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fluidsf · 3 years

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A Polar Visions / Polar Visions Amplitude review of -

Francisco López - a bunch of stuff (1980-2020)

Release date - July 2020

Reviewed format - Francisco López self-released (under the Nowhere Worldwide banner) USB business card, as kindly sent to me as a review copy by Francisco López

Note - you can purchase this release in digital format directly from Francisco López' Bandcamp page here: https://franciscolopez.bandcamp.com/album/a-bunch-of-stuff-1980-2020-40-years-of-sonogenic-composition

Welcome to the first review on Fluid Sonic Fluctuations review in 2021! Today I’m discussing Francisco López’s very large multi-part anniversary compilation a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) which was self-released by Francisco both as a neat USB business card and later reissued as download through Bandcamp in 2020. With this compilation Francisco is celebrating the 40 years he’s been creating immersive sonic compositions in the experimental and underground music scene, practicing his own coined way of sonogenic composition. a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) presents an excellent thematic overview of Francisco López’ discography through a large number of excerpts from his ever-growing universe of untitled compositions as well as titled pieces. The excerpts are organised into 15 parts which Francisco has tagged with his own invented genre names, which both point at his own personal sound philosophy but also have a subtle comic touch to them. Besides the excerpts, Francisco has also included several full-length (as well as almost full-length) as well as rare, unreleased and at the time of the original release still unreleased compositions making the compilations a great mixture of both showcase and rarities compilation. Whilst Francisco’s full-length compositions are often quite expansive in length making them suitable for a full-on immersion in the sonic universe created, the way every chronologically ordered part of a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) flows makes for a different yet equally intriguing and immersive listening experience with creative usage of both fades and hard cuts connecting the tracks together making every part that the full 12 hours worth of listening this compilation consists of a very rewarding listening experience. Francisco’s philosophy on both listening itself as well as his way of composing always originates first and foremost from the experience of listening in a very immersive sense which goes beyond source recognition or surface-level emotions but is very much settled in immersion within the sound world itself leaving the often cathartic, subconscious effects to the listeners themselves to feel and thereby completing the composition. Francisco himself reminds us of his philosophy but also shares some new insights on 40 years of sonogenic compositions in this mini-interview I did with him over email:

Orlando Laman - Over the last 40 years you've released a large number of your compositions, the selection on a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) is organized using your own invented genres. Regarding bringing together selections of compositions as collections through series (like recently, Two Head Snake) or by listeners themselves discovering certain connections between releases, how do you view your full collection of works as a whole, especially in the way all this shaped sonic matter is forming a sonic universe completed by the listener?

Francisco López - Well, as a whole I guess I see it as my way of having a more meaningful and richer interaction with the world. Not through representation (as in canonical so-called 'field recordings') but rather through penetration into sonic matter and its ontology.

OL - From listening to your compositions and interviews with you it's clear that most of the time you create compositions without planning things ahead, creating a system or trying to execute creative ideas through manipulated sound matter. It's a matter of composition that is both improvisatory based on the sounds themselves yet also very refined and perfectionist, which makes the compositions feel very natural but also unpredictable in captivating ways.

FL - This is what I call 'sonogenic composition', i.e., a practice of creative work with sound (and listening) in which sound themselves lead the way; not merely as 'samples' of elements to be placed in a pre-existing structure / grid / idea, but a generators of structure, pace, dynamics, texture and anything else imaginable in a sonic work. That's why I dislike the term 'manipulation'; in this context, I'd rather use 'evolution', which describes more reliably what takes place in this process.

OL -The results are more important than the tools used, however one thing that intrigued me is your manipulation and usage of low to sub-bass frequency layers of sound within many of your compositions, even those from the early 1980s, with low to sub-bass frequency sounds being an area of sonic matter that falls somewhere between the audible and felt area of sound and its direction being hard for humans to discern, how do you view this field of sonic matter relating to your compositions? Is it an area of the spectrum which you intuitively often accentuate in compositions or is this area one which you've gotten used to working with overtime to fully utilize the audible (and inaudible) spectrum of sound we can hear from sub-bass to very high frequencies?

FL - I like rich music, in all imaginable senses. That naturally includes the frequency spectrum, both audible and sensible (we do a lot of our hearing haptically in the low and sub-low ranges). As I've learned to compose largely through an intensive and extensive listening interaction with the world, those low frequencies are a 'natural' part of my sonic palette.

OL - a bunch of stuff(1980-2020) features excerpts which are often quite a bit shorter than your full compositions and releases, your full releases often feature long single compositions or a collection of shorter compositions making up one full "untitled" album release, besides these you've also released a few released a few albums which span several hour up til a full day worth of listening. In the compilation context and with the albums featuring shorter compositions the whole listening experience flows in an intriguing manner at times, with some pieces having a hard cut at the end rather than a fade-out or silence, this can have the effect at times of sudden realization of the composition's finite state within the album. Additionally, releases that span multiple hours can have the effect of the listener's listening mode moving from a focussed listening to a state in between listening and the sounds seeping into the subconscious of the listener creating certain emotions or triggering memories, What is your approach in selecting compositions for the albums and compilation releases, taking into account the listener experience? And further zooming in on time disappearing from our perception as we're fully focussed on the sounds, especially when listening to your multi-hour releases, is there a difference in terms of creating these extended-length releases to your other albums and compilation, relating to the listening experience you present?

FL - I like to be compositionally free to work with time. Traditional limitations like the length of a record or a radio show shouldn't limit our adventures in creative listening. To me, mega-long compositions (i.e., 24-hour or longer, like some of my pieces) generate micro-worlds of sonic experience that suggest a different kind of listening -one that gets closer to a form of 'inhabiting sound', which is tremendously suggestive. Different people will approach such extensions in varied ways, but I believe they always generate an unusual and fruitful potential for a very different, interesting and appealing experience of sonic matter as space and as time.

Many thanks to Francisco López for sending over the physical release as well as answering these questions and sharing such inspiring insights. Before we dive into the analyses of the separate parts as well as thoughts on my favourites tracks on this compilation I’ll mention what you can expect from the physical version of a bunch of stuff (1980-2020). Like most of Francisco’s releases the focus is all on the music and immersive sonic experience itself, so the USB business card itself features quite minimalistic design combined with a lovely photo of fire however. The content of the USB business card itself is a liner notes PDF file as well as the full compilation with 15 folders making up all the parts. Every folder contains the tracks as lossless 16-bit/44.1kHz CD quality files. While the best listening experience of Francisco Lopez’ work is by going into the compositions with a fully clear mind without knowing in advance what to expect in terms of a description or listings of sources used, the liner notes file does list the sound sources for some some of the tracks although Francisco isn’t getting specific about what these exactly consist of so beside the credits and tracklist parts not spoiling anything these source details are still staying cryptic enough to not reveal the workings behind the magic of Francisco’s compositions. Let’s now dive into a bunch of stuff (1980-2020).

a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) starts with first part All In. All In features a collection of pieces that mix various compositional approaches López takes together, with the All In being appropriate as “maximalist” pieces in terms of density of the sound matter or layering. In terms of sound matter I spotted bird and cicadas but there are also some “hidden” melodies in some of these pieces, either through certain resonances within the sound layers used or as series of tones that peek through the textures. López’ signature very low sub bass frequencies (also mentioned in my mini-interview and subtle glitches also appear within these pieces. In my favourite track 2012 - With_In [excerpt] López brings us an eerie tapestry of mysterious swirling resonant wheezing sound that flutters left and right, makes percussive shifting clicks to the left and right side and appears as this cloud of shaky sonic matter we are floating in ourselves. The perspective shifts from within (no pun intended) the sound matter to looking at this matter from a distance but the general experience is definitely very much grounded within the sound itself. The aforementioned hidden melodies appear in this piece too, in the form of hollow resonant diffuse tones that add this mysterious ambience of uncertainty to the emotional situation that might arise from our being in this environment. Whilst quick shifts do occur in some of Francisco’s compositions, the gradual continuous nature of this piece definitely helps the subtle shifting of focus within the layers of sounds as well letting the sonic matter work onto your mind in a certain meditative state. Delusional Cinematic follows, which features chopped up, at times quite abrasive collage like compositions of various sound matter including environmental sounds, movie sounds and music fragments. At times the compositions are stylistically comparable to Noise in their uncompromising more harsher edged nature. The pieces also feature rather clever transitions making for listening experiences that are as captivating as films or TV series themselves but in this case the imagery is purely mind-created.The strengths of my favourite track 2017 - untitled #360 [excerpt] are both in the silent brooding atmosphere of the composition within this longer 10:27 minutes excerpt and the way it progresses from one situation to the other. Starting from this eerie minimalist situation featuring quite a lot of shifting, rustling and clicking high pitched sonic matter there is something quite eerie about the idle space in between the sounds which creates a bit of a vacuum effect within the space and the at times wildly varying spectra and panning of the sounds themselves makes for quite some disjointed bits and pieces being scattered around this space as well, feels quite like being in a medieval village whilst sounds appear and disappear out of nowhere. In its second phase the piece moves into a battlefield of wild low frequency laden combat, helicopter whirling, a lot of (gun)shots and a further brooding mass of low frequency rumbling following up the first phase’s more resonant metallic waves of lower pitched sound. The transition from the battle to the dive underwater in which the battle can still be heard but in a more muffled state is one of my favourite aspects from this piece as it does add such a natural flow to the aural narrative this conjures up in my mind. I’d say this piece does mix Francisco’s more purely textural qualities with an inspired sense of rapid-cut composition making this one of his pieces which you can listen to through filtering and diving into its layers as well as letting your mind make up its own story through the progression from phase to phase within the composition. The next part Drone World features Drone pieces in the sense of especially hypnotic high frequency streams of sound, rhythmic sounding environmental sound matter as well as low bass frequencies and resonances. My favourite piece on this part is 1992 - Hypogeion [excerpt]. The piece is noticeably quite a bit louder than the other compositions before it on this part and whilst Francisco is clearly not trying to make a composition in a traditional manner this piece stylistically does remind me of 90’s Tribal Ambient, albeit in a more improvised manner. Featuring an array of highly resonant and bassy mallet tones as well as reverberant tribal style percussion the except of this piece showcases a particularly intense part of the composition moving into a more laid-back sustained phase. Somewhere in between mysterious factory and Egyptian pyramid sonics it features some excellent mixtures of dense tonal layers blending into each other with the overtones creating diffuse and at times dissonant interactions of sound. The percussive elements are quite high pitched throughout with quite some crystal like sounds flowing throughout the sonic space like grains of silver but overall the layers of sound flow much more like rippling shuddering waves that are often shifting from interlocking to interfering creating that always captivating element of mystery within Francisco López’ compositions. Afterwards in the Lo-Fi Broad-Band Tape Noiselationism part we have Noise oriented pieces made up of collages of sound matter of an Industrial and more organic nature as well as AM radio sourced sounds in compositions that feature some sweet droning and rhythmic sub bass frequencies. The pieces are more minimalist in terms of composition but equally captivating and showcase the more extreme side of López oldest works. My favourite track 1983 - untitled (1983) [excerpt] features most of the aforementioned elements. It’s a raw, lo-fi composition made up of various layers of electronic signals broadcast over shortwave radio with its beginning being the most recognisable in terms of source. However as always with Francisco’s compositions, the immersive experience is much more important than trying to further analyze what the actual sounds are and in this case it’s a particularly physical listening experience. The sound is grainy and often artefact laden, filled with hiss and sharp frequencies and in this fragment there is some kind of pattern of tones recognisable within its first half, as a whole however it sounds more like flying through an electric interference laden sky in which bits of metal are swirling around you in this cloud of disturbance and interference. Unlike some of the other 1980s composition excerpts on this compilation however this piece features a few hard cuts and changes to different clouds of fragile sound. Whilst being a continuous stream of hissy sound matter the piece eventually breaks up into shards of sharp irregular shaped sound movements until the fade-out. It’s definitely quite noisy in a way but I feel it’s also quite organic as all of Francisco’s works are, the sounds flow as freely as nature does and never feel artificial compared to what generally is considered as natural sounds. Following part Medium With No Message moves through various types of recording and playback medium based compositions both analogue and digital but actually does recall a lot of the crackling sounds and resonances from Francisco’s environmental sound matter based works as well. There is some recognisable glitch work in the last piece however but this again sounds more crystalline like than the at times clinical sounding works by other Glitch oriented artists. When we look at my favourite piece on this part 2002 - untitled #128 we find a piece that is minimalist in terms of its textural density. Quite like a breeze of wind subtly increasing in intensity, crackles, ticks, pops and other little grains of sound matter gradually build up a subtle rustling cloud of sound accompanied by mysterious tonal elements. Just like the diffuse spectrum of a light shower combined with how you can sense a lot of details in these sounds within quieter environments this piece offers a lot of depth, ever-changing bits of sounds within the subtly intertwined layers as the fluid qualities of the sound grip your ears and mind in a both intriguing and enjoyable manner. In the following part Mutated Locations we can find pieces based on environmental sound matter which are evolved into repeating rhythms, strange resonances as well as eerie and metallic layers of sound. The first few pieces carry Francisco’s darker Industrial like sonic approach to composition whilst pieces later on within the track list have a lighter (cleaner) sound and utilise the sub bass frequencies in a more intense manner as well as featuring less audible techniques of evolving sound matter. Whilst Francisco’s compositions aren’t really dark, I do often get a pretty eerie feeling from some pieces which I do like a lot and the more directly hitting approach of some of the compositions works better than the forced subtlety that some other sound artists would try to keep within their compositions. In my favourite track on this part, 2014 - untitled #321 [excerpt] we have a rather gripping flow of events. Just like the other tracks surrounding this one there’s quite a lot of depth in this piece and the imagery conjured up in my mind by this composition also particularly feels like looking at this sonic environment from above. As I felt this piece, it’s like a mass of clattering and shifting sounds as well as rather high pitched details quickly increasing in intensity as the layers demand more and more attention culminating into some particularly spooking train whistle like tones which keep hanging in the air at the end of this except until fade-out. The whole track feels quite like exploring one of these areas in which unused train carriages are stored, some of which rusting and degrading away until we’re suddenly transported to a used railway in which a brownish grey transport train is just about heading our way. Then on the following part Nice Noise we indeed have a collection of Noise styled compositions by Francisco which ranges from early metallic sound matter collages forming streams of layered Noise to more glitchy and granulated sounds in later tracks, cleaner hissy sounds with the last track blending these elements together in a similar way like pieces on the All In part. This last track, 2020 - untitled #380 [except] is also my favourite piece from this part. With Francisco combining various approaches from the 4 decades he is active by now within this piece he also created a very captivating mysterious sonic environment within this piece which is less abstract than other pieces but makes for a very unique listening experience with its combination of environmental sounds and brooding hypnotic tones. It’s quite like this dream about a cold dark forest you find yourself in which is “breathing” as one entity, with the animals providing soundtracks to this process of breathing through the hissy and hollow sounds they produce, the strange low thumps at the end, further thicken the surreal plot of this sonic story. Non-Representational Environmental Sound Matter is the part that follows and is in a way similar to Mutated Locations in terms of selection but inverts the compositional approach by showcasing Francisco’s environmental sound matter pieces with less extreme evolution within the sound matter itself but instead use some great layering, unpredictable structures and amplification creating immersive listening experiences in which some sounds are still recognizable at times but form elements within newly composed environments that are like the title says different from just reality. The excerpts on this part are also longer and feature more gradual progressions within which makes for more meditative like listening experiences as you shift your focus through the various layers within. My favourite piece in here is 2011 - Hyper-Rainforest [except]. It’s the longest excerpt Francisco has taken from any piece on this compilation but it’s also especially good that he’s selected a long part of it in the editing process as it’s a rather subtly enveloping composition. There’s a lot of sonic details of the rainforest you can pick up in this one, especially the many different animals within the rainforest, but also various other natural environmental sounds. One of the best things about the way this piece is composed however is the combination of shifting layers with an almost narrative like progression of sonic situations and directions, but all the while staying within the same sonic universe, giving us the ability to travel without moving, but in a different sense. I found it particularly enjoyable to shift through listening modes, at times spotting certain sounds, at other times taking in the effect of the entities within the sound matter and letting the fabric of each of this work on mind as well as sense of depth in the sonic space through listening. Indeed through the shifting layers you also start to sense the location of certain sounds within the depth of the piece as at times having a strangely reverberating acoustic distance to them whilst still sounding as being in the same sonic universe making for a quite magical listen. The progression of the piece towards the rain shower which abruptly ends into a sudden quiet section of soft chirping sounds adds a radio play like narrative element to the piece too as Francisco provides a bit of a frame for the behaviour of all sonic elements within the piece as certain changes that appear within this environment. It heightens the immersion too as not only do the changes make your part of the sonic universe, but they also point towards the deeper subconscious effects of streams of full spectrum sound matter like rain and the many layers of diffusion hidden around the centre of it. In the following part Sonic Seeds and Mega-Evolution Francisco utilises sonic seeds, which sound similar in approach to grains of sound to sculpt mostly unrecognisable sound matter into richly resonant, metallic and often glitchy forms. This part starts with an amalgamation of layers of sonic matter, after which the pieces grow ever more rhythmic and at times recognisably melodic in a way. The results of this sonic approach are somewhat similar to some pieces in the Nice Noise part but in this case the compositions are showcasing more of Francisco’s abstract Glitch like works, differing from his compositions grounded in environmental sonic matter but still bearing some similarities with the organic sound matter in terms of crackling clicks and the usage of high frequency sound. My favourite piece on this part is 2020 - untitled #383 [excerpt] and this one is a particularly glitchy composition. Following a nice gradual progression throughout this excerpt, the composition builds from a cloud of metallic crackles to a final section of glowing droning tones. All throughout we can dive into the various layers of clicky and mostly pointy sound matter that make up the framework of sonic actions that make up this composition feeling somewhere between machinery rhythms and liquid organic matter. The buzzing glitched “bass” tones make for a great ground of the framework, driving the composition forward with quite rumbling low frequencies which when combined with the glowing tones of the final section make for a quite intriguing combination of abstracted rhythmic sound and glowing diffuse sound combined within the same sonic universe. It does remind me a bit of Autechre as well in terms of approach, although in a less chaotic and more organic manner. Afterwards in the part Soundtracks With No Real Subservience we can listen to a selection of soundtrack pieces by Francisco, composed for various films, including art films and documentary. Moving from intense Noise like compositions towards less abrasive compositions featuring concrete and environmental sound matter, Francisco works with sounds within a more narrative type of fashion with the pace of the compositions being quicker and having more of an emotional edge to them. There’s also some more division in sections audible within these pieces as well as the darker qualities of environmental sound matter. In my favourite piece 2016 - Anima Ardens [excerpt] we are presented with another intriguing situation as the piece combines quite peaceful organic sound matter with layers of metallic clangs as well as a brooding diffuse tonal cloud hanging in the air. Quite like finding a mysterious wooden house which is also used as a metal workshop the juxtaposition also makes it feel quite like roaming around in the forest at night. The sharp swirls and clicking sounds, combined with the hollow tones and clangs instantly conjure up quite some magical imagery as these elements start to blend into each other as well as change or fade out whilst remaining a continuous flow of sound keeping its grip on you within the sonic universe. Next part The Ultra-Quiet, Not Conceptual features some of Francisco's quietest pieces. Indeed these are excerpts from his pieces that feature quite a lot of very quiet sound matter and silence moving from a hollow resonant flow of sound to soft rustling and clicks to some surprisingly intense sections of sub-bass frequencies in later pieces within this part. These sub-bass frequency section do also feature in my favourite piece on this part, 2013 - untitled #309 [excerpt] and in this case they’re accompanied by muffled mysterious drones that fade into soft-focus out of the silence. Like most pieces on this parts it’s a very subtle listening experience best listened to on good speakers, including a subwoofer or headphones with a good bass response to properly hear the subtle sonics Francisco builds up in her creep out of their corners. Afterwards on the next part VirtuAural Machines Francisco zooms in on his machinery based pieces. The part features a mixture of approaches to the sonic experience of machinery itself moving from relatively rough softly saturated Industrial like pieces to the usage of percussive mechanical elements to create hypnotic sonic framework as well as eerie sonic universes made up of huge halls filled with heavy clangs of equipment, siren like diffuse, distant tones and pointy and hissy sonics blending together into enveloping streams of sound around us. Whilst some of the sources on this part are at times recognisable in a way, there’s a lot of enjoyment to be had once again by the strange textural qualities of the sound matter as these entities in themselves have a particular enjoyable quality within them here, which is helped by the often spacious panning within the compositions. Favourite piece 1990 - Fango de Euriptéridos [excerpt] utilises the aforementioned spacious panning rather well and also amplifies another aspect of machinery in that it’s based a lot around shimmering tonal resonances reverberating through a large spaces rather than emphasising the (harsh) hissing and repetitive elements of machinery. It features various types of sonic actions but the general sonic focus is on this warm glowing mass of resonance that vibrates in certain ways as well, creating shifting droning tones that seem to make the floor vibrate as well. A quite “temple” like approach to an Industrial sonic universe. Following part Within The Noosphere features a rather different kind of compositions by Francisco in that most of these pieces are built up out of many layers of other music, which are evolved in various manners. Moving from pretty intense tape collages to tumbling Plunderphonics Metal barrages to the rather amusing wailing stretched tones of the old song sampled of a vinyl recorded on the last track it’s Francisco’s compositional work at its most structurally and sonically disruptive. Favourite piece 1994 - Concert for 300 Magnetic Tapes [excerpt] feels quite like a mountain landscape built out of many types of sonic matter. Most matter used within this piece is quite noisy, quirky and quite explosive too but the general fuzzy and crumbling nature of all these bits combined does still conjured up this curious imagery of a mountain landscape made up of sonic material. Recognisably musical and human sounds are at times still audible in between the cracks of the mass of sound, but in a subtle way. The following part Xeno-Instruments features a selection of Francisco’s “acoustic” pieces, in the sense that some of the compositions do feature acoustic musical instruments, at times without much audible post-production. The results are quite mysterious as can be expected from Francisco’s approach, feeling quite like the sound of the earth crust being broken open, sharp clouds of buzzing sonics, thundering percussion rhythms and wooden rumbles travelling through the room. Indeed most of the time it’s not even audible that there are actual acoustic instruments used, which is definitely the quality of Francisco’s work in that he consistently keeps evolving the sonic universes he conjures up and can find richness, “alien” new elements as well as captivating details though any method of composition and with any sound matter he finds making for a very solid but still diverse body of work. The aforementioned wooden rumbles feature in my favourite piece 2011 - untitled #275 [excerpt]. Built up out of rhythmic elements, low rumbles as well as diffused spooky tones the piece progresses in a subtle and deep manner. There’s this great metallic bell like clang that creates regular accents in the first half of this excerpt filling the room with rich resonance periodically. The rhythmically moving wooden elements form irregular patterns that do follow a certain scheme of sections in terms of there appearance and are spiky but also somewhat dampened in nature. Strangely reverberating tones almost form a diffuse melody in the second half which then moves into a brooding cloud of tonal sonic matter. It’s the kind of piece that feels somewhere in between your room starting to create its own sonic universe as well as the sonic picture of an abandoned wooden windmill’s mechanical sounds of past activity. Final part Yes, Humans features compositions that all feature recognisable human sounds or traces of these in various manners moving from amusing locally recorded environmental sound matter to layered children’s choir recordings and a further direction of ever more evolved and abstract sound matter culminating in one of Francisco's most recent compositions (from the last few years) on the final track. This final part quite nicely compiles Francisco's approaches in a way, as radio play like recordings moving in the ever more mysterious abstract and at times cinematic sonics of Francisco’s later works. My favourite track here is the rather short but sweet 1992 - Sofia [excerpt]. In nature is more straight-forward than other pieces on this part but I do find the juxtaposition and sounds themselves within this piece rather nice. It starts with a TV recording of some kind of Soviet TV commercial which sounds all cosy and sweet but afterwards cuts to this Russian Orthodox(?) church in which can hear chants. I especially do like this combination as the commercial seems to recall the memories of the Soviet Union in perhaps a bit overly rosy manner while the church sounds totally loose from anything that might conjure up bad memories and sounds much more peaceful in a way. The way you can hear Francisco walking around the church as well as all kinds of extra noises including a loud cough, footsteps and muffled talking adds to the amusing nature of this piece. The lo-fi nature of the recording also makes the chants themselves feel more like a cloud of tonal sonic matter as syllables get a bit drowned out in the recording. Francisco López’ a bunch of stuff (1980-2020) is an excellent compilation showcasing a great selection of Francisco’s rich discography of compositions which by now reach over 40 years. Full of immersive, uncompromising sonics this compilation is a rewarding listen for anyone who wants to get into Francisco’s music and wants to have a curated overview of his discography to get started diving into his full-length and shorter releases. There’s also some great material in this compilation for fans of Francisco who already have multiple of his releases as the rarer material and recent pieces offer some further sonic enjoyment and the compilation’s selection and sequencing also offers a new more mixtape style manner to enjoy Francisco’s compositions. It’s a recommended compilation for anyone who wants to get into Francisco López as well as fans of Noise, Sound Art, Tape based experimental music, Glitch as well as a uniquely personal approach to sound matter based experimental music, sonogenic composition. Definitely check this out.

You can order a copy of the physical USB business card edition here: https://www.blackhole.la/webshop/francisco-lpez-a-bunch-of-stuff-1980-2020?fbclid=IwAR3pcZfCIT-3Y7BR2M7AjTuph_3TWUm2ZHFjwmuNadir21X_imHnv9ODiZk

#polar visions amplitude #Polar Visions #compilation review #francisco lópez #a bunch of stuff (1980-2020)#mini-interview #noise #sonogenic composition #dark ambient #environmental sound matter #sound collage #plunderphonics #glitch #lowercase #immersive listening #eai #usb business card

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arbeaone · 4 years

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For “Great British Baking Show” Contestants, The Real Loss is the Endless Trolling

by Rae Robey Published on December 2, 2019 at 11:51am

Against the vast backdrop of high-octane and anxiety-inducing cooking competition television programs, The Great British Baking Show is an aberration. Internationally beloved for its affable contestants and endless supply of baking-themed anglicisms—“soggy bottoms” and “saucy puds” abound—the show follows a dozen or so home bakers as they compete to be named Britain’s best amateur baker. When the 2019 season premiered with a record-breaking 9.6 million viewers, each contestant was thrust into the public eye; most have racked up tens of thousands of Instagram followers since the season began in August. For American audiences in particular, The Great British Baking Show’s intrinsic wholesomeness makes it a cultural phenomenon: We could never be so well-mannered in a televised competition, but we do enjoy pretending.

The Great British Baking Show is, at most, an estranged cousin to American cutthroat cooking competitions like Chopped, Iron Chef, or even Cupcake Wars. In the Baking Show tent, contestants help each other finish their bakes, are graceful (even grateful!) in defeat, and despair when their purported rivals are dismissed from the competition. Each episode is predicated on kindness, love, support, and the freely-given home-baked comforts of the feminine domestic realm. Even the grand prize—a cake stand and some flowers, no cash—highlights the show’s near-pathological humility. Produced by a team called Love Productions, decency is, we can only assume, woven into the show’s DNA. But when Baking Show airs on TV, long after the last bun is iced and the final bap prodded, the trolling begins.

Each season, the bakers spend months immersed in icing sugar, bavarois, and ganache, frantically preparing for the 30 challenges of the competition. In addition to the generalized stress of executing difficult pastry skills while trying to impress professional judges on an international stage, the bakers are told by producers that they’ll likely deal with some backlash from a handful of disproportionately peeved viewers. After all, it’s a competition. But the backlash goes beyond competition, and, despite the warning, most bakers are blindsided by the frequency and ferocity of their trolling. And though adoring fans are certainly in the majority, online trolls yell the loudest. Stacey Hart, a Season 8 semifinalist, dealt with severe online harassment as soon as the season began airing. “I’m smug, I’m a bitch, I’m a worthless piece of shit, I’m a useless baker,” Hart told Bitch, describing the comments that strangers sent her. “[The show] was the best experience and the best thing—at the time—that I ever did. It became the worst thing I ever did.” Trolls loathed her pink, glittery bakes and how often she brought up motherhood; their caustic DMs and comments drove her into a months-long depression. “I’m quite a self-conscious person anyway, and it made me question myself,” says Hart. “Am I good enough?”

Before Hart, there was Ruby Tandoh, a Season 4 runner-up who was deemed a “filthy slag” who traded sexual favors and weaponized “female tears” for preferential judging. Tandoh wrote a piece for The Guardian in October 2013 describing the waves of “lazy misogyny” that followed each episode’s release, but shining light on the problem change much for future contestants. Claire Goodwin, the first to leave the tent in Season 5, was inundated with fat-shaming comments. Season 6 winner Nadiya Hussain, a first-generation British Bangladeshi, was told to “go home” on Twitter. Candice Browne, winner of Season 7, regularly endured comments from strangers who “fucking hate Candice, reckon she’s a right bitch.”

In a 2018 joint study with Element AI, Amnesty International named online trolling of women a human rights violation—one that social media platforms like Twitter continuously refuse to be held accountable for. The trolling of Baking Show contestants generally reflects the Amnesty International findings: White women are trolled hard, but women of color are trolled harder. Commenting on the viciousness of a particularly nasty troll, Hussain offered a succinct explanation: “I’m Muslim, brown, working-class and a woman! I may as well have ‘punching bag’ written on my torso.” In general, men are less likely to be trolled and, instead, are more likely to be trolls themselves, due to years of learned misogyny and—according a Brunel University and Goldsmiths, University of London report—a higher rate of narcissism. But on Baking Show, trolling often extends to the men with nearly as much vitriol and regularity as it does to the women.

Dan Beasley-Harling, a 2018 contestant and self-identified “gay-at-home dad” received the overwhelming bulk of Season 8’s cumulative harassment. “It was about five weeks of people just saying horrible things about me constantly. I had some really overtly homophobic comments,” says Beasley-Harling, referring to unoriginal jabs about queer sex and the suitability of a queer parent. Trolls can generally find a problem with any woman, but two types of bakers stand out as exceptionally deserving of harassment: women who don’t land neatly in the realm of palatable, perfect femininity, and men who aren’t stereotypically masculine. Beasley-Harling’s experience suggests that Baking Show trolls might take a more nuanced approach to their vocation.

Perhaps it’s not just about harassing women online—it’s about re-establishing gendered power dynamics and punishing those who flirt with the domestic on public-facing platforms. Domestic work has historically been an unpaid at-home venture delegated to women, so Baking Show contestants are either women overstepping their household boundaries or men crossing gendered labor lines. For a troll, either is a damnable offense. But with each record-smashing episode, Baking Show subverts the assumptions of where femininity belongs, who it belongs to, and how much it’s worth—roughly £24.2 million in predicted revenue. Still, exploitation is often and easily disguised as empowerment. Lest we forget, Baking Show contestants aren’t paid, and the grand “prize” has little to no real-world value.

To an extent, we all participate in the uninformed and unkind public judging that trolls have championed. We experience celebrities and public figures—especially women—as dehumanized subjects ripe for public dissection, each one existing in a vacuum sealed behind a screen. After all, the Baking Show contestants are filmed, edited, and packaged by professionals into easily digestible archetypes for the sake of a comprehensible and compelling storyline. For example, the latest season featured Michael Chakraverty as the optimistic goofball, Steph Blackwell as the irrationally insecure savant, and Helena Garcia as the spooky, whimsical free spirit. While these personas are fully inspired by who the bakers actually are, they’re ultimately deployed to create drama and tension where it doesn’t exist—that’s just the mandate of reality-TV editing.

But trolls live in the extreme, and for them the editing spurs online abuse. Beasley-Harling, for example, saw the trolling as a direct extension of Love Production’s editing. “I felt like the editing choices were very much treating me like collateral damage,” Beasley-Harling says. “I phoned Love Productions and said, ‘I don’t think you’re representing me fairly, I understand why people don’t like me.’ And they said, ‘No, you’re crazy, everyone’s getting a fair, balanced view on the show. It’s all in your head.’” Gaslighting, the Old Faithful of emotional abuse is regularly deployed against women, people of color, the LGBTQ community and other marginalized groups, is remarkably efficient at restabilizing power dynamics—exactly what trolls seek to do. A representative for Love Productions stated via email that: “Love Productions has always taken contributor care seriously and has robust protocols in place to protect and support those taking part in our shows throughout production and after transmission. These protocols evolve to acknowledge and address the changing media landscape and scrutiny.”

Depending on who you ask, however, the robustness of their protocols fluctuates. According to Beasley-Harling, past contestants have speculated that the Love Productions team tailors their level of attention and support based on the profitability of the contestant in question. After leaving the tent halfway through the competition, Beasley-Harling felt like Love Productions was less interested in protecting its contestants from trolling when money was to be made elsewhere, a behavior not dissimilar to reality television at large. “I barely left my house for three months. I was a shitty parent for three months,” Beasley-Harling says, describing the impact of his trolling. “To me, that felt like, ‘We’ve used you for the entertainment value and now we’re disposing of you.’” But Hart, the semifinalist who received the brunt of Season 8’s trolling and suffered a depressive period similar to Beasley-Harling’s, found Love Productions reassuring throughout airing.

“Every time I called them, they were wonderful. Didn’t matter what time of day,” says Hart. But she does concede that the emotional scarring from her online abuse outlasted Love’s self-proclaimed robust protocols. “They’ve got no idea how it’s affected me to this day,” says Hart. “I don’t think that’s their problem anymore, is it?” It remains to be seen how this year’s cohort of bakers will fare. Airing in the United Kingdom continued through October, and this year’s crop of bakers appear as chipper as ever, even online. So far, trolling appears to be minimal—maybe the bakers can avoid it if they subscribe more closely to normative gender expectations. “When I went on the Bake Off I wasn’t worried about my hair or my makeup or what I was wearing,” says Hart. “Maybe if I had made more of an effort, people would have been nicer to me.”

#Bitch Media #Bitch Magazine #The Great British Bake Off #The Great British Baking Show #`❦

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themusicsweetly · 6 years

Note

IMDB: What does Cait’s “52” mean in comparison to Sam’s “Top 500”? They seem like two different scales to me. Thank you

Hi there, Anon!

So, I’ve always been a bit confused as to these ratings myself. I found an FAQ page, though, that seems to help explain it.

The tl;dr of it is that since Caitriona and Sam are actors, they’re rated on the same scale or “STARmeter”. Outlander, being a show, is rated on a separate scale. These ratings fluctuate week-to-week based on page viewership.

FAQ for STARmeter

What do the rankings mean?

Plain and simple, they represent what people are interested in, based not on small statistical samplings, but on the actual behavior of millions of IMDb users. Unlike the AFI 100 or Academy Awards, high rankings on STARmeter, MOVIEmeter , and COMPANYmeter do not necessarily mean that something is “good.” They do mean that there is a high level of public awareness and/or interest in the title, person or company.

How are these ratings calculated?

IMDbPro uses proprietary algorithms that take into account several measures of popularity for people, titles and companies. The primary measure is who and what people are looking at on IMDb.

The rankings are updated on a weekly basis.

Are STARmeter, MOVIEmeter , and COMPANYmeter based on polls?

Sort of, users vote through their actions, every time someone visits an IMDb page about one of the over 3 million titles and over 6 million people in the database, we record that “pageview”. It is the sum total of these pageviews that form the foundation of the STARmeter, MOVIEmeter , and COMPANYmeter rankings.

Why does my STARmeter/MOVIEmeter rank change so much from one week to another?

Fluctuations in STARmeter and MOVIEmeter values are normally more evident in people or films with lower rankings. STARmeter rankings are based on several statistical indicators,including the frequency and number of people who access a person’s page or credits on IMDb. MOVIEmeter works in the same way, but ranks titles instead of people.

As is often the case when statistical calculations are performed on such a large sample of data, even small variations in popularity may produce significant changes in rank.

When an individual is very popular, the average interest of users over time remains fairly constant; with less popular names, it’s more common to have sudden and sharp increases or decreases in the number of people who visit their page or see their credits, which explains the higher variance in the STARMeter ranking over time.

#Asked #Answered #Anonymous #IMDb #STARMeter

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bitcoinminershasrate · 3 years

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RX 570 8gb Hashrate: Mining 2021| Review| Testing | Specs | Profit

Sapphire RX 570 8gb Hashrate - Mining | Profitability |Payback Period| Review | Best Testing (Benchmarck) Radeon RX570 Nitro 8 GB video cards are very popular among miners, so they don’t stay long on the shelves. Accordingly, it can be concluded that this type of map can be used for profitable mining. Thanks to its powerful specifications and performance it helps to quickly recoup costs. However, before making the final choice, it is recommended to pay attention to a number of nuances. Features Radeon RX570 Nitro 8 GB Model RX570 has several similar characteristics with the RX580 card, given the presence of factory boost and improved vendors. It also affects the cost. Despite the similarity, it is important to note that experienced users still stop their attention on 570 models from the manufacturer AMD. Regardless of the type of 570 cards, they have 1200 MHz core frequency. A number of vendors total more - 1300 MHz. Power is estimated at 150W. Today on the market you can see cards with memory sizes of 4 and 8GB. Their difference between them consists only in spaciousness. As for the frequency parameters, in this case they are the same. Equally important for miners is the overclocking indicator. Experts agreed that the card from the manufacturer Samsung. They are put on the most productive versions: Nitro or Sapphire. Regarding manufacturers such as Hynix or Micron. On average, the difference is 1-2Mh / s. Please note: Please note: In spite of the bad review by a few customers, we experience no such issues (not saying you won't) but We would comfortably recommend this product for mining cryptocurrency based on our testing that will be continue below. People also ask: Common Questions RX 570 8gb Related Searches: Recommend Articles For You To Read - RX 570 8gb Hashrate/Settings Popular Related Search: RX 570 8gb Details Articles To ReadRX 570 8gb hashrateWe have compiled an AMD RX 570 8GB hashrate table for popular algorithms. If you are just choosing a video card for mining , and you already know which coin you will mine, then you can estimate the approximate performance from the table. We also have an article on what a hash rate is .Contain Within ArticleXFX RX 570 8GB hashrate No modern video card can not be called a perfect option. For example, Nvidia manufacturers did not take care of the firmware, so after purchasing it, many users begin to solve this kind of puzzle. Firmware is needed in order to increase the hashrate Contain Within Article RX 570 8GB overclock settings miningThe AMD RX 570 8GB graphics card is great for mining. Next, we will select the optimal overclocking parameters for mining on AMD RX 570 8GB. Let's find out which drivers to use the most correctly and efficiently. Let's look at the main characteristics and measure the hash rate for popular algorithms. Contain Within Article RX 570 8gb ethereum overclock settingsTo overclock AMD RX 570 8GB for mining ether or other coins using the DaggerHashimoto algorithm, you need to increase the memory frequency, and, on the contrary, lower the core to save energy. it does not affect the mining speed. Contain Within Article AMD RX 570 8GB DriverWhen installing AMD RX 570 8GB drivers, it is always recommended to uninstall the current drivers first. This way you can be sure that the DCH drivers will not be installed by Windows 10. You can download Contain Within Article Rx 570 8gb mining settings hiveosThe values shown below are given as an example, it is possible that other values will be optimal for your cards. Use at your own risk.Hive Os: Overclocking Graphic Card - Best Settings| Overclocking | OptimizationRX 570 8gb best mining settings The RX 570 video card was produced in two variations: 4 GB and 8 GB of memory . Buying this model for mining in 2018, you can ignore the amount of video memory. Indeed, this option has practically no effect on the speed of mining coins of the Ethash (DaggerHashimoto) algorithm. But, alas, it's 2020 and the volume of the DAG file on Ethereum and Ethereum Classic is approaching the 4GB mark. Overclocking AMD and Nvidia Video Cards: Hive OS Best Settings| BenchmarkRX 570 8GB MSI afterburner settings miningWe will overclock AMD RX 570 8GB for mining using MSI Afterburner. You can find it in Yandex. The program interface is very simple, albeit a little colorful) To overclock the video card, we need two sliders: Contain Within Article XFX RX 570 8gb mining settings One of the drawbacks of all AMD cards is the need for their firmware. Without it, the issued hash rate will be less, up to 40-50% of the maximum possible. How to increase RX 570: Undervolting RX 570 | Overclocking | MiningXFX rx 570 8gb mining bios The RX 570 firmware for mining is an important procedure. Without this, it is impossible to achieve the highest hash rate. Any miner can flash the Bios 570 video card, based on the instructions. Overclocking AMD and Nvidia Video Cards: Hive OS Best Settings| BenchmarkBiostar rx 570 8GB mining settingsThe correct RX 570 firmware for mining can be a turning point in the mining of coins, which will affect profits and allow you to make more money. Stock firmwares for cards can be found on specialized sites and forums for miners Techpowerup.Article AboveBiostar RX 580 8GB hashrate Overclocking the RX 570 8GB video card, for mining, will require BIOS firmware. To do this, you need to download the ATIWinFlash program from AMD . With it, you can save the original BIOS from the video card to your computer. There are two versions of programs, textual and with a shell, the first is easier to use, and the second is much more functional, but both are great for flashing. Article AboveBiostar RX 580 8GB review Biostar Radeon RX 580 8GB Dual Cooling is a semi-customizable card that uses an AMD reference PCB along with an advanced heatsink for better heat dissipation. This heatsink consists of a classic aluminum heatsink construction with a copper base and two 80mm fans , which are responsible for creating the necessary airflow to maintain the temperature. NEW BIOSTAR RADEON RX 580 8GB DUAL COOLING - VIDEO CARDSSapphire RX 580 8GB hashrate SAPPHIRE coincided with the debut of the new Pulse trademark for the appearance of the Radeon 500 series, under which the company combined devices with a simplified design in comparison with the top-end NITRO family. Contain Within ArticleRX 570 8GB MSI afterburner settings mining Next, we launch both utilities simultaneously. After that, you need to click on the “GPU Stress test” button in FurMark (in MSI Afterburner, we don't change anything yet). Overclocking AMD and Nvidia Video Cards: Hive OS Best Settings| BenchmarkRX 570 overclock settings mining An example of overclocking an AMD RX 570 video card: - FurMark - this utility is needed to double-check the stability of the video card after overclocking (it will show both FPS and temperature). - When using the Nitro, Asrock, Expedition model with Samsung's memory, the hashrate index will be around 31.7MH / sGigabyte Aorus / Gaming using Samsung memory figures up to 30.5Mh / sAsus loses a bit - 29.9Mh / s. Contain Within ArticleRX 570 8GB hashrate Ethereum The video memory operates at a frequency of 2000 MHz, and here I would like to see Samsung GDDR5, tk. We are talking about the top model among the RX 580 from Sapphire and the limited edition. Unfortunately, Sapphire decided to install Hynix memory. Therefore, performance will no longer be optimal for algorithms such as Ethash (Ethereum) or Equihash (Zcash), where memory usage is very intensive SAPPHIRE Radeon RX 580 8 GB: Review| Benchmark| Overclocking| HashrateRX 570 8GB mining profitability Note that, taking into account the current prices for video cards, in 2020 cloud GPU mining became the most profitable, which is much more profitable than buying your own equipment, much more flexible in the amount of investment and does not require maintenance of your farms. Within Article AboveAMD RX 570 8GB YieldThe current market price and profitability of the AMD RX 570 8GB video card in mining fluctuates depending on the value of the cryptocurrency. The information in the plate is updated once a day. Contain Within Article XFX RX 570 8GB power consumptionAt idle, the power consumption of the XFX RX when evaluating the system comes in at just under 100 watts.XFX RX 570 RS 8GB XXX Edition ReviewRX 570 8gb power consumptionAMD RX 570 8GB was released on April 18, 2017. Average power consumption is 120.0W. Contain Within Article RX 570 power consumption watts We used the test protocol which allows us to measure the consumption of the graphics card alone. We performed these measurements while resting on the Windows 10 desktop and in screen saver but did not integrate these latest results to make the graph more readable. Under these conditions the consumption of Radeons turns around 2-3W against 4-5W for GeForce Pascal. Within ArticleRX 570 low power consumption Note that the RX 580 from MSI and Sapphire reach their consumption limit in The Witcher III and therefore see their GPU frequency reduced slightly. On the other hand, this is not the case with the Asus RX 570 which remains at its maximum frequency but can therefore consume up to 20W more in even more demanding games. Within ArticleRX 570 8gb mining temperature For AMD Rx 570/580 series devices, the normal graphics card temperature on the most profitable Ethash algorithm is in the 58-62C range, new RTX 5700 series devices have approximately the same indicators. Best GPU Temperature during mining: Guide| Setup| RXT 580/570, RTX 5700XFX RX 570 8gb safe temperatureUnder load, the thermals max out at 75 °C when the card is handling the fan control chores and reaches a low 62 °C when overclocked and the fan is manually set to 100%. Not bad by any account.Article AboveRX 570 power supply requirement Follow the instructions for assembling the mining farm. It is necessary to correctly calculate the size of the frame so that the video cards do not stand very tightly to each other. And also they should be as far away from the power supply and cpu as possible, the fans of which will blow hot air over them. Article Above RX 570 8gb normal temperature On Claymore's or Phoenix, the GPU temperature and cooler rotation speed will be displayed in the program window. But if the crypto mining software does not support this option, please install MSI Afterburner or Tech power up GPU-Z app. Article Above RX 570 8gb idle tempSo I Just built a PC about 3 months ago and my normal temps at idle for the MSI RX 570 Armor MK2 OC 8GB has alwas been 22C. I made a few over clocking profiles and were playing around with them, all stable but even now when I go back to the stock settings the temp won't go below 27 or 28. I am lost as to what could have caused this. All the OC settings in the Radion software or any other software is set to auto. So i have not overclocked with anything other then Afterburner. 570 Idle Temp Just Went way up With No Changes RX 570 8gb overheating Overheating of the gpu device leads to increased wear of the cooler and the blade of the graphics chip. The normal temperature of the video card in mining is the key to stable profit for the miner. But, what temperature rp is considered acceptable, and how to maximize the life of computing equipment in mining? We will tell you about this now. Best GPU Temperature during mining: Guide| Setup| RXT 580/570, RTX 5700 Related Searches: Recommend Articles For You To Read - RX 570 8gb Hashrate/Settings Best Related Articles To Read Before buying - RX 570 8g How to find Prices? Details SourceRX 570 8gb for price (Ebay, Amazon, Newegg)Top Review Amazon: I had to get "Metal Compatible" GPU in order to run the new mac os Mojave beta. Did some research on the web and this was the most cost effective card I could find. Easily recognized by the OS, and as fast or faster than a $350 7950 card. I didnt flash the rom so the screen is blank during the initial bootup. I am keeping my old 5770 card in case I ever need it. Also, make sure you have the proper cable, I was able to get by with an older 1.4 hdmi cable with the 5770, but I had to use a 4k compatible 2.0 cable to get the card to sync with my 3440x1440 monitor.... Amazon RX 570 8gb for saleWhen should you buy? - Get the best deals on AMD Radeon RX 570 8GB Computer Video Graphics Cards and find everything you'll need to improve your home office setup. RX 570 8gb usedWe always recommend that electronics be purchased new. Amazon Best Related Articles To Read Before buying - RX 570 8g What’s up techies, let’s dive right into this. I can’t say enough about the /Radeon/Sapphire… let’s just go with “The non-Nvidia GPU”. You might want to keep up with your friends and be a part of the FPS and triple monitor setup talk, all while getting; the best performance for your buck, the most quiet graphics card (considering it’s in a case your keyboard strokes are probably louder all said and done) and something that looks like your rig is an aggressive graphics producer. What I find as far as looks go is that most GTX graphics card’s aesthetics are pretty much the same in color scheme. With the Radeon graphics cards you can get a red, blue silver, black and a mixed black, silver and light blue scheme. Some even have RGB lights! Not to mention the price for a mid grade Radeon is like 200$ less than that awesome GTX 1080i or what have you. Instead of 650$ you walk away around 300-350$. (Mind you this is just off the top of my head to get the idea across). With that said, this card specifically has a very nice color scheme, a protective/stylish backplate which is preferred by most when the installation of your card happens to show off the underside of it, you’ll be pleased to not see the unattractive green circuit board and instead a painted backplate. This is important now a days where there are multiple ways of mounting your GPU. Some mount them vertically, horizontally, upside down both ways or even outside of the computer case itself! Okay it looks good you got that? Now I’m gonna talk about the AMD Radeon graphics software. One key benefit I want to bring to light is the fact that when you enter the update menu you have a choice between, the latest update or the best reccomended update all while showing you the current version you have installed. With this feature you might find you’re using the latest update and your pc is being weird having random monitor black outs or maybe even pc restarts! So you’re able to switch to the recommended version which is known to work with your setup and should a revision of the latest update arrive you can give that try all on the fly. Jeesh get to the performance already! So I’ll name a couple games and my performance in relation to each game. World of Warcraft, I’ve played for the last 14 years is it now? Obviously their graphics only get so good because Blizzard refuses to update the visuals but if you’ve played as long as I have you’ll see that you can set all the settings on ultra and turn up your viewing distance, shadow detail or spell detail to get the most of what Blizzard offers. While having everything set to ultra etc.. I’m getting 80 FPS and if I just go in a room with my character I can hit 100 which is what my FPS in capped at in wow. I’ve never been over 30 due to always playing on a “beefed up” laptop lmao Also I play over watch and it is flawless with all graphics levels turnt up I forget the exact FPS. I went ahead and bought the HTC vive and this thing handles VR without breaking a sweat! Considering I will have the in game display on the tv at all times and obviously the display in the HTC. Another noteworthy feature is that the fans shut off when it’s not in demand so add power saving to the list of why you should buy this graphics card! I honestly can’t see getting much more from a 700$ graphics card unless you’re a high end game developer? Well that’s all folks feel free to ask any questions and I will do my best to answer! Simple - Overview Before we go in-dept. - RX 570 8gb Hashrate: Mining Review RX 570 8gb Hashrate Mining Review The AMD RX 570 8GB graphics card is great for mining. Next, we will select the optimal overclocking parameters for mining on AMD RX 570 8GB. Let's find out which drivers to use the most correctly and efficiently. Let's look at the main characteristics and measure the hash rate for popular algorithms. Specifications AMD RX 570 8GB was released on April 18, 2017. Average power consumption is 120.0W. AMD RX 570 8GB Yield The current market price and profitability of the AMD RX 570 8GB video card in mining fluctuates depending on the value of the cryptocurrency. The information in the plate is updated once a day. View the full table of GPU profitability, sorted by price, revenue, and ROI. PriceETHETCEXPUBQRVNBEAMProfitPayback$200.00-$600.0030.9 Mh / s30.9 Mh / s30.9 Mh / s30.9 Mh / s12.0 Mh / s11.0 H / s4714.17 ₽176 days GPU profitability, sorted by price, revenue, and ROI. Hashrate AMD RX 570 8GB We have compiled an AMD RX 570 8GB hashrate table for popular algorithms. If you are just choosing a video card for mining , and you already know which coin you will mine, then you can estimate the approximate performance from the table. We also have an article on what a hash rate is . CoinAlgorithmHashrate Ethereum (ETH)DaggerHashimoto ETH30.9 MH / SExpanse (EXP)DaggerHashimoto EXP30.9 MH / SUbiq (UBQ)Ubqhash30.9 MH / SMonero (XMR)RandomX420.0 H / SGrin (GRIN)Cuckarooz292.1 H / SRavencoin (RVN)KawPow9.0 MH / SBeam (BEAM)BeamHashIII11.0 H / S Hashrate AMD RX 570 8GB AMD RX 570 8GB Driver When installing AMD RX 570 8GB drivers, it is always recommended to uninstall the current drivers first. This way you can be sure that the DCH drivers will not be installed by Windows 10. You can download AMD RX 570 8GB drivers here . We recommend trying different driver versions. Some driver versions may cause problems during mining. Installing an older version may fix the problem. Overclocking AMD RX 570 8GB for Mining We will overclock AMD RX 570 8GB for mining using MSI Afterburner. You can find it in Yandex. The program interface is very simple, albeit a little colorful) To overclock the video card, we need two sliders: - Core Clock - overclocking by the core, increases the core frequency; - Memory Clock - memory overclocking, increases the memory frequency. You need to change the frequency values slightly. Then test the stability of the work. If all is well, then we increase the frequency even more. If the video card starts to malfunction or the drivers crash, then we just reduce the frequency and that's it. There will be no harm. Next, we'll take a look at the overclocking options for popular alogorites. Overclocking AMD RX 570 8GB for Ether To overclock AMD RX 570 8GB for mining ether or other coins using the DaggerHashimoto algorithm, you need to increase the memory frequency, and, on the contrary, lower the core to save energy. it does not affect the mining speed. Optimal overclocking parameters: ParameterMeaningCore Clock+30Memory Clock+1100 MHzPower Limit76%Temperature limit (Temp. Limit)70 ° Optimal overclocking parameters: The Radeon RX 580 and RX 570 from Asus, MSI and Sapphire in test: Consumption We used the test protocol which allows us to measure the consumption of the graphics card alone. We performed these measurements while resting on the Windows 10 desktop and in screen saver but did not integrate these latest results to make the graph more readable. Under these conditions the consumption of Radeons turns around 2-3W against 4-5W for GeForce Pascal. The consumption under load of the Radeon RX 580 and RX 570 is higher than that of the RX 480 and RX 470, which was expected in view of the specifications announced by AMD. Its partners have followed in this direction by raising the limits to give more margin to the GPU. Read the full article

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sycriptouk · 3 years

Text

Robinhood Threatened - Payment for order flow might be canceled, explained. How do you think it would affect our trades without PFOF?

Auto mod won’t let me post the original link. I’ll try to post it in the comments, if you want to see the article.

Historically and statistically speaking the September is the worst performing month in the stock market, these numbers go all the way back to 1950. We are currently experiencing a torrent of things happening that as well are strongly affecting the stock market.

In this last week:

-there was talk about increasing the interest rates.

-Several members of congress are in talks about trying to ban the federal reserve.

-SEC is considering banning payment for order flow for companies like Robinhood.

-Social Security is projected to be insolvent sooner than expected.

Goal for this post is to talk about what is going on in the markets that could influence your money. Most importantly what you can do with this information to improve your financial situation.

Firstly, we are going to talk about Robinhood as it currently 18 million accounts with about $80 billion in assets. This all began a few years ago when Robinhood shook the industry and gave us free stock trades. Every single one of us benefits from this today as it used to cost anywhere from $5-19 dollars per trade. Yes, that is right, to buy and sell. This created a large barrier of entry for retail traders wanting to get into stocks. We can all thank Robinhood for free stock trades today and I am personally eternally happy that they gave me this. But at what cost?

Payment for order flow

There is an inherent cost with making stock trades. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes when you buy a stock. Money being transferred in the background that we will never see. Your stock not actually being purchased until two business days later. Robinhood keeping a ledger and accounting of all your trades so you can report your taxes. The list of what happens when we make a trade is massive and does involve a lot. There is value behind that and that is why it used to cost us so much.

Where does Robinhood make up for all those services they give us?

A nasty little monster Robinhood calls “Rebates from Market Makers and Trading Venues”. What is this you might ask? It sounds so innocent! This is actually called payment for order flow. If you have traded on Robinhood or other brokerages that use payment for order flow you have paid for your service with your data from your trades.

Here is how it works. When you make a trade on Robinhood, Robinhood is not that one that executes that trade. Instead they outsource the trade to another company ( CITADEL ) who pays Robinhood for the right to execute the trade on their behalf.

Why does this outsourcing for the trade affect us? It has to do with something called high frequency trading. The stock market is always fluctuating in price, and it is very volatile when considering the price of a stock in fractions of a penny. This volatility gives Citadel the opportunity to do it’s behind the scenes market magic.

One example of how Citadel can profit from this is say you buy Tesla stock at $700 and by they time your order gets sent into Citadel from Robinhood the stock could be worth $699 and Citadel makes it’s profit margin. This is where high frequency trades come into fruition. This is where market makers have top of the line software that looks for opportunities to make that profit margin.

What does that mean for you? You actually aren’t getting the ACTUAL price of the stock you thought you were buying. Citadel and Robinhood have highly sophisticated software and algorithms that find those price discrepancies and they make their profit off your trades.

Now how much on average are we really paying for these trades we are making? Bloomberg estimated that we are paying somewhere around 0.0024 cents per share. So, if we are looking at this logically, we are still winning here from being able to make trades at a fraction of what we used to pay. 0.0024 cents vs $5-19 dollars is a massive win in my book. But darkness looms on this situation because nobody has revealed how much Citadel is making from our trades. Remember Bloomberg estimated that the spread Citadel is making is only 0.0024 but we don’t really know.

ENTER SEC

In 2005 the SEC passed what is called the Regulation National Market System which requires brokers like Robinhood and Citadel to acquire the best execution for their clients. This means that when buying stocks your broker should give you the best price possible, but Robinhood traders aren’t getting the best price are they?

In 2019 Robinhood was fined $1.25 million for not giving their customers for not following the SEC regulation. Robinhood didn’t give many of their customers the best price and was slapped on their hand for breaking regulation. There were 4 broker dealers that were involved with these trades and those 4 were paid by Robinhood for executing the trades with them. By doing this Robinhood violated the best execution requirement.

In fairness to Robinhood though, almost every stock trading brokerage participates in payment for order flow. Here is a list of a few of them.

Weeble Vanguard Ally Financial TD Ameritrade Charles Schwab

Payment for order flow is commonplace the stock trading industry. Well, if everyone is doing it, do we really have a problem? No. The problem is when a company like Robinhood doesn’t give us the best price and they get paid for your trade.

ENTER GARY GINSLER FROM THE SEC

Gary tells Barron’s that banning payment for order flow is a very real possibility. Since a large majority of brokers use payment for order flow, this could lead to us having to pay more for our trades again. For me I think there must be a better solution for this situation as I don’t want to see $10 trade fees ever again.

What I hope it comes down to is some lawyer magic words which will define the cost of our trades, they are required to tell us the fee. In my opinion that would be fair as there really is a lot that happens behind the scenes with our trades, and I understand that a service is being offered on their platform. But I personally would like to see exactly how much I’m really being charged for my trades and more importantly, I’d like to get the best possible price on my trades.

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tooconnoisseurexpert · 3 years

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Pressure Transmitter

Pressure transmitters are a common and well understood technology especially within the petroleum, petrochemical, refrigeration and fuel gas markets and they are extremely economical compared to other technologies. If a level is to be made in an open vessel a pressure transmitter (PT) is placed at the bottom and the head pressure caused by the weight of the liquid can be used to calculate the height of the liquid. Differential pressure transmitters can be used on pressurised vessels using the same principles (9).

Level measurement using pressure transmitters cannot be deployed in primary separators as the change in temperature will impact the measurement, the change in density of the oil during operation will impact the measurement and any fluctuation of the oil/gas differential pressure control valve or pressure disturbances would also impact on the reading.

Portable dP gauges are used to monitor the dP across strainers, online densitometers, DB&B valves, prover interchange valves, and other devices. All pressure gauges shall be equipped with calibration stickers indicating the last test or calibration date and who performed the calibration. The calibration sticker should be clearly visible and constructed of a rugged material. All recordings on the sticker should be made with indelible ink. The dial gauge cover should be clear and abrasive resistant. The pressure gauge should be readable with permanent figures and markings and equipped with a blowout disc for safety. The scale shall be in graduations of no greater than 2 psig with longer graduations at each 5 psig and numbered at not greater than 10 psig intervals. The error at any point on the scale should not exceed ±2 psig. The maximum allowable working pressure (MAWP) of the dP gauge should be at least equal to the MAWP for the measurement facility.

A differential pressure transmitter is a device that translates physical force to an electrical signal. The most common type of force transducer uses a diaphragm, piston, bourdon tube, or bellows to sense the physical force and various strain/force-sensing devices to convert the deflection of the physical element to an electrical signal. Traditional strain-sensing devices include the following: capacitive cells, piezoresistive strain gauges, piezoelectric quartz material, and electromagnetic devices.

In the United States, companies such as Rosemount, Cameron/Barton, Foxboro, and Ultrasystems have provided transmitters that specialize in safety system pressure measurements. These transmitters may still function successfully on some iPWR designs, but many will have to be reengineered for different mounting configurations, size constraints, and environments. Many iPWR designers, when faced with a modification program, may choose to go with new technologies rather than modifying the old ones. The new technologies may offer advantages in size, redundancy, accuracy, and environmental resilience. Some of these new technologies include microelectromechanical system (MEMS) sensors, fiber optic sensors, and ultrasonic sensors.

In the optical fiber category, a company called Luna Innovations has developed and successfully tested fiber optic pressure sensors, like the one shown in Fig. 6.1, in a research reactor environment. These fiber optic pressure sensors have been shown to operate in radiation environments with flux levels much higher than those compatible with most electronic pressure sensors. With traditional technology, it is necessary to protect traditional electronic gauge pressure transmitter from harsh radiation conditions near the core; this requires the use of long pressure sensing lines, which limit the response time to pressure transients and increase the number of wall penetrations. Luna’s fiber optic pressure sensors are designed to operate in harsh environments. When these pressure sensors were combined with Etalon-based fiber optic temperature sensors providing temperature compensation, drift effects were minimized. The attractiveness of this technology for iPWRs is obvious, with the elimination of sensing lines, the minimization of penetrations, the small size of the sensor, the rapid response to pressure fluctuations, and the operability in high radiation fields. With these attributes, this technology bears merit for primary and secondary side pressure measurement (Dickerson et al., 2009).

Pressure or DPT transmitters have been used to measure liquid levels of open or pressurized tanks, respectively, with proper calibration taking care of the density value of the subject liquid. These types are used for level measurements of boiler drums, all heaters, deaerators, condenser hotwells, condenser surge tanks, and all dosing tanks.

For open tanks, a pressure tapping at a suitable location is connected through the impulse line, to the high-pressure port of the DPT with the low-pressure port open to atmosphere. The pressure (or DP) sensed by the DPT is proportional to the level with a known liquid density (ρ) and force due to (earth’s) gravity (g). With proper calibration, the potential transform can now be used as a level transmitter.

Regarding the pressurized tank or vessel, single-pressure tapping does not serve this purpose as it senses the pressure of the vessel and the pressure of the liquid level. To balance out the vessel pressure, another pressure tapping for sensing it is connected, through the impulse line, to the low-pressure port of a DPT so that the output will only be proportional to the liquid level only with known ρ and g.

Another new technology for pressure sensing is the polymer-derived ceramic MEMS sensor. At the forefront of this technology, a company, Sporian Microsystems, has developed a pressure/temperature sensor made to survive high temperatures (Fig. 6.2). This technology offers a solution for pressure sensing in iPWRs due to its hardy environment survivability and its small size. The small size allows for the installation of redundant units and the measurement of pressure at many points, possibly with fewer penetrations than traditional sensors.

These new technologies have attributes like small size, heat survivability, radiation hardness, fast response, and low maintenance. These attributes are highly valued in iPWR designs for obvious reasons.

The Series-211 differential absolute pressure transmitter can accurately measure positive, negative or differential pressure and send the corresponding 4–20 mA output signal to a recording system. It is not position sensitive and can be mounted in any orientation without compromising accuracy. It also features a power LED, so one always knows when the transmitter is operating. The compact, light-weight design makes installation simple and easy. Two inlets for the pressure connections are located on the front of the unit, labeled “High” and “Low”. For differential pressure measurement, the higher pressure should be connected to the “High” pressure port. For positive pressure, the “Low” pressure port should be left vented to atmospheric pressure. Periodically, it is necessary to recalibrate the gauge to maintain the accuracy. For “zero” gauge, the pressure connection needs to be removed from both pressure ports and to adjust the zero potentiometer until the output is 4 mA. To span the gauge, the full scale pressure to be applied to “High” pressure port and to adjust the span potentiometer until the output is 20 mA. The salient features of the pressure transmitter are compact design, LED power indication, 2-wire design, 4–20 mA output, ± 0.25% accuracy level, 0–90 mmHg pressure range, –25 °C to 70 °C operating temperature ranges, 2-wire output signal and 12–30 VDC power supply.

Drum level is measured by differential thermowell temperature transmitter installed in line with Figures XII/3.5-1(a,b). Note that for drum-level measurement a temperature-equalizing column has been used to ensure that in both limbs of DPTs temperatures are equal, meaning that the densities are equal. So far, the discussion has been about installation and making the two limbs’ temperatures equal. Now level is measured by because there is an incumbent pressure P1 at the top, which needs to be subtracted to get the level. So, finally, one is left with P1 at the top and P1 + pressure due to water head (P) on the other limb. Therefore DP = pressure due to water head, P = h × ρ × g.

For a particular place, g is always constant. So water head P varies with h (level) and density, which in turn depends on temperature. In the drum, incumbent pressure is due to saturated steam pressure, and for saturated steam for each pressure there is a particular temperature. Therefore, saturation pressure is chosen to compensate/correct the density effect. Temperature is a sluggish parameter, so pressure is chosen to compensate.

Degradation of the transmitter’s accuracy and response time (two uncorrelated phenomena) are the two most important consequences of ageing. Ageing caused by heat and humidity can cause the transmitter sealing materials to fail, allowing moisture to enter the transmitter housing. This can cause calibration shifts and high-frequency noise at the transmitter’s output, which can render the transmitter inoperable or unreliable. Though NPP I&C failure data indicates that calibration drift accounts for anywhere from 59% to 77% of all age-related failure in pressure transmitters (fow blockage, fatigue, and other factors accounting for the remaining age-related failures), a survey of the nuclear industry in the early 1990s showed that fewer than 10% of NPP pressure transmitters actually drift out of tolerance and that in a typical two-year fuel cycle only about 1–3% of transmitters suffer calibration failure.

The analog signal operates over a 4–20 mA range (0 to 5 Vdc with a 250 Ω high-precision pull-up resistor). For proper analog signal discrimination, the tertiary device should be equipped with at least a 12-bit ADC converter. Digital signals are preferred over analog signals for accuracy. However, the tertiary device must be able to communicate with the secondary devices using a common communications protocol. The status signals typically are used for indicating block valve status (fully open, fully closed, in travel), generating commands to obtain a sample (activation of sample extractor), and alarm status.

The transmitters should be equipped with a display of the current readings at the transmitter housing in appropriate engineering units. The transmitters should be equipped with both analog and digital output to the tertiary device.

For analog communications to the tertiary device, a 4–20 mA signal is preferred and requires a high-precision 250 Ω pull-up resistor (to convert from 0 to 5 Vdc). The dampening parameters should be turned off or set to its lower limit. For digital communications to the tertiary device, the update interval of the transmitter should be less than or equal to 1 second. The transmitters should be equipped with an appropriate communications protocol and the dampening parameters should be turned off or set to its lower limit.

The sensing lines that bring the pressure signals from the process to the transmitter can become partially or totally blocked due to sludge, boron solidification (PWRs), and other debris in the reactor coolant, causing sluggish dynamic performance in the transmitter. According to NRC data, blockages, voids, and leaks account for nearly 70% of the age-related problems in sensing lines. Nevertheless, the effects of ageing on response time are even less significant than the effects on calibration. The response times of 84% of transmitters tested in a 1994 study written by the author for Nuclear safety were unaffected by ageing. Of the remainder, only 4% delivered response times that could be considered failing.

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davidrusselblr · 3 years

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What to look for in payroll software in Pakistan

PeopleQlik #1 Payroll software in Pakistan You've developed your company from the ground up, bringing your vision to life through a product or service that delights your customers. Now is the moment to enlist outside assistance in order to grow your company. Thankfully, you no longer have to write checks for your employees and contractors by hand, nor do you have to utilize complicated calculators to figure out how much tax you owe the government. There are numerous options available to assist you in automating all of these activities. And, let's face it, you didn't start this company to spend all of your time writing checks and dealing with payroll taxes. With so many possibilities, finding payroll software that meets your small business's demands has never been easier; the same software will also allow you to focus on revenue and customer-facing tasks, which will help you keep your cash flow in check. We've put together this checklist to assist you choose the best decision for your business's Payroll software in Pakistan, whether you've hired your first employee or are seeking to switch systems.

PeopleQlik #1 Payroll software in Pakistan

1. Tax payments and correctness

When it comes to payroll, you'll want to be sure you're computing tax deductions correctly for your employees and contractors. You must guarantee that local, federal, and state taxes are withheld from your team's gross salary in the United States.

You must account for provincial and federal tax deductions, as well as employee and employer contributions to federal programmes such the Canada Pension Plan (CPP) and Employment Insurance (EI). Many business owners make the mistake of doing their Payroll software in Pakistan with an internet calculator, yet tax payments fluctuate throughout the year, necessitating the use of a system that can handle this.

Most people will find this daunting, so don't worry! Payroll software providers have been able to accurately automate, submit, and pay your tax payments on your behalf thanks to reliable and secure technology, so you can rest easy knowing your staff is taken care of. When shopping for a payroll software system, verify if it can perform the following fundamental calculations for your company.

2. Price

While hiring an employee or contractor may result in increased revenue and cash flow, Payroll software in Pakistan incurs additional costs. You'll want to make sure the system you choose is economical, appropriate for your industry, and scalable.

When budgeting for a payroll system, there are a few things to think about:

Costs of subscriptions and payment frequency (monthly vs. annual)

Costs for each employee, contractor, or freelancer

Fees for additional services and combinations of benefits

Fees for tax season filing

Different levels of assistance will be required by different businesses. Small firms with a few employees may not require all of the human resource management features built into their system, but these can be added on later as the company grows. Finally, you'll want to be sure that what you're paying for covers tax payments, tax season filing, employee access, and so on.

3. Usability

With all of the labor involved in getting payroll up and going, you'll want something that's simple to use and comprehend. This includes getting started instructions, how-to guides, and guidelines to help you grasp what's involved with the payroll system you're using.

When choosing a Payroll software in Pakistan, consider the following questions:

Is it clear what I need to do from the instructions?

Do they assist me in comprehending the many terminologies and their significance?

Do they have any articles that will help me navigate the system?

Is there a free trial that I can use to put it to the test?

What other tools and integrations are included that will assist me with my project?

4. Support and service to customers

When you first start using a new system, there is always a learning curve, and it will take some time to verify that you understand how to use it properly and that everything is working effectively. This is where having someone to assist you is beneficial to your whole experience. Look at the services provided by the new payroll software, such as chat assistance. You'll also want to examine what kind of material, such as how-to articles, best practices, and lessons on certain activities, is readily available on their website. If a free trial is available, take advantage of it. You'll be able to get a sense of what to expect from the software and from the customer support staff when you set up a free trial; a solid success team should be able to support and aid you as your business grows.

5. Social media and word-of-mouth

While you may look out for the best Payroll software in Pakistan for small businesses on Google, it's also a good idea to ask your friends and family for recommendations. A family member, a friend, or a member of a local small business community club or association could be the person in question. These individuals can provide you with insider information on what might be the greatest option for you.

While you're searching, keep an eye on what's going on in the internet community about that system. If the brand has a large following, it won't be difficult to identify some admirers who would be pleased to provide you with additional information!

Payroll isn't simple, but your payroll software should be.

This is an exciting time for your company, so make sure you choose the most complementing solution that will work with your current workflow—both online and offline.

Here is the list of features that you can get by using PeopleQlik:

PeopleQlik Core

Core HR Software -HRMS

Cloud Payroll Management Software

Employee Self Services

HR Analytics Software

Corporate Wellness Platform

Performance Management Software

360-degree feedback form

Compensation Planning & Administration

Social Recognition

Workforce Administration

Leave Management Software

Time and Attendance Management Software

Shift & Scheduling

Claims & Reimbursements

Time-sheet Management Software

Contact on WhatsApp:

+923333331225

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chen20200805 · 3 years

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Four common questions and answers in operation, maybe you also need

Sorting out a few questions asked by students in daily operations and my answers and suggestions may be exactly what you need in operation.

Question 1: In your course, you suggest that you can contact five-star Feedback customers and invite them to comment. What does this mean?

Answer: The first thing to understand is that Amazon has two sets of evaluation systems, one is Rating/Review, the other is Feedback. Review is reserved for listing/products, which will affect the weight and sales of listing. Feedback is store feedback. For shops, generally speaking, the weight and impact are relatively small.

Due to the Amazon system settings, customers are more likely to leave Feedback instead of Review, and Feedback can find out the corresponding customers and orders. In this way, we can contact those customers who have left 5-star Feedback and treat them Thank you and invite them to leave a product review by the way, which can improve the review rate and praise rate of the product review to a certain extent.

But what needs to be reminded is that according to Amazon’s rules and recommendations, even if there is an "invite to comment" button on the order details page, Amazon does not recommend that sellers take the initiative to contact consumers for comments. The number and frequency of requests for comments is the same. This may lead to account restrictions, and contacting all customers to request reviews, the chance of receiving bad reviews will be redundant. It is precisely because of this that we can appropriately screen and only contact those customers who have 5 star feedback, which can reduce the risk of being rejected. The chance of system warning, and such customers have already expressed their satisfaction in Feedback. Once they are moved by our email invitation, it can increase our chances of receiving favorable comments.

Question 2: Why do you have to cut the price quickly when you receive a bad review?

In the suggestions for dealing with bad reviews mentioned in my class, there are several points: 1. If you can determine which customer it is, you can try to contact the customer and try to get the customer’s understanding to assist in the modification; 2. If the bad review is obvious You can contact the platform customer service for signs of malicious attacks, or if it is not related to your product, you can contact the platform customer service to try to get the platform customer service to help modify or remove; 3. If there is a safe channel, that is, your real fan group and social media contacts , You can find these friends/netizens for additional reviews; 4. Quickly reduce prices.

However, in addition to the rapid price reduction, other solutions take time to process, and only the rapid price reduction can be carried out immediately.

Sellers who pay a little attention will find that the impact of bad reviews does not happen immediately. Generally speaking, on the third day after receiving bad reviews, sales begin to drop significantly. For our sellers, we can make full use of the time difference between these two days to increase the weight of the listing and reduce the possible impact of bad reviews.

Price reduction can quickly increase the conversion rate, sales volume, and BSR ranking of the listing. These variables can all drive the increase of the listing’s weight. On the third day, when the weight drop caused by bad reviews broke out, the two sides diluted each other to reach a new balance. Thereby reducing the adverse effects caused by bad reviews.

After three days, if you observe that the sales volume does not fluctuate much, and the BSR ranking has no effect, you can gradually increase the price.

Question 3: Hello, Teacher Wei, a few days ago, I had a listing that was out of stock, and then I shipped and sold my own listing according to what you said, but the goods did not arrive at the warehouse, and it only arrived these two days. Then, for the orders generated by self-delivery, the current late delivery rate exceeds 4% due to the late delivery. The system prompts the danger of closing the store, and appeals many times without success. Can you see if there is any solution? Thank you.

Answer: As long as the sellers shipped by FBA, they will almost always encounter the situation of out of stock. In order to reduce the impact of the out of stock, my suggestion is to increase the product price and slightly higher than the FBA shipping price before the out of stock. Ship and sell to reduce the impact of out of stock.

The pre-existing price of the stock can reduce the speed of sales, reduce the time of the stock, and at the same time can ensure that the excess profit is made before the stock is sold out.

Self-delivery and follow-up sales at a slightly higher price than the FBA shipping price can prevent listing from being picked up by unscrupulous sellers as a zombie listing during the out-of-stock period. Once it is picked up and tampered with, it will be brought in. The consequences are probably more sour and refreshing to make you anxious.

After self-delivery and sales, it is inevitable that a small number of orders will be generated. For these orders, if you have self-delivery channels, of course you can directly ship them according to the normal arrangement, but assuming you have not done self-delivery, these orders can be After the next batch of FBA goods are put on the shelf, they will be shipped by creating a multi-channel distribution method.

But what needs to be reminded is that orders generated by self-delivery and sales need to be confirmed within the delivery period, otherwise it will definitely cause the order defect rate to exceed the standard.

For this small number of orders, first click to confirm delivery, and the tracking number can be left blank without filling in. In this case, it will only lead to an effective order tracking rate that does not meet the standard, but this indicator generally has no effect. And if you do not click to confirm the delivery in order to wait for the goods or the order number, it will definitely cause the delayed delivery rate to exceed the standard. In addition, if the shipment is confirmed within the delivery period and the order number is not filled in, do not add the order number in the later period, otherwise the system may be judged to be delivered ahead of time, which will also affect the security of the account.

To put it simply, I shipped it, but did not have the order number, so the effective order tracking rate is not enough, but because the system does not penalize it, I don't care. On the customer side, as long as the goods are received within the expected time, they will not care about how your order was sent.

Of course, if a small number of orders have not been shipped in time and the delayed delivery rate has exceeded the standard, there is generally no problem, as long as it does not deteriorate, and it is not a large-volume order, the shipment cannot be confirmed, and generally it will not affect Account security.

Question 4: Can contact information be added to the after-sales service card? For products shipped by FBA, I saw your article saying that this is a way to reduce the return rate in the voice of buyers.

Answer: Yes, as long as it doesn't induce consumers to leave good comments and they happen to be complained by consumers, it's generally fine. But the probability of this happening is very low, the language is not too radical, it will not happen.

The higher the unit price of the product, the more you should put an after-sales service card. A good after-sales service card can prevent customers from leaving negative reviews when they are dissatisfied with the product. If the negative reviews are reduced, the positive rate will naturally increase.

Wooden Speakers:https://www.zeshuiplatform.com/

#Wooden Speakers

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jayantharde · 3 years

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An analysis of Dividend vis-a-vis SWP

Of late we see that there is a lot of interest in Mutual Fund Dividends and Systematic Withdrawal Plan (SWP) as income solutions for investors. Many investors prefer dividend options for regular income, but there is a growing interest in SWP in the last few years. Let us now compare and contrast the two solutions. Let us also discuss various factors, which can help investors make informed decisions.

*What is dividend option?*

In Dividend Option the profits made by a scheme are distributed to investors at regular intervals as dividends. SEBI stipulates that dividends can be paid from accumulated profits. Investors should note that, as per SEBI regulations, only realized profits (when portfolio securities are sold at profit) are eligible to be distributed as dividends. Fund Managers may not pay the entire profit realized by the scheme during an particular period as dividends. They may retain certain amount of profits in the accumulated profits reserve, so that they can continue to make dividend payments during rainy days (periods in which the scheme does not make profits). It is important for investors to note the following with regard to Dividend options:-

*1. Mutual fund dividends are not assured* They are paid at the discretion of the fund manager/AMC. Schemes which were paying regular dividends can stop paying dividends for an indefinite period of time.

*2. Mutual Fund schemes can reduce or increase dividend* payout rate at their discretion – depending on market conditions and outlook.

*3. There is no fixed day* of a month for monthly dividend payments. The AMC decides the day on which dividend will be paid in a particular month or quarter.

*4. The dividend paid per unit will be stripped* from the NAV of the scheme and ex-dividend NAV of the scheme will be net of dividend pay-out.

*5. Mutual Fund dividends are tax free in the hands of the investors* but the AMC has to pay dividend distribution tax (DDT) before paying dividends. The DDT rate is 28.84% for debt mutual funds. In 2018 Budget, the Government introduced 10% DDT for equity or equity oriented mutual funds (prior to FY 2019, dividends paid by equity funds were tax free).

*Dividend impact on NAV*

Dividend plans with differing frequencies of dividend distribution have different NAVs, I.e. if a scheme has 4 dividend options, each option will have a different NAV.

*Difference with Stock Dividends*

When stocks declare dividends, the market takes it as a strong sign that the company is doing well and the business is generating enough profits to not only continue/expand operations but also give some amount back to investors.

As a result, when companies declare dividends, usually the stock price doesn’t decrease by as much as the dividend amount due to this positive signal.

However, with mutual fund dividends, this entire signaling effect is not applicable.

In fact, since not giving dividends often leaves investors annoyed, many funds give back capital even when they should be staying invested.

When stocks announce dividends, the original investment stays & the effects of compounding stay intact – any dividend earned doesn’t reduce the original investment. However, with mutual fund dividends, this compounding effect is diminished as the investor periodically reduces his invested amount.

If your objective is to receive a periodic income from your investments, then rather than opting for the dividend plan, you should choose the growth plan and setup systematic withdrawals of similar amounts.

Unlike paying DDT on the entire amount received as dividends, in this case the investor will only pay the appropriate capital gains tax on just the amount of gains, and not the total amount withdrawn.

Mutual fund dividends plans aren’t usually focused on earning dividend income, unless it’s defined in the stated objective.

Instead, they are more akin to systematic withdrawal plans that enable investors to take out some money at pre-defined intervals If the objective is to make periodic withdrawals, the same can be achieved in a more tax-efficient manner than the Dividend plan, as discussed above.

On the other hand, if the objective is to receive a periodic income from your investments above capital appreciation, then investors should invest in stocks directly.

*SWP or SYSTEMATIC WITHDRAWAL PLAN*

SWP is an investment option offered by mutual funds, whereby investors can draw a fixed amount every month (or any other interval as specified by the AMC) from a mutual fund scheme on a fixed day of any month (or any other interval).

The AMC makes SWP payments to investors by redeeming the required number of units at prevailing NAVs; the balance units remain invested and grow in value with growth in scheme NAV. You can think of SWP as a series of redemptions from your lump sum investment to meet your cash-flow needs. SWP facility registration offers investors the convenience of the AMC taking care of the redemptions on an ongoing basis.

The biggest advantage of SWP versus dividend option is assurance of fixed cash-flows as long as there is sufficient unit balance. Investors opting for SWP should note the following:-

1. Cash-flows will be generated for you by redeeming units of scheme where you have invested. Your unit balance will go down over time.

2. If you want more cash-flows, higher number of units will have to be redeemed and your unit balance will be lower and vice versa. You should choose your withdrawal rate carefully.

3. You will continue to receive fixed SWP payments irrespective of market conditions, but you should remember that in bear markets more units will have to be redeemed to meet your SWP payments.

4. SWP payments made within the exit load period of a scheme will attract requisite charges. Therefore, it is recommended that you begin your SWP after the exit load period.

*Is SWP always better than dividends?*

SWP can be better or worse than dividend option, depending on the decisions made by the investor. If the SWP withdrawal rate is reasonably low, then in the long term SWP can give superior post tax returns. However, if the SWP withdrawal rate is too high then the units will diminish at a faster rate and the investor runs the risk of running out of funds. Ideally, the SWP withdrawal rate should be lower than the average long term ROI of the scheme. While SWP gives investors the convenience of fixed regular cashflows, investors should also be flexible about reducing their withdrawal rates in severe market conditions (e.g. severe bear market lasting for several quarters).

*1. Systematic Withdrawal Plan is used to redeem your investment from a mutual fund scheme in a phased manner. Unlike lump sum withdrawals, SWP enables you to withdraw money in installments. It can be viewed as an opposite of SIP. In SIP, you channelize your bank account savings into the preferred mutual fund scheme. Whereas in SWP, you channelize your investments from the scheme to the savings bank account. It is one of the strategies to deal with market fluctuations.

With the Systematic Withdrawal Plan, you can customize the cash flow as per your requirement. You can choose to either withdraw just the capital gains on your investment or a fixed amount. This way you will not only have your money still invested in the scheme, but you will also be able to access regular income and returns. The money that you withdraw can be used to reinvest in some other fund or can be retained by you in the form of cash.

*2. Why do I need a Systematic Withdrawal Plan?*

You may know that your mutual investments always face the market fluctuations. It means that these fluctuations may impact the fund NAV adversely. Especially, when an individual is approaching a goal, the fund returns may erode if not withdrawn on time. So, with the help of an SWP, you can time your withdrawals as per the financial needs. If your goal requires to be funded in a phased manner, then you may opt for an SWP. It will ensure availability of the funds at the right time. In this way, goal accomplishment may not get delayed owing to a cash crunch.

SWP also helps investors who want a second income in addition to their salary from the job. With this plan, you as an investor can create a flow of income from your investment that is regular. If you seek to have periodic incomes for your travel or other needs, this is a great way to set this provision. It should be created in such a way that when you need cash the most, it is available.

*3. Why is the Systematic Withdrawal Plan a good investment option?*

There are two main reasons why this is a wise investment strategy. Firstly, these withdrawals which are also referred to as redemptions, are not subject to tax deductions at source. The capital gains though are taxed on the withdrawn amount. You may also opt for setting up your withdrawal in such a manner that you only draw the appreciation that is made on the investment amount. This keeps your capital invested while at the same time you enjoy the gains on a regular interval.

*4. The withdrawal options*

With the fixed withdrawal option, you can access a specified amount from your investment on either a monthly or a quarterly basis. With the appreciation withdrawal option, you may withdraw only the appreciated amount on a monthly or a quarterly duration.

*5. How does a Systematic Withdrawal Plan work?*

When you choose a Systematic Withdrawal Plan, it affects your mutual fund account as well. It is important to note that an SWP is not the same as opening a fixed deposit account in a bank where you receive monthly interests. With a fixed deposit, the corpus value is not impacted when you withdraw the interest but in the case of a systematic withdrawal plan in mutual fund schemes, the value of your fund is reduced by the number of units you withdraw.

With each withdrawal, your mutual fund will see a decline in its units. At higher NAVs, you may redeem fewer units to fulfill the cash requirements. Conversely, as the NAV falls, it would have the opposite effect, requiring the redemption of more units. An important aspect of benefiting from this plan and making the most of it is by planning the SWP keeping in mind your needs and your end goal. It can have a detrimental effect on the value of your fund if you go for unplanned withdrawals.

*6. Tax Implications of Systematic Withdrawal Plans*

The redemption via systematic withdrawal plan is subject to taxation.

In case of debt funds, if your holding period is less than 36 months, then the amount that you withdraw will form a part of your income. It will then be taxed according to your income slab. On the other hand, if the holding period is more than 36 months, then the long-term capital gains will be taxed at 20% with indexation.

In case of equity funds, if your holding period is less than 1 year, then the withdrawn amount will be taxed at the rate of 15%. On the other hand, if the holding period is more than 1 year, then the long-term capital gains will be taxed at 10% without indexation.

*7. SWP payments are subject to capital gains tax.*

In debt funds capital gains made in units redeemed for SWP within the first 3 years from the date of investment will be taxed as per the income tax rate of the investor. Capital Gains (debt funds) made in units redeemed after 3 years from date of investment will be taxed at 20% after allowing for indexation. In equity funds capital gains in units redeemed within 12 months from date of investment will be taxed at 15%. Capital gains in units redeemed after 12 months is tax free, as long as the total capital gains in a financial year do not exceed 1 lakh.

*Tax Efficiency - Dividend or Growth*

The dividend option has been advocated as the way to earn regular cash flows from the mutual fund investment. The impression that the dividend is an extra return has made investors choose this option to the detriment of their long-term goals which will suffer because the dividends actually bleed the longterm corpus that is being built and reduces the compounding benefit to the portfolio.

Investors choose the dividend option on the basis of two misconceptions—one, investing in debt funds with monthly dividend option is equivalent to getting monthly income from the mutual funds, and second, that this dividend is profits that they are reaping out of their mutual fund investment over and above the NAV. I constantly dissuade them of these notions and try and educate them that the dividend is coming out of their investment.

There have been instances of misselling too, where the dividend is projected as a guaranteed feature. The latest instance involved the balanced fund category in 2017, where Fixed Income investors were lured into these schemes on the basis of the continuous dividend paying record of the schemes in the good equity market scenario of 2015-2017. However, this ended when markets crashed in 2018, and the category since then has been seeing huge outflows every month.

A better way to generate regular cash flows from mutual fund investments is to redeem units periodically to the extent required. Unlike the dividend option where there is no certainty on the amount of dividend and the dividend decision is made by the fund management, mutual funds provide the facility of systematic withdrawal plans (SWP) where investors can specify the amount of money required and the periodicity and the mutual fund will execute it by redeeming the required number of units. Using the SWP option gives certainty of income that is not there in the dividend option.

You must not confuse return with cash flow. If you need cash flow then you must select the SWP, which is not only tax-efficient but also does not create the illusion that this is additional income, The drawback, if it can be considered that, is the capital invested may also be withdrawn over time. As long as your annual withdrawal rate is well below the expected return and you judiciously calibrate the process where needed, your capital remains intact over time.

The dividend and growth option were played-off against each other since the tax treatment of returns as dividend and as capital gains were taxed differently.

But with a 10% dividend distribution tax now being imposed on dividends that are distributed and a longterm capital gain tax of 10% on gains over ₹1 lakh per annum in case of equity funds, and a dividend distribution tax of 25% and LTCG of 20% with indexation benefits on debt funds, the choice becomes a little more nuanced.

How do they stack up? In case of equity funds, the DDT of 10% is applicable on the entire amount of dividend. If a systematic withdrawal plan was used to withdraw a specified amount, then the tax will apply only on the capital gains over ₹1 lakh per annum and not on the total amount withdrawn.

The SWP option to generate post-tax returns is clearly superior to the dividend option. In case of debt funds, the availability of indexation benefits on long-term capital gains makes the SWP option even more attractive from a tax perspective. In the SWP option the units held will go down as redemption happens. In the dividend option, the NAV will deduce as dividends are paid out.

The dividend re-investment option, a sub-sect of the dividend option, hits the investor twice-over with tax. First, the DDT is deducted when the dividend is paid, even if it is re-invested in the same scheme. Second, when the investor withdraws the investment, there is a capital gains tax, too, that they are liable to pay. This double tax whammy makes this option completely useless for the investor seeking growth in investments.

Investors in mutual funds are looking for either long term capital appreciation or income from their investments. The dividend pay-out and re-investment options do not give investors any advantage in either of these goals on a post-tax basis. The combination of growth option along with a systematic withdrawal plan is what works for investors in the current tax scenario. Investors should consider switching their investments into the growth option to limit the damage.

Remember, there are exit loads and taxes applicable on such switches, which need to be taken into account.

*CONCLUSION*

We have compared Dividend option. SWP gives the comfort of predictable cash-flows and superior post tax returns. Unlike dividends, SWP gives power to the investor to decide cash-flows. However, this power can be a double edged sword and therefore, must be exercised with utmost caution and great restraint - investor's withdrawal rate should be reasonable low, so that he can create wealth in the long run. My view is SWP rate should not be more than 7-8%.

To know more about Dividend vis-a-vis SWP, kindly contact Jayant Harde on 9373284136 or +91 7122282029. You can also visit our website: www.jayantharde.com

Source: https://hardejayant.blogspot.com/2021/04/an-analysis-of-dividend-vis-vis-swp.html

#systematic withdrawal plan #mutual fund dividends #mutual fund scheme #capital gain #mutual investments #equity funds

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wrydsigil · 3 years

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HOUSE-BOUND INTROSPECTIONS FROM AN AGING LIFE

These days my wife cares for my needs. It comes with age, I suppose, this realization it will end one day, this mystery of an Earthbound life. One thinks he drank too much from the cup. I’m spent and can’t get it up. Tuckered out from my heighten adrenaline fueled rough and rowdy ways. Not really. Pretty mild mannered, and avoid conflict if I can.

It was after my close call with gall bladder cancer decades ago. If you don’t care, mindful of the thoughts you create from the abyss of the subconscious’ metaphysical dreamscape, I followed a mosaic path lined with twinkling kaleidoscope of crystals in my mind cinema. Distractions, life choices, what we do today plants a randomness of the future events to unfold.

Take a risk with magic and love, my life is a rom-com feature, unbathed in my naked naivety of how to monetize my American existence.

Outside my home, things go on all around me, unfazed that I'm sinking into the past of memories. The seasonal temperature fluctuates from winter freeze to desert heat, and nature's way will out last.

One's life of decades span, full of fresh events and strife, those accomplishments and failures, are now all spent. We all leave a legacy, usually not in the way we want.

In my house-bound remoteness fragments of memories enter my mind. Unknowing the side effects, regrets and happiness will arise. With resolve in my heart, seclusion and privacy bring a settling peace. Regardless of the daily turmoil's going on in the world that exist in a vacuum of pain; I can breathe deep into serenity for this discord is behind me now, tranquility prevails, my heart is at ease.

Oh how life is a constant challenge, this I now see. When the decisions made turned out to be my own undoing, causing other misery. Seeking consolation, solace or even relief, what disquieting acts I have committed are now released.

Imaginative illusions that drove my perceptions from classical literature in my youth, those golden years promised elude me now, what was it all worth?

Physical stamina is waning as age creeps over me. Perhaps it pushed me to reflecting on this connection to the Soul within me. Ancient esoteric rituals of energy alchemy now come to me in round about ways. But what I always came back to was "...ask and it shall be given unto you" my salvation.

On my shelves are stacked the chronicles I transcribed from daily events. The Grimoire rituals, shaman crafting seals.

Honing a way to express myself, for good or bad. Nothing mattered more, than to learn about what I didn't know behind the illusion that would make me sad.

I was transported into a world of other dimensions. There are others that came along later, mystical out of body excursions that I couldn't explain. Because the system of civilization dictated to me a punishing conformity to live and act the same.

You get a spark of inspiration so nothing else matters. There is a natural feeling to it when it comes. You read the words that speaks to your heart. The muffled Lord vernacular that carries you down those deserted roads to ancient ruins where the beginning of our story is told.

So, I ventured out to get an informed view of the world. My own odyssey prevailed to guide me that became an unknown swirl. I disentangled the lies that veiled the Truth, and deciphered the ancient wisdom that illuminated my youth.

This was the standard to live by, chaos at every turn. Unlike everyone else, things stuck with me, especially the ones with wounds I cared for, being human for all it was worth.

High drama makes demands on us, so the narrative related remains intense. Dramatic encounters were sought as a test, to set me apart from the herd.

Then there are allegories from the prophets that came along. You tolerate their belligerence, as they all react differently to the same situations expecting pay, that's a fact. Make it plain and understandable, that's all I say.

The tapestry of history carved in cryptic sacred imagery within temples and shrines.

A catastrophic storm came along one day. Some were lead to God. Hindu myths, Greek deities, the coronations of anointed the kings were all left to bespeak.

High brow or low brow, they wrote the embodiment of their affidavits upon their Souls. As we were left to interpret whatever they meant, the words were just paradoxes that abandoned us by evening in a pouring rain that wouldn't relent, the chimes of golden bowls rung the toll.

The path of my purpose as savant of encrypted prophecy is based on the Tetractys of divine power.

That theme works its way into my day, today. I see the Oneness of archetypal powers, my tablet of enlightenment points to the Golden Ratio, the exact science.

Once I was an innocent youth. Then the war of horror stories emerged. It gives you concern for others, this I learned.

Once upon a time I had big dreams, loving life, now it is being shot to pieces. Falling rain, muddy roads, pandemics, all life is breaking down all around you, but I have the foundation of the Universe built within my solitude.

Warfare has no limits. No matter how it is defined. Birds perched on the cadavers, paying it no mind. Nothing else is possible. Merciless attacks prevail. Open your heart to being turned into an adversary of that morality of humanity and you'll see yourself in hell.

All those power grabbers, stinking up your nostrils, in the trenches of their torture chambers of riches, they refuse to be accountable by throwing curses down your well.

Yesterday I tried to save a wounded dog. You have to finish the job, like a Roman soldier and be careful of those Germanic girls, I wasn't myself, this I could tell.

There can just be a miscalculated equation that skews the mind; we call it an anomaly all the time. Put the historical legends of war tablets down that lavish discourse of fallen heroes. Lyrics that spin an epic tale like a Greek mythological, Hermetical awareness.

I once read about warfare making heroes, but their underworld ain't talking to me now. I got good common sense, you see, in case they were cursed to come after me as ghosts in the night.

I learned to protect myself with spell-crafting incantations from bohemian wizards, shamans and the like. Resurrect the Spirit Angels from cosmic dust through chaos protocols that reflect the Light.

Metaphysical aliens are an optical aberration in the Third Dimension, but when flooded with DMT, hold on to your true nature sense of self. Nature abounds in molecular orbs spinning in fluctuations around electromagnetic frequencies, photons and protons, the Milky Way of star-studded energy passes through you.

You realize, you physical form is transparent, as only the essence of your spirit enlightens one to the divine flow of life’s other language, a cypher coded symbolic portal of ancestral interpretations, now you understand the origin our existence upon the Blue Planet..

The long journey home, it was full of pitfalls and dangers from trouble makers I recall. This could make me deranged if not for the other means of meeting interesting people who explained it all.

So you ain't talking to me unless you use kind words. Otherwise, it's futile, I won't hear your terms.

The ballads of hating words, left to wonder while such close calls from spitting vitriol verbal bullets zipped past my ears. Treachery swarms all around this world, that was all I came to know over the years. People exist in their beliefs out of fear.

You're given two paths to choose from in the trenches of the life and both are doomed to fulfill their destiny, regardless of your flight.

Some gods and goddesses want to protect you, while others want to infest you with plague and gloom. There is a way to overcome this archaism, I thought to myself, sequestrated in solitude, in my throne room.

I recalled I shared my bed with the wrong woman once, that angered the people I shouldn't have done. Something to remember, don't get into a mess, it can't be undone.

The wind blew across the desert plain when I returned to my realm, finding that misfit rivalries, those cagey squatters have moved in causing my betrothed goddess' skin to grow thousands of rose thorns.

But the misfits fled, forever banished when I charged the sky with a thunderous scornful damnation rage. When the real life feud fell quiet, my goddess' thorns fell away. She embraced me with loving heart as rose petals fell from the heavens, whispering My freedom fighter has thus slayed.

I told her of all my adventures, adorned her with artifacts and rare coins from places and cultures distant and far, before I settled down into a deep sleep, with Angels all around.

So if the story moves you, evokes your Soul to emerge, that's all that's important, these are just wyrds.

What does it all mean makes no difference to me. For everyone else has their own perceptions projected upon thee.

Beliefs and Duality is the trappings of death. Everyone has their own projection, an image of perception that they think they must protect.

Yet, this tale of chaos inflicted upon the rational mind, has just influenced your subconscious to join with mine.

You’ll see the angels around you when death is near.

Now, put this on a shelf, and forget you ever read it.

The magical wonders of Life are about to happen to you, as they have for me, for we another of ourselves.

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bitcoinminershasrate · 3 years

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RX 570 8gb Hashrate: Mining 2021| Review| Testing | Specs | Profit

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