Please join us at the Rail Users’ Network’s Spring Virtual Conference, which is taking place on Friday, May 17, 2024, from 12:30 – 5 pm. This exciting event will highlight the work of rail advocates who are working to expand long-distance rail service in the U.S.
https://www.railusers.net/annual-conference/
The list of confirmed speakers includes:
12:30 – 12:40: Richard Rudolph’s introductory remarks.
12:40 – 1:05: Todd Liebman, President All Aboard Arizona – Sunset Limited Campaign.
1:05 – 1:30: Steve Williams, Mayor, Huntington, West Virginia – Daily service on the Cardinal.
1:30 – 1:55: Mike Christensen, Executive Director, Utah Rail Passenger Association – Restoring Desert Wind from Boise, Idaho to Salt Lake City and Las Vegas.
1:55 – 2:00: Break
2:00 – 2:25: Knox Ross. Chairman, Southern Rail Commission – Amtrak’s daily Crescent from Meridian, MS to Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas.
2:25 – 2:50: David Strohmaier, Chairman, Big Sky Rail Authority – Restoration of the North Coast Hiawatha.
2:50 – 3:15: A success story – Passenger rail from Duluth, Minnesota to the Twin Cities. Ken Buehler, Executive Director of the Lake Superior Railroad Museum.
3:15 – 3:30: Federico Gazzolo, Amtrak VP-Product Development & Customer Analytics, who will talk about the company’s effort to order new long-distance rail car equipment.
3:30 – 4:05: Possible restoration of part of the Floridian route from Indianapolis, to Louisville, Nashville to Atlanta and onto Savannah, Georgia. Richard Rudolph moderates: • Mike King, Director, Office of Planning, Louisville Metro • Tim Kelly, Mayor, Chattanooga Tennessee. • Clement Solomon, Division Director- Intermodal, Georgia Department of Transportation.
4:05 – 4:10: Break 4:10 – 4:20: J.W. Madison, President, New Mexico Rails, will briefly talk about the organization’s effort over the years to establish a Rocky Mountain Flyer from New Mexico to Montana.
4:20 – 4:50: What is needed for startup of new service – equipment and relationships with Freight Railroads. Andrew Albert, RUN’s Vice Chair, moderates: • Josh Coran, Directo Product Development / Compliance, Talgo / RUN Board Member. • Phil Streby, retired Amtrak Conductor / RUN Board Member. • Jim Blaze, railroad economist, Railway Age.
4:50 – 5:00: Closing Remarks. David Peter Alan, Contributing Editor, Railway Age / RUN Board Member.
The conference is designed not only for rail advocates, but also for civic and business leaders, environmentalists, planners, real estate developers and members of the general public who are interested in knowing more about passenger rail and rail transit in America. Please note this is a free event for RUN members, but registration is required. A registration fee for non-members is $25, which includes RUN membership through 2024. Please be sure to register by May 10 so that we can send along the info needed to attend RUN’s Virtual Spring Conference.

 Windows 3d19709d-0788-4248-8eeb-af1309f4efc1      6291456 6291456 4  hvm /usshare/OVMF/OVMF_CODE_4M.fd /valib/libvirt/qemu/nvram/Windows_VARS.fd                   destroy restart destroy      /usbin/qemu-system-x86_64      
   
      
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
   
      
       

6.3.0-acso 

GRUB_CMDLINE_LINUX_DEFAULT="quiet pcie_acs_override=downstream,multifunction amd_iommu=on iommu=pt vfio-pci.ids=1002:15dd,1002:15de video=efifb:off" 

blacklist radeon blacklist amdgpu 

options vfio-pci ids=1002:15dd,1002:15de 

vfio vfio_pci vfio_virqfd 

IOMMU Group 0: 00:01.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-1fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452] IOMMU Group 1: 00:01.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 2: 00:01.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 3: 00:01.4 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 4: 00:08.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-1fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452] IOMMU Group 5: 00:08.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus A [1022:15db] IOMMU Group 6: 00:08.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus B [1022:15dc] IOMMU Group 7: 00:14.0 SMBus [0c05]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller [1022:790b] (rev 61) 00:14.3 ISA bridge [0601]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge [1022:790e] (rev 51) IOMMU Group 8: 00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 0 [1022:15e8] 00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 1 [1022:15e9] 00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 2 [1022:15ea] 00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 3 [1022:15eb] 00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 4 [1022:15ec] 00:18.5 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 5 [1022:15ed] 00:18.6 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 6 [1022:15ee] 00:18.7 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 7 [1022:15ef] IOMMU Group 9: 01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 10: 01:00.1 Serial controller [0700]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP UART #1 [10ec:816a] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 11: 01:00.2 Serial controller [0700]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP UART #2 [10ec:816b] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 12: 01:00.3 IPMI Interface [0c07]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP IPMI interface [10ec:816c] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 13: 01:00.4 USB controller [0c03]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL811x EHCI host controller [10ec:816d] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 14: 02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wireless-AC 9260 [8086:2526] (rev 29) IOMMU Group 15: 03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Sandisk Corp WD Black SN750 / PC SN730 NVMe SSD [15b7:5006] IOMMU Group 16: 04:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Raven Ridge [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Vega Mobile Series] [1002:15dd] (rev d6) IOMMU Group 17: 04:00.1 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio Controller [1002:15de] IOMMU Group 18: 04:00.2 Encryption controller [1080]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 10h-1fh) Platform Security Processor [1022:15df] IOMMU Group 19: 04:00.3 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven USB 3.1 [1022:15e0] IOMMU Group 20: 04:00.4 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven USB 3.1 [1022:15e1] IOMMU Group 21: 04:00.5 Multimedia controller [0480]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor [1022:15e2] IOMMU Group 22: 04:00.6 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller [1022:15e3] IOMMU Group 23: 05:00.0 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1022:7901] (rev 61) 

IOMMU Group 0: 00:01.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-1fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452] IOMMU Group 1: 00:01.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 2: 00:01.3 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 3: 00:01.4 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 PCIe GPP Bridge [6:0] [1022:15d3] IOMMU Group 4: 00:08.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 00h-1fh) PCIe Dummy Host Bridge [1022:1452] 00:08.2 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus B [1022:15dc] 05:00.0 SATA controller [0106]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SATA Controller [AHCI mode] [1022:7901] (rev 61) IOMMU Group 5: 00:08.1 PCI bridge [0604]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Internal PCIe GPP Bridge 0 to Bus A [1022:15db] IOMMU Group 6: 00:14.0 SMBus [0c05]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH SMBus Controller [1022:790b] (rev 61) 00:14.3 ISA bridge [0601]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] FCH LPC Bridge [1022:790e] (rev 51) IOMMU Group 7: 00:18.0 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 0 [1022:15e8] 00:18.1 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 1 [1022:15e9] 00:18.2 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 2 [1022:15ea] 00:18.3 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 3 [1022:15eb] 00:18.4 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 4 [1022:15ec] 00:18.5 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 5 [1022:15ed] 00:18.6 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 6 [1022:15ee] 00:18.7 Host bridge [0600]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven/Raven2 Device 24: Function 7 [1022:15ef] IOMMU Group 8: 01:00.0 Ethernet controller [0200]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111/8168/8411 PCI Express Gigabit Ethernet Controller [10ec:8168] (rev 0e) 01:00.1 Serial controller [0700]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP UART #1 [10ec:816a] (rev 0e) 01:00.2 Serial controller [0700]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP UART #2 [10ec:816b] (rev 0e) 01:00.3 IPMI Interface [0c07]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL8111xP IPMI interface [10ec:816c] (rev 0e) 01:00.4 USB controller [0c03]: Realtek Semiconductor Co., Ltd. RTL811x EHCI host controller [10ec:816d] (rev 0e) IOMMU Group 9: 02:00.0 Network controller [0280]: Intel Corporation Wireless-AC 9260 [8086:2526] (rev 29) IOMMU Group 10: 03:00.0 Non-Volatile memory controller [0108]: Sandisk Corp WD Black SN750 / PC SN730 NVMe SSD [15b7:5006] IOMMU Group 11: 04:00.0 VGA compatible controller [0300]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Raven Ridge [Radeon Vega Series / Radeon Vega Mobile Series] [1002:15dd] (rev d6) IOMMU Group 12: 04:00.1 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD/ATI] Raven/Raven2/Fenghuang HDMI/DP Audio Controller [1002:15de] 04:00.2 Encryption controller [1080]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h (Models 10h-1fh) Platform Security Processor [1022:15df] 04:00.3 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven USB 3.1 [1022:15e0] 04:00.4 USB controller [0c03]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Raven USB 3.1 [1022:15e1] 04:00.5 Multimedia controller [0480]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] ACP/ACP3X/ACP6x Audio Coprocessor [1022:15e2] 04:00.6 Audio device [0403]: Advanced Micro Devices, Inc. [AMD] Family 17h/19h HD Audio Controller [1022:15e3] 

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Introduction to accepting credit card payments

Accepting credit card payments is an essential aspect of running a successful Rheumatology business. In today's digital age, customers expect the convenience and security of paying with their credit cards. By integrating Square, a leading payment processing platform, into your business operations, you can provide your customers with a seamless and reliable payment experience. This introduction will guide you through the process of accepting credit card payments with Square, ensuring that your business stays competitive and meets the evolving needs of your customers.

Importance of accepting credit card payments

Accepting credit card payments is of utmost importance for any business, especially for Rheumatology practices. In today's digital age, customers expect convenience and flexibility when it comes to payment options. By accepting credit card payments, Rheumatology businesses can provide a seamless and hassle-free experience for their patients. This not only enhances customer satisfaction but also increases the likelihood of repeat visits and referrals. Additionally, credit card payments offer a secure and reliable way to receive payments, reducing the risk of handling cash or checks. With Square, a trusted and widely-used payment processing platform, Rheumatology businesses can easily accept credit card payments, ensuring a smooth and efficient payment process for both the business and its patients.

Benefits of using Square for credit card payments

Square offers several benefits for accepting credit card payments for your Rheumatology Business. One of the key benefits is the ability to provide a seamless and secure payment experience for your customers. With Square, you can accept all major credit cards, ensuring that you can cater to a wide range of customers. Additionally, Square provides detailed analytics and reporting tools, allowing you to gain valuable insights into your business's performance. Another advantage of using Square is the fast and reliable payment processing, ensuring that your transactions are processed quickly and efficiently. Furthermore, Square offers competitive pricing and transparent fees, making it a cost-effective solution for your Rheumatology Business. Overall, Square is a trusted and reliable platform that can greatly enhance the credit card payment experience for your Rheumatology Business.

Setting up a Square account

Creating a Square account

Creating a Square account is an essential step for entrepreneurs looking to accept credit card payments for their Rheumatology business. By setting up a Square account, you gain access to a secure and reliable payment processing platform that allows you to seamlessly accept payments from your customers. Square provides a user-friendly interface and robust features that enable you to track sales, manage inventory, and generate detailed reports. With Square, entrepreneurs can streamline their payment processes and provide a convenient and professional experience for their customers.

Verifying your identity

Verifying your identity is an essential step in accepting credit card payments for your Rheumatology business with Square. This process ensures the security and legitimacy of your transactions, protecting both you and your customers. To verify your identity, Square requires certain documentation, such as a valid government-issued ID and proof of business ownership. These requirements help establish trust and credibility, giving your customers peace of mind when making payments. By completing the verification process, you can confidently offer credit card payment options, enhancing the convenience and professionalism of your Rheumatology business.

Linking your bank account

To link your bank account, follow these simple steps:

Choosing the right Square payment solution

Point of Sale (POS) systems

Point of Sale (POS) systems play a crucial role in streamlining payment processes for businesses. With the advancement of technology, traditional cash transactions are gradually being replaced by digital payment methods. Overcoming cash flow problems with Square, a leading provider of POS systems, has become a popular choice for Rheumatology businesses. Square offers a secure and efficient platform for accepting credit card payments, enabling businesses to improve their cash flow and provide a seamless payment experience to their customers. By integrating Square's POS system into their operations, Rheumatology businesses can effectively manage transactions, track sales, and generate detailed reports. With its user-friendly interface and comprehensive features, Square helps businesses optimize their payment processes and enhance their overall financial performance.

Virtual Terminal

A virtual terminal is an essential tool for Rheumatology businesses looking to accept credit card payments online. With a virtual terminal, you can securely process transactions from anywhere, without the need for a physical card reader. This convenient solution allows you to accept payments from your patients remotely, making it ideal for telemedicine consultations or online sales. To enhance the user experience, you can integrate your virtual terminal with an eCommerce platform, such as Square, to streamline the payment process. Additionally, you can leverage graphic design tools like Canva to create visually appealing payment pages that align with your brand. By utilizing a virtual terminal, eCommerce and graphic design go hand in hand, enabling you to provide a seamless and professional payment experience for your customers.

E-commerce integrations

E-commerce integrations are crucial for businesses in the modern digital landscape. They enable seamless transactions and provide a convenient shopping experience for customers. When it comes to accepting credit card payments for your Rheumatology business, Square offers a comprehensive solution. With Square's e-commerce integrations, you can easily set up a secure and efficient payment system on your website. This allows you to cater to the needs of your customers and streamline your financial operations. Whether you are starting a healthcare staffing agency in 2023 or already established in the industry, integrating Square into your business can help you provide a seamless payment experience for your clients.

Accepting credit card payments in-person

Setting up a POS system

Setting up a POS system is a crucial step in streamlining your business operations. A reliable and efficient POS system allows you to accept credit card payments seamlessly, ensuring a smooth transaction process for your customers. With Square, you can easily set up a POS system tailored to your Rheumatology business needs. By integrating Square's user-friendly hardware and software, you can manage inventory, track sales, and generate detailed reports, all in one place. This comprehensive solution empowers you to optimize your business operations, improve customer satisfaction, and ultimately drive growth.

Processing credit card payments

Processing credit card payments is a crucial aspect of running a successful Rheumatology business. With the advancement of technology, accepting credit card payments has become easier and more convenient than ever before. Square, a leading payment processing platform, offers a seamless and secure solution for accepting credit card payments. Whether you operate a group home service or provide pricing for Rheumatology services, Square provides a reliable and efficient way to process payments. By utilizing Square's user-friendly interface, you can easily set up your account, customize your payment options, and start accepting credit card payments in no time. With Square's advanced security features, you can ensure that your customers' sensitive payment information is protected at all times. Say goodbye to the hassle of cash-only transactions and embrace the convenience of accepting credit card payments with Square.

Handling refunds and chargebacks

Handling refunds and chargebacks is an important aspect of accepting credit card payments for your Rheumatology Business with Square. It is crucial to have a clear and well-defined refund policy in place to address any customer concerns and ensure a smooth and efficient process. Square provides a comprehensive system for managing refunds and chargebacks, allowing you to handle these situations with ease. By following best practices and utilizing Square's tools and resources, you can effectively navigate the refund and chargeback process and maintain customer satisfaction.

Accepting credit card payments online

Integrating Square with your website

Integrating Square with your website is a seamless and efficient process that can enhance the payment experience for your Rheumatology business. By integrating Square, you can accept credit card payments directly on your website, providing a convenient and secure payment method for your customers. With Square's robust features and advanced security measures, you can ensure that every transaction is protected and encrypted, giving your customers peace of mind when making online purchases. Additionally, Square's user-friendly interface and customizable options allow you to create a seamless integration that matches the look and feel of your website, providing a seamless and professional online payment experience. With Square, you can streamline your payment process and increase customer satisfaction, ultimately driving growth and success for your Rheumatology business.

Creating a seamless checkout experience

Creating a seamless checkout experience is crucial for any Rheumatology business looking to accept credit card payments. By providing a smooth and efficient payment process, you can enhance customer satisfaction and streamline your operations. To achieve this, it is important to choose a reliable payment solution like Square, which offers a range of features designed to optimize the checkout experience. With Square, you can easily accept credit card payments, securely process transactions, and provide customers with multiple payment options. Additionally, Square's intuitive interface and user-friendly tools make it simple for both your staff and customers to navigate the payment process. By investing in a seamless checkout experience with Square, you can ensure a positive and hassle-free payment experience for your Rheumatology business.

Managing online transactions

Managing online transactions is a crucial aspect of running a successful Rheumatology business. With the increasing popularity of online shopping, it is essential to provide your customers with a convenient and secure way to make credit card payments. Square is a leading payment processing platform that offers a comprehensive solution for accepting credit card payments online. By integrating Square into your Rheumatology business, you can streamline your online transactions and provide a seamless payment experience for your customers. With Square, you can easily manage and track your online sales, automate recurring payments, and protect sensitive customer information with advanced security measures. Whether you are selling products, services, or accepting donations, Square provides the tools and features you need to accept credit card payments with ease. Take your Rheumatology business to the next level and provide a hassle-free payment experience for your customers with Square.

Conclusion

Summary of benefits

Starting an equipment rental business can be a lucrative venture for entrepreneurs looking to capitalize on the growing demand for rental services. With the right equipment and a solid business plan, you can tap into various industries and provide them with the tools they need to succeed. From construction companies to event planners, there is a wide range of potential customers who rely on rental equipment to carry out their operations efficiently. By offering a diverse range of high-quality equipment and exceptional customer service, you can establish yourself as a trusted provider in the market. Whether it's heavy machinery, tools, or specialty equipment, your rental business can help businesses save money, increase productivity, and reduce the hassle of purchasing and maintaining their own equipment.

Future trends in credit card payments

In the ever-evolving world of credit card payments, there are several future trends that are expected to shape the way businesses accept payments. One of the key trends is the rise of mobile payments, where customers can make transactions using their smartphones or other mobile devices. This trend is driven by the increasing adoption of mobile technology and the convenience it offers to both businesses and customers. Another trend is the growing popularity of contactless payments, which allow customers to make payments by simply tapping their credit cards or mobile devices on a payment terminal. This technology not only provides a faster and more seamless payment experience but also enhances security by reducing the need for physical contact with payment devices. Additionally, the use of artificial intelligence and machine learning in credit card payments is expected to increase in the future. These technologies can help businesses analyze customer data, detect fraud, and personalize the payment experience. Overall, as technology continues to advance, the future of credit card payments looks promising, with more convenient, secure, and personalized payment options for businesses and customers alike.

Final thoughts

In conclusion, accepting credit card payments for your Rheumatology Business with Square can greatly enhance the convenience and efficiency of your operations. Square offers a secure and reliable payment processing solution that is trusted by millions of businesses worldwide. By leveraging Square's advanced features and tools, you can streamline your payment collection process, reduce manual errors, and provide a seamless experience for your customers. With Square, you can also gain valuable insights into your business performance through detailed reporting and analytics. Whether you are a small practice or a large clinic, Square can cater to your unique needs and help you grow your Rheumatology Business. So, why wait? Start accepting credit card payments with Square today and take your business to new heights of success.
In conclusion, Square Instant Access is the perfect solution for small businesses looking for quick and easy access to funds. With Square Instant Access, you no longer have to struggle to get the funds you need to grow your business. Whether you need funds for inventory, marketing, or any other business expenses, Square Instant Access has got you covered. Say goodbye to long waiting times and complicated loan applications. With Square Instant Access, you can get the funds you need instantly. Don't miss out on this opportunity to take your business to the next level. Visit our website to learn more about Square Instant Access and start growing your business today!

How to Become a Help Desk Technician: A Step-by-Step Guide
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Are you interested in starting a career in IT support? Becoming a help desk technician is a great way to get started! In this blog, we'll outline the steps you need to take to become a help desk technician, including the necessary CompTIA certifications.
Step 1: Earn Your CompTIA Certifications
To become a help desk technician, you'll need to earn the following CompTIA certifications:

• CompTIA A+: This certification covers hardware, operating systems, networking, mobile devices, troubleshooting, virtualization, cloud computing, software troubleshooting, security, and operational procedures.
• CompTIA Network+: This certification covers the skills needed for IT support and securely establishing, maintaining, and troubleshooting networks on any platform.
• CompTIA IT Fundamentals (ITF+): This certification covers IT concepts and terminology, security, software development, applications and software, database fundamentals, and infrastructure.

Step 2: Gain Practical Experience
While certifications are essential, practical experience is also crucial to becoming a successful help desk technician. Try to gain experience by:

• Volunteering to help friends and family with their technical issues
• Participating in online forums and communities to help others with their IT problems
• Interning or shadowing experienced help desk technicians

Step 3: Build Your Skills
Help desk technicians need a broad range of skills, including:

• Strong communication and customer service skills
• Ability to work under pressure and manage multiple tasks
• Knowledge of operating systems, hardware, and software
• Troubleshooting and problem-solving skills
• Familiarity with IT service management frameworks and tools

Step 4: Consider a Degree in IT or Related Field
While not necessary, a degree in IT or a related field can be beneficial in advancing your career as a help desk technician.
Step 5: Join Professional Organizations
Joining professional organizations like the CompTIA Association and the IT Service Management Forum can provide you with networking opportunities, training, and access to industry events.
Becoming a help desk technician requires a combination of certifications, practical experience, and skills. By following these steps, you can start your career in IT support and work your way up to more senior roles. Remember to always keep learning and upskilling to stay ahead in the industry!
Additional Resources

• CompTIA Certification Guide
• Help Desk Technician Job Description
• IT Service Management Frameworks and Tools

Note: The blog post is a general guide and may vary depending on individual circumstances and requirements.

Look.. I’m not going to post here again, but it just seems silly to make your whole business centred around a current version of AI.. Which is already advancing faster than the app could keep up with.
I’m not surprised in 12 months we will have virtual “zoom call” with a virtual AI.. we can talk in a natural way making whatever Memrise tried to do obsolete. An AI based system that can remember our weakness’s and create personalised lessons based on what the unique user requires. Incorporating natural speech, unique spaced repetition exercises, lesson recaps etc based on what the individual user requires. Etc
If you are curious I recommend you watch the latest demo of chat gpt 4o. It’s like scary good. It would have made sense to add the whole AI thing as a side feature since it’s developing so fast and it’s so clunky to use..
Anyway I gave this new Memrise a go but It’s time to uninstall Memrise for good. It’s really karma for screwing over their customers. A personalised learning approach is always going to be better.

Two weeks ago, Tesla CEO Elon Musk enacted widespread layoffs throughout the company, including the 500-strong team responsible for the brand's Supercharger. Now, Tesla is looking to hire some of them back, Bloomberg reports, as Musk promises to spend $500 million expanding the network.
The Supercharger network is inarguably Tesla's crown jewel. The company recognized early on that, even though its owners slow-charged at home each night, knowing they had the ability to rapidly recharge on the road was critical in making an electric vehicle an acceptable alternative to existing vehicles.
Since then, it has built out more than 2,000 charging stations in the US alone, with more than 25,000 plugs. More than that, the chargers invariably work, something that is often not true for other charging networks.
So successful is the Supercharger network that, over the course of last year, virtually every other automaker that sells or plans to sell EVs in the US has announced it will drop the CCS1 connector for the J3400 standard, originally developed by Tesla. But those announcements were about more than just switching plugs. Each time, the OEM also revealed it had negotiated access for its customers to the Supercharger network.
That made Musk's dismissal of the entire team responsible so hard to fathom. While the Supercharger network accounts for only about 5 percent of Tesla's revenues, that percent is poised to grow as more OEMs gain access. And although the charging experience for Tesla EVs at Superchargers is usually flawless, that's because it's optimized for a single make of car with just five different models; there's no guarantee that will prove true when cars from other brands try to charge.
The layoffs also appeared to put Tesla's plan to build a more powerful charger that would benefit cars using 800 V or 900 V architectures, including Audi, Porsche, Lucid, and others, on hold.
Worse yet, dozens of Supercharger sites that were in the works have stalled out, according to multiple reports.
But last week, Musk announced that Tesla would spend more than $500 million building out more chargers, just days after saying the focus would instead be on uptime at existing locations. And to do that, Tesla will need to rehire a whole bunch of people.
That started with Max de Zegher, who was an executive under the previous head of Supercharging, Rebecca Tinucci. (At the time of the layoffs, Electrek reported that Musk got rid of the entire team because its Tinucci did not lay off enough workers on her own.)
This is not the first time Musk has had to back-track an impetuous business decision. In 2019, he decided to close all of Tesla's retail locations to pay for a cheaper version of the Model 3 sedan. Within two weeks that decision had been reversed, in no small part due to the legal consequences of breaking so many leases.
Source: https://arstechnica.com/cars/2024/05/tesla-does-180-on-superchargers-rehiring-laid-off-staff-amid-new-plans/

If you're feeling overwhelmed with the day-to-day tasks of running your business, it's time to consider hiring a virtual assistant. As a self-taught professional with over 10 years of experience in administrative support, project management, and customer service, I am confident in my ability to help streamline your operations and increase your bottom line. Let's work together to take your business to the next level!
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Tools:

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My goal is to provide exceptional support to business owners like you, helping you achieve your goals and grow your business. Let me take care of the day-to-day tasks so that you can focus on what really matters.

Link to AO3
chapters 1&2
chapter 3
chapter 4
chapter 5
chapter 6
chapter 7
chapter 8
chapter 9
Chapter 10
Chapter 11
Chapter 12
Chapter 13
Chapter 14
Chapter 15
Chapter 16
Chapter 17
Chapter 18
The Academy looked normal enough from the distance but blew Gentry’s mind when she finally entered it. First of all, the way in lay through a massive winter garden full of the most luxurious botanical collection she’s ever seen. Not only that, but it seemed to be arranged in a way that offered spaces for hanging out as well as paths in and out. Here and there, G noticed little nooks with people’s voices coming from them and small murmuring streams gleamed in the sun that blazed through the transparent walls and roof. This place looked magical and invited to stay, enjoy the refreshing coolness and peace of mind. But Gentry had a good enough rest in her communal room the night before and was eager to start working on her first assignment that the System had spat out with a congratulating letter. Figuring out the controls of her new wristcomm was simple enough.
DEAR GENTRY!
WE ARE DELIGHTED TO INFORM YOU THAT YOU ARE THE FIRST CONTESTANT TO CLEAR ALL CHALLENGES AND OBTAIN THE STATUS OF AN ASHTAPADAN NEWCOMER! YOUR MEDICAL DATA HAS BEEN ANALYSED AND FOUND ACCEPTABLE.
IN THE ATTACHMENT TO THIS LETTER YOU WILL FIND A LIST OF RULES, RECOMMENDATIONS AND IDEAS THAT WILL DEFINITELY HELP YOU IN THE FIRST WEEKS IN OUR BEAUTIFUL CITY BUT WE STRONGLY RECOMMEND FINDING A BUDDY THAT WOULD BE YOUR MAIN GUIDE AND POTENTIALLY A NEW GREAT FRIEND! IT CAN BE ANY CITIZEN OR A MORE EXPERIENCED NEWCOMER.
YOUR CURRENT POINTS: 0
WHY NOT START EARNING SOME WITH YOUR FIRST ASSIGNMENT?
START ANY BEGINNER COURSE AT THE ACADEMY AND KEEP YOUR ATTENDANCE RATE OVER 80% — WORTH 50 POINTS
(OPTIONAL) FIND SOMEBODY WHO IS WILLING TO BECOME YOUR BUDDY — WORTH 20 POINTS
Without stopping to check if the vending machines offered anything good, G made her way through the dreamy garden and entered the inner yard that looked just like everything here: nothing too eye-catching at first glance but secrets hidden everywhere.
One thing she had already noticed was that most of the people had another piece of technology on their bodies besides the comm on their wrists: a sort of extendable visor that some of them kept engaged at all times. Those who were focused on the screen had a comical look on their faces, a thousand-mile stare, eyes wide even as they were talking to each other or going about their business. It was unclear yet why they would engage the screen for so long though. No one needed this much time to read a notification or check a map.
Take a group of young students by the fountain, for example. They seemed deep in conversation with each other yet their pupils didn’t focus on the person in front, but on the translucent screen over the top part of their faces. Was it some kind of virtual reality helmet?
If so, G needed one, too.
Perhaps she’d be able to make new friends this way.
There was something else that caught Gentry’s eye. Despite her initial disappointment about the severe lack of male hotness in the streets, people of both sexes seemed to really care about their appearance. Even those who probably weren’t naturally stunning were very interesting to look at not least because of the crazy fashion sense everyone here had. Never before had G seen so much variety in what everyone wore: countless variations on different national garments, some looking very traditional, like something one could see in a theatre, some — futuristic uniforms straight out of a sci-fi movie. It didn’t seem like anyone was concerned with gender norms here, too. At least in when it came to the outfits.
G hoped she didn’t look like a creepy stalker when her gaze lingered on a pair of very nicely shaped legs stretching from underneath a plaid skirt that belonged to a young man in the group sat by the edge of the water. A pair of snow-white knee-highs, flat loafers and neat raven hair with some blue streaks completed the image. His clothes fit him very well and weren’t inappropriate in the least: something an old money university student would wear.
A female student that is.
And he wasn’t alone. Here and there, among more conventionally dressed people, there were people wearing all sorts of things: a crazy mix of goth-like apparel but barefoot, men and women with heads covered with scarves, people in strange jewelery that looked like it weighed a ton and so on. Most importantly, no one seemed to care what the others looked like.
Was it paradise? Looks like the demo didn’t lie: it was heaven on earth.
The young man in the middle of the student gaggle caught her staring after all. With a dazzling smile, he waved in her direction as if they were great friends, and G waved back, face heating, hoping there wasn’t anyone behind her this tease was actually waving at. Thank god his shoes weren’t heeled, otherwise she would definitely have a heart attack right here, in the middle of the common area, on her first day.
Did he notice her ogling his legs? Judging by the giggles of his friend's entourage, they all did. The young flirt covered his mouth, eyes wide in mock indignation and pulled his knees in, as if hiding them from the improper attention, getting even more laughter from the rest of the company. G averted her eyes and tried to calm her breathing as she was on her way through the yard again, but before they all disappeared from her field of view, she noticed the coquette stretch his legs again and fall back on a friend of his, embracing the lucky man’s neck in an affectionate gesture, already forgetting G existed.
There was no way she wasn’t going to make some pretty boy do the same for her. Forget the assignment, put that in the list of her top priorities!
At first, Gentry was lost when she failed to find any kind of class schedule and there was no one to ask at the reception desk.
Why have a reception desk if nobody’s on duty?
Soon, however, it occurred to her that there was no schedule: each room within the wide marble corridors had a small display with a handwritten message scribbled on it.
Bachata for beginners
Product engineering (Tuesday class cancelled)
Colloidal chemistry (revision today)
None of these were the Communications course that Jey was talking about, but the variety definitely made G’s eyebrows go up.
Was she just supposed to barge into any class and sign up? Did she have to sign up later if she liked the subject? Was it ok to choose any?
After some wandering around, too scared to just walk in uninvited or ask others for directions, she finally stumbled across the door saying:
Communication & decision making course (Newcomers welcome)
With the desks arranged in a horseshoe and the people of various ages that were also apparently Newcomers, it all seemed comfortably casual. Everyone was chatting as she walked in, paying G no mind so she busied herself with the wristcomm that dinged at exactly the right time to save her the embarrassment of looking for a desk.
Would you like to enroll in this course? Scroll down to read the description.
Was this damn thing a spying device? Did it just know which room she was in? Jey didn’t joke when she said the little thing was going to be her primary aid!
“Are you looking for somewhere to sit?” called a young red-haired woman at one of the paired desks. “Here, this one is free.” She had the auglasses on, like everyone else, but they were off, showing her lively face and a pair of sharp green eyes.
“Thanks,” G said, gratefully taking the offer. “I’m new here, don’t know how things work yet.”
“It’s alright, the course is very engaging, you’ll love it.” — the woman held out a hand — “I’m Sereen, what’s your name?”
G shook the warm palm. “It’s Gentry. And by new I mean I’m new to Ashtapada, not just the course. Literally arrived yesterday.”
“Really?” — S looked surprised — “Everything must be very confusing!”
“You have no idea,” G smiled. “I’m glad someone understands. Everyone’s friendly but acts as if giant mechanical dogs in the streets and a moss garden in the lobby are the most normal things ever.”
“Don’t worry, I was just like you when I first arrived, you’ll get the hang of it soon.”
“Hope so! Is that the lecturer?”
“Shhh...”
Just like everything else in Ashtapada, the lecture started out normal enough only to unfold into something completely alien to how things were normally done.
Apparently, the Communications course involved learning rationality, debating, logic, etiquette and god knew what else. It was supposed to give the future citizens tools to, well, communicate. G was given a booklet with some ground rules for beginners that included entries that sounded like something Sun Tzu would say if he studied debating instead of warcraft.
“The purpose of any argument is not to win it and not to change the other disputant’s mind. It’s to find the truth.”
“Always argue in good faith.”
“Don’t attack your opponent.”
“If attacked, dismiss the attack as if it didn’t happen.”
Well, hopefully, it only meant verbal attacks! G knew too well that when it came to physical violence, it was hard to ignore it.
Most of the rules looked straightforward enough, some were confusing.
“Seek challenge to your convictions. Avoid echo chambers.”
“Don’t seek being right.”
“Be mindful of your audience including yourself.”
“Avoid “Empty arguments” that don’t bring everyone closer to the goal of finding the truth.”
The lecturer, a willowy man of about sixty that drowned in his tweed jacket, started the class with a bit of small talk with the regulars after distributing the booklets to all first-timers. He made sure to give it to G face down so that his photo under the “About the author” title didn’t go unnoticed. He also made most of the “talk” part himself.
“I never took part in a debate,” G told Sereen, who was patiently waiting for the class to begin. “And never seen anything like these rules. Is it actually useful?”
“Oh, believe me, professor Poe will be ecstatic to talk to you about them. He can’t not start discussing his subject at the slightest provocation. Look.” — she raised her hand — “Professor, how was your weekend?”
The man wearily smiled. “That might seem like a meaningless question, Sereen, but it’s actually very much related to the topic we are going to cover today.”
“See?” — S raised her eyebrows with a suppressed smile. G giggled. This promised to be interesting.
“Our friend Sereen is a very polite person, isn’t she?” — Poe smiled at the class but his eyes glided over everyone’s faces, gaze turned inwards like he was reading an invisible text written on the walls. “But as kind as she is, I don’t think she’s actually interested in how my weekend went. Small talk is just a social custom we engage in to strengthen our social relations. Why don’t we just start a day by saying “Hi! I value our relationship and would like to fulfill my societal role!” to everyone we know? I would definitely prefer THAT over the small talk! He-he!”
The audience laughed politely. The guy seemed alright.
“However, just as we use different tools to fulfill this role in different contexts, so can the context of a logical problem steer our thinking towards a rational, that is, right, and an irrational, that is, wrong, answer.”
“Well, that’s not a given,” Gentry mumbled under her breath but it went unnoticed by S, who was already immersed in the lecture.
“Consider the famous René Descartes’s quote "Cogito, ergo sum". Who can translate it from Latin?” — the board behind the thin, almost transparent man glowed, displaying the words.
“Is it really a Beginner’s course?” G asked Sereen in a low voice but her companion was already raising her hand, together with a dozen other students.
“I think, therefore I am,” she said after a curt nod of the lecturer’s permission.
“Very good,” he continued, pleased. “I taught you well. Those of you who attend my lectures regularly are familiar with the notion of solipsism, which states that the only thing we can be sure about is our own thoughts.”
Gentry looked at S with raised eyebrows.
If this is an introductory course, what was the advanced like?
Sereen didn’t seem to perplexed. She was fully following the thread.
“However,” professor Poe said. “I am going to challenge that notion by demonstrating that we can’t trust our own mind when it comes to perceiving reality.”
He looked at the audience with a quizzical eye, and pointed at Gentry with a long bony finger “You, new girl. I want you to close your eyes.”
Why her?
Gentry was only happy to hide behind her eyelids. No doubt the whole room was now staring at her.
Through the blood rushing in her ears, she heard the old man’s voice, “Who was sitting beside you before you closed your eyes?”
“My new friend Sereen,” G answered and heard a little gasp of appreciation from the woman.
“So you know she existed as long as you two were whispering behind my back. However, now that you can’t see or hear her. How do you know she exists?”
“Well, I can reach with my hand and touch her,” Gentry said, demonstrating.
“Yes, this is what most people answer,” Poe said. “You can open your eyes now. But let me ask you this: how would you know it was her, an not some other person that took her place?”
Gentry’s intuition was right: everyone was staring, as if waiting for her answer.
“Well, I suppose— ”
“Hush, it was a rhetorical question,” the professor cut her off. “The correct answer is that you can’t know that. We think we can trust our senses or at least our thoughts, but this is also false. Everyone, look out of the window.”
Everyone did.
The day was as fine as Gentry was annoyed.
What did this pops think of himself?
“I’d ask what you see, but I already know the answer,” he went on. “All of you would say “the sky”. And all of you would be wrong, because sky doesn’t exist. We only see the endless emptiness of the outer space, but perceive it as a blue dome. It’s an illusion, a phantom, born out of our collective unconscious.”
Sereen whispered, lost in the lecture, “Ah, yes, Carl Jung.”
What?
Was it supposed to be obvious?
“But listen to this,” he continued, voice booming like a demiurge’s in the completely silent room. “Listen to this. How many words is it? Listentothis. Our common sense says it’s three words while in reality it’s just a string of sounds I an producing with my mouth. I am literally making you hallucinate the spaces between the words I’m saying. With knowing that our perception is so flawed, how can we know that we even know how to think?”
“I’m sorry, professor, I disagr...” G started but got struck down by his serrated gaze.
“I’ll invite questions at the end, young miss,” he chopped out.
Sereen’s eyes were sympathetic. It looked like most if not all of professor Poe’s students had learned not to interrupt him.
He went on, “Anyway, the fact that you even understand what I am saying is in itself incredible and shouldn’t be possible.”
“But it IS possible, right?” G whispered to Sereen. “I mean, aren’t we understanding this as he speaks?”
“PLEASE refrain from talking unless asked!” professor Poe roared.
Impressive lung capacity for such a frail human being!
G begrudgingly did as she was told. The guy seemed to be enjoying this power trip a bit too much to her taste.
“Now, since most of you,” he put some emphasis on the word to shut up another pair of whispering students. “Most of you think you comprehend my words, you must know that there is a way to tell that something is real, even though we can’t rely on our senses for perception. I’m giving you a minute to discuss with your partners what it might be.”
G considered it. She and Sereen exchanged equally confused glances.
Like a dutiful student, S started summarising Poe’s arguments but Gentry listened with only half an ear. She felt that behind all this over-thinking was a clear and simple answer.
She watched the professor walk along the aisles, tuning into one or another conversation before leaving each with a smug head shake of disapproval.
What was there to think about? Even if they didn’t see the world precisely as it was, something was definitely real, right? The chair she felt under her buttocks, the air around, the low murmur of the students. The annoying professor that… looked a little too translucent.
Gentry waited for the man to approach their desks and tune into Sereen’s musings. As he came so near they could reach out and touch him, Gentry did just that.
To her utter shock, her hand went through the old jacket and sent a wave of static over the professor’s figure, his whole form glitching and flickering.
Professor Poe was a hologram!
Unable to help herself, Gentry said, “No wonder you don’t think anything is real, Professor, you are hardly real yourself!”
The whole roomful of people stared, transfixed, at the surreal scene of a student’s arm disappearing into the teacher’s abdomen.
Gentry looked back at Sereen in search of support.
Was it laughter in her eyes?
Poe’s blood drained from his face, the mouth slacked open, twitching as if trying to form some words, but none came out.
Sereen chimed in, “You never told us you were a simulation, Professor.”
“Out!” Poe gritted lowly so that no one really heard him.
“I’m sorry?” G asked, innocently.
“Out of my class!” he exploded, jumping out of Gentry’s reach with an enraged grimace. “I am as real as you are!”
G stood up and looked at her hand then back at Professor Poe.
How much rage could storm in those watery eyes?
Then, she winked at her new friend.
“Let’s go then, shall we?” she said.
Sereen looked lost for a second, her eyes darting pack and forth between Gentry and Poe. Then, her gaze seemed to cloud a little, as if she retreated into her own head, but when she resurfaced, she nodded with a mischievous smile.
Both young women left the room, the classmates’ sympathetic silence and Poe’s angry seething seeing them off.
***
“What a way to start my first day,” Gentry said. “My hands are still trembling a bit.”
She and S were calming their nerves in the green winter garden, the soothing sound of the little running streamlet at their feet a welcome distraction.
“Believe it or not, his course is actually quite useful,” Sereen laughed. “Who would have thought the old Poe is actually not human? I guess we never thought of poking him in the stomach before. This is going to be the talk of the Academy for the next month or so!”
“Is it? I feel bad now. I guess I’m not getting any points for attending this lecture, right?” — Gentry checked her wristcomm — “It says “zero progress” and something else… ad.. Honi… adhonim…”
Sereen laughed, “Yeah, you adhominem’ed good old Poe, no wonder you got zero credit!”
“What does it mean?”
“You’ve seen the rules of learning and discourse, right?” S said. “There are no-nos, things that aren’t allowed, especially when it comes to Rationality classes and the like. Ad Hominem means an attack on the speaker, not their argument. It isn’t exactly what you did, but I guess it’s the closest thing!”
“Ad Hominem, huh,” G said. “Well, I guess I deserve it then. Thanks for standing by me.”
If it wasn’t for Sereen, G wasn’t sure she would be going to return to the Academy any time soon!
“You just chose a wrong course as your first class, G,” — no doubt about that! — “But another lecturer who works here is much more open-minded and he also teaches Rationality. I think you’ll enjoy him more than our old Poe. His next class is in a couple of days. Wanna come?”
***
DEAR GENTRY!
CONGRATULATIONS ON COMPLETING AN OPTIONAL ASSIGNMENT! 20 POINTS HAVE BEEN ADDED TO YOUR STATUS COUNTER.

Comparing ChatGPT 4.0 and SoundHound's capabilities involves contrasting their functionalities in natural language processing (NLP) and related domains. Here's a breakdown:
Similarities:

1. Natural Language Understanding (NLU): Both ChatGPT 4.0 and SoundHound's technologies involve advanced NLU capabilities, enabling them to understand and interpret human language input.
   
2. Speech Recognition: While ChatGPT primarily focuses on text-based interactions, SoundHound specializes in speech recognition, allowing users to interact with devices and systems through spoken commands.
   
3. Voice Query Processing: Both platforms can process voice queries to extract user intent and provide appropriate responses or actions.
   
4. Conversation Management: Both systems are capable of managing conversations with users, whether in text form (ChatGPT) or through spoken dialogue (SoundHound).
   

Differences:

1. Text vs. Voice: ChatGPT is primarily text-based, whereas SoundHound's capabilities are more focused on speech and audio processing.
   
2. Use Cases: ChatGPT is widely used for various text-based applications such as customer support, content generation, and conversational agents. SoundHound's technologies are often integrated into voice-enabled devices, virtual assistants, and applications for tasks like voice search, voice commands, and speech-to-text conversion.
   
3. Domain Expertise: While ChatGPT is designed to be a general-purpose conversational AI, SoundHound's technologies are tailored specifically for voice interaction and audio processing tasks.
   
4. Commercial Advantage:
   
   • ChatGPT 4.0: Its commercial advantage lies in its versatility and widespread adoption across diverse industries for text-based applications. It's particularly valuable for businesses seeking to enhance customer engagement, automate tasks, and provide personalized experiences through chatbots and virtual assistants.
   • SoundHound: SoundHound's commercial advantage lies in its expertise in speech recognition and audio processing, making it a preferred choice for companies developing voice-enabled devices, voice assistants, and applications requiring robust speech-to-text and voice command capabilities.

In summary, while both ChatGPT 4.0 and SoundHound offer advanced NLP capabilities, they differ in their primary focus on text-based interactions (ChatGPT) versus speech-based interactions (SoundHound). The commercial advantage depends on the specific use case and industry requirements, with ChatGPT excelling in text-based applications and SoundHound being preferred for voice-enabled solutions.

Hello, I'm looking to buy a house and I got the below from the inspection company that my realtor is reocmmending. This is the second home I've bought and the first home it was much more straight forward as it was a slightly newer build and was a townhouse. Which of the below options make sense given the house details below:
Home Details:
Located in Albany, OR

Type & style

• Home type: Single Family
• Property subType: Single Family Residence

Bedrooms & bathrooms

• Bedrooms: 3
• Bathrooms: 2
• Full bathrooms: 2
• Main level bathrooms: 2

Material information

• Construction materials: Composite, Lap Siding
• Foundation: Continuous
• Roof: Composition

Condition

• New construction: No
• Year built: 1979

Flooring

• Flooring: Carpet

Heating

• Heating features: Natural Gas, Forced Air

Cooling

• Cooling features: Central Air

Other construction

• Warranty included: Yes

"Well-maintained with new roof & triple-paned windows. Tastefully updated with LVP flooring in kitchen, dining, hall and bath, new carpets in bedrooms, new kitchen lighting, new appliances, dishwasher, refrigerator, microwave and water heater."
\***Seller did disclose owner prior to them had electrical fire damage**\**
The house is very well maintained and looks like whoever has been living there the last 10 years has taken a lot of effort to ensure the place is practically spotless for a house built in 1979
BELOW ARE THE OPTIONS FROM THE INSPECTION COMPANY
The Premium Package
The Premium Package is our most popular choice, the most thorough inspection, and the best value for your dollar. This inspection includes a checklist that will encompass the entire home inspection process (i.e. structure and foundation; a representative sample of windows, doors, lights, and receptacles; moisture detection; attic and crawlspace areas; roof, gutters, and drainage; walls, floors, and ceilings; porches and decks; plumbing systems and fixtures in kitchens, baths, and laundries; electrical sytems and breaker panels; HVAC; built-in appliances; and a general check for wood destroying organisms*). Everything is compiled for you on-site so that when we are done, you have all the information provided in a printed report which is computer-generated with color photos and presented to you in a professional binder. Inside the binder, you will find a seasonal maintenance checklist, a cost guide for remodeling and repairs, and a filing system to keep track of receipts. Since Pillar To Post is the largest home inspection company in North America, we have alliances with many vendors on services you may need as a homeowner. In addition, we use infrared technology that allows us to check the electrical system to detect overheating circuit wires and breakers and for any hidden water leaks that would not normally be seen by the naked eye. Also included is a Rodent Inspection, Visual Summary with Measured Floor Plans, and a Centriq Report.
Infrared Scan - Using the most technologically advanced tools available allows us to detect moisture in wet areas of the home (i.e. kitchens and bathrooms and around windows and doors) that is invisible to the human eye. The use of these tools also enables us to locate areas throughout the home or structure that have overheating or malfunctioning electrical components (i.e. breakers and electrical panels). This work can make a critical difference during the home inspection process.
Centriq Report - During your inspection, we will capture the information of up to five major home appliances and provide you with a computerized report on any safety recalls for those appliances using the Centriq app. Centriq is a home inventory and maintenance platform designed to monitor for appliance recalls and track user manuals, parts, and support videos for your home. During the inspection, the inspector will add appliances and systems from the home into the Centriq app, and you will receive a Centriq recall report via e-mail within 48 hours. You will also have the option of adding items to the app in the future.
Rodent Inspection - In addition to our high quality, comprehensive home inspection which will highlight past or present infestation, we will also investigate and report on conditions in the home that are conducive to rodent activity so that you may be pre-emptive in the containment and control of these potential issues before a problem occurs. This includes checking for points of entry and signs of nesting, especially in the crawlspace of the home.
PTP360 - During our inspection, we will construct an interactive virtual tour that will provide you with 360° visuals of your future home. It will include thumbnails with comments and photos from your inspection report in relation to their location within the home. This feature also includes measured floor plans to aid you in any future projects or home planning.
Lifetime Maintenance Advisory Service - Following our inspection, and your purchase of the home, we will provide advice and answer your questions on home maintenance, the inspection report, and other home-related topics for as long as you own the home. Feel free to give us a call anytime! We are happy to continue our service to you.
Enhanced Customer Service Commitment - Our aim is to provide you with quality reporting and excellent customer care. Our office staff are available to direct your questions and concerns should the occasion arise, and our inspectors have a wealth of knowledge and expertise to assist you with all of your inspection needs. If you are not satisfied with our service, we will pay another inspection company of your choice to inspect your home again up to the value of your investment with our company.
*During each of our inspections, we do a general check for Wood Destroying Organisms (i.e. carpenter ants, termites, and wood-boring beetles) as well as evidence of dry rot. We do not, however, list the specific insects observed without the purchase of a WDO report. This is due to Oregon's home inspection laws regarding the reporting of Pest & Dry Rot information, sometimes required by lenders. If you do not need your report to specifically state which insects are or are not observed at the time of inspection, you may not need to add the WDO report to your inspection package. Please check with your loan officer before considering this add-on option and let us know if we can provide you with any further clarification.
The cost of this package is $ 742.35 You will also receive a 15% discount on any Added Service options.

The Prestige Package
This package provides you with additional peace of mind. It includes everything that comes with the Premium Package, as well as an air-mold anaylsis and a screen of the home for common allergens (i.e. cat, dog, cockroach, and dust mites), benefiting those who suffer from allergies, asthma, or immune deficiencies. It uses the most up-to-date technology to determine potential health risks in those areas and recommendations for further action.
Healthy Home Package - Houses safeguard the lives of the people who live in them. Increasingly so, it is known that poor air quality, including allergens, can pose potential health risks if not detected and addressed. Indeed, if someone in your home suffers from allergies, asthma, chronic sinus issues, or other breathing disorders, poor air quality becomes critical to their love and enjoyment of the home. In addition, mold can eventually cause structural damage to your home.
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Edit: If you are going to comment on the length of this post, please don't. This is not a simple snark but rather an actual critical think piece about feminism and Taylor Swift.

Introduction

Pertaining to Taylor Swift, "Female Rage" has deviated from its intended meaning after Swift debuted a new performance of The Tortured Poets Department during the Eras Tour. Now, according to Swift's use of the phrase, female rage is interpreted as public backlash against Swift's dating choices rather than as a response to the broader injustices against women and women's rights. This post examines Taylor Swift's flawed feminism, philanthropy, branding, and the controversial trademark petition for the phrase "Female Rage: The Musical". Swift's background as an entertainer, indeterminate politics, and alignment with capitalism over feminism pervades her legacy, again threatening her public tolerance as not just an individual but as a brand.

Once Upon a Female Rage...

If you were cognizant in the early 2010's, you've heard countless jabs at Taylor Swift in the media. Magazines, radio, or online. Music critics did not take her seriously as a songwriter; parents put a woman on an unrealistic pedestal as the ideal role model for their children; she dated too much and used men as lyrical fodder. No matter the story, it inevitably spread, conjoined with everyone's respective opinions, and you'd be left to wonder, "Why does everyone hate this girl so much?"
Taylor's target demographic has always been young or adolescent girls, more so when Swift herself was one. She made music that spoke to the awkward misfit, cultivating a para-social relationship with fans on MySpace, then later twitter, Instagram, and YouTube, where Taylor posted relatable vlogs showcasing the life of a homegrown American girl. Taylor had a delayed public "growing up" and, compared to her female pop contemporaries, Swift never "gratuitously sexualized her image and seems pathologically averse to controversy" (and, apparently, never even had a sip of alcohol until she turned 21). She was more than happy to spin this narrative to allude to an inherent moral superiority above other women in the industry (Better Than Revenge, heard of it?), engaging in the very slut-shaming that she herself endured (the Madonna and Whore archetypes). The victim complex arose with the need to prove Taylor as a different type of pop girl. Based upon her holy and clean image, Swift had been dubbed "a feminist's nightmare", and that "[To Swift] other girls are obstacles; undeserving enemies who steal Taylor’s soulmates with their bewitching good looks and sexual availability." Feminism and Tennessee-Christian country values don't exactly mix, it seems.
Years later, Swift befriended Lena Dunham and thus experienced white feminism osmosis, where Dunham taught Swift that real feminists defend rapists, makes insensitive jokes about rape and abortion, and prioritize all-white casts. Swift then declared herself a feminist in 2014, saying,

"Becoming friends with Lena – without her preaching to me, but just seeing why she believes what she believes, why she says what she says, why she stands for what she stands for – has made me realize that I’ve been taking a feminist stance without actually saying so."

I suppose the male-centric songwriting subject that permeates Swift's discography contained covert feminism and that we just didn't see that. Perhaps, the "Bad Blood" song and music video were written only in jest and not about poor Katy Perry, for Swift, as a feminist, would "never make it a girl fight" or tear other women down (though all Katy did was date your terrible ex-boyfriend and allegedly steal three backup dancers from your tour). In 2013, Swift said, in response to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler's joke towards her serial dating, "There is a special place in hell for women who don't help other women."
There was that time in 2015 Taylor said that Nicki Minaj was "invited to any stage [she is] on" (as if Taylor expects to have access to every stage, award, and platform that Nicki might not otherwise have as a black female artist...yikes!) in response to Nicki's criticism of the white + thin VMA nominations. Later, Nicki responded with confusion, as Swift continued, "It’s unlike you to pit women against each other. Maybe one of the men took your slot..". Of course, this 'beef' was 'squashed' when Nicki performed with Taylor at the VMAs, with Nicki quite literally only having 38 seconds of stage time without Taylor. Maybe all that parading around with a legion of famous white women - similar to the way Taylor might've done with her numerous 1989-era handbags - was in fact a stance against gender inequality, and that this display of "girl power" should be enough to constitute Swift as a feminist icon.
Even while Swift says that Dunham informed her feminist outlook, she dances around the exact contents of those beliefs: "what she believes, what she says, what she stands for" is not exactly insightful towards what beliefs Swift might have inherited. Taylor never broaches women's rights topics such femicide, FGM, forced pregnancy & marriage, sex trafficking, women in slavery, women's financial and political oppression, women's educational rights, women's health, or women's autonomy, so we can assume she only gives a fuck about "girls supporting girls" (whatever that fucking means).
Despite some questionable (and sometimes vindictive) behavior, Taylor as a young woman did not deserve every media lashing that she received. We cannot deny that most headlines and criticisms perpetuated a misogynistic rhetoric which has plagued Swift for a majority of her career. Acknowledging events such as the development of her ED, her sexual assault trial, "Famous" lyric and MV depiction of Taylor, and the explicit Twitter deepfakes, for example, as both disgusting and unfortunate things that happened to a young woman in Hollywood does not negate the fact that Taylor is mostly a performative feminist.

Get Your Fucking Ass Up and Be a Philanthropist, It Seems Like Nobody Wants to Be a Philanthropist These Days

In 2013, Taylor Swift cut the ribbon at the grand opening of the Taylor Swift Education Center at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville, Tennessee. The donation amount - $4 million - was the largest individual artist gift ever donated to the Country Music Hall of Fame, which is, of course, mentioned on Swift's website. The two-story facility features three classrooms, an instrument room, and an interactive children's exhibit gallery. Swift also performed at "All for the Hall" charity shows and has donated numerous artifacts from her career (such as notable guitars, tour costumes, etc) to the museum.
This was over 11 years ago, and it is still the only notable philanthropic contribution Taylor Swift has made.
For a woman of her net worth and stature, and a woman who recognizes the difficulties for women in film and music, you would think that Taylor Swift might establish a scholarship program for women to study the arts or something. Perhaps Swift might even consider becoming a member of organizations that support female artists, or one that supports LGBTQ+ causes (since she is now proudly an ally), yet she remains superficial with her graces. Broader philanthropy, such as donating relief aid to Palestinian women or women impacted by violence and discrimination will probably never receive any financial support from Miss Swift because then she'd be using her money towards philanthropies involving anyone but white entertainers.
She even says herself in Miss Americana, "My entire moral code as a kid and now is a need to be thought of as 'good'." Well, she's certainly thought of as good, though her actions say otherwise. She's more than happy to do a vaguely altruistic song and dance for a clip-worthy interview quote and mass appeasement, then fuck off to one of her mansions on a 20 minute private jet flight, rather than actually contribute to anything pertaining to the causes she has endorsed. Yet, far too many people continue to give a woman such as her their money, time, and energy, and she hoards these resources to herself.

I Like Some of the Taylor's Songs, But What the Fuck Does She Know About Feminism?

Swift continued with her self-proclaimed feminist campaign, positioning herself as a political activist and LGBTQ+ ally in the Miss Americana documentary. The primary focus of the documentary consists of the sexual assault trial, Andrea Swift's cancer diagnosis, Taylor's ED and body dysmorphia, media scrutiny, and, largely, finally speaking up about her politics publicly, mostly her opposition to the 2018 Tennessee Republican senate candidate, Marsha Blackburn, and Blackburn's beliefs. Swift says, following a scene discussing her experience during the trial,

"I just couldn't really stop thinking about it. And I just thought to myself, next time there is any opportunity to change anything, you had better know what you stand for and what you want to say."

We must ask ourselves, though: when has Swift ever spoken up to change anything? Okay, pulling her entire catalogue from Spotify because they didn't pay their artists enough and similarly pulling her catalogue from Apple Music are changes that she leveraged due to her revenue potential and power, but they are not pertinent to the average woman's rights. Moreover, these are issues that directly impacted Taylor's income, which was enough reason for her to protest in the first place. Swift has sold the most units for a female artist in first week sales, is the first female artist with 100k monthly Spotify listeners, is the first female artist to win the Album of the Year Grammy 4 times, and is the first female artist to do X, Y, and Z, all while being inoffensive and family-friendly to boot. The actual Taylor Swift seems unwilling to compromise the brand of Taylor Swift by contributing in meaningful ways to feminist causes, especially if it is for women outside of America and Hollywood.
The reason political anthems such as "The Man" and "Only the Young" of the Lover era feel disingenuous and corporate is because, well, it is. Taylor has taken every opportunity to advance her career or public image at the expense of other women. What is truly genuine to Taylor's outlook on other women is vying for male attention, taking down female competition, and vocalizing feminist injustices only if they directly impact her and her money. Some will argue that it's satisfactory for a woman with such a huge platform to even TALK about feminism, but that just isn't enough. It's even less impressive when you candidly look at the scope of her feminist lens: "If I was the man, then I'd be THE MAN", or "I really resent the ‘Be careful, buddy, she’s going to write a song about you’ angle, because it trivialises what I do", and, of course, "We all got crowns". Feminism, but only when it happens to me. It gets worse when you look at Taylor's track record of copying other famous women and removing other female artists as potential threats to her pop prowess.
It's good for PR to align yourself with certain blanket feminist and political beliefs, therefore good for branding, therefore good for ticketing and merchandise sales, therefore good for business. And Taylor Swift is a business.
She's not a feminist. Taylor Swift is a capitalist.

I Can't Pay Those Sweatshop Workers a Livable Wage or Benefits! How Else Would I Make My Billions?

Recently, Taylor's team filed to trademark the phrase "Female Rage: The Musical" after Taylor said during Paris N1 of the Eras Tour,

"So you were the first ones to see The Tortured Poets at the Eras Tour...or as I like to call it, 'Female Rage: The Musical'."

This trademark petition was filed last week on Saturday, and news comes about just as numerous unofficial fan-made merch designs have cropped up with this phrase plastered on Fruit of the Loom basics. I'm of the opinion Swift's team motioned for a trademark so that they can send out cease & desists to all those that make knockoff merch, which disrupts potential sales for Bravado, UMG's choice merchandising company; however, since it was filed earlier, perhaps Swift has bigger plans with the bizarre use of the gendered phrase. One Swiftie referred to the phrase "female rage" as "a funny Eras Tour joke". Could it be a possible fourth version of the Eras Tour Movie? Whatever the reason, the motion to capitalize off of such a concept is disgusting, but not unsurprising, for a woman that profits on her vain feminism.
Swift, through her company, TAS Rights Managements, has also trademarked over 200 phrases, including "1989", where she owns the property rights to this calendar year on keychains, phone cases, sunglasses, stationary, bags, beverage ware, clothing, entertainment services, your subconscious, and, of course, Christmas ornaments.
The vapid consumerism in Swiftie culture is, frankly, disgusting. Bravado's sustainability statement is non-existent, the quality control is abysmal, and the materials they use are horrible. The materials, such as acrylic and polyester, are made from petrochemicals. This means they are non-renewable, shed microplastics, and are quite toxic in production. The manufacturing process to make all of those lazy-rushed Eras Tour logo graphic tees is a huge blow to environmental well-being. Apparently, though, Swifties don't give a fuck. They sell out products in seconds and either have to face the manufactured scarcity or buy from a scalper that resells for 200% of the already ridiculous retail price. This doesn't include the environmental impact of vinyl records, CD, and cassette production, of which Taylor produces many variants that sell unsustainable amounts.
If we're talking about women's rights violations, why is no one acknowledging the women that work in the inhumane sweatshop conditions that have to pump out fugly t-shirts and hats? The millions of plastic microfiber dander they are inhaling, or the toxic dyes that touch their bare skin? Are they being compensated fairly for their skilled labour and are they in safe working environments? Do these women have minimal bargaining power, and do they have authority over their worker's rights? Is Taylor Swift female raging at their injustices? Does Taylor Swift ever feels bad that her wealth was built on the backs of women of color, disadvantaged by the demands of the global economy and garment industry? Do you think she ever says a little white feminist prayer for them before she goes to sleep at night?
What's even crazier is not that Taylor herself doesn't care, it's that Swifties don't care. There CANNOT BE ethical billionaires. You only make a billion dollars if you are exploiting other human beings for capital gain. Based on public perception of the possible "Female Rage: The Musical" trademark, it seems like Swifties are already asking for merch with this phrase. "If Taylor made it, I'd buy it." Oh, cool. So not only do you champion Miss Swift's avarice and billionaire status, but you also are unashamed to admit to your blind consumption of her music and merchandise, no matter where they might originate in production or sincerity. Just as Swift takes and takes and takes, Swifties' consumerism of Taylor Swift cannot be quelled.
The tortured artist's most vulnerable and sincere poetry...available now in 21 different versions!

I Am Tortured Poet, Hear Me Whinge

Look - even if Taylor's intention is to characterize TTPD as more "tortured" and "angry", the main thread of the album is "I was ghosted by my decade-long situationship with a controversial indie boy and my fucking stupid fans wrote a 'Speak Up Now' open letter prompting me to drop him" anger, which is adequately expressed in the lyrics and performances. The extent of Taylor's "female rage" on TTPD is on tracks such as "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me?", which contends with relentless media scrutiny; "But Daddy I Love Him", where Swift firmly states she'll date whoever she likes no matter how "Sarahs and Hannahs" may react; and "The Albatross", a track mythologizing her reputation and the consequences of dating her. Of course, these coincide with deep psychological wounds that formed during Swift's early years in the media, and so, from her feminist perspective, these subjects tackle the misogyny and double standards that she faced.
Yet Taylor Swift still has no grounds to be claiming that TTPD best exemplifies female rage and therefore she, in the context of this album, is female rage incarnate. As the daughter of a stock broker and mutual fund marketing executive, Taylor was born into wealth and allowed privileges like trips and subsequent relocation to Nashville all so that she might get a record deal. Her father even invested at least $120,000 into the then-fledgling label, Big Machine Records, which ensured Taylor's place with Borchetta after leaving her dead-end development deal with Sony. The fact that her parents were able to buy her a fucking brand new guitar for Christmas and pay for music lessons says so much about the financial security and safety of her childhood.
Money is privilege and protection, and despite Swift's experiences with misogyny and loser boyfriends, she does not know what female rage is.
Her rage is derived from her frustrations with her obsessive fans pulling the moral superiority card on Taylor in response to her rebound with Matty Healy. That's literally it. She's just pissed that the monster she created is no longer obediant, it's become a feral, sovereign entity that depletes the world of its natural resources and thinks it is more intelligent than it actually is because it's mommy has started to talk to it with big words. Apparently, 'illicit', 'elegy', 'nonchalant', and 'precocious' are considerably big words for the oafish monster, and I find it strange that this level of literacy is present in a group of fans that allegedly have GPAs of 3.5 or higher, but I digress.
Taylor Swift has never been one paycheck away from destitution. Taylor Swift has never experienced racial discrimination. She may have instances of gender discrimination, but she possesses the ideal white, blonde American beauty standard and therefore reaps the benefits of being a conventionally attractive woman. Taylor Swift has sufficient social capital. Taylor Swift is a billionaire woman prolonging her victimhood though she, as a woman, has mostly had control over her image and music (unlike her contemporaries). Taylor Swift is NOT entitled to be championed for her "female rage", nor should she be. Taylor Swift has never even been the struggling artist, for fuck's sake. I don't give a fuck if she's trying to fill the empty lunch tables of her past. Taylor Swift purporting herself, her unpolished album, and her lukewarm feminism as a musical bleeding with female rage is asinine.

Sigh Try and Come For My Job, Poors

Out there in the world right now is a 23-year-old woman, a recent college grad, who works as a barista. She has to wake up and get ready to go into a minimum wage job because she cannot get a job in her field. She doesn't have healthcare benefits or sick time, so she has to go into work no matter how she's feeling. All day long she is berated by vicious customers and creepy men, and, exhausted from being on her feet, she knows she has to go home to her shitty roommate that never does the dishes and her roommate's shitty dog. To comfort herself, she considers getting a treat, but thinks against it when she remembers that matcha lattes cost $15 and they taste like milky dirt. She knows that she needs to buy groceries this week, and so the woman resolves to go home, but notices that her gas tank is low. She goes to put gas in the car, but the pump stops at $27.86 because that's all that she has in her checking account. The woman, bereft and reeling, sinks into the driver's seat. "Well," she thinks, her head in her hands, "at least I don't have Taylor Swift's job. I just couldn't imagine."
Fame is somewhat of a choice. If at any moment Taylor feels that she is misunderstood, misconstrued, or overwhelmed by public opinion, she can LEAVE the public eye - Lord knows she has the retirement fund and residuals to do so. In "I Can Do It With a Broken Heart", the TTPD song about meeting the demands of your career-zenith mega-tour while in the relationship trenches, Taylor ends the song by rambling,

"You know you're good when you can even do it with a broken heart...you know you're good...and I'm good, cause I'm miserable, and no one even knows!...try and come for my job."

Yeah, obviously we wouldn't know, you recently passed the billionaire threshold and are the most famous and in-demand performer in the world right now. Taylor Swift makes an estimated $10 to $13 million dollars A NIGHT on the Eras Tour. Furthermore, the Eras Tour movie grossed $261.6 million globally, (which, as the producer, Taylor takes home 57% of the ticket sales) not counting the streaming revenue from Amazon Prime Video and the estimated $75 million deal that Disney paid to have it on Disney+. We're not even considering the income from cheap plastic popcorn buckets and drink cups plastered with colored squares in her Era-specific likeness.
It's funny. Taylor Swift often said that being famous wasn't hard, that she "isn't complaining". I'm sure it is difficult to always have to present in a good mood, else you'll end up misrepresented in the media, and I'm sure it's invasive to virtually have no privacy or semblance of anonymity. Still, Taylor Swift shows up each night of tour and performs. For a majority of her career, she has penned her sad songs while on the road. Most of "Red", her breakup album, was written in the thick of the Speak Now World tour. Now, some Swifties say they almost "feel bad" for attending the Eras Tour with Swift's revelations in this song, that they have had a 'dimmed experience' upon hearing Taylor's misery whilst performing. Despite the fact that Taylor said that "this was the happiest she's ever been" at Gilette Stadium in May, the lyrics "boohoo, woe is me, smile for the cameras and make the fans happy!!!" are jarring for Eras attendees.
While Taylor Swift was making double-digit millions a night in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil and feeling miserable, Ana Clara Benevides Machado passed away due to heat exposure. The concert promoters, Time For Fun, are now the subject of a criminal investigation due to their lack of adequate hydration and safety. Taylor Swift cancelled the Sunday show that was to follow and offered VIP tent tickets to Benevides Marchado's family, which was a kind gesture, but perhaps incongruous to the incident of which they were offered as consolation. Everyone grieves differently, of course, but I'm not sure attending the very show at the very same venue that my daughter or sister passed away in two days prior, where the singer CONTINUED the show despite her death, would be healthy for closure.
There was no female rage at the show as Swift never saw Benevides Machado pass out. There was no female rage towards the disregard for fans as humans while Swift elected to proceed with her Brazil tour dates despite the country being in historic heatwaves (at risk of overheatting herself). If Taylor Swift was so shaken by touring with a broken heart or a fan's passing, she wouldn't have added an additional North American leg of Eras just two months after the Matty breakup. She's brokenhearted but willing to mend the cracks with your money and move onward with her worldwide female rage induced pillaging.
No matter what happens, even if you die at a Taylor Swift concert, Taylor collects a big fat check and flies away. She doesn't know you as anything other than a conversion rate or earning potential despite what her nearly 20-year long parasocial relationship with fans might otherwise indicate. She knows that, while some Swifties are without disposable income, they feel obligated to spend on a "48 Hours Only!" exclusive vinyl variant instead of necessities because they are so entrenched in Taylor Swift's intoxicating celebrity, they'll prioritize materialistic fandom before their needs. This is good enough for her because this means she can expand her real estate portfolio and finance her cat's lavish lifestyles. They're worth an estimated $100 million dollars. Her three cats could pool their net worth and solve world hunger.
While you and I might be denied bereavement leave and barely surviving the current political and economic climate, Taylor Swift has to, instead of gets to, perform for stadiums at full attendance for three nights in a row across the globe. You and I might be replaced by AI at our longtime jobs, but Taylor Swift is threatened with losing more and more money each time you listen to a "Stolen Version" of her songs. If we don't buy every variant of all of her albums, then who is going to pay for the fucking cats?
It is tone deaf to spend as she spends and lives as she lives in this economy, but this is her reality. She was able to donate $100,000 to all of her tour truck drivers, and that's wonderful, but it leads me to wonder about the ethos of the 2020s where one woman can hoard such life-changing amounts of money. Remember in 2014 when she gave a fan $90 ($120 in today's money) to get Chipotle because she had no fucking clue how much it cost? This is a 34-year-old woman who is increasingly out of touch with the reality for working class people and women in general. Normal everyday adults must wake up and go to their thankless jobs, and yet Taylor Swift, despite all her riches, incessantly references the lows of her life and career as a public figure and entertainer to farm sympathy and drive sales. And still, the corporate women have latched onto "I cry a lot, but I am so productive! It's an art!" as their cubicle battle cry.
Do you think that, from up in her private jet, Taylor Swift gazes at the world through her poetic, tortured eyes, and thinks, "All the little people, in their cars, walking, going about their lives...all those girls that don't support girls...do they know that I've made an album about female rage?"

Conclusion/TLDR

Thank you for reading. I would love to hear your critical insights towards this entire ordeal: TTPD, the trademark, the implications of it all.
TLDR: Taylor Swift is a bad feminist and is delusional to think that the TTPD eras set exemplifies female rage at women's injustice.

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