#paid $3 less than advertised and agreed on in the interview

[hellsimulation]

Highly recommend ghosting on a shitty job. It feels so good. Especially when they abuse you because they’re so desperate for employees because no one wants to work for their shitty abusive company. The best is when they beg you to show up and say you won’t be in trouble for being late. Babes I won’t be in trouble because I’m never coming back 💕

#my last real job pulled some MAJOR bs so I ghosted them #we agreed on 20 hours bc I’m disabled but they scheduled me for 39 anyway #gave me multiple 12 hour shifts when I told them I Would Not Do That #refused to give me the schedule we agreed on #paid $3 less than advertised and agreed on in the interview #PLUS it was under the table so mmm tax fraud #so I collected my first wad of cash and bounced lmao

[lucidpantone]

Reacting to reactions: Kynicole s4 ep1 (comments edition)

Okay, so you know when something comes out and you need to talk about it with other humans because you can’t hold it in?  This is me right now with the youtube comments on kynicole’s reaction video. I am about to burst 🤯.

**First and foremost lets thank kynicole for doing what most of us aren't willing to do for ourselves which is revisit the trainwreck that is wtFOCK s4.**

Disclaimer: This is long as hell

Ok so literally first comment I see is this:

People!!! Moyo from all the information we’ve been given as a fandom am pretty sure is not blocked. You know that saying, actions speak louder than words?Well let's analyze the actions of wtFOCK(particularly Rutgers) and Noa. I have asked sooo many people about the block question and I always get the same answer “I don’t know”. Which coupled with everything else that has played out tells me a lot. Ok firstly, we are all aware that wtFOCK is yet to comment on or even acknowledge s4. The newsmonkey article wtFOCK did after every season they skipped entirely after s4. You know what wtFOCK did do? They sent out Nora b4 s4 even ended to calm down the fandom. Oh lets send the WOC out to quell the screams from all the fans that are screaming at the injustice of giving this season to Romi(who was a way less experienced actor, who had no previous backstory on the show, who no one asked for, who was white, a legitimate model, and to put it simply didn’t work anywhere near as hard as Noa for 3 seasons). Anyways here is why I am pretty sure Moyo isn't block.

Think about everything we know about Noa as a human being the way he treats the fans, his demeanor and just overall vibe. To me he seems like a very nice person, he writes back to most of you guys when you talk to him. I saw him comment heart emojis to fan accounts that commented on his award acceptance the other day and you know what he said at the award “That the fans are the most important thing”. Now connect the Noa we know from his actions to his own words on the day the main was revealed:

To me this tweet implies whatever he is speaking about involved a choice and the chooser chose to make money over morality. Now lets exam Rutgers actions. He has never publicly spoken about the season and the reason I believe he doesn't speak is because any decent journalist is going to ask him to explain his casting choice. Also your telling me that if Moyo had been blocked after week 4,5,6,7,8 of having the fandom hurl insults at wtfock and also Romi calling a meeting they wouldn't have used their end of the season interview to confirm Moyo wasn’t an option to shut the fandom up? Oh and last week Noa accepted the award for wtfock and Rutgers posted Noa on his story??? Moyo wasn’t the main of s4. Wouldn't it make sense to have a main accept the award? Why Noa? Rutgers is not stupid. I don’t believe for one second that Moyo was blocked. What I believe is that wtFOCK’s leadership who happens to all be white men are to embarrassed to go on the record and say “yeah Moyo wasn’t block but we still didn’t chose him” and that instead of giving the season to Noa who worked his ass off for 3 seasons they gave it to Romi because they thought “her look” was more appeasing to advertisers. Her look was obviously what sold them on her because next to Noa we know who the better actor was and Noa literally landed a feature film to prove that. Anyways everyone needs to stop pushing this idea that Moyo was blocked because if you actually look at everyone’s actions involved its pretty clear to me he wasn't blocked and Rutgers and the team are refusing to confirm what to me is fairly obvious answer because they know they are going to get fucking dragged. Also whoever this commenter is they know what's up. I agree with everything you stated:

☝️☝️☝️Say it louder sis. wtFOCK bypassed Noa on purpose they chose to do what they did to him. I do genuinely believe they regret the decision now because from everything I heard I really do believe they wish they could go back and chose Noa but the damage is done. 

Next YT comment:

You know when early on in the season a bunch of POC said that this season was merely a platform to embolden and give free reign to those who already harbored racial micro-aggression 👇👇👇

Oh surprise, surprise..... this commenter sees no redeeming qualities in both black boys who in their respective remakes are written as being homophobic, with undertones of aggression and as bad friends. Oh and then this commenter points out how poor Moyo treated Kato. Bwahahahaha what?? Yea Moyo insulted Kato but he never accused her of being a drug dealer, or implies she has a drug problem, or racially profiles members of her community or manipulates her with saying I love you as a form of keeping her but Moyo treats Kato badly. GTFO!!! I am sure this commenter is a Mailin stan too and would say Ava isnt someone she would be interested in seeing main either. Wonder what all these characters have in common🤔. This type of commentary is what created the divide that still resides in the wtfock fandom to date. This shit is what tore the fandom apart and eventually led people to leave the fandom or take time off because people went for each others throats as the season got worse and those who defended wtfock at the beginning were eaten alive. Honestly tho I dont want to excuse people’s troublesome povs on race but wtFOCK’s decision to make a season where their white main never fully apologizes or owns her behavior with the appropriate language perpetuates a pattern of bad behavior so am kinda of not shocked no one came out with some insight on race relations after s4 if anything probably with less of an education then they began with because wtfock themselves peddled the agenda that its ok to silence people of color (as they did with moyo at the end of the season, he never says his piece to kato and stays with her) and Kato never takes ownership of her actions and states that her actions stem from some form of racial micro-aggression.

Final Comments reviewed:

I mean.... look I will always adore season 2 & 3 of wtfock. Nothing will ever change that for me but these people ☝️☝️are right. It takes a real fan to be honest with themselves and to me this is the worse season in the universe and it makes me so sad mainly because it could have been the most fearless, ground breaking season but wtfock made a choice. They literally had the opportunity to go big and do something that had never been done before and in the end they choked and paid the ultimate price. What a waste.......could have been amazing the had the perfect actor to main and they fucking blew it because in their mind Moyo wasn't an important enough story to tell 😞.

p.s. I noticed kynicole said at least half a dozen times in her video I still dont get why this wasn’t in Moyo’s pov? Literally said EVERYONE!!!

#wtfock #reacting to s4 yt comments #kynicole edition

[1dsongpreferencess]

44: GIRLFRIEND - AVRIL LAVIGNE (REQUESTED)

ZAYN:

“Hey, hey You, you I don't like your girlfriend No way, no way I think you need a new one”

It was Friday night, and for one strange reason Zayn was in the mood to go out to a night club and you loved dancing so you were excited. You called your mutual friends and picked a place. You got ready and dressed in a red dress that Zayn loved on you and he went with a leather jacket that always makes you went crazy. You arrived at the club and were having a really good time until people realized Zayn was there. People started to get close, and there was a group of beautiful girls that looked drunk. One of them started yelling “Zaaaayn, you could do so much better! Your girlfriend is not as pretty as me. You can do me whenever you want” All their friends started laughing and you felt terrible because you feel beautiful that night. Zayn looked at you and gave you a  passionate kiss and you smiled. He didn’t even have to reply to her because when she saw the kiss she felt embarrassed and they went away to dance. You were lucky, he was an amazing boyfriend and he has chosen you. You danced all night and felt happy to be together.

LOUIS:

“Hey, hey You, you I know that you like me No way, no way No, it's not a secret”

You worked for the advertising agency that Louis paid and that’s why you have been around him for lots of times. You had to be present in his photoshoots, interviews and sometimes you would go to his concerts but because you had a huge crush on him. All your team knew and they would always try to make you close to him but as you were really shy you tried to keep it casual around him. Today it was a full day schedule for you to be with him. He was always busy but this as tasks went completing it was time for lunch. “Hey, y/n would you go and grab something for lunch with me?” He said. “Of course, Louis. We could talk about the photoshoot of tomorrow” You replied. He nodded and the two of you went to this place of great hamburgers and you were having a good time, you felt stupid because you were falling more for him and he only saw you as an employee, or that’s what you thought. “You had a little bit of lettuce on your teeth, y/n” he said laughing and you blushed. He talked again and said “You look so beautiful when you blush” and you replied “You are gonna make me blush more” he smiled. “y/n, you know that I know you fancy me, right? It is pretty obvious… “ You almost spilled out your coke. He continued “And it makes me happy, I really like you and would love to take you on a date” you smiled. “I don’t know what to say, I thought I was pretty good at acting” and you both laughed. “I would love to go out on a date with you” He smiled and you keep eating. Your teamwork was gonna go crazy when you tell them about the date.

HARRY

“You're so addictive Don't you know what I can do To make you feel all right?”

You were having the worst hangover of your life you felt as you slowly were opening your eyes, you didn’t recognize that bedroom and when you looked at your right a boy was sleeping and you were shocked but started to remember. It was Harry Styles, but how??? Last night,  you were having a nice night out with your friends that ended up on a private party in a fancy house of one your best friend's friend and as you were drunker you decided to sit outside when Harry sat next to you. He was trying to escape the loud music so you started talking, time passed by and you started to flirt with each other and then kissing took place and well… you ended up in his place. Back at the present, you were trying to not make any noise but as soon as you got up he woke up and said. “Were you leaving without saying goodbye, y/n?” He said. You were impressed with him remembering your name. You replied “I just wanted some water, my head is killing me” He got up and you both walked to the kitchen, he was serving some water when you noticed he was shirtless, he looked so handsome. When he gave you the water he noticed you were looking at him and he smiled and wink an eye at you. You talked a little bit more and he made you breakfast and you ate it together. You suddenly didn’t felt like a one night stand, he even gave you a kiss when you were done eating. And that’s how you spend all day with him being lazy and recovering from your hangover. He made you feel safe, and even asked you on a real date for the next day.

NIALL

“I can see the way I see the way you look at me And even when you look away I know you think of me I know you talk about me all the time”

You couldn’t remember how you agreed to go to a family reunion at Niall’s hometown. He was one of your closest friends for the past year and you really liked hanging out with him, but when he started to show you his real feelings for you, you got a little bit scared because, to be honest you felt it too but first you were finally getting over your ex-boyfriend and second you didn’t want to lose Niall as your friend so you decided to make him believe or at least tried to make him think you didn’t like him that way and you thought he buys it. So there you were going to meet all his family but also in Dublin because you have never been there. You were surprised because you were having fun and his family was really nice to you, you felt like you belonged. As the reunion went over, he decided that the next day he was going to give you a tour around the city and you were excited. You had a great time and went to amazing places, at the end of the day he invited you to this really nice restaurant. “Y/n, can we be honest for a second please?” He said while he was drinking a bit of wine. “Ok you’re scaring me, but what should we be honest about?” You replied. He smiled and said “I think it’s pretty obvious we’d make a wonderful couple and I know you like me to, I see the way you look at me and please don’t say you don’t want to lose me as a friend because we would have something better than a friendship… could you give us a change? My family already loves you” You went silent and shyly hold his hand. “Niall, I just don’t want us to make a mistake but yes I think this weekend made me realize I can’t pretend I don’t have feelings for you” You replied. “Then don’t, don’t pretend and let’s give us a chance” He went closer and kissed you on the lips, the first but not the last for the 50 years you’d be together after that night.

LIAM

“Cause she's like so, whatever You could do so much better I think we should get together now”

You never thought you’d be as cliché as being in love with your best friend Liam. You tried to make those feelings disappear but as you spend lots of time together you could felt how the feelings were growing and whenever he talked to you about some other girl you got so jealous that sometimes you couldn't even pretend you weren’t mad. “Y/n, you never like the girls I try to date,” He said. “Li, I just think you could do so much better. Don’t you realize how amazing you are? And those girls are like, so whatever. They’re plastic, you couldn’t even have a real conversation with them” You replied. He smiled knowing how much you cared about him. “Yeah, that’s true. But don’t you see I’m waiting for the both of us to be ready for marriage? I’m pretty sure I’m going to marry you someday” He said. You couldn’t help but laughed and be as much as casual as you could. “Yeah, I see us at the altar together in less than five years” You replied. Funny thing you both didn’t know that in 3 years you were going to be living together and a year later married. Life was good and you both were so happy.

#one direction #1d #1d prefereces #one direction preferences #imagine one direction #Niall Horan #Zayn Malik #Harry Styles #louis tomlinson #Liam Panye

[googlejunky-blog]

Free? I don’t think so

Hello, and thanks for clicking.

Now, anyone who knows me, knows that I have been – as titled – a “Google Junky”. However, as this blog is anonymous, you don’t know me. So, let me explain: I am a huge proponent of using just about every item in Google’s suite of services, and I willingly give just about all of my data to Google, and eagerly too. When the first Pixel phone came out, I was so thrilled, even as underdeveloped as it was. I quickly trained the Google Assistant to know everything relevant about me. I loved the simplicity and reliability having a fully Google-focused phone gave me, as it saved me from doing so many tedious daily tasks. It concerned my father a bit about how much I trusted Google, but I was in love.

Image from https://segmentnext.com/2018/04/23/google-data-collection-higher/.

Today, I no longer have a Pixel phone, but I still remain a fan of the Google suite (excluding their attempts to create their own social media, big nope). I am also much more educated about the impacts of data collection, mining, tracking, whatever name you want to use. I do still remain an active user in supplying my different applications with plenty of data, spread across a variety of devices as I am one of the many individuals who values price over brand.

Unfortunately, this is one-sided, so you’ve gotten my introduction and I won’t be hearing yours anytime soon. But let’s dive into the issue at hand: why is online data collection considered such an improper method of developing tech and earning money, and what could be a good middle ground?

In an Open Source article by Cleo Abram, he discusses the purpose of cookies and how our online experience is shaped by these data trackers. Cookies are a way for websites to save short-term memory, making sure the website in use is remembering its user information. Abram says, “[Our] world relies on advertising, which gives three kinds of companies a strong incentive to repurpose cookies to track your online behavior. Brands want to sell products by serving you ads for things you’re likely to buy. Platforms and publishers want to make money by serving those ads when you’re on their site. And middlemen are in the business of ensuring the ads from the brands are delivered to the right people.”

In another article from Open Source, Rani Molla discusses the truth behind free websites. She starts off with Facebook’s new tool showing how much user activity the site records, allowing for some user control over personal data. She says, “The tool . . . also serves as a reminder of the frightening amount of information Facebook knows about you. This isn’t a surprising revelation; it’s not a revelation at all. Facebook is a free service that allows you to do fun stuff like set up a profile and send messages to friends, and it uses a variety of tools to track your every move both online and off. The social network then uses everything it knows about you (read: more than you’d like) to sell hyper-targeted ads. This business model has been around for decades, and it shows how free software (not to be confused with the free software movement) and services are never really free. You’re paying with your data.”

Image provided by author.

It seems fairly reasonable that it would be beneficial for everyone to see advertisements that actually interest us, instead of annoying, non-relevant products and services. Granted, this can go a step too far, but we’ll get to that in a moment. For me, I have found significant value in these targeted ads. I specifically remember one time, I had come across a clothing website that I wasn’t familiar with, and I saw quite a few items I was very interested in purchasing. I was considering my options, and didn’t purchase anything that day. The next day, I wanted to go back and look at the items again, but I couldn’t remember the name of the company. But I knew if I scrolled long enough on Facebook, I would see an ad for that company. So I did, I scrolled for a few minutes and there it was! The clothing shop I was searching for!

Obviously, it’s not so common for people to forget a website and go searching for it again, but it is common for people to compare similar products among different brands. In that sense, I have also seen great value in my Instagram advertisements. Quite often I will be advertised different products or services similar to what I’ve been researching, but from a new source that I hadn’t yet considered. Maybe I end up spending more because I’m reminded of the products more frequently, but I also get much more quality for knowing my options.

Many people recite the Target story of a teenage girl being sent pregnancy product ads before her parents even knew she was pregnant – I’m not going to dive into that here, go ahead and do a quick Google search if you aren’t familiar. Clearly, though, ads can have real power. Advertisements aren’t the end of the story, however. The sheer amount of data we produce and is subsequently collected can easily identify individuals, even without having names or faces. Have you ever known just the first name of an individual and a general location, then did a few searches online and quickly found all of their profiles? Imagine if you had all of their preferences, location pings, et cetera… It’s unreasonable to think that you couldn’t pinpoint the right person.

Image provided by author.

Now, what can we do about this so-called invasion of privacy? Well, you’re probably not going to like the answers. On your various websites and services, regardless of being free or paid, there are some options to limit the information gathered as well as opting out of targeted ads. Usually, this will not stop the websites from keeping the information it has already obtained, or from not gathering other information you provide. A much less likely option in our world today is to simply stop using such sites. Now, this does limit your life substantially, which is why many of us don’t even bother reading the Terms and Condition pages before signing up. As a college student, I often don’t have the choice – I am required to use certain websites and programs for my classes, and all of those programs collect data about me and my online activity.

Many are pushing for federal laws to be enacted, as we are sorely behind in our management of online privacy. I do agree with this method, though unlike some I do not wish for the practice of data tracking and selling to end. I feel the data price you pay for free services is a fair trade-off. However, I propose that instead of endless, lawyer-esque Terms and Conditions to be forced upon users, a secondary option is available. This secondary option would be to change the experience from a free service to a paid service. Instead of data, you exchange money, and thus any personal information they collect, they are unauthorized to sell. Yes, we do still need government regulation to prove that these agreements are followed, but luckily we also have the extreme power of public backlash online if word gets out that the process is not followed. I do understand that this changes different services from a convenience to a luxury, which is where my caveat exists: any sites that users are mandated to use, such as school, work, or government related should not have an option to sell personal data.

Data regarding preferences, location services, and other products can be immensely helpful to improve our daily activities. However, information that can be used to manipulate or damage people, is certainly a criminal violation. If an individual’s medical records could be sold to different health insurance companies, what is the likelihood a sick person would be able to receive the coverage they need at a reasonable price? If the police force is able to access affiliations and biases, what would be the rate of misidentification towards minorities? On the flip side, what if 9-1-1 operators had access to the location pings of both the victim and the attacker? What if security cameras could match thieves with their I.P. addresses?

Our data is powerful, and it’s time we started paying attention to it.

Image from https://smartercx.com/what-is-data-mining-how-can-it-help-cx/.

 Relevant sites for more information:

https://www.vox.com/open-sourced/2020/2/3/21116801/ads-internet-sites-cookies

https://www.vox.com/recode/2020/1/29/21111848/free-software-privacy-alternative-data

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/5/3/18528520/twitter-inferred-interests-targeted-advertising-psychology

https://www.vox.com/2019/12/10/21004787/open-sourced-tech-data-privacy

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/10/20962868/vox-media-privacy-policy-explained-what-we-know-about-you

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/10/20991304/open-sourced-the-hidden-consequences-of-tech-revealed

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/12/10/20996869/facebook-political-ads-targeting-alex-stamos-interview-open-sourced

https://www.vox.com/recode/2019/11/5/20947419/internet-freedom-report-2019-social-media-election-interference-surveillance

https://www.vox.com/the-highlight/2019/9/11/20859597/internet-privacy-erase-history-google-facebook

https://www.wired.com/story/facebook-social-network-becomes-social-science-subject/                    

Image from https://favpng.com/png_view/atlantis-business-data-mining-big-data-analytics-information-png/9kiuHTe5

[blog-cosmosuniverse1]

The Conspiracy That Allows Murder Without Accountability

In October 2020, Purdue Pharma — owned and operated by members of the Sackler family — pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and reached a settlement totaling $8.3 billion. August 11, 2021, a federal judge granted the Sackler family legal immunity against future litigation In July 2021, Johnson & Johnson and three drug distributors agreed to pay a combined settlement of $26 billion in a multistate settlement over their roles in the opioid epidemic. They too got a sweetheart of a deal, as the settlement amounts to just 4% of the four companies’ annual revenue In May 2021, the Massachusetts attorney general filed a lawsuit against Publicis Health, accusing it of helping Purdue create the deceptive marketing materials used to mislead doctors into prescribing OxyContin The Publicis Groupe is a partner of the World Economic Forum, which is leading the call for a Great Reset in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. Publicis also funded the startup of NewsGuard, which is now censoring COVID-19 information NewsGuard’s health-related service, HealthGuard, is partnered with the Center for Countering Digital Hate — a progressive cancel-culture leader with extensive ties to government and global think tanks that has labeled people questioning the COVID-19 vaccine as “threats to national security”

At the end of October 2020, Purdue Pharma, owned and operated by members of the Sackler family, pleaded guilty to federal criminal charges and reached a settlement totaling $8.3 billion.1The U.S. Department of Justice probe found Purdue had intentionally fueled the deadly opioid epidemic using unethical, untruthful and illegal marketing practices. At the time, Robert Weissman, president of Public Citizen, commented:2“For there to be accountability for the corporate-fueled opioid addiction epidemic, which has cruelly taken hundreds of thousands of lives, there must be prosecution of those members of the Sackler family who, along with other executives and owners, were responsible for Purdue Pharma’s deadly deception, as well as a stripping away of their ill-gotten gains from an evil scheme to push addictive drugs for profit.”Sackler Family Let Off Scot-Free Well, that simply wasn’t to be. August 11, 2021, a federal judge granted the Sackler family legal immunity against future litigation over their role in the opioid epidemic.3 The obvious question is why?The Sacklers knew their drug was highly addictive and responsible for nearly half a million U.S. overdose deaths in the decade between 1999 and 2019,4 yet they chose to hide that fact and encouraged doctors to overprescribe.Purdue’s sales representatives were extensively coached on how to downplay the drug’s addictive potential, claiming addiction occurred in less than 1% of patients being treated for pain. Meanwhile, research5 shows addiction affects as many as 26% of those using opioids for chronic noncancer pain. The results were predictable. Patients became addicted at record rates, and when they couldn’t obtain more OxyContin, they turned to street drugs like heroin and fentanyl. According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention,6 841,000 Americans died from drug overdoses between 1999 and 2019, and opioids were involved in 70.6% of the overdose deaths that occurred in 2019.It’s quite remarkable that our legal system is letting the Sacklers get off scot-free, seeing how they were clearly in charge of the company’s deadly decisions.7,8,9 Adding insult to injury, the Sacklers decided to cash in on the problem they created by developing and selling addiction treatment.10,11 As reported by Nation of Change:12“Purdue will be bankrupt, but members of the multi-billionaire Sackler family — who were responsible for the decisions that led to these deaths and profited the most from Purdue’s opioid dealings — will gain near-total immunity from future litigation. By the time the settlement is paid out they most likely will be as wealthy as they ever were. So where does personal responsibility come in?”Hold the Sacklers Accountable in the Public Sphere In 2018, Paul Hanly, a leading attorney in the case against Purdue, referred to the Sacklers as “a crime family … drug dealers in nice suits and dresses.”13 Indeed, yet the Sacklers had carefully built a public image of themselves as a family of “philanthropists,” donating a fraction of their ill-gotten wealth to prestigious medical schools and fancy museums through the years.As noted by Nation of Change, “In return for the donation, honorees are imbued with moral approval.” Well, it’s time to retract that moral approval, and the only ones who can do that is us. We need to demand that those who took Sacklers’ donations recognize the harm the family has done, and strip the Sacklers of their honors.“Richard Sackler and other family members involved in this tragedy deserve to be shamed,” Nation of Change writes.14 “Institutions that took their blood money should remove the Sackler name from their centers, professorships, buildings, and pediments. If they won’t be held accountable in a court of law, they must be held accountable at least in the public sphere.”In the video below, Patrick Bet-David interviews Dr. Chris Johnson, an emergency medicine physician, about the opioid epidemic and the role of unethical drug companies. As noted by Johnson, drug companies appear to

view fines for illegal activities as a routine business expense. It’s a great business model. They can easily afford the fines if caught so shareholders are protected, and no one goes to jail. The only people who get hurt are the patients.

Other Opioid Makers Get Sweetheart Deals

Purdue isn’t the only opioid maker whose executives have been spared accountability for their deadly decisions. In July 2021, Johnson & Johnson and three drug distributors — AmerisourceBergen, Cardinal Health and McKesson — agreed to pay a combined settlement of $26 billion in a multistate settlement over their roles in the opioid epidemic.15

They too got a sweetheart of a deal, as the $26 billion settlement amounts to just 4% of the four companies annual revenue. In an article for CounterPunch, Richard Eskow writes:16

“Apparently, that’s what attorneys general for a number of states thought was adequate compensation for all the lost lives, for the mothers living on the street and the children born addicted, for the grieving families, desolate neighborhoods, and dying communities.

‘Distributors can easily bear this burden,’ analysts at a stock market firm wrote. ‘We haven’t popped the champagne yet, but the bottle is definitely chilling.’ Having lost a close family member to an opioid overdose, I was unable to get over my fury for days after reading this sentence.”

Great Reset Promoter Sued for Deceptive Marketing

While Purdue’s owners, the Sackler family, got off without so much as a slap on the wrist, states struggling with the exorbitant cost of opioid addiction aren’t ready to bury the hatchet just yet. Instead, some are going after the PR firm that created and ran Purdue’s deceptive marketing campaigns.

As it turns out, that PR firm is none other than the Publicis Groupe, a partner of the World Economic Forum, which is leading the call for a Great Reset in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While Publicis is part of an enormous network that includes international drug companies, fact checkers, Big Tech companies, the banking industry, the U.S. government, the World Health Organization and the World Economic Forum, just to name a few, Publicis appears to be a key player when it comes to coordinating the global effort to censor COVID-related information.

Publicis Health admitted its involvement in this censorship agenda as recently as April 27, 2021. In a tweet,17 the agency announced its partnership with NewsGuard, “to fight the ‘infodemic’ of misinformation about COVID-19 and its vaccines.” In short, Publicis Health is dedicated to suppressing any information that hurts its Big Pharma clients.

Publicis is more than a partner with NewsGuard, however. NewsGuard actually received a large chunk of its startup capital from Publicis. NewsGuard, a self-proclaimed arbiter of truth, rates websites on criteria of “credibility” and “transparency,” ostensibly to guide viewers to the most reliable sources of news and information.

In reality, however, NewsGuard ends up acting as a gate keeper with a mission to barricade unpopular truth and differences of opinion behind closed gates. Its clearly biased ranking system easily dissuades people from perusing information from low-rated sites.

PR Has Replaced the Free Press

To understand the power that PR companies such as Publicis wield, you also need to realize that PR has, by and large, replaced the free press. In decades’ past, pro-industry advertising stood in stark contrast to the free press, which would frequently expose problems with products and industries, thereby serving as a counterbalance to industry propaganda.

When a free press with honest reporting based on verifiable facts actually does its job, ineffective or toxic products are driven off the market. All of this changed in the late 20th century, when media outlets started relying on advertisers for the bulk of their revenues.

Journalists came under the control of advertisers, who now had the power to kill stories they didn’t like. Today, news organizations simply won’t run reports that might harm the bottom line of its advertisers and, not surprisingly, the drug industry is among the top-paying advertisers.

By further partnering with the “big guns” of media — such as the Paley Center for Media, which is composed of every major media in the world18 — Publicis and its industry clients have been able to influence and control the press to virtually eliminate the public’s ability to get the truth on many important issues, including COVID-19.

Seeing how Publicis represents most of the major pharmaceutical companies in the world and funded the creation of NewsGuard, it’s not far-fetched to assume Publicis might influence NewsGuard’s ratings of drug industry competitors, such as alternative health sites. Being a Google partner,19,20 Publicis also has the ability to bury undesirable views that might hurt its clientele.

NewsGuard’s health-related service, HealthGuard,21 is also partnered with the Center for Countering Digital Hate (CCDH) — a progressive cancel-culture leader22 with extensive ties to government and global think tanks that has labeled people questioning the COVID-19 vaccine as “threats to national security.”

Publicis Knowingly Promoted Over-Prescription

Getting back to the issue of opioids, at the beginning of May 2021, the Massachusetts attorney general filed a lawsuit23 against Publicis Health, accusing the Publicis subsidiary of helping Purdue create the deceptive marketing materials used to mislead doctors into prescribing OxyContin.24,25,26,27 As reported by Yahoo! News:28

“The lawsuit alleges that Publicis ‘engaged in myriad unfair and deceptive strategies that influenced OxyContin prescribing across the nation,’ a statement by Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey's office said. Those strategies were carried out through dozens of contracts between 2010 and 2019, worth more than $50 million …

Tactics included combatting doctors' ‘hesitancy’ to prescribe the medication, and persuading them to prescribe OxyContin over lower-dose, short-acting opioids, thus increasing the risk of addiction. Massachusetts is asking that Publicis Health pay ‘compensatory damages’ of an unspecified amount for having ‘created a public nuisance.’"

The complaint further notes that:29

“By design, Publicis’ schemes worked to counter public health measures intended to reduce unnecessary opioid use, because more opioid use generated more profits for Publicis’ opioid clients.”

Publicis Health’s Damaging PR Is Just ‘Business as Usual’

Publicis Health argues that its work for Purdue was lawful and limited to “implementing Purdue’s advertising plan and buying media space.” But according to the lawsuit, Publicis’ work included:

Placing illegal advertisements for OxyContin in the electronic medical records of patients

Creating training materials for Purdue sales reps on how to combat doctor’s objections to the drugs

Developing strategies to counter opioid guidelines issued by the CDC

Creating “patient stories” to “humanize” the OxyContin brand and counter negative press about addiction risks.30,31 One such patient vignette featured a 40-year-old man who had his dose increased from 10 milligrams (mg) a day to 20 mg in just three weeks

Creating and sending thousands of deceptive emails to doctors, encouraging them to not only increase patients’ dosages but also to prescribe the drug to patients who were already on less dangerous pain meds32

The lawsuit also alleges that Publicis instructed Purdue to target doctors who were already writing out dangerously high numbers of prescriptions, even in the midst of a raging opioid epidemic,33 all while agency executives gleefully discussed the record fees they’d collect from the Purdue account. A March 2016 email exchange reveals the Publicis subsidiary was expecting to make up to $12.28 million from Purdue that year alone.

Time to Reevaluate Marketing Ethics

While Publicis is trying to downplay its role in what has been described as the crime of the century, the lawsuit against it will hopefully result in a reevaluation of marketing ethics. The agency, knowing full well there was an epidemic of opioid abuse underway, took on the job of increasing Purdue’s profits by making that lethal trend worse.

Publicis’ view that public health is of no concern when creating drug PR also tells us something about the COVID shot PR push we’re currently experiencing.

Publicis claims they were just doing what advertising agencies do — they created promotional materials that boost client revenue. However, this argument circumvents any notion of ethics and concern about public health. They’re basically admitting that it’s all about making money, regardless of the cost.Even if their actions were within legal limits (which the Massachusetts case will eventually establish), their actions were immoral and clearly undermined public health.Seeing how Publicis represents most of the biggest drug companies in the world, this raises the question of ethics in drug advertising in general. Publicis’ view that public health is of no concern when creating drug PR also tells us something about the COVID shot PR push we’re currently experiencing.Censorship Works Against Public Health as Well Publicis wants you to believe they are protecting public health by supporting COVID-19 censorship, but this is actually having the opposite effect. How can you possibly make an educated decision about COVID “vaccination” if you’re not allowed to learn anything about the risks?What Publicis calls “misinformation” is simply information that contradicts the propaganda dictated by the hands that feed it, i.e., the drug industry. History tells us companies driven by profit interest make poor truth tellers, as negative information will clearly have a detrimental impact on their bottom line. So, they lie and obfuscate. It’s that simple.Public relations firms like Publicis are mere arms of these notoriously untruthful industries. They do their bidding because that’s what they’re paid to do. To think that Big Pharma and paid propagandists are looking out for anyone but themselves is naïve in the extreme.It is actually ironic doublespeak that Publicis claims to defend against misinformation that puts the public at risk, while having played a crucial role in a lethal health care scheme that was built on lies and deceit.Struggling With Opioid Addiction? Seek Help! In closing, remember that opioids — regardless of the brand — are extremely addictive drugs that are not meant for long-term use for nonfatal conditions. Chemically, opioids are very similar to heroin, and if you wouldn’t consider shooting up heroin for that toothache or backache, you really should reconsider taking an opioid to relieve your pain.If you’ve been on an opioid for more than two months, if you find yourself taking higher dosages or taking the drug more often, you may be addicted and are advised to seek help from someone other than your prescribing doctor. Resources where you can find help include:Your workplace Employee Assistance Program The Substance Abuse Mental Health Service Administration34 can be contacted 24 hours a day at 1-800-622-HELP

[blackheartbrightlove]

Wiki Targeted (Games)

02:05

There are various Silent Hill projects, including comics and games, that were cancelled by Konami or evolved into other projects.

Silent Hill (Com.X graphic novel)

Advertisement in a European product catalogue.Initially planned for release in November 1999 from publisher Com.X, a 70-page original graphic novel adaptation of the original game (ISBN:978-1903286005) was written by Jon Murphy and penciled by Neil Googe.[1] Com.X founder Eddie Deighton explained in 2008:

Neil originally came for an interview as a designer at the design agency Russell and myself ran, but as soon as we saw in his portfolio that Neil had trained as a comic artist and had worked on 2000AD, we ended up talking for about 4 hours about comics and the industry in general. By the time we finished, we felt that Neil's talent would have gone to waste if we'd taken him on as a designer, so we decided instead to propose to our client, Konami, that we should work with Neil on a graphic novel for the computer game Silent Hill. They felt it would be a cool thing to do, so Neil came on board and we began developing the project. Very quickly, we found that we all got on really well and by about the third week of working together, we felt we had a lot to contribute to the comic industry in terms of enthusiasm and creativity.

[2]

Googe was assigned six months to finished the full colour art for the graphic novel. Although it was completed and an advertisement was featured in a European catalogue, the adaptation was never released by Konami. He took an experimental approach to the comic layout, but because of his inexperience and lack of planning at the time, felt that not everything he tried worked.[3] In May 2021, he explained in an email that the comic had been lost over time and alledged that (to the best of his memory) it was cancelled due to inter-company politics:

Sadly that particular project has suffered the problem of so much older digital work. Stored on CDs and those CDs being lost over the years.

The project was indeed finished. As for why it was never released... It was a long time ago now, but I will outline the basics of what I remember. Konami, as a company is broken down in to regional companies. We were commissioned by Konami europe (I believe) to produce the comic as promotional material for silent hill 2. It was going to be published separately and in a special edition of the game. Konami japan also wanted to use the comic. Konami europe, who had paid for the project, wanted some sort of payment for that use, from konami Japan. Konami Japan refused to pay any kind of fee. So Konami Europe said they couldn't use it. At which point Konami Japan, who technically own all copyrights on silent hill, then blocked europe from releasing the book under usage rights, not geting proper permission, etc. etc. And so... it was shelved.

Now as I say, this is just my understanding of what happened from what I remember of a 20 year old project. I wasn't involved in any of those discussions or politics... I was just a guy hired to do a book.

[4][5]

Silent Hill 3 (Scrapped) and Silent Hill 5

Despite its daylight setting, Silent Hill 5 would have had the darkest tone in the series, going back to the psychological roots of the second game.The original plans for Silent Hill 3 were much different than what was released. The story would have continued the "inner fears" concept used for James Sunderland, Angela Orosco, and Eddie Dombrowski in Silent Hill 2. However, Konami was not pleased with the slow sales of Silent Hill 2 and pushed Team Silent to turn the game into a more commercial arcade-style rail shooter spin-off (not to be confused with the later-released Silent Hill: The Arcade). This plan was rejected by the team, but the process wasted much of the budget and development time for Silent Hill 3.[6][7][8][9]Silent Hill 2 was also criticised on the internet at the time for not focusing on Alessa Gillespie and not having the same art style, characters, and creatures as the first game.[10][11] As a result, Team Silent did not immediately move forward with their original Silent Hill 3 plans, instead opting to conclude the Alessa story from the original Silent Hill and tie up loose ends to appease fans. Not every Team Silent member agreed with this decision, though Akihiro Imamura stated that they also did not want to use a similar template for two games in a row.[12]

Masashi Tsuboyama stated in 2004 that development had begun on Silent Hill 5, but denied rumours that the game would be titled "Shadows".[13] After the release of Silent Hill 4: The Room, Team Silent began re-purposing their Silent Hill 3 plans for Silent Hill 5. Because of the underwhelming response to Silent Hill 4, Imamura wanted a strong fifth installment. The game would not follow the same gameplay style as Silent Hill 4 and would have had less melee combat and a more dramatic Otherworld that takes advantage of PlayStation 3 generation consoles. The plot of Silent Hill 5 (and previously Silent Hill 3) would have focused on a damaged human being summoned to Silent Hill, Maine for a very specific reason, described by Akira Yamaoka as "the darkest story we have come up with". Imamura speculated that some things would have to be cut to get passed the ratings system.[12]

In contrast to the previous games in the series, Silent Hill 5 would have started off in Silent Hill as an everyday town with people going about their daily lives, which would slowly rot away as the game progresses. Taking inspiration from Texas Chain Saw Massacre and Jacob's Ladder, the game would have innovated the series with a brand new concept for daylight horror through a creepy sunny Otherworld, playing with the idea of how light interacts with darkness (rather than focusing on horror obscured by fog and shadows). It would have gone back to Silent Hill 2's psychological roots.[12][14][15][16][17][18]

#silent hill 5

[howaminotinthestrokesyet]

No Stones Unturned: Brian Jones

Brian Jones

The idea for the Rolling Stones as a band came from the mind of Brian Jones. He was living in London at the time playing locally with other musicians like Alexis Corner, future Manfred Mann singer Paul Jones, and Cream bassist, Jack Bruce. He really embraced the blues, even learning to play slide guitar for a time. His stage name in the beginning was Elmo Lewis. In May 1962, he placed an advertisement in the Jazz News announcing an audition for a new R&B group at the Bricklayers Pub. As noted previously, Ian Stewart was the first future member to respond to the advertisement, and later Mick Jagger would join the band. He would also introduce Keith Richards to the band. Jones was the person, who came up with the name for the band. A journalist was interviewing him over the phone about the band, but he first asked the name. On the floor, there’s sat a Muddy Waters record, which included the song “Rollin’ Stone Blues.”

At the very beginning, Brian Jones acted as the band’s business manager doing what he could to get gigs for the group. Charlie Watts would say later, “Brian was very instrumental in pushing the band at the beginning. Keith and I would look at him and say he was barmy. It was a crusade to him to get us on the stage in a club and be paid half-a-crown and to be billed as an R&B band.” In this role, Jones took it upon himself to receive £5 more than others in the band. As other members found this out, they did not really agree with it. They were also surprised to learn that Jones acted as the unquestioned leader of the band.

People tend to forget that Brian Jones was a gifted musician. He stood out as probably one of the most versatile instrumentalists the band ever had. He could play a multitude of different instruments besides the standard rock band instruments. If one of their songs needed something like a sitar, then chances are Jones was playing it. This can be seen in the song, “Paint It Black.” He played slide guitar on “I Wanna Be Your Man,” organ on “Let's Spend the Night Together,” marimba on “Under My Thumb,” mellotron on “She’s a Rainbow,” saxophone on “Dandelion,” and autoharp on “You Got the Silver.”

Jones also played harmonica on a number of their early tracks including “Come On,” “I Wanna Be Your Man,” “I Just Want To Make Love To You,”It’s All Over Now.” He was the person to teach Mick Jagger to play the harmonica. The musician began to add his backing vocals to several of the songs as well. One of the last ones he ever recorded emerges in “Sympathy for the Devil.”

Jones and Keith Richards also came up with the idea for what was called guitar weaving. This is something they picked up on through listening to Jimmy Reed records. Richards would say in an interview. “We listened to the teamwork, trying to work out what was going on in those records; how you could play together with two guitars and make it sound like four or five.” After Jones’s time in the band came to an end, this method would continue with all the other guitarists that ever played for the Stones. This meant that there was no clear boundary between the rhythm guitarist and the lead guitarist as they switched off, even in the same song.

The arrival of Andrew Oldham Loog signaled the beginning of Brian Jones gradually disconnecting from the rest of the band. Oldham encouraged Mick Jagger to assert himself as the front man, while at the same time Jagger and Richards to write their own songs. More money could be made for the band by doing their own songs, but Jones really preferred to do blues covers. For his part, Oldham also began to take over a large measure of control of the group as far as any management decisions go. According to Oldham, Jones was always a bit of an outsider from the very beginning as he often traveled separately from the group during their first tours. He began to feel less and less as a part of the group because he could not write songs and his management role was essentially taken away. The guitarist soon turned to drugs and alcohol because of all the stress caused by losing control of a band he started. Many people around that time would also describe his personality as either very pleasant or completely antisocial. Nobody knew from one moment to the next which Brian Jones you would be getting.

Tensions between the band members and Jones really reached its boiling point in 1967. His girlfriend Anita Pallenberg, a model, left him for Keith Richards. Three months later he was arrested for drug possession just after the Redlands bust involving Jagger and Richards. Authorities found marijuana, cocaine, and amphetamines. He would only confess to possessing marijuana. Jones had also become increasingly bored with the guitar often looking for more and more exotic instruments to play in songs. Unfortunately, he started becoming only a minor player in the band often skipping recording sessions. The last album that he would take an active part in was Beggars Banquet in 1968. His last appearance with the band was that same year at the Rock and Roll Circus special, which included The Who, Eric Clapton, and John Lennon. One of his most significant contributions musically at this time was not even for the Rolling Stones, but Jimi Hendrix. He would play percussion on the song “All Along the Watchtower.

That same year Jones was arrested for possession of cannabis, which marked the beginning of the end of his time with the band. Although, he only received a fine due to the leniency of the judge, but the band wanted to tour of the United States the following year. The musician would have quite a hard time obtaining a work visa to even go to the United States. He was also in absolutely no condition to participate as a functional band member because of drugs and alcohol. In the recording studio, the band would turn off his amplifier because Jones was usually too intoxicated to play. If he tried playing the harmonica, his mouth would begin to bleed from drug use. The guitarist would not receive a work permit to tour in late 1969, so on the suggestion of Ian Stewart they added another guitarist. In June 1969, Jagger, Richards, and Charlie Watts visited Jones at his home. They informed him that the band would no longer need his services anymore. He was replaced by 20-year-old Mick Taylor formerly of John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers.

In November 1968, Brian Jones had purchased a home in East Sussex called Cotchford Farm. This had been previously owned by Winnie the Pooh author A.A. Milne. Alexis Corner had visited him in June 1969 saying that he seemed to be much happier. Around midnight of July 2-3, he was discovered motionless in the swimming pool. By the time medical personnel could reach him, Jones was pronounced dead. His girlfriend at the time said that when they took him out of the pool, he still had a pulse. The final cause was death by misadventure, the same as the death of Bon Scott of AC/DC years later. The Who’s Pete Townsend wrote a poem dedicated to him, which was published in the Times. Jimi Hendrix dedicated a song to him during an appearance shortly after his death on US television. The Rolling Stones had been scheduled to perform a concert at Hyde Park in order to introduce their new guitarist. They instead decided to dedicate the concert to his memory. Jagger began the concert by reading a poem entitled “Adonis” by Percy Shelly written about his friend John Keats. They then sang a Johnny Winter song, which was one of Jones’s favorites. Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts were the only members of the band to attend his funeral. Mick Jagger said that his contract for the upcoming film Ned Kelly would not allow him to delay the film shoot. Keith Richards did not attend because of their past history. Soon after his death, theories began to pop up from associates of the band that Jones was actually murdered. This would go on for many years, which eventually led to a fictional film being made about it in 2005. In 2009, the case was reopened to see if the cause of death had been murder, but the police at the time found no new information to change that finding.

The legacy of Brian Jones will always be a bit tragic. His death signaled the first one of rock stars dying young, which would be followed by Janis Joplin, Jimi Hendrix, and Jim Morrison. Mick Jagger was asked an interview whether he felt guilty about his death. “No, I don't really. I do feel that I behaved in a very childish way, but we were very young, and in some ways we picked on him. But, unfortunately, he made himself a target for it; he was very, very jealous, very difficult, very manipulative, and if you do that in this kind of a group of people you get back as good as you give, to be honest. I wasn't understanding enough about his drug addiction. No one seemed to know much about drug addiction. Things like LSD were all new. No one knew the harm. People thought cocaine was good for you." Yet, his influence on the legacy of the band cannot be underestimated. Bill Wyman probably said it best in his book. “He formed the band. He chose the members. He named the band. He chose the music we played. He got us gigs.”

[williamlwolf89]

372 How Serena Appiah Grew Thrift Diving after Getting Fired

Do you want to know some of Serena Appiah’s secrets for keeping your blog growing after leaving your job? If you’ve been thinking about ways to expand your brand’s reach, but aren’t sure of the best path… you’re in luck! In this interview, Serena shares the exact steps she took to grow Thrift Diving into a 6-figure blog after losing her job.

Who is Serena Appiah?

Serena Appiah

If this is your first encounter with Serena, you are in for a treat! Serena is the owner, publisher, and carpenter-in-training behind Thrift Diving! Currently made up of a blog and a YouTube channel, Thrift Diving inspires people to decorate, improve, and maintain their homes using things like paint, power tools, and items from thrift stores. 

As a mom of three boys between the ages of 7 and 13, Serena has outfitted her home with many thrift store treasures — not only because it's economical and fun, but because raising three boys means things will get dirty (or broken!). She’s also been blogging in some form since 2006, so she has lots of insight & experience to share with us!

Why Serena Started Blogging

Back in 2006, Serena only saw blogging as a way to let her friends and family know what was happening in her life. She would write posts here and there, but never anything too serious. Then in 2010, she decided to start a dedicated blog around home decoration and repair. After two years of consistent posts, she found out that people were actually making money with blogs… 

Serena's blog – Thrift Diving

Good money at that! Still, at her 9-5 job, Serena decided she would work to grow her blog into an income-producing business. By the time she lost her job in January 2015, Serena had built a profitable blog and an engaged community… but she still didn’t think it could serve as a full-time income source.

Moving From Part-time To Full-Time Blogger

When Serena lost her job, she only had about $1000 dollars saved. She decided she would collect unemployment, look for a job, and continue to build her business. All she wanted was enough money to pay the bills! Having made $10,000 in 2014, she had an idea of some steps she could take to move things forward… now it was time for action. Here are three things she did to get the ball rolling:

Do free and valuable product reviews and show that your reviews are valuable.

Tip 1: Reach out to brands

Serena was fortunate to have already built some brand relationships at this point. For those starting out, think of some favorite blog-related products you already use. Reach out to those companies and offer to promote their product/brand to your audience. Brands may be hesitant at first – that's okay! Do a free product review or two (if needed) and show that your promotion is valuable. Once they see that value, your first brand deal won't be far away (we'll dig deeper into this in a minute).

Tip 2: Be intentional about your time

Serena used a time-tracking app called Boosted to help organize herself. It also helped her to see how long tasks were taking to complete. As many of you probably know, blogging & building a business take time. Boosted made it simpler for Serena to manage and complete her projects before showing how she did it. Tracking her time helped Serena to sort out which new projects she could take on and which she couldn't.

Boosted app helps Serena organize herself.

She also prioritized doing things that would produce income. It’s easy to get distracted by all that running a business can bring. Knowing her priorities from the start helped Serena continue in the right direction, even when obstacles came up.

Tip 3: Focus on optimizing SEO

We can’t stress enough how important SEO is to your blog’s success. Serena suggests taking time before writing your posts to research keywords that people are searching for. Compare a few, then make sure to add those into your title, the titles of your pictures, and throughout the post.

Spend time to research keywords that people are looking for.

Also, ask yourself what your goal for this post is. Once that’s clear, make sure you’re focusing on creating value and solving problems. Google looks for quality. When you answer relevant questions, they are more likely to suggest your post. Google is your friend! The more you can use it to send you free traffic, the less time (and money) you’ll have to spend on marketing in the future.

Interacting With Brands

Serena has a lot of experience working with brands. She’s fortunate enough to have them coming to her now, but life wasn’t always that way. Here are some suggestions she keeps in mind for getting the most out of her brand partnerships:

Actively look for brands to work with

Actively reach out to brands

It’s up to you to make sure brands know you are willing and able to advertise their product. Reach out to them directly, let them know you’re interested, then move on to the next. The least they can say is “no”. Most likely, they’ll suggest a free product review as a “first test”, then base future deals on those results. That’s fine! Show them that you’re worth the investment.

Caution – Easy distraction ahead

Once brands do start coming to you more often, you’ll have more leverage to negotiate with them. It will eventually get more difficult to choose between projects. Which is the better option: Paid, short-term brand deals? Or fun, longer-term personal projects that you'd already planned to complete?

Don’t be tempted to immediately go with the brand deal because there is money involved. Instead, focus on two things: projects that will excite you & that your audience will love. These will always put you in a good place and will help to keep your audience engaged at the same time.

Be okay with being uncomfortable asking for more

As you continue to grow, the numbers in your deals need to grow with you. That means adjusting your ‘fee’ with brands as you prove your value to them more and more. Keep in mind, brands have the money. They also will be more than happy to pay if the returns are right.

While it may be uncomfortable, asking for more than you think brands will pay for your task is the right thing to do. Remember, you have to pay taxes on whatever you’re getting from them too, so any extra you can get is helpful. Embrace the discomfort and you’ll be more likely to come away with a deal that just might surprise you. And if they agree too quickly? You probably didn’t ask for enough!

Serena’s Other Keys To Successfully Growing Your Blog

Told you Serena would have lots of valuable info to share! Keeping in mind even the few tips you’ve heard already will have you on the right track. But wait… there’s more! Below are a few last things Serena suggests you keep in mind to maximize your blog’s growth.

Diversify your platforms

Diversify your platforms

It’s always good to be active in many places online. Serena's main platforms have been her blog/website, YouTube, and Pinterest. She uses her blog for written content, YouTube for video content, and Pinterest for connecting with the DIY community. When she started making YouTube videos, it completely changed her approach to work. It showed that her audience enjoyed the feeling of completing activities with her! Now, she rarely does any project without filming at least some of it to share.

YouTube has opened doors for Serena. It has brought new income streams (ie. affiliate products & brand deals), new subscribers (via ‘suggested videos’), and even inspired more creativity with her project ideas. That happens to be a great segue to our next point…

Listen to your gut

Occasionally, opportunities come up that force you to choose between two great options. In Serena’s case, this took the form of a brand deal that, at first, didn’t seem like something her audience would care about – but it looked like fun. She decided to go with her gut, made the video, and it ended up being one of her most popular uploads to date. Watch for these opportunities! Your audience feeds off of your energy – if you come across something that excites you, they just may enjoy it too!

Create unique content that is doing well.

Make the content you don’t see others making

Keep an eye out for trends that other creators are jumping onto. Feel free to follow the trend yourself, but be careful to look for ways that you can put a different spin on it. Also, be very aware of which content is working for you, and make more of it. It’s easy to get caught up in being different, but remember that creating more of what’s doing well is important too.

Build an email list and engage with it:

Build an email list and engage with them

Serena’s email list is something she admits she would like to do more with. She does, though, have systems in place that make sure it continues to grow and give value to her subscribers.

On sign-up, her new subscribers receive an email that includes 5 freebies. That first email also asks them to respond to the question, “What’s your biggest DIY struggle?”. She does this to begin engaging them but then takes it a step further. She hired her mom to respond whenever someone sends a message back! These responses give a more personal feel without the extra work for her, and they ‘whitelist' her email. No more visits to the spam folder for emails from Serena – highly recommend this!

Think about creating your own products to sell

Create own products to sell.

Products (physical or digital) are awesome because they come from you as a personality. Your community will appreciate that you are looking to give back to them in such a valuable way! They should serve both as an income stream and as a catalyst for more engagement.

Conclusion

Serena never did have to go back to a “normal job”. Three months after leaving her 9-5, the money she earned from brand deals outpaced her unemployment checks – and it has only gone up from there. Making a reliable income from your blog soon after leaving your job is possible!

Now she attributes most of her blog’s success to three things: 1) Optimizing SEO, 2) Going with your gut, and 3) Learning to be comfortable in discomfort. Serena is a perfect example of recognizing what’s working, then taking action to improve things little by little. If you’re consistent, those small improvements can turn dreams into reality. With her tips in mind, commit to yourself that you’ll apply some (or all) of what you’ve learned here – if she can do it, you can too!

These tips are a great start, and I hope you’ll apply as many of them as possible – your blog will thank you! For those of you looking for an extra push and specific, hand-holding guidance with building your blog, join the Blogger Coaching Club! It’s a service I offer that many people have gotten the chance to benefit from, and I’d love for you to experience those benefits too! Click the link above to check it out. See you there!

Tools/Resources/References

Boosted App

Become a Blogger Coaching Club

The post 372 How Serena Appiah Grew Thrift Diving after Getting Fired appeared first on Become A Blogger by Leslie Samuel.

from SEO and SM Tips https://becomeablogger.com/28800/serena-appiah-grew-thrift-diving/

[guacameowle]

RFA + Daddy!Jumin

Now that I have your attention, I literally mean Daddy, as in he’s fathered a child. In honor of Father’s Day where I am, I thought I’d like to continue to daydream about how my favorite Mystic Messenger character would be as a Daddy along with the various reactions & roles the other RFA members fall into for Baby!Han. 

Part one is only about Jumin & some headcanons I have about his interactions & tendencies -  Daddy!Jumin Part 1

Meowle Masterpost

Meowle MysMe Headcanons

Jumin

Aside from wishing that they’re born healthy, he doesn’t care what their sex is but he finds himself silently hoping they will be born with your eyes, the eyes that captivated him at first sight.

First time he holds his baby he has a big teary-eyed grin on his face & whispers, “I’m very happy to finally meet you. *holds little baby hand & shakes it gently* I’m your father, Jumin Han.” (Formal introductions are important.)

Takes months off for paternity leave to be with you & Baby!Han.

At the beginning, Jumin is very nervous & hesitant about who he allows around his children, especially when they’re a newborn. He hardly trusts himself at first & insists that you’re there to make sure nothing goes wrong.

For the first few days, he has to be sitting if he’s holding the baby. What if he trips while walking & holding his baby & crushes them?!

Has watched tutorials on how to change diapers. It does not properly prepare him for what he encounters. You hear noises & words from him you’d never heard before.

During a morning feed one early early morning he sat in a plush chair, bottle feeding a baby with one hand & nursing a cup of black coffee occasionally with the other. He took a glance at the bottle he was holding & curiosity got the better of him so he quickly squirt a small portion of your breast milk from the bottle into his mug - if it was good enough for his child, it was good enough for him, yes? He shrugged at the taste.

Before he ever passes his child to be held by someone he brushes off said persons’ hands with his kerchief & spritzes them with an antibacterial. Have they been sick recently? Are they up to date on their vaccinations? Have they been out of the country in the last 3 months? Have they gotten a tattoo within the last 2 weeks? (“Jumin, is that necessary?” “Possible infections are not to be taken lightly.”)

In the days before the first baby is born, he has a sit down with Elizabeth 3rd to explain to her the changes that will happen around their penthouse, but assure her he won’t care for her any less. After all, it wouldn’t do for his feline companion to grow jealous & possibly act out or run away again.

Once while feeding his first baby, he tasted a sampling of the baby food & grimaced at the flavor of a lot of the options. Soon after hired a chef to create homemade, nutritious, & tasty baby foods. Ensured that his chef worked closely with the hired pediatrician to make sure proper nutrition was being met.

After his child is born, he wishes that he slept in his ‘youth’ when he first met you (”Jumin, you’re in your 20s...”) because now it feels like he’ll never be able to sleep ever again.

Could easily watch his children sleep for hours & never be bored. 

Praises Elizabeth 3rd excessively for developing a bond with his children & being a ‘guard cat’. She’s so smart. 

He’s accepted that the members of the RFA are his family. As such, he expects them all to be involved in his child(ren)’s life. Family is very important & his child(ren) are going to be raised knowing that they have the best support & love system anyone could ask for.

Saeyoung

It’s his most top secret mission yet - Uncle Agent 707! 

He’s not surprised when you & Jumin announce that you’re expecting. If anything, he’s surprised it took this long actually. He’s happy for you both & is already planning playdates & new toys he can create when Baby!Han is a little older.

When the child(ren) get older, he sneaks junk food to them. They’re familiar enough with commoner food because of you but junk food is hard to come back in the Han household. One more than one occasion his pants making a crinkling noise when he walks into the penthouse. He thinks Jumin doesn’t know he’s smuggling Honey Buddha Chips in... but he does.

Jumin commissions him for the creation of toys - provided they’re interactive, educational, non-hazardous, & resilient. Jumin’s thoroughly pleased by his work & offers him a robotics/toy line within C&R.

Jumin hires Seven to set, program, & adjust any & all parental controls set by you on electronics the children use. Sometimes Jumin forgets he’s asked Seven to make laptops & electronics for his kids & is confused as to why a sudden animatronic voice is talking to him from across the room...

Seven likes bringing & reading new books (space, dinosaurs, robotics) to the growing child(ren). Even though the Han child(ren) are well off & will have access to doors closed to so many others, he still believes a solid knowledge will help them advance.

He’s not a formal tutor by any means, but he’s taken it upon himself to show & teach a variety of subjects (maths, code, sciences).

Invents a language which only he & the children know. Takes great pleasure in watching Jumin’s frustration when they (children & Seven) have full conversations using it around him. 

Gushes about cats together often & their shared love of Elizabeth 3rd! 

Yoosung

Achievement Unlocked! Uncle Yoosung has joined your party!

He’s a mixture of shocked, jealous, excited, & scared when you & Jumin share the news you’re going to have a baby. 

Trims Elizabeth 3rd claws regularly to prevent any accidents when she’s around the baby.

Jumin quickly recognizes that Yoosung has nurturing tendencies. He doesn’t want strangers around his children more than family, so he’s comfortable with Yoosung taking on the roles of playmate & babysitter (After a thorough & detailed informal interview. “What was your last occupation” “I - I’m a student.” “And why have you left that position?” “I... haven’t?”). He trusts Yoosung to watch after his children when you & he are out. Yoosung is paid handsomely. He’s able to replace his ruined messenger bag. All the LOLOL rare items are more easily obtained.

He’s the best playmate children could ask for. For once, his competitiveness takes a backseat & he likes letting the children win while they’re amateurs. Once they’re older though & have honed their skills... game on.

Enjoys doing simple things when he babysits- reading, games, cooking together - he tries to keep them interacting often.

One of his favorite things is, in fact, cooking together. For once he’s the more knowledgeable one & has the chance to teach. He likes watching you & Jumin be the guinea pigs for their latest edible creations. 

Organizes outings that he wants everyone (RFA) to take together as family events - aquarium, zoo, observatory, picnic in the park, water parks.

Zen

The world will be jealous that a child has the most beautiful man as their uncle!

His first reaction to the announcement of you being pregnant is shock & slight anger. (“I TOLD YOU TO NOT TOUCH HER, YOU JERK!” “Zen, but they’re married...” “STAY OUT OF THIS YOOSUNG!”)

He has a soft spot for kids, so he warms to the idea quickly. He’s confident he can fall into any role the child needs him to be - uncle, brother, friend, confidant, protector.

He does get a little choked up the first time he holds Baby!Han. Though he’s typically loathe to praise Jumin about anything, he does admit that this is probably the best thing Jumin has ever done.

Gives Jumin a thorough speech - “Listen here! You have to be there for your wife & child. You can’t be off in your office all the time burying yourself in work & ridiculous cat *achew!* projects. You have a family now & that comes with expectations & responsibilities. So... don’t screw it up!”

He doesn’t do much for the child when they’re a baby aside from telling them how pretty/beautiful/handsome they are constantly. He’s happy to hold them & coo over them, but once they look like they’re about to be sick he’s happily passing the baby back to Jumin with a grin.

Zen loves fantasy & acting, once the child is old enough to play dress-up & pretend, he’s in his zone. He can be & commits to his designated role. Do they need a dashing prince? A pony? A wicked (but angelically beautiful) wizard come to cast a curse? A knight?

He loves playing. It’s fun, dramatic, & relaxed. It’s a performance for one, but he finds he gets immense satisfaction from hearing little giggles & small fists clapping at his antics.

Once Jumin caught Zen playing with the child(ren) at a small children sized piano. Despite the piano being off-key & disturbingly high-pitched, the skill behind the melody was obvious. The next day Zen showed up for a casual visit, a brand new full-sized piano was set up in a sitting room. (“I’d like to hire you to give piano lessons.” “You bought a piano before you even ask- whoa... is that a Steinway?”) Zen’s agreed before he knows it.

Plans & coordinates little talent shows, plays, recitals for all the members of RFA to watch.

Jaehee

She’s excited to be called Auntie Jaehee instead of Assistant Kang for once. 

Honestly, her role doesn’t change too much once Jumin has a child. She’s now tracking his developing ideas for baby/child themed products/advertising as well as his occasional cat themed ideas. 

Jumin’s schedule begins to fill with appointments, recitals, parent/teacher conferences, etc. that she’s easily woven around his busy work schedule.

She has found that since Jumin’s had a child, he’s working less, staying home more, which gives her more time to focus on other things outside of work... like Zen’s new projects.

She’s an active vocal advocate of praise & encouragement for the Han child(ren). She knows what it’s like to feel like you’re working alone, against the odds, & to hear the whispers of discouragement from those around you - she goes out of her way to offer praises (even if small) to brighten the child(ren)’s day.

When the children visit the office, she has toys/treats/distractions stashed away in her desk for them to play with. Eventually a whole drawer is dedicated for just that purpose.

V

Uncle V!

He’s beyond thrilled to hear the news that you & Jumin are going to be parents. He’s extremely happy for his best friend & can’t help but tease Jumin often during your pregnancy about micromanaging every little aspect.

His photography decorates the nursery & child(ren)’s room as they grow older.

Has one of his more soothing photographs printed onto a baby blanket that’s gifted to you prior to delivery. It’s the blanket the baby comes home in. 

Gifts a toy camera when the child is old enough to start playing with toys. He thinks he’s being clever.

Gifts the child’s first real camera and has the photographs taken made into a book. He finds it fascinating to see the perspective of a child - even if majority of the photos are blurry (“They really are Jumin’s child...”).

He’s holding a role akin to Godfather, of which he takes with the utmost seriousness.

Takes all the Han family portraits throughout the years.

He’s listened to Jumin’s fears about raising children, but he’s there to offer words of encouragement and assurances that you & Jumin will do a wonderful job raising kids together. 

He spoils the child(ren). Presents & money every time he visits. Sends them postcards & letters from his travels.

Encourages any & all forms of the arts for personal expression. Drawing, painting, music, dancing, etc. He offers to be the one to buy necessary equipment and goods for their hobbies. 

He’s there to capture each important event in the child’s life, memorializing it in a way to be shared for many years to come.

He’s excessively proud of how far Jumin has come & doesn’t hold back on his thoughts with regard to that. 

#happy father's day! #jumin han #daddy!jumin #dad!jumin #mm #mysme #mystic messenger #headcanon #saeyoung choi #luciel choi #yoosung kim #zen #hyun ryu #jaehee kang #V #jihyun kim #long post #text post

[andreagillmer]

One-Week Sale on Aurania Shares

Source: Bob Moriarty for Streetwise Reports   12/20/2019

Bob Moriarty of 321gold describes the investment opportunity in this company.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (ARU:TSX.V) has 2 million warrants at $3 due to expire on Dec. 29. Typically, as warrant expiration approaches, warrant holders who are short of cash will sell the shares to exercise the warrants. In anticipation, shareholders have dropped the price of shares from $4.50 on Dec. 4 to $3.40 on Friday, Dec. 20.

With less than a week remaining, shareholders who happen to be scant could drop the price to as low as $3.10 and still make a few pennies on their warrants. This is a short-term sale on the shares and will be over in a week.

I would not be surprised to see Aurania go right back up to where it was in early December before the artificial supply began to hit the market.

Aurania is an advertiser. I have participated in two private placements and will participate in more. I am biased, do your own due diligence.

Aurania Resources ARU-V $3.40 (Dec 20, 2019) AUIAF-OTCQB 36.6 million shares Aurania Resources website.

Bob Moriarty founded 321gold.com, with his late wife, Barbara Moriarty, more than 16 years ago. They later added 321energy.com to cover oil, natural gas, gasoline, coal, solar, wind and nuclear energy. Both sites feature articles, editorial opinions, pricing figures and updates on current events affecting both sectors. Previously, Moriarty was a Marine F-4B and O-1 pilot with more than 832 missions in Vietnam. He holds 14 international aviation records.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Disclosure: 1) Bob Moriarty: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Aurania Resources. Aurania is an advertiser on 321gold. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports’ terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

( Companies Mentioned: ARU:TSX.V, )

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[phaseinked]

One-Week Sale on Aurania Shares

Source: Bob Moriarty for Streetwise Reports   12/20/2019

Bob Moriarty of 321gold describes the investment opportunity in this company.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (ARU:TSX.V) has 2 million warrants at $3 due to expire on Dec. 29. Typically, as warrant expiration approaches, warrant holders who are short of cash will sell the shares to exercise the warrants. In anticipation, shareholders have dropped the price of shares from $4.50 on Dec. 4 to $3.40 on Friday, Dec. 20.

With less than a week remaining, shareholders who happen to be scant could drop the price to as low as $3.10 and still make a few pennies on their warrants. This is a short-term sale on the shares and will be over in a week.

I would not be surprised to see Aurania go right back up to where it was in early December before the artificial supply began to hit the market.

Aurania is an advertiser. I have participated in two private placements and will participate in more. I am biased, do your own due diligence.

Aurania Resources ARU-V $3.40 (Dec 20, 2019) AUIAF-OTCQB 36.6 million shares Aurania Resources website.

Bob Moriarty founded 321gold.com, with his late wife, Barbara Moriarty, more than 16 years ago. They later added 321energy.com to cover oil, natural gas, gasoline, coal, solar, wind and nuclear energy. Both sites feature articles, editorial opinions, pricing figures and updates on current events affecting both sectors. Previously, Moriarty was a Marine F-4B and O-1 pilot with more than 832 missions in Vietnam. He holds 14 international aviation records.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Disclosure: 1) Bob Moriarty: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Aurania Resources. Aurania is an advertiser on 321gold. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports’ terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

( Companies Mentioned: ARU:TSX.V, )

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[goldcoins0]

One-Week Sale on Aurania Shares

Source: Bob Moriarty for Streetwise Reports   12/20/2019

Bob Moriarty of 321gold describes the investment opportunity in this company.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (ARU:TSX.V) has 2 million warrants at $3 due to expire on Dec. 29. Typically, as warrant expiration approaches, warrant holders who are short of cash will sell the shares to exercise the warrants. In anticipation, shareholders have dropped the price of shares from $4.50 on Dec. 4 to $3.40 on Friday, Dec. 20.

With less than a week remaining, shareholders who happen to be scant could drop the price to as low as $3.10 and still make a few pennies on their warrants. This is a short-term sale on the shares and will be over in a week.

I would not be surprised to see Aurania go right back up to where it was in early December before the artificial supply began to hit the market.

Aurania is an advertiser. I have participated in two private placements and will participate in more. I am biased, do your own due diligence.

Aurania Resources ARU-V $3.40 (Dec 20, 2019) AUIAF-OTCQB 36.6 million shares Aurania Resources website.

Bob Moriarty founded 321gold.com, with his late wife, Barbara Moriarty, more than 16 years ago. They later added 321energy.com to cover oil, natural gas, gasoline, coal, solar, wind and nuclear energy. Both sites feature articles, editorial opinions, pricing figures and updates on current events affecting both sectors. Previously, Moriarty was a Marine F-4B and O-1 pilot with more than 832 missions in Vietnam. He holds 14 international aviation records.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Disclosure: 1) Bob Moriarty: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Aurania Resources. Aurania is an advertiser on 321gold. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

( Companies Mentioned: ARU:TSX.V, )

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[internetsmoothie]

One-Week Sale on Aurania Shares

Source: Bob Moriarty for Streetwise Reports   12/20/2019

Bob Moriarty of 321gold describes the investment opportunity in this company.

Aurania Resources Ltd. (ARU:TSX.V) has 2 million warrants at $3 due to expire on Dec. 29. Typically, as warrant expiration approaches, warrant holders who are short of cash will sell the shares to exercise the warrants. In anticipation, shareholders have dropped the price of shares from $4.50 on Dec. 4 to $3.40 on Friday, Dec. 20.

With less than a week remaining, shareholders who happen to be scant could drop the price to as low as $3.10 and still make a few pennies on their warrants. This is a short-term sale on the shares and will be over in a week.

I would not be surprised to see Aurania go right back up to where it was in early December before the artificial supply began to hit the market.

Aurania is an advertiser. I have participated in two private placements and will participate in more. I am biased, do your own due diligence.

Aurania Resources ARU-V $3.40 (Dec 20, 2019) AUIAF-OTCQB 36.6 million shares Aurania Resources website.

Bob Moriarty founded 321gold.com, with his late wife, Barbara Moriarty, more than 16 years ago. They later added 321energy.com to cover oil, natural gas, gasoline, coal, solar, wind and nuclear energy. Both sites feature articles, editorial opinions, pricing figures and updates on current events affecting both sectors. Previously, Moriarty was a Marine F-4B and O-1 pilot with more than 832 missions in Vietnam. He holds 14 international aviation records.

Sign up for our FREE newsletter at: www.streetwisereports.com/get-news

Disclosure: 1) Bob Moriarty: I, or members of my immediate household or family, own shares of the following companies mentioned in this article: Aurania Resources. Aurania is an advertiser on 321gold. I determined which companies would be included in this article based on my research and understanding of the sector. 2) The following companies mentioned are billboard sponsors of Streetwise Reports: None. Click here for important disclosures about sponsor fees. 3) Statements and opinions expressed are the opinions of the author and not of Streetwise Reports or its officers. The author is wholly responsible for the validity of the statements. The author was not paid by Streetwise Reports for this article. Streetwise Reports was not paid by the author to publish or syndicate this article. The information provided above is for informational purposes only and is not a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports requires contributing authors to disclose any shareholdings in, or economic relationships with, companies that they write about. Streetwise Reports relies upon the authors to accurately provide this information and Streetwise Reports has no means of verifying its accuracy. 4) The article does not constitute investment advice. Each reader is encouraged to consult with his or her individual financial professional and any action a reader takes as a result of information presented here is his or her own responsibility. By opening this page, each reader accepts and agrees to Streetwise Reports' terms of use and full legal disclaimer. This article is not a solicitation for investment. Streetwise Reports does not render general or specific investment advice and the information on Streetwise Reports should not be considered a recommendation to buy or sell any security. Streetwise Reports does not endorse or recommend the business, products, services or securities of any company mentioned on Streetwise Reports. 5) From time to time, Streetwise Reports LLC and its directors, officers, employees or members of their families, as well as persons interviewed for articles and interviews on the site, may have a long or short position in securities mentioned. Directors, officers, employees or members of their immediate families are prohibited from making purchases and/or sales of those securities in the open market or otherwise from the time of the interview or the decision to write an article until three business days after the publication of the interview or article. The foregoing prohibition does not apply to articles that in substance only restate previously published company releases.

( Companies Mentioned: ARU:TSX.V, )

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[juniperpublishers-agriculture]

Consumer Behavior and Attitudes in Purchasing Vegetables

Abstract

Vegetables are consumed by many on a daily basis to fulfill their nutrient requirements. Consumers spend a considerable amount of their income on vegetables. However, the patterns and decisions in purchasing and attitudes may vary from one person to another. Understanding this behavior is important in decision making along the supply chain and in development of policies. 100 randomly selected vegetables consumers from Kandy district of Central Province in Sri Lanka participated in a study carried out to determine the behavior during purchasing of vegetables. The results of this study concluded that the behavior of consumers is affected by the price, health factors, the quality of vegetables, home gardening and the situation. Consumers prefer to purchase a variety of vegetables including the organically produced.Keywords: Consumer behavior; Patterns in purchasing; Vegetables

Introduction

Consumption of vegetables is a cheap mean of fulfilling nutrient requirements. However, its significance in diet is determined by the culture. In Sri Lankan agriculture, vegetables are a sub sector that is considered to be important by both the farmers and consumers. A majority of Sri Lankans consume vegetables on a daily basis along with the country’s staple food rice. According to Household Income and Expenditure Survey 2016, 8% of total household expenditure on food and drink in Sri Lanka is spent on vegetables. Hence, vegetables are one of the frequently purchased food items in the country.Consumers behave differently during purchasing of vegetables. Factors affecting the behavior of consumers are both endogenous and exogenous. Endogenous or internal factors include the needs and motives, learning, self-concept, personalities and attitudes whereas culture, reference group, family and socio-economic situation are considered to be exogenous or external factors [1,2]. The decision in buying fruits and vegetables are based on analysis of cognitive and emotional elements with a little effect from advertising or other campaigns [3,4] and they value freshness, appearance and price more than other characteristics [3,5]. The choice of the market place and vegetables, frequency of shopping, amount spend on vegetables and factors considered during purchasing vary from one consumer to another. The store choices of consumers in purchasing vegetables in Sri Lanka ranges from modern supermarkets to traditional fair system known as Pola. The new retail format of supermarkets and hypermarkets tend to develop their range of fresh fruits and vegetables to meet a growing demand [6,7]. Modern retailers also provide the other benefits such as availability of all products under one roof and convenience. However, consumers also purchase vegetables at unorganized retailers and traditional fairs owing to various other factors. Even though a majority of households consume vegetables daily, the frequency of purchasing vegetables vary depending on several factors. Some buy them for 2-3 days given that they have the luxury of a refrigerator [1]. The variability in climate associated with the topography of Sri Lanka allows the cultivation of different types of vegetables increasing the choices available to the consumers.The modern consumer has a concern regarding the safety and quality of the food products [8]. The niche products including organic and locally grown food are becoming more popular [9]. Consumers either seek to purchase environmentally friendly food products or become health conscious about what they eat increasing the demand for organic food in the market [1]. However according to Rosairo [10], in Sri Lanka, a majority of buyers are unable to consume organic vegetables due to a range of specific reasons.Understanding the behavior of consumers and attitudes during purchasing of vegetables can have many positive impacts. It is useful for the vegetable supply chain actors to know and understand the shifts in patterns in demand and underlying determinants of the changes while providing better information for the formulation of agricultural policies that foster development of market demand through local food producers and traders [6]. At present, consumers recognize their influence over products and stores. Thus, understanding consumer needs and preferences would help the retailers and suppliers to anticipate the changes that may happen in the future [11]. The study was carried with the objective of assessing the behavior of consumers and their attitudes in relation to the purchasing of vegetables. The major factors influencing the purchasing of vegetables, selection of outlets, constraints faced, attitudes towards organic and environmental friendly vegetables, post purchase losses and cultivation of vegetables in the home garden were explored during the study.

Methodology

Data were collected through a self-administered or interviewer administered questionnaire. 100 consumers were selected randomly from the district of Kandy, Central Province, Sri Lanka. The participants were above the age of 18 years and were either primarily of jointly responsible for grocery shopping in their household. The questionnaire gathered data regarding demography, vegetable purchasing frequency, locations and amount spent, types purchased, factors influencing, and problems faced, behavior during purchasing of vegetables, attitudes and experience in purchasing organic vegetables and home gardening. Descriptive statistical analysis to calculate frequencies was carried out using IBM SPSS software version 24. Data were graphically illustrated using MS EXCEL (2013).

Results and Discussion

Demographic status

The variations in demographic factors can influence on the behavior and attitudes of a consumer.

Distribution of age:

Table 1 The majority of the respondents were from the age group of 31-45 years with a percentage of 43%. The age group of 45-60 years followed the majority. Only 6% were above the age of 60 years.

Gender as a factor:

When the gender of respondents who are responsible for grocery shopping in the households was considered as a factor, 67% were females and 33% were male (Table 2).

Level of formal education:

(Table 3) Only a minority of 5% had received a lower level of formal education. 44% had passed the Advanced Level examination and 39% were degree holders.

Household size:

The majority of respondents had a family with 3-5 members. 2 or less numbers were present in 9% of families while 10% had more than 5 members (Table 4).

Expenditure on vegetables

The weekly expenditure on vegetables by each respondent varied as follows (Figure 1). 55% of respondents spent less than Rs.1000 per week for vegetables while the expenditure of 10% was at the highest range of Rs.2000-3000. Choice of vegetables, household size, income and location of purchase are a few factors that can influence this variation among the respondents.

Location of purchase

The store choice depends on socioeconomic background of consumers, their personality, and past purchase experience [12- 14]. Sinha et al. [15] and Balaji [12] state that demographics and individual values also can affect this choice (Table 5)

Most of the respondents visited more than one location to purchase vegetables. Green grocers were visited by 76% which was the common location. 31% selected organized supermarkets, 44% used small retail shops and 32% purchased vegetables from fair. Green grocer was selected by a majority 54% of respondents as the location where more than 50% of vegetables were purchased. This was followed by small retail shops with a value of 17%. The least choice was the direct purchasing from farmers (Figure 2).

Factors considered in determining the location of purchase

The respondents selected all the factors they consider in selecting a store to purchase vegetables. Availability of good quality products was the common determinant among the respondents. Also, the easiness of selection was considered by 43% which was followed by the determinant of 38% of respondents, the lower prices at the selected store. A similar result where the store was chosen considering the quality of products was revealed in studies carried out in Kenya by Research Solutions Africa (RSA) Ltd [16] and in India by Anuradha [1] (Table 6).

(Figure 3) 34% respondents purchased vegetables twice a week. Weekly purchasing was also common among them with a value of 30% followed by the percentage of respondents who purchased vegetables whenever necessary.

Types of vegetables purchased

The commonly purchased category of vegetables by consumers out of two categories that are commonly available in Sri Lanka varied as follows. These two categories of vegetables are based on the different climatic zones in the country where vegetables are cultivated (Table 7).

80% of consumers mentioned that the decision of the category changes according to the need. However, up country vegetables were purchased by 16% and low country vegetables by 4% despite the situation.

The respondents selected the two frequently consumed vegetables from each category. Carrot was consumed by 86% which was the commonly consumed up country vegetable and pumpkin consumed by 65% was the common low country vegetable (Table 8).

Factors influencing how vegetables are purchased

The price of vegetables was the common factor influencing how the vegetables are purchased by consumers. This was selected by 40%. In 33%, the decision was affected by the display in the store. 27% purchased vegetables as they pre planned (Figure 4).

Considerations during purchasing

The consumers selected two factors that they consider during purchasing of vegetables. These factors may determine the type, quantity or spending during purchasing of vegetables. 67% included health factors as one of the two important factors. A value for the price paid was considered by 40% (Table 9).

Behavior in purchasing vegetables

69% slightly agreed with the fact that they purchase the same range of vegetables each week. However, 58% strongly agreed that they like to purchase new types of vegetables. This fact was disagreed by 3%. Likeness to browse the vegetable section or vegetable stores during purchasing was strongly agreed by 52% (Figure 5).

Problems faced during purchasing of vegetables

The common problem faced by a majority of 36% consumers was the poor quality of vegetables. 29% faced the problem of use of synthetic agrochemicals on vegetables and 28% were affected by the fluctuation in prices (Figure 6).

Attitudes and consumer behavior in purchasing organic vegetables

Only 92% of respondents were aware about the organically certified food. 69% claimed that they do not know a market place where organically produced vegetables are sold. However, 73% had consumed organically produced vegetables at least once (Table 10).

69% of consumers stated that they like to consume organically produced vegetables while 11% did not like and 20% were neutral about it. The willingness to pay a higher price for certified organic vegetables was expressed by a majority of 48%. However, 39% mentioned that they cannot say about that decision (Figure 7).

Consumer level wastage of vegetables

The wastage of vegetables after purchasing at a majority of households ranged from 1-5%. Only 2% had a wastage of above 10% (Table 11). The common factor contributing to the wastage was inedible portions. This was followed by rots, decays and physiological disorders and mechanical damages (Table 12).

Cultivation of vegetables in home garden

At present, many people tend to cultivate vegetables in their home gardens to fulfill a portion of their requirements. The cultivations can be maintained organically, conventionally using synthetic agrochemicals or as a combination of both 35% of respondents cultivated vegetables in their home gardens(Table 13). 62.2% of these cultivations were managed organically while 24.3% used both organic and conventional methods (Table 14). A majority of cultivators were able to fulfill less than 5% of their vegetable requirement through home gardening. However, home gardens supported to fulfill more than 50% of the requirement of 5.4% of growers (Table 15).

Conclusion

The consumers behave differently in making decisions during purchasing of vegetables. These decisions are affected by price, health factors, the quality of vegetables, home gardening and the situation. They prefer to purchase organically produced vegetables and also a variety of vegetables. Purchased vegetables are wasted by consumers mainly due to inedible parts.

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[womenofcolor15]

GIRL GROUP DRAMA! Spinderella SUES Salt-N-Pepa For Unpaid Royalties & Breach Of Contract, Sources Claim She's BITTER

DJ Spinderella claims she was kicked out of the group and now she's SUING Salt-N-Pepa for unpaid royalties. Deets inside...

There's drama unfolding in one Hip Hop legendary group.  Again.

About two months ago, DJ Spinderella took to social media to announce she had been terminated from future performances with Salt-N-Pepa on their reunion tour. And she said she received the notice via email. Yikes.

          View this post on Instagram

                  “I'm deeply saddened to share with all the #SaltnPepa and #Spinderella fans that I will not be performing on the #NKOTB Mixtape Tour. Despite my participation in promoting the tour and being highly publicized as one of the acts, in January 2019 I received a ‘termination’ email from #SaltnPepa excluding me from performances with the group. It was my expectation, after making that decision, that they would also take responsibility for sharing the news with the public and other affected parties. It has been months now with no mention. Out of love for my fans and a commitment to upholding a standard of professionalism, I've taken it upon myself to let everyone know. I refuse to participate in misleading fans, ticketholders, and others who -- based on all the advertising -- were anticipating seeing the iconic #SaltnPepa and #Spinderella trio. So, I'm making it clear now. Please know you will have the opportunity to see me this summer in many other projects and activities I'll be participating in and I look forward to seeing you all then.” Thank you, Spinderella

A post shared by SPINDERELLA and Christy’s Mom (@djspinderella) on May 2, 2019 at 3:41pm PDT

  “I’m deeply saddened to share with all the #SaltnPepa and #Spinderella fans that I will not be performing on the #NKOTB Mixtape Tour," she wrote. "Despite my participation in promoting the tour and being highly publicized as one of the acts, in January 2019 I received a ‘termination’ email from #SaltnPepaexcluding me from performances with the group. It was my expectation, after making that decision, that they would also take responsibility for sharing the news with the public and other affected parties. It has been months now with no mention. Out of love for my fans and a commitment to upholding a standard of professionalism, I’ve taken it upon myself to let everyone know. I refuse to participate in misleading fans, ticketholders, and others who — based on all the advertising — were anticipating seeing the iconic #SaltnPepaand #Spinderella trio. So, I’m making it clear now. Please know you will have the opportunity to see me this summer in many other projects and activities I’ll be participating in and I look forward to seeing you all then.”

Now, she's gunning for what she believes it rightfully hers.

Spinderella (born Deidra Roper) just filed a breach of contract lawsuit in federal court (sheesh) in Texas against her former bandmates, Cheryl “Salt” James and Sandra “Pepa” Denton.

In addition to gunning for alleged unpaid royalites, she's also suing for multiple breaches of contract, fraud, and international misrepresentation, according to court documents obtained by The Blast. Oh, and she's looking to receive money she claims she wasn't paid that dates back to the 90s. She claims she was promised a third of the royalities from their Best Of Salt-N-Pepa album, however, she never saw those coins. She was supposed to be paid $125,000.

“Roper was suddenly informed — in an unexpected telephone call from Denton — that James, 53, and Denton, 52, were holding the sum of $125,000 that would be paid to Roper,” the documents claim. “No such payment of $125,000 was subsequently made to Roper.”

It doesn't end there...

Spin also claims she was excluded the group's VH1 show 'Salt-N-Pepa Show' in 2007 that chronicled the group's rise to fame. She claims she was supposed to receive 1/3 of the funds, however, she was limited to just guest spots and was paid way less than the agreed upon amount.

Spin appeared at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards and was not paid. She also claims SoundExchange, the company responsible for the distribution of royalties to artists, revealed her groupmates received over $600,000 over the past decade and she hasn't received a dime.

Salt-N-Pepa has responded to her lawsuit, claiming she's bitter.

TMZ reports:

Sources connected with the group tell TMZ ... the ladies think Spinderella's suit is really about her own insecurities -- that she feels like a third wheel, and has ever since 2007's 'Salt-N-Pepa Show' on VH1. Spin was only a featured guest.

However, our sources say Spin's not entitled to any royalties in her contract -- including the $125k she says she's owed from the 1999 'Best of' album. We're told she was always paid as an independent contractor, but S and the P still made sure Spin always got the finest accommodations to go with her paycheck.

As for the TV show ... our sources say it was TV producers who didn't want her involved and it was out of Salt and Pepa's hands. We're told they think Spinderella's bitterness also stems from talk shows regularly requesting only the 2 front women for interviews.

Our sources also say the Salt-N-Pepa brand is owned by Salt and Pepa, not Spinderella ... so her claims of trademark infringement in her suit are also baseless. We're told they haven't used her name or likeness once since her departure from the group.

Finally, we're told the duo claims it went out of its way to make sure Spinderella got her own shine during the group's appearance at the 2018 Billboard Music Awards. They say no member got paid for the gig ... and Spin was well aware of that.

Ugh! Let's hope the ladies can work this out. Sad to see an iconic group come to this.

Photo: DFree / Shutterstock.com

[Read More ...] source http://theybf.com/2019/07/12/girl-group-drama-spinderella-sues-salt-n-pepa-for-unpaid-royalties-sources-says-shes-bitt