betty was being vulnerable Armando began to fall in love and that's what made him want to sleep with her).

So when they finally do sleep together Armando is disappointed that he isn't her first time and when he asks her about it and she confirms it, he now fears that Nicolas was her first time. He fears that Betty gave herself, her first experience to him because it means that Nicolas managed to figure his feelings out before him, that Nicolas was better than him both morally and as a man.

He wants to be part of Betty's personal life. He desires to be in her inner circle. We see this when he hears Don Hermes express himself about Nicolas. When he knows that Nicolas has dinner with her family, that he spends time inside her house. He knows what Don Hermes thinks of him[Armando] because he heard him say he'd fight him the night he hid behind their couch(Brutas! La Policía! post). It isn't just that Nicolas could be better than him now, it's Nicolas could be the one to possess something so intimate of Betty's now.

So when Betty explains that Nicolas wasn't her first time all of a sudden the resentment leaves him and he agrees to not talk about it. However Betty's behavior leaves him a lot more curious. Now this confession of Betty's leaves him picado. I imagine that he probably ponders about her first time wonders why she was so off by it, why she doesn't like talking about it. He wonders about the relationship she had before him and who that man was and how it ended. He probably wonders if Nicolas knows about it and again how Nicolas manages to hold something he desperately wants: her trust.

He respects her desire to not want to speak about it and they say goodnight.

I already talked about the argument Marcela and Armando have when he gets to the apartment in the last post but since that post was so rushed and I was like twelve hours in writing that post I just half-baked it so I'll try to briefly, but in-depth, break it down.

As Armando enters his apartment, like a guilt-free man, he plays with his dog(I'mma call this lost soldier GBNF (Gone But Not Forgotten)) and pets him, we hear Betty's monologue.

I've touched on this in previous post, specifically the Tonight A Dream Of Mine Has Come True, the way that scene and this scene are presented is to show us that what we hear Betty saying is what Armando is thinking, I explained it in detail in that post so if you haven't read it, I recommend you do :)

While Betty says "He told me that he loved me but he also proved it to me with actions." we see Armando pondering over this as he stops interacting with GBNF probably telling himself 'I told her I loved her and this time seggs was different, I was different... could I love her? Nah it's probably not that.' except that instead of being able to go into his room to mediate on the night and its events he finds Marcela on his bed.

[I talked about the parallels in my rant post and the Forgive Me post]

While Marcela is mad and Armando is pretending to care that she is and trying to defend himself he behaves towards her very differently here. The day Betty tried a new look Armando told Mario that the only thing that keeps him with Marcela, at least the only good thing about their relationship, was the seggs and that he was satisfied with it, it's why he always gave into her manipulation because even if he wasn't in the mood, even if he told her no, even when he did so out of guilt and responsibility he still got off and at least that was worth it(that's like actually really sad. He needs a therapist for another reason now, bb get you some support and help). As we know this time he plain out rejects her and doesn't allow for her to manipulate him and when she tries to he turns her down.

Marcela throws it in his face that she had been calling him but he hadn't answered the phone since they last spoke and Armando goes on to angrily explain that next time they won't agree to speak until the next day and that he'll constantly call her and report himself so she can control him like a little kid, that every five minutes he can remind her who he is and he looks so pissed and done, like emotionally just frustrated with this argument.

Yes we know Marcela has a reason to not trust him but she feeds the cycle of her own as well. It would be so easy for her to remove herself from the situation/relationship but the problem here isn't that Armando cheats and gaslights her, the problem here is that Marcela doesn't want to let go of him. She feels entitled to him and because of this entitlement she completes the circle of hell. Again I'm not saying that Armando is innocent, he's not, he's a cheating scumbag, but she knew this before they got engaged, like she knew what she was getting herself into and she still wanted in and when they got engaged she felt entitled to all of him(I talk about this in like mostly every post, for once I'd like to write something good about her lol).

Marcela then stops arguing, you can tell she feels guilty for it and reaches out to him, placing her hands on his shoulders but he moves and pulls her hands from him and steps away from her and lays on his bed while Marcela gets on her knees, beside his bed and explains that she was only worried about him, that she thought something bad had happened to him.

Unlike with Betty, who asked him if he felt ill because of the drinks, who had her arms around him(though sometimes he looked like he wanted to take them off of him) when she asked him this and he said he was fine or maybe the drinks were affecting him, Betty told him she'd make him feel better, he asked her how, she said with her kisses and bam consenting make-out town.

The parallel of this is Marcela expressing "worry" about Armando, who tells her he's fine.

"I just want to go to the bathroom wash up, get in my pijamas, and go to bed."

"No, I can't wait that long." She says and starts to kiss him and undress him but he tells her:

"Marcela, Please." he pleas.

"It doesn't matter , you're fine as you are, please." She begs him in a I guess seductive way?

However Armando has barely touched her, when she neared him he kept his hands up in the air, only has one hand on her back as if trying to pull her from him. He then stares at her, with a cold stare of rejection(I think he's thinking to himself 'did she not hear me? I said no. I said no!') and Marcela reacts offended.

"What's your problem? Do you not want to be with me? Do you want me to leave?" She asks with an angry tone and arms folded in front of her. Armando now stares at her with fear.

Which is different from when Betty asked him if he wanted to no longer be with her and go to Marcela's apartment. When she asked him if he was feeling bad, and if he wanted to drop her off home. Armando explained to her it wasn't that but it was just getting late, however at the club he not only accepted her advances but he also encouraged them(Forgive Me Post). Not only that when Armando rejected her advance inside the hotel room, Betty respected his no.

"I'm tired." He says after trying to find an excuse. His tone of voice shows fear as he talks as if he were out of breath and though he has told her this excuse before, he hadn't given her this stare of determination. He wasn't even going to give her wiggle room and when she notices this she stands up and tells him that that had never stopped him before(yeah cause you manipulated him and pushed his boundaries).

Armando doesn't allow her questioning of his manhood to keep him from staying faithful to Betty. Instead, unlike before when he just basically gave up and let Marcela convince him otherwise, he tells her that tonight it would be an impediment for him but this whole time he looks fearful and nervous.

Now the next day Betty arrived to Eco Moda with contentment and excited to see Armando(dude Wilson is always so sweet to Betty(lets ignore the first couple of ep)).

Betty saw Marcela and Armando arriving together, which we know what that implies to Betty.

So once inside of Eco Moda, after Armando told her they needed to talk, as Betty is going towards their office she sees the personification of her guilty conscious in the shape of Marcela.

What Marcela is saying to her is what Betty is telling herself, while she also tries to justify what they did. When Marcela says that last night when he was done with her she went and made love to her[Marcela] and that it could be that he is playing Betty or her but maybe them both but that she[Marcela] is the one that Armando is going to end up with.

This speaks on Betty's fears.

When she enters their office Armando is waiting for her. He starts off explaining that he knew he had told her that he'd go to his apartment and spent the night by himself but Betty interrupts him by saying: "Nonono Sir. I told you I respect that relationship, I get it." (She sure do have a funny way of showing "respect" for that relationship.

Armando then goes on to clarify that nothing happened, basically that he was truthfully only with her and that he stayed faithful to her.

But Betty tells him that he doesn't need to explain things. Armando then begs her to allow him to explain things to her. Why does he beg her?

In a past post I explained how to Armando it was so important to be able to trust Betty and to know that she didn't lie to him(Betty, My Betty! Part 2.5 post.) but ever since the night that he fought Roman and Co. things have begun to change. Armando has become a bit more attentive and in tune with Betty's needs, desires, and feelings and after last night, it is more evident here that he needs her to know that he was impecable, that he didn't lie to her or hurt her. He needed her to know that he was truthfully only with her and that he wouldn't touch Marcela or another woman after being with her because she was special to him and their first time meant a lot to him as well. He needs her trust him and believe in him.

So he begins to explain things to her, being honest and albeit dramatic(he always is when he's retelling events).

Now for the last scene of this post lets make a deep dive to Mario and Armando's conversation/ Aura Maria and Betty's conversation.

I won't really breakdown the dialogue here, instead I'll breakdown the tone and behavior from Armando and Mario.

After Mario begs him to tell him about the night Armando calls him a vieja chismosa (A woman who likes gossip) and they go off to the meeting room.

A reluctant Armando tells him he did sleep with Betty. He is stiff the entire time as he talks to Mario, showing that he is uncomfortable sharing this with him and that he doesn't, on a very different level, want to share the intimacy he shared with Betty, but he'll only share a bit of it to get him off his back and to also be able to process what happened and how he feels about it.

As Mario says that he can imagine the concentration and imagination that Armando had to have had to be able to sleep with Betty, Armando, sitting still holding his hands(showing he is trying to comfort himself or is angry, looking at the context clues the serious expression, his tone of voice and how he seems to be refraining himself it is anger what he is feeling.) grits his teeth and clenches his jaw.

He isn't only uncomfortable talking to Mario about this but he is angry at him for what he is saying and insinuating. He tries to end the conversation when Mario jokes, telling him that he answered his question, however Mario asks him how it affected him and Armando tries to explain why it affected him to begin with.

In short words Armando tells him that Betty isn't just another woman he slept(one of his models or occasional friend) with but that she is an important woman to him and because of that reason last night was important to him.

"I made love with a woman who is in love, who is truthfully in love." He says this with a tender tone, something that holds importance to him, that makes him happy, that sweetens his life. In other words something that makes him soft but also the realization of Betty's love for him and how true it is. "This doesn't welcome any jokes." He says and angrily tells Mario "So don't expect for me to act like nothing happened. Of course it affects me, my skin isn't made of iron." In another post(Tonight A Dream Of Mine Has Come True and La Arrogancia De La Niña) I explained how Armando doesn't feel comfortable when the subject revolves around Betty as a person so when Mario makes jokes and Armando tries to defend why he feels the way he does and explain himself, as well as try to understand how he feels he stops being so reluctant in the conversation but as soon as Mario starts making jokes again he stops, gets angry and shuts off.

"Okay, one second, you're telling me that you're feeling something for Betty?" Armando looks at him with furrowed eyebrows and concerned eyes and he swallows hard. One could simply assume that he is confused or even simply worried but it goes more than that. This is the exact same expression he had when Marcela was reading that poem(Don't Yell At Her! Don't You Yell At Her! post) he is anguished to tell this to Mario, to be that vulnerable with him but also, that he is worried that he has feelings for her and the implications of said feelings.

Lets rewind a few steps and look at the journey of Armando's feelings so far.

1: He begins to take notice of Betty as a loyal employee

2: He begins to blur the lines of impersonal to personal.

3: He starts to change towards the way he treats her as her boss because he cares about how Betty feels working for him(Which he didn't care about that with the rest).

4: he makes her his confidant in all aspects of his life.

5: he entrust her with his entire livelihood(trust her like no other)

6: he begins to get curious about her personal life.

7: he is forced to face the reality of why he is so "special" to her. AKA the revelation that Betty "has" a boyfriend.

8: He drunkenly confesses his feelings to Betty.

9: he soberly confesses his feelings to Betty.

10: he lives under denial of said feelings but his subconscious is stronger than he is.

11: each night he spends with Betty his emotional attraction grows until it becomes physical attraction(Which he denies).

12: He has had to learn to notice and place Betty's needs, desires, and feelings before his own and enjoys doing so.

13: he is forced to once again face his feelings of attraction towards Betty the night before.

So again, Armando does what he does best, deny.

Due to his obsession with perfection, need to control everything, and his own personal conversations that he has within himself(Why couldn't we get those? I gotta be connecting the dots here a lot) this new revelation is a hard one to swallow. Armando has never been in love and he always thought he'd fall in love with a woman that looks like Marcela, Adriana Arboleda, etc. However now it is possible that he's in love, for the first time ever or at least beginning to fall in love, with Betty, the "ugly" assistant he has, who he knows his best friend would crucify if he found out about his true feelings so Armando, pained by this, denies it and it does pain him to deny these feelings from himself which is why we get this reaction.

To throw Mario off his scent he tells him he feels remorse, and that's it(Have y'all seen that John Mulaney special where he says that when he was a kid this police officer told him to throw his wallet across the street to make robbers run the other direction to throw them off his scent so he could escape? Basically same here).

Next Aura Maria and Betty start to talk. Betty expresses her happiness and how she would have never imagined that it would be like that(she really sticking to her five star review on yelp).

In the room over Armando is telling Mario the retelling of the events the previous night. He tells him that he wasn't capable of physically having sex with Betty when she came out of the bathroom and that of course, she picked up on it and told him she understood, that she knew no man could desire her.

So did Armando sleep with Betty out of pity? Out of compassion?

When we look at the context of previous scenes the short answer is no.

The long answer is this so sit tight. That night Armando did something he'd never done before, be intimate with a woman. Betty was extremely vulnerable with him this night. She gave more of herself to him than in the physical sense. She let him in, she welcomed him into her inner dilema and fears. She moved him, deeply moved him. She gave him something he desired more than sex. She gave him her intimacy.

When he is retelling what happened, especially when it gets to the physicality, he looks up, as if reliving the moment visually in his memory. His expression is of peace and joy. He is not disgusted with the mental image he has, in fact he is pleased with it.

Mario is staring at him the entire time with eyebrows raised, wide eyes and a slight frown. Since Armando isn't staring at him(he's savoring his memory) he doesn't notice this but as soon as he stares at him Mario stops and convers his mouth. He then congratulates him and tells him that so far things sounded like they went well and he asks for more.

In the post Tonight A Dream Of Mine Has Come True I explained the comfort Mario has at asking these sorts of questions implying that both Mario and Armando don't hold back in being explicit when they talk about their conquests and one night stands so here he expects nothing less. He expects for Armando to tell him everything about Betty and what they did. He expects a word for word replay of the night but like the times before when it comes to subjects such as these, Armando shuts it down(finally a gentleman).

Mario pesters, asking who he used as a mental image, who he imagined instead of Betty.

"No inspiration used. Last night I made love to Beatriz Pinzon Solano." Armando says starting at Mario, who looks away from him, closes his eyes and convers his mouth. Armando looks down at his hand , which he's been fidgeting with, with a frown on his lips.

Armando is lying to Mario, not about who he slept with the previous night, but about his feelings and it upsets him that he can't talk this through or talk to his best friend about his feelings because he knows that Mario will just make fun of him for it. This is where we begin to see this change in Armando take shape, while before it was blurry and almost unnoticeable now it is becoming focused and recognizable.

Armando does want to talk about his feelings and he does want to understand them to some degree. Almost like there's this yearning and screaming inside of him to understand what he feels for Betty, especially after the confession he made to Betty and not only how he felt about the whole experience but because he knows, he freaking knows he treated Betty differently than any other woman before her and the fact that he didn't even desire nor want to be touched by Marcela as well disturbes him but he has no safe space or place to be able to talk about said feelings so the best thing he can do is run away from them but unlike before, this upsets him.

It's like denying himself from something he needs.

When Mario once more tries to pry any details of Betty's body Armando gets upset and tells him he doesn't understand how he managed to do that, that it was just something that came out of nowhere. Mario then asks if what is disturbing him is that fact or what it could be he feels something, but Armando tells him that he just feels guilty for it all and his conscious is killing him.

While yes this is true, he doesn't like deceiving Betty, deep down he is actually aware now that he does care for Betty and that he was both emotionally and physically satisfied with Betty. Armando is actually welcoming the understanding of his feelings while before he lived in denial of them and avoiding them, now he wants to understand them but he knows he can't do that with his best friend so he once more, like before, shuts down and gets mad at Mario.

While Betty tells Aura Maria that her boyfriend told her he loved her for the first time, Aura Maria tells her that saying it and proving it are two different things but an overjoyed Betty tells her that he not only told her he loved her but that showed it to her because he was really special and she had never imagined it would have been like that.

Both The Pervert and Aura ask the same question "Tell me how was it?"

Mario throws out synonymous for the words "hot seggs" he is wanting to know what woman was under those clothes that made him feel the way he did, Mario is strictly physical and that's it and while Armando to some point was the same, he knew that Armando also desired a stable and good relationship and to fall in love, as Armando himself told him that.

So Armando tells him she was none of that and that seggs with her was none of that.

"So then?"

"It was like..." He stops to think, looking for the right word when he finds it he smiles, again as if remembering it fondly, "sweet."

"What?" Mario murmurs. "Sweet?" he says in a disbelief tone and low voice. "A-Armando look me in the eyes." Armando does so. "It was really sweet?"

Armando pulls away from the wall he had been leaning and shifts to face him, leaning against said wall again, and after taking a deep breath begins to explain.

"Calderon, that woman is in love with me. What? did you expect for it to not be? It had to be sweet, so yes, sweet." He says explaining. His eyes brows are middle raised, slightly squinting his eyes but his features are soft, he leans against the wall while with one hand he moves in the air to explain things with the other he has it in his pocket. This indicates, roughly, an anxious attitude as well as not wanting to talk more about the subject and that he's upset to continue talking about it.

"I get that she's in love with you but were you really sweet to her too?" Armando, who turned away from him is once more leaning hard against the blinds of the window, arms folded in front of him and eyebrows middle lowers, indicating frustration.

"He was really sweet, Aura Maria. I didn't expect him to be like that. That's why I'm saying that I think he really does love me." She smiles. Aura Maria celebrates with her.

"Okayokay. So it was really sweet for the both of you." Mario raises his arms up in a "I'm innocent." manor.

"Mhm"

"Armando, you're worrying me." He places his hands inside his pockets. Armando is staring elsewhere, worrying his bottom lip with eyebrows middle lowered(almost close together) since he looks somewhat zoned out we can assume that he is in deep thought. "What happened. Talk to me." Armando turns to look at him and defeated lets out a sigh, closes his eyes and goes to sit down and starts to talk.

"I don't know, I have to clear myself. I'm going to try and be as clear as possible with you. Lets see, I-no-best said lets separate two things. One thing is that is ugly, right?(he confused about it now? I'm just joking)." Mario agrees. "And another thing would be that I hate Betty, I don't hate Betty." This time his eyebrows are pulled closer together with really squinted eyes. He is really evaluating his feelings here and making the effort to understand them. "All the contrary, I have an immense endearment for her. She is a very important woman in my life."

(ENGLISH GET A WORD EQUIVALENT TO QUIERO/QUIERE!)

"You cherish her?"(it's the best word I could find to translate this, English is so tragic tbh.)

"Of course." Armando admits, he has a look of relief washed away with panic and now he begins to deny, freaked out by his own emotions he tries to justify his feelings for something they're not. "Of course I cherish her. I cherish her-" he places a finger on his philtrum: anxiousness and hesitant to speak. "like you cherish Sara, your secretary. Yes like my dad cherish Susana his secretary. I-I think that one in life...cherishes a lot of people and the relationship that Betty and I have established is a relationship of..." He starts to fidget with his fingers worrying his bottom lip and staring off at something on the table. "of friends." he stares at Mario and with his hand, open, explains to him. "We're friends and we cherish each other a lot. Man, I start to think and Betty is a person who has always been unconditional with me, who has always been there when I've needed her. She's a person who has saved my life, who risks her life for me every day she's a person( I don't want to use the word love but English you suck so I gotta) I love a lot(he means platonically)" Mario stares at him with raised eyebrows, wide eyes and a frown. "Tell me, why wouldn't I feel that for her? Why shouldn't I feel endearment for her?"

"No, no of course. Why not?" Mario reacts slow. He is trying to "Respect" Armando's feelings even though he wants to make fun of him for it but he knows if he does that Armando will stop talking about how he feels, therefore, stop giving him intel. "Why not? It's just this is the first time I hear you say you love her."

"Because I wasn't aware of this until now!" Armando says frustrated. "Until now that I'm faci...facing Betty." He slightly furrows his brows and stares elsewhere with a shocked expression of revelation. He takes in a deep breath and places a finger in front of his lips, thinking this through. "Calderon, cherishing Betty isn't a crime, bro." Notice his tone of voice as he confesses this final part is full of emotion. This fear that he had been carrying within himself for days, weeks or even months, that he cared about Betty deeply cares but was afraid to admit this to himself much less out loud until now, he finally admits it, he finally says it out loud because he is in a desperate need to understand how he feels about her and he accepts it. He accepts that this is how he feels and that it isn't wrong for him to feel like this because she deserves it.

Armando then goes on to say that what they are doing to her is a crime. To do that to his partner in crime, who loves him and dreams of him twenty four seven and that is what is killing him.

"It should be killing you if you did it with repulsiveness but no, you did so, sweetly. Sweetie pie." he sings at the end. Armando now looks at him in disbelief and anger.

"Then how would I have done it? She's in love, how was I going to do it then?"

Mario is now out of his element, unlike in previous scenes, this time Mario is not in control of Armando so he reacts irrationally.

"Yes but you've slept with Marcela who is in love with you and so far from what I understand the hook-ups aren't so sweet." he smiles, thinking he's found footing in the situation and a way to gain control of it.

"Ah don't talk to me about Marcela now." He stands up, annoyed. "Lets not talk about that woman. Let's change topic, yeah? Last night." He slaps the chair. "When I got to my apartment she was waiting for me." He says so annoyed, again.

"No?" Mario asks "surprised".

Skip the scene with Marcela and Patsy Pats; Betty and Aura Maria are still talking in her office.

Aura Maria is telling her that now that they've slept together that she can't stop doing it and blah blah blah I'm only mentioning it because it's funny when Armando walks into the conversation and now it's him he gets a taste of jealousy like Betty did that morning when she saw Armando and Marcela getting out of his car.

The fact Armando believes this is really about Nicolas is funny but also believable. For one, as I pointed out, Armando feels insecure when it comes to Betty and Nicolas, especially now after they've sinned, fornicated if you will, no wait adulatory because he's "committed" to Marcela. Two because he knows that Nicolas spends time with Betty at her house so when Aura Maria tells her to take advantage of the moments her parents aren't looking or when he goes to the bathroom to sneak in there with him and y'know, sha-bang.

Armando rubs his hand with his thumb, indicating anxiety, however he tries to keep his composure and if y'all haven't notice Armando now isn't speaking so harshly to Betty. He is keeping the same tone he has with her whenever he is being vulnerable. As Armando leaves Betty's office after telling her that he needed some paper work, he shuts the door hard, expressing his anger as well.

Once Aura leaves and Betty goes into Armando's office, Armando throws his jealousy fit, but unlike before when he'd yell at her and question her dedication, her loyalty, her love, this time he tells her that she can do what she wants, that Nicolas belonged to her personal and intimate life(again, showing resentment for that), when Betty tries to explain what happened Armando tries to cut her off, eventually she does though. This is similar to earlier that morning.

We then see the power dynamic here, once more Armando is the one that holds the cards and Betty is supposed to do what he says, which isn't a partnership.

[THE LETTER! WHAT WAS IN THE STUPID LETTER BETTY!]

I think those the next scenes[next few episodes] are pretty self-explanatory. Armando completely forgets about the picture he has of AA in his pocket and he makes out with Betty and Betty accepts to not break up while Armando that once the big meeting is over that he'll break up with Marcela and they'll become official, now he has to learn to accept the idea that he has to learn to accept as an idea(So confusing, I know lol) of a potential future where he is open about his relationship with Betty.

The next post I'll write is one I'm really looking forward to; AA shows up to Eco Moda and my all time favorite scene that brings and ties together this theory that Armando has thought about, for a long time, about his feelings for Betty and what it means to him, AKA the night of the museum.

'Til then :)

#armando ysblf #analysis of ysblf #don armando #armando mendoza #beatriz pinzon solano #betty ysblf #betty pinzón solano #yo soy betty la fea #beatriz pinzón solano #betty la fea #betty #marcela ysblf #marcela valencia #morch #mario calderón #mario calderon #nicolas mora

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angels-heap · 4 years

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Okay hello I feel like you are Wise and Know things... it’s kind of hard to explain but is it wrong to just... Enjoy Things? With all the HL pisscourse going around it’s making me nervous about liking things like TF2 and missing something critical and huge in the media I consume and being labelled as a bad person for doing that. ESPECIALLY for liking characters like GLaDOS or Wheatley from Portal. I want to just Enjoy Things but there’s guilt tied to not being critical about every single detail

Thanks for reaching out, friend, and I’m so sorry to hear the current nonsense has you feeling this way. I have a hunch you’re not alone, and although I don’t claim to have all the answers here, I hope hearing my thoughts on this helps alleviate some of that guilt. This got long and I’m not putting it under a cut because it’s important.

The short answer to your question is no; it is not wrong to just enjoy things. You don’t have to constantly examine all your favorite media under a microscope and incessantly highlight or dwell on its faults to be a good person or a good consumer of media, and here are a few reasons why:

(CW for brief mentions of all the squicky/potentially triggering things that tend to come up in ship discourse conversations.)

1. It is virtually impossible to find a truly unproblematic piece of media.

And that’s okay! Media is both created and consumed by people, and people are notoriously imperfect and complex. Sometimes creators choose to explore dark or taboo themes that are always going to squick some people out, no matter how well (or poorly) they’re handled. Sometimes content creators are actually terrible people who deliberately try to perpetuate their messed-up ideas through media. Sometimes creators’ deeply internalized prejudices seep into a work in a way they may not even consciously realize. Sometimes consumers’ experiences or prejudices color the way they perceive a piece of media and may lead them to a very different interpretation than what the creators intended.

Point is, there are a lot of shades of gray here. We should always strive to do better as creators and consumers, but the goalposts for “perfection” are always moving.

There’s almost always going to be something about your favorite media—no matter how benign it is—that rubs some people the wrong way, or (perhaps unintentionally) perpetuates harmful stereotypes, or starts out okay but doesn’t age well down the line. Period. That’s an uncomfortable truth that we all have to sit with. But don’t despair, because…

2. It is still okay to engage with and enjoy media that you know is problematic. Even if it’s really problematic. For real. I promise. The media you consume does not determine your worth as a person.

Since you specifically mentioned Valve games, I’ll start out by clarifying that (as of July 2020), Valve games and their fandoms are pretty benign overall. Perhaps in the future, more of the humor will start to age poorly, or Valve will make some extremely questionable design choices with their next game, or Gabe Newell will be outed as a prolific serial killer, or whatever, but for now, there’s really nothing about Valve games that should make the average person go, “holy shit, you’re into that?!” when you bring them up in polite company. (And anyone who insinuates otherwise re: Half Life shipping discourse is either very confused about the definition of certain words or is maliciously trying to stir up controversy.)

That said, everyone has a different threshold for what they do and don’t want to see in media, and those boundaries are totally valid! But it is absolutely possible to enjoy even notably problematic media (e.g., Game of Thrones, the new Star Wars sequels, old movies where the directors were huge assholes to the female cast members, etc.) without being a bad person or a bad social justice activist. Instead of rambling about that at length, I’m going to link you to this excellent blog post on the subject.

The big takeaway here is that you can love a piece of media while also acknowledging its faults. In fact, I’d argue that a key part of loving something is being able to think critically about it and trying to hold its creators to a higher standard whenever possible. However, that doesn’t mean you have to be constantly analyzing it or prefacing every single public acknowledgment of your love for it with an “I know this is problematic and I swear, I just like it for XYZ” disclaimer, because…

3. Tumblr’s black-and-white thinking about media consumption is not healthy, “normal,” or (usually) present to the same degree in other virtual or real-world spaces.

I think most of the people on Tumblr who seem to be on a constant (and ultimately futile; see point 1) quest to find the One True Unproblematic Media have good intentions. I really do. And I applaud them for actively trying to understand and un-learn their own biases while becoming critical consumers of media.

Unfortunately, for a bunch of complicated reasons I still don’t totally understand and won’t get into here, some online communities tend to take these things to such an extreme that, in their quest to create a safe and/or inclusive environment, they actually end up creating an even more hostile one. To reference the recent drama again, nowhere is that more apparent than with “pro-ship” vs. “anti-ship” discourse.

Basically, “pro-shippers” believe that fiction is entirely separate from reality and therefore, “problematic” content (up to and including p*dophilia, inc*st, noncon, etc.) has just as much of a right to exist as any other content; this makes some sense on a purely intellectual level, but in the real world, obviously things are much more complicated than that. “Anti-shippers,” on the other hand, claim to be specifically against the aforementioned Big Three Bad Things in theory, but in practice, they’re basically the fandom purity police; they strive to criticize and shut down any media or fandom activity that could be even remotely construed as problematic, because they seem to have a (perhaps well-intentioned but ultimately misguided) perception that discussing anything “bad” in fiction will glorify/condone/promote it in real life and that all creators of “bad” fiction are inherently malicious. Often, they’re willing to twist definitions and jump through some very strange hoops to justify why something is “bad.”

The truth lies somewhere between those two extremes; fiction absolutely can (and does) impact reality, but not in such a clear-cut cause-and-effect way. People can see or read about dark/complicated/problematic things without condoning or enjoying them in real life, and conversely, people can dislike even relatively benign things without having to have an extreme, profound reason for feeling that way. People can also enjoy “bad” media while being fully conscious of what’s wrong with it and taking steps to ensure that it doesn’t negatively influence them, or they may lack the knowledge/context to understand why something is “bad” at first and change how they engage (or don’t engage) as they learn. There’s a lot more nuance to this issue than Tumblr is willing to acknowledge, and as a result, a lot of innocent people who just want to enjoy things in peace get sucked into some truly absurd drama that can be really hard to deal with. And that sucks. A lot.

So, TL;DR: Almost all media is at least a little problematic, but that’s okay, because the media you like does not determine whether or not you’re a good person. (And especially if your primary interests are Valve games... you’re good, mate. Seriously.)

The fact that you’re even asking me this question shows me that you’re being a thoughtful, responsible consumer of media, and that’s all anyone can reasonably ask of you without being a gigantic hypocrite—because whether they’ll admit it or not, everybody who’s perpetuating this discourse both on and offline likes something “problematic.” It’s impossible not to, unless you live under a rock and consume exactly zero media. Take care, and try not to let the discourse get to you! Go forth and enjoy things! (As always, my inbox is open for follow-up questions.)

ETA: Here’s another excellent tumblr post on this topic! And another one!

#asks #anon #fandom #ship discourse #sorry it took me so long to respond to this #I'm sure I left things out but here are some thoughts to get you started #long post

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raymondsecurityadventures · 5 years

Text

Lecture 9 - Really Long Version - WIP

The first half of this week’s lecture focused largely upon revision, whilst the second half referred to a couple new theoretical concepts (that had been covered by Jazz if you attend his classes so more revision) and a taste of Adam’s lecture next week on privacy.

Culture - Just Culture, Excellence Culture, Feedback Culture and everything in between

Just Culture

Contrasted against blame culture, just culture seeks to take a more holistic outlook upon placing fault for an incident in the event of one and tries to steer away from placing blame upon the last person to interact with the subject of the incident or ‘shooting the messenger’ and addressing the incident as the product of multiple issues. Since Australian airline Qantas’ adoption of this culture and its subsequent success, just culture has seen widespread, occasionally forced, adoption.

Many credit just culture’s success to the relative lack of aversion that individual employees have toward participating in incident and safety reporting related events, meetings and hearings as just culture places assurances to protect said participating employees from any unjust recourse, a la shooting the messenger style, and incentivises issue reporting.

Lessons To Learn from Traditional Engineering

Security engineering is a relatively new field compared to traditional engineering disciplines, so it seem to follow that security engineering could draw from traditional principles such as:

Implementing codes and methodologies to follow in times of crisis

Attempting to falsify everything; i.e. continually testing systems to examine potential issues

Culture of excellence; taking pride in your profession. Deadlines are important but so is delivering quality code and the former shouldn’t come at the cost of the latter.

Fix agile; it’s fast and agile but that’s pretty much it. Pretty awful about security

Associations; there are medical, engineering, accounting and law related associations such as the various bar associations, accounting and actuarial practice associations, Australian Medical Association etc. etc. that enforce rules of practice. Make one for software engineering.

Closing the Loop: Feedforward Systems

Feedforward neural networks tend to struggle classifying more difficult to things to classify, as the lack of feedback from deeper layers causes learning difficulties. This is remedied in various ways, however, the simplest of these remedies is to simply create a feedback loop and allow feedback from deeper layers into previous layers. Which is also commonsense in the real world; educational systems, security systems, government systems etc. all require methods of gauging the success of their policies in order to identify areas of improvement. Thus, apparatuses to channel feedback should exist and should probably be better than MyExperience.

System Properties and Design

Object Oriented Programming Principles

Loose coupling good, tight coupling bad: Steven Bradbury video with one member of a group of tightly coupled falling over causing other athletes to fall over and the Australian coming last because sucked - and thus loosely coupled to the group - wins gold.

Issues and Benefits of Automated Systems

Issues:

Predominantly their inability to cover edge scenarios. Such a system will always have to have a method of operating outside its parameters and artificial intelligence isn’t so advanced that systems are able to do so. So human interference is pretty much always necessary.

Benefits:

Removes the human element from decision making, which is ideal because humans are bad at a lot of things as seen in every cognitive bias ever

Systems Designed by People Suck

We spend 1bn dollars every election, but democratic systems still fucking suck because non-critical infrastructure programmers are building them rather than actual critical infrastructure programmers.

End-to-End

End-to-end security refers to security that stretches the entire length of a system, and is equally robust at all parts. Obviously, people tend to slack off and their cognitive biases may convince them or lead them to believe a particular area is more secure or less critical than is in actuality.

This is particularly true in the case of the US electoral system and only recently have its vulnerabilities been brought to light. Such as system operates in the following manner:

Elections:

People making up their mind about who to vote for

The announcement of voting

Propaganda everywhere

Establishing voting infrastructure

People go to the polls

The votes are counted

The results are announced

We know that the Russians knew step 1 was particularly weak, took advantage of existing information transfer systems (social media specifically) and used them to spread misinformation and Donald Trump won lmfao.

Really Loosely Related Section

I’m including this section for completeness’ sake but it won’t be written up properly and I doubt it will be of any relevance in the exam.

Free Speech? The n-word? Conflicts of interest?

You want all free speech except that's critical of you. When you believe in free speech, you have to believe in free speech that disagrees with you.

Self-Driving Cars: issues with hackermanz

Google: 'no it's fine lol, we have top people working on it. Self driving planes are a thing already, why not cars'. Proceeds to try to convince us that robots will be better than humans because humans are drunk, brash idiots. Proceeds to try and misdirect us:

Misdirection: Ethical dilemmas that computers have to make: would the car rather swerve into a young person or an old person?

Fails to address the magnitude of an incident involving systemic failure in computers v individually driven incidents such as terrorist attacks:

Terrorists are small in number.

Computers are not.

Security Analysis of that nuclear silo site in that Wargames film clip:

Features:

Random location in the middle of nowhere - obscurity

Inconspicuous location in Wisconsin - obscurity

Single way mirror so people wouldn't accidentally find it - security by obscurity

Sign on system

Dual authentication: two people to check codes. Defence in depth? Multiple points of failure?

Two keys required: forgot the protocol name

Large distance between keys

Case Studies to Read/Watch Up On:

3 Mile Island

Chernobyl

China Syndrome

Trust

A bit that our tutors elaborated upon but Richard himself failed to.

Importance of trust:

Makes things work. Trust makes processes efficient as people are able to let down their paranoia and focus upon doing what they specialise in, rather than trying to build 1000 walls to protect what they do and obtaining their own food and shelter rather than relying on specialists such as farmers, builders etc to obtain necessary goods/food/shelter.

It allows society to be society.

The Trust Dilemma

Protocols that rely on trusted third parties. Don't roll your own v allow a third party to do it? Are some things to be trusted? Everything has backdoors.

My Future

Richard tries to convince us of the holistic value of his course. Richard also justifies the strange range of topics to be presented in the portfolio:

Community is important: useful to build off each other's ideas. Something Einstein standing on shoulders of giants

Self-directed learning :- something awesome project. Helps you learn what is important, what you find interesting, constantly update knowledge because security is always changing

Exercise:- do CTFs…'noone's gonna check if you don't do it but do it anyway because you'll learn'. It’s important to stay in shape

Professionalism: plenty recent-ish security related professions growing so we need to do what's right for the profession

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sonofragendluv · 3 years

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Solo #3: ＴｈｅＤａｎｇｅｒｏｕｓＫｉｎｄ

Mojoworld was unbearable, a shit stain in the terrible beauty of so many universes largely unknown--and it's been Simon's second home in the last twenty years. Or just somewhere close to eight months, if he's comparing it with Earth time, the planet where he originated from.

Either way, he hates it here. If someone comes up to him one day back in Earth, who knows he's a mutant, and would ask him about his affiliation, Simon wouldn't have it in him to lie.

He's wanted, for the longest time, to say he belonged with the X-Men. Or the X-Force. Hell, he will take up the mantle of a Magneto acolyte at this point--anything but to be associated with the denizens of Mojoworld.

"It's like Hunger Games, only more oppressive and depressingly dumber," is the exact wording he would use if someone asked him to explain what Mojoworld even was.

That's not to say that Simon belittles or diminishes the only too-real struggles and sufferings of those who never wanted to be here, including the countless actors and musicians (not just from Earth) who had been abducted so they can entertain the Spineless ones ruled by this fucktard Mojo.

That's what they are as a collective species; a bunch of media-consuming, fart-brained, obese aliens who are only kept upright by this device a scientist came up with at some point. They all wake up and go to bed in a cycle of entertainment consumption, and Mojo kept them culled by producing atrocious movies with actors placed in very dangerous situations.

It's an even worse deal with the musicians. Or maybe Simon was just biased because that's his trade being fucked around with, and the reason why they took him during one Tuesday afternoon while he was shopping for shoes.

Zapped him using some sort of temporal distortion or whatever.

Simon had been imprisoned for what felt like ages and forced to perform in sleazy night clubs, stadiums with the most violent mosh pits imaginable, and the occasional kids' parties--all of which had been under the penalty of death if he ever dared refused.

Surprisingly, singing for his life had become a rather exhilarating experience, but that's besides the point.

He's got a very demanding ex-wife and a son back in Earth who can't ever know what happened. And he needed to come home to them.

It wasn't until he met a rebel faction comprised of other musicians that he found a way to escape.

Sort of. Not really.

It was more like he had been bullied into signing a record label ran by these so-called rebels who by now have become accustomed to a certain lifestyle--and bargained their talents in exchange for favors that Mojo personally granted.

And what did Simon get for his deal? Lousy shit he never asked for like his very own entourage and recording sessions at Mojofornia (yes, yes, they named it that) to help score a few movies. But he gets to at least go home.

A week on Earth is already six months in Mojoworld. It meant that, to his loved ones, Simon simply spent the weekend partying until he got sick which explained why he would have the worst hungover come Monday.

And not because he was touring for half a year around an ugly, ferocious, parasitic planet to play music. Apparently, he grew a steady fanbase during his first stint there, and Simon could admit that he actually liked the unique albeit insane environment of Mojoworld. Not aloud, mind you.

It was maybe a Thursday back in Earth, and Simon was just getting ready to leave this shit-stain planet. He had just come back from a particularly rowdy concert too where someone dumped a bucket of artificial blood while he was being passed around a mosh pit at some point.

They shoved him now into the hub where captives are usually transported from point A to point B, and didn't even allow him to change into something resembling human dignity.

Drying his hair with a towel, he steps into a platform, dragging his converse rather petulantly.

"Same time, one month from now?" He calls out with a sardonic smile to one of the slimy bastards operating his hub.

The dipshit just grunts, barely taking its eyes off the screen where a celebrity death match was being broadcasted. That's all they do here in Mojoworld; watch the shows, attend the concerts, eat until they shit and then they hibernate.

"Can we hurry this up because..." He gestures once at the red stains on his shirt and pants and the smudges on his skin. He can't wait to take a shower back home.

The spineless creature just pushes a button and a wormhole opens up.

"Fucking finally, man..." Simon adjusts the strap of his bags as he keeps the towel wrapped around his neck, then steps into the portal.

It takes a while to register that he isn't even walking in the right city, and that's because from the minute he was transported to Earth, Simon was already on his phone so he could text his ten-year old son. They're supposed to go to the park today.

Going from one planet to the next has become so routine by now (like taking the bus) that Simon still keeps looking at his phone and scrolls through the timeline of his social media next to see what he missed.

It was only when he realized that he had to cross a street that he looked up. Thirty seconds must have only passed since he stepped out of the portal and into wherever this is.

Simon blinks in annoyance and confusion. Something was off about this, and it has less to do with what he can see but more of what he could hear with his mutated sonar abilities--or not, in this case.

"Is this supposed to be--" he cuts himself short as he decides to move forward across the very much deserted streets of New York City. Well, that's alarming, especially (he glances at his watch) at this time of day. Wait...his watch has stopped working just now, and this is a special clock designed to keep him on track of the gaps between Earth time and Mojoworld.

"What kind of dimension is this now?" He hasn't started panicking yet. Maybe he should. But after all the bullshit he's been through in the previous planet, this doesn't seem that bad. Maybe he quantum-leaped into the future? Alternate universe? That's a thing, right? Goddamn space travel.

Those fat fucks in Mojoworld screwed up somehow. This isn't his home. Or even his version of reality. He can't explain it, but there's something about the atmosphere--the weight of the air, the littlest composition of matter--that makes him question it even exists.

"Fuck it," Simon unzips his duffle bag and rummages through his stuff until he found the device. It was something that helps him keep in touch with his fellow musicians still doing their gigs at Mojoworld.

Maybe he should take shelter somewhere first. He can't be standing around, out in the open like this. If there's one thing he's learned from being imprisoned in a hostile, foreign environment, is that he has to stay low and not announce his presence.

As he dashes to the closest unoccupied store he has spotted just now, Simon could only hope it wasn't too late. He did just spend several seconds browsing through Instagram earlier like a stupid asshole. Who knows if someone--or something--had seen him then?

He's now inside what looks like a hardware store. Things from the shelves have spilled out, most of which were smashed in or scattered on the broken tiled floor. Whatever shat here must have gone through that gaping hole on the left side of the building. Okay, ominous. Great.

Simon walks over to a wall where an ax was hanging so he could grab that. And then he looks for another room where he can barricade himself in while he tries to contact his friends.

➷

Instead of connecting instantly with Mojoworld, the washed-up punk rebel gets something even more mind-boggling.

"What?" Simon blinks at the message that appeared on his device's main hologram frame. He scrolls through the entire passage once, twice, several times, before he ends up exclaiming, "What the fuck is this shit now?" with all the exasperated indignation of the homesick, overworked, divorced father in his forties could muster.

He has no idea how to even begin unpacking the content of this enigmatic passage other than the fact that it had shitty timing. There's heat on the skin around his collar, so he knows he's fuming, but before the panic and anger could hijack him, he immediately summons prudence and simply breathes audibly through his nose whilst he collects his thoughts.

Simon tries to think, to force himself to actively rationalize what is happening and what to do next. He's itching to get out of his stained clothes. He's parched, a little hungover, and definitely impatient--but he will shove all those negative emotions now, if it meant keeping his wits about him. It's become clear that this new dimension, slice of reality, whatever, is not safe.

He could die--and other people somewhere could be in danger too. And this "Dr. Strange" may be the only key, his only lifeline, to get out of here unscathed. And that entails following their instructions.

As soon as his mind received the clarity it needed, he reads the it again with a more stoic calmness.

'Alright,' he said to himself, 'What sort of shit do I have to get done, doc?'

Rampaging goddesses, a nuclear reactor. So far, so good. Did this Dr. Strange know about Simon's abilities then? It would seem so, given that they phrased the last bit of the message with, 'It will be a bigger strain than your body has ever experienced, but maybe the physics in this dimension will help you.'

Then they end it with a cheery, 'Maybe not'. Fantastic.

He pockets the device and looks around the room he's decided to lock himself in. It's a storage of some sort with things he couldn't fully examine just yet but he might require some of them in the near future. Hopefully never, and that is if he could get out of here soon. Can this Dr. Strange guarantee that? Could he communicate with them, like, text back?

Simon takes out the device again. This was only supposed to connect to Mojoworld. Sighing, he pockets it yet again and places down his two bags. The one other thing he does take from one of them is a small, orange vintage stereo. It was deceptive in its appearance, like most of Mojoworld technology that is very fond of copying human gadget aesthetics.

This blows! He's packed to go back home not get recruited to participate in another Earth's bizarre geopolitics and power play. But sometimes all the choices you are offered are bad ones.

And he's gotten a good grip making them lately.

Clutching the ax in one hand and that stereo in another, Simon walks out of the store with the gait of someone who knows what he's doing. Confidence is part of the costume, and although what he's wearing wasn't exactly ideal for a suicide mission--black everything save the shirt that has 'fuck the police' in pink neon letters, and a rainbow brooch on his leather jacket--but at least he will die with style.

'Try not to die'. Yeah, right.

Simon stands there in the middle of the vacant street, a reluctant, irritated, one-man army, squinting at the horizon. He wasn't even given any directions specifically to locate the nuclear reactor. Some fucking doctor.

But he doesn't need them. He could already sense the energy even from this far distance. The reverberation is akin to doing tequila and whiskey shots, ten of each, without ever pausing for a chaser. Yeah, that's nuclear power, alright, and it beckons him to tip down that glass of radioactive poison.

Simon turns a few of the knobs in the stereo and goes, "This sucks."

A low-level sonar frequency engulfs the immediate ten-mile radius; he doesn't want to attract too much attention, but he also needs the longer range if he hopes to travel much faster.

What Simon doesn't anticipate was that Earth-1922's landscape is far more volatile than what he's accustomed to back in his earth, and even in Mojoworld. He soon finds that out when the vibrations from his tech caused a mini earthquake. One by one the buildings collapse around him like dominos.

"Somebody just fucking fuck me!" he shouts. Looks like he can't do any of this with subtlety anymore. Left with yet another bad choice to make, Simon's physiology begins to convert the crashing site into a power hub. Green, blue and pink lights sizzle and singe in the air, flooding the streets in vibrant colors. He hops into the wavelengths once he solidifies the form properly enough.

He never should have gotten wasted hours ago, because he's pretty sure he's going to throw up.

But he's, well, 'surfing' through the city now and heading towards nuclear reactor. He just happens to be doing it with as much color and chaos that could attract unwanted attention on the way.

➷

Simon has lived in Berkeley for the better part of his married life since turning twenty-seven, but he was originally raised in Oakland, California, located in the East Bay region.

When he thinks about his adolescence, it was always filled with memories of sunny, sea-drenched afternoons playing punk rock and getting fucked up on meth.

Careless self-expression is the trademark of the misfit, and the places he often found himself wrapped up in as a teenager had to be some of the loudest clubs in the country.

One of them was an underground indie music club named 86 Miserab Blvd. It was a melting pot of clashing and complementary energies that his dormant mutation must have been drawn to from the start, even when they had yet to manifest until he reached sixteen.

He thinks about the heartland of his youth right now while he glides through the ravaged streets of New York City from an alternate dimension. He can't stomach being so far away from home like this and under even worse conditions.

Or maybe that rumbling in his gut is just the upsetting combination of greasy onion rings and three bottles of something called Berserk Beer from Mojoworld.

Highly likely.

He will be puking some time today.

The sound-based colorful lights Simon just converted from the crash site four blocks away acted as tides which he is presently on top of. Bending his knees, he maintains that semi-crouching posture while thirty feet off the ground by stretching out his right arm in front of him for balance, while the other arm points below to maintain the energy blasts on his feet.

This position also allows him to steer better. So yes, he's /totally/ surfing. Across a city of ruins. Where everyone else could be dead. Surfing with simmering colors he created himself.

Like an asshole.

The vintage stereo tech was hooked on his belt with the use of a chain-wallet. He keeps the same decibels for now, a frequency no normal range of the human auditory sense could detect except him.

Ahead, the energy signature of the nuclear reactor emanates like a vicious bitch. That level of radioactivity has crawled right into his ear and started wriggling out of his eyes and nose. It's the greatest, most panic-inducing feeling in the world.

"Alright, nobody better come out of nowhere and punch me in the dick next," he mutters under his breath.

Because didn't Dr. Strange (of unverified credentials) say something about a rampage going on between 'goddesses'?

There's only one more mile to go. Simon was starting to taste the overflowing energy surge on the roof of his tongue. Growing even more paranoid and restless, he looks left and right to make sure nothing or no one is upon him.

My god, can't this joyride just settle with one genre of clusterfuck instead? Because Simon can't be smack-dab between a nuclear threat and a mythological battle, is he? Who's got time for all that shit? Dr. Strange?

He hates that guy.

As he turns to the next avenue, he expects that this nuclear reactor would be near a body of water--maybe a sea--to keep the turbines cool as they churn all that...energy. Wait, are those even the right terms?

Simon dropped out of high school, so his understanding of science is very rudimentary, and he mainly bases the knowledge he would acquire on how certain compositions of elements would interact and react to his mutation, or vice-versa.

He doesn't have a fancy degree like Dr. Strange.

After he decides that getting mad at someone he hasn't even met yet is counterproductive, Simon lowers the frequency by pressing something on his tech. This disintegrates the lights beneath him, just in time as he slides off to land on his feet on the ground again.

So here he is now, an untrained mutant recovering from inter-dimensional jet lag, now tasked to avert a global disaster.

If this world isn't doomed before...

He cranes his neck to stare at the power plant in front of him. Right. He can estimate at least another five hours before this whole thing blows up.

And that's if the reactor doesn't get attacked again.

Simon needs to think this through, so he walks further to the left side until the sea's coastline becomes bluer and more picturesque to look at. The sight of water was calming, cleansing, and reminds him how much he's still caked in fake blood and in need of a wash.

So he keeps walking towards the sea until he's leaning on the barrier that separates its depths from land and concrete.

He has the demeanor of a man who seems to have resigned to the inevitability of the catastrophe he must prevent.

'Another version of Earth, huh?' Simon thinks, 'Well, at least it still looks like the world I grew up in. There are worse places to die.'

But then he shakes off that hopelessness before it could kick him in the ass by remembering the one important discovery he's made in Mojoworld:

If the X-Man Dazzler can survive being thrown into a black hole seconds after a supernova exploded, then he certainly has to do better than just piss and moan about being homesick, doesn't he?

Not when this world hangs in a balance. Not when he could actually do something about it. He's a mutant, dammit! The next evolutionary stage that's supposed to be resilient to any adversity thrown its way.

Just as he makes a conscious decision to genuinely try, his other Mojoworld-sponsored device rings. The communicator, as he calls it.

It wasn't another message. Or a call. Instead, it was an alert about the latest "music video" he had shot earlier, and how it's finally streaming across Mojoverse. Gross.

Simon selects the hologram clip of that shitfest and watches himself--drugged up, drunk and shredding on his guitar--perform a passive aggressive song about murdering a disc jockey. It's basically a satire piece--saturated in techno-pop disco and horny pretty people dancing--to overthrow an oppressive regime.

Probably. He was forced to write and record said song in only two days' time, and this is what he comes up with. What did he get? No paycheck at all. Just a bucket of fake blood to the face.

As that video continues to play, Simon's eyes dart to the waters directly below him, and that's when he spots the impressive bloom of two dozen jellyfishes gliding through. Ah, so even Earth-1922 has a sweeping population problem of these poisonous bastards, huh?

Hold on...

Simon snaps his head towards the nuclear reactor. And then back at the water. Then back at the power plant again.

He knows that the certainty of swallowing a tremendous amount of nuclear energy might severely injure him permanently, regardless of his mutation, but not if he could lower the radioactivity that it could actually expel before time runs out.

There had been news coverage a long time ago about a swarm of jellyfish clogging a nuclear reactor in Sweden. Hell, even the Diablo Canyon back in California had the same infestation problem. It forced the people to shut down those plants. Boy, was Simon glad he remembered that as soon as he spotted those wily things.

Could he...is it possible...will he be able to gather enough to...?

And just how many of them are down there? Simon kneels on the pavement by the docks now so he can get a closer look at said marine life. No, this distance just won't cut it. Fucking hell, he's going to have to dive into the freezing water later, isn't he? But what of the frequency he can use to attract the jellyfish? He knows that it has a unique anatomy, and that even though it doesn't have a brain for processing most stimuli, maaaaybe it can respond to vibrations.

And what is sound energy if not just a bunch of vibrations? Or whatever the fuck scientific definition that he can't articulate.

Simon has yet to fully explore the sonar and nautical implications of his sound transduction, but he knows that it's an entirely different playing field under the sea. And that scares the shit out of him more than any black hole.

"Do I even have other options?" Maybe. Does Google work here?

He finds out a minute later that it sort of does, at least since he's using alien tech. Now he's learned that jellyfish can't really hear, but some can see--to a certain extent. Those that do have a sense of sight can detect lights. That's fine. He knows a way to convert sound to light after all.

Which means...

Simon stares back and forth at his communicator device (still playing his trashy song about DJ murder) and the deep blue sea. He then pulls up the stereo tech, but given how everything crashed down around him when he used it earlier, he was not eager to risk the same thing happening while he's underwater. So, the communicator device it is.

Someone needs to know about his plan, and who better inform about it than the one who sent him for this errand in the first place?

He selects the previous message from Dr. Strange and wonders how the hell he can send one back. Maybe he just inputs a response like the usual way, only this tech requires the viewer to blink into the hologram and allow the complex machine to retrieve their words through brain waves. Very telepathic and eerily proficient.

Simon blinks the message that goes: 'O͙f͙f͙ t͙o͙ g͙e͙t͙ j͙e͙l͙l͙y͙f͙i͙s͙h͙ t͙o͙ s͙l͙o͙w͙ d͙o͙w͙n͙ n͙u͙c͙l͙e͙a͙r͙ r͙e͙a͙c͙t͙o͙r͙. N͙o͙t͙ s͙u͙r͙e͙ i͙f͙ i͙t͙'l͙l͙ w͙o͙r͙k͙. I͙n͙ c͙a͙s͙e͙ n͙o͙t͙, w͙i͙l͙l͙ f͙l͙o͙o͙d͙ t͙h͙e͙ m͙o͙t͙h͙e͙r͙f͙u͙c͙k͙e͙r͙ i͙n͙s͙t͙e͙a͙d͙ t͙h͙e͙n͙ e͙a͙t͙ u͙p͙ w͙h͙a͙t͙ w͙o͙u͙l͙d͙ l͙e͙a͙k͙ o͙u͙t͙ f͙r͙o͙m͙ i͙t͙. P͙r͙e͙t͙t͙y͙ s͙u͙r͙e͙ I͙ c͙a͙n͙ u͙s͙u͙r͙p͙ o͙c͙e͙a͙n͙. H͙a͙r͙d͙ m͙a͙y͙b͙e͙. S͙o͙, t͙e͙l͙l͙ m͙y͙ s͙o͙n͙, i͙f͙ I͙ d͙o͙n͙'t͙ s͙u͙r͙v͙i͙v͙e͙, t͙h͙a͙t͙ I͙ l͙o͙v͙e͙ h͙i͙m͙ v͙e͙r͙y͙ m͙u͙c͙h͙. A͙l͙s͙o͙, a͙r͙e͙ y͙o͙u͙ a͙ r͙e͙a͙l͙ d͙o͙c͙t͙o͙r͙? O͙r͙ a͙r͙e͙ y͙o͙u͙ j͙u͙s͙t͙ b͙e͙i͙n͙g͙ a͙ p͙r͙e͙t͙e͙n͙t͙i͙o͙u͙s͙ s͙h͙i͙t͙?'

And with that, he puts on the same video on loop again but not before enhancing the holographic scope of the screen as he tosses it into the sea. The device is all kinds of safety-proof, and the pixels can still work even when submerged underwater like that.

He backs away several paces from the docks and takes a lungful of breath. Afterwards he canon-balls that shit.

'Diving into a region of the sea where a deadly bloom of jellyfish reside' certainly makes for an interesting obituary.

➷

'S̟o̟m̟e̟o̟n̟e̟ k̟i̟l̟l̟ t̟h̟e̟ D̟J̟!~ S̟h̟o̟o̟t̟ t̟h̟e̟ f̟u̟c̟k̟i̟n̟g̟ D̟J̟!~'

His trashy music video blares like the most attention-starved beacon to had ever been broadcast under water. Mojoworld tech is annoyingly durable that way, because the collective that was their consumer society has ensured long ago that they want to constantly watch their shows and listen to music (wherever corner of the universe these fat fucks could end up in) without the jarring interruption of a faulty device. So they figured out how their tech can survive during extreme temperatures and--most importantly--literally stream doses of entertainment while they're chilling in swimming pools.

Simon's communicator in question was the standard issue Mojoworld provides for all its citizens, even to its captive performers. It's an all-around apparatus for the mindless binge-consumer, which means unlimited, unfettered access will always be guaranteed.

He was so grateful that he owns one at the moment.

But as he moves his arms and legs in an attempt to coordinate his joints properly enough so he can keep up with the strong currents, Simon only realizes too late that he's literally in too deep and out of his depth at the same time.

Ha, underwater idioms. Like they're helping any of this become less terrifying.

Oakland has many beaches. California as a state was sunshine capital (no offense, Hawaii). And Simon had learned to swim, fish and surf since before he even knew how to ride a bike. So he loves nature's water, savors the way it drips from his hair and the salt that exfoliates the skin along with the heat of a sun at its peak during noon. He's scuba-dived a few few times too, the most memorable of which was during his honeymoon.

Here in the unknown sea in another Earth--unequipped with the proper gear, and floating so close to a mass of poisonous marine life--Simon is a little concerned not merely of what other horrors await in the deep blue, but also because he's been holding in a barf that's messing up with how he's holding his breath. He should have fucking hurled back at the docks first. Oh, well.

Meanwhile, the holographic clip of him singing the line, 'H̺o̺l̺d̺ h̺i̺m̺ u̺n̺d̺e̺r̺ w̺a̺t̺e̺r̺ u̺n̺t̺i̺l̺ t̺h̺e̺ m̺o̺t̺h̺e̺r̺f̺u̺c̺k̺e̺r̺ d̺r̺o̺w̺n̺s̺~' comes out distorted and hollow as the image spills, the pixels blinking in and out of focus whilst the video plays incessantly.

Simon slaps his cheeks a few times to get a hold of himself. Soon, he notices that the temperature is tolerable, but he knows he can do better, lest he freezes to death. He outstretches his arms to the sides now as he forces his whole body to stay immobile, save for his legs and feet still kicking and padding away. The many vibrations in the sea's sound channel proved very difficult to sort through, because he's mentally fatigued, physically hungover and emotionally unhinged, and these things are taking a shit on his concentration.

However, he reminds himself that he did not undergo extensive torture in the first three years of his stay at Mojoworld, just to drown and die right now. Simon should know by now how to fine-tune the settings of his powers. He's not some closeted mutant with a troubled past anymore. On top of that, he's foremost a performer, so whatever crap he may feel--whatever ounce of self-doubt that can cripple him--must all be set aside so he can do this.

He's aware of the cold, of the deepening chasm, of the jellyfish that are now steadily gaining speed and heading towards him. The communicator was adjacent from his position as it keeps blaring 'Kill the DJ', but it's also surprisingly buoyant enough (yet another desirable feature) to stay just nine feet away from him.

Simon has had his eyes closed for a while now. The sound of his beating heart grows faint from his eardrums as he dares himself not just to hear but really listen to the other songs that this terrible yet beautiful aquatic world wants to share. Once he gets used to the refraction of sound traveling at a speed only the poetry in his genes can match, he curls his fingers into fists so that the energy could pulsate, just in time as he summons the resonance of his own song (coming from the communicator) to flow through him.

This reverberation causes for lights to appear at long last in hues of silver and gold. They twinkle impossibly like stars in a sky, stretching for a mile at best.

He doesn't see the jellyfish coming but he wants them to know precisely where he is. The only way to make sure his song covers more miles here in the deep blue was to let gravity and air pressure to do the rest. So, Simon ceases moving his legs at once. He's suddenly not afraid anymore.

The further he floats down, the more the refraction becomes more whole for him yet also tricky to manipulate. This must be how whales communicate with each other, even when a thousand miles apart in the ocean.

Simon doesn't need to open his eyes to know his method is working. If he did take a peek, what would greet him was the same bloom of two dozen jellyfish he saw earlier now passing above him--more clumped together than usual--and carrying another creature among them.

From at least three miles away, more blooms of jellyfish begin traveling together, drawn to this mutant's song. They now come from different locations, floating towards the rendezvous point near the nuclear reactor where Simon was.

At this rate, the numbers could easily reach to a hundred within less than an hour, and a thousand more after that, so long as he can sustain the rhythm and keep the lights cascading. He hopes that he could amass an army of these deceptively fragile and luminescent pretty things before the deadline he had approximated catches up.

He finally starts swimming up again, this time while leading what jellyfish are already accumulated to head towards the direction of the turbines. They move much faster now since he's using echoes to reel them in. It was only while doing this that he becomes aware of another passenger involved. The composition of its body was decidedly...human? The mass and density certainly not only give it away, but also the rhythm of the heartbeat. Simon knows how people sound far too intimately to ever be mistaken.

And so he starts to swim backwards, flapping his arms as much as he could manage so he can make a quick turn towards the entity.

#simon dove solos

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pacegerld1989 · 4 years

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How Do I Save My Marriage Astonishing Useful Tips

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#How Do I Save My Marriage Astonishing Useful Tips #What Does It Mean To Save Yourself For Marriage

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musicgoonmail · 4 years

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In The Cross Alone I Glory

In This Edition

In this week’s edition, I share what’s new with my book reviews, resources on Asian Americans and Racism, and my thoughts on taking an extended break from leading worship music at church.

I think I was successful this week at stepping away from social media and focusing just a little bit more on my family. Thanks for taking the time to spend with me here in this newsletter. You can always reach me by replying directly to this email.

Book Reviews

SOLA Network: Video Resources on Race, Racism, and Jesus

Article: How To Clearly See Who You Are

Extended Play

Lightning Links

Playlists

Coming Soon

Weekly Review

Book Reviews

This batch of books was mixed with everything, including an academic textbook, a commentary, and a research book. I predict that The Story Retold is going to be on a lot of best-of-the-year book lists. And I reviewed something new and nerdy: A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms.

Intervarsity Press is giving away free eBooks that are resources for justice and by authors of color. IVP will continue to pay the full royalties to the authors. Get them here and the offer is good through June 12.

In case you missed it, don't forget these 2 free eBooks. First is Christ and Calamity: Grace and Gratitude in the Darkest Valley by Harold L. Senkbeil. I have not yet read it, but his book, The Care of Souls, was one of my favorites from this year. You can read my review here. Second is Humble Calvinism by J. A. Medders. This was one of my faves from last year, and you can read my review here.

A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms by Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson

7 Big Questions Your Life Depends On by William J. Edgar

The Spiritually Vibrant Home by Don Everts

1 Corinthians (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) by Thomas R. Schreiner

The Story Retold by G. K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd

SOLA Network: Video Resources on Race, Racism, and Jesus

I created a “Race, Racism, and Jesus” playlist on our SOLA Network YouTube Channel with a variety of resources from our growing video library. It's good to know that SOLA was talking about these issues even before our current events and before I started helping out.

This week we also published our Top Anti-Racist Resources for Asian American Christians. Our perspective as Asian Americans must also be examined to see that we have our own biases, prejudices, and sin issues to deal with. As Jess and I have a transracial adopted son, our hope as parents is to always run to Jesus.

Article: How To Clearly See Who You Are

I didn't write anything on my website yet, so you are the first to read this, but I am happy to take an extended break from leading worship music at church. I was already planning this due to the birth of our second son, but the Coronavirus pandemic and move to video worship enabled an extension on my leave of absence. I've always wanted to test myself on this, and I don't yet know if I've passed, but worship leaders must always check their pride, desire for control, and want of recognition. It's good to get away from the spotlight.

There are many more dimensions to leading worship via video, but I carefully took the time away to test my heart. I am happy to see others using their gifts and talents to serve God. What I will tell you is that I miss singing together with the congregation, I miss making noise, and I miss playing music with my friends. When it's time to record our original worship songs, I'm going to come at it with all of this in mind - and hopefully the music and my heart behind it will be for the better.

Here is a throwback article that helped me think this through: How do you clearly see who you are? You take tests.

Extended Play

I have two articles I would like to highlight for you. First is What Hath Gondor to do with Geneva? Keith Mathison helps us understand his love for Tolkien. "By reflecting the truths of the Scripture story within a fictional world populated by humans and hobbits, elves and ents, he helps us see those truths again with new eyes."

The second article, oddly, is an obituary - Died: Francis I. Andersen, Scholar Who Used Computers to Study the Bible by Daniel Silliman. Andersen found the "awesome reality of a living God" in the grammar and syntax of Hebrew Scripture. "Today, the Andersen-Forbes database is used by Logos Bible Software, with a syntax search engine and phrase-marker graphs that open up the grammatical structures of ancient Hebrew."

Throwback: In The Cross Alone I Glory

Movie: Asian Americans on PBS

TV: Community

Article: What Hath Gondor to do with Geneva?

Article: Died: Francis I. Andersen, Scholar Who Used Computers to Study the Bible

Book: George Whitefield: The Life and Times of the Great Evangelist of the Eighteenth-Century Revival - Volume I

Music: Stop by Earth to Jupiter

Lightning Links

These quick hits are exclusive to my newsletter readers. Some struck immediately before writing this newsletter. I don’t necessarily endorse the positions or lives of these authors. Some may contain adult language.

Disneyland plans to reopen July 17, and Downtown Disney earlier

Din Tai Fung’s Original US Location in Arcadia to Close After 20 Years

The tragic lie behind the beautiful dream of Terrace House

Myka Stauffer and the Aggressively Inspirational World of "Adoption Influencers"

ABC Casts Its First Black 'Bachelor'

Playlists

MUSICGOON: 7 songs I enjoyed this week.

SVRGNLA: Jess and I love these songs.

ETJ: Music that inspires my band.

DIDD: A crowd-sourced worship playlist.

TGIF: SOLA Network friends and faves.

This is FCBC Walnut: The songs we sing at church.

Coming Soon

Trillia Newbell edited the excellent book Beautifully Distinct - conversations with friends on faith, life, and culture. I reviewed it on my website, and we're trying to schedule a date for a podcast/video interview soon. It was cool to just be connected and get in touch with her.

On our church Instagram, I’m asking some of our worship leaders to go LIVE and play some songs. I'll be coordinating that and maybe we can turn it into something awesome. Sometime next week I'm going to hit the 1-year anniversary of posting every day on my Dive In Dig Deep Instagram. What a year it has been!

Weekly Review

SOLA: George Floyd and Me / Prayer is Activism / Conversations on Race: How We Can Be Beautifully Distinct

Thank God it’s Friday: Intervarsity Press: Free eBook / Charlie Dates: I Can’t Breathe / Trip Lee: The Paradox of Being Human

SOLA Network: Video Resources on Race, Racism, and Jesus

Article: How To Clearly See Who You Are

Book Review: A Concise Dictionary of Theological Terms by Christopher Morgan and Robert Peterson

Book Review: 7 Big Questions Your Life Depends On by William J. Edgar

Book Review: The Spiritually Vibrant Home by Don Everts

Book Review: 1 Corinthians (Tyndale New Testament Commentaries) by Thomas R. Schreiner

Book Review: The Story Retold by G. K. Beale and Benjamin L. Gladd

Recommended Reading: Who Is the Fairest in the Land? Lessons for Young Men on Attraction / For Better or Worse: The Surprise Blessing of a Simple Wedding / Why Intercountry Adoption Must Remain a Viable Option / What If Marriage Isn’t Making Me As Holy As I Had Hoped?

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itsyourturnblog · 5 years

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There’s a big difference between a stuck leader and an Unstuck Leader. You can read all about it here, but the crux of it is this: a stuck leader operates from an ego-system (as in me, me, me) and an Unstuck Leader operates from an eco-system (as in we, we, we). And as a result, Unstuck Leaders are far more effective, especially in the long-term, than stuck leaders (obvs).

Below, I’m going to show you the five steps to becoming an Unstuck Leader.

But first, a warning.

All this Unstuck Leader stuff sounds awesome, but it’s also really, really hard. And uncomfortable. And at times, exhausting. And that’s why the most important type of management for the Unstuck Leader is self-management. That is to say, it’s impossible to become the kind of person who does the things an Unstuck Leader does unless you’re willing to do a substantial amount of inner work.

If you’re not, stop reading now and go watch some Netflix. If you are, here’s an overview of what you’re in for.

Step 1: Stop. Assess. Align.

Here’s the deal. You can’t possibly become an Unstuck Leader until you are in alignment with your true self. And understanding your true self begins with discovering what’s driving your current behaviours and patterns.

We all have the same six basic human needs. The ways in which we choose to fulfill them affects how we spend our time, what we focus on and ultimately, the quality of our lives.

How do you rate your fulfillment on each of the following needs:

Certainty (comfort, security, safety)

Uncertainty (variety, spice of life)

Significance (to know that you matter, to feel validated)

Love and Connection (to have people in your life you love and who love you)

Growth (to expand your knowledge, capabilities and spirit)

Contribution (to give back to the world)

What are the positive and negative ways you choose to meet these needs? How are your choices affecting your career, your relationships and your wellbeing?

Discover what drains your energy. Are there activities, people and environments that leave you feeling depleted? What do they have in common?

Next, examine the qualities in life that you value (i.e. family, creativity, exploration, honesty, community). Here’s a list to help you get started. Prioritize them. Are you living your values? Or are you betraying yourself? What keeps you from living your values?

Use this new self-knowledge to write a purpose statement. This is the reason you’re here on earth. It will likely be smaller in scope than you might think it should be.

For example, here’s the Dalai Lama’s: To be happy and to help others be happy too.

You are now grounded in solid values and purpose. This allows you to be open to new ideas, people and situations.

You’ve become watery.

Step 2: Listen and Observe

Open your eyes and look around you. This is where ego becomes eco.

Understand others.

Now that you’re familiar with the universal six human needs that drive our thoughts and behaviours, see if you can spot them in others. How might your communication with a person change if you understood that they have a high need for certainty? Or variety? Or significance? How would you choose the words you use to inspire them?

What if you knew that a person values creativity? Or independence? Or justice? Would this change how you choose to incentivize them?

If you do this with enough care and conscientiousness, you’ll realize that everyone around you is absolutely fascinating. They have stories and experiences. They have loves and passions, aversions and fears. You will come to genuinely care about them.

Now you have the gift of credibility, trust and influence.

Understand the whole.

You live in a world of complex, interconnected systems. Your mind and body are systems. The team you are a part of is a system. The division of your company you work in is a system. Your company is a system. Your industry is a system. Your suppliers operate within multiple systems, as do your customers. Your local, regional and national governments are systems. And all of these systems exist within global eco-political systems. And of course, the planet is a system. In fact, it’s the mother of all eco-systems.

Each of these systems produces a pattern of behaviour over time. Understanding, respecting and learning to influence these patterns is what makes real leaders truly exceptional.

Systems, by their nature are the sources of their own problems. Understanding the nature of a system leads to the wisdom required to restructure it. Observe the systems in your world. Actively communicate with its players and listen deeply when they tell you things.

First of all, what are the elements, interconnections and purpose of each system? And I mean the real purpose, which isn’t always as advertised. The stated goals of a system are one thing, but in action, the reality is often quite the opposite.

How does information flow into, out of and within your systems? Are you getting real with your data? Or are you going to the same people with the same sources and the same perspectives? Do you really listen? Or are you confirming biases?

How do decisions really get made in your systems? How do you make decisions? How do you set goals?

And where does the real power reside? Are you really leading your team? Or is someone else? How influenced are you? How influential are you?

What are the system’s driving factors? Are the system’s inputs likely to remain the same? And if they changed, how would the system change? What or who is driving the driving factors?

Next, listen for what’s emerging. Where are the cracks? What’s on the margin? What are the trends, patterns and stories?

Now you have the gift of anticipation.

Step 3: Let go

In the field of System Leadership, it’s frequently mentioned that the Indo-European root of “to lead” is “leith”. It means to “go forth”, to “cross a threshold” or “to die”.

For most systems, the most important function is to ensure its own existence in perpetuity (or at least for as long as possible). This means that the participants within it often won’t or can’t see when it’s time to let something go away.

Letting go, or letting go of the old ways of doing things, is terrifying to most people. Fear makes us grasp into the past. A leader’s job is not only to let go, but to make it possible for others to do so too. This means creating space for what’s to come.

Look at the systems you’re a part of. I mean really look.

What’s not longer needed? What’s dying? What must go?

Letting go, or more specifically, letting go of old ideas and old ways of doing things, is terrifying to most people. Fear makes us reach into the past. The Unstuck Leader’s job is not only to let go, but to make it possible for others to do so too. This creates space for what is to come.

Can you let go of stability, inauthentic power structures, message control, ego, and the things in your life and business that are coming to a natural end?

Now you’re free to co-create the future.

Step 4: Co-create

Embrace what’s emerging.

Once you’ve let go of what’s dying, you must embrace what’s emerging. And you must provide those around you with a compelling vision of that emerging future. And the only way to do that is to bring them into the conversation. Create understanding. Foster optimism. In other words, lead.

What wants to emerge? What wants to be born? What must grow?

This is difficult. It will test you. And fear will pull at you.

The key is to stay in alignment. Develop a daily ritual to maintain your focus. Perhaps you’ll meditate. Perhaps you’ll run. Maybe yoga is the key. Or keeping a gratitude journal. Or perhaps, a simple, 20 minute walk will do the trick.

Now you’re ready to begin your exploration.

Explore possibilities.

I call the mental quality that allows you to stay in the realm of possibilities “wateriness”. You can read more about it here.

As explorers, you and your team will have an idea of where you want to go, but will need to cultivate several possible paths to get there. If any of these paths take you off in a new direction, simply ensure it’s in alignment with your values and purpose. And if it is, go, but leave room for surprise, serendipity, uncertainty, fear and discovery.

It’s all about options.

One option is no choice at all. It’s an attachment. And it’s trouble.

Two options is an ultimatum. No one likes an ultimatum.

Three or more options, well now you’re making a choice. Now you’re exploring.

And now you’re ready to create and iterate.

Create and iterate.

If you’ve done things properly to this point, you and your team will probably be a little scared in addition to excited. And there are likely lots of things standing in the way between where you are now, and where you want to be. In other words, there are constraints. And over time, that can be tiring.

You will need fortification.

First, envision the best possible outcome. Next, list all the constraints that will keep you from reaching that outcome. Now, for each obstacle, strategize. Think of how you’re going to overcome them.

And to do that, use the phrase, “We can, if…”.

No miracles are allowed. Only things that are real and implementable. (The incredibly powerful “We can, if…” methodology comes from Morgan and Barden’s A Beautiful Constraint)

It’s so damn simple. How can it possibly work? By keeping you focused on the right question. And where focus goes, energy flows.

So what are you going to focus on? The obstacle? The problem? The constraint?

Or the solution?

And if your solution doesn’t work, try something new. And test and measure and then iterate again. There’s no room for perfectionism. Ditch it. You’ll be in a constant state of evolution and learning and building and testing.

Now you’re ready to say yes.

Step 5: Say yes

When you see the emerging future and when you find a solution that works, just say, yes.

Act now. Make it real. Or else it will pass you by.

The thing about this real leadership stuff is that it’s not for the weak, the cowardly or the lazy. It’s hard. Like, really, really hard. And it requires things of you. When you say yes to an emerging future, you also have to say yes to courage, kindness, gratitude and best effort. And you have to say yes to those things each and every day.

And then, truly commit.

Look at you. You’re an Unstuck Leader.

Ready to learn more? You’re in luck! This post includes excerpts from my book, The Unstuck Leader. If you’re ready to get and stay unstuck, you can buy a copy here.

How to Get and Stay Unstuck was originally published in It's Your Turn on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

by Judy Sims via It's Your Turn - Medium #itsyourturn #altMBA #SethGodin #quotes #inspiration #stories #change #transformation #writers #writing #self #shipping #personaldevelopment #growth #education #marketing #entrepreneurship #leadership #personaldev #wellness #medium #blogging #quoteoftheday #inspirationoftheday

#ItsYourTurn #It's Your Turn #IYT #altMBA #Seth Godin #Inspiration #Stories #Change #Transformation #Blog #Medi

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justinjslone · 5 years

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Why Every Marketing Team Needs a Copyeditor

While the difference between a writer and an editor is clear — writers produce content and editors revise it — the difference between an editor and a copyeditor is a little more nuanced.

Editors make improvements to a piece’s content, typically in collaboration with the writer, whereas copyeditors make corrections and improvements regarding a piece’s grammar, punctuation, accuracy and formatting.

An editor might suggest restructuring a narrative article as a list for scannability. A copyeditor might point out that you’re inconsistent with your hyphenation of “product-led growth.”

The argument can be made that the average reader won’t notice minor details like that, and hiring a copyeditor is an overhead cost that doesn’t bring in clear ROI. However, just because their value isn’t tangible doesn’t mean their work isn’t worthwhile for your business.

7 Reasons You Need a Copyeditor

1. Typos cost money!

Mistakes illustrate a lack of care. If you’re not being meticulous, you’re indicating to the readers that notice your errors that you didn’t bother to double-check your work. Errors may even lead site visitors to abandon your website before they get to know what you’re all about.

A report by the BBC in 2011 found that typos could be costing millions. On one site, they found that the revenue per visitor doubled after an error was corrected.

The cost of typos isn’t just hypothetical. An eBay seller lost about half-a-million dollars when they listed a bottle of “Allsopp's Arctic Ale” as “Alsop’s Arctic Ale.” The typo prevented collectors from discovering the auction. The bottle was purchased for $304 and then immediately resold for $503,300 when listed under the properly spelled name.

2. Copyeditors help contextualize content in the buyer’s journey.

Copyeditors don’t just proof existing content, they think about how all your content works together.

A writer focuses on the message of the individual piece of content they’re creating. When editing, part of a copyeditor's job is to examine how the reader got to this piece and where they’re going next.

Copyeditors can look at conversion paths and next steps to determine if appropriate CTAs are being used. They also will ensure the language driving conversions is consistent sitewide.

You don’t want to contradict yourself from webpage to webpage, and copyeditors make sure the reader experience stays consistent.

3. What’s being said differs from how it’s said.

When you’re writing, the rules are secondary to the topic itself. First drafts tend to be written as the writer thinks through the piece — and they read like that too. The focus is on whether or not the message is conveyed coherently, not whether or not the capitalization or hyphenation is consistent.

Those smaller details are important for the end reader. If they’re stumbling over grammatical errors or inconsistencies, the reader is going to have trouble absorbing the message. However, for the writer, there’s no point perfecting those details framing the message if the message is poorly communicated.

Writers don’t want to agonize over how ending punctuation needs to be used in a bulleted list if they might end up deleting that list entirely.

The creation of a piece and the perfecting of it are different steps of the writing process and need to be done by two different people. The writer’s job is to think through the value of the message and what’s being said. The editor’s job is to analyze how it’s being said and ensure it conforms to your organization’s rules.

4. Copyeditors add a perspective checkpoint.

It’s difficult to see something you’ve already overlooked. Once you’ve written something and read over it once, it’s very difficult to catch mistakes you missed in that readthrough.

You could have an obvious error like “the the” in a sentence from when you restructured a paragraph, but once you skip over it the first time, your brain will continue to do so because your brain is focused on other aspects of your writing.

However, a mistake like that would be obvious to someone reading the piece for the first time who has distance from the creation of the piece.

The way pitchers view the curve of their ball is different from how a catcher sees it, and the way a writer examines their own work is different than how an editor will. It’s hard to be objective about your own creation.

Copyeditors can also pick up societal nuances that you might not be aware of. That can range from language-level errors like a writer using the British form “towards” instead of the American “toward.” Or, it could be more implicit, like textbooks that use men as all of their fictional STEM characters and females for their more artistic scenarios.

In both those cases, the writer may not be aware they did anything wrong because of their internal biases.

5. Consistency does matter.

The average reader might not notice whether you use an en dash or a hyphen for a numerical range, but they might notice if in your header you say a process takes “7–10 days” and later on you write “7 - 10 days.”

They may not be able to put into words why the second seems wrong, but they’ll feel that inconsistency. It’s similar to when you visit a poorly designed website: you may not be able to explain what’s wrong with the website, but you know the UX isn’t optimal. Small inconsistencies in your writing can detract from the reader’s experience and weaken their understanding of the information you’re trying to convey.

6. Copyeditors encourage growth and skill development.

Through editing, you’re going to improve as a writer, and through writing, you’ll improve as an editor. Part of the goal of the relationship between writers and copyeditors is growth.

Just as they pay attention to patterns across your entire brand, copyeditors also pay attention to patterns within a writer’s work. If a writer is consistently making the same mistake, like mixing up “number” and “amount,” a copyeditor can point that out so the writer can learn.

The writer-editor symbiotic relationship will add value to your company because both participants will improve their craft through their interactions with each other. You’ll then have more effective employees on your team.

7. Your site is a portfolio for your company.

You want to look like you know what you’re talking about. Especially if you’re selling content, your content needs to be impeccable.

But even if content isn’t part of your product, you never know what’s coming down the line or when you’ll need to reuse copy. You should have your content ready at any time in case you want to apply for an award, speak at an industry event or re-publish a blog post on another site.

Your content should already be in a good place. You don’t want to have to reinvest resources into perfecting it.

Copyediting Can Be a Task Instead of a Role

Your copyeditor doesn’t have to exclusively be a copyeditor — they could be a writer or SEO team member who does copyediting tasks. But if there’s no one filling the designated role, feedback mechanisms need to be built into your content creation process.

At New Breed, our writers take turns editing each other’s work so every blog and PCO has at least one other set of eyes on it before it’s finalized.

It’s important to have someone other than the writer review each piece before it’s published, regardless of who that other person is. Ideally, the editor would have training in writing and be familiar with your clients, but even if they don’t, they still catch things the writer might not.

Even the best editors need editors. Having a step in place for internal review is an essential part of the writing process.

Depending on the volume of written work you’re creating, it might be better to have someone whose sole focus is copyediting though. While you don’t want copyediting to bottleneck the process, it’s beneficial to have a single person accountable for the quality of the published work.

Copyeditors can provide a final seal of approval to make sure everything is up to par, whereas it’s very likely even the most impeccable writer will still overlook errors in their own work.

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woodworkingpastor · 5 years

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Wasting time God’s way Esther 4:1-17 December 9, 2018 Second Sunday of Advent

People of God, Esther was a heroic woman who took a great risk to bring peace for her people.

We want peace to overcome struggle, violence, and cruelty.

It can be dangerous to call for peace.

This might be the job God needs us to do.

Today we light a candle to symbolize God’s peace. We hope in the One who will come. We pray for God’s peace to prevail.

Hymn While we are waiting, come # 1032, v. 2

People of God, take courage.

We take courage from the light of God’s peace.

Part of the wonder of Christmas morning is learning what we don’t know: what is inside the packages underneath the Christmas tree. This was especially true when you were a child, but I hope none of us ever lose the sense of wonder and surprise and love that is a gift on Christmas morning.

But there is more to what we don’t know than just what is inside the package, because the value of the gift increases by the value of the relationship with the giver. Suddenly a gift that might otherwise have little value becomes a treasure, because the thought, the love, even the sacrifice add value to what is inside.

We lose a lot when we don’t invest in relationships that yield gifts of one kind or another. And perhaps the saddest thing about these losses is that we never know that we missed these things.

In today’s text we meet Esther, a young Jewish woman who quite literally wins a lottery that took the form of a national beauty pageant. But instead of getting one of those big checks, Esther became queen. Soon after this, however, national attitudes turned against the Jewish people and the king is tricked into issuing a decree to kill all of the Jews in that land. It is a threat that is as big and as real as the Holocaust was in 1930’s and 40’s Germany.

But the storyteller doesn’t leave us without hope. Esther’s cousin, Mordecai, learns of this decree and tells Esther that she is in a position to do something about this. Person and position and circumstances have aligned in Esther; her Jewish identity is unknown to her husband, the king; she seems to be the hope for the Jewish people.

Sermons and studies of Esther normally focus on the very clear challenge Mordecai gives to Esther: “Perhaps you have come to royal dignity for just such a time as this.” It’s a great challenge, magnified by the fact that nothing in the story to this point suggests that Esther is has it in her to rise to the challenge. To this point she has been a compliant pawn in other people’s games.

But that’s where the mystery of the gift starts to become apparent. Odds are that something terrible is going to happen. History repeats this story in one form or another regularly. Something terrible is probably going to happen; but something wonderful might happen if Esther will connect the gift of her position and the relationship with the One who put her there. But she’ll never know what that is unless she takes a step of faith.

As the story unfolds, Esther decides to act and the Jewish people are saved. It’s a great story, but it’s not what I want us to see this morning. There is a detail in Esther’s actions that is so unexpected that we might read over it: her first action is to essentially do nothing. Instead, she calls for a three-day fast. It is an invitation to waste time—but waste time in the most Godly fashion possible.

“Wasting time” in prayer and silence

It’s an important detail because it is unlike us to respond in this way. When confronted with a problem, most of us are of such disposition and ability that we immediately begin thinking of ways to fix the problem: we buy this or build that or talk to this person or donate money or start a program or organization. We are predisposed to solve problems and sometimes we actually get some amazing things done.

But when we pray the Lord’s Prayer in worship, have you ever noticed that we pray “thy kingdom come…” before we pray “give us this day our daily bread”? Have you ever wondered why that is? Have you ever thought about what Jesus meant when he said, “Seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added unto you”? Maybe our lives and relationships will work better if God reorients our wants and wishes and desires first, instead of focusing our best efforts on the ways we want to live our lives.

Esther calling a fast before acting on this desperate situation is a lesson to us that there is a better option that just charging off to solve a problem that presents itself. Fasting—which simply means not eating—and prayer pulls us away from the noise, away from the routine, away from our desires to obtain and consume daily bread (and every other need and product under the sun) to instead be shaped by the values of the Kingdom of God.

One time I sought out the advice of a very good friend on a matter, and his counsel was to sit with me in silence for an hour of prayer. In its way, that hour of prayer was every bit as significant as a long run can be in training for a race. In the silence the Spirit reveals attitudes and biases and prejudices and blind spots that go unnoticed in the normal routine of life.

“Wasting time” listening to others

Prayer and fasting can be an opportunity to come to terms with our powerlessness. We don’t know everything; we can’t fix everything. But when we slow down and encounter God in the silence of prayer and fasting we begin to learn what we don’t know; to imagine what we’d never dreamed of; to understand those things that are only obtainable when we pay attention to both the gift and the giver.

There is another way we can “waste time” in a spiritually productive way; by listening to people who have life experiences that are different from ours and investing ourselves in ways that allow the Kingdom of God to be revealed in their lives.

An article in the magazine Christian Century tells the story of a small town that had a lot of kids who liked to ride skateboards. Skateboarders are often at odds with the powers-that-be, because skateboarding can do a certain amount of damage to places not designed for that use. This town’s solution to their so-called “skateboarding problem” was to ban skateboarding nearly everywhere and treat the kids as lawbreakers.

But a pastor in town knew some of these young people, and she sought the rest of them out. After listening to them for a while, she convinced her church to build a skate park on their property and to also get to know the kids. It took a lot of hard work but resulted in a number of the young persons coming to know Christ.

When we listen to others, we find out ways things are broken and, like Esther, we can begin to realize the ways that person and position and circumstances begin to align in our lives. With the right combination of patience and boldness, we can begin to disrupt business as usual, so that the Kingdom of God might be revealed right in the middle of our lives, and our homes, and our communities.

One of the best gifts Christians can give the world is our being a non-anxious presence in the midst of our communities. We might begin to ask ourselves a few questions: Where are we not supposed to be? Who are we not supposed to be talking to? What are we learning when we’re there? When we “waste time” in the way God desires, what changes in our lives?

Eugene Peterson tells the story of when he and his wife learned they would be grandparents for the first time. He says “Within days we were driving the two hours to Princeton Seminary where his son and daughter in law were students. Jan was excited, brimming was anticipation. But I wasn’t feeling much of anything. We had three children of our own, I didn’t see why this was so special—and there were still six months before we would see the baby. As we got closer to greeting them Jan’s anticipation heightened, but somehow this pregnancy hadn’t penetrated my emotions. I felt dull, flat, routine.

Driving back home the next day, I complained of my lack of emotion. ‘What’s wrong with me? Why don’t I feel anything?” Jan said, “It’s because you’ve never been pregnant.”

“Well that’s just great; so what am I going to do about that?”

She told me to build a cradle.

When we got home I went to the public library and found pictures of cradles. I decided on an early American hooded cradle, sketched out plans, went to a specialty woods shop, examined the stock and chose some Honduras mahogany. Most afternoons I came home an hour or so early from my parish duties to my shop and worked on that cradle. I decided to finish it with applications of tung oil. I worked on each piece of cradle with the finest grade of sandpaper, over and over. I then went to fine steel wool, over and over. Each application of tung oil deepened the color; after several applications it seemed like the wood glowed from within. I worked with each piece of the cradle, shaping it, holding it, rubbing it, over and over and over—and all the time anticipating the baby that would be in that cradle, over and over and over. Jan’s prescription worked: I got pregnant…by the time the cradle was ready, I was ready, prepared to receive the gift of new life.

Look at your life: what gifts from God have we missed—and didn’t know we were missing—because we never took the time to stop, pray, and ask questions?

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aboutearn · 6 years

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It's worthwhile to examine Google's definition of Google AdSense and Click Fraud , before delving deeper into “AdSense Fraud” . Google AdSense fraud is one of the diseases that plague the Ad Words advertisers. The AdSense program essentially allows website publishers/owners to sign up with Google, enabling them to display Google Ads on their sites. These publishers essentially act as “Google Partners”. The ads chosen by the Google bot for display are contextual and the ads are related to the contents of the publisher's website, more specifically that particular web page. The intent for Google is to capitalize on the traffic to these (in practice) niche sites and provide highly direct targeted traffic to the advertiser. A subset of the users of the Google Partner website, click on those ads and Google charges the advertiser per click. Google shares the booty with the website publisher but the revenue sharing ratio falls under Google's “undisclosed “criteria. While the exact amount can be reverse engineered, the take home lesson is that the final amount is proportional to Google's income from that click. In theory it's a match made in heaven. The advertiser gets good ROI through targeted traffic, the publisher gets to monetize the traffic on their website and the web browser gets to buy that classic CD that he couldn't live without. Not to mention that Google gets a wad of cash. The gods of lucre smile beneficently on all. Unfortunately, this happy façade hides blemishes. Severe ones. For all Google AdSense Publishers are not created equal. While (we daresay) many advertisers have a genuine website, providing a valuable or interesting service to the world wide community, there is a significant number of unscrupulous operators who are out there to prey on the advertisers. These creatures of the night (and we will explain later why we use that term), make websites for the express purpose of milking AdSense revenue. This category of fraudsters deserves a taxonomy of its own, which we have developed (the other categories, click fraud and impression fraud are even bigger problems in some industries). In the interest of not being gender biased, we have alternated between genders. We hope that our lighthearted tone does not mask the revulsion that we feel towards these cheats. Regressive Fraudster ( aka ClickMonkey ): This guy is at the bottom of the food chain. Inspired by the riches of his neighbor Ms. Jones, who has been making more than ten grand a month in AdSense revenue, he plans a course of action. He “invests” in a clickbot software( a simple google search reveals many) and gets a list of anonymous proxy addresses. He then goes to register a few domains and hires someone off of elance to create a “network of sites”and “ click bot ” . He hopes that the interlinked sites will provide each some “link popularity” and increase his page rank. If only it were that simple! He then proceeds to use the 30 dollar clickbot to start clicking on the sites. Or he could click on them himself manually using the proxies. We don't call him click monkey for nothing. He clicks and clicks all the way to see his account getting banned. No banana for this monkey! His calls of despair to google fall on deaf ears. This person is likely to quit, but sometimes retries to get up the food chain, the Wanna -Be-Fraudster. Wanna -Be Fraudster ( aka BOZO): This girl searches for high paying keywords like “home loan equity” (current ad words rate: 45 dollar), or “web hosting” (ad words costing 20 dollar). She correctly guesses that the AdSense payout is proportional to what Google earns and therefore homes in on such words. Her strategy is to make a page with contents that are appropriate for the targeted high payout keyword. She moves ahead by clicking on the link multiple times and recruits friends and family to give them a click. Or ten! Little does she know that Google has a 45 day inspection period before she get her nubby little fingers on that cash. With little to no knowledge of Click through Ratio , her greed couples with her ignorance. Seeing her ill-gotten paper wealth multiplying in her AdSense interface, she increases the clicks. Google however inspects the CTR and throws a fit when they see a CTR exceeding 20%. Furthermore, Google notices clicks mostly originating from a few IP addresses and that essentially seals her fate (or rather docks her earnings). That virtual cash is now just some deleted bytes on a hard disk on Google's servers. She moans, nay she rail against the cruelty of Google's policy. Some of these people wisely cease and desist such activities, perhaps philosophizing about the NFL (no free lunch) theorem. Others however see it as ground school for the next stage of nefarious behavior. The Almost-There Fraudster. Almost-There Fraudster ( aka SmartAlec ): The archetypical ATF is supremely confident in his ability to fool Google. Like the BOZO, he looks for high paying keywords and makes appropriate website(s). Let's assume that he is in a third world country, just to make the case more interesting. The case described here is 1 year old news. He has read this article and taken the learnt the subsequent lesson . He knows that that the clicks from the IP Addresses of USA, UK & Canada are worth much more than the clicks from the IP Addresses from the third world countries. He therefore seeks to befriend people from such IP addresses by logging onto messenger services. This way, he gets the unique, unrelated IP clicks and (he hopes) that Google is fooled. Remember “creature of the night”. Well, these people typically are more than a few time zone removed from the US or Canada and therefore are up at odd hours whenever they feel that their targets are most likely to be active. Plus they sometimes have to deal with “inconveniences” like a day job. AT fraud thinks that the clicks he obtained by trolling on these sites is a job well done. He has got clicks from the IP address of his choice .. An interesting factoid is that for AdSense, state also matters. Clicks from Washington and New York State have the highest payout for AdSense Fraud. He has just one problem. His tragic flaw. While he worked so hard to get the unique IP and high earnings, he is not able to maintain a good CTR. He is likely to cross the limit of 30-40% of daily CTR and 10-20% of overall CTR. He ends up in the same purgatory as the BOZO. The account is banned, and he gets the abominated email. Yes, the “AdSense account closure”. Almost-There is never good enough in this nether world of AdSense gaming. Although it is possible that he would have made a few thousand dollars before the punishment catches up to his crime. Crime doesn't quite pay, now does it? Well, gentle reader, unfortunately crime _is_ paying to the next category. Fraudster Maestro ( aka Satan's Spawn). Fraudster Maestro ( aka Satan's Spawn): This category of fraudsters is the most sophisticated and rarely gets caught by google . She has researched the high paying keywords as well as the CTR issues well. She has the smoothest lines in the business of soliciting clicks. She can flirt online, and ask to click the “link” for her picture. Or she may claim that clicking the link causes the hungry child to be fed in Ethiopia . Let's follow a typical “simple” chat session: US User : hello FM Fraud: what are your coordinates, handsome? US User : NY , NY FM Fraud: Oh! Wish I could be there. Can you help out a damsel in distress? US User : sure AT Fraud: I have made a site and want to see if all the links on this page are working or not. Can you please click on the links and see if the other page loads? US User: Sure. Link? FM Fraud:https://ift.tt/2DwoU6F US User : wait! Yes I checked all the links and they are working fine. FM Fraud: Thanks US User : so can we talk about you now? ( Message Not Delivered as the fraudster has blocked the User and is busy looking for a new victim) And she has lots of tricks up her repertoire besides chatting up strangers. She knows about opt in lists, usenet and blogs where she can snare the victims. Technically savvy and able to empathize with her victims she doesn't let arrogance get in her way to success. Since she is very mindful of the CTR issues she has a secret weapon. She has optimized her site for some low paying keywords which are really not competitive. She organically gets lots of traffic (but for things unrelated to those competitive high paying keywords). In her website, she may be giving away free greeting cards Or free screensavers. End result is a fabulous impression count. The second step for her is to makes unrelated pages on the same site and these pages pertain to the high paying keywords. These keywords are used to attract the victims of chat sessions. The process of getting the clicks is different but the results due to CTR are very lucrative. So, how does all this geek talk affect the PPC advertiser? It's a 5 billion dollar+ dollar market(for exact projections onto the future, please check out our FAQ, and with a 20% + fraud rate, we are talking about a 1 BILLION dollars fraud per year. Even Dr. Evil may be impressed by such a number. It's greater than the cumulative GNP of a few banana republics. And a fair chunk is ending up in the coffers of these fraudsters. We know from anecdotal evidence, how people are clearing up to 20 grand a month. All, courtesy of the hapless PPC advertiser. We want to emphasize that there are lots of authentic sites serving genuine content. But unfortunately the existence of these people (as discussed above) reduces the ROI of many advertisers to the extent that they rethink their interest in PPC. In the word of one of our organic SEO customers, with PPC “you always get a little less back than you put in”. It needn't be that way, if you watch carefully where your ad words traffic is coming from and take some steps (such as traffic analysis or at the very least a log file analysis) to protect arm yourself. Look for patterns, some of which are obvious(such as large traffic spikes from India). Unfortunately other patterns may require a doctorate in artificial intelligence. Still the keyword is to stay nimble. Convincing search engines to refund money is a lot tougher and a lot more work than proactively watching for problem visitors and taking steps that you deem appropriate. Before the situation goes out of hand. Remember, an ounce of prevention… We want to emphasize that there are lots of authentic sites serving genuine content. But unfortunately the existence of these people (as discussed above) reduces the ROI of many advertisers to the extent that they rethink their interest in PPC. In the word of one of our organic SEO customers, with PPC “you always get a little less back than you put in”. It needn't be that way, if you stay nimble. Convincing search engines to refund money is a lot tougher and a lot more work than proactively watching for problem visitors and taking steps that you deem appropriate. Some things you can do to stay ahead of the game. This is by NO means an exhaustive list, but it's a start. It's sorted by the level of protection in ascending that you may need. 1> Let your visitors know that you are tracking them and know quite a bit about them. For instance, if you visit www.sofizar.com , you will see information about yourself. You can display this information to all your visitors, or only to some of them. It can be in-your-face or subtle, but it will remind at least some of the fraudsters that they are being watched. Sofizar provides free sample code and connection to its database allowing you to display “premium” information(like City, ISP, ISP contact number). 2> Invest in a serious visitor tracking software. Set alarms based on the number of times a person clicks on your site in a certain time period(hourly, weekly, monthly). Display the same information to someone who is definitely PPCing your budget to death, as a custom message box. Something harsh, if the pattern keeps up. “We are logging the usage, and we are noticing that you keep clicking on our site through PPC. If you don't cease, we would be forced to call your local ISP at +91-23-344-5678”(if you see the information that we can glean about visitors, you will know we can get even more specific). This will weed some of the casual fraudsters. 3> Start checking for things that we have discussed earlier, by investing in an industrial strength data collection package. Based on your data collection, one strategy is to score each visitor, deducting(or adding points), based on the following (non exhaustive) list. a. Visitor conversion/past conversion history. b. Visit Depth Analysis. c. Visit Time Analysis(time spent on each page, and time of day the visit happens). d. Cookies/Javascript/”Unknown OS” e. Keyword Cost analysis. f. Anonymous Proxy Server g. Is part of “Fraudster list”. h. Country/Localization analysis(are you really targeting people in Sao Paolo , Brazil for your French Restaurant in New York ?). 4> Do pattern matching. See what your top 20% of your customers do as part of a “macro pattern” and match the visitor against that pattern. Keep in mind that you will get a few “false positives” and vice versa. A few innocent people may get tagged unfairly as “fraudsters” while a few “fraudsters” may well give you the slip. It's not an exact science, but over a period of time you can get fairly close. If you decide to take up your case with Google, you have to make a very convincing case. All based on meticulous data, instead of (what may be considered by them as) paranoia. Over the long term, as the threat evolves and the fraudsters improve, you have to keep adapting your strategy using your friends, diligent data collection, statistics and pattern matching. If you have any further question, comments or want us to give you a free evaluation if your PPC campaign is a likely magnet for fraudsters, please email to: [email protected] . For more information about adsense fraud visit: https://ift.tt/2RO2MaL

#News Updates #AdSense Fraud

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therewillbesparkles · 6 years

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family dentistry everett wa

You also want to decide on a dentist who's affected person with anxious patients and consider getting nitrous oxide remedies when you have dental work done. Make them need extra. However, you can make the decision for your self to begin together with higher fats into your weight loss plan to replenish and nurture your body. Instead of gathering information about the specific treatment they recieved, alot of patients hearken to family and mates and begin yelling "malpractice, Im going to sue". Most of us dread the thought of going to the dentist for a examine up. Test the critiques and ranking. Even though it seems like a ton to examine for selecting a dental specialist, following these means will guarantee that you're getting the perfect care you will get. Reply:Is there a guarantee you're a candidate for implants? Electric toothbrushes have been around for a while now however what are the advantages and are they any better than the usual manual toothbrush?

I did not get new teeth til eight months later because of cash and my mom stated it was best to attend til I was healed and my gums some so my teeth would fit better for longer. The sooner you get this performed, the higher you'll really feel when it's time to let everyone know they've an upcoming dental appointment for a checkup and cleansing. Asking the proper questions will assist you type through that many dentists that may come up in your space. In the long run, compare them with the concept you gathered, decide the proper dentist and get low cost and finest dental implants for you. Implant dentistry can have very detailed procedures, and there is way to study on top of what common dentist practitioners are taught typically. These remain the preferred the reason why so many individuals are turning down their insurance at their employer and choosing a more cost efficient insurance coverage different. Speaking of value, that is one in all the primary reasons that many people go for a family dental plan instead of insurance coverage protection.

To determine your excellent smile, the DDS will analyze the silhouette or shape of every tooth in relation to the one next to it. Anticipate to see a handful earlier than you all discover one which works for everybody. I'm confident you will notice that very same look. The dentist also does procedures such as pulling knowledge teeth which will finally occur in almost everybody's life. Many normal dentists are doing fundamental alignment and orthodontics, but we specialise in correcting irregularities of the teeth. This is a good way for you to find dentists in a certain area and also learn detailed comments on how they are. Common household dentists are those you go to for common maintenance of your teeth and gums. Periodontics: The research and care of the gums, which surround and assist the teeth. Our motto is, “Taking care of individuals, not just teeth”! Showcase a dazzling new smile you might be happy with.

Very friendly, always greet me by identify with a smile when i come in. SEOTo dwell, work, study, and play in this world, you need to communicate with everybody around you effectively. Each dental remedies of our workforce must play a key function by getting the very best results for our patients. Although with a superb and helping employees, a dental assistant might mitigate one’s uneasiness and nervousness to some extent. In this text, he explains the things you need to search for when searching for a superb dental clinic in Blacktown. Before you visit the dentist, it can be crucial to consider the type of remedy that you are on the lookout for. How can implants be thought of natural teeth when they are hooked up to metallic in the jaw? They didn't even brush their teeth! Does anybody know if the fashionable dental cleanings trigger teeth to crack, crowns to lose their enamel surfaces,? Most modern dental workplaces additionally supply whitening services. Ideas to Consider in Choosing A Dentist Only a cosmetic professional dentist can help the way we look and the attractiveness of our dental structures. In spite of the numerous available treatment and services to enhance our total personality, the majority of the services are for developing your own appearance. Dental insurance companies are certainly not so interested with this particular type of services for this reason it's responsibility to pick the cosmetic dental practice you might be willing to entrust your glowing smile.

Often oral cancer is merely discovered when the cancer has metastasized to a different location, likely the lymph nodes in the neck. Prognosis at this stage of discovery is really a lot worse than if it is caught in a very localized intra oral area. Besides the metastasis, at these later stages, the key tumor has experienced time for it to invade deep into local structures. Oral cancer is specially dangerous because in its early stages it may not be noticed with the patient, as it can frequently prosper without producing pain or symptoms they might readily recognize. When it comes to the ratings, a 5 could be the typical perfect score while a 1 is negative. Out of this scale, you can decide which dentist may be the people's choice in relation to dental services. It is expected that this dentist who has a rating of 5 enables you to conclude actually the very best on the list of rest and that you have been in the correct hands. Just a suggestion, however, never accept one review rating only, as it is not a reliable source to get a high quality dentist. You must find several site reviews to prevent biases and favoritism, that could result in the Albright Family Dental Everett WA wrong choice in the long run. In addition, no directly confirm that they are really the best in the spot. That is why you will need to carry out some thorough research first to stop an inaccurate decision that you're going to regret down the road. A family dentist is often a critical method to obtain information and care. They are experienced and thoroughly educated to be knowledgeable in the areas of care that a parent along with their children might need. By bring the youngsters with when attending dental appointments, not simply is a sense of proper oral care being instilled, but also their fears of coming to the clinic could possibly be assuaged. Since parents and kids exist together the kids are put more confident which is possible to get better results. You want a provider which offers modern tools to take care of the teeth's health of the entire brood. This means to be able to help toddlers to master the way to brush and teens to brush properly. It means helping with complications in connection with periodontal disease and dental cairies, if those are problems inside adults inside your group. You also want to realize that any type of preventative steps possible are now being taken to enable you to avoid complications as time goes on. Cleanings, consultations and repairs have to be possible all in the same office.

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cuhrnewsletter · 6 years

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What is Credibility and Why Do You NEED to Care

Author: Bonnie Budzowski

When asked about the definition of credibility, you might say, “I know it when I see it,”—like I know friendly or likeable. When pressed, however, do you really know the definition of credibility?

Don’t be fooled into thinking this is an academic or unimportant question. Credibility is positively correlated to success in every sphere of life. If you can’t define credibility or identify its elements, you can’t take advantage of opportunities to boost your credibility and your success.

Unlike height or weight, your measure of credibility isn’t an objective measure. It is not something you either have or you don’t. Credibility is more like a linear scale on which others give you a rating. It is a perceived quality, one that people assign to you based on the interplay of a number of elements.

Identifying the elements of credibility is important because a high score on one or two elements does not guarantee a high credibility rating. It’s the interplay that matters. For example, experts are usually considered highly credible, unless or until they are perceived as biased or self-serving. Lack of integrity can cancel out the positive impact of expertise.

Accordingly, you need to know all five elements of credibility and to examine yourself in light of these elements. Give yourself a score between one and ten on each of these elements—integrity, competence, sound judgment, relational sensitivity, and likeability—but do so from the perspective of others. In other words, rate yourself on what others can observe rather than on what you intend. Once you see your strengths and weakness, you can take positive steps to boost your credibility in the eyes of others.

Credibility Element #1: Integrity

A key element of credibility involves transparency, trustworthiness, and moral predictability. We feel good about people who embody the phrase, “what you see is what you get.”

From Webster’s perspective, integrity is the essential element. The dictionary definition of credibility is the power to inspire belief. For example, a credible witness is one whom we have reason to believe. Credibility implies a commitment to truth, fairness, and objectivity. In addition, we assign high credibility to people who have clear moral standards and who are known to stick to them.

Be careful not to underestimate the importance of honesty and integrity in the workplace. People who have a track record of being objective and truthful are perceived as more credible than those who don’t. Companies who open their books to union representatives are more credible than those who don’t. Conclusions based on scientific or systematic inquiry are more credible than those based on subjective judgments.

According to researchers Kouzes and Posner, the number one trait people are looking for in a leader is honesty. We know from experience that one failure to disclose an important truth can ruin an entire career.

To boost your credibility on this element, consider the following:

Invest time in clarifying your values and examining your behavior in light of them

Make a commitment to consistently tell the truth

Build a reputation for ethical behavior

If you make a mistake, be truthful about it rather than cover it up

Give credit to colleagues and subordinates for their work

When you change your stance on a position, do so for objective rather than political reasons

Credibility Element #2: Competence

Experts enjoy a much higher degree of credibility than those who lack expertise. As society’s knowledge expands, we rely more and more on people who can demonstrate deep expertise, often with a narrow focus. We trust experts to understand the scope of an issue or project, to know the right questions to ask, and to know how to find the answers to those questions. In today’s world, there is no credibility without expertise.

Perceived expertise comes from a blend of a person’s education and experience. People with doctoral degrees in a field obviously have more credibility than those who lack a degree. At the same time, people who have “come up through the ranks” or have worked in diverse jobs within an industry are considered to be experts. These folks usually have more perceived expertise than new college graduates.

Expertise turns into competence when it is put to the test. A person earns her credibility as competent by succeeding at assignments and projects over time. A track record of successfully applying knowledge and a willingness to continue learning increases perceived credibility.

To boost your credibility on this element, take the following actions:

If needed, complete your degree or consider the next degree

Obtain a license to practice or a professional certification appropriate to your field

Request high-visibility projects to establish a track record

Ask to participate on task forces with key people in your organization so they can see your competence firsthand

Participate in meetings, asking probing questions and making insightful comments

Attend conferences in your field and engage in continual learning

Credibility Element #3: Sound Judgment

As a good friend can be counted on to listen well and encourage you to make wise decisions, a credible person can be counted on to analyze complex situations, ask intelligent questions, and make good decisions. A person with sound judgment usually has both cognitive and intuitive gifts. This person takes a big-picture rather than a myopic view and a long-term rather than a short-term perspective.

A savvy CEO, for example, might have a track record of acquiring businesses or creating products just ahead of demand. This person has a track record of correctly anticipating future trends and preparing for them.

To boost your credibility on this element, take the following actions:

Consider the impact of your decisions on other departments and groups

Ask others for input into your decisions—especially regarding the impact on them

Avoid snap judgments

Be willing to admit mistakes

Read books and listen to tapes by management and relationship specialists

Stay current on the trends within your industry and company

Credibility Element #4: Relationally Sensitive

People with high credibility know how to ask questions about our values and interests, to listen intently and with empathy, and to pull people together. These are the people with high emotional intelligence to balance the arrogance sometimes comes with high expertise.

Jay Conger, an expert on persuasion, puts it this way:

On the relationship side, people with high credibility have demonstrated—again, usually over time—that they can be trusted to listen and to work in the best interests of others. They have also consistently shown strong emotional character and integrity; that is, they are not known for mood extremes or inconsistent performance. Indeed, people who are known to be honest, steady, and reliable have an edge when going into any persuasion situation. Because their relationships are robust, they are more apt to be given the benefit of the doubt.

A person develops a track record in relationships in the same way he develops a track record in performance. If he becomes known for building commitment and cooperation, for being level-headed and fair, everyone will want him on their team. Those who have the most perceived credibility are usually the ones who are relationally sensitive.

To boost your credibility on this element, take the following actions:

Demonstrate willingness to learn from others and from your own mistakes

Demonstrate concern for others’ values, goals, and objectives

Cultivate the ability to listen well

Take time to build relationships with informal conversations

Don’t say something behind a person’s back that you wouldn’t say to his face

Be generous with credit to colleagues and subordinates

Take time to understand another’s point of view before refuting or rejecting it

Credibility Element #5: Likeable

Research studies consistently reveal that people respond positively to others whom they like. They trust them, they cooperate with them, they approve their proposals, and they buy from them. Mitch Anthony, author of Selling with Emotional Intelligence, puts it succinctly, “Likeability is as important as ability.” Successful people balance expertise with likeability. It is a proven formula for success.

After extensive research, Tim Sanders, author of The Likeability Factor, claims that there are four ingredients to likeability: friendliness, relevance, empathy, realness. Relevance and empathy are ingredients of relationship sensitivity, described above. Realness, or authenticity, brings us back to integrity, the first element of credibility described in this paper. Likeability is much more than a feel-good characteristic.

Emotional intelligence guru, Daniel Goleman, and co-authors Boyatzis and McKee, remind us of the importance of optimism and a lighthearted perspective in the workplace, asserting that leaders who have the ability to express enthusiasm and upbeat emotions attract other people. In their book, Primal Leadership, these researchers put it succinctly:

Research has proven it: Optimistic, enthusiastic leaders more easily retain their people, compared with those bosses who tend toward negative moods.

Further, the authors remind us a smile (friendliness) is contagious, drawing others to smile in response. A smile, however, can be faked. Laughter is too complex for faking, and, at a deep, non-verbal level, people know this. Accordingly, we trust (assign credibility to) people who laugh with us. Laughing with someone is the quickest way to build trust and rapport.

To boost your credibility on this element, take the following actions:

Communicate optimistically by describing challenges rather than problems

Focus on what can be done as opposed to what can’t be done

Go out of your way to be friendly, even if you aren’t an extravert

Practice finding the humor around you, especially in stressful situations

Express gratitude privately, publicly and in writing

Demonstrate an interest on matters of personal importance to others

Congratulate others and celebrate their successes

Credibility is a Package Deal

No single element described here can guarantee high perceived credibility. After all, an expert without integrity might be a dictator. A likeable person who lacks judgment will make stupid decisions.

People assign you a degree of credibility based on how they rate you on the interaction of the elements of credibility: integrity, expertise, sound judgment, relationship sensitivity, and likeability. Perceived credibility is a package deal. Remember, too, that your credibility is based on observed behavior, not on your intentions.

Understanding the elements of credibility provides you with opportunities to boost your perceived credibility and your success. Study the habits and behaviors of those who are well-liked in your workplace. Adopt or adapt those that you can authentically incorporate into your own behavior. Review the elements and action steps in this article, and choose one action to work on at a time. With time and consistency, you can boost your credibility at work and in your community. You need to know the definition of credibility and you need to care!

Bibliography

Anthony, Mitch (2003). Selling with Emotional Intelligence. Chicago: Dearborn Trade Publishing. Conger, Jay (1998). The Necessary Art of Persuasion in Harvard Business Review, May-June. Goleman, Boyatzis, and Mckee (2002). Primal Leadership. Boston: Harvard Business School Press. Kouzes and Posner (2003) Credibility. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass Sanders, Tim (2005). The Likeability Factor. New York: Three Rivers Press

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addcrazy-blog · 7 years

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New Post has been published on Add Crazy

New Post has been published on https://addcrazy.com/how-the-basket-bag-fashion-put-neighborhood-blogger-within-the-highlight/

How the basket bag fashion put neighborhood blogger within the highlight

Basket baggage is quirky, brunch date-appropriate highlight, and are one of the freshest tendencies that hit the streets this 2017. And to be sincere, we’re totally digging it. If you’ve been looking to get your hands on this, pass local and take a look at out fashion blogger Yuki Canseco’s very very own fashion line, The Style Cat. The Style Cat is an internet shop for every loopy cat girl long gone elegant: For both the metropolis and the island girl, the multi-talented, the bold, and never shy. The modern, however timeless. And of the route, for the curious cat who is constantly on the hunt for brand new styles and new adventures. It is the go-to web page for fashionistas who are inside the search of intricately woven lodge luggage, add-ons, and journey reveals. Check out our interview with Tansengco beneath: What’s the tale at the back of the name, The Style Cat? “Aside from the plain reality that I love my cats (I actually have thirteen!!!), I’ve usually been a curious cat while trying out new developments. Obsessed with dressing up, I started a style weblog in college, wherein I documented my daily clothing and the add-ons I hand made. Five years later, The Style Cat blog has unfolded so many opportunities for me and has now was a platform of style and journey concept for millennials. Merging my love for fashion, tour, and sustainable fashion, I created Style Cat, an eco-ethical line of locally made resort/wicker baggage for equally adventurous curious cats.” What’s the inspiration at the back of the first collection? “There are so many stunning locations ready to be explored. So certainly, my first ever series, Style Cat Resort: Take Me To Paradise is inspired by way of need to see destinations I’ve both gone too, or plan to go to Aruba (Southern Caribbean), Calaguas (Philippines), Santhiya (Thailand), Port Douglas (Australia), and Uluwatu (Bali.). You can take the bags to the metropolis or to the seashore—the fashion is flexible sufficient for any adventure.”

Why choose basket bags as your first merchandise?

“I blog about fashion and tour, and all my beach adventures continually involve a pleasing basket bag. I additionally love the idea of the use of regionally sourced cloth (along with raffia, abaca, and banking) and supporting our exceedingly proficient artisans. “By deciding on proudly Pinoy brands, like The Style Cat, you get fashionable merchandise, use sustainable substances that may not turn out to be clogging a landfill nearby, and of direction, empower our neighborhood groups.”

“Everything in Style Cat is locally made, even down to our dust bag with cat plush ears—it’s made in collaboration with Plush & Play and nays lower back in GK Enchanted Farm placed in Angat, Bulacan.” What’s your favorite design? “It’ll be so tacky and biased if I say all—but out of all five patterns, my favored is Aruba. I love flamingos!” How can people buy your merchandise? “Right now, we are working on our website to be able to be going stay quickly – www.Shopstylecat.Com. The merchandise is handmade so we need to assume cautiously wherein we cross subsequent and allocate the shares. Style Cat plans to faucet greater communities and empowers neighborhood artisans. Eventually, I want it made within the Philippines sooner or later and applauded in New York the next day. Let’s move global! Hopefully!”

The Philippine Chamber of Food Manufacturers is seeking a rewording of the bill in succeeding variations to ensure that milk is excluded from the tax plan, in line with its spokesman, Ricky Salvador. Salvador stated the House model indexed 2 exemptions, one for milk products with “no delivered sugar” and any other for “all milk merchandise” together with milk components and chocolate milk. He said the wording on first exemption might boost questions on tax insurance for milk merchandise with brought sugar, which contain 98 percent of products sold, as compared to the two percentage with out a delivered sugar. Why the Angara is reluctant about proposed tax on sugary drinks “It’s a gray region. Yung patka base, there are participants who assume na Hindi kami Kasama there are contributors na nag sahabi Kasama,” he said. (If you examine it, there are contributors who think that we are included, there are participants who suppose that we are no longer.) The tax on sweetened beverages, along with better responsibilities on gas are amongst measures that are intended to offset a discount in personal profits tax quotes.

Best 50th Wedding Anniversary Gift Baskets.tea basket

Celebrating a 50th wedding ceremony anniversary is this kind of tremendous success! Since it is a special anniversary, a special present is needed and that’s where a golden anniversary gift basket comes in! Below are several distinct themes you can use to your fiftieth wedding anniversary gift basket, from hobbies to highlighting the 12 months they were married!

Fruit basket

Create a gardening 50th present basket from gardening catalogs, seeds of flora you particularly like, gear, and a stepping stone with a suitable concept. There are actually kits to make your personal stones determined at craft and variety shops. You may want to put a favorite tender quote of theirs on it colored gold to in shape this golden anniversary present basket or the date of their wedding. This might make a lovely fiftieth basket that could combine functional and nostalgic gadgets. Each look out their window seeing the lovely blooms or greens would remind them of you and your valuable present. And as they walk the garden direction, looking down at the ones exceptional stones you’ve made, they will keep in mind all the great years they have spent together! It is no more enthralling, but also realistic, of extremely good fiftieth baskets!wine gift baskets

You should make a massive tote bag a photo tote bag by getting one with clear pockets at the aspect and slipping in a couple favorite copies of photographs inside the wallet. You also can purchase tote luggage made with those picture slots. This would make the greatest of practical baskets as they use the tote time and again! To entire the theme, add unique sized photos in unique frames to the bag. You can position a marriage picture in a gold body to complete that golden anniversary basket! Add snap shots of the own family they have got made collectively through the years and you’ll have the most unique and precious gift.tea gift baskets

Is square dancing a hobby of that unique couple? You may want to take a galvanized tub and fill it with a pair colorful, full petticoats which are worn below the women’s skirts. You ought to include inside the fiftieth wedding ceremony anniversary gift basket a pair string ties, something famous with the men! A matched pair of his and her cowboy hats might add a pleasing contact to the 50th-anniversary gift basket with a square dance subject. And while they’re now not actually dancing they may wear the t-shirts that proclaim their love of rectangular dancing which you’ve protected in this maximum particular of fiftieth-anniversary gift baskets! If it is some thing they have got expressed in a hobby in, make it a novices rectangular dancing golden anniversary present basket with a tutorial DVD or even a club to a local rectangular dance club.

Or you could buy a geared up made 50th-anniversary present basket. Some of the special gadgets you might want in it’d be things from the year they have been married. Something very unique and special might be adding a set of circulated cash, like a penny, dime, zone and 1/2 greenback from that yr. Perhaps a photographed body with the 12 months and a sentiment on it and a DVD of the activities of that 12 months delivered into the 50th wedding anniversary present basket could add to the highlights of that year they have been married. There are many thrilling things that would be included within the fiftieth anniversary present basket like a CD of a song from that yr, candies that were famous the year they were married or trivia gambling playing cards.

A simple, but tremendous fiftieth wedding anniversary idea is one with a culinary theme. Add several present certificates from restaurants inside the area. Team the fashion of cuisine of the eating places with a prepare dinner e book so that they can strive out that cuisine at home! Many towns now provide an expansion of cuisines in their restaurants. You can locate extraordinary kinds of Asian, French, down domestic fashion and even BBQ with books to in shape! This most exquisite of fiftieth anniversary present baskets create a journey in eating in an effort to be a most welcomed gift!

How to Build Your Email List by means of Guest Blogging

Whilst web sites want traffic to continue to exist, blog websites do too. Bloggers are continuously searching for new methods to improve site visitors to their websites. Popular strategies encompass marketing, search engine marketing, syndicating articles, and filing posts to authoritative websites, together with eHow.Com and ezine articles

But this kind of takes time, free money, or both.

As an end result, an increasing number of Internet entrepreneurs are turning to visitor running a blog to drive site visitors to their own web pages. Guest blogging is when you write a blog post and offer it to another blogger to put up on their weblog. While this arrangement doesn’t fee either celebration any cash, it could be extremely useful to both.

So why would you need to jot down on somebody else’s weblog without spending a dime? And why might an established blogger need to publish your weblog on their website? The answer to that query is simple: Traffic.

Build Your Email List with the aid of Guest Blogging

Win/Win for Blogger and Guest Guest blogging benefits both the weblog’s host and the man or woman writing the visitor blog. For the visitor, posting on a long time weblog can lead to lots of hobby from the host’s readers. If the visitor blog provides excessive-price content, readers may want click on the hyperlinks to the visitor bloggers website, services, and products.

For the host blogger, allowing a guest blogger to put up on their weblog permits them to provide excessive-price content material to their readers while not having to do whatever themselves., They experience the equal degree of site visitors while not having to research and create unique content.

Creates New Backlinks Blogging on a bunch weblog also permits visitor bloggers to acquire new inbound links to their touchdown pages. Readers who discover the content material of the guest blog of price can observe the hyperlinks back to the guest blogger’s touchdown web page.

These hyperlinks additionally boom the cost of the touchdown web page inside the eyes of the search engines like google and yahoo – including Google, Bing, and others. If the host blog web page is taken into consideration to be an authoritative web page with a first-rate Alexa rank, Google in particular likes this. This authoritative inbound link will increase the visitor bloggers page rating of their landing page.

Google desires to offer price and significance to websites which have quite a few links from authoritative websites. They distinguish those websites as dependable and trustworthy, in order that they rank them at or close to the top of the SERP (seek engine effects page) for his or her area of interest.

Selecting Guest Bloggers Established bloggers want to pick who they permit to write down guest blogs on their pages cautiously. They want to ensure the visitor goes to offer their readers beneficial and informative content material.

If the host blogger isn’t always acquainted with the guest blogger, they could study them, and test with different writers of their network. The host blogger also can ask the guest for credentials which include educational ranges, or beyond revel in. They also can ask for hyperlinks to preceding guest blogs.

Overall, the advantages of visitor blogging are several for each the host blogger and the visitor blogger.

Spotlight Lighting Uses And Benefits

One of the advantages of the usage of spotlight lighting is a number of mild spotlights can supply. Although spotlights direct their light to one spot simplest, they do work thoroughly at illuminating that region. This is why the highlight is a tremendous light for project lights. Another purpose why you’ll need to use spotlights is because they’re less expensive and energy-green.

Here are a number of the possible makes use of spotlights:

1. Stair lights

Aside from the apparent makes use of spotlight lighting fixtures, you could additionally use them as stair lights. At night time, you may want lighting fixtures fixture with the intention to mild up the staircase in an electricity-green and price-effective way. The highlight type of light is a superb candidate. They do paintings properly in illuminating an extended staircase and might make sure protection. Using spotlights as stair lighting fixtures reduce the probability of injuries at night time.

2. Task lighting

One of the exceptional forms of mission lighting fixtures you can have is a highlight. The right news is, there are one-of-a-kind kinds of spotlights nowadays that match in extra modern-day or present day settings. Square downlights, for instance, are very modern in the layout. Install them near your vanity mirror so you can without problems see what you’re applying to your face whilst you are applying makeup or on the brink of a shave in the morning or night.

You also can install them in your garage and use them as spot assignment lighting to light up the areas of the auto you want to light up. Architects running on their drafts or college students doing homework also can use these lighting fixtures to attention on their work. It allows making working at the very tough duties that require top lighting fixtures a coloration easier.

3. Kitchen lighting

Cooks realize how crucial it’s miles to have appropriate lighting in the kitchen, especially near the stove. This will assist them to take a look at the situation of what they are cooking. Under bad lighting, it is probably difficult to check the meals if it’s been undercooked or rather burned. Spotlights may be placed near the range. Square downlights also can serve as accent lighting and may be located above the countertop or the island counter.

If you’ve got a bar close to your eating room or kitchen, these spotlights may also come accessible. Use rectangular downlights to spotlight or exhibit your mini bar and your wine glasses. It works brilliantly, especially while you are entertaining.

Four. Outdoor lighting fixtures

Outdoor events may be tough to tug off with out right lights. If you have hosted out of doors events earlier than, you probably recognize how tough it’s miles to get proper lights. Spotlights shine excellent whilst they’re outside. They work properly in illuminating the vicinity. Try to create a makeshift dance level using those spotlights. You can also use these lighting fixtures to illuminate the out of doors cooking region.

5. Garden Lights

As lawn lighting fixtures, these spotlights are crucial. More than anything else, they do their paintings in preventing prowling burglars as night. A properly-lit backyard or lawn ought to beat back ability burglars.

You may additionally want to get the exceptional spotlights for your private home. You have many options out within the marketplace. Consider the space where you’ll combine the highlight first so that you may have a clear concept of what kind of spotlight you will search for. Gone are the days whilst the simplest spotlights you can choose from are those software ones frequently used for the level. There are now designs meant for domestic use. You can choose from the one’s designs to complement the general layout of the room.

Always choose energy-green lighting. Most owners use their spotlights overnight. If you intend to apply these lighting within the equal way and duration of time, you will need to pick out people with bulbs that do not eat a number of strength. When putting in this in outside spaces, ensure they may be encased in defensive covers with a purpose to resist common wear-and-tear.

Spotlight lights work for truly all intents and purposes. You might need to wrap your creative thoughts on the opportunity installing these rectangular downlights. These lighting fixtures actually work for a spread of purposes such as stair lighting, assignment lights or garage lighting. They also work effectively in a nicely-designed room due to the fact you can discover a whole lot of spotlights with a growing array of stunning decorations.

Iain Jenkins writes articles for Luma Lighting, the highest quality on line retailer of a range of highlight lights This includes increasingly famous recessed downlights, seen in lots of cutting-edge kitchens and toilets, stair lights, recessed wall spotlights for subtly highlighting person steps on stairs, and marker lighting fixtures for the bottom of partitions around the house. Both round and square downlights are available, both becoming a range of not unusual light bulbs.

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armorroofing · 7 years

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Wow! Armor Roofing - Lone Jack Roofers - 5-Star Service - A+ BBB

The article Wow! Armor Roofing - Lone Jack Roofers - 5-Star Service - A+ BBB originally appeared on Armor Roofing Kansas City.

Exactly why is proper roofing greatly important? A family home could be the essence of a man's existence. A property or home provides you with the shelter important to build a life together with your family. Accordingly, it follows that you need to make it a pleasant habitat for both you and your household. You will need to ensure that your residential home is normally ready and there will not really be something there that will make everyone to become miserable. The most effective care of your roof structure is certainly subsequently of the greatest importance to you and your family unit.

Because you reside in Lone Jack, you really should acknowledge that the acute weather here may severely harm your roofing if the right care is normally not really paid to it. For these reasons, when you see tale-tell indicators of would-be roof damage such as asphalt shingles on the turf or abrupt dings on your AC, you need to try to get an inspection of your roofing in the next few days to service any extant issues.

At Armor Roofing, we have been operating in the Lone Jack neighborhood for several decades and we decide to put clients 100% satisfaction first of all. Anyone can now validate this point by observing an array enthusiastic verifiable testimonies publicized at business feedback directories. Just about all roof repair services inevitably will be covered by your home insurance, and we can help you find your way through the red tape to ensure your insurance claim reimbursed. We proudly warranty our top rated quality roof work. We provide at a minimum a 5-year extended warranty on all jobs.

Do not wait around for trivial tile traumas to bring real water leak damage to your domicile. Communicate with us at this time for your no cost examination.

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

Hail packed weather conditions can certainly be the death of a roof covering if you will not consider taking the right things to provide it is checked on a regular basis and addressed at the earliest hint of deterioration. As long as your rooftop is specifically aged, then it might probably really need to be completely replaced, and this has the potential to become awfully pricey. Nonetheless, you shouldn't use that as a reason to hesitate to have it taken care of. One is just not going to be able to spare money basically not really having it managed. Without handling the damage caused, it is going to simply end up getting even worse at the time an upcoming weather system develops, and at some point, you are likely to have to fork over a lot more money. The roof structure can just only take so much pounding by downpours in the long term just before necessitating to be refitted to rescue its integrity.

The very good facts can be two-fold. A rooftop patch job is more prevalent than a high priced roof installation, that is usually exclusively unavoidable as a result of a really debilitating shower or the roof covering is extremely old. Anytime you have got a home loan on the household, you most likely will be mandated to hold ample residence insurance policy coverage. You quite likely have it even though you purchased the real estate without external debt. In either of these cases, you probably are covered with insurance for any roof structure ruin, hence you can easily snooze comfortably at nighttime if you believe you already have rooftop wear. Just realize adjusters only provide for higher quality replacements that they likely will check out. Due to the fact that you will desire to be positive, they say yes to the piece of work quickly, it is immensely important to opt for an ideal local roofing company that will accomplish the roofing job punctually and with the effective workmanship.

Do You Demand Another Roof structure in #city?

To assist you in determining the rooftop's physical condition, you will find many concerns you will need to respond to that depend on the selection of roofing you have got:

A Few Of The Excellent Pros Concerning A Replacement

Maybe you have identified some decayed metallic material located on your home's steel rooftop? Rust is patently not a positive symptom. At this moment may likely end up being a really good period of time to ask for the opinions of a roof professional. Please don't stall to look after the situation.

Identify any wood decay over the roof materials used? As one can are expectant of, this observation is horrible. Now that is has been observed, it must be rectified. It is certainly ideal to fix this soon.

Is your underlayment in good condition? Heard of a underlayment? This is normally inserted within the roof materials to assist in forestalling water leaks and make available a little more reinforcement and padding corresponding to the category of roofing material used. A ruined underlayment is just as wood deterioration. It probably won't end up being insanely long until finally some section of the rooftop falls in on itself if that layer is meant to make available structure and support, and worst case scenario, such a scenario can simply manifest in the near future. If you really want to keep the damage held in check, it is completely essential to work on the trouble right now.

Should you do notice property damage, you can do an insignificant repair or even an entire replacement, each with plus points and downsides. Though you may possibly be tempted to control this condition on your own, the recommended use of your valuable time and energy is likely to be invested in getting the assignment over to a roofing contractor. Ideally, you might want to have a roofing contractor carry out the evaluation also as climbing on the roofing can possibly be taking your life into your own hands and trained roofs can notice issues which a number of women and men aren't able to.

So just why leave the roof to hazard? Speak to Armor at once at (816) 331-7663 and we have the ability to check your roofing completely free.

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

Phone (816) 331-7663 to gain a cost-free roof inspection. There is no risk! When ever you get the local roofing company to consider your residence, ask about the magnitude of the damage caused and if a patch up or new roof installation is needed. Obviously, if it turns out your practitioner is biased against an entire replacement, you'll discover a handful of details you will be needing to evaluate.

Several Added Advantages

The best plus of a replacement is your roof ıs going to be totally restored! Right after the new structure is assembled, you won't have to be overly concerned with pretty much any sizeable renovations for quite a while. A straightforward mending maybe fantastic just as well, presuming the damage caused is slight.

Just one among the most commonly seen points for laying a spanking new roof structure is obviously that you are considering putting the real estate asset on the market place in an upcoming couple of years. Americans will search for a dwelling that has a recently installed roof and this is the rationale why mending, or even updating a roofing may possibly step-up the price quite significantly.

A Few Inconveniences

The time period necessary with the roof covering replacement would be lots more than with a mending. A roofing service that is very well staffed and well trained most likely will make this project rather pain-free for you. When considering the fees you can expect, $7,000 and $11,000 is going to be a general budget range towards a roof top. A huge estate or top style will be appreciably more higher priced even while modest dwellings could fall just below this whole range. There isn't a rationale for why to worry over this under most circumstances. If you find the house hold is highly compromised, consequently you would file a demand with the insurance company. Simply just make certain you go for the most desirable company to accomplish the replacement competently the first time. We have been doing work in Lone Jack for quite a few years and are known by many of the nearest insurers and the concerns important and vital to get your application paid.

Preferably this posting provided valuable guidance to provide answers to some of your inquiries concerning roofing near by Lone Jack. No Lone Jack roofer surpasses Armor Roofing LLC where it comes down to buyer contentment and excellent quality. Please click the hotlink as follows to get in touch with us straight away!

Call Us Today!Call Us Today! (816) 331-7663

The post Wow! Armor Roofing - Lone Jack Roofers - 5-Star Service - A+ BBB appeared first on Armor Roofing Kansas City.

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